Tuesday Reviews: Windward by S. Kaeth

Why I picked up this book:

I received the this ARC from author S. Kaeth in exchange for an honest review. But, before that happened, I had the honor of meeting S. Kaeth during the first season of Writer In Motion, and I found her to be a delightful, warm-hearted woman. So when she told me about her story and asked if I’d review it–after all, we’re both dragon lovers–I squealed in delight.

This review may contain spoilers.

Windward

When dragons fight, mountains weep. In nests high in the mountains, dragons and dragonbonded share their lives, thoughts, feelings, and ambitions. Palon and her partner, the dragon Windward, are renowned among their nest for their flying skill. Their days are filled with everything she loves, especially riding the wind. Even being tasked with teaching their way of life to Tebah, a rebellious newly bonded teenager, can’t bring her down too much. But when treasures from the dragons’ hoards are found in Palon’s collection, her idyllic life comes crashing down. She battles to prove her innocence, while her every move is cast as further evidence against her. Tebah’s suspicion, homesickness, and defiance would be frustrating even in easy times. With Palon in the spotlight while her rivals smear her name at every turn and stir up plots of revenge, her teenage charge’s behavior proves dangerous. Dragon tempers shorten, and challenges and disputes shake the ground. Palon will have to trust more than just herself if she hopes to once more own the sky.

What I loved:

One of my favorite things about this story is the dragons are always present, right from the first line. While most other dragon stories seem to build up to the creatures, or don’t put them on display to the end, Windward takes readers straight to the heart of dragon culture and immerses them in a hectic nest live. The human characters are constantly navigating around the dragons, and the size difference is always present.

The relationship between Windward and Palon is so strong and organic it almost carries a sentience of its own.

I also adored Miros and would love to read a story in the future about his history, his bond, and a little more about the close relationship with his dragon Silver Spine. They were utterly fantastic characters, and even in their state of near-death the pair flew off the page and often stole the spotlight.

Where I wish I’d connected more:

One of the struggles I had with the story (purely as a reader, so this is subjective) is that characters would act and react a certain way in the scene, eluding to a specific conclusion, then Palon’s assessment of the situation would jump into left field. This may have been intended to give the feel that she wasn’t perfect or accurate in her assessment, but as a reader I found it jolting.

And hoorah for sweet, healthy romance, but I personally didn’t connect with Palon’s mate. He just felt too ‘there for her,’ too helpful. Maybe I just love my broken romances though, so what do I know.

Overall:

This is a wonderful story that takes readers into a world of timeless dragons and deep cultural lore. Nothing about nest life feels human, and yet Palon and her mentor Miros bring such a human experience to navigating an alien world. I can’t wait to see what this wonderful author comes up with next. This book is perfect for dragon lovers of all ages, clean and sweet romance, and deep hints that Windward’s world has a lot more to be unpacked if readers get the chance to return.

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