I was thrown off by the description but seriously if you like dragons this one is an awesome pick, esp those of you just coming off of your fourth wings kick! Thanks for the arc

This book was utterly gorgeous, mesmerizing, and beautiful. I loved the writing, it swept you away into this beautiful world and couldn't put this book down. The characters had such depth, the storyline was epic, and it was a favorite for sure. I loved Hanalei and Sam! I adored the storyline, the variety of creatures was fascinating. The plot kept you completely invested the whole time and moved at a perfect pace, this story was magical for me. I adored it! The story had some moments that wrenched your heart, other times you couldn't help but laugh, and then it would just sweep you off your feet again with the storyline. The lush settings, the in-depth characters, and the story was epic and something I will treasure. Highly recommend this read!

Thanks to NetGalley & Edelweiss for the ARCs!

For years, Hanalei has lived a life in exile after her father stole a dragonfruit—the egg of a seadragon said to grant anyone’s wish—to save her life. Now, she spends her life studying seadragons until one day she sees her opportunity to return home to Tamarind. Meanwhile, Samahtitamahenele is the last remaining prince of Tamarind in a matriarchal line. He’s being pressured to marry but instead focuses on finding a cure for his mother, who’s been in a coma and whom the dragonfruit Hanalei’s father stole was meant for. With Hanalei’s return to the island, the two set off on a quest to search for a dragonfruit.

I’ve been a huge fan of Makiia Lucier’s since I read Year of the Reaper and immediately ran to read her backlist. Her writing is just so gorgeous and full of yearning, and this book was no exception. Both Hanalei and Sam have been living lives not meant for them—her in exile and him as the default heir. Hanalei’s yearning to return home despite her guilt for what her father did is so strong, while Sam’s longing to see his mother returned is an underlying part of his character.

There’s also the added layer of them being close childhood friends and then abruptly having to cut off contact. The tension between them now…Lucier always knows how to write a romance that cuts you to the bone. I can’t wait to reread this book!

The worldbuilding of this book was also very engaging! It takes inspiration from different Pacific Islander mythology, which was new for me to read personally. The plot is centered around the eponymous dragonfruit, which are what seadragon eggs are called. These eggs are rare, especially because seadragons are infamously hostile and hard to kill, and are said to hold the power to undo a person’s sorrow. Any person who steals a dragonfruit pays a price though; in Hanalei’s father’s case, with his own life.

There’s also the concept of markings, which are like tattoos of animals. However, these appear without warning once during early adulthood and move around different locations on the body. In some people’s case, like Sam’s, they can rise off the skin and take the form of a living animal. Markings are friends and guardians; Fetu, Sam’s marking, is fiercely protective of him but also gets irritated if you ask too much of him.

I also liked the side characters and how they all play into the plot. They’re all so fully developed; each character has their own agenda, although they may or may not come into fruition.

I truly can’t recommend Dragonfruit and all of Lucier’s works enough. My love for this book is hard to put into words, so please just know that I adored it. It was one of my top ten reads of 2023 (when I first read this ARC), and I already have plans to reread it soon!

I like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this new debut from Makiia Lucier.

I took a chance on the author last year at a book sale when I found her duology. I read them quickly and thoroughly enjoyed her well-rounded characters for YA audiences. So seeing this come out as an ARC, I quickly hit that request button because the cover gave off pretty Moana vibes, and I knew I'd get the same thing here.

Makiia takes us to a Polynesian-esque fantasy island where lineages get tattoos with animal guardians that assist them. Where sea dragons are ferocious but give birth to eggs that if devoured give you a wish. But, with wishes, there is a cost. In this story, our lead lost her father at the age of eight when he stole one of the eggs to save her from a eternal sleep / death. In turn, he lost his own life.

His daughter, now eighteen, and with no family, has lived alone and intrigued by the dragons that separated her from her father. She was not the only one who was in an eternal sleep, the Princess of the kingdom she once inhabited, still sleeps and they are still searching for a cure. The problem is, dragons eggs are rare and are sought after. So she has to compete against foreign nations and unsavory pirates who will stop at nothing to get the eggs.

I loved the plot, I loved the main characters, I love how the book did not seem to talk down to the reader, or give us some easy issues to overcome. There was death, gruesome ones from sea dragons.

The only two reasons I am rating this book down is the death of a certain character / minor character (he was so cute, why?) and how the book kind of ends where you expect another to begin.. If the author wanted to release one more book I think she could. Still, it's a good book and if you are already a fan of the author then you'll enjoy it just as much as I did.

This story feels so fresh! Sea dragons for the win, ya'll. I LOVED the lush Pacific Island setting and mythology. It's so easy to root for the main character, and I stayed up late to finish this book.

Thank you to netgalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for allowing me to read this book. I enjoyed the diving to this Pacific Island mythology.

Makiia Lucier saw the YA fantasy genre was floundering and knew she had to step in to save the day.

Dragonfruit is one of the most unique fantasies I've read in a long time. If you were disappointed by a *certain* dragon booktok recommendation, you've come to the right place. Lucier has combined Pacific Islander mythology with a beautifully crafted plot and characters you’ll want to be friends with.

Haliendi has lived in exile since her dad stole a seadragon egg from the queen. Since then, she has spent years traveling the oceans and studying the beautiful creatures that changed her life. But when a ruthless hunter tries to kill a seadragon, Haliendi is back in her homeland, surrounded by those she once called family. Given the chance to redeem her name, Haliendi travels with an old friend to find a sea dragon and save her island.

Everything about this book is magical. From the descriptions of the beautiful islands, a unique and loveable heroine, and the inclusion of mythology most people have never heard about. The plot was consistently placed and never stagnant. Even with a relatively large cast of characters, each one is well-rounded and easy to remember. Read this if you need to restore your faith in YA fantasy.

Thank you NetGalley and HarperCollins Children's Books for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.

Dragonfruit obviously features dragons. I love dragons, so it is exciting to read books where they feature prominently. Many novels in the fantasy genre have a sameness to their setting. I loved that this one had a South Pacific feel. You could feel the lushness in every page. The beautiful cover reflects the colorful prose of the world built in the novel. I really have enjoyed Makiia Lucifer’s books to date and this one was no exception. Hanalei, the main protagonist, is a survivor who has worked her way up to be the equivalent of a graduate student in the field of dragon study. She was saved by dragonfruit, or a dragon egg, as a child and has felt a connection with them ever since. Her father who was a nobleman defied his kingdom and saved his daughter’s life at the expense of his own and his rank. She was left to make her way in the world, but fate brings her back to the island of her birth to reconcile with the past and forge a new path. It is a coming of age story with cutthroat privateers, adventure, old gods, fate and dragons.

Thank you to NetGalley and HarperCollins Children’s Books for this opportunity to read rate and review this arc which is going to be available wide April 9,2024!

This is a Pacific Island mythology inspired romantasy that features sea dragons! It also has princes and such but what I truly loved was the Pacific Islander mythology. The sense of family in this culture is in this book. I dug it.

I loved this book! Absolutely tore through it in less than a day. A fantasy steeped in Pacific Islander culture with dragons and animal familiars?? PLEASE. The pacing was fast, the world building expansive but easy to follow, and the magic system and dragons were extremely unique.

A new fantasy story with romance, adventure, Polynesian inspired culture, oh and did I mention dragons??? You are thrusted right into the story, this one starts like a roller coaster ready to drop!

This is a fast paced fantasy adventure, that will draw you into their world. You will be captivated by the world building and want to know more about the characters. Now I truly enjoyed the magic system inside this story/world, Makiia Lucier was able to create a compelling and sweet relationship between her main characters.
I will say that I wanted more from the ending but please don’t let that stop you from picking up this book. It’s a wonderful start to an incredible series!

Thank you Net Gallery and Harper Collins for letting me read the ARC prior to release.

I absolutely loved Year of the Reaper and was thrilled when Makiia Lucier granted me an ARC of her new novel, which is a romantic fantasy inspired by Pacific Island mythology with sea dragons, dragon hunters and animal companions that can take the form of tattoos on their buddies' skin. I mean, how cool does that sound?
The worldbuilding in this book is seriously one of the most original and interesting I've come across in a long time. I was completely swept away by the magic and legends of Tamarind.
However, if I'm being honest, I felt a bit disappointed with the ending. It was rushed and anti-climactic, which is a pity because I wish I could have spent more time in this beautiful world and gotten to know the characters even better. They were all so relatable and enjoyable, I just wanted more.
Despite this, I still think this book is really good and I would highly recommend it. If only it had been a little longer to give us more time to get attached to the characters and delve deeper into the plot. Anyway, I hope you enjoy it as much as I did!

3.75⭐️

Dragonfruit by Makiia Lucier is an excellent Young Adult fantasy read for anyone who loves dragons.Drawn in by a premise ripe with both redemption and dragons I was kept captive by the beautiful writing style.
What I loved
-I am dropped right into the world with the writer trusting me as the reader to find my footing
-Character development and relationships are well fleshed out
-the stakes are kept high
-SEA DRAGONS !!!!!!

This would likely be a good read for fans Amanda Foody's Wilderlore writing style.

I was a huge fan of Year of the Reaper and was thrilled to see this book coming out. Not to mention that the cover art is STUNNING. This is a wonderful Asian fantasy novel centering around the journey of Hanalei. She is impossible not to root for and this was such a refreshing adventure of a story. Another winner from Lucier.

Here I am reading Dragonfruit while everyone else is reading Fourth Wing and Iron Flame. I loved loved loved this book so much! Seadragons? Yes please! This book did not disappoint. It was amazing and I loved every second of it! The pacing was amazing! The writing was amazing! The story was amazing! Thanks so much to Netgalley and the publisher for a copy of the arc in return for an honest review!

Beautiful book that matches the beautiful cover! Great fantasy read with wonderful characters and sensational atmosphere.

I am happy to say I actually really enjoyed this book. The story flowed nicely, and had an intriguing concept. The MC was wonderful, as were all the side characters. If I have a complaint, it's just that I wanted MORE. I feel like the ending was anticlimactic in a rushed sort of way rather than a bad plot sort of way, and the pleasant, enjoyable characters could have become beloved and emotionally attached to characters with just a little more depth. If the book had just been a little longer to give time for those two areas two build a stronger foundation, it would have been perfect.

Thank you to Netgalley for this amazing ARC

In a world where fantasy novels struggle to stand out, but Dragonfruit does exactly that. Fallowing an eighteen year old girl name Hanalei as she returns home from ten years in exile, after she and her father stole sea dragon scales to save her life as a child. Upon returning home she reunites with her childhood best friend Prince Samahti who needs the egg of the sea dragon called the dragonfruit to save the life of his sick mother. The two of them embarc on a quest to find the dragon fruit; but they are not alone in their search.

I fell for the magic system inside of a skillfully crafted world that Makiia Lucier built; the characters are compelling and the romance between the protagonists is very sweet.

I really enjoyed this book so much! I flew through this book and I was so upset when it was over. The plot was fast paced but not much which is what I really enjoy. I am obsessed with the characters and can not wait to read more by this author. I will be recommending this book to all of my friends and family.

Thank you Harper Collins and Netgalley.

This book is very interesting. It has dragons, adventure, and just overall an amazing story. My issue however is that the book feels so rushed in the beginning. You are thrown into the world with no knowledge. You have to learn as you read. It is kind of rough for a minute but the more you read. It makes more and more sense.