When the destructive nature of Leila’s dark side becomes uncontrollable she departs on a quest to gain control. She’s compelled to fall in with a group of Spetsnaz. Her heart finally starts to open but will she be able to fend off the ominous destiny ahead of her?

The Dragon of Russia is another riveting entry in Jessica Piro’s action thriller series. Leila is struggling with grief and relearning how to connect with others. Bryan Foster, another main character, was always scheming and plotting while Leila and her comrades (Russian soldiers) were trying to stay one step ahead.

I really enjoyed how the characters, old and new, continue to evolve throughout the entire book. Leila continues to be a complex and compelling character that is struggling to fight her inner demons, which sets her on an inevitable course of self-destruction. This unpredictable character transformation is something that I really enjoyed in the first novel as well, and this second entry in the series shows that the author has a real knack for character development.

Bryan Foster is the designated villain and his ‘crimes’ and schemes are continuously developing and are usually unpredictable. I like this aspect of the story because it kept me on the edge of my seat and always looking forward to seeing how the story would twist because of his actions. I’m not very familiar with Russian culture, but I think this novel does a great job of immersing readers in that culture, and it gives this novel a unique Russian flavor that I wasn’t expecting.

Leila must learn to love again, but not in the typical romance story sort of way. Her story is not one that is excessively written about, this makes her relationships with others very fun to read and captivating overall.

With solid action and a gripping continuation of the storyline from book one, The Dragon of Russia is a must read for fans of the series or of Jessica Piro’s writing. I can see her evolution as a writer and the improvement really shows in this novel.

Pages: 372 | ASIN: B0945RY6ZS