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.

This one was not for me. The writing was fine - I just did not gel with the story. Therefore I will not be reviewing this novel any further. I did not finish it, but read a good chunk before I decided to leave it.

I am sure other readers will likely enjoy this one more than I did.

I am basing this review off of the first 50% of the book, as I will not be continuing.

I think this book's strengths are it's worldbuilding. I love fantasy that plays around with societal norms and this book definitely puts a spin on gender and gender identity that is so refreshing to see in fantasy. The magic and the set up of the world were interesting as well, though could have used a bit more description and development.

Where this book really fell flat for me were the character relationships. I think both Arcady and Everen are interesting characters and the basis of their relationship also had really interesting potential, but it didn't work for me. I felt like I was being told what their relationship was, rather than seeing it for myself. There were moments that I really wanted expanded on, but were chopped down to a sentence or two telling me what happened.

I also think that Everen's point of view being told as though he's talking/writing to Arcady was an interesting choice. Since I won't be finishing the book, I don't know how or if that choice will pay off, but for me, reading his entire point of view in that style got tiring.

ARC REVIEW
This book is great! The world building is slow but done brilliantly. The lore is so complex and layered, and the story itself is incredible. I love the fluidity of gender and gender expression in this world. This is such a compelling and enthralling queer fantasy.

I liked the general idea of the plot, dragons versus humans but the humans worshipping them as gods, but it started out very slow. Everen and Arcady are interesting protagonists. I think the gender-fluidity of Arcady is a very cool aspect, and the way it is handled in combination with the relationship between Everen and them is nicely written. I get that it is a country where genders are not as strict, but sometimes I felt like it was used a little too much.

The way the different characters had different ways of telling their part of the story was a very nice touch. I enjoyed the way Everen talked to Arcady, which turned out to be letters he was writing from his prison. Also Sorins way of talking from third person view when she was so sure she was unworthy, I liked that way of storytelling.

For me personally it was a bit slow though. It didn’t really catch me, and the cliffhanger is so mild that I am not really sure if I would read the second book. There might be some loose threats, and some „revelations“ (Magnes = purple dragon) that might change some things, but it is mostly closed off. Maybe that was wanted by the author, but for me it also takes away the suspense.

Have to start out with the props for a dragon-based magic system! Very rare to see in the fantasy world, and kept me very interested in what it could do and how it affected the world around them. The world-building was A+ which led to a slower pace than typical, but it allowed me to get more invested in the book as well as the characters.

A great read for anyone who is interested in dragon-based fantasy with queer/enemies-lovers tropes and looking for something new.

Well, what can I say? I am sucker for dragon tales and nobody could have stopped me from reading it. Especially after I saw Samantha Shannon sharing this in her story, well she is a queen of dragon stories. Regrets? Absolutely not. First of all, I loved the beginning of the tale, the different perspectives and the world-building based on a myth. Second of all, enemies turning into lovers? Yes please, I can never get enough of it. The story flows seamlessly, I really enjoyed the narrative and the characters, which reminded me of Six of Crows especially after the big heist part. I loved the tension between the dragon-prince and strong-willed female protagonist and reading their slowly-simmering love was one of the greatest parts of the charm. If you are looking for some kind of a unique fantasy element here, you might be disappointed but if you’re in for a good old fantasy with dragons, magic and impossible love, dive in you will enjoy this a lot. Even though the final battle of the worlds was a little bit underwhelming after all the built-up expectation throughout the novel, I do not have any choice but to read the sequel to see how our lovers will meet again.