Though the first half of the book was a little slow-paced for my taste, I feel the rest of the book made up for it with a great fantasy with fantastic characters!! I feel like a liked a lot of the book, but the fact that it did drag on in some points took away some of the enjoyment for me.

If this book sounds interesting to you, then I would definitely give it a try!!

DNF @ 32%. I really wanted to enjoy this one. When I saw Samantha Shannon reading/enjoying it I thought I would love it since I’m such a huge fan of Samantha’s writing. Unfortunately I just can’t get into it and have decided to put it down for now.

The idea of having a dragon as a main character is so unique. Unfortunately in the book this feature fell flat as Everen was portrayed to look like a “human” so I didn’t get the fun-factor I thought I would be getting when I read the description for this book.

The world building was really cool and I loved how the idea of gender was portrayed in this book.

I think this book has great potential and I’m hoping to give it another try in the future.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC, in exchange for an honest review!

This is a very promising start to an epic fantasy trilogy!!! The characters were phenomenal, not only in their character development but also in their bonds with each other. It was written in a multi-POV style, which is my personal favorite! My only negative, if you can call it that, is that I would have liked a bit more world-building to really understand their world’s history. With all of that being said, I am EXTREMELY excited to see where the next book in the series takes us!!! I definitely would recommend this to high-fantasy lovers!

Dragonfall by L.R. Lam is a queer fantasy romance with dragons and that is all I needed to know to be interested in this book! It has a lot of great aspects like prophecys, heists, and dragons. It is also enemies to lovers which is perfect for this fantasy novel. I felt like this was a very unique story because of the society of this world and how well written it was. I did find it to be a bit slow in the beginning but that is expected because the world needs to be developed for the first book in the series. The finale was intense and I am excited to see where the story is going to go!
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for a review!

Centuries ago, mankind broke the bond between humans and dragons, stealing magic for themselves and banishing the dragons to another world. That world is now on the brink of destruction, and it has been foretold that the last male dragon, Everen, will be the one to save his kind.

Arcady lives on the streets, surviving by stealing. She has lofty goals, though, not least proving that her grandfather wasn’t the Big Evil history has painted him, and in doing so reclaim a place in a society that shuns her. The first step is yet more thievery, however, and casting a spell that will let her hide from her past.

Neither side was prepared for the spell to link them, dragging Everen – now stuck in human form – into Arcady’s world and setting up a magical link between them. With time ticking away, Everen must gain the trust of this human… but, to what end?

I’m really surprised to find I’ve read so little of Laura Lam’s work before, especially as I’ve been following her for so long on social media. This, then, was the first of her fantasy books that I’ve tried.

Full disclosure: I’m not a huge fan of romance books, and this book is all about the will-they-won’t-they (kill each other ;)) romance – making good use of the trope of enemies to… well, probably still enemies, but it’s complicated 😉 So, perhaps I’m not entirely the target audience – but, if that is your cup of tea, you will LOVE this! Even shying away from that side of it a bit, however, there is such a lot to enjoy in this book.

Both main characters have complicated backstories and motivations, and watching them cautiously dance around each other is a joy. Then there’s the worldbuilding and fascinating magical system – both wonderfully drawn, but with only just enough detail to explain while leaving me wanting a HUGE amount more. The tension levels across the board just keep ratcheting up: time is running out for the dragons, while Arcady stretches her trust levels and safety to assemble a crew for The Big Heist. Meanwhile we the reader also get point of view chapters from a ‘holy man’ and his protégé, hunting the ‘false god’ that has been sighted in the city – because of course, dragons don’t exist any more…!

And oh, there are more than enough twists and shocks along the way to keep things very interesting!

If I had any complaint at all, I’m a little uncertain about all the ‘dragon-in-human-form’, even though it’s very necessary to the plot. It worked, I just somehow couldn’t quite get my head into the idea as much as I wanted.

But overall, this is just a great read, full of action and drama and a whole new world – two of them! – that I’m really looking forward to exploring more of in the rest of the trilogy. Bring ’em to me NOW!!

LGBTQ, dragons, enemies to lovers. Those three things are enough to convince nearly anyone to pick the book up and I am here for it. The pacing could feel slow in the first half, but the world building and writing is pretty phenomenal. That being said, I don't know that the POVs felt super different or as if they were genuinely different people. That's okay, I still had a pretty good time. Very much so excited to read the next of the series.

Imagine living in a world with dragons, where genders are fluid, and not a big deal like here! Take me there and leave me there! Also, teach me how to fight!
This book is notoriously setting up for more books, which made it seem like there is smth missing, but it was nevertheless a breath of fresh air, very interesting, well written and it swept me off my feet! When is the sequel coming out??

I LOVED this book!!

(Almost) All the characters were amazing! Not sure why but I'm not a huge fan of Sorin. I see why she was included though.

I thought the second-person POV would make me dislike it yet I enjoyed how it was utilized in this book.

The book isn't perfect, definitely needs some polish. But I greatly enjoyed myself and my complaints are minor.

Not sure why this book isn't getting more love. I came for gay dragon boy w/a thief love interest and I got exactly that.

If you are looking for a book with dragons, enemies to lovers, and a very cool magic system, this is the book for you.
Dragonfall was one of my most anticipated reads of 2023 but I don’t think I expected to love it as much as I did.
The writing style was constructed in multiple povs but Laura Lam managed to make it original by making Everen’s pov directly addressing Arcady and I thought this was genius. At first, I was a bit confused but as you read the book more and more, it just makes sense since it adds a touch of focus on Arcady.
The world-building was amazing, so developed that I could picture it all in my head like a movie happening in front of me.
The tension between the main characters was INCREDIBLE. Let me tell you, I read a lot of enemies to lovers but this? This was another level, this was everything I had been looking for.
And exactly when I thought I did know what was happening in the book, well I didn't. The ending completely surprised me and even during the books some of the things happening made me gasp in the living room.
This book was just so refreshing in all its aspects and I can't recommend it enough for all the fantasy books lovers.

If you’re looking for a fantasy book that is both highly entertaining and quite thought-provoking, look no further than Dragonfall. The first book of the new Dragon Scales series introduces the reader to Everen, a dragon prince suffering under the crushing weight of prophecy and his family’s expectations. The first male dragon born in centuries, he’s supposed to be able to pierce the Veil separating the dragon’s Vere Celene from the human world. On the human side, we meet Arcady, an orphan with a dark family history that is only gradually revealed. Surviving only by their wits as a thief and pickpocket, Arcady hopes to make a big enough score on their next job to go to university in their homeland of Loc. But when Arcady uses a forbidden spell, he draws Everen through the Veil. Will Everen kill Arcady so the dragons can conquer humankind, as is foretold? Or will the growing bond between these two damaged and distrustful souls cause him to betray his own kind, condemning them to death? And then there’s Sorin, an assassin whose motives and endgame are shrouded in darkness.

Likes: Both the human and dragon worlds are detailed, fascinating, and supported by plenty of excellent worldbuilding. Since Everen knows little about Loc and its neighbors, not to mention how humans use magic, the reader gets a handy introduction to human languages, food, customs, and religions in a way that doesn’t feel forced or awkward. I loved the languages in particular; along with Lochian, a spoken/written language, many people in this world from different countries also speak Trade, a signed language. In Loc, people use also Trade to indicate gender (“he,” “she,” “they,” or “any”); the honorific “They” is used for religious and political leaders. This is also a post-pandemic world (here it’s called a Strike), and the consequences of being “Struck” play out in ways that both echo and contrast with our post-Covid reality. And there are mini dragons called wyverns!

Dislikes: I wished we’d gotten more of Sorin’s perspective. But that’s a pretty minor quibble!

FYI: death of a family member, violence, murder.

Review copy (eARC) provided via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

My excitement for this book was dramatically impacted by this being the April GSFF pick by Goldsboro.

Having read the book, it was fine, but just not my cup of tea. Not a thorough and complex type of feedback, but that was my feeling upon completion. 3/5 stars.

This fantasy novel was so immersive and exciting! When I started reading, I really only knew two things: that the cover art was stunning, and that there would be dragons. Normally those two things are enough to make me pick up a book, but it takes something special to get me hooked. L.R. Lam really took me on a journey with this story, which admittedly started out a bit slow due to the impressive world- and society-building, but I found it all the more rewarding when I learned more about the characters and all of the atmospheric details clicked into place. There was a thrilling heist, lots of magic and dragon lore, a slow burn angsty romance, some memorable sidekicks and villains, and a society that refreshingly deconstructs gender. Finally, there was a truly unputdownable ending, which thoroughly confused me and also made me desperate for the next book.

Thanks to DAW Books and NetGalley for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I had some high expectations of this book, and Dragonfall just didn't at all reach them at all. I had a lot of trouble with this book. Even before I reached 10% of it, I wanted to DNF which I rarely have. This book just is a whole load of details and I this, I that in the beginning which made it so though to read.
The point-of-view storylines within the whole book are inconsistent. First person is mainly the one, which I find a less nice one because of the use of the many I's. In addition, there are multiple character point-of-views, which are all writen in the same way making it seem they are all similar.
Because of the similar writing styles in this story, this book just is a bit boring to read. Due to the many I's it seems to simple, which just adds up to this. In addition, every small thing is explained like the reader doesn't know what anything is, which makes it even more simplistic. This is a shame since this ruins the interesting storyline which is underneath. The queer part also is hold back more because of this.
Just because of some great reviews, I struggled my way through to the end but I really regret doing it. I have a lot of other ARCs on my shelf which are a lot better than this book, and reading it kind of feels like a waist of time since it just didn't get any better at all. Throughout the story I was hoping for it to get better, but it just didn't.
In a nutshell: Everything is this book is simplistic or inconsistent. The synopsis and storyline are promising, however the whole book is just a major disappointment.

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Netgalley for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, it took me about 2 weeks to finish this book and I debated DNFing it several times throughout at period. I realized after 30% that this book just wasn't for me sadly. While the concept of the book is fascinating to me, the execution just fell a bit flat. I didn't care much for Arcady or Everen and I had a hard time distinguishing their voices throughout the novel. I wish I had loved this book because it sounded so interesting to read from a dragon's POV!

I had a hard time getting into the story and the worldbuilding didn't work for me. The narrative felt very info-dumpy and I had a hard time remembering many of the terms and characters. But on the other hand, there were aspects of the world, such as the magic system, that remained confusing to me and needed more explanation. While the plot itself was interesting, I just had a hard time getting through the book because of the writing, worldbuilding, and the characters.

Sadly, this just wasn't for me but I'm sure there is a large group of readers out there who will really enjoy this story!

5 ⭐️ for originality and shape shifting dragons!
Epic world building and a unique magic system. I didn’t notice much information dumping as I was so focused on the vibes and atmosphere.
I felt there was great gender representation. I loved how the romance didn't focus on the usual body parts that society has labelled as sexual. Lots of sexy hands and necks! Yes and yes!
The differing points of view are as great and the development of the relationship was lovely.
Overall great - dragons, prophecy, a heist and romance - what more can I ask for from a book.
Looking forward to how the story develops from here.

3.6/5

Heist fantasy with world destruction as background.
Slow burn enemies to lovers, not of my taste but that's a personal preference.
A lot of non binary representation which was really cool but you need a moment to understand that everyone is a "They" until the gender is revealed or they can be They as a nobility title.
World building rather short and I didn't really care for the two main characters, one of them with a POV like he's writing a letter to you.
Great story, lots of tension towards the end and a lot of room to grow.

(Review on tiktok tomorrow 2nd of May)

Genre: fantasy

Everen is a dragon who has fallen to earth, the last of his line, casting an illusion to appear human. Arcady is a thief, stealing a powerful artifact from the Plaguebringer, and in the process connecting them in the process. The Dragons are an old power, and their magic makes them revered as gods. As Everen and Arcady grow closer, a truth can drive them apart just as powerfully.

Dragonfall has a lot of really intriguing concepts, but ultimately in text form never really settled for me. The ideas are there, and the worldbuilding really hints at something broader, and I suspect this is one I’ll want to give a second try to via audiobook.

There’s a lot here for a fantasy reader to get excited about - a queer romance, dragons, magic, and intrigue. There’s also not a lot to share without starting to spoil too much of the story. It’s a bit of a slow burn from both the story setup to the romantic arc. It has the feel of a first-in-series book, setting expectations of magic and power yet to come.

Thank you to DAW Books and Netgalley for an eARC for review. Dragonfall is out 5/2/23!

I need the next book now!!!
This was such a good fantasy book. I wasn’t expecting to love it as much as I did, it really surprised me.
A dragon disguised in a human world, a bond between strangers, a heist, a war between worlds… what more do you want?
I really loved the different POVs and also how differently they were written. I loved Arcady’s character and their personality. Everen’s POV was really interesting, first because it was written like a letter addressed to Arcady and also because he is a dragon! His perspective on everything was very interesting and at the beginning when he struggled to act human was so fun to read.
Where it felt a little bit short for me was Sorin’s POV. I struggled to understand the point or even what was happening in those chapters.
With that said, after reading the last few chapters, I can’t wait to see more of that story in the next book!

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC!

Magic, dragons, queer rep, enemies to lovers… so much to love about this! The second person narrative from Everen’s POV was a bit hard to get in to, but after reading it for a few a few chapters I was fully immersed! Already ready for the next book!

Dragonfall follows the story of Arcady and Everen both set out for revenge for the wrongs done to their families. In order to achieve this, much to their dismay, they have to work together and find a way to trust one another. Fantasy, Dragons, Magic and More...

If forced proximity and enemies to lovers are your favorite tropes then this book is definitely for you.

I started this book with high hopes and was given so much more. This fast-paced fantasy setting was the excellent map for a great story and L. R. Lam delivered just that. I absolutely loved the narration style of the book and how it was slightly different depending on which character it focused on. The gender system that was introduced throughout the book was beautiful to see and left a big impression on me. The ending left me wanting more and I was absolutely thrilled to see that this was the first of a trilogy.

This is a story that I plan to reread often and I cannot wait to get a physical copy as soon as it hits selves.