The world-building in Dragonfall is nothing short of extraordinary. Lam skillfully crafts a realm where the consequences of past transgressions linger, and the gods, unforgiving and vengeful, seek to reclaim their rightful place. The city of Vatra, with its streets teeming with both desperation and opportunity, becomes the stage for a thrilling dance for Arcady and Everen.

Arcady, the street-smart thief at the heart of the story, serves as a compelling protagonist. Lam explores the complexities of survival, ambition, and the thin line between right and wrong through Arcady’s eyes. The narrative is skillfully threaded with elements of mystery and intrigue, as Arcady’s stolen artifact unravels secrets that could reshape the fate of both worlds.

The arrival of Everen, the last male dragon, adds layers of complexity to the plot. Lam masterfully navigates the challenges of a dragon in disguise, exploring the dichotomy between his godly nature and the limitations of a human form. The dynamic between Arcady and Everen is a highlight, as trust, betrayal, and the potential for redemption become the threads that bind their destinies.

The central theme of trust is woven intricately into the narrative, creating a suspenseful and emotionally resonant experience for readers. As Everen seeks to fulfil his destiny by convincing Arcady to trust him completely, the stakes rise, and the delicate balance between the mortal and dragon worlds hangs in the balance.

While Dragonfall introduces readers to a mesmerising and enchanting world, it is not without its challenges. The complexity of the plot may require attentive reading, especially as the interplay between mortal and dragons unfolds. Additionally, the intricate relationships and shifting allegiances may pose a slight challenge for readers seeking a straightforward narrative.

In conclusion, L.R. Lam’s Dragonfall is a triumph in the fantasy genre, offering a spellbinding fusion of magic, betrayal, and unlikely alliances. With its rich world-building, well-crafted characters, and a narrative that dances between darkness and hope, Dragonfall is a must-read for fans of epic fantasy. Lam has not only breathed life into dragons but has also given readers a world to explore, ponder, and get lost in—a world where the boundaries between gods and mortals blur, and the journey is as enthralling as the destination.

Positives of Dragonfall
Compelling world building
Complex and relatable protaganist as Arcady
Intriguing dynamic between characters
Negatives of Dragonfall
Complex plot dynamics may be difficult for non-fantasy readers.

DNF - i really couldnt. i wanted to but i couldnt get through. the POV was distracting and shaky.

the prose felt lacking to me and, maybe because, at the time i was new to fantasy, i couldnt imagine myself in the main character (dragon). i also felt like the world building was sloppy in the beginning

This book sounded so amazing and hearing some people talk about it, makes it sounds amazing. I tired really hard to get into this book but I kept finding myself getting distracted really easily. It might have something to do with it being written in 3rd person, and there is nothing wrong with 3rd person but I just find that I have a hard time connecting with the characters and their stories. Maybe I'll give it another chance down the road.

This book was an amazing experience to read. Great main character, amazing world building and story telling!
Really easy to read and follow the story line.

I think with the hieght of Fourth wing everyone is looking for more dragon books with romance, and this one let me down a little. I just wishjed there was more focus and explanation on the dragons.

Dragonfall is an very fun novel with detailed worldbuilding, listen I love dragons and rivals to lovers romance. I also really love to read queer characters in fantasy. It took a bit to get into it as the start was a bit slow and some parts were a somewhat confusing, but I still enjoyed the novel and loved Everen's POV. I guess for me what was less enjoyable was the ending, but I guess I will have to read the next book!

An epic fantasy story with queer love and characters, dragons and powers, Unforgettable and so recommended

I was super interested in the plot of this story, but I found it hard to follow the back and forth between the different POVs. I even tried listening to the audiobook to see if it would help, but I found myself distracted at times and not enjoying it as much as I had hoped.

I really enjoyed Everen’s POV in this book, the rest for me was just okay. The use of the dragon vernacular was also a unique touch that I really enjoyed! Describing things as they would really be from the dragon’s POV was a cool choice. While I think that author was going for detailed world building, which can be great when done right, it was a little TOO detailed for my liking. I found myself wanting to rush through some of the descriptions because they were becoming redundant. I didn’t feel a ton of depth in the characters and the romance felt a bit forced, though I was more sold by the end. It took me a very long time to complete this book and I unfortunately would probably not pick up something by this author again.

I had a lot of trouble getting into this book.

First, let me start off by saying that when I requested this book months before it's May 2023 release date, I was so excited just based on the cover and the concept of bonded humans and dragons. Then by the time I got around to trying to read it in April of that year, I found myself struggling through every page. I stopped, and figured I'd start again since I must be in a reading slump.

When I tried to read it again a little over 2 months later, I STILL couldn't get through more than 20 pages without feeling like I was slogging and not retaining anything.

This process continued over and over until finally, I just grabbed a physical copy from my local library and forced myself to read it in the span of 2 days so I could finally see if I was missing out on anything.

Long story short... I could have skipped it. This isn't a horrible book by any means, but it is downright boring at times. The magic system is very interesting and unique, but feels like it isn't properly utilized. The main characters didn't draw me in, and there's a third POV from a person we learn next to nothing about over the course of 300 pages.

2023 was supposed to be the year of finding an amazing dragon novel, and so far everything has fallen flat that I've read from that genre. Here's hoping that vampires in 2024 will fill the void.

DNF at 20%
The writing style is not for me, I have no idea what's happening and I don't know who's who

L.R. Lam has created a fascinating world with Dragonfall, with interesting characters and a fast moving plot. I love a good heist story, and this one started off strong in that regard. This is also one of the few books I've read where a POV character has such a sense of "other" about them, which I fully attribute to Lam's writing and for which I applaud them. It was a little too heavy on the romance for me, but I've already recommended it to several friends who like more romance in their books than I do. I can't wait to see where this series goes.

No thoughts, just dragons. This book was everything I could have wanted and more. I love Lam's writing, it instantly captivated me and I could not put the book down,

"Dragonfall" by L.R. Lam is an exciting fantasy novel that takes readers on a thrilling journey into a magical realm filled with dragons, wizards, and epic adventures. The story follows a young hero named Aria, who discovers she has a special connection to dragons and must embark on a quest to save her world from an ancient evil. The author skillfully weaves together a captivating plot, full of twists and turns, keeping readers on the edge of their seats from start to finish.

One of the strengths of "Dragonfall" is the vivid and imaginative world-building. Lam paints a detailed picture of the fantastical landscapes, magical creatures, and the unique bond between Aria and the dragons. The characters are well-developed, and readers will find themselves rooting for Aria as she faces challenges, makes new friends, and discovers the true power within herself. With its fast-paced storytelling and engaging characters, "Dragonfall" is a must-read for anyone who loves fantasy adventures and wants to get lost in a world of magic and wonder.

This was hard to get into for me and I ended up putting it on hold for other books. What I had read so far sounded intriguing enough though, so I may buy a physical copy and give this another try.

DNF. I just couldn't get into it. I don't think its bad, and the writing was good, but I couldn't get into the story line.

This author is amazing. The story really drew me in and left me wanting more. I enjoy the character development and I felt like I was growing with them.

This was such a cool idea. I do love all things dragon related so I may be biased but this books is really fun. I llove the cover. It just pops.

3.75

I’m not going to lie, I had been putting this book off for so long because early reviews hadn’t been great; however, I had a fun time with this!

I think it does suffer a little from how it’s been marketed. I’ve seen this labeled as fantasy romance, and I think if readers go in expecting the “romantasy” vibe of BookTok’s favorites they’re going to leave disappointed. There is a romance and the romance is central to the plot, but at least in the current romantasy phase of publishing, calling it a fantasy romance sets readers up with the wrong expectations.

That being said, I really enjoyed the set up of this world and the multiple points of view. Lam’s world provides an interesting take on religion and how traditions change over time as they get passed from generation to generation and I love books that explore those themes. I liked the way Everen described things using a dragon’s perspective and I am a sucker for non traditional narratives so his chapters being written in second person were a lot of fun. I also loved how that allowed Lam to play with language and highlight Arcady’s being genderfluid.

The characters read a little young, which I don’t tend to prefer; however, the ending provided a fun twist that makes me excited to see where the sequel goes and how Lam will continue to build out this world.

An enjoyable fantasy read, unfortunate timing in coming out that there are many dragon related fantasy books flooding the market, this one seems to have been left behind. Not my fav 2023 fantasy read, it found it hard to get into the book but after awhile it flowed ok.