Release Day Review of Shadow Scale (Seraphina, #2) by Rachel Hartman

Title: Shadow Scale (Seraphina)
Classification: Young Adult; 12+
Grade Level: 7 and up
Lexile Measure: 0780 (What's this?)
Genre: Fantasy
Series: Seraphina
Format: Hardcover; 608 pages
Publisher: Random House Books for Young Readers (March 10, 2015)
ISBN-10: 0375866574
ISBN-13: 978-0375866579
Author's Website: http://rachelhartmanbooks.com/
Notes: I received and eARC loan from the publisher.

In a world where dragons and humans once lived segregated but in fragile sort of peace, a young half breed who, by all accounts, never should have been born may be the missing link that connects them all...

Seraphina thought she was the only one of her kind--a half dragon/half human called an ityasaari. She, however, was wrong. One of the few who understands both dragon and human reasoning, she unwittingly got herself mixed up in her country's, Goredd, politics. With civil war breaking out among the dragons as to whether they should once again conquer humans or maintain the peace between humans and dragons, it won't be long before war finds its way to Goredd. On a mission to find others like herself, those who were once scorned and hunted, ironically, may be the only ones who can save both dragons and humanity. Could Seraphina be the one to tear down the barriers between the two species?

This was the second and, sadly, final book to the Seraphina story. According Ms. Hartman, however, there will be more stories to come that will be set in this world. With any luck, this won't be the last we hear of Seraphina and her motley crew. While this book wraps things up fairly nicely, I'd like to see a little more of her. *crosses fingers* If you haven't read the first book, I encourage you to do so. While this book recounts a nice portion of what happened in Seraphina, there are some details and events I wouldn't want you to miss that aren't included in this one.

In Shadow Scale, we get to see more of the lands surrounding Goredd as Seraphina sets out on a mission to find and bring together the other half dragons that fill her mental garden. While some will be willing to help protect the kingdom from being razed to the ground, some might not be so willing to protect a country where half breeds are said to be abominations. As with many quests, collecting her fellow half breeds will have its complications.

Overall, I gave this one 4 out of 5 roses. I enjoyed the rich world building and the characters who seemed to come to life on the pages. There were a lot of twists and turns, and I was happy to learn the story behind the grotesque that was banished from Seraphina's garden. While at times the story seemed to lag, I was always entertained. I will confess, however, to being a little disappointed about the way Ms. Hartman resolved the love triangle. I kind of wish she'd wrapped it up differently. Other than that, I loved the finale and look forward to reading more books set in this world.

Order of the series: