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.

Long ago humans used to bond with dragons, but as the humans greed for power and status increased, they began to turn on their dragons, betraying them and taking their magic for their own. Centuries later, humans revere dragons as gods, often praying to their preferred deity in the hopes of them offering comfort and solace from the toils of daily life. Arcady, a thief, steals to survive on the streets of Vatra, plagued by the death of those closest to them, and hellbent on revenge for the death of her grandfather, known as the 'plaguebringer' Arcady is determined to prove these claims false. Stealing an artefact from his tomb, one that gives the wearer a new life, Arcady takes on a new identity, ingratiating themselves within the court of nobles, to enact their vengeance. However, the spell Arcady uses summons Everen, a dragon, through the veil into the mortal realm. Everen is the last male heir seer, foretold to be the saviour of his kind, he bides his time, hiding in plain sight in his human form, he learns that to gain back his magic, full power and fulfil the destiny bestowed upon him, he will need to convince Arcady to trust him implicitly, bond completely, and then kill them.

Arcady Eremia has spent their years as a thief on the streets of Vatra, always holding a deep need for vengeance at the forefront of their mind, They've spent their life in the shadows, watching as those she holds dear die at the hands of others, each loss laying heavily on her heart, and her desire for revenge bubbling slowly under the surface, determined to make the Consul pay for the lies and hatred they've spread about her family. However, when the spell to give Arcady a new life summons Everen, a male dragon, they become immediately bonded and things suddenly become even more complex for them both. Arcady is steadfast and tenacious, very driven in their decisions, and exceedingly cocky, which only adds further charm to their character. Arcady's banter is incredible and an absolute joy to watch, tired of living in oppression, Arcady wants to ensure the evilness of Vatra is rooted out completely, then they can disappear to somewhere where the heaviness of the losses they've had to bear isn't as suffocating. I found Arcady inspiring, and so empowering, they're so self-assured, in such a powerful and beautiful way, accepting themselves and not letting anyone else decide their fate or truth, they were delicately but beautifully written.

Everen it the last male dragon prophesised to be the seer that saves the dragons from their peril, but as the years dragged past, and the prophecy failing to show itself, the pressure and overwhelming burden of feeling like a failure has hung heavy upon his shoulders. Determined to get to the bottom of it, and save his kind from extinction, Everen flies through the veil, coming face to face with Arcady, his unknowingly bonded human. However to save the dragons locked away across the veil in Vere Celene, Everen must get this human to trust him implicitly, and complete the bond, mind, body and soul, so he can be the one to break it, and bring his kind across to the mortal realm. Evern is grumpy, broody and mysterious, harbouring a deep resentment and hatred towards humans. I found his perspective really refreshing and interesting, I've not read many stories where you get to see the plot unfold from the dragon's perspective, and it made the experience all the more authentic, immersive, smooth and fascinating for me.

I loved seeing Everen and Arcady's bond developing from enemies, to reluctant allies, the way they bounced off each other, was so entertaining. They're complete opposites and both have ulterior motives they bury deep down, that ultimately leads to them betraying each other, but their banter was delightful and enchanting, and the tension was palpable. Arcady and Evern find kindred spirits in the other, despite their reluctance to, always underestimated others, and struggling with the rigid gender roles impressed upon them, it was really beautiful to see them slowly lowering their walls to each other as the plot developed, even if they know they'll inevitably end up betraying each other in the end.

'Dragonfall' is a high fantasy which is richly and vibrantly crafted. Immersive and overflowing with lore of both dragons and magic. It's gritty and raw, with an intriguing and intricate world, loveable characters, and strong, authentic interactions that were so compelling. The writing was also so beautiful and flowed seamlessly, this is a story with queer representation, enemies to lovers, dagger to the throat (!!!), deep-seated betrayals, high stakes, an intriguing and complex political system and an abundance of dragons, with a fierce main character, what's not to love?

This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it! I am giving this book three stars, as I don't want to give it a good or bad rating, since I did not get to it and we have to leave a star rating.

I'm honestly not sure how to feel about this book. The writing was...weird. Word choices and descriptions felt forced and like they were trying to be some sort of weird world building but they just made things sound stilted and unnatural (mammary glands!? who does this!?) I liked the world and the premise was good but the story fought itself for purpose and what it was, high fantasy, fantasy romance, romance subplot. And ended up not doing any of it super well.

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for giving me an ARC of this novel.

I think if you're looking for a good solidly written book about dragons, then this will be a good fit. The author does love to describe things and that's a take-it-or-leave-it aspect for me. I do feel like the world needs a little more time in the pot. There are facets that are interesting in the world, the dragon gods, but there aren't enough ripples to show the worldbuilding is working together. But that really is a personal preference, this wasn't as horrible as some other dragon books I've read recently.

I can't speak about the representation but I am always here for more LGBT+ voices out on the market. If you're looking for a new series, why not give it a shot?

Everen is the only of his kind and he has a lot of pressure on his shoulders, he's meant to be the savior of the dragon race. Arcady is a thief, a good one and is planning a huge coup... The two meet and sparks fly... In every way.

This was a complex story in a complex world and I enjoyed it quite a lot. I liked the characters, the intricacies of the world and how everyone grew and evolved throughout the story. It was a lot of fun, I was really taken by the whole heist plot in the book and the whole dragon being cast out of the world thing. I will without a doubt be reading the sequel. I'm really curious to find out more about this world and get to know Everen's sister better!

I really wanted to love this novel, but I went into it with expectations that were perhaps too high. It fell a little flat overall with slightly dull characters and two-dimensional world-building. There were good moments and a couple of great ones, but this book didn't sing for me. I think it'd be perfect for someone who read more new adult fantasy, but it didn't quite suit my taste.

Queer enemies to lovers in a queernormative society! Which is great! I can tell the author is a fan of a lot of the same media as me and this was sort of a love letter to those old favorites. I think this was better than fourth wing but still just not the right dragon book for me.