Review by Kirkus Book Review
A worry-prone dragon struggles to master her powers in the second Gemstone Dragons book. Gemstone Dragon Ruby's magic power, rooted in the ruby in her chest, is fire. However, while the other Gemstone Dragons love using their powers, Ruby feels insecure about her abilities. Every time she starts to use her magic, she's derailed by thoughts of all of the possible ways it could go wrong and loses control. Despite frustrations, she pushes through to practice for an appreciative audience, including unifoal Canterlope--but then pushes too hard, creating a forest fire that other dragons must put out. After the fire, they discover that Canterlope's gone missing; despite falling dark and an imminent blizzard, Ruby--feeling responsible for Canterlope and accompanied by her best friend, dragon Topaz--follows her instincts to search for the missing unicorn. Finding Canterlope requires Ruby to trust in herself; Ruby must extend that trust to her abilities to master a fire that will keep the trio warm during the worst of the storm. The writing is fluid and straightforward, as is the villain-free plot, allowing readers to focus on (and relate to, for many) Ruby's anxious internal dilemmas. Although she has her day-saving breakthrough, it's not a magic fix; Ruby still must consciously work on her positive focus in the happy dénouement. Final art unseen. A solid sequel and a hug for overthinkers. (Fantasy. 7-10) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
