Kristen Ciccarelli

Kristen Ciccarelli’s debut fantasy explores an intricately woven world of deception, inner darkness, and dragons that fantasy fans won’t be able to resist. In the beginning, there was the Namsara: the child of sky and spirit, who carried love and laughter wherever he went. But where there is light, there must be darkness—and so there was also the Iskari. The child of blood and moonlight. The destroyer. The death-bringer. These are the legends that Asha, daughter of the king of Firgaard, has grown up learning in hushed whispers, drawn to the forbidden figures of the past. But it isn’t until she becomes the fiercest, most feared dragon slayer in the land that she takes on the role of the next Iskari—a lonely destiny that leaves her feeling more like a weapon than a girl. Asha conquers each dragon and brings its head to the king, but no kill can free her from the shackles that await at home: her betrothal to the cruel commandant, a man who holds the truth about her nature in his palm. When she’s offered the chance to gain her freedom in exchange for the life of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard, she finds that there may be more truth to the ancient stories than she ever could have expected. With the help of a secret friend—a slave boy from her betrothed’s household—Asha must shed the layers of her Iskari bondage and open her heart to love, light, and a truth that has been kept from her.

The Last Namsara

"Everything dies," he whispered back. "I'm afraid of so much more than dying."

"Greta used to say," he said as he played, "that everyone of us is born with a song buried deep in our hearts. A song all our own. And our mission in life is to find that song."

"My love," she whispered, "I'll wait for you at Death's gate."

Author likes the phrase "sheer force" very much.

To survive in a world that preferred she didn't exist, Safire had to be strong. And she was— her arms were knotted hard with muscles, and beneath the sheer force of her, Asha was buckling.

But if he knew her name, why shouldn't he know her weapon of choice?

What in the HTTYD AU fanfiction rip-off was this.

It makes sense that author was 17 when she started writing this. There were so many things going on that were apparently important to the plot, except I couldn't care for those things or the plot (because there hardly was one.) Everything also seemed awfully convenient and poorly executed.

What in the HTTYD AU fanfiction rip-off was this.

It makes sense that author was 17 when she started writing this. There were so many things going on that were apparently important to the plot, except I couldn't care for those things or the plot (because there hardly was one.) Everything also seemed awfully convenient and poorly executed.

Nessa Luna

Aishling

3.75/5 stars
I really enjoyed this book, some bits where a bit slow hence not a 4 star rating.

Loéva 

Iskari est un coup de foudre, je m'attendais à tout sauf à ça. Réellement. L'histoire est ficelée de façon intelligente, les personnages sont décrits, et l'univers regorge de détails...

Bref, j'suis tombée amoureuse quoi.. et je me maudis de pas avoir la suite 😭

https://ladroguerieecrite.wordpress.c...

Livia

im still speechless. this is still one of the best fantasy with dragons i have ever read and i need everyone to read it

Leah Patton

This was such a great read! Recommend recommend recommend! I loved it. I think I'll settle on a five star rating (even though I have some small criticisms that I'll talk about in a later review.) I cannot wait to read the second one in September!! Review to come on www.theleafd.com

Carley Whitehead

Megan Williams

The Last Namsara tells the story of a girl who kills dragons for her father the King in order to gain his approval and to take revenge on the ones who ruined her life. In this Kingdom, the culture is slowly being eaten away as it becomes illegal to tell the old stories and the dragons who tell them are slowly dying out - mostly due to Asha hunting them down. 

I think what was intriguing about this book is that most of the characters were completely different than what I expected. Does anyone else try to guess where the plot will go while they are reading?? Yah I was sure I had it all figured out and knew exactly what the characters were going to do next and exactly where the plot was headed. But man was I wrong. 

Instead we had complex characters who were working to build up to this complex theme where my whole perceived plot fell apart and I'm left with something even better. I am not an author, and I'm so thankful that the plot didn't turn out like I expected because this book was so much better and crazier and just more amazing than I could have imagined. 

This book has everything a reader could want. 

1. Kick-butt Female Character
Asha seems like the anti-hero in this story. To be honest, no one liked her because of several key instances in her past. She hasn't had the easiest life and has had to deal with several casualties, yet this makes her into the person who she is in the novel. She is probably the character who is the most redeemable and it's one of the reasons I loved this novel. 

2. Dragons
What can I say? I'm a sucker for a story with dragons. And these weren't just your regular old dragons either. These dragons get their fire from the stories people tell and that's how Asha draws them out. But this takes a turn when the dragons become a little more necessary to Asha for some undisclosed reasons. But not spoilers, so I will just say that a big part of this book revolves around these creatures and it becomes important to know just what part these giant creatures play in this novel. 

3. The Plot Twist
The novel is told from Asha's point of view, okay? So everything in this book is from her perspective and how she remembers the events. And of course we know that some character bias is definitely embedded when novels are written this way. Yet I've never read a novel where this character bias comes into play in such a major way. A lot of what makes this novel so amazing is the fact that there are these huge plot twists resulting from Asha's perspective on the events compared to the actual truth. And how this truth is discovered was just the most perfect moment and I really loved how this novel played out. 

There's a lot going on in this novel between the characters' relationships, the plot twists, and the dragons. I really had a problem putting this book down, especially when I started to see some changes in Asha and how she was responding to the people around her. Overall this was an amazing novel and I can't wait to see what this author brings to the table next!

Lila Harrison

4.75 stars rounded UP to 5 stars! What a lovely, wonderful treat! A book this amazing is so rare! I loved it so very much! Check out my full review here

Vera Sokolyanskaya

** spoiler alert **
           It's really 2,5 stars to be honest but only because the storytelling really improved in the second half. I've struggled with the style all along, it felt flat and too unexpressive. For a story about beautiful ancient stories the style is a disaster. Sentences are unnecessary short with almost no adjectives, same parts are repeated in the same paragraph, vocabulary is very poor. 
Now the story. For about 20% I was really frustrated with it, its structure, characters, their background and motivation. Then it got better and even though dragons were killed (s - as in plural!!!!), it kept me reading and involved in the plot. Pace was good, lots of action and ending was satisfying. 
Not sure I want to read the next installment, unless the author's writing leaps to a new level.

'Kristen Ciccarelli is now my favourite author' Tomi Adeyemi, #1 New York Times bestselling author of Children of Blood and Bone ****************************** ASHA IS A DRAGON SLAYER Since she was a young princess, Asha has killed to protect her father's kingdom. She longs to atone for the terrible deed she committed as a child - one that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar. But no matter how many dragons she kills, her people still think she's wicked. So now she plans to slay the most powerful dragon of all. And the only person standing in her way is the defiant leader of a rebellion she can't possibly be a part of . . . THE LAST NAMSARA is an extraordinary story about courage, loyalty and star-crossed love, set in a kingdom that trembles on the edge of war. For fans of Madeline Miller, Katherine Arden, Laini Taylor and Tomi Adeyemi. ********************************** 'An accomplished fantasy novel . . . I'll definitely be looking out for the next one' Joanne Harris 'The most simply thing I can say is this is the best book I have ever read and Kristen Ciccarelli is now my favourite author . . . your soul has been waiting for a story this beautiful' Tomi Adeyemi 'It's always refreshing to see a non-traditional fantasy setting. And a kickass princess . . . a dash of Arabian Nights story magic, plus dragons? Yes please! Elspeth Cooper 'The Last Namsara is easily one of my favourite fantasy books of this year . . . It's fast paced, action packed, filled with a diverse cast . . . Fans of An Ember in the Ashes, Seven Realms, and the Shattered Realms series will devour this' YABooksCentral

Iskari Book One

Sheila Goicea

See this full review on my blog along with others at: shesgoingbookcrazy.com

I received this copy from the publisher via Edelweiss, in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!

Release Day October 03, 2017!

  
    Once there was a girl who was drawn to wicked things. Things like forbidden, ancient stories. It didn't matter that the old stories killed her mother. It didn't matter that they'd killed many more before her. The girl let the old stories in. She let them eat away at her heart and turn her wicked.
Her wickedness drew dragons. The same dragons that burned her ancestor's homes and slaughtered their families. Poisonous, fire-breathing dragons.
The girl didn't care.
  

Asha, the daughter of the draskor king, is not the typical, pampered princess. She is a dragon-hunter, and slayer. She wears the battle scars on her face, and a title that makes others cower in her presence.

Iskari, a name which instills despair and destruction has been given to Asha. Out of shame, her station was made to right the wrongs that haunt her past. But the thing that caused so much destruction before, may be the key to unlocking her true identity, and rewriting her story.  

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This book had me hooked right from the start. Although it took a little time to get used to the style in which it was written--transitioning from present time into a story--I absolutely loved this technique and how effectively it delivered vital information at the right point. I believe this alleviated the ever-so-common info-dumping to build the world in a poetic, and appropriate way. 

 The Last Namsara begins with telling stories of local lore about the Old One and his children, Namsara and Iskari.

  
    Namsara searched the desert for Iskari. The sky changed seven times before he found her body in the sand, her skin blistered by the sun, her eyes eaten by carrion crows. At the sight of his sister, dead, Namsara fell to his knees and wept.
  
 
It is a tragic tale, yet serves the purpose to explain what the title of "Iskari" means. The truth is that it is devastating for Asha to be known by such a name, as it defines her as a death-bringer. Forced to right her past wrong, she constantly works towards eliminating the threat; dragons, and their poisonous old stories.

But her hunts aren't always as fruitful as she desires. They make her realize that her true nature hasn't changed; she yearns to know the tales of old, and to share their knowledge with those around her. But, the stories are taboo, and cause illness and corruption in those who desire to reap and sow the lessons they have to offer.

  
    Asha lured the dragon with a story. It was an ancient story, older than the mountains at her back, and Asha had to dredge it up from where it lay deep and dormant inside her.
  

The dragons themselves are drawn by the stories, and considered to be evil minions of the Old One. The more stories a dragon is told, the more they thirst for them, and the more power they gain.

This is where an uncanny parallel to  Fahrenheit 451, with the idea that stories bring false reality and lies. Stories are dangerous, and cause decay rather than growth--or so believed the antagonists.

It is true that stories can be altered over time, based on how they are told, and if the teller decides to tell the truth, or lie. However, stories are vital to hear, as they tend to repeat themselves in different forms and scenarios. People learn through personal experience, and by hearing experiences (aka being told a story) of others. It is through these stories that it is revealed to Asha the truth behind her predecessors' power, as well as her role in all of it.

Asha's story entangled her with an evil man named Jarek. Not only is he the Commandant of the king's army, he is her betrothed--against her will. Her only chance to break the betrothal is to find and kill the first dragon Kozu, and bring it's head before her father. 

  
    If Kozu were ever killed, every old story would be struck from mind or tongue or scroll--as if they'd never existed. The Old One would be forgotten and the link between him and his people broken. But so long as Kozu lived, the stories did too, and the yoke keeping Asha's people shacked to the Old One remained.
  

This tale effortlessly intertwines fantasy with raw reality. Topics like slavery, racial division, and prejudice mottle the landscape with societal ills. The long history between the draksor and skral is tarnished and bloody. The social divide is apparent especially with Asha's character. Having been born of the noble family, she's used to ordering people around, and doesn't think twice about reminding the skral of their position. Asha is a great example in showing that negligence creates division and harm. As the plot unfolds (view spoiler)[and it is revealed that the dragons turned on the draksors because they enslaved the skral unjustly (hide spoiler)], Asha is forced into a situations where her prejudice is confronted, and her morality changed. 

  
    "Torwin?" she whispered, thinking of her namesake.
He turned his face toward her.
"Do you think the goddess Iskari hated herself?"
It wasn't the question he expected. She could tell by the way be sucked in a breath, like she'd elbowed him in the stomach,
"I think...," he said after a stretched-out moment, his gaze intent on her face, I think the goddess Iskari was forced to be something she didn't want to be."
That wasn't any kind of answer. Asha was about to say so when he went on.
"Iskari let others define her because she thought she didn't have a choice. Because she thought she was alone and unloved."
  

Asha's character was beautifully executed. Having little say in the person she's allowed to be, an inner battle rages with who she's supposed to be, and who she is.

The result leads to a twist that tied up this tale into a beautiful, cascading bow. I did not expect it to end the way it did. 

You can see more on the author's thought process behind  The Last Namsara and Asha's character by clicking HERE.

Not only does this story have its entertainment value, its purpose makes it all the more worthy of the time spent reading it. This point alone makes it more valuable than most YA books published this year. 

I have very few, minute issues with this book that I won't even bother mentioning. This book is a part of a series, so anything that requires more explanation, I am looking for its sequels to be responsible for. 

If you are looking for a clean, amazing book to add to your TBR pile, I would say to place this one at the top. I'd recommend it to anyone. 

Vulgarity: None.
Sexual content: Kissing only.
Violence: Moderate.  

5 stars. 

A big thanks to the publisher for providing me with a copy of this book!

Tânia Borges

The plot and character development were nice, though a bit predictable. I'm interested enough to see what happens next.

laura

I really loved this book so much. I was really impressed by both the world building but also he main character and how much she grew thought this novel. It was a so well crafted. I loved how the story alternated between the story and also the stories that are considered forbidden in this world. I was shocked by the twists that occurred in this book and really was impressed by them. It was fast pace read and I just loved the dragons roll in this story. I really want to know what happens next!

Jelke Lenaerts

This book has a content warning for slavery. 

This book wasn't bad but I just don't really have any strong feelings towards it. A lot of it felt very generic and just predictable. I genuily predicted most of the plot in the first couple of chapters because it's all just so tropey and generic. Besides that I really loved this world though and it's kind of making me want to continue on into this series. Just so I can learn more about it. The main character could be annoying at times and very dumb at others. The romance was a bit underdeveloped in my opinion. I liked the side characters. There were some surprises plot wise when it came to those people though. The ending felt a bit easy compared to all the stakes we gotten beforehand. I don't really know what to say about this book, because like mentioned before I don't have any strong feelings towards this book. I feel like this is satisfying as a standalone but at the same time I'm kind of curious about where this story is going to go and I want to know more about this world.

Moon of Pages

Leelynn Brady

Find this review and more on my blog Sometimes Leelynn Reads

“Once there was a girl who was drawn to wicked things.
Things like forbidden, ancient stories.
It didn’t matter that the old stories killed her mother. It didn’t matter that they’d killed many before her. The girl let the old stories in. She let them in eat away at her heart and turn her wicked.”

I am so glad that I found this book. I don't know why I never read this earlier. I think I have a tendency to be late for such amazing books.

So this was definitely something that I hadn't come across before. Not only am I so intrigued by this world that our characters are in, but just the kind of characters that are involved in this book. My absolute favorite character has to be Asha, but Torin is definitely a close second. Asha is pretty much the deadliest woman in this world, because she is the only one that can destroy a dragon and survive. She has been hunting them since the moment she could, and the only one that has ever bested her was the oldest dragon Kozu when she was a little girl. She almost died then, and from that point on she learned her lesson. The dragons were the enemy, and she would kill every single one.

“The old heroes were called Namsara after a beloved god, he said. So she would be called Iskari, after a deadly one.” 

She got her title, Iskari, from the old gods, one that was deadly and corrupt. Everyone that knew who she was feared her, and her reputation preceded her everywhere she went. And yet, her abusive and evil fiance Jarek has the potential to take everything she has away - most importantly, her freedom. Asha's father, the Dragon King, tells her that she can get out of this hell of a marriage if she kills the oldest dragon, the dreaded Kozu that almost killed her all those years ago. She jumps at the chance to take him on, anything to gain her freedom. So what does she do when she finds out that, not everything is as it seems?

Everything that she knew about the dragons was a lie, and even though she used to hear the old stories, she still has so much to learn about her world. With the help of Torin, the slave of her betrothed, her world opens into one that is actually worth fighting for. She grows into a person that doesn't just refer to slaves as "slaves" but by their given names. She learns that dragons aren't always the gruesome monsters that she grew up knowing. She becomes so much better than she was before, and it makes her stronger.

I can't wait for the rest of the series to come out, and I'm so glad that I purchased the hardcover copy from Barnes & Noble so I can reread this again before the second book is out.

A gripping YA crossover series from a spectacular new voice in the genre Destroyer. Death bringer. Dragon-slayer. I am more weapon than girl. Asha is a dragon-slayer. Reviled by the very people she's sworn to protect, she kills to atone for the wicked deed she committed as a child - one that almost destroyed her city, and left her with a terrible scar. But protecting her father's kingdom is a lonely destiny: no matter how many dragons she kills, her people still think she's wicked. So to unite the fractured kingdom she must marry Jarek, her father's cruel commandant. As the wedding day approaches, Asha longs for freedom. Just when it seems her fate is sealed, the king offers her a way out: her freedom in exchange for the head of the most powerful dragon in Firgaard. And the only person standing in her way is a defiant slave boy . . . THE LAST NAMSARA is an extraordinary story about courage, loyalty and star-crossed love, set in a kingdom that trembles on the edge of war.

Kathryn

The premise of this book sounded so good and it did not disappoint. I thought the structure of the book, mixing the main novel with the old stories, was really clever and made the world much richer and more developed. I love that the romance in the novel wasn't love at first sight or shoved in the reader's face. It was a mixture of dragons, storytelling and a love that transcends time which made me fall in love and fall hard.

Jagoda Nowak

Dragons! Any book about dragons automatically has my attention, and ‘The Last Namsara’ was no different. My favourite part of the book (apart from dragons) was Asha. She was fierce, and quite frankly terrible, but she was honest, and she wasn’t idealized. And the plot twists – so many times I thought I knew what was going to happen, but every time I was surprised. Also, did I mention all of the dragons?

Anne-Birth Kers

This book is amazing! I’m really tempted to buy the next to books in the series and binge read them. 

I absolutely adored this. It had a bit of a slow start, but when I was 100 pages into it, I just couldn’t put it down anymore. 

I love the characters. They are amazing and I want to read more of them. I really like Asha’s character development and the her relation with the other characters in the book. And the dragons... I love them and I want to protect them all.

The world was really well build. I really liked the idea and I really liked the atmosphere. Kristen did a really good job at describing it. I also loved the short stories we got after some chapters, to build the world. It is a very unique way to show us the world and I absolutely adored.

There were also quite some twists near the end that I really didn’t see coming. I was shocked and I loved every bit of it. 

I highly recommend this book and I can’t wait to pick the other books in the series up as soon as possible.

Heather Killeen

*3.5*

I love the set-up for this book. You're told that dragons exist (but are murderous and dangerous), and given an amazing badass heroine who slays them, who also has a complicated relationship with her family and her position as the Iskari (dragon slayer). All of that is great, plus, there are the Old Stories, which when spoken aloud have mysterious effects on the speakers, and the dragons themselves. I love it love it love it. 

BUT...Thennnn Asha, the Iskari, starts doing this thing that I like to call the Katniss, where she blindly goes from place to place and thing to thing, not trying to figure out the bigger picture or ask real questions until the climax of the book where everything comes crashing together. She severely limits herself over and over again about her options and what she must do (MUST SAVE PRIM. MUST SURVIVE HUNGER GAMES. We get it Katniss, but maybe also you can trust Peeta, and think just a bit about what might come next after you get out, you know?), and it drives me absolutely nuts. As a reader I'm sitting there just wanting to scream at her JUST ASK YOUR BROTHER A FEW QUESTIONS DAMMIITSSS. *siigghhhh* 

Maybe this is just a big pet peeve of mine and it doesn't bother other people. But I can't stand a MC that don't try to work stuff out in a timely manner. Maybe the author revealed too much, because hell I had it pretty much figured out half way through and Asha is still like, wait I like a slave, I don't know what to doooooo. GET IT TOGETHER WOMAN. YOU SLAY DRAGONS. 

Okay rant over. Back to the good stuff. 

The writing was so lyrical and lush and wonderful. It reminds me a bit of Laini Taylor's writing in Strange the Dreamer which I loveeee. I listened to the audiobook and the narration was fantastic. and again, I love love love the dragons and all of the Old Stories and how they are woven into their culture and history! I love where the story goes (even though it feels like it takes forever to get there), and the overall messages. 

Will I read more? I honestly don't know? Asha just annoyed me. A lot. And there aren't any major cliffhangers at the end so I sort of feel like that might be a good stopping point for me haha

Georgiana.aysha

It was an ok book . 
Like it didn’t changed my life in any way but if someone asked me for a book with dragon and forbidden love I would recommend this one .

Dearna Mulvaney

For my full review visit: https://wordpress.com/post/wordsofthe...

 ‘Asha lured the dragon with a story.’

I will start by saying that I was given an ARC copy in exchange for an honest review. These opinions are my own. 

This book reaffirms my love of YA fantasy and my love of dragons. The world Ciccarelli has created is new and exciting. I adore the idea of telling stories to dragons and having the dragons tell you stories in return. 

Our protagonist, Asha is a dragon slayer and she wants to destroy them all. This is her amends for telling stories as a child and causing a dragon named, Kuzo, to burn down Firgaard. If she kills Kuzo and gives his head to her father she will fulfill her task and bring an end to the Old Ways. But more importantly, if she can kill Kuzo she won’t have to marry Jarek. 

I wasn’t sure I was going to like Asha. We see that she is the best dragon slayer but the reason she is the best is that she breaks the law and tells old stories to lure them. She comes across as arrogant, entitled and more than a little dangerous—the perfect mix for an unlikable character. But, as the narrative unfolds, it’s as though she starts to trust the reader and shows us who she is beneath the dragon slayer exterior. 

The dragons are not just sprinkled in there as standard fantasy elements. They are just as dangerous, threatening and intelligent as Asha. When they aren’t fighting for survival you see a side of them that’s curious and protective which reminds me of Toothless or Saphira.
 
While I adore the world and the dragons, I would say that it does feel like a debut and the plot feels predictable. However, since I was so captivated by the world, the predictable plot didn’t affect my enjoyment of reading this book. 
 
Overall this is a pretty fantastic start to a new series! I adore Asha and Torwin! The world is amazing—Arabian inspired, dragons, and storytelling. Who could ask for more? All I can say is that it's going to be a long wait for the sequel!

Charlot van Dijk

Het lijkt een beetje alsof alles al en keer eerder gedaan is. Meisje blijkt speciaal te zijn, wordt verliefd op een jongen waar ze eigenlijk niet verliefd op mag worden en ze red alles en iedereen. Toch is dit verhaal anders. Ja, het gaat over een meisje en ja, ze wordt verliefd op iemand waar ze niet verliefd op hoort te worden, maar iedereen redden is een derde punt. In het verhaal komen draken voor, en niet omdat het kan, maar de draken spelen daadwerkelijk een grote rol in het verhaal. Ze leven, ze denken, ze zijn echt. Het concept dat er verhalen zijn die de draken lokken is een mooi concept. Ik begrijp niet helemaal hoe dit in zijn werk zou gaan, maar het is een leuk idee. 

Waarom dan maar 3 sterren? Ik miste gewoon iets. Ik miste de ontwikkeling van de andere karakters, ik miste de ups en downs in de spanning en ik miste gewoon het punt. Ik had het gevoel dat ik dit boek leuk moest vinden en dat was gewoon niet zo.

Oh, en een kaart aan het begin van het boek zou fijn zijn geweest. Of een woordenlijst. Of allebei..

Jaimy Heerschap

The Last Namsara tries to bring a lot of different ideas to the table but fails on almost every aspect. The main character is boring and so is the love interest. Dax and Roa are far more interesting (so let's pray book 2 is a little better). The main character's dad is the most egregious example of bad writing, constantly flipping between two personalities. The story is quite dull and goes exactly in the way that you expect it to. The only redeeming factor are the stories that happen every so often (but those stop after page 200 or thereabouts). The second half of this book is exceedingly boring because it tries to explore a romance between the main character and Torwin (the interest) but they are both bland characters and have 0 chemistry with one another.

Just skip this book, because you'll be disappointed.

The Last Namsara

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