I was so excited to return to this world, and this sequel did NOT miss! So much of this book is an absolute vibe, with Arcady enrolling at university meaning there were new places to be and characters to meet. My standout character for this series is Sorin - really loved her character development. The plot really kept me guessing and there were twists and turns that I really enjoyed. If you liked Dragonfall be sure to pick this one up.

✨ ARC Book Review ✨

Emberclaw by L.R. Lam

STAR RATING: 5/5⭐️

REVIEW:

A beautiful ending to this story. There were plenty of ups and downs, the excitement was high, and the fear of Arcady and Everen not making it through was so, so real. I was hooked at the beginning, and kept going back to this book! The twists and turns kept me engaged and I absolutely was screaming for Arcady and Everen. The focus and determination of survival from these two is amazing.

PLATFORM: eBook/Kindle

EMBERCLAW was one of my most highly anticipated reads, and I'm so glad I got to read an arc. It successfully concludes Arcady and Everen's story, and I am completely obsessed. I can tell that the author wants to tell more stories in this world, and I really hope they get to! This world is so interesting and intriguing, and I would love to read more stories set in it. I loved this book!

Loved the characters and their development as the story progressed. Had a great time with this duology and thought the second book was even better than the first. I found myself unable to put this book down!

I would like to thank L.R.Lam, DAW Books and Netgallery for this E-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this book, which is the last in the Dragon Scales duology. Having a summary of Dragonfall really helped refresh the story before diving in.

I felt this flowed better than Dragonfall as the world building had already been established and initial story set. We pick up Everen and Arcady's stories and follow through their individual paths as they reconnect. The romance was a lovely slow burn with the perfect level of longing.

The academia setting was amazing, with the trials adding to the plot. I do like multi POV's however did struggle with the change of first and third person. However this is more of a personal preference than a criticism.

I would definitely recommend this as a duology for dragon shifter lovers (especially for grumpy dragons!) with rich world building and detail. I think the second book is actually better than the first, a must read for 2025!

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC.

I wasn’t a huge fan of Dragonfall as I felt the pacing was a bit slow and it was hard to get into. I was afraid Emberclaw would be something similar but I am delighted to say that I really enjoyed this book more than I thought I would. The pacing was quicker and I found that I didn’t want to put it down. I found myself invested in the story, and thought Lam did the romance and action plotlines well, giving readers a good balance of the two.
Great end to the duology.

The conclusion to this duology is superb. My questions were answered and I couldn't stop turning the pages. Usually I don't like books that are second in a series as much as i like the first book but that's not the case here. I enjoyed Emberclaw more than Dragonfall!

Thank you to NetGalley and DAW for giving me an eARC of this title in exchange for an honest review! Along side “Cursebound,” this is another second book in the series that somehow surpasses the first. This was an extremely well done and satisfying conclusion to the story. Plus, I am still constantly obsessed with the uniqueness of the world building— the language and the way that the culture interacts with gender specifically. I feel like this a book I will be recommending a lot, and a series I will come back to again and again.

So no real spoilers obviously.

This was everything I was looking for in a sequel, and at the same time not enough I want more, I'm greedy.

If you haven't already guessed, I utterly adored this book. It answered pretty much all my questions.

Not a book to sit on.

It all comes right

Humans and dragons used to live together in Loc. The humans betrayed the dragons, banishing them to the hellish world Vere Celene beyond the Veil, where they survive at the edge of extinction. This at least, is the story as dragons tell it -- humans tell a different story. In Dragonfall, the first book of L.R. Lam's Dragon Scales duology, Everen, the last male dragon, traveled through the Veil from Vere Celene to Loc, where he bonded with thief Arcady, who had unwittingly called him to themselves. Everen's mission is to make Arcady fall in love with him, then kill them and steal their magic, bringing dragonkind home to Loc. Arcady is not an easy mark, and the end of Dragonfall saw Everen evicted from Loc, his bond with Arcady seemingly broken, in an act of not entirely unintentional mutual partial betrayal. Everen's mission having failed, he is treated as a criminal by his mother and sister back on Vere Celene. Dragonfall ended with the revelation that the Lochian high priest Magnes is in fact a dragon, Ammil, who broke Vere Celene and Loc long ago and has survived secretly on Loc.

As Emberclaw (the second book of the dualogy begins, Everen is living in disgrace in Vere Celene, doing his best to help dragonkind survive. Arcady, trying to vindicate her reviled ancestor Barrow Eremia, manages to enter the University of Vatra under a false identity, where she hopes to learn more about Barrow. Emberclaw thus feels familiar -- it's a "magic school" book, like Harry Potter, Percy Jackson, and Hierarchy. Indeed, the main event of Emberclaw is a student competition, the Trials of Magic, in which Arcady competes. Sorin, the junior priest, secret assassin and tool of Magnes, is also a student at the University and also competes in the Trials.

It's a good story and the end was satisfying. I have to admit, though, that I didn't enjoy it as much as Dragonfall. When Dragonfall began, it was obvious what we readers were being led to expect. It was obvious enough that I suspected L.R. Lam's twisty mind was setting me up for something more convoluted. Indeed, it was so. Dragonfall is a story in which nothing that appears obvious can be trusted. Emberclaw is less so. Although the story is gorgeously told, it was essentially the story I thought from the start it would be: the good guys were good guys and the bad guys were bad guys, and they weren't hard to tell apart.

I liked Emberclaw, but felt it didn't quite bear out the promise of Dragonfall.

Loved this book. The characters were well done and the story was heartfelt with good plot twists. The first book builds the two worlds of dragons and people who worship them. It's a love story as well as suspenseful and emotional.

I loved the perspectives in the book I think this was a great finish to Arcady and Everen’s story!!! I loved how everen told the story and the epilogue was amazing! The ending climax was also really great! Overall great series! Can’t wait to read more by this author

This book was absolutely fabulous. After reading Dragonfall, I felt that Emberclaw tied everything up, while giving us a lot more action. The worldbuilding was already completed in the first books, so this book portrays Everen and Arcady trying in their respective worlds to set things right for dragons and humans. L. R. Lam is a talented writer who tugs at your heartstrings while incorporating a couple plot lines. Absolutely an amazing duology that is a must read for any fantasy lover!

This sequel was brilliantly executed and did not disappoint!

We pick up where we left off with our favorite thief Arcady and our favorite grumpy dragon Everen.
In this book we get action, adventure & a pinch of romance.

Also, I LOVE the multiple POV!

I loved this book. I will say, I enjoyed this book more than I enjoyed Dragonfall, purely based on the pace of the story. I feel like the pace was much slower in Dragonfall but it really picked up with the introduction of the university and the trials in Emberclaw.

I would absolutely recommend this duology to any fantasy reader, especially those who are looking for a gender neutral read with a respectful tone, as well as a dragon POV.

Fantastic - Congratulations L.R Lam on such a wonderful story.

This is the second book to Dragonfall, which is now a completed series. I found that I actually enjoyed this book more than Dragonfall. At times I did find the overall pacing a bit slow. If you enjoy a book where the dragons shifter, you’ll likely enjoy this. Magic, thieving, and dragon shifters, what more could you need? I really enjoyed when Arcady was tea teaching Everen to pick pocket. I will say this would have been a 4 star read for me, however the author switched between first and third person which really took me out of the story at times. I found myself having to really pay attention who was talking. Had it only been in one style of dialog, it would have been a 4.5 for me, so do that doesn’t bother you.. definitely read this!

So glad that I found this series. L.R. Lams writing is so beautiful. This was the perfect ending to this story, it had me grinning as I finished the last bit. The pace is much quicker than book one and the short chapters makes it easy to pick up and put down, though you won’t want to put it down. I liked the journey each character goes on and the growth of each character. I also really appreciated having a summary of the first book, I wish more series could do that!

☆4 Stars☆

I absolutely flew through this ARC! The story follows Arcady, who’s now a student at the University of Vatra, secretly trying to unravel the mystery of their grandsire. When the University brings back the Trials of Magic, Arcady jumps in, hoping to win a scholarship and get closer to uncovering the truth. Apparently I'm a big fan of trial-based plots..

Loved the magical school/Harry Potter vibes. The pacing was fast and fun, the chapters were short and made for a quick read. I found myself deeply invested in Arcady’s friendships, especially with Sorin...👀. The slow burn between Arcady and Everen was perfection. I loved their tension and chemistry.

A+ for fantasy, dragons, magic, and toe curling tension!

Many thanks to NetGalley, DAW publishing and L.R. Lam for this ARC in exchange for an honest review

One of the easiest 5 stars I’ve ever given.

Dragonfall was an unexpected favorite of mine when I read it for book club a few months ago, so I knew Emberclaw was going to be a must read, and it did not disappoint.
As the second novel in this duology, it had big shoes to fill. This elaborate and intricately assembled world deserved an ending that fit every corner of the story, and L. R. Lam did exactly that.

Emberclaw is beautifully written and invites you into a world unlike any other. The words on the page just grab you and drop you into a universe that feels as real as our own. Each chapter had me gasping and ready for more. The twists and turns are ones that are easy to follow and ones that could have been guessed but, at least in my case, were not.

The characters I came to love in Dragonfall became even more fleshed out, relatable, and well described. I felt that each character had their own arc that was clear to map and I feel as though each character ended on such a note that felt true to them. The events that unfolded in this novel truly surprised me. I was not entirely sure where this part of the story would take us, but I did enjoy every second of it. I plan to recommend this as often as possible because it is incredible!

***SPOILER ALERT**** DON'T READ IF YOU CAN'T HANDLE IT.
Thank you to the author @L.R. Lam, DAW publishing, and Netgalley for this free eARC in exchange for my personal review and opinion.
☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆☆




I just finished *Emberclaw*, the breathtaking conclusion to L.R. Lam’s Dragon Scales duology, and I’m utterly blown away. This book was everything I hoped for and so much more—a poignant mix of heart-wrenching romance, nail-biting tension, and a finale so powerful I’m still processing it. There are so many highlighted passages in my book due to the amount of feelings I discovered in the pages.

Arcady’s journey in this book felt deeply personal to me. Watching them infiltrate the University of Vatra, putting on the mask of a noble student while carrying the weight of their grief and guilt, was as heartbreaking as it was inspiring. Their cunning and determination are unmatched—especially when they risk everything to compete in the archaic trials of magic. That scene where they manipulate stolen dragon magic to win the first trial? I was on the edge of my seat, knowing the consequences would be devastating if they were caught. I was unsure how Everen would respond, holding my breath in anticipation.

And then there’s Everen. His story arc is a masterclass in redemption and resilience. Stripped of his title, rejected by his kind, and plagued by visions of Arcady, he’s a shadow of the proud dragon we once knew. When he is finally released from his prison, I could feel his anguish and longing for a place to belong. His internal struggle, torn between duty to protect Vere Celene and his desire to reunite with Arcady, hit me hard.

The tension between them when they finally meet again was everything I wanted—and everything I feared. Arcady’s anger at Everen for “abandoning” them, paired with Everen’s guilt for not finding a way back sooner, made their reunion painful yet beautifully raw. The moment when Arcady lashes out and reveals they’ve been using stolen dragon magic to survive was a gut punch. But when Everen defends them during the wraith attack at the University, proving he still cares deeply despite everything, I couldn’t stop smiling.

The stakes kept rising as the ancient danger lurking beneath Vere Celene began to awaken. The final act was pure chaos in the best way. Everen’s battle with the resurrected Plaguebringer—Arcady’s grandsire—was thrilling, but what truly stood out was the emotional weight behind it. Everen’s choice to shield Arcady at the cost of his own life, only for Arcady to use the last vestiges of their magic to save him, was such a powerful moment. Their bond is the heart of this story, and it shone brightest in that scene.

The ending was bittersweet but perfect. Everen’s reinstatement as an ambassador of peace, alongside Arcady finally proving their grandsire’s innocence, gave me hope for a brighter future for both humans and dragons. The bonus content at the end—the timeline, glossary, and map—was the cherry on top, immersing me even further into this incredible world.

*Emberclaw* is a triumph. It’s rare to find a book that balances romance, action, and worldbuilding so perfectly, but L.R. Lam has done it. The author poured so much in to this book! I LOVED Dragonfall but this book... this book took the cake and my heart. If you’re a fan of epic fantasy with unforgettable characters and a deeply emotional core, you absolutely need to read this duology.