You ever read a book and wish your world had the same system? Not magic or anything fantasy based. This book, has the most interesting and progressive pronoun and gender system, add in that sign language is also used to illustrate your pronouns and gender plus used in general speak, it’s quite beautiful. Now for the plot, get ready for an intense info dump of the world, the creatures, the magic system, the religion and the pandemic that hit. All set, release the dragons! Oh but that’s just the beginning, Arcady is a thief and a good one at that, his only wish is to be able to afford to attend education specifically for the rich and use the knowledge to both enrich his life and prove his grandfathers innocence, but when Arcady and Everen collide water meets fire, promises are made, plans are hatched and a deep betrayal threatens a blooming love. Everen is forced to choose between his family and his people or his newfound love for someone who’s people hurt and banished his. Magic, love and weapons are everywhere and no one is safe, not even Sorin, trained to kill and protect for a religious man who claims to protect them from the veil that divides worlds.

Dragonfall is a spellbinding and captivating read that combines epic fantasy with intricate world-building and carefully developed characters. The book introduces unique and fascinating concepts that keep readers hooked from beginning to end. The magic system is both inventive and fresh, with just the right amount of complexity to keep things interesting if you're open minded to understanding magic systems within this genre. The plot is masterfully crafted, with intricate plot twists that leave readers on the edge of their seats.

The two main POVs, Arcady and Everen, are well-developed and have a complex bond that is both intriguing and relatable. The addition of a third POV, Sorin, adds to the complexity of the plot, but the author does a great job of keeping the story balanced and easy to follow. The slow-burn romance between Arcady and Everen is beautifully written, with a natural progression that keeps readers invested in their relationship.

The author deserves extra credit for their thoughtful and inclusive representation of gender, which adds depth and richness to the story. The only drawback of the book is that the writing style may take some time to get used to, but once readers become accustomed to it, the story flows smoothly and seamlessly.

Overall, Dragonfall is a must-read for fans of fantasy who are looking for a fresh take on the genre. The intricate world-building, complex characters, and imaginative concepts make this a standout book that will keep readers engaged from beginning to end. The ending is a cliffhanger that will leave readers eager for the next book in the series.

Dragonfall by L.R. Lam is a young adult fantasy novel that takes readers on a wild ride with its dragons, magic, heist, and forbidden attraction between the two main characters. The book is refreshingly unique in its approach to magic, dragons, and gods, and has a captivating world that quickly grips readers. However, the book is not without its flaws. The first few chapters of the book are mostly info-dumping, and they can be confusing at times. The magic system could have been explained and explored better, and the writing style can be dragging and poetic at the same time.

Despite the flaws, the writing style is unique and fascinating. It makes the reading experience feel like watching a painting being made. The book has dual-POV, and the chapters are handled well. The romance between the two main characters, Arcady and Everen, is a highlight of the book. Their banter, longing, and overall interactions are adorable, and readers will find themselves invested in their relationship. The ending is a cliffhanger that will leave readers desperate for the next book in the series.

Overall, Dragonfall is an amazing fantasy book that will make readers question their loyalty to the characters from beginning to end. It's a book that will have readers kicking their feet, smiling, and shedding some tears. If you are a fan of dragons, magic, and a well-developed romance, Dragonfall is a book you don't want to miss, despite it's (personal) flaws I would still recommend

I really enjoyed this book. I thought the central theme was different from usual stories . I am eager for the next instalment.

I'm obsessed with this book and can't stop thinking about it. It's a good thing it's a series so I will eventually have other books like it to read. When a dragon falls through the barrier that separates him from humankind, well... no spoilers but from there, it gets riveting.

"Dragonfall" by L.R. Lam is an absolutely captivating and spellbinding fantasy novel that transports readers to a world where dragons are worshipped but banished to an inhospitable realm, but the human realm is ridden by plague, inequality and ruled by the dragon-worshipping church.

The story follows the last male dragon, Everen, who finds himself pulled into the human realm and must complete a soul bonding with the dashing non-binary rogue, Arcady, in order to bring dragons back to their former glory. Meanwhile Arcady has their own secrets and ambitions , which Everen has become useful tool in their plans.

The multiple points of view used in the book at first felt confusing at first but began to make sense as it allowed us, the reader to see a wider scope of the world itself. However as a personal preference, I would have been happy if the story followed only Arcady and Everen's POV.

The world-building in this book is reminiscent of medieval Europe and the Black Death. The corruption and wealth disparity between the noble classes and the plague-ridden poor sets up Arcady's character well. Arcady is mistrustful, lonely and devious. I was ready for them to have all their internal barriers to be broken down.

Which leads me to express how I felt that this - was very much peak enemies to lovers romantasy. Everen and Arcady have personal ambitions that conflicts with the possibility of them being in love with each other. And so the slow burn of them learning to trust and break down each other's barriers is deliciously tense. My own experience of certain scenes could best be described by the cliche of "Katrina released the breath she didn't know she was holding".

In the end, "Dragonfall" was a thrilling and unforgettable read that left this reader breathless with anticipation and utterly in awe of L.R. Lam's incredible talent as a storyteller. I very much look forward to getting my claws on the next book in the series.

I have grown up loving dragons. If there was a winged lizard I was in. Dragonfall is a story my childhood self would adore. Just look at this cover! It is marvelous! The whole graphic side of this book is!

The author came up with an innovative point of view on genders. I think that using neutral pronouns was a great idea. In the beginning, I felt a little bit lost, I couldn't imagine the characters properly in my head. And this book will be a tough one to translate. But when I get used to it, it was all fine.

The plot is promising, the characters interesting, and the form of storytelling unique. The execution of the story wasn't so detailed. It was small details that I missed. Sometimes it felt to me, that there weren't rules and I didn't completely understand how the magic system works, which is quite common with the first books in the series. So we will see how will this improve in the sequel.

I enjoyed this story. I see great potential here and this trilogy could be awesome. So give it a try and put this book on your TBR list!

Thank you NetGalley and Hodder & Stoughton!

A 3 star review is not bad at all, and this was not a terrible book, but the thing that thing that makes this rating most disappointing for me is the fact that DRAGONFALL had the potential to be so much more. Ever since this was announced, it’s been on my tbr, and I was fully expecting it to be a 5 star read, judging by everything the author had shared about the story and the fact that books about dragons and prophecies instantly gain my love. So why, then, did I find DRAGONFALL to be so lacklustre a novel?

Well, before I lost my critiques, let’s start with the positives: firstly, Lam clearly has an idea where they want this trilogy to go, and the plot was carefully written, with each scene and interaction adding to and enriching the storyline. Each event had a purpose, and I don’t think there was much filler that dragged it down or made it difficult to read; whilst the plot was very (emphasis on the very) slow, there was just enough intrigue and mystery to keep you reading. Secondly, I adored the queernorm world this was written in, and it was incredibly refreshing to read a story where the gender of a character wasn’t assumed instantly, and where people defaulted to they/them until a person shared their pronouns. The conservations Arcady had regarding their identity were written with care, and in turn, Everen’s own experiences of being trapped by gender roles was interesting to read.

And that’s probably where the good things I have to say end. Overall, whilst most of the elements of the story were good, they were always just missing something. While reading this book, I was always just left wanting for more: more info on the worldbuilding, more info on the history, more info on the character backstories. That’s ultimately where DRAGONFALL fell short for me: it had all the bones of a good story, but it never built on those elements to turn it from something good to something brilliant. The incentives and motives of the characters were all present on the page, with Arcady wanting to redeem their family name and Everen save his people from doom in Vere Celene, but Lam never built beyond these statements. Beyond just repeating these things over and over again, I never really found why I should care for these characters and their goals. Even one or two lines here and there exploring the characters thoughts would have been enough to make me care more. The worldbuilding followed a similar pattern, and I was desperately wishing we could learn more about about why this world was the way it was. I was left wanting to know so much more about how and why dragons became revered as gods and the betrayal between dragons and riders, but ultimately, that reveal never came. Whilst what worldbuilding we had was good, it just wasn't enough for an adult epic fantasy.

Overall, DRAGONFALL was an enjoyable read. It had elements which I enjoyed, and I think many people will love it. Will I pick up the sequel? Probably, since the end was enough to catch my interesting. In the end though, I just wish we got those small details that would have made this book a 5 star read. The thing I hate most is when a read just falls short of brilliant, and unfortunately, DRAGONFAL falls into that category

Thank you to NetGalley for giving me access to an ARC of this book in exchange for my review.

I will admit, I love a good dragon. We don’t see enough of them as characters with POVs in books. I really enjoyed the little differences in the voices and perspectives between Arcady, Everen and Sorin. I must say, I grew very attached to some of these characters, I loved the building in trust between Arcady and Everen, it felt so natural.

I was confused by the magic and the bond at first but I soon understood how it worked and didn’t find any long running issues throughout the book. I docked one star as I felt the conflict between Arcady and Everen and it’s resolution didn’t feel completely clean and clear but with that ending there is a chance for this to be clarified. If I could give this book 4.5, I would!

I absolutely loved this, the story was very fascinating and kept me on the edge of my seat more than I thought it would and the world building was amazing

I loved the sound of this from the blurb, and I'd heard a few people talking about it, so I was looking forward to reading this.

However, although I loved the characters and the story in the beginning, I felt as though there was something missing and I didn't enjoy it as much as I thought I would.

Many thanks to the publisher, the author, and NetGalley for the chance to read this book.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.

If you love dragons (though let’s be fair, who doesn’t?) and queer fantasy books, I highly recommend giving this book a try.

We have…
- a queernormative society
- a genderqueer MC and multiple other genderqueer characters
- a dragon shifter
- multiple POVs with a thief, an assassin and TWO dragons as POV characters
- enemies to lovers
- an intricate world with lots of lore and history
- and a plot that brings everything together.

I loved how multifaceted the book was, we have a prophecy, a heist, a portal, magic and of course interpersonal relationship dynamics that make it all come alive.

I really enjoyed every aspect of the book, though I think there was some clunkiness to all of it, it didn’t feel like the most well-crafted book.
I saw several reviewers mention that the worldbuilding was too much, I personally love fantasy worlds with lots of details, so it didn’t bother me, but I can see where this critique is coming from.

Overall though, I did really like it and I’m looking forward to the sequel.

This took me a little longer than usual to get into, but once I was I was hooked! I love the main characters so much. The world building was great. For me it felt the take on dragons in this story was very unique as well as the magic system. I need a physical copy of this asap and I can’t wait for the sequel!

I was so, so excited to get this ARC on net galley, and it did not disappoint.

This entire book felt like a warm cosy hug, the magic system is complex but understandable - deriving from 5 types of dragon characterised by colour. I loved the idea of needing to replenish energy, as there's nothing worse than an OP magic wielder who can pull off impossible feats without breaking a sweat.

The slow burn, enemies to lovers to enemies was delicious and a rollercoaster I want to ride over and over for the rest of my life. The found family aspect is subtle but just as sweet and I loved that at no point throughout the book could I decide who's side I was on.

The ease with which the queer-norm society flows is all the more powerful when reading in a tory led Britain that is yet to understand basic gender pronouns and I loved the message that was portrayed throughout.

I can't wait to have my hands on a physical copy of this book when it releases, and I can't wait to read more of Arcady and Everen's story.

Thank you, L.R. Lam, for writing such a beautiful book.

(Review also posted on my Goodreads account on my profile)

Definitely a different take on a dragon fantasy book. A good world build and interesting characters but I found it difficult to get into and too slow to get going for me. It just didn't grab my attention quickly enough and I found myself plowing through it which is never a good sign. Needed to get going a bit quicker for me.

Thank you Hodder & Stoughton and NetGalley for the arc of Dragonfall by L R Lam in exchange for my honest and unbiased review.

This isn’t my first LR Lam book and definitely will not be my last. Lam brings a whole new perspective to dragon fantasy books that I am loving. Told from the POVs of Everen a male dragon who lives alongside his banished race in the dying, volcanic land of Vere Celene. A race that was once worshipped and adored by humans now banished to an alternate universe on the opposite side of the Veil to the human world, where resides Arcady, a thief, and con-artist who is plotting and scheming to clear their grandfather of the accusations of being the Plaguebringer.

One dark and stormy night Arcady takes their first steps to restore their grandfather’s and family’s good name, and unwittingly triggers a storm that releases Everen and triggers a host of unwitting adventures, plots and schemes, including a bond between the two that ultimately could be the saviour or devastation of both.

The world building in this book is immense and Lam is brilliant at navigating the info-dump maze but, there is still a lot to pick up, including the magic system. This is well done and there is a pleasure in gaining an understanding of it and it’s nuances.

My favourite thing about this book is the relationship arc between Arcady and Everen, it isn’t a sudden hot and heavy all in things. There’s a steady growth and layering, no suddenness! But, there are challenges, disparity and conflicts between the two that come to an explosive and deftly handled finale!

If you love fantasy, dragons and a great plot, definitely, definitely pick up Dragonfall. This is the first book in a trilogy and I have high, high hopes and expectations for the next 2 books!

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5 stars rounded up!

Dragonfall is the hardest book I had to review. I didn't dislike it, but I didn't love it, either.

Everen, the only male dragon left, is meant to save his kind. He's lived all his life training for the moment that he didn't even know much about. Revered by some, ignored by others, including his cold mother and Queen. His sister was thought to be the one dragon he could trust, but that illusion went away soon. Everen was what and who I liked the most. I felt for him, and I loved his thought process, how he perceived everything (the world, the humans, the customs) and how torn he felt about his fate.

Arcady was a hard character to root for. For me, it was hard to connect to their character because I didn't feel rooted to them. The connection between reader and the character was too grand; sometimes, I liked them, sometimes, I didn't understand them. We had our ups and downs, suffice to say. What I like the most was Arcady's relationship and growing feelings for Everen.

The Everen/Arcady romance was very good!! I enjoyed it a lot! It truly captures the hate-to-want-you theme. A pure delight and easily the standout point of the story!

I liked the worldbuilding and how humans destroyed the dragons and stole their magic, but at the same time, I didn't get how they went from banishing the dragons to worshipping them. I didn't find an explanation for this, but it could be that I missed it.

The thing that bothered me and scarred my first impression of the book as I read the first 30% of it was the honorifics, or better said, how they were executed. I have nothing against honorifics, but I don't like so many words being capitalized. The use of honorifics was first explained at around 25% and it was too late for me because I had already felt so confused. At a later point, honorifics were even used for students at the Citadel. It felt little arbitrary as to me; who was referred to with an honorific and why.

In contrast to some other reviews, I found the gender identity discourse good and well-executed. There was social commentary that felt relevant, and perhaps equally importantly, significant to the author. I felt that this was important to them, and in these cases, I just feel glad that they could write the book and the characters they wanted.

If you like dragons and want to read an intriguing fantasy with LGBTQIA+ characters, Dragonfall is perfect for you! Engaging prose, intriguing plot line with plot twists sprinkled throughout the book, and a handsome, broody dragon!

This was my first LR Lam book & honestly, why have I not picked up this author before??

Dragonfall was just a good easy read from start to finish. I sometimes struggle to get into books, but this one I read 30% in one sitting, it’s so well written, the prose flows nicely & it just takes you on a journey. I can definitely appreciate that second person POV might not be for everyone, but I loved the way the different POV’s were written, it really helped me to differentiate between the characters & broke up the story without effecting the flow.

I was immediately invested in both Arcady & Everen’s characters, their development over the course of the book was wonderfully executed, some beautiful scenes & the tension was 😮‍💨 I wasn’t as fussed about the other POV’s in the story, but Sorin’s POV I think will have a very interesting payoff in later books!

I would liked to have seen some more of the dragon world, as what we find out is very intriguing but relatively bare due to the majority of the story taking place in the “human” world. I did find the magic system quite confusing, even towards the end, there is a brief description of the colours & powers quite early on in the book, then that’s it, it would be helpful to have something to refer back to for future reference. The world history was well thought out & leaves plenty of room for the rest of the series to build on/flesh out.

The ending however DESTROYED me (in a good way)! Was not expecting that ending at all, but cannot wait to see what happens next!

Thank you to Hodder & Stoughton and Netgalley for the opportunity to review this ARC.

DNFed at 10%. I had not enjoyed previous books by the author (the change in pen name threw me!), I thought I would give it a go but it wasn’t for me.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for this eARC of 'Dragonfall' by L.R. Lam.

'Dragonfall' by L.R. Lam is the first in a trilogy that I sadly don't think I will be continuing. I was excited for this book when the Arc came in but the story wasn't for me and the ebook font really messed with my eyes and just overall provided a bad reading experience - the font issues isn't the authors fault so I'm not counting that towards my rating.
There's nothing more that I can say except that this book wasn't my cup of tea, but that doesn't make it a bad book so I do recommend people give it a good go.