Makiia Lucier is one of the few YA authors now that I go into her books knowing that they'll be good. Dragonfruit is, happily, no exception to that rule. From page one it sucks you in and keeps you engaged. The world that Lucier builds is vibrant and fascinating and the characters are no less so. While I have to admit that it wasn't quite as exciting to me as Year of the Reaper (it lacked the kind of twist at the end that was done so well there), it was still a book I devoured. So, if you're looking for your next fantasy adventure read, this one should be it.

Thank you to NetGalley and Clarion Books for the eARC of Dragonfruit by Malika Lucier.

Dragonfruit is a short and sweet YA fantasy that mostly benefits from quick pacing, but occasionally feels rushed and underdeveloped. Still, a fresh setting and conflict elevate this above standard YA fare.

The setting is the star of the show here. The Pacific Islander-inspired culture and Lucier’s sea-themed spin on dragon’s feel fresh. In particular I loved the descriptions of the clothes and the pavilions and the matriarchal culture because they felt different from most fantasy worlds. The tattoo was very cool as well.

Hana and Sam are likeable enough as main characters, though I wish they had had more depth and their own character arcs. Hana has a fantastic backstory that totally hooked me. But it doesn’t really pay off in her growth and development, so those cool moments of connection to Hana trailed off into nothing, for me.

That generally sums up a lot of what I think could have been stronger about Dragonfruit: the resolution of many of the arcs and characters felt anticlimactic. Lucier introduces a great villain who proves his cruelty in a dramatic way early on. But the final confrontation with him is short and has little drama. Sam and Hana’s first reunion feels electric, but the payoff of their romance feels overdue and humdrum once it happens. The beginning of the novel is strong and has great momentum that I only wish had continued through the end.

Even so, Lucier is a capable writer who for the most part ties up all the loose threads and delivers on her promises, even if the delivery isn’t always as thrilling as I would have liked. Dragonfruit is worth a read for the wonderful, fresh setting, dragons, and MC backstory.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for a free e-ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I ADORED this book! It was one of the most unique, captivating YA fantasies I've read in a long time. I loved Hanalei from the very first page. She was such an easy character to root for. I loved the marks/tattoos, as well as, of course, the sea dragons. I've seen this described as Moana x How to Train Your Dragon, which is accurate on the surface level, but IMO doesn't do this beautiful, multi-layered story justice.

“But as with all things that promise the moon and the stars and offer hope when hope has gone, the tale comes with a warning. Every wish demands a price.”

No one knows the consequences of wishes better than Hanalei of Tamarind. Forced to flee her homeland at eight years old, she spent much of her life alone in unfamiliar places, paying the price for her father’s wish to save her life. Despite years of isolation, Hanalei remains spirited and hopeful, constantly seeking more information about the mysterious seadragons that populate the surrounding waters. After being taken hostage on a dragon-hunting ship, Hanalei must abandon her plans and return to her homeland. There, she reunites with her childhood friend Samahtitamahenele (Sam), prince of Tamarind. Sam is also on a mission to uncover the secrets of the seadragons, as he hopes to find one of their wish-granting dragonfruits and use it to revive his ailing mother. The two join forces, sharing knowledge and resources, but will their newly restored relationship be able to survive the curse of the dragonfruit?

Pirates, dragons, magical tattoos, oh my! In a literary landscape where it feels like every book utilizes some mixture of the same popular tropes, Dragonfruit is completely different from every YA fantasy novel I’ve ever encountered. Lucier is not afraid to make readers grapple with difficult questions about power, humanity, and the risks we are willing to take for what we love. The pacing kept me engaged throughout the entire novel; every page drove the plot forward in new and innovative ways. Even with a large cast of characters, each was distinct and memorable. A few minor characters were less fleshed out, but the key figures were so dynamic that they compensated for it. Many female YA protagonists have similar personalities, but Hanalei is a fresh and exciting lead. I loved seeing her passion and compassion for dragons, as well as how other characters acknowledged and embraced her devotion to these creatures. The way Hanalei and Sam’s relationship was both helped and hindered by her love for seadragons was endlessly entertaining. I appreciated that the romance did not take over the adventure, but it felt a little underwhelming since the book was marketed as a fantasy romance. The adventure aspects are what make this book so striking! It rarely felt like the author took the easy route; the characters all had to endure a plethora of obstacles and experience significant growth to achieve their goals. Dragonfruit is a perfect example of a story that is just as breathtaking as its cover.

Look, I don't know what I've done to deserve this, but almost every book that I have read in the past two-ish weeks has been incredible. Literally, I have had so many five star reads and I am so pleased to be continuing that with Dragonfruit . I've never read a book by Makiia Lucier before and I was really intrigued by the premise of this. After reading this, I honestly am glad that I requested this because oh my god, I loved it.

I had no idea how much I would enjoy this, but by the time I was on chapter 3, I knew. I just knew this would end up becoming a five star read. Makiia Lucier has crafted an intricate well-designed world, inspired by the mythology of the Pacific Islands. The world-building feels complex, yet easy to understand and honestly I found it to be really immersive. With the way things were described, it was very easy for me to ground myself into this world and experience its magic.

The pacing of this was just right. Because it is a standalone, things do move slightly quickly but when your read them, they make perfect sense. I'm a sucker for childhood friends to lovers, even more so in a fantasy context, and this book delivers on that. I loved that we got to see the relationship between Hanalei and Samahtitamahenele as friends first, before it became something more. I also loved how we got to see their characters grow and develop through the story. I am in awe, with the way we get a complete story arc with both of them in the pages of this standalone.

Dragonfruit was honestly more fun than I had expected and now I am so eager to read more of Makiia Lucier's works.

Oh this was FUN, with an incredible atmosphere. I've read from Makiia Lucier before, and Year of the Reaper is super different from this one. I'm always impressed when authors have range. I knew going in that I was going to love any story about seadragons, and I thought Hanalei was a great main character. It was especially lovely to see her reconnect with Sam after being childhood friends but losing touch, with him believing her dead. Aside from the seadragons, my favourite element were the magical tattoos (markings), which were also animal companions.

I recommend this book! Makiia Lucier's new book is inspired by Pacific Island legends, telling a beautiful tale of love and bravery, in a world where seadragons and dragonfruit have magical powers, Hanalei and Sam go on an adventure of hope and redemption. Lucier's stories take you to Tamarind. With colorful storytelling and great characters, this book is perfect for anyone who loves excitement and romance. Dragonfruit is so beautifully written with gorgeous mythology and Seadragons which I loved. It was everything I had hoped for and more. Every moment was thrilling! The pacing, the writing, and the story were amazing!

Thanks, Net Galley, for the ARC and this awesome story!

Makiia Lucier has a way of throwing you into worldbuilding that is so succinct and immersive! It's unlike any author I've read before. Her visceral descriptions and propulsive plots make for consistently compelling reads. Thank you to Harper Collins for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

3.5 stars for me! This world was so much fun and I feel like there's a lot more to be discovered in adventures that Hanalei and Sam go on. Aside from a couple sad moments, this was a pretty lighthearted YA fantasy that I felt like I didn't have to think too hard about. Hopefully this will blaze a trail for more fantasy books based on Pacific Island mythology.

Dragonfruit is a lush fantasy steeped in Pacific Island mythology. Once I picked it up, I could not put it down! Right out of the gate we are introduced to Hanalei and the beautiful yet dangerous sea dragons that inhabit her world. The magical elements were straightforward with obvious narrative conflict: it is written that the egg of a sea dragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s wish but every wish demands a price. Hanalei, the victim of a poisoning that landed her in an indefinite coma was saved by a sea dragon egg and saw the consequences first-hand. Several healthy people around her died in quick succession after the egg was used on her, including her father who stole and fed the egg to her.

When she reunites with childhood friend Sam, he is on a quest to cure his ailing mother with a dragonfruit. Hanalei and Sam are not the only ones searching for the dragonfruit, and as they battle cutthroat pirates Hanalei knows they are also barreling towards the danger of the dragonfruit itself. If Sam steals the sea dragon egg for his mother, he will die just like Hanalei’s father died to save Hanalei. Can Hanalei prevent Sam’s self-destruction?

One of my favorite aspects of Dragonfruit was the world-building. We see several different islands and catch glimpses of how life differs on each of them. The reader also gets insights into political allies and tensions across the Nominomi sea that really brought this book to life. The two main characters were also so well developed! I’d quickly pick up a companion novel containing Hanalei’s future adventures if Lucier ever decided to write more. This book was so well-crafted it’s a must-read for fantasy lovers! The dragons, magic, and quest were a perfect adventure, and it has a light dash of romance as well.

Thank you to - HarperCollins Children's Books | Clarion Books - and NetGalley for the opportunity to read the eARC.

I read this book in one sitting staying up past my bedtime. What can I say except I loved this book. This was exactly the kind of adventure story that keeps me looking forward to the next dragon book.

We follow a young woman (and the dragons she studies) returning home years after her father’s exile.

The culture of the Archipelago’s peoples are distinct and richly detailed. The relationships and friendships (female friendships at that) are beautifully written. Markings that become familiars and steal the reader’s heart. A romance that you can’t help but root for.

There are dragons and wishes and terrible consequences exacted by the gods. Death and brutality brought on by dragon harvesting and the pursuit of their eggs is vividly described (human against human, human against dragon, and dragon against human).

This book was so good. It balanced it all (romance, plot, character development, adventure) so well. I loved it! I’d really like to listen to the audiobook upon reread to get a feel for the pronunciation of the unfamiliar words and to fully immerse myself in this world.

Dragonfruit is a lush YA fantasy romance in a vivid tropical setting with Pacific Islander-inspired mythology!

Because of her father’s treacherous actions, Hanalei has lived in exile from her homeland for years. Searching for a way to atone for her father’s mistakes and return home, she works to track down a magical seadragon egg - dragonfruit - which has the power to grant any wish. However, every wish demands a price.

I LOVED the various magical creatures featured in this wonderful story. As well as the beautiful but deadly seadragons, this book features magical animal guardians, presenting as tattoos on the islanders of Tamarind’s bodies capable of taking on corporeal forms! The little fruit bat on the cover definitely pushed me to pick up this book! 🦇

I really enjoyed the high-stakes adventure in Dragonfruit. As the book was paced really well, it made me fly through the engaging story, excited to see how to plot unfolds. Paired with the dazzling depictions of the islands and sea, this was a lovely, quick read!

The romance in this book is very subtle, though it is sweet. Most of the care and attention in this book has gone towards creating a rich setting, incorporating captivating mythology, and developing loveable characters.

Thank you so much for the advanced copy of Dragonfruit. I initially came across this author while trying to diversify my shelves so when I saw the chance to request the arc of Dragonfruit I RAN. It sounded like such a good story and an interesting one because I have not read a fantasy that was inspired by Pacific Islander mythology. Makiia Lucier has done such a wonderful job creating a world with a magic system, characters you WANT to care about and, and a story that leaves you wanting the next one! I think that young and adult readers alike will enjoy Dragonfruit.

The descriptions of the islands have you envisioning you are there with the cast. If you’re looking for a new world to dive into I highly recommend checking out Dragonfruit!

Every wish has a price. An exiled maiden with a connection to seadragons, a prince desperate to save his family, and their connected history that converges once again after they meet each other years later. When the royal family and a handmaiden are poisoned, a desperate father steals the only antidote, a seadragon egg, to heal his daughter, the handmaiden... but the price was his own death and her exile. Years later she is now trying to find a way to save the royal family, a family she loved, and find a way to repay for what her father did. Hanalei of Tamarind is the beloved daughter of an old island family and she grew up close to the queen and the prince and princess. Yet when the Queen is poisoned as well as Hanalei and the princess, Hanalei's father steals the only antidote to save Hananlei. After saving her , the price for using the egg was his own death and Hanalei is desperate to find another seadragon egg to save the poisoned royal family. She's been forced to endure so much to find a way to get on a ship and all the years of pain and suffering have made her even more desperate. Yet her latest ship has her close... only he captain of the ship might end up killing her in his greed. To her surprise she is saved by Samahtitamahenele, Sam, her childhood friend and the Prince. Sam can never inherit the throne since Tamarind is a matriarchal society. Yet his mother has fallen ill and his grandmother is close to the end of her reign. Sam's only options are : enter into an arranged marriage or save his mother, and he wants nothing less than love for his marriage. Sam is desperate to search for the dragonfruit and the seadragons. Yet in his search he never expected to find Hana. Sam and Hana reunite and now are both searching for dragonfruit but they'll be facing dangers unlike anything they've faced before. Sam and Hana aren't the only ones searching for the dragonfruit, but when they have it... it will cost them something if they do make a wish. This was such a fantastic read, I adored the magic system that was created and the story was a fun one. Hana and Sam both went through so much, yet together they were a really cute pair of "childhood friends to lovers" kind of relationship. The seadragons and the tattoo magic was so well done. This book just felt like a beautiful read and I loved the Pacific Islander mythology that was weaved into this book. I would absolutely recommend this fantasy with a touch of romance read!

*Thanks Netgalley and HarperCollins Children's Books | Clarion Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

With Dragonfruit, Makiia Lucier delivers another engaging, heartwrenching YA fantasy story that I could not put down. Though I really enjoyed this story and its characters, the ending crumbled a bit for me.

The Pacific Island-inspired fantasy world was lush and engaging. The magical elements were simple and light but added something fun to the story. I particularly loved the concept of the magic markings. I do think some of the rules to the magic were applied inconsistently, especially when it comes to one character’s ending.

Even though the plot of Dragonfruit is relatively contained, I love that we still get a sense of the broader tensions in the world. It makes the world feel alive and I can easily imagine a future for these characters. Some may find it unrealistic, but I loved that Dragonfruit avoided the more obvious conflict and instead focused on community, responsibility, and history.

Haliendi and Samahtitamahenele were loveable, compelling main characters. They both worked so hard for what they wanted and faced such heavy challenges in their lives. I loved the sense of history and friendship between them. I immediately felt the chemistry and loved seeing both of their perspectives.

A lot of my minor complaints with Dragonfruit come down to the fact that the book is too short. The pacing is incredibly consistent. In fact, Makiia Lucier excels at crafting well-paced, engaging standalones. However, because the book is so short, certain elements don't have enough room to breathe or be properly developed.

In particular, the romance felt like it was taken for granted. There is practically no time spent building romantic tension between the two leads. Rather, it is assumed that they are automatically in love because they were close as children. This would be less of a problem if the romance wasn't a major marketing point for this book.

I also wish some of the side conflicts had been more developed. Characters would take note of strange behavior saying “huh that’s odd” and then the plot would rush past the observation like it didn’t happen. The obliviousness felt a little forced so that the reveal could happen at a more convenient time for the plot.

There is a character death towards the end of the book that really bothers me. I have contemplated how much to let my preference impact my rating because, at the end of the day, I believe that authors should be able to do whatever they want with their characters. But this death was so unexpectedly brutal that it almost felt gratuitous. It is not only the fact that it happens but how it happens that makes me nauseous. The main reason that it bothers me is that it feels so out of place in the story. Dragonfruit is a mostly pleasant, positive story that touches on heavier topics but often actively avoids veering toward cruel or angsty paths. And how hard would it have been to have a magical solution or a fake out so that you still get some of the emotions? Part of me thinks it makes less sense for it to have even been possible. It may be unfair of me to be so bothered by this single moment, but it singlehandedly makes me not want to reread this book in the future. Even though I really, really enjoyed the vast majority of Dragonfruit.

Dragonfruit is everything that I love about YA fantasy. With a vibrant world, loveable characters, and majestic dragons, it is a book that will capture your attention from the very first page.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!

Dragonfruit is a story about Hanalei, who returns to her home island after ten years in the hope to find dragonfruit to wake up the princess, who has been in a sleep like state for those ten years.

“In the old tales, it is written that the egg of a seadragon, dragonfruit, holds within it the power to undo a person’s greatest sorrow. An unwanted marriage, a sworn enemy, a painful illness . . . gone. But as with all things that promise the moon and the stars and offer hope when hope has gone, the tale comes with a warning. Every wish demands a price.”

I’ve been waiting for this book to come out since it was first announced and OMG this book was everything and more! It was just amazing!

The story starts off in a way that immediately sets the tone and the world this book takes place in! I was immediately intrigued by the seadragons and their eggs, the way they were hunted and the way of living on the islands! The magic isn’t as potent as in other books, but I love the subtle way it was incorporated into the world created. Reading this book, it made me want to have my own Marking! It also really makes me want to go and visit other Pacific Islands!

The plot is very straightforward, but engaging, fun and addicting as well! The writing and pacing draw you in and makes it very hard to stop reading it all in one go (as I did). The stakes gradually get higher and higher, the tension rising, and it was everything!

The characters are amazing! Hanalei is just such an admirable character by herself! Her return to her home island, the redemption and justice she tries to gain! Her determination and thinking were just awesome! Sam stole my heart, the weight on his shoulders noticeable, but not breaking under it! Fetu, I want to cuddle with, and the other side characters were so interesting as well! All characters were really well developed and truly played a part in the story and plot.

The romance was sweet and subtle, and I love how it was interwoven into the quest, but not overshadowing it. I was rooting for the two since I learned of their early childhood friendship and being reunited as adults and how they graduated towards each other was just lovely! A perfect pair with chemistry seen for miles!

The plot was so fun and while you kinda know it will have a happy ending, I love how it still kept me on my toes and how the story and twists could still take me by surprise! I loved how it all played out and the ending was just heart-warming and really makes me want to have a small novella or a sequel to see the next adventures these characters will come across!

Overall, Dragonfruit is an amazing story that blew my mind and one I loved so so much!

Imgur link goes to Instagram graphic scheduled for April 16th
Blog post goes live April 12
Will be discussed in Youtube April Reads pt 1


**TL;DR:** A surprisingly light and lovely YA fantasy, I highly recommend. It has notes of ‘cozy fantasy’ vibes in the later half - so if you’re wanting that this could be a pick up for you.

I think this is a great example of the fact that I’m easily pleased if something stays true to it’s source and attempts to be unique. Is Dragonfruit a perfect book? Absolutely not! Is it a fun right and well worth the read? Absolutely yes!

This fantasy follows Hana, who believes herself to be exiled from her home islands as she studies seadragons. She interrupts the hunt of a man she has had previous dealings with (not of the good variety) and is trapped on his boat as he chases a pregnant seadragon, using Hana to track her. Eventually the chase leads them to Hana’s home islands and the story truly unfolds.

I am genuinely so tired of the character vs. the world that so many so many fantasy books use, that when Hana finally reaches her home and discovers/reconnects with friends and family it was seriously like a splash of cool water. This book is lovely, I adored so much about it. Again, it wasn’t perfect but it actually shows healthy, real relationships and not antagonizing, hateful ones.

5 Magical Markings out of 5 (I pre-ordered this y’all. I loved it)

Wow, this is one of those books where I reached the end and immediately wanted to turn back and return to this world!

I do think there might be some mismarketing in presenting this as a romance. The romance is such a minor subplot, easy to blink and miss in this seafaring, adventurous tale! It’s just not the focus at all, providing some cute tension here and there but not much else. Dragonfruit felt more like Moana meets How to Train Your Dragon.
I loved the Pacific Island mythology and setting, and was fully immersed in this world. Also, the tattoos that came to life and were their animal companions was such a cool detail!?? Love that!

I adored fierce-but-tender Hanalei, and enjoyed the slowly developed friendship with Rosamie. It could’ve so easily veered into a rivalry and seemed set up to go that way, but thank goodness female friendships prevailed!

Sam’s tension with his cousin was also resolved nicely, and I love the way this book treated family relationships overall.

I could easily read an entire series set in this world and am hopeful we get future books with these characters!

Dragonfruit
by Makiia Lucier
YA Fantasy
NetGalley ARC
Pub. Date: Apr. 9, 2024
HarperCollins Children's Books
Ages: 14+

In the legends, the egg of a seadragon, called dragonfruit has the power to undo a person's greatest sorrow, but that wish comes with a price. A price Hanalei's father paid to wake her when she was poisoned along with the princess, whom Hanalei thought of as a mother, with the egg that was intended for the princess. Now years later, living a life in exile because of what her father did, Hanalei studies the seadragons with the hope she can use that knowledge to save the princess.

Samahtitamahenele, or Sam, the princess's son has sat by for the ten years while his mother slept, but his grandmother, the queen, needs him to marry and to have children, girls because men cannot inherit the throne. But when a childhood friend returns, he has hope that his mother may be awakened.

But others are after the dragonfruit, even to kill to obtain one, because many are willing to pay the price, any price, to have their greatest sorrow undone.


This was a very interesting story, though I felt bad for the seadragons because they were hunted (like the whales were once hunted) for the resources their bodies had. Scales, oil, meat, etc., but their eggs were rare and would earn the seller a lot of money. But each time I read 'dragonfruit', I thought of the fruit.

Besides that, I enjoyed the story. It was a mostly quick read, kept to the plot, but I wish the magic of this world was better explained, especially about the tattoos. Wouldn't they not work when the wearer ventured past the border, as other magics did not, so that, at least for Hanalei, could be a bad thing for her future?

Anyways, I like the story, not overly graphic or violent, but there is violence and a really bad price one person had to pay for using dragonfruit, (worse than death in my, and the characters' opinions), but the book is still suitable for readers 14 and older.

3 Stars

I originally requested this book because of its beautiful cover but when I read the synopsis it had me even more intrigued because the story contains sea dragons!

This book follows our main character Hanalei as she tries to come to terms with the fact that her father committed a grave act in order to save her life when she was ill as a child. Hanalei somehow finds her way back to her home where she reconnects with Sam, a Prince who is trying to save his mother who was left without a cure for her illness when Hanalei’s father stole it 10 years ago. They decide to work together to find a dragon's egg which will grant any wish, however the wish will come with a steep cost.

I enjoyed reading from Hanalei’s perspective and thought that she was an interesting character with a bog heart and a good understanding of people and the world around her. She loves to study the sea dragons and has a gift for finding them, most likely because of the way she was cured. Unfortunately the other characters in this book weren’t as fleshed out and because of that I found it difficult to connect to them and to care about their part in the story. The relationship between our two main characters would have worked better if it was platonic as I really didn’t feel the chemistry between them and most of their development wasn’t seen in the present but rather referred back to in past events.

I really liked the setting of this book and I could picture the different islands from the vivid descriptions alone. The magic system was also an interesting factor for me however I believed this could have been focused on and developed a lot more.

The main thing that I did not enjoy reading about in this book was the gruesome deaths of the animals. The amount of deaths was excessive and I didn’t feel like it was needed in order to move the story along. Whilst I could have looked past it in terms of the sea dragons, there was one character death that I really wasn’t a fan of. I believe it was done for shock value more than anything else and this has contributed to my lower rating of this book.

I’m glad that I got the chance to read this however it isn’t a new favourite of mine.

Thank you to Net Galley for providing me with a copy of this book.