#49 Bring It On by Laura Anne Gilman

This is the third Retrievers novel put out by Luna. Sergei and Wren's relationship continues to develop. The sex scenes are really the only thing that make this a Luna/Harlequin book. I don't mind the sex and I am glad it doesn't drive the plot like a few other series I could name. This book develops more of the Mage Council/ Lonejacks/Fatea politics. Also what is cooking is a problem within Sergei's old group the Silence. This is the main plot and the retrieval part of the plot really seems secondary to the storyline. The series continues at a good pace and I will be picking up the next one to read.

#50 His Majesty's Dragon by Naomi Novik

I had heard the buzz about this book for a while and after people asking me about it I finally picked it up and gave it a read. What a fun ride. The story really conveys the class breakdown of Napoleonic era Europe. Capt. Laurence is a British officer that loves his job and holds the respect of his crew. By pure chance after capturing a dragon egg from a French ship, he bonds with the newly hatched dragon.  Temeraire is a Chinese dragon and and that adds to the difference in of how things work for him within the dragon ranks.  This works well in the book to explain all of the ins and outs of  the dragon fighting force without there being huge infodumps. How society works in Britain at that time seems to be at a crossroads with the dragon fighting forces. Having a dragon in charge of flight instruction and a certain breed of dragon only wanting female captains goes completely against that mindset of the era and how they cope to keep this from the general public makes the story seem even more real.  

I read the sample chapter for the second book at the end and now I have to go to the store and get them. This series looks to be quite fun and now with Peter Jackson wanting to do a movie of the series it should be even more fun.