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Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire
A breathtaking, energetic novel where the only way to defeat a dragon is to outsmart it…
Most dragontongues don’t live long enough to learn from their mistakes. Lotte Meer is luckier than most, surviving long enough to communicate with the fierce, sullen, and temperamental dragons who are not above enjoying a human as a light snack. And she has the scars to prove it. Now a massive, foul-tempered dragon has taken over the town of Morwassen's Pass, taking the citizens hostage. As long as they bring him their gold and treasure, he won’t reduce their city to a smoking heap of ash and death. Only, the treasure is running out and Lotte—with the help of sharp-tongued, unbelievably cute Maryse Basvaan—is their last and only hope. But this dragon is more cunning—and more cruel—than any other. Not only is he holding Lotte’s estranged mom captive, but he has a taste for betrayal…and somehow he’s stricken some kind of secret deal with the girl who’s already gone and stolen Lotte’s heart. Lotte won’t fail. She can’t. Because if she does… everyone dies.
Most dragontongues don’t live long enough to learn from their mistakes. Lotte Meer is luckier than most, surviving long enough to communicate with the fierce, sullen, and temperamental dragons who are not above enjoying a human as a light snack. And she has the scars to prove it. Now a massive, foul-tempered dragon has taken over the town of Morwassen's Pass, taking the citizens hostage. As long as they bring him their gold and treasure, he won’t reduce their city to a smoking heap of ash and death. Only, the treasure is running out and Lotte—with the help of sharp-tongued, unbelievably cute Maryse Basvaan—is their last and only hope. But this dragon is more cunning—and more cruel—than any other. Not only is he holding Lotte’s estranged mom captive, but he has a taste for betrayal…and somehow he’s stricken some kind of secret deal with the girl who’s already gone and stolen Lotte’s heart. Lotte won’t fail. She can’t. Because if she does… everyone dies.
420 pages, Paperback
First published June 26, 2023
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 82 reviews
June 21, 2023
3.75 stars
the writing is so polished and immaculate that it was refreshing to be immersed in a well described and graphically outlined world’s building after the last books that I’ve read. plus, teen fantasy is not what i can refer to as "my confort zone" therefore, it was reinvigorating, as well, to tiptoe outside-a little- from it.
the plot line oscillates between family drama and a dragon’s conflict -that was terrorizing the citizens of a small town-. our main character, Lotte, is one of the rare mortals —Dragontongue- that can communicate with dragons and speak fluently their language -Draken-. she is hired by the town to try and negotiate with Ker’Kachin by trying to find a compromise before the dragon commits more damages to the town and its population. the fight becomes more personal to Lotte when the dite dragon takes her mother as an hostage.
the storytelling holds a beautifully written, soft love story; two teenagers who try to navigate between their undeniable pull and attraction for one another and the responsibilities that sixteen year old girls shouldn’t have to deal with. their own family dramas consist on young girls trying to find solutions to adult’s problems because of an atrocious lack of parenting and adulting. I love both girls. Lotte is a tenacious, brave girl and such an aspiring female lead. Maryse makes some irrational and questionable decisions throughout the book but the more we dive into the story the more we understand that she is influenced and manipulated by some malicious side characters. at the end, she and Lotte form a beautiful bond that starts as friends to bloom into something more, something that survived hell to flourished into a lovely story.
the plot twist is pretty simple to deduce from what the plot line and some characters throw as indices. frankly, it doesn’t tarnish the course of the story and events in any ways. on the contrary, it makes you comprehend and dissect in a better angle Maryse’s character.
~•~
*P.S.: kids, ponctuation is important because the book was about dragons, lesbians. dragons AND lesbians. anyway, it was an enjoyable read, nonetheless. and it has a nonbinary rep as well as a sapphic rep.
i want to thank Entangled Teen and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange of an honest review.
~•~•~•~•~
me totally forgetting that i have arcs to read part 727833. anyway, there’s dragon lesbians and here we go😋
❛You… Why are you worrying about me, Lotte?” Her words sound so unsure, so genuinely confused, that it breaks my heart a little. “Because somebody should,” I reply.❜
the writing is so polished and immaculate that it was refreshing to be immersed in a well described and graphically outlined world’s building after the last books that I’ve read. plus, teen fantasy is not what i can refer to as "my confort zone" therefore, it was reinvigorating, as well, to tiptoe outside-a little- from it.
“Pride and bravery kill more than weapons.”
the plot line oscillates between family drama and a dragon’s conflict -that was terrorizing the citizens of a small town-. our main character, Lotte, is one of the rare mortals —Dragontongue- that can communicate with dragons and speak fluently their language -Draken-. she is hired by the town to try and negotiate with Ker’Kachin by trying to find a compromise before the dragon commits more damages to the town and its population. the fight becomes more personal to Lotte when the dite dragon takes her mother as an hostage.
"You…you mean a lot to me. You’re far from perfect, but so am I, and I think we’re both better now than we were when we met."
the storytelling holds a beautifully written, soft love story; two teenagers who try to navigate between their undeniable pull and attraction for one another and the responsibilities that sixteen year old girls shouldn’t have to deal with. their own family dramas consist on young girls trying to find solutions to adult’s problems because of an atrocious lack of parenting and adulting. I love both girls. Lotte is a tenacious, brave girl and such an aspiring female lead. Maryse makes some irrational and questionable decisions throughout the book but the more we dive into the story the more we understand that she is influenced and manipulated by some malicious side characters. at the end, she and Lotte form a beautiful bond that starts as friends to bloom into something more, something that survived hell to flourished into a lovely story.
“Don’t worry,” I say. “You’re more than worth the trouble.”
the plot twist is pretty simple to deduce from what the plot line and some characters throw as indices. frankly, it doesn’t tarnish the course of the story and events in any ways. on the contrary, it makes you comprehend and dissect in a better angle Maryse’s character.
~•~
*P.S.: kids, ponctuation is important because the book was about dragons, lesbians. dragons AND lesbians. anyway, it was an enjoyable read, nonetheless. and it has a nonbinary rep as well as a sapphic rep.
i want to thank Entangled Teen and NetGalley for providing the arc in exchange of an honest review.
~•~•~•~•~
me totally forgetting that i have arcs to read part 727833. anyway, there’s dragon lesbians and here we go😋
July 13, 2023
It was fun but I had issues I'll tell you about once I'm done being a servant to capitalism (when my shift ends)
I never did; but I remember one:
If computers do not exist in your book, do NOT use the word ''okay''
I never did; but I remember one:
If computers do not exist in your book, do NOT use the word ''okay''
May 18, 2026
I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Hot damn! I'm not sure what I thought I was going to get out of this book before diving into it, but this had a few surprises for me. In this, you will meet Lottie. She's interesting and unique because she can talk to dragons (which is lowkey rare). Long story short, she tries to keep the peace between dragons and humans.
Well, things were going great until she got a new assignment. A dragon is somehow holding a whole ass town hostage. On top of that, we get so much baggage dumped on us that it felt like my brain was going to explode. The characters were likable (even the ones who ended up hurting others the most) and brought something different to this dragon adventure.
We also get some romance which was downright adorable. I may or may not have screamed a few times because Maryse and Lotte are so freaking lovable. Is it weird that I kind of wished this was a series instead of a standalone? I just feel greedy and want more because it was so hard to put down.
Seriously, I loved this and can't wait to get my hands on another book written by Erica.
“She’s barely touching me, but the light brush of her skin against mine is enough to stop my breath for a moment. The few kisses I’ve had didn’t make me feel like this.”
Hot damn! I'm not sure what I thought I was going to get out of this book before diving into it, but this had a few surprises for me. In this, you will meet Lottie. She's interesting and unique because she can talk to dragons (which is lowkey rare). Long story short, she tries to keep the peace between dragons and humans.
Well, things were going great until she got a new assignment. A dragon is somehow holding a whole ass town hostage. On top of that, we get so much baggage dumped on us that it felt like my brain was going to explode. The characters were likable (even the ones who ended up hurting others the most) and brought something different to this dragon adventure.
We also get some romance which was downright adorable. I may or may not have screamed a few times because Maryse and Lotte are so freaking lovable. Is it weird that I kind of wished this was a series instead of a standalone? I just feel greedy and want more because it was so hard to put down.
Seriously, I loved this and can't wait to get my hands on another book written by Erica.
June 3, 2023
Thank you to Entangled Teen & Netgalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
I really enjoyed this one! Also the cover change is freaking gorgeous.
I think most of the characters are white, but there were not any skin/ethnic markers from what I remember.
Rep: sapphic (demisexual-lesbian coded) cis female MC with nerve damage, sapphic cis female side character, queer nonbinary side character, queer cis male side character, various queer side characters.
CWs: loss of hand use due to nerve damage/dragon bite, violence, fire/fire injury, medical content, injury/injury detail, abandonment (parent to MC), grief, death, death of loved one, murder, parental estrangement, neglectful parent relationship, imprisonment, gore (someone is eaten and spit out by a dragon), police brutality/neglect of power for own gain.
I really enjoyed this one! Also the cover change is freaking gorgeous.
I think most of the characters are white, but there were not any skin/ethnic markers from what I remember.
Rep: sapphic (demisexual-lesbian coded) cis female MC with nerve damage, sapphic cis female side character, queer nonbinary side character, queer cis male side character, various queer side characters.
CWs: loss of hand use due to nerve damage/dragon bite, violence, fire/fire injury, medical content, injury/injury detail, abandonment (parent to MC), grief, death, death of loved one, murder, parental estrangement, neglectful parent relationship, imprisonment, gore (someone is eaten and spit out by a dragon), police brutality/neglect of power for own gain.
July 18, 2023
I was pleasantly surprised by this Sapphic YA Fantasy tale.
I'm always a sucker for books about dragons and quests so I was thoroughly entertained throughout my read. Hollis' worldbuilding and creativity wasn't too outlandish to make me scoff which is a bad habit of mine when I read fantasy or paranormal story. That alone really impressed.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Teen, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
I'm always a sucker for books about dragons and quests so I was thoroughly entertained throughout my read. Hollis' worldbuilding and creativity wasn't too outlandish to make me scoff which is a bad habit of mine when I read fantasy or paranormal story. That alone really impressed.
Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Teen, and NetGalley for providing an eARC for a honest review.
April 22, 2022
Haven't come across a high fantasy F/F novel with this much potential in a while. I can only hope it lives up to it.
September 19, 2026
Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire
by Erica Hollis
⭐Rating: 4/5
🌶️Spice: 0/5
👥POV: First-person — Lotte
📖Genre: YA Fantasy • Sapphic Romance • Dragons • Adventure • Mystery
🏷️Tropes
Dragons!
Sapphic romance
Friends-to-lovers
Mutual pining
High fantasy
Dragon attacks
Mystery
Found family
Family drama
Parental abandonment
Dragon communication
Adventure
Characters:
Lotte
Lotte is 16, brave, stubborn, compassionate, clever, independent, and experienced with dragons. She's a rare dragontongue, meaning she can communicate with dragons, and she's already got scars from doing the job.
Maryse
Maryse is sharp-tongued, clever, confident, caring, and a little mysterious. She's also Lotte's love interest, and their relationship develops alongside the main dragon mystery rather than completely taking over the plot.
Lotte & Maryse
Their relationship is sweet and slow-burn. There's definitely mutual pining, but they're also dealing with a LOT outside of their romance.
I liked that they actually become friends and learn to trust each other before everything turns romantic. Their relationship also has a little bit of angst once secrets start coming out, but it doesn't drag the conflict out forever.
⚠️TW
Death, gore, injuries, violence, parental abandonment/neglect, family trauma, and grief.
💭My Review
I really enjoyed this!!
The dragons were definitely my favorite part. I loved that they weren't just generic fantasy dragons and actually had their own language, personalities, and biology. The whole idea of Lotte being able to communicate with them was SO interesting, and I honestly wanted even MORE dragon scenes.
I also really liked Lotte and Maryse. Their romance is cute and definitely more of a YA slow burn, with lots of little moments and longing rather than being the main focus of the story.
The mystery was really fun too! I did figure out some of the twists pretty early, but I still enjoyed watching everything come together.
Overall, this was a fun, emotional YA fantasy with dragons, mystery, found family, and a really cute sapphic romance. If you love dragons and queer fantasy, definitely give this one a try!
4/5
by Erica Hollis
⭐Rating: 4/5
🌶️Spice: 0/5
👥POV: First-person — Lotte
📖Genre: YA Fantasy • Sapphic Romance • Dragons • Adventure • Mystery
🏷️Tropes
Dragons!
Sapphic romance
Friends-to-lovers
Mutual pining
High fantasy
Dragon attacks
Mystery
Found family
Family drama
Parental abandonment
Dragon communication
Adventure
Characters:
Lotte
Lotte is 16, brave, stubborn, compassionate, clever, independent, and experienced with dragons. She's a rare dragontongue, meaning she can communicate with dragons, and she's already got scars from doing the job.
Maryse
Maryse is sharp-tongued, clever, confident, caring, and a little mysterious. She's also Lotte's love interest, and their relationship develops alongside the main dragon mystery rather than completely taking over the plot.
Lotte & Maryse
Their relationship is sweet and slow-burn. There's definitely mutual pining, but they're also dealing with a LOT outside of their romance.
I liked that they actually become friends and learn to trust each other before everything turns romantic. Their relationship also has a little bit of angst once secrets start coming out, but it doesn't drag the conflict out forever.
⚠️TW
Death, gore, injuries, violence, parental abandonment/neglect, family trauma, and grief.
💭My Review
I really enjoyed this!!
The dragons were definitely my favorite part. I loved that they weren't just generic fantasy dragons and actually had their own language, personalities, and biology. The whole idea of Lotte being able to communicate with them was SO interesting, and I honestly wanted even MORE dragon scenes.
I also really liked Lotte and Maryse. Their romance is cute and definitely more of a YA slow burn, with lots of little moments and longing rather than being the main focus of the story.
The mystery was really fun too! I did figure out some of the twists pretty early, but I still enjoyed watching everything come together.
Overall, this was a fun, emotional YA fantasy with dragons, mystery, found family, and a really cute sapphic romance. If you love dragons and queer fantasy, definitely give this one a try!
4/5
May 18, 2023
Thank you to Entangled for an ARC of this book!
Things I Loved
sapphic
DRAGONS
DRAGONS
good side characters
Hello my gorgeous beautiful sapphic dragon loving friends. This book was adorable to the extreme. I enjoyed every minute of it. Hollis has a great and engaging writing style, and the whole book flowed very well. All aspects of queerness were integrated very well, we had a non-binary character, our main characters were sapphic, but it was done so naturally. It wasn't the focal point of the book, it was just apart of it, which I loved.
This was definitely a different take on dragons, ones I hadn't seen before, and I liked that.
Lotte is an excellent main character -- her character arc was fabulous. Even the side characters were nicely developed. One of the things about the plot was obvious, however, it didn't detract from the overall story, because while there was an action based plot, much of this book was character driven and about the choices they do and don't make.
There was a tiny bit of gore in this book, but not too much. There were also quite a few parts that deal with parental trauma and childhood trauma. Having not experienced those things, I can't say as to the accuracy, but they do play a part in the story of our characters.
Overall, this was a well crafted standalone book about two girls who fall in love while a dragon is terrorizing a town.
Things I Loved
sapphic
DRAGONS
DRAGONS
good side characters
Hello my gorgeous beautiful sapphic dragon loving friends. This book was adorable to the extreme. I enjoyed every minute of it. Hollis has a great and engaging writing style, and the whole book flowed very well. All aspects of queerness were integrated very well, we had a non-binary character, our main characters were sapphic, but it was done so naturally. It wasn't the focal point of the book, it was just apart of it, which I loved.
This was definitely a different take on dragons, ones I hadn't seen before, and I liked that.
Lotte is an excellent main character -- her character arc was fabulous. Even the side characters were nicely developed. One of the things about the plot was obvious, however, it didn't detract from the overall story, because while there was an action based plot, much of this book was character driven and about the choices they do and don't make.
There was a tiny bit of gore in this book, but not too much. There were also quite a few parts that deal with parental trauma and childhood trauma. Having not experienced those things, I can't say as to the accuracy, but they do play a part in the story of our characters.
Overall, this was a well crafted standalone book about two girls who fall in love while a dragon is terrorizing a town.
June 14, 2023
Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire had a really interesting premise, but I was disappointed with the execution. For starters, I was expecting a lot more out of the dragons. There’s really just one main dragon that stays in its lair for the majority of the book and I was expecting to see more dragons and dragon behaviour.
It was nice to see a different take on dragons, with the main character being a Dragontongue and having a more diplomatic role, but the way it was done really stagnated the plot. There wasn’t a whole lot for the characters to actually do since their main objective was just negotiating with the dragon. There was a lot of dialogue with not much in the way of world building or action for most of the book. I might not have minded this too much if I hadn’t figured out the main plot twist 30% of the way in and then struggled to find anything else to keep me going. I felt like I could’ve skipped the whole middle section and jumped ahead to the reveal without missing anything.
I enjoyed the romance aspect of the book, but Maryse really wasn’t my favourite character. Lotte trusted her, but she really didn’t seem to deserve it at times and never fully made up for some of the things she did.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
It was nice to see a different take on dragons, with the main character being a Dragontongue and having a more diplomatic role, but the way it was done really stagnated the plot. There wasn’t a whole lot for the characters to actually do since their main objective was just negotiating with the dragon. There was a lot of dialogue with not much in the way of world building or action for most of the book. I might not have minded this too much if I hadn’t figured out the main plot twist 30% of the way in and then struggled to find anything else to keep me going. I felt like I could’ve skipped the whole middle section and jumped ahead to the reveal without missing anything.
I enjoyed the romance aspect of the book, but Maryse really wasn’t my favourite character. Lotte trusted her, but she really didn’t seem to deserve it at times and never fully made up for some of the things she did.
*Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 26, 2023
4.5 rounded up.
There are very few categories of second world fantasy that grab my attention, but when Erica Hollis reached out to offer me and ARC of Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire one word in particular stood out … dragons. What can I say? I’m an horrendous Welsh stereotype. I see giant flying lizards in the title and I commit. And never have I been more grateful for my innate dragon related compulsions because this book was fab.
In a world where dragons consume gold, the resource that humans have foolishly chosen as currency, being gifted with the ability to talk to dragons is treasured. Lotte Meer might only be sixteen, but she’s already made a name for herself as a dragonstongue, working as a successful dragon/human mediator, with a few gnarly burn scars to prove it. So it makes sense when she’s approached by the townsguard of Morwassen’s Pass to deal with their dragon problem. What doesn’t make sense is anything that this particular dragon does. He’s set up his hoard in the abandoned castle that towers above the town, and is demanding the people bring him a regular tithe of riches, or he’ll huff and he’ll puff and he’ll burn their homes to the ground. It’s unheard of, but if Lotte’s going to get paid, or indeed survive this job, she must get to the bottom of why the dragon is behaving this way and figure out a way to move him on without getting anyone killed. Or, anyone else, anyway.
As mentioned above, the dragons sold Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire to me, but I wasn’t quite aware of how amazing they were actually going to be. I actually cannot stress this enough, the dragons in this book were fantastic. Hollis makes use of bits of inventive dragon lore that I had never seen before, including specific elements of dragon language (as a linguist I was fascinated by the fact that the dragons used “we” instead of “I”) and, of course, the fact that these dragons don’t just hoard gold because they’re big scaly magpies and coins are shiny, but rely on it for sustenance. And Hollis doesn’t dump this information on you in chunks of exposition; it’s woven into the Lotte’s interactions with the creatures, shaping the world and giving each encounter its own personality. From typical forest dragons, hiding in caves and avoiding humans like the plague, to urbanite dragons, who choose to dwell amongst the bustling populus of Morwassen’s Pass in gambling halls and street side trees where they can stealthily collect what they need to eat, every dragon is unique and you will remember every single one. My only complaint is that I could have read a thousand more interactions with these creatures, but that’s really not a complaint now, is it?
The extent of the mystery element in Hearts Forged was also a very welcome surprise. It was fun to see a dragon book take a typical quest and turn it into a question: why is this dragon doing this? Why does he keep making bigger and bigger demands of the town? Did I figure out where the story was headed about 30% of the way through? Of course, I did (my brain is wired to look for hints and foreshadowing now, I’m sorry), but I had one hell of a ride watching the characters pick up information and try to piece together the clues themselves. I also love the little thrill of having my suspicions confirmed, inch by inch, and looking to see if I can predict exactly how everything is going to play out, so figuring things out early is never a negative in my book. Plus, did I mention the dragons? Because when you’re investigating dragon problems, you get to talk to dragons like it’s freakin’ CSI Lonely Mountain. I just … I had a blast with this one, okay?
I want to give a special mention to the side characters in this adventure, as well. I loved Scyler’s big sibling energy, and Danil’s “chill in a storm, but I will bite your ankles if you hurt the love of my life” vibe. They were perfect, and absolute couple goals. Hollis did a really great job of making the background characters pop throughout, and I think a lot of readers will quite like to see more of these two in particular, which is always a sign you’ve done the job right.
As for the romance element, which is a big part of the original blurb for Hearts Forged … I think as a YA sapphic romance, it’s really lovely. It’s cute and sweet, with a tiny touch of angst that makes it feel exactly right for a couple of teenagers who are still figuring out what relationships should and shouldn’t look like (both romantic and familial). And Hollis does the unusual and welcome thing of having the conflict in their relationship resolve in a fairly organic way, rather than prolonging the angst long past where you’d normally find mutual understanding.
My only issue here really was that there was just something missing from love interest Maryse’s character for me. I liked her initially; she was loveable and interesting, and I enjoyed the fact that Lotte had to work to be her friend. But, without being spoilery, I just wanted a scooch more oomph at the end, something that rounded out her character arc. Instead, it’s sort of left to happen off page, which I guess is representative of real life. However, in something this fantastical and otherwise perfect, it just didn’t land quite how I wanted it to. For others, though, it might feel right on the mark.
In summation, if you think dragons are the frick-frackling best and want something with a juicy mystery at it’s core and a touch of budding teenage romance, Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire by Erica Hollis is the book for you and why are you still here go buy yourself a copy now*. Now, I’m off to live in the vague hope that Hollis decides to turn this obvious standalone into a procedural series where Lotte gets to travel around with Maryse and solve dragon crimes. Hwyl fawr ❤
*This book does have a bit of graphic violence, character and creature death, injury, and parental trauma, so be wary if those things are triggering for you.
There are very few categories of second world fantasy that grab my attention, but when Erica Hollis reached out to offer me and ARC of Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire one word in particular stood out … dragons. What can I say? I’m an horrendous Welsh stereotype. I see giant flying lizards in the title and I commit. And never have I been more grateful for my innate dragon related compulsions because this book was fab.
In a world where dragons consume gold, the resource that humans have foolishly chosen as currency, being gifted with the ability to talk to dragons is treasured. Lotte Meer might only be sixteen, but she’s already made a name for herself as a dragonstongue, working as a successful dragon/human mediator, with a few gnarly burn scars to prove it. So it makes sense when she’s approached by the townsguard of Morwassen’s Pass to deal with their dragon problem. What doesn’t make sense is anything that this particular dragon does. He’s set up his hoard in the abandoned castle that towers above the town, and is demanding the people bring him a regular tithe of riches, or he’ll huff and he’ll puff and he’ll burn their homes to the ground. It’s unheard of, but if Lotte’s going to get paid, or indeed survive this job, she must get to the bottom of why the dragon is behaving this way and figure out a way to move him on without getting anyone killed. Or, anyone else, anyway.
As mentioned above, the dragons sold Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire to me, but I wasn’t quite aware of how amazing they were actually going to be. I actually cannot stress this enough, the dragons in this book were fantastic. Hollis makes use of bits of inventive dragon lore that I had never seen before, including specific elements of dragon language (as a linguist I was fascinated by the fact that the dragons used “we” instead of “I”) and, of course, the fact that these dragons don’t just hoard gold because they’re big scaly magpies and coins are shiny, but rely on it for sustenance. And Hollis doesn’t dump this information on you in chunks of exposition; it’s woven into the Lotte’s interactions with the creatures, shaping the world and giving each encounter its own personality. From typical forest dragons, hiding in caves and avoiding humans like the plague, to urbanite dragons, who choose to dwell amongst the bustling populus of Morwassen’s Pass in gambling halls and street side trees where they can stealthily collect what they need to eat, every dragon is unique and you will remember every single one. My only complaint is that I could have read a thousand more interactions with these creatures, but that’s really not a complaint now, is it?
The extent of the mystery element in Hearts Forged was also a very welcome surprise. It was fun to see a dragon book take a typical quest and turn it into a question: why is this dragon doing this? Why does he keep making bigger and bigger demands of the town? Did I figure out where the story was headed about 30% of the way through? Of course, I did (my brain is wired to look for hints and foreshadowing now, I’m sorry), but I had one hell of a ride watching the characters pick up information and try to piece together the clues themselves. I also love the little thrill of having my suspicions confirmed, inch by inch, and looking to see if I can predict exactly how everything is going to play out, so figuring things out early is never a negative in my book. Plus, did I mention the dragons? Because when you’re investigating dragon problems, you get to talk to dragons like it’s freakin’ CSI Lonely Mountain. I just … I had a blast with this one, okay?
I want to give a special mention to the side characters in this adventure, as well. I loved Scyler’s big sibling energy, and Danil’s “chill in a storm, but I will bite your ankles if you hurt the love of my life” vibe. They were perfect, and absolute couple goals. Hollis did a really great job of making the background characters pop throughout, and I think a lot of readers will quite like to see more of these two in particular, which is always a sign you’ve done the job right.
As for the romance element, which is a big part of the original blurb for Hearts Forged … I think as a YA sapphic romance, it’s really lovely. It’s cute and sweet, with a tiny touch of angst that makes it feel exactly right for a couple of teenagers who are still figuring out what relationships should and shouldn’t look like (both romantic and familial). And Hollis does the unusual and welcome thing of having the conflict in their relationship resolve in a fairly organic way, rather than prolonging the angst long past where you’d normally find mutual understanding.
My only issue here really was that there was just something missing from love interest Maryse’s character for me. I liked her initially; she was loveable and interesting, and I enjoyed the fact that Lotte had to work to be her friend. But, without being spoilery, I just wanted a scooch more oomph at the end, something that rounded out her character arc. Instead, it’s sort of left to happen off page, which I guess is representative of real life. However, in something this fantastical and otherwise perfect, it just didn’t land quite how I wanted it to. For others, though, it might feel right on the mark.
In summation, if you think dragons are the frick-frackling best and want something with a juicy mystery at it’s core and a touch of budding teenage romance, Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire by Erica Hollis is the book for you and why are you still here go buy yourself a copy now*. Now, I’m off to live in the vague hope that Hollis decides to turn this obvious standalone into a procedural series where Lotte gets to travel around with Maryse and solve dragon crimes. Hwyl fawr ❤
*This book does have a bit of graphic violence, character and creature death, injury, and parental trauma, so be wary if those things are triggering for you.
November 30, 2023
Sigh, this sounded neat but it left me wanting.
The Good
Theres a cool evil dragon—awesome. Classic greedy dragon motivations.
There’s little non binary dragons which is awesome and unique. Love to see that different creatures think of themselves differently and not necessarily as humans do.
Theres queer rep EVERYWHERE. Everyone is queer. Love it. Skylar is an awesome character and I very much enjoyed their wit and courage and general everything.
But…despite this, I don’t know. It fell a little flat.
The Not as Good
It felt fairly predictable at parts—which isn’t always a bad thing…only when it feels like I immediately know where the plot is going.
The relationship with our two FMCs felt, not forced persay , but in the beginning she thought the other girl hated her…but then the next scene they had they were basically buddies who were secretly pining. Felt out of nowhere.
Dropped the ILY at the end after only, what a month or knowing each other? Nah. Too insta lovey for me.
This isn’t to say it was a bad book—just mid.
The Good
Theres a cool evil dragon—awesome. Classic greedy dragon motivations.
There’s little non binary dragons which is awesome and unique. Love to see that different creatures think of themselves differently and not necessarily as humans do.
Theres queer rep EVERYWHERE. Everyone is queer. Love it. Skylar is an awesome character and I very much enjoyed their wit and courage and general everything.
But…despite this, I don’t know. It fell a little flat.
The Not as Good
It felt fairly predictable at parts—which isn’t always a bad thing…only when it feels like I immediately know where the plot is going.
The relationship with our two FMCs felt, not forced persay , but in the beginning she thought the other girl hated her…but then the next scene they had they were basically buddies who were secretly pining. Felt out of nowhere.
Dropped the ILY at the end after only, what a month or knowing each other? Nah. Too insta lovey for me.
This isn’t to say it was a bad book—just mid.
June 10, 2023
Get ready for a spoiler free rant because I have strong feelings about this book.
So let me start off with that I was convinced I was going to give this book 2 stars the first 65% of the book. It was so slow and dragged on so much. However, the pacing in the last part really picked up, which made me bump it up to three stars.
This book is VERY dialogue heavy. For a fantasy novel, I was hoping for less dialogue and more world-building, but I did not get that at all. There was pretty much no descriptions of what anything looked like, what the main character's feels and emotions were, and nothing about how the world really worked except for like three pages. On top of it being dialogue heavy, which isn't always a bad thing, the dialogue was just poor. I didn't get any emotions from it whatsoever, and I felt like the conversations, especially the ones where they were talking about their feelings, was very superficial. It was clear that this is a debut novel, and not in a good way.
Something else that bothered me was that I didn't realize one of the characters was a they until the end of the book. I thought they were a he for the majority of it and then finally at the end found out that they were a they. And I'm not saying that I didn't want them to be a they or anything like that. It's more of the fact that I wish I was told in the beginning of the story when I met the character. But no, I pretty much went the entire book not knowing an important thing about them. Maybe it was just me and I missed it?? But I would think I would have caught onto that fact sooner if it was brought up, especially since the character was in the book a lot. Unless the author changed this about them part way through the book and it needs to be edited still. That could be the case, but as of my eARC, this is seriously concerning that I didn't know this until the end.
Let's also not forget that the main plot twist in the book was slightly predictable. I pretty much gathered what was going on before it was revealed, and that was a little disappointing to me. I wish their was going to be a bigger WOW factor in this one, but guessing what I guessed, it just wasn't surprising when I got to it.
And this is just a personal preference, but I was hoping more for the dragons not to be the "bad guys" in this story. I was hoping for a book that the people were working alongside the dragons. This being said, I don't read what the book is about before I dive in to give me an element of surprise, so I'm sure this was mentioned in the blurb. Again, probably just a me thing, so don't take this as a means to not read the book.
Now that's not to say that the book was terrible and you shouldn't read it. This book might be for you. You might love a dialogue heavy fantasy world with a F/F relationship. As I mentioned, the pacing did pick up a lot at the end, making me enjoy the ending (even though I was rolling my eyes at everything everyone said), so that was a plus for me. However, I overall wished this one had a little more world building and the dialogue/descriptions that gave me more emotions.
I received an eARC of this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
So let me start off with that I was convinced I was going to give this book 2 stars the first 65% of the book. It was so slow and dragged on so much. However, the pacing in the last part really picked up, which made me bump it up to three stars.
This book is VERY dialogue heavy. For a fantasy novel, I was hoping for less dialogue and more world-building, but I did not get that at all. There was pretty much no descriptions of what anything looked like, what the main character's feels and emotions were, and nothing about how the world really worked except for like three pages. On top of it being dialogue heavy, which isn't always a bad thing, the dialogue was just poor. I didn't get any emotions from it whatsoever, and I felt like the conversations, especially the ones where they were talking about their feelings, was very superficial. It was clear that this is a debut novel, and not in a good way.
Something else that bothered me was that I didn't realize one of the characters was a they until the end of the book. I thought they were a he for the majority of it and then finally at the end found out that they were a they. And I'm not saying that I didn't want them to be a they or anything like that. It's more of the fact that I wish I was told in the beginning of the story when I met the character. But no, I pretty much went the entire book not knowing an important thing about them. Maybe it was just me and I missed it?? But I would think I would have caught onto that fact sooner if it was brought up, especially since the character was in the book a lot. Unless the author changed this about them part way through the book and it needs to be edited still. That could be the case, but as of my eARC, this is seriously concerning that I didn't know this until the end.
Let's also not forget that the main plot twist in the book was slightly predictable. I pretty much gathered what was going on before it was revealed, and that was a little disappointing to me. I wish their was going to be a bigger WOW factor in this one, but guessing what I guessed, it just wasn't surprising when I got to it.
And this is just a personal preference, but I was hoping more for the dragons not to be the "bad guys" in this story. I was hoping for a book that the people were working alongside the dragons. This being said, I don't read what the book is about before I dive in to give me an element of surprise, so I'm sure this was mentioned in the blurb. Again, probably just a me thing, so don't take this as a means to not read the book.
Now that's not to say that the book was terrible and you shouldn't read it. This book might be for you. You might love a dialogue heavy fantasy world with a F/F relationship. As I mentioned, the pacing did pick up a lot at the end, making me enjoy the ending (even though I was rolling my eyes at everything everyone said), so that was a plus for me. However, I overall wished this one had a little more world building and the dialogue/descriptions that gave me more emotions.
I received an eARC of this book for free via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
August 2, 2023
When I started this I thought I would love it. Everything about this (the cover/synopsis) should’ve given me all the reason to love it and devour it in one or two sittings. Except it took me days to finally finish the book and I didn’t have a good time throughout. Since I juggle multiple reads, if I’m not super interested in a book, I tend to take longer to read it. However, this is under 300 pages, so I should’ve read this in like 2 sittings.
I only cared for two (supporting) characters. If the book would’ve followed them instead of Lotte and Maryse, I would’ve (maybe) rated it higher. I found them both to be annoying and boring. Even when they were in danger or got hurt – I wasn’t interested in it. The book is very dialogue-heavy – which I’m not bothered by in the slightest because I love dialogue – but since I didn’t care for most of the characters – I was less interested in that.
I saw the plot twist coming a mile away and I was annoyed because of how it all led up to it and then everything afterwards. I think one of the biggest issues I had was the pacing and the plot twists. It was so incredible slow – and remember, it’s under 300 pages. It should’ve flown by. But it didn’t. A plot twist would happen and I’d look at the percentage and think “really? At this %?” like why are you putting a big plot twist at like 60% in the book?
I really wanted to like the book and I did really like the whole Dragon Tongue thing and I was interested in that. It was just everything else that wasn’t working for me.
I only cared for two (supporting) characters. If the book would’ve followed them instead of Lotte and Maryse, I would’ve (maybe) rated it higher. I found them both to be annoying and boring. Even when they were in danger or got hurt – I wasn’t interested in it. The book is very dialogue-heavy – which I’m not bothered by in the slightest because I love dialogue – but since I didn’t care for most of the characters – I was less interested in that.
I saw the plot twist coming a mile away and I was annoyed because of how it all led up to it and then everything afterwards. I think one of the biggest issues I had was the pacing and the plot twists. It was so incredible slow – and remember, it’s under 300 pages. It should’ve flown by. But it didn’t. A plot twist would happen and I’d look at the percentage and think “really? At this %?” like why are you putting a big plot twist at like 60% in the book?
I really wanted to like the book and I did really like the whole Dragon Tongue thing and I was interested in that. It was just everything else that wasn’t working for me.
September 23, 2023
I absolutely loved this and couldn't put it down. The characters were amazing the plot was perfect. Uhhh I can't wait till this is out in the world so I have someone to talk to!!
Merged review:
Sure cute queer romance with elements of magic and mystery. Full of twists, turns, lies, and found family.
Merged review:
Sure cute queer romance with elements of magic and mystery. Full of twists, turns, lies, and found family.
June 24, 2023
I was invited to read Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire by Erica Hollis. Thank you to Entangled Teen for inviting me and for the gifted e-arc. I thoroughly enjoyed this book!
Lotte has a rare ability. She’s a dragontongue and can communicate with dragons. She uses her ability to be a kind of liaison between the dragons and humans, hopefully keeping a peaceful existence between the two. Her latest job, however, proves to be unlike any other she’s had, and it’s much more dangerous.
Talk about dysfunctional families. This book has a couple of the most difficult I’ve seen lately. There’s jealousy, parents not really wanting to be parents, secrets that change the lives of everyone around them, and very strained relationships. But, there is also love, loyalty, and strong bonds.
There is a dragon that is basically holding an entire town hostage, bleeding the townspeople dry of all their wealth It has a cruel temper and a secret that no one will believe. There are so many life lessons in this part of the story. Like how being greedy, power-hungry, and completely self-obsessed affects the world around you and how all those things will eventually consume you.
Maryse agrees to help Lotte when they find out that the dragon is holding Lotte’s estranged mother prisoner in the castle. Their new friendship starts to become something more. But when secrets are revealed, you wonder if anyone is going to get a happily-ever-after.
When the story goes where you know it’s heading, even though it’s the only way this could go, it’s heartbreaking. I love the ending, though, because it leaves a bright new beginning in its wake.
The characters are well-written. The LGBTQ+ relationships are a natural part of the story (as they should be) and not just thrown in because it’s popular. You will love Lotte and Maryse’s journey, both their individual journeys and their journey together. And, there are characters that you will hate. I like the old world aspect to the fantasy as well. The world the author created feels like someplace we should be able to find on a map somewhere.
Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire is just a really good story. I highly recommend it to fans of YA fantasy, LGBTQ+ fantasy romance, found family, family drama, high fantasy, sapphic romance, and dragons.
Lotte has a rare ability. She’s a dragontongue and can communicate with dragons. She uses her ability to be a kind of liaison between the dragons and humans, hopefully keeping a peaceful existence between the two. Her latest job, however, proves to be unlike any other she’s had, and it’s much more dangerous.
Talk about dysfunctional families. This book has a couple of the most difficult I’ve seen lately. There’s jealousy, parents not really wanting to be parents, secrets that change the lives of everyone around them, and very strained relationships. But, there is also love, loyalty, and strong bonds.
There is a dragon that is basically holding an entire town hostage, bleeding the townspeople dry of all their wealth It has a cruel temper and a secret that no one will believe. There are so many life lessons in this part of the story. Like how being greedy, power-hungry, and completely self-obsessed affects the world around you and how all those things will eventually consume you.
Maryse agrees to help Lotte when they find out that the dragon is holding Lotte’s estranged mother prisoner in the castle. Their new friendship starts to become something more. But when secrets are revealed, you wonder if anyone is going to get a happily-ever-after.
When the story goes where you know it’s heading, even though it’s the only way this could go, it’s heartbreaking. I love the ending, though, because it leaves a bright new beginning in its wake.
The characters are well-written. The LGBTQ+ relationships are a natural part of the story (as they should be) and not just thrown in because it’s popular. You will love Lotte and Maryse’s journey, both their individual journeys and their journey together. And, there are characters that you will hate. I like the old world aspect to the fantasy as well. The world the author created feels like someplace we should be able to find on a map somewhere.
Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire is just a really good story. I highly recommend it to fans of YA fantasy, LGBTQ+ fantasy romance, found family, family drama, high fantasy, sapphic romance, and dragons.
April 10, 2023
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
I am all about the Dragons and I love that this has a little bit of everything. Two lesbian teens falling for each other, family drama, morally grey characters and just so much more. Pre order this now if you can you won’t regret it.
I am all about the Dragons and I love that this has a little bit of everything. Two lesbian teens falling for each other, family drama, morally grey characters and just so much more. Pre order this now if you can you won’t regret it.
July 11, 2023
Thank you to Entangled Publishing, LLC, Entangled: Teen, and NetGalley!
CWs: Parental abandonment, parental abuse, eye gore, maiming, familial murdering
I enjoyed the newer spin on dragons; while I know that there are surely other books where dragons eat gold, this is the first one I recall reading.
Lotte is a dragonspeaker, able to speak dragontongue as easily as her own native language, a rare gift that comes in handy for her living. Though sixteen and reading somewhat older, the tone of the book is still accessible and fast-paced enough for teens to enjoy.
There’s enough character to make the world feel more filled out— magical items are rare because they fade with time, no one knows the king of the land personally, other villages don’t much seem interested, the different types of dragons, and familial stories can just be…. well, stories.
I enjoyed the slow build of a relationship between Lotte and Maryse, though I was waiting for Lotte to slowly notice the novel’s twist. I also cared about the other characters: Scyler (nonbinary!), Danil, Juna, Vikker, and Anneke, who felt fleshed-out in their own right.
I will definitely be recommending this for an easy read!
CWs: Parental abandonment, parental abuse, eye gore, maiming, familial murdering
I enjoyed the newer spin on dragons; while I know that there are surely other books where dragons eat gold, this is the first one I recall reading.
Lotte is a dragonspeaker, able to speak dragontongue as easily as her own native language, a rare gift that comes in handy for her living. Though sixteen and reading somewhat older, the tone of the book is still accessible and fast-paced enough for teens to enjoy.
There’s enough character to make the world feel more filled out— magical items are rare because they fade with time, no one knows the king of the land personally, other villages don’t much seem interested, the different types of dragons, and familial stories can just be…. well, stories.
I enjoyed the slow build of a relationship between Lotte and Maryse, though I was waiting for Lotte to slowly notice the novel’s twist. I also cared about the other characters: Scyler (nonbinary!), Danil, Juna, Vikker, and Anneke, who felt fleshed-out in their own right.
I will definitely be recommending this for an easy read!
December 3, 2021
I love this book so much.
Talking dragons, complex family relationships, and two chaotic lesbian teens falling for each other is everything I want in a Fantasy!
Erica has the special gift to make worlds feel so lively and fleshed out. The fantasy bureaucracy is so entertaining and the supporting cast is a delight. This book has the range to make you cower in fear, swoon, and occasionally also stare at the wall and wonder what on earth you just read [complimentary].
If you like your YA Fantasy-heavy, your stories a little more small scale than the end of the world, your characters morally grey, and your girls very very gay and crushing hard, this is the one. This book also contains one of the most moving and relatable passages on disability I have ever read and I cannot wait for other people to see this.
Throw it a preorder if you can, it is so worth it.
Talking dragons, complex family relationships, and two chaotic lesbian teens falling for each other is everything I want in a Fantasy!
Erica has the special gift to make worlds feel so lively and fleshed out. The fantasy bureaucracy is so entertaining and the supporting cast is a delight. This book has the range to make you cower in fear, swoon, and occasionally also stare at the wall and wonder what on earth you just read [complimentary].
If you like your YA Fantasy-heavy, your stories a little more small scale than the end of the world, your characters morally grey, and your girls very very gay and crushing hard, this is the one. This book also contains one of the most moving and relatable passages on disability I have ever read and I cannot wait for other people to see this.
Throw it a preorder if you can, it is so worth it.
June 1, 2023
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
4/5 STARS
This is a YA fantasy with a sapphic romance.
✅Things to expect:
F/F romance
LGBTQI representation
Dragons
Magical artifacts
Humans talking to dragons
Adventure
Found family
Synopsis:
In a world where dragons exist, Lotte, a dragontongue, is hired to help rid a town of a monstrous dragon terrorizing the citizens.
This was a fun standalone YA fantasy about dragons. I enjoyed the world building and adventure. There is a sweet sapphic romance subplot. The twist was predictable with a lot of foreshadowing, but well done. My favorite part was Lottie’s ability to talk to dragons. I wish there was more plot about that with other dragons as it was really interesting and fun. For a debut novel, this was great and I will read more from this author in the future!
Thank you Entangled Teen for the ARC! 🐉
4/5 STARS
This is a YA fantasy with a sapphic romance.
✅Things to expect:
F/F romance
LGBTQI representation
Dragons
Magical artifacts
Humans talking to dragons
Adventure
Found family
Synopsis:
In a world where dragons exist, Lotte, a dragontongue, is hired to help rid a town of a monstrous dragon terrorizing the citizens.
This was a fun standalone YA fantasy about dragons. I enjoyed the world building and adventure. There is a sweet sapphic romance subplot. The twist was predictable with a lot of foreshadowing, but well done. My favorite part was Lottie’s ability to talk to dragons. I wish there was more plot about that with other dragons as it was really interesting and fun. For a debut novel, this was great and I will read more from this author in the future!
Thank you Entangled Teen for the ARC! 🐉
July 7, 2023
I loved this cozy fantasy! If you love dragons, warm taverns, quirky characters, and found family, here’s your new read! The main character has the rare ability to speak to dragons (called a dragontongue), and sets out to help a town being ravaged by one. Lotte meets a variety of interesting characters along the way on her journey to help the town with their dragon problem, and even finds some romance for the first time ever! The dragons are super quirky, they eat precious metals and have varying personality traits. This is a great inclusive YA novel! I read it in 2 days, so if you’re looking for a nice easy fantasy read that’s fast paced, look no further!
May 30, 2023
Pub Date: 06/26/23
CW: (none noticeable to me)
DRAGONS!!!!
Omg thank you Entangled for sending me this arc I absolutely loved this one. I read the first chapter and I knew I was done for.
THIS BOOK
THIS FUCKIN BOOK.
SOOOOOO GOOD.
THE CHARACTERS
THE PLOT
THE RELATIONSHIPS
THE CONCEPT
THIS WAS PERFECTION.
Like literally the first page HOOKEd me and DIDNT LET GO. It’s been a hot minute since that’s happened. I am so honored to have been able to read an eARC of this book cause you already bet imma get a copy on its birthday.
CW: (none noticeable to me)
DRAGONS!!!!
Omg thank you Entangled for sending me this arc I absolutely loved this one. I read the first chapter and I knew I was done for.
THIS BOOK
THIS FUCKIN BOOK.
SOOOOOO GOOD.
THE CHARACTERS
THE PLOT
THE RELATIONSHIPS
THE CONCEPT
THIS WAS PERFECTION.
Like literally the first page HOOKEd me and DIDNT LET GO. It’s been a hot minute since that’s happened. I am so honored to have been able to read an eARC of this book cause you already bet imma get a copy on its birthday.
June 3, 2023
Officially in my dragon era! This book was a breath of fresh air. The characters and relationships were perfect and the the creativity of this story was magnificent. Erica Hollis drags you in and keeps your attention going with the band of characters. You connect to all of them and I'd love to continue reading them in the future. Note to all - not a spicy book but definitely some longing. It was a great blend of both.
October 7, 2023
I loved literally everything about this title. Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire is a fairly fast paced fantasy story with the terrifying majesty of dragons paired well to the strength of human adaptability. While marketed to me as a Young Adult story I do believe this book works well for general audiences and will be trying to get some physical copies pulled in at my book store.
***The sapphic story elements were a nice surprise as well**
***The sapphic story elements were a nice surprise as well**
June 26, 2023
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own The characters were amazing the plot was perfect.
It was a fun adventure filled with dragons and and a little bit of romance. I really enjoy books that are filled with fantasy, and adventure. I give this book 5 ⭐️ Thanks again for the ARC
It was a fun adventure filled with dragons and and a little bit of romance. I really enjoy books that are filled with fantasy, and adventure. I give this book 5 ⭐️ Thanks again for the ARC
June 29, 2023
Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire by Erica Hollis
This is one of the most enjoyable books I read in awhile. It's imaginative and amazing, great book! Love Love!
I just reviewed Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire by Erica Hollis. #HeartsForgedinDragonFire #NetGalley
[https://www.netgalley.com/member/book...]
This is one of the most enjoyable books I read in awhile. It's imaginative and amazing, great book! Love Love!
I just reviewed Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire by Erica Hollis. #HeartsForgedinDragonFire #NetGalley
[https://www.netgalley.com/member/book...]
October 21, 2025
Lotte is a dragontongue, born with the gift of communicating with dragons in their language. It's a skill that puts her in the line of diplomatic work. At the start of Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire, she's taken on the biggest job of her career so far. The dragon Ker'kachin has taken an entire city captive, demanding tithes of treasure lest he decide to attack them for the goods instead. The stakes are high, and the dragon's behavior is unusual. Lotte's investigations turn up the fact that he attacked other dragons for their hordes before coming to the human city. He earned his name from his brethren, a singular example of the practice, as an insult for his thieving ways. The last dragontongue to negotiate with Ker'kachin was unsuccessful, so now the city is giving Lotte a shot to talk him down before they take a more desperate and violent approach to removing him. Lotte is staunchly against that alternative, but she's confident in her skills. If she can succeed where the other dragontongue did not, she can make the other route unnecessary.
As Lotte starts the work of negotiating with Ker'kachin, she sees that her normal tactics won't be sufficient. The city is clearly suffering in his grip, and now he demands something beyond typical treasure. He wants a magical object for his collection, but such artifacts are rare and old, especially those of genuinely good quality. No one in the city is admitting to having such an object that they could donate to the cause in the way that citizens' jewelry and gold were diverted to the dragon in his abandoned castle. Ker'kachin won't settle for less, though there isn't a clear reason for him to seek such an item in the first place.
Lotte's story goes beyond the work of saving an entire city. She teams up with a lovely black cat of a girl, Maryse, who runs her father's shop in his absence and has not-so-subtle connections to the black market. She can sense when an object is magical, so she uses her ability and her business ties to aid Lotte in finding what the dragon wants. Lotte, an eternal optimist, is drawn to the wry, not overly personable Maryse, and they find some important similarities you might not expect from their disparate outward presentation. Both are victims of bad parenting, estrangement, and complicated family love. Maryse is unsure where her father went off to, leaving her in charge of their shop, and Lotte's mother ran off when her father died, unable to shoulder her grief and uninterested in raising her daughter without him. Both will have to reckon with childhoods where they had to curry favor with their parents and consider how to handle the baggage moving forward. Having one another makes the burden more manageable, even if they'll have to decide for themselves how to proceed.
I think those family plotlines are the most valuable part of the book, but I don't want to discount the sapphic romance at its heart, either. I found it a sweet story, despite the challenges they face, and I enjoy seeing queer love triumph. The book is set in a queernorm world, so you needn't fear any side helping of queerphobia, either. There's an important, loveable trans side character, as well, so the book isn't limited in its representation. I recommend this standalone fantasy adventure to those who like a story focused on its characters and the challenges of real life, even when there are more fantastical problems at hand, as well. Thanks to Entangled Teen for my copy to read and review!
As Lotte starts the work of negotiating with Ker'kachin, she sees that her normal tactics won't be sufficient. The city is clearly suffering in his grip, and now he demands something beyond typical treasure. He wants a magical object for his collection, but such artifacts are rare and old, especially those of genuinely good quality. No one in the city is admitting to having such an object that they could donate to the cause in the way that citizens' jewelry and gold were diverted to the dragon in his abandoned castle. Ker'kachin won't settle for less, though there isn't a clear reason for him to seek such an item in the first place.
Lotte's story goes beyond the work of saving an entire city. She teams up with a lovely black cat of a girl, Maryse, who runs her father's shop in his absence and has not-so-subtle connections to the black market. She can sense when an object is magical, so she uses her ability and her business ties to aid Lotte in finding what the dragon wants. Lotte, an eternal optimist, is drawn to the wry, not overly personable Maryse, and they find some important similarities you might not expect from their disparate outward presentation. Both are victims of bad parenting, estrangement, and complicated family love. Maryse is unsure where her father went off to, leaving her in charge of their shop, and Lotte's mother ran off when her father died, unable to shoulder her grief and uninterested in raising her daughter without him. Both will have to reckon with childhoods where they had to curry favor with their parents and consider how to handle the baggage moving forward. Having one another makes the burden more manageable, even if they'll have to decide for themselves how to proceed.
I think those family plotlines are the most valuable part of the book, but I don't want to discount the sapphic romance at its heart, either. I found it a sweet story, despite the challenges they face, and I enjoy seeing queer love triumph. The book is set in a queernorm world, so you needn't fear any side helping of queerphobia, either. There's an important, loveable trans side character, as well, so the book isn't limited in its representation. I recommend this standalone fantasy adventure to those who like a story focused on its characters and the challenges of real life, even when there are more fantastical problems at hand, as well. Thanks to Entangled Teen for my copy to read and review!
January 2, 2024
I’ve been holding out on how to review this one because (idk) I’m not too sure how I feel about Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire.
First off, the LGBTQ+ rep! Generally, whenever I encounter LGBTQ+ in books, it often lacks actual chemistry between the partners and/or forced. I was genuinely surprised at how smoothly it was integrated. The chemistry and ups-downs between Lotte and Maryse were, to say the least, intriguing.
A bit TMI here, but I don’t read much LGBTQ+ rep books so I obviously don’t have much material to compare Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire with in that aspect.
Back on topic, as the book is meant to be YA (I haven’t seen low-on-romance-high-on-adventure-YA in ages!), I liked how Lotte really had to work up her relationship with Maryse, and that it wasn’t part of 80% of the plot like most YA books I encounter are built. Teeny-tiny little pain for me was that it felt a bit rushed in the end.
Second off, I ended up figuring out where the plot was headed about 30% through the book and it somewhat felt like a chore to push through the story. But! I still enjoyed following Lotte’s journey and how her crew walked their way through their quest.
And lastly, let’s not forget about the world building! The information wasn’t dumped on us like a bucket of ice at the beginning (woohoo!) and we slowly learn about their world through interactions and subtle descriptions throughout the story. What really kept me sucked into the world of Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire was the author’s different approach and concept surrounding the dragons. They’re now gold eating lizards and (like most languages of our world) use certain words differently (like the use of “we” instead of “I”).
All things considered, I still give this book 3-stars because, even through all the good stuff, the main intrigue being spilled 30% through the story has made reading this quite a chore, and to put this simply, I’m here for the dragons (I would’ve loved more dragon interactions!) and the mystery more than anything.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own
First off, the LGBTQ+ rep! Generally, whenever I encounter LGBTQ+ in books, it often lacks actual chemistry between the partners and/or forced. I was genuinely surprised at how smoothly it was integrated. The chemistry and ups-downs between Lotte and Maryse were, to say the least, intriguing.
A bit TMI here, but I don’t read much LGBTQ+ rep books so I obviously don’t have much material to compare Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire with in that aspect.
Back on topic, as the book is meant to be YA (I haven’t seen low-on-romance-high-on-adventure-YA in ages!), I liked how Lotte really had to work up her relationship with Maryse, and that it wasn’t part of 80% of the plot like most YA books I encounter are built. Teeny-tiny little pain for me was that it felt a bit rushed in the end.
Second off, I ended up figuring out where the plot was headed about 30% through the book and it somewhat felt like a chore to push through the story. But! I still enjoyed following Lotte’s journey and how her crew walked their way through their quest.
And lastly, let’s not forget about the world building! The information wasn’t dumped on us like a bucket of ice at the beginning (woohoo!) and we slowly learn about their world through interactions and subtle descriptions throughout the story. What really kept me sucked into the world of Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire was the author’s different approach and concept surrounding the dragons. They’re now gold eating lizards and (like most languages of our world) use certain words differently (like the use of “we” instead of “I”).
All things considered, I still give this book 3-stars because, even through all the good stuff, the main intrigue being spilled 30% through the story has made reading this quite a chore, and to put this simply, I’m here for the dragons (I would’ve loved more dragon interactions!) and the mystery more than anything.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC! All opinions are my own
July 10, 2023
I received this title as an ARC on Net-galley in exchange for a honest review. Thank you Netgalley and Entangled Teen for the copy!
The Good
I adore all things sapphic and dragon so I was so excited to read this book! Lotte is an decent lead. I found the concept of a dragon-tongue to be very interesting as well as her complex relationship with her mother. I liked how Lotte and Maryse's relationship developed. They both were adultified at a young age and had their own complex family issues. They understood and cared for each other and slowly let their guards down. I loved that these dragons lived off of gold. Most modern dragon books don't feature their connection to gold hoards so I really appreciated it. I liked the concept of different species of dragons and their subtle differences. The plot itself was fun once the twist and subsequent secrets were revealed. It didn't know how it was going to be resolved which was fun.
The Bad
Though Lottie is a teenager, often wished she had more strength to her character. I wanted to like Maryse individually more than I actually did. I understand her and where she was coming from and the motivation behind some of her actions but ultimately it was all her own selfishness. I think overall this book lacked emotional depth and making me truly care and feel attached to these characters and therefore the biggest emotional parts of this book felt surface level. I just found some of their reasoning and through processes were a bit naive and silly. Like yes, killing is bad but does that mean a dragon gets to harm anyone it wants and hold a whole city hostage? The book does try to discuss this internal struggle but doesn't do it too well. I also guessed the mystery around Ker'kachin super early on so when it was revealed it had no impact.
Format:
Ebook — Netgalley
The Rating
I give this book a 3/5
The Good
I adore all things sapphic and dragon so I was so excited to read this book! Lotte is an decent lead. I found the concept of a dragon-tongue to be very interesting as well as her complex relationship with her mother. I liked how Lotte and Maryse's relationship developed. They both were adultified at a young age and had their own complex family issues. They understood and cared for each other and slowly let their guards down. I loved that these dragons lived off of gold. Most modern dragon books don't feature their connection to gold hoards so I really appreciated it. I liked the concept of different species of dragons and their subtle differences. The plot itself was fun once the twist and subsequent secrets were revealed. It didn't know how it was going to be resolved which was fun.
The Bad
Though Lottie is a teenager, often wished she had more strength to her character. I wanted to like Maryse individually more than I actually did. I understand her and where she was coming from and the motivation behind some of her actions but ultimately it was all her own selfishness. I think overall this book lacked emotional depth and making me truly care and feel attached to these characters and therefore the biggest emotional parts of this book felt surface level. I just found some of their reasoning and through processes were a bit naive and silly. Like yes, killing is bad but does that mean a dragon gets to harm anyone it wants and hold a whole city hostage? The book does try to discuss this internal struggle but doesn't do it too well. I also guessed the mystery around Ker'kachin super early on so when it was revealed it had no impact.
Format:
Ebook — Netgalley
The Rating
I give this book a 3/5
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 13, 2023
Hearts Forged in Dragon Fire
by Erica Hollis
Pub Date: 26 Jun 2023
For fans of Abigail Owen and Samantha Shannon comes a breathtaking, energetic novel where the only way to defeat a dragon is to outsmart it…
Most dragontongues don’t live long enough to learn from their mistakes. Lotte Meer is luckier than most, surviving long enough to communicate with the fierce, sullen, and temperamental dragons who are not above enjoying a human as a light snack. And she has the scars to prove it.
Now a massive, foul-tempered dragon has taken over the town of Morwassen's Pass, taking the citizens hostage. As long as they bring him their gold and treasure, he won’t reduce their city to a smoking heap of ash and death. Only, the treasure is running out and Lotte—with the help of sharp-tongued, unbelievably cute Maryse Basvaan—is their last and only hope.
But this dragon is more cunning—and more cruel—than any other. Not only is he holding Lotte’s estranged mom captive, but he has a taste for betrayal…and somehow he’s stricken some kind of secret deal with the girl who’s already gone and stolen Lotte’s heart.
Lotte won’t fail. She can’t.
by Erica Hollis
Pub Date: 26 Jun 2023
For fans of Abigail Owen and Samantha Shannon comes a breathtaking, energetic novel where the only way to defeat a dragon is to outsmart it…
Most dragontongues don’t live long enough to learn from their mistakes. Lotte Meer is luckier than most, surviving long enough to communicate with the fierce, sullen, and temperamental dragons who are not above enjoying a human as a light snack. And she has the scars to prove it.
Now a massive, foul-tempered dragon has taken over the town of Morwassen's Pass, taking the citizens hostage. As long as they bring him their gold and treasure, he won’t reduce their city to a smoking heap of ash and death. Only, the treasure is running out and Lotte—with the help of sharp-tongued, unbelievably cute Maryse Basvaan—is their last and only hope.
But this dragon is more cunning—and more cruel—than any other. Not only is he holding Lotte’s estranged mom captive, but he has a taste for betrayal…and somehow he’s stricken some kind of secret deal with the girl who’s already gone and stolen Lotte’s heart.
Lotte won’t fail. She can’t.
September 20, 2023
After Fourth Wing I was in a funk and needed more dragon books. I went into this blind and it was a decent read though on the slow pace side as there was a lot of information and fluff.
I loved the dragontongue and skill to talking to dragons. I enjoyed the little scene with the baby dragons and couldn’t wait for more but it dragged till the end.
The plot twist with dragon transformation was interesting but execution could have been better. I unfortunately did not gravitate towards any character. Bantering was barely there. Quite a dry read.
This story also has a sapphic flare to it but after reading Samantha Shannon work with Priory of the Orange tree it did not feel as natural and quite forced down that I did not care for.
Overall it was a good attempt.
Thank you Entangled Teen for this ARC for an honest review. I wish I loved it more but I’m sure someone will enjoy this
I loved the dragontongue and skill to talking to dragons. I enjoyed the little scene with the baby dragons and couldn’t wait for more but it dragged till the end.
The plot twist with dragon transformation was interesting but execution could have been better. I unfortunately did not gravitate towards any character. Bantering was barely there. Quite a dry read.
This story also has a sapphic flare to it but after reading Samantha Shannon work with Priory of the Orange tree it did not feel as natural and quite forced down that I did not care for.
Overall it was a good attempt.
Thank you Entangled Teen for this ARC for an honest review. I wish I loved it more but I’m sure someone will enjoy this
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