Thank you to the publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review. Dragonfruit was one of my favorite reads of the year! This is the first book of Lucier's that I've read, and I can't wait to read more of her work. The cover is gorgeous and after I read the synopsis I knew I had to read this book. The plot was engaging, the characters were lovable and who doesn't love dragons? Dragonfruit addresses themes such as colonization, justice, exile, and imprisonment; despite this, I would still feel comfortable recommending this title to young adults/teens. I did find the ending to be a bit abrupt, the book could have been slightly longer, to sum up everything more neatly. Overall, I think this book is a triumph, I can't wait to get a physical copy!

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book.

Thank you Harper Collins for sending me this earc in exchange for an honest review.

This book had taken me quite a while to read and I was unsure how I felt once I finished. Some aspects of this book are brilliant I loved the overall storyline and felt the dragons were brilliant I loved them! I loved how it told the story of Pacific Island mythology.

I just felt at times I struggled to follow what was going on. Some of the characters didn't fully pull me in, I didn't feel invested in their story. I really wish I loved this book because going in I was extremely excited for it. It definitely wasn't a bad book, but it didn't live up to my expectations.

I absolutely enjoyed this book, from the characters to the amazing world-building! I found it lush and immersive—Dragonfruit was such a breath of fresh air! I loved the island setting, the sea dragons, and the unique magic, as well as the inclusion of mythology that most people probably haven’t heard of.

And did I mention dragons? If you’re craving more books with dragons, this one is a must-read!

I very much enjoyed Hanalei and Samahti's story.
And although the story could very well end there, I really hope we get more.
I loved the idea of the markings. Moving creature tattoos that become real creatures.
The dragons in this book are seadragons and their eggs are called dragonfruit.
In this story dragonfruit it said to be able grant wishes but at a price.
This story was very well done and easy to read. I definitely think more people should read it.

DNF due to work and schedule issues.

I've run out of renewals on this one and have had to backburner it for work related reads and scheduling issues. I'm at 40% and have been really enjoying the pan-Pacifica themes and setting and cannot wait to purchase this book and finish it! I am curious to see how the relationship between the people and dragons progresses.

Language style definitely makes it feel like YA, but it's not super immature- appropriate aging I think.

Rating a neutral 3 stars until finished.

I loved this book. The worldbuilding and lore were so beautiful and unique. I genuinely wanted to live inside the pages of this book. I would love more stories with these characters!

I absolutely loved this book. Full stop. It was such a clever story and I honestly didn't want it to end. It's one of those books that you finish and the next day you think about how you need to keep reading and are dismayed to realize you have already finished it. The concept of having these sea dragons and the powers that they can afford people (or DO they), and the effects that has on the world as a whole. Just so clever. If there were another book, I would absolutely read it immediately. But it's pretty great as a stand-alone. It's also one that I can't wait to recommend to those who are looking for books with a little less romance in them. There's definitely a romance here, but it's not in your face about it. That's something hard to find these days in YA and I appreciate it! Thank you for letting me have access to this one!

Thank you NetGalley and Clarion Books for the e-arc!
Stunning cover! The cover definitely caught my eye when I was looking at books, and I am so glad it did because this book is so worth reading! The world is absolutely dazzling with dragons, magic tattoos, and lore! We follow Hanalei of Tamarind after her father steals the Magic Dragonfruit that was meant to save the sick princess. After being given to Hanalei instead, she is forced into exile until the fateful day, when she meets a female dragon and has a chance to set her father's choice right. She must work with the last remaining prince to find and protect this magic as enemies draw closer.
What a premise?! This book is packed with so many things that I absolutely adore; not only do I love getting to see magical dragon books but I love seeing unique and stunning mythology! There is so much adventure in this story, with dragoners chasing after them in search of the magic. With the perfect mix of romance and adventure this is a must read book!

A jaw dropping YA fantasy with highly immersive world building and fully realized characters. While the ending felt a little abrupt, I loved the rich, dark tone this book took. I was immersed and the nuanced magic system had me completely hooked.

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier is set in a fantasy world inspired by pacific island mythology. It’s a 350 page YA adventure that has stakes that are personal for the characters rather than having wider, political implications which most fantasy books feature. The characters are great, the dragons are beautiful, the world is amazing, and it is a quick read. Whether you’re on a beach, or just want to dream that you are, Dragonfruit is a great pick!

Thanks to NetGalley & HarperCollins Children's Books for the copy in exchange for an honest review.

I would like to rate this book higher but the writing drove me nuts. The protagonist is perfect and knows everything about dragons and she does no wrong....it doesn't help that the love interest prince is super flat. You'd think his comatose mom would make him compelling but no, he had no personality beyond being obsessed with Hanalei. Who again, is perfect in every way and is super smart and knows how to solve every problem somehow.

It's a shame because the tattoo magic and dragon lore were absolutely fascinating! But everything else about the plot/characters dragged.

So many great pieces that just don't come together well. I loved the island setting and Polynesian/Hawaiian cultural aspects, I liked the heroine Hanalei, and I LOVED the animal companion tattoos (specifically the fruit bat). Unfortunately, the plot pacing was inconsistent, the writing and characters were flat, and the magic system was not explained well. The markings in particular come in clutch towards the end in a manner that was not properly set up earlier, so it comes out of nowhere and feels unearned. There's also a twist with a certain character that is built up over the course of the whole book, but doesn't actually mean much in the end, so... why? (And that's just one example of the weird random bits that don't actually have any meaning in relation to the plot or characterization. Rosamie's colorblindness? The terrible aunt and her husband?) Worst of all, I was bored for a big chunk of the middle, especially when it seemed like the same conversations were playing out over and over again. I think Dragonfruit had the potential to be a really great fantasy adventure if it had been better edited and given time for proper development. Unfortunate.

Just want to mention, this is NOT the book for you if you're sensitive about animal cruelty or death. There's heaps of it, and some of it goes unnecessarily hard, especially in comparison to the relative chillness of the rest of the book. Also, SPIDERS. *shudder*

Plus, it really bothers me that we never find out whether Jejomar paid back that old man for destroying his canoe!!

TW: animal cruelty, animal death, animal attack, past parent death, parent coma, mention of child slavery, kidnapping, mild body horror, attempted sexual assault, poison, mention of a loved one with dementia

Thank you to the author, publisher, and Net Galley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.
I loved everything about this book. I loved the main character, Hanalei, the world building and the story. I felt like I was fully immersed into Hanalei's world. Lucier's writing is vivid; I felt like I was watching a movie. I highly recommend this book and will be purchasing it for our library.

What a delightful and unique story! I appreciated the world building and the way the author seamlessly wove in character development. There was a clear connection between the characters and the world. I found it lush, immersive, and even though I am not typically a fan of dragon stories, this one peaked my interest.

Special thanks to Clarion Books for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. I'm on the fence with my rating on this one because it wasn't the worst thing I've read and there were enjoyable moments but also, my disappointment knows no bounds, lol. I will keep it to 3-stars for now!

TL;DR: Dragonfruit was one of my most anticipated 2024 titles and despite having an intriguing premise, I'm sad to say that the execution fell short. While there were elements I enjoyed, everything in the story felt surface level—from the world-building, characters, and the plot, all of it felt undercooked. To me, what made this more disappointing was how passively it read. There was no tension because everything was miraculously solved in one page, only for the characters to find a solution to their main problem that came practically out of left field in the end. Overall, I'm sad that this didn't work for me.

This is a book that I have been beyond excited to read because not only is the cover illustration a stunner with its vibrant colours and easter egg details, but the premise also sounded unique and intriguing. Also, if it isn't obvious, it's about dragons and I always love a good tale about those fantastical creatures; plus, it's a bonus if those tales are from a non-Western perspective. Unfortunately, I found the execution of this story to be massively underwhelming and if I'm being very honest, quite bland. Throughout the read, I was continuously bothered by something that I couldn't put my finger on until a little over halfway through when I realised that there was simply no tension and therefore, no stakes in their story. No spoilers here but there was SO MUCH going on in Dragonfruit with smaller storylines including a cowardly cousin, this world's version of pirates, and a childhood friendship turned insta-romance mixed into one giant overarching plot. It is almost as if the author couldn't decide which elements to include, so she just threw them all in and tried to make it work. The result was a very scattered plot, a poorly developed world and one-dimensional characters that I found difficult to care about. The character development in particular is something I wish had been given more attention because there was a lot of potential there and it would've gone a long way to make this book great, even if the plot itself ended up being mid. We are also told a lot and never shown things happening which made any change or progression come across as not only very convenient but also too sudden.

That's not to say that there wasn't anything enjoyable. Seadragons make a regular appearance and I loved the tidbits we get about their wondrous, yet dangerous, nature. The author also once again proves that if people can make money off a thing, they will do their damnedest to make it happen, even if it means killing innocent creatures. Even though the culture and society weren't well developed, I did like that the author made Tamarind a matriarchal society because it's not a choice we see often in fantasy. The themes of family and forgiveness are a big part of the story, especially the former and although I mentioned having difficulty caring about the characters, I did enjoy some of the relationships. The relationship between Sam and his grandmother, the reigning queen, was tender and full of love. Sam was a good son/grandson and it was wonderful to see him wholeheartedly embrace a softer, more loving, and caring nature. I also enjoyed the friendship that developed between Hanalei and Rosamie and how they went from mild rivals (at least according to Rosamie) to good friends by the end. We love girls/women supporting each other and I'm glad that their relationship went in this direction. The element I loved most was the tattoo animals that appear on a person's body and that can come to life. This gave us the most adorable furry winged friend, Fetu and dare I say it, even an awesome spider friend, Viti. As a lover of tattoos, this part of the story was unexpected but fantastic and I wanted to know so much more about it!

Overall, although this wasn't the book that I had expected it to be, I'm glad to have finally read this author (as they've been on my radar for a while). While this might not have been the book for me, I think mid-teen young readers could enjoy this or readers who want to try a new genre and don't want heavy world-building or other elements to distract them.

Yes, yes, and a thousand more times YES.

It took a couple of chapters for it to fully capture my attention (probably because I was switching genres and needed to get used to fantasy again), but I soon realized this book was exactly the way I always wanted this type of stories to be executed. I literally don't have a single complaint.

synopsis:
In old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow. But as with all things that offer hope, the tale came with a warning… Every wish demands a price.
Hanalei is the daughter of an old island family. But when her father steals an egg meant for an ailing princess, she is forced into exile. In the years that follow, Hanalei studies the seadragons that roam the sea. Until, an encounter with a female dragon offers her what she desires most. A chance to return home, and to right a terrible wrong.
Sam, is the last remaining prince of Tamarind. But he can never inherit the throne. With his mother ill and his grandmother nearing the end of her reign. Sam is left with two choices: to marry, or to find a cure for the sickness that has plagued his mother for ten long years. When a childhood companion returns from exile, she brings hope. But Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit. as they battle enemies, there is another danger they cannot escape, the dragonfruit itself.

review:
i was really excited about this after reading the blurb however, the multiple times i started to read this i just couldn’t get into it :( i have decided to DNF this at 25%. there was so much going on that i never had any idea what was going on, I found myself skipping over things and never knowing how we got there.

i think my biggest problem with this one was that there wasn’t much background to begin with nor was the magic thoroughly explained. it was just sort of jumbled together.

i liked the main character i wanted to know more about her but it wasn’t enough for me to stick the book out. the world building was impressive and i liked the idea of the sea dragons and their abilities. this book wasn’t for me but that doesn’t mean it won’t be for you. i wanted to share my thoughts with you as i think a fair few of you would potentially enjoy this one.
thank you to harper collins for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

Dragonfruit is going to be one of my top reads of the year. I can't believe how absolutely perfect this book is. It's rare that I read a book that takes me on such an emotionally journey. The mythology, the characters, the story, everything was perfect. I feel like this book was written for me. I read it several months ago and I'm still thinking about it and don't feel like I have processed it enough to put into words how much I adored it.