What can I say but WOW. This book had everything I could’ve hoped for and more. This much anticipated sequel takes us into an academia setting with trials, prophecies and secret quests galore, I simply could not put this one down.

It was truly captivating to pick back up with the characters after the jaw dropping ending of Dragonfall, and the multiple POVs continued to create such an enjoyably intense pace that I was constantly on edge waiting to find out what happened next. And I must say, what happened next was brilliant. This was a perfect conclusion to the duology whilst still leaving the door open to explore beyond the tale of our beloved Arcady and Everen if desired.

I highly enjoyed the magic system of this world and loved exploring it deeper in this book. The world building was imaginative and easy to follow, and the dreamer was a riveting plot line. The writing style flowed smoothly and the voice of each character came across as uniquely identifiable making the story progress seamlessly and captivating my every emotion.

Thank you to L. R. Lam and NetGalley for allowing me the opportunity to give an advance review of this book. Emberclaw was such a satisfying and engaging conclusion to this duology, earning a fantastic 4.5/5 star rating!

The conclusion had everything I want from a fantasy novel. If I could give it 6 ⭐️, I would.

The stakes were higher as we entered a university filled with secrets and deadly trials- testing our protagonists and pushing them to their magical & physical limits.

Our main characters were thrown into impossible situations that compromised their core understanding of the worlds around them... as well as their understanding & beliefs of who they are.

The worlds seem grander, more alive, and brimming with treachery as well as hope. We're given a deeper look into the magics of the universe in this book and oh my gosh... I'd like another 3 books delving into everything about this series because I need more!

And I'd love to say it again: the non-binary MC (as well as the gender-fluid/non-conforming society) adds ANOTHER incredibly wonderful layer to this already stacked story discussing familial expectations, generational traumas, religious manipulation, academic prejudices and so much more. Y'all... this book literally does it all. 🤌🏻

Thank you NetGalley and DAW Books for giving me the opportunity to read to this book early and share my honest review. All reviews will be posted to my socials (Netgalley, Goodreads, Fable, IG).

The homework you did in the first book massively pays off! A rich well built world that has dragons done right. The schemes move from heist to trials of survival. The slow burn romance burns and wants you having more. The ending is perfect and while I could read more of this world I’m also happy with leaving the world and characters as they are when we finish.
4.5 🌟

This is the second book to Dragonfall. The cover is beautiful! I love that we get a review at the beginning. The story does not disappoint!

I LOVED this duology and this book absolutely lived up to the buildup from the first book. The character growth, the magic and world-building continued to fleshed out as the story itself unfolded. I really loved the character growth and development over time.

Sorin my beloved I hated the absolute hell you were put through 😭 but I loved the character you turned out to be.. Arcady and Everen’s relationship development was also written incredibly well. The climax/big bad of the duology was super fascinating, and I found elements of it to be Norse mythology inspired and I really liked the way <!spoiler> the worlds were tied and the wraiths were created/developed as part of the wound in the serpent around the tree.

The magic system all reflecting the tree as well was a really nice touch and the entertaining theme of is our fate chosen for us or do we choose our fate was nice. I also loved the way Lam wrote the nonbinary-ness of Arcady, the sex scenes especially were great and the whole social system of identifiers when meeting new people and talking about them.

Even better than the first. I'm so glad i continued this duology and had the opportunity to read this early. The concept is so unique and captivating. I can't wait for everyone to read it

Thank you NetGalley and L.R. Lam for the copy of this book

This duology was really unique and is really different from my normal reads.

While I did enjoy Dragonfall, I liked the plot of Emberclaw more. I’m a sucker for a games and trials trope so as soon as I learned of the academy games I was intrigued. The stakes of this book felt higher and I really enjoyed that aspect.

I loved Sorin’s character development in this book. She was my favorite character in Dragonfall and I loved seeing the way she developed throughout this book. I felt that some of it was pretty predictable, but still satisfying nonetheless

I did find this book to be work at times. It wasn’t that it wasn’t interesting or that the writing was bad but I felt like some of it was really dragged out and was hard to stay focused and engaged

That being said, I have no regrets by reading this book. I was intrigued to find out where the storyline went. If you’re looking for a unique YA book with dragons, secrets, and betrayals I’d recommend giving this series a read.

This was a great conclusion to this series. I loved the ending. Perfect for people who love fantasy, magic, dragons, and romance.

I went into Emberclaw thinking it would be the second book in a trilogy and for the first 50% that is exactly what it felt like. There was a lot of set-up with little to no character growth. Maybe that's why the ending felt so rushed to me.
While I very much enjoyed reading this book, I feel like the bulk of character growth was done in Dragonfall and that Emberclaw was more plot-heavy, trying to tie up all the lose strings. In some places the plot felt rushed while in others it stretched out for too long, but it was exciting nonetheless.
With that being said, I think Emberclaw's strength lies in the relationships between the characters. I loved watching the relationship between Sorin and Arcady develop and enjoyed the continuation of Arcady's and Everen's relationship. I also loved getting to know all the side characters and how they affected the MCs.

All in all a good, enjoyable read, but there was potential for more.

.R. Lam did such an amazing job of creating a unique world that both felt troubling and dangerous while also comforting and like a home. I struggle to put my love of this book (and series) into words after reading theirs.

Emberclaw was such a journey with all the elements of books that I enjoy while challenging me too. The multiple point of view writing is often hit or miss for me, but L.R. Lam did it in such a way that pushed the plot forward without it being forced. When POVs repeated a series of events, it still felt unique and insightful rather than a copy and paste of the events with some changes.

I fell in love with the characters from Dragonfall and fell even deeper while reading Emberclaw. (view spoiler)I felt like I was saying goodbye to close friends at the very end and can only hope that we get to learn more about them in future publications by the author.

Things I love that this book has:
- Family history
- Trials
- Prophecies
- YEARNING (so much yearning)
- Strong main characters with well constructed backstories
- Dragons!!

Big thank you to NetGalley and DAW for the eARC of this amazing book! All opinions are my own.

I was so thrilled to get this ARC from NetGalley and DAW. I had just finished Dragonfall and was desperate to know what happened after that ending. This book did not disappoint. I liked this book even more than the first one!

Obviously, there's less world building in the second book, so I found it easier to get into than the first book, which took a little time to orient myself and make sense of the world.
The start of Emberclaw picks up almost right where we left off in Dragonfall. Arkady and Everen are embroiled in something even bigger than they had imagined and both of their worlds are at risk. Arkady is coming to grips with Everen's deception and is unsure if/how they can recover the relationship they had only just started to build.

The side characters played a bigger part in this book and Sorin quickly became one of the most interesting parts of the story. I loved the character arc and getting to see more of her POV.

This book moved faster than the first one and was pretty action packed in comparison. The ending felt a little abrupt, but I think that's because I was expecting to see more of what happens after the events in this book. It feels like there could be a third book to cover what comes next, but I can't confirm that anywhere.

Thank you to NetGalley, DAW, and LR Lam for the eARC of this book. This is my honest review.

Emberclaw is the perfect conclusion to L.R. Lam’s Dragon Scales duology—full of magic, intrigue, and just the right amount of dragon-induced chaos. Arcady is out here trying to hustle their way through academia (relatable), while Everen, a literal dragon prince, is having an identity crisis of epic proportions. The stakes are high, the emotions are intense, and the world-building is as rich as ever.

I enjoyed this sequel even more than I did the first book—something that rarely happens! I believe a big part of that is due to Lam's character development throughout Emberclaw; it felt natural, yet raw, and Sorin's journey of self-discovery added a level of depth to the story that Dragonfall was missing.

Thank you NetGalley and DAW Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Daw Books and NetGalley for this ARC.

I loved falling into the worlds of Lumet and Celene Vere and am sad to leave them.

LR Lam pulled together many of my favourite fantasy tropes (a magical university games/tournament, university setting, magic based in elements, I could go on!) while also helping me appreciate those I have not liked in the past (fated mates, multiple perspectives). I really loved Lam's use of "any"/ they/ They and pronouns in this duology--their attention to diverse lived experiences extended into intimate scenes with a lot of care.

I really enjoyed the epistolary frame of the two books and found the ending to Emberclaw hit the perfect tone/ pacing for me--I wasn't left wondering about any characters, things were not tied up too neatly as to be unbelievable.

I hope someday Lam returns to Lumet to explore the next chapter of dragons and humans, but until then, I'll remember 2025 for introducing me to their world.

After reading Dragonfall a bit over a year ago, I became a fan of this series. I am very grateful for the publisher and Netgalley for allowing me to read an eARC of Emberclaw!

Arcady is still searching for justice and finally enrolls at the Academy under their new false identity. There, they hope to find out more about the real reason that their grandfather was wrongly accused as the Plaguebringer and executed. Meanwhile, Everen, the last male dragon, is also still searching for his own way. He still struggles with understanding the prophecies, even if he started to be able to see them. There is one thing for certain, though: Both of their worlds hang in a fragile balance and only Arcady and Everen can prevent their destruction, if they work together once again.

The story starts with a recap of the most important events from book one. That was a great opening, because I was immediately invested again, even after the time that has passed for me between books. The plot itself starts out quite slow, though the inevitable building of suspense is enough to keep the pages turning. The mood changes from heist novel in book one to dark academia here. The switch isn't too jarring, though, because the superb worldbuilding and different perspectives help tie together the past events and revelations with new intrigues and secrets. There is a lot more going on than is obvious at first - just like in the last installment.

We meet new characters, new challenges, a magic competition and the continuation of Acardy's and Everen's character development. All of this keeps the story fresh until the plot picks up. The ending hurtles toward the fulfillment of a mysterious prophecy, which the characters have no idea how to fulfill while the revealed puppet master behind the scenes is constantly advancing his own schemes.

The relationship between Arcady and Everen continues to be an important part. There are many complicated feelings, past betrayals and current desires. I found their development fitting and convincing. I definitely preferred the romance here over what was going on in book one. As someone who rarely enjoys romance in fantasy novels, this one was done very well!

Truth be told, there are very few things I would say were not done well. The finale did feel a little like deus-ex-machina, although it does fit in with the themes of prophecies and fate. The ending is also deliberatly vague about the future of the world, although I am hoping this is mostly in preparation of a spin-off.

All in all, I am very satisfied with this duology. The bonus content at the end, where the author talks about their own language that was created for the book, was a fantastic treat for me as well. This is a fantasy that feels both progressive and classic. We have dragons, prophecies, but also advanced narrative techniques with the second person address (which I loved!) and a non-binary protagonist. I truly enjoyed reading and would recommend this series to any fantasy fans!

4.5 stars

Thank you DAW and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I was so happy to be back with these characters and so anxious for what they faced.

I loved the whole magic academy plot this book had going for it. I didn’t actually think Arcady would get there and the fact that they did made me so genuinely happy even though they had so much crap to deal with.

I loved the relationship formed between Arcady and Sorin. I would absolutely love a short story of them just hanging out having some kind of carefree holiday together, like what their trip to Willem’s estate could have been under better circumstances.

I LOVED Willem, Rahela and Damon and the group they formed with Arcady. Honestly fictional friendships make my heart sing and this group was no exception.

The romance between Everen and Arcady is EVERYTHING. I love them so much!

The climax and resolution felt really well paced and I really enjoyed how everything turned out. I was on the edge of my seat for the entire last 100 pages.

I really loved this duology and I can’t recommend it enough.

Thank you L. R. Lam and DAW for an ARC Copy of Emberclaw!

Rating 4/5

This was a wild ride from start to finish and I am so satisfied with the conclusion of this Duology!

While both books in the series are a little on the ‘info dumpy’ side, the world building is spectacular and so thoroughly thought out, down to the Dragons having a fully functional language. I also loved the queernormativity of Loc’s society, and found it was a much needed shift from reality.

The relationships are so well developed and I loved all the POVs. Even the side characters had distinct personalities and were easy to distinguish from each other. Another aspect I enjoyed was the characters' narratives being written from different perspectives (1st person/2nd person/3rd person). This felt fun and different from a lot of recent fantasy, and really helped to differentiate the main characters further. I do wish we had a little more from Cassia’s POV, but that is splitting hairs.

Final note - GAY DRAGONS!

I am so excited for this to come out so I can add a physical copy to my shelf!

“Emberclaw” by L.R. Lam is the thrilling final book to the Dragon Scales duology series, picking up right where “Dragonfall” left off.

This time, we follow Arcady as they infiltrate the prestigious University of Vatra, aiming to clear their family’s name. The academic setting adds a fresh twist, with magical trials and deepening friendships that enrich the story.

Meanwhile, Everen grapples with his place among dragons and his lingering bond with Arcady.

Readers have praised the book’s intricate world-building and character development, noting that it surpasses the first installment. If you’re into epic fantasies with dragons, magic, and a touch of romance, “Emberclaw” is a must-read.

Overall I liked this one but felt like book 1 was better. I had trouble connecting to the first part of this book. It felt like a completely different story than what I read with Dragonfall. The saving grace with this one was Everen and Arcady. I enjoyed their relationship.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

Thank you DAW and NetGalley for allowing me the chance to read & review an ARC for Emberclaw.

4.5⭐️

With how Dragonfall ended I knew I needed to immediately start Emberclaw. There were so many questions that needed answering. The story was just beginning in all the best ways.

Lam knows how to best play with your emotions without taking it to the point of frustration. Everen & Arcady managed to grow just as much apart as they did together. We get more of a sense of who they are as characters. Plus, more Sorin ❤️

The main “goal” or “mission” does seem to be put on the back burner more this book than in the first one. At about 60% in I was a little afraid how it was going to end. It just felt like while things were moving, the end goal wasn’t progressing. I shouldn’t have doubted 😅 a lot does seem to be fairly easy, neatly wrapped up, but it felt like it was done in a way that made sense. I’m not mad about it.

Beautiful conclusion to an interesting duology. If you’re looking for solid world building, great character growth, and an inclusive world 👌🏻 definitely recommend.

I would like to thank the publisher and NetGalley for allowing me to read and honestly review an advanced reader’s copy of this book.

I’ve been eagerly anticipating this sequel ever since I finished Dragonfall back in 2023. That book completely captivated me—it’s the perfect execution of the enemies-to-lovers trope, set in a queer-normative world with dragons, an intricate magic system, and alternating viewpoints that kept me hooked from start to finish. Dragonfall is a truly special book to me, so I’ll admit, I was almost nervous that the sequel wouldn’t live up to my expectations.

But Emberclaw delivers. It has the same addictive writing style, the same beloved characters, and even opens with a recap of the previous book—something I wish more modern fantasy novels included. From there, we’re thrown right back into the story: Arcady and Everen’s bond is broken, they’re literally worlds apart, and yet fate clearly isn’t done with them. Their relationship was the highlight of Dragonfall for me, and in Emberclaw, it once again has me completely hooked—the tension, the yearning, the weight of their shared history.

I also loved Sorin’s arc—learning more about her and following her journey to free herself from the bond she’s under was incredibly compelling. If we ever return to this world, I’d love to see even more of her (and Cassia too!).

Without getting into spoilers, Arcady’s arc takes a turn I never saw coming, especially the truth behind their grandsire. Watching them grapple with that reveal was incredibly compelling and powerful.

What a breathtaking conclusion—this sequel was absolutely worth the wait. I’m so grateful to the author for crafting this story; I hope they know just how deeply it resonates with readers (me!) and how many more it will continue to reach.

(And if you’ve made it this far without having read Dragonfall yet… what are you waiting for? Go pick it up now so you’re ready for Emberclaw!)