The read of this ARC honestly took me so much longer than it should have. Mainly because of pacing and writing style. The beginning felt a bit slow for my tastes. I didn't like the writing style much because of how it dragged. This book holds multiple POVs that started off confusing, but eventually you learn each is unique to the character they represent, and then I saw how Lam's writing fit these characters we are meeting and the ending. And, as uncertain as some of the characters are regarding fate and trust, you root for them long before they realize what they want. Pushing through the first half of the book was worth it. The magic system... I can't say much. You get some basics. I know there is limited magic and humans have seals to help them channel their magic. But, in all honesty can't tell you a thing beyond that. Definitely needs to be explored more for the reader. I enjoyed the world created and am invested in learning what will happen with all these characters futures, especially after that ending. This is most definitely a high fantasy that is LGBTQ+ inclusive.

This book was so much fun. If there's one thing you need to know about me it's this: I freaking love dragons!
And this book delivers on the dragon front.
Let me tell you why you need to read this book too:
It has DRAGONS
It has queer enemies to lovers trope
Oh and there's a heist...yeah, a HEIST!

3,5/5
This is one of those books where I can absolutely see why someone would love this but it just never managed to capture my attention completely.
While the characters were likable they also felt a little flat and I just didn't enjoy the world-building. The romance was ok but also both seemed to rushed and drawn out in a really weird way.
What kind off threw me off was also that in the beginning it seems like we were heading towards a school/university story line and then we got something completely different. Of course that will come back in the sequels but it just felt like at the end of the book Arkady wasn't any closer to that goal than in the beginning. In fact it felt like everyone ended up in the same, or at least very similar, place as they were in the beginning. As if the plot of the entire book had very little impact.
As I said in the beginning, I can understand why someone would love this, I just didn't.

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for my copy in exchange for my honest opinion.

This was a difficult read if I'm being honest. The premise sounded so cool; ancient god-like beings returning to the world after a gutting betrayal from humans of the past. But I really struggled with reading this one. I had a difficult time connecting to the characters and there was so much info-dumping disguised as world-building that I found myself getting bored of the main narrative.

I'm also juggling my free time with reading arcs and general rest so I feel especially annoyed because of the time wasted on this one. If you have the time to maybe take notes and write up notes, I would recommend this but if you're looking for something that will draw you in, maybe skip this one for the time-being.

I still give this a 2/5 because the writing wasn't awful, I think it was just a misjudgment in what to focus on especially for a first book in a series.

Thanks so much NetGalley for the ARC!

Unfortunately, for now, this is going to be a DNF for me. The writing feels very plain, there is a lot of info dumping, and I’m simply not invested in the characters or plot enough.

It’s definitely not BAD - it’s just okay, which right now is failing to hold my attention. Definitely one I’ll keep in the wings to return to though!

I was intrigued by the premise and opening chapter, but it ultimately fell flat for me. I didn't really feel a connection between the two characters.

Actual rating: 3,5 stars

Centuries after the humans betrayed the dragons and stole their magic, Arcady, a thief determined to have a better life, and Everen, the last male dragon, find themselves accidentally bound by an ancient spell. A spell that could restore dragons to their magic and their place in the world.

I've been obsessed with dragons since I was a little girl, so when a book with them appeared on my Netgalley page, I had to request it. I have to admit that I only briefly read the synopsis and went into this book pretty much blind.

And I'm glad I did. This allowed me to discover this incredible and compelling world. The dragons were as majestic and fascinating as I expected, and my only complaint was that I would have loved to have more of them. The magic was also very well written, I just wish some terms were better explained. But at the same time, I'm afraid it might have taken away some of the magic, so I'll leave it at that.

However, I have a love/hate relationship with the characters. Love because I loved how gender fluid most of them were and how refreshing it was to read. And hate because despite their well-fleshed out pasts and goals, I didn't care about any of them.

Now for the plot. Again, I don’t know what to think about it. I liked the direction the story was taking, but it lacked intrigue and action for me to really be interested in everything that was going on. The romance is also a big part of the story and I’m sad to say that, again, I didn’t care about it. I love forbidden love and I loved the tension between the two characters, but it came so out of the blue, with barely enough build up to create that bond we love so much in romance.

I don't know yet if I will continue the series once the rest of the books are out. But I know that I will read more L.R. Lam for sure, especially Seven Devils which is already on my tbr and which I am now even more curious to read!

Thank you so much to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review!

Of dragons, prophecies, betrayal and a bond spanning worlds

The story starts out as high fantasy at its best, showing us the plot through the eyes of a dragon. Not any ol' dragon of course.
With this comes a lot of exposition dump, but I didn't mind this at all. On the contrary, I enjoyed the rich worldbuilding and felt like having something unique in my hands.
As the plot moves on, the story changes, at times becoming a mini heist, at times a story of betrayal, then again a training montage for thievery. So the middle part of this book took me out of the story many times, in my opinion not really knowing for a big part what kind of story it wants to tell.
For me the book is at its best when it stays with Everen and Arcady, as they explore (and often times loathe) their bond. I would have been completely happy to see the world solely through their eyes. However, there are two more POVs in this book, and even though the chapters drive the plot forward, I couldn't seem to care about them, sadly.
The book is very enjoyable and I love the two main protagonists as well as the cliffhanger / game changer at the end. Overall it left me slightly disappointed.

3,5/5 stars

(Repost due to merging of accounts)

I thought it was a refreshing way to tell a fantasy story! Took a little bit of focus on the world building in the beginning for me, however once I got the hang of it, it was easily to follow.

Can’t wait to get my physical copy!

this was a really compelling read. although the world-building and magical system were initially difficult to understand and a bit perplexing, they eventually revealed to be extremely unique and exciting to read about. the pacing started out a little slowly at first but i thoroughly enjoyed it anyway! the plot was very engaging, and both the world-building and magical system were well done. carefully developed characters were well written. i was taken aback by the ending's turn of events, which made me eagerly anticipate the sequel.

thank you to the author and netgalley for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Found this novel very entertaining and pleasant to read. A must read. I would recommend reading for yourself.

I had such high hopes for this book. The cover art is gorgeous and the premise sounded so interesting but I couldn’t get into the book.
From other reviews it sounds like the book doesn’t really pick up and get into the plot until around halfway through and unfortunately I couldn’t bring myself to keep reading to get to that point. I ended up DNFing the book at 15%.
The beginning is just too much of an info dump that doesn’t draw the reader into the story, in my opinion.

Just the title of this book was enough to draw me in. Dragons? Yeah, sold. I'll figure out the rest later, haha. Even better, there's a heist plot, lots of betrayal, touches of political intrigue, and some great representation regarding sign language, gender fluidity, and LGBTQIA characters. Dragonfall is the kind of story that will draw you in with its potential. It, unfortunately, didn't quite live up to what I thought it could be, but I'm invested enough (especially after that ending!) to continue forward.

The book starts off slow, with a lot of info dumping. It's important information but I do wish it had been woven into the story better. It took about half the book before it really warmed up, but from that point on it was fantastic.

The story is told through two main POVs, with a small sprinkling of side characters in between. Everen's, our dragon, POV is a bit strange, but don't let yourself be put off by it. It makes much more sense by the end of the book, and I think will be more appreicated upon reread. Both Everen and Arcady (second main) have distinct voices and I enjoyed the story equally through both of them. I also really loved their interactions and how Everen learned about the world through Arcady.

The world building is done well, but is not as descriptive as I would like. I don't need to be drowned in Tolkienesque words, but there are a lot of references to common things that aren't really described (i.e. the sweet/saltspheres) or are assumed already known by the reader. Its a small complaint, honestly, as someone who reads almost exclusively fantasy, it was not hard to fill in the blank, though newer readers might have some issues.

As I mentioned earlier, the ending is really the shining star here and has guaranteed I will pick up the sequel when it comes out. I think the story will only improve from here on out and I am very excited for it.

Somewhere between 3.75-4 stars.

Thank you Netgalley and DAW for the ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This new fantasy trilogy is filled with secrets, tension-filled romance and dragons. The reader is introduced to a new magic filled fantasy world where dragons are trapped in another dimension and trying to go home. The book follows a few main characters in a first person point of view as they go on this quest for power and magic. There is the last male dragon with the burden of his species survival on his shoulders, a desperate human sorcerer who is trying to gain wealth and power and the secretive spy priestess. There is also some forbidden romance and lots of secrets being held.

I liked the magical world the author created and thought the plot premise was interesting, however the writing style didn’t vibe with me and made it hard for me to be immersed in the book. I had a hard time distinguishing points of view and thought certain parts of the book were worded awkwardly. I also didn’t feel like the three points of views came together in a way that was satisfying for me, but this may be better in later books. I think the idea and backbone of this book is great but could be slightly better executed - however this may be my personal preference in writing style. I am still looking forward to reading the next book to see what happens next and I have hope that the writing will get better.

I would recommend this book if you enjoyed the world of Priory of the Orange Tree and are looking for a lighter fantasy read more focused on romance or if you are looking for an enemies to lovers romance with lots of tension and magic. I would not recommend this book to those looking for epic fantasy reads or those who don’t enjoy multiple points of view.

I’d like to thank NetGalley and the publisher (DAW) for an eARC of this book for my honest review.

I feel as if I went into this book with very high expectations.

The beginning felt slow and I just didn’t connect with the main characters.

The blurb of the book sounded so interesting and I think I just wasn’t a fan of the writing.

I’m sure some people will love this plot & story! It definitely has potential as a series!

This book was provided to me via NetGalley as an ARC for early review.

My thoughts are purely that. Thoughts and opinions. So please don't be dissuaded just because of one review. I implore you to read more reviews and read it for yourself to be the judge! :)

If you are a fan of Dragons....I suggest you avoid this book.

This book centers 2 main characters with another POV that is minimal and sporadic. Our main character Arcady is a thief and con artist living on the streets just trying to make it. Then we have Everen who is a dragon turned human. He is thrust into the human world where humans use the old magic of the dragons as their own and he is here to stop it.


I had a few pros to this book:
1. I enjoyed Arcady as a character overall. She starts really strong and kept me interested for as long as I could manage.
2. The concept of the book was really intriguing but just lacked some depth that I wanted.
3. I thought there was good representation for gender and LGBTQ+.

Now unfortunately onto my cons:
1. Everen was an insufferable character who I just could not get myself to care about one single bit. He was annoying and frustrating at best. His lack of understanding over everything also didn't come across well, as it only added to the confusion of the world, not made things clearer.
2. The plot of the book didn't begin until about 50% of the way into the book and at this point I was very bored of the back and forth with two MC's.
3. The very FORCED love interest was horrible. It didn't feel real or believable at any point in this story. They are forced to love one another to break the bond?? Like come on? We can't be a bit more creative here?
4. The worldbuilding was lacking here. I found myself often times lost or confused by who was who and who was important with all the different people described and talked about. I thought it could have been done a bit more gently to help make things less confusing.

Overall I ended up giving this book a 2.25/5 star rating. I think this book just lacked all the right things for me....especially dragons. I wanted more dragons and more plot!

I’m sure everyone has heard the expression ‘don’t judge a book by its cover’. Unfortunately, this book is a perfect example. The cover is absolutely stunning, but I could not get drawn into the story.

We follow Arcady, a thief, and Everen, the last male dragon, who was drawn into the human world. First of all, I struggled to keep the two perspectives straight because they read similarly even though Everen’s chapters were told in second person. I didn’t care about either character or what was happening to them.

DNF at 25%.

Danke an Netgally für den Arc!

Leider hat mich dieses Buch krass enttäuscht und ich musste es ehrlich gesagt auch bei 15% abbrechen.

Man versteht absolut überhaupt nichts. Die Welt wird nicht erklärt und die Begriffe werden nicht erklärt. Die Charaktere sind boring af, die Story ist boring af und der Schreibstil ist schrecklich. Nichts an diesem Buch hat mir das Gefühl gegeben weiterlesen zu wollen.

Another reviewer mentioned this and I think it's the perfect hook: "queer enemies-to-lovers with dragons."

This is a great fantasy with fun tropes and DRAGONS. There are just simply not enough dragon books these days.

The world building is fantastic.

Eager to see where this trilogy goes.

A prophecy. A lost dragon. A heist. And a whole lot of angst.

L.R. Lam’s phenomenal writing and world building, beautiful prose, an incredibly thought provoking society, made this one of the most unique and memorable stories, I’ve read in a long time.

I thoroughly enjoyed this! Although the pacing was a bit slow in the first half, but I think that was to allow for characters and the world building to develop. I loved the inclusion and representation of gender fluid and LGBTQIA characters, the common use of sign language, and how Dragon focused this magic system and world are. Because there should be more representation in the Fantasy genre, and who wouldn’t worship Dragons as Gods?!?! The shocking finale, definitely left me wanting more!

Thank you to L.R. Lam, and DAW Books for the opportunity to read this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.