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Lady Dragon
Rachel Hartman's Seraphina meets The Priory of the Orange Tree in Lady Dragon, a sapphic YA romantasy from A.M. Strickland.
The age of queens is over…unless they can save it.
Since the last war between humans and dragons left the leaders of both species slain - the last human king of Andrath and the legendary dragon queen - both queendoms have been living under a tentative only women will sit on the throne of Andrath, the dragons will have free passage through the human lands...and if men ever try to retake the throne, the draconic realm will retaliate.
Samansa and Kirek are two new leaders coming of age in war-scarred lands - Samansa a reluctant human princess and Kirek the favored contender for the draconic queenship. Per tradition, Kirek must undergo the distasteful task of using a mysterious gem called the Heartstone to shift into human form and maintain the strained ties between the species . . . and study human weaknesses, a new and secret task she’s been given by her queen. As the princess and the dragon girl grow closer, they are sent to investigate a potential breach of the treaty and encounter a plot that could reignite an even bloodier war. While fighting to maintain the peace their ancestors fought for and uncovering centuries-old secrets, Samansa and Kirek must grapple with betraying their clashing nations . . . or their unexpected feelings for each other.
"A master of twisty, imaginative YA fantasy, Strickland delivers everything you could want and succession drama; awesome dragon battles; and a romance with the slow, intense burn of dragon fire and the sweetness of first love. By turns full of rage and tenderness, Lady Dragon is sweeping, affirming, and completely unputdownable." ―Allison Saft, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of A Fragile Enchantment
The age of queens is over…unless they can save it.
Since the last war between humans and dragons left the leaders of both species slain - the last human king of Andrath and the legendary dragon queen - both queendoms have been living under a tentative only women will sit on the throne of Andrath, the dragons will have free passage through the human lands...and if men ever try to retake the throne, the draconic realm will retaliate.
Samansa and Kirek are two new leaders coming of age in war-scarred lands - Samansa a reluctant human princess and Kirek the favored contender for the draconic queenship. Per tradition, Kirek must undergo the distasteful task of using a mysterious gem called the Heartstone to shift into human form and maintain the strained ties between the species . . . and study human weaknesses, a new and secret task she’s been given by her queen. As the princess and the dragon girl grow closer, they are sent to investigate a potential breach of the treaty and encounter a plot that could reignite an even bloodier war. While fighting to maintain the peace their ancestors fought for and uncovering centuries-old secrets, Samansa and Kirek must grapple with betraying their clashing nations . . . or their unexpected feelings for each other.
"A master of twisty, imaginative YA fantasy, Strickland delivers everything you could want and succession drama; awesome dragon battles; and a romance with the slow, intense burn of dragon fire and the sweetness of first love. By turns full of rage and tenderness, Lady Dragon is sweeping, affirming, and completely unputdownable." ―Allison Saft, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of A Fragile Enchantment
352 pages, Hardcover
First published August 26, 2025
About the author
A.M. Strickland
7 books591 followersAdriAnne/A.M. Strickland was a bibliophile who wanted to be an author before she knew what either of those words meant. She splits her time between Alaska and Spain with her spouse, her pugs, and her piles of books. She loves traveling, dancing, tattoos, and writing stories about sympathetic monsters. She is the author of both adult and YA romantic fantasy. She also writes erotic fantasy under the name AdriAnne May.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 117 reviews
August 27, 2025
“You intended to kill me, then.”
“And it felt like trying to rip my own heart out to do so. Now I would kill for you. I would die for you. I would rip out my own heart to save you. Without hesitation.”
the first half of the book started off so strong, we have sapphic romance and one of them is literally a dragon who shifts into a human. Kirek was my favorite of the two fmcs, she’s more assertive and doesn’t fall under the pressures of male expectations. Samansa has her moments where she stands up for herself but her personality was so uneven in a way that bothered me. i actually really enjoyed the world and wished there was more insight into what was going on within the kingdoms, i loved that the women were at the forefront. my main issues were the romance — it moved way too fast and felt unbelievable. i also didn’t like the plot line with Raka and the cop out it ended up being for Samansa and the direction her character was taking. it diminished the potential for something exciting and unexpected, leaving this book feeling underwhelming.
↬ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Macmillan Publishing Group for the arc, all opinions are my own.
“And it felt like trying to rip my own heart out to do so. Now I would kill for you. I would die for you. I would rip out my own heart to save you. Without hesitation.”
the first half of the book started off so strong, we have sapphic romance and one of them is literally a dragon who shifts into a human. Kirek was my favorite of the two fmcs, she’s more assertive and doesn’t fall under the pressures of male expectations. Samansa has her moments where she stands up for herself but her personality was so uneven in a way that bothered me. i actually really enjoyed the world and wished there was more insight into what was going on within the kingdoms, i loved that the women were at the forefront. my main issues were the romance — it moved way too fast and felt unbelievable. i also didn’t like the plot line with Raka and the cop out it ended up being for Samansa and the direction her character was taking. it diminished the potential for something exciting and unexpected, leaving this book feeling underwhelming.
↬ many thanks to NetGalley, the author and Macmillan Publishing Group for the arc, all opinions are my own.
October 22, 2025
firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc!
this was an engaging and adrenaline filled standalone sapphic romantasy, full of political intrigue, familial betrayal, magic, and dragons/dragon shifters!
i also listened to the audio, and the narrator did a great job!
this was an engaging and adrenaline filled standalone sapphic romantasy, full of political intrigue, familial betrayal, magic, and dragons/dragon shifters!
i also listened to the audio, and the narrator did a great job!
September 25, 2025
Sapphic dragon shifter romantasy?! Sign me up!
This was a lot of fun. It's a standalone romantasy with political intrigue between a grumpy lady dragon and the princess she's engaging with on a diplomatic mission. A magic stone allows the dragon to take human form temporarily, but there is trouble brewing at court and these two will get caught up in the middle of a political struggle. I don't want to spoil anything but it's an excellent option if you've been wanting a dragon romance with sapphic characters! I love that it's a complete, satisfying story in a single book. Definitely worth a read! I had a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
This was a lot of fun. It's a standalone romantasy with political intrigue between a grumpy lady dragon and the princess she's engaging with on a diplomatic mission. A magic stone allows the dragon to take human form temporarily, but there is trouble brewing at court and these two will get caught up in the middle of a political struggle. I don't want to spoil anything but it's an excellent option if you've been wanting a dragon romance with sapphic characters! I love that it's a complete, satisfying story in a single book. Definitely worth a read! I had a copy of this book for review via NetGalley, all opinions are my own.
Want to Read
June 23, 2024you had me hooked at sapphic romantasy with dragons
August 28, 2025
At first glance, Lady Dragon really seemed like it had everything I love in a sapphic romantasy—dragons, and an interspecies enemies-to-lovers romance between a human princess and the top contender for the draconic throne. It sounded like a dream read.
But once I started, the story didn’t really follow a smooth, linear path. There was a lot happening all at once, and I found myself struggling to keep up with the pace. Because of that, the reading experience wasn’t as enjoyable as I’d hoped when I first read the premise.
The characters were also a mixed bag for me. Samansa, for example, was often portrayed as the weakest member of the human royal family, and I felt like she never really got the development she needed. Even though she does step up for herself toward the end, and after everything with Raka, she still didn’t fully click with me. Kirek, on the other hand, caught my interest much more. She came across as layered and complex, and I liked learning about her life as a dragon—plus watching her gradually open up to human emotions and accept her human form was interesting. That said, her personality could be… a lot. I get that it’s part of the dragon mindset, but honestly, she was kind of a pain in the ass most of the time.
When it came to the romance, even after the whole pair-bonding moment, it felt a bit rushed. Instead of deepening their connection, it seemed to just make things messier. Most of the progress between Samansa and Kirek kind of went out the window, and it wasn’t until the very end that their relationship started to feel like it was finally on the right track.
The worldbuilding was definitely interesting—and I wish we’d gotten to explore it more—but it wasn’t quite enough to carry the whole story for me. I think with a bit of tightening and a clearer direction, it could’ve really shined.
That being said, despite its flaws, Lady Dragon was still an entertaining read and a good way to pass the time.
But once I started, the story didn’t really follow a smooth, linear path. There was a lot happening all at once, and I found myself struggling to keep up with the pace. Because of that, the reading experience wasn’t as enjoyable as I’d hoped when I first read the premise.
The characters were also a mixed bag for me. Samansa, for example, was often portrayed as the weakest member of the human royal family, and I felt like she never really got the development she needed. Even though she does step up for herself toward the end, and after everything with Raka, she still didn’t fully click with me. Kirek, on the other hand, caught my interest much more. She came across as layered and complex, and I liked learning about her life as a dragon—plus watching her gradually open up to human emotions and accept her human form was interesting. That said, her personality could be… a lot. I get that it’s part of the dragon mindset, but honestly, she was kind of a pain in the ass most of the time.
When it came to the romance, even after the whole pair-bonding moment, it felt a bit rushed. Instead of deepening their connection, it seemed to just make things messier. Most of the progress between Samansa and Kirek kind of went out the window, and it wasn’t until the very end that their relationship started to feel like it was finally on the right track.
The worldbuilding was definitely interesting—and I wish we’d gotten to explore it more—but it wasn’t quite enough to carry the whole story for me. I think with a bit of tightening and a clearer direction, it could’ve really shined.
That being said, despite its flaws, Lady Dragon was still an entertaining read and a good way to pass the time.
February 26, 2025
Filled with the exact right combination of rage and softness, this is the sapphic dragon book that I so desperately needed. There is so much yearning, so much growth into both the rage and softness this book holds, and so many politics that add an excellent amount of blood. My love for it is vast.
Did Not Finish
August 24, 2025at 5% the two main characters were explaining human/dragon customs and reproduction to each other and i knew i was not in for a good time. for some reason i kept reading until about 55% and then i finally could not take any more and stopped.
1. what worldbuilding there is, is very thin (at times it's very obvious when one element or another has been thrown in to support future plot points) and usually revealed through either clunky conversations or equally clunky narrative exposition. it's bold of me to complain about expository dialogue AND expository narration, i guess, but both were done badly here so i think i'm justified.
2. the two main characters felt pretty flat and i did not enjoy how either of them were written. the human princess is giggly and emotional and has low self-esteem. the dragon girl is condescending and allegedly emotionless and awkward. they didn't have much chemistry. there's not a lot of chemistry in this whole book, to be honest.
3. i just...did not care about the plot...the stakes were life and death but just were not interesting because the characters and world are so flat...i skipped ahead, read the last 5%, and said "ok i'm good to dnf now." and i feel good about that decision!
4. I read an ARC so there's an infinitesimal chance this may change before publication, but the sentence structure was really repetitive and you could tell that certain structures were the author's favorites. e.g. "Indeed" was used pretty often to begin sentences of narration. There were other ones but i'm not going to dig through my e-ARC for quotes. there's also a lot of just telling the reader how the characters feel with no interest in showing that in an interesting way. it's like "X felt this emotion, so she said Y." that's not compelling! especially not over and over!
anyway i'm leaving this unrated because that's my personal policy for DNF reviews but i think this kinda sucked and i don't especially recommend it, which is a shame because i love the idea of a sapphic dragon book. just wish this book came anywhere close to living up to the Seraphina comp.
1. what worldbuilding there is, is very thin (at times it's very obvious when one element or another has been thrown in to support future plot points) and usually revealed through either clunky conversations or equally clunky narrative exposition. it's bold of me to complain about expository dialogue AND expository narration, i guess, but both were done badly here so i think i'm justified.
2. the two main characters felt pretty flat and i did not enjoy how either of them were written. the human princess is giggly and emotional and has low self-esteem. the dragon girl is condescending and allegedly emotionless and awkward. they didn't have much chemistry. there's not a lot of chemistry in this whole book, to be honest.
3. i just...did not care about the plot...the stakes were life and death but just were not interesting because the characters and world are so flat...i skipped ahead, read the last 5%, and said "ok i'm good to dnf now." and i feel good about that decision!
4. I read an ARC so there's an infinitesimal chance this may change before publication, but the sentence structure was really repetitive and you could tell that certain structures were the author's favorites. e.g. "Indeed" was used pretty often to begin sentences of narration. There were other ones but i'm not going to dig through my e-ARC for quotes. there's also a lot of just telling the reader how the characters feel with no interest in showing that in an interesting way. it's like "X felt this emotion, so she said Y." that's not compelling! especially not over and over!
anyway i'm leaving this unrated because that's my personal policy for DNF reviews but i think this kinda sucked and i don't especially recommend it, which is a shame because i love the idea of a sapphic dragon book. just wish this book came anywhere close to living up to the Seraphina comp.
April 29, 2026
"We are not an abomination. We are a marvel."
This was such a good book. Great fantasy elements, loved the Queendom and the explanation of the agreements between the two matriarchal societies.
An absolute *banger* of an author's note to get the point across: "For anyone with itchy fingers ready to decry this book as having a political agenda, let me preempt you: Trans women are women, trans men are men, people of any gender can and should love and marry whomever they want freely and without penalty or judgment, and everyone should keep their hands off other people's uteruses. Full stop.
It's becoming an increasingly dangerous world these days for women, femmes, and folks assigned female at birth, but as the old maps say when headed into uncharted territory: Here there be dragons.
We're the dragons. Cross us at your own peril."
Fucking yes. Honestly, this author's note encompasses just about everything I loved about the book. Women are powerful, dangerous, loving, courageous, nuanced creatures. We all have a dragon within us, coiled to erupt when called upon.
Beautiful story, I would like ten more please.
This was such a good book. Great fantasy elements, loved the Queendom and the explanation of the agreements between the two matriarchal societies.
An absolute *banger* of an author's note to get the point across: "For anyone with itchy fingers ready to decry this book as having a political agenda, let me preempt you: Trans women are women, trans men are men, people of any gender can and should love and marry whomever they want freely and without penalty or judgment, and everyone should keep their hands off other people's uteruses. Full stop.
It's becoming an increasingly dangerous world these days for women, femmes, and folks assigned female at birth, but as the old maps say when headed into uncharted territory: Here there be dragons.
We're the dragons. Cross us at your own peril."
Fucking yes. Honestly, this author's note encompasses just about everything I loved about the book. Women are powerful, dangerous, loving, courageous, nuanced creatures. We all have a dragon within us, coiled to erupt when called upon.
Beautiful story, I would like ten more please.
August 8, 2025
I read this as an arc :)
Sapphic romance featuring dragon shifters and matriarchal human kingdoms! These are some of the tag lines that caught my interest when going into this book.
The dragon culture and dynamics was my favorite part of this story. The humans and dragons have to create a peace treaty between themselves in order to prevent another war and along the way Kirek (lady dragon) and Samansa (the human princess) have to find common ground. Queue political scheming, plots of usurping, long lost dragon battles, magical stones, sapphic yearning and so much more.
Okay so my opinion now…
This story had really great bones, but I ultimately didn’t connect like I was hoping for. I wanted more time with the characters development individually and in the romance they had together. I also felt lost about the rules of the magic system, never knowing how/why things were about to happen.
Side quest thoughts: this would make a great graphic novel :))))
Sapphic romance featuring dragon shifters and matriarchal human kingdoms! These are some of the tag lines that caught my interest when going into this book.
The dragon culture and dynamics was my favorite part of this story. The humans and dragons have to create a peace treaty between themselves in order to prevent another war and along the way Kirek (lady dragon) and Samansa (the human princess) have to find common ground. Queue political scheming, plots of usurping, long lost dragon battles, magical stones, sapphic yearning and so much more.
Okay so my opinion now…
This story had really great bones, but I ultimately didn’t connect like I was hoping for. I wanted more time with the characters development individually and in the romance they had together. I also felt lost about the rules of the magic system, never knowing how/why things were about to happen.
Side quest thoughts: this would make a great graphic novel :))))
July 8, 2025
My first ARC from NetGalley eeee 😌
Imagine a world where a queen must rule! This also applies to the dragons - who have a centuries-long treaty with the humans. Enter in Samansa, the human heir to the throne and Kirek, the heir to the dragon’s throne. Their mothers have arranged for them to get to know each other to strengthen the treaty.
My applause:
This book was great at world-building! You had me sold at dragons! I’m pleased to announce that the dragons in this world did not disappoint.
The romance was sweet. I wasn’t sure with this being my first dragon/human love story, not to mention my first sapphic one! 😅 But I cheered for Samansa and Kirek! They were badass and deserved to be happy together.
It was fast-paced and action-packed! A short little 250 pager
There was a good amount of gore in this book!As a YA novel, I was not expecting entire limbs to get thrown off! 😅
My critique:
There might have been too many plot twists? While I love an action-packed book, it felt like there were a lot of things going on simultaneously.
The vocabulary in this book seems high for a YA novel. How YA we talking? There were words I had to look up!
I feel as though Samansa and Kirek’s interest in each other happened a bit too fast. They had just met. They had only a few interactions before big events started happening!
Imagine a world where a queen must rule! This also applies to the dragons - who have a centuries-long treaty with the humans. Enter in Samansa, the human heir to the throne and Kirek, the heir to the dragon’s throne. Their mothers have arranged for them to get to know each other to strengthen the treaty.
My applause:
This book was great at world-building! You had me sold at dragons! I’m pleased to announce that the dragons in this world did not disappoint.
The romance was sweet. I wasn’t sure with this being my first dragon/human love story, not to mention my first sapphic one! 😅 But I cheered for Samansa and Kirek! They were badass and deserved to be happy together.
It was fast-paced and action-packed! A short little 250 pager
There was a good amount of gore in this book!As a YA novel, I was not expecting entire limbs to get thrown off! 😅
My critique:
There might have been too many plot twists? While I love an action-packed book, it felt like there were a lot of things going on simultaneously.
The vocabulary in this book seems high for a YA novel. How YA we talking? There were words I had to look up!
I feel as though Samansa and Kirek’s interest in each other happened a bit too fast. They had just met. They had only a few interactions before big events started happening!
August 27, 2025
“the time had come for the princess to save the dragon.”
since the last war between humans and dragons, queens have sat on the throne and the dragons have sent their heir—in human form—to learn about humanity. with ties between the human and draconic realms becoming increasingly strained, the latest heirs of both realms find themselves caught between loyalty to their queendoms and their unexpected connection, even as plots on both sides threaten to reignite the war.
before i start complaining, i will say that i thought the romance between samansa and kirek was cute. perhaps a little underbaked and clichéd, but cute nonetheless.
okay, now for the complaints. i really can’t stand when authors—YA or otherwise—treat their readers like they’re stupid, and that is the central flaw of lady dragon. what should have been a fantastically fun dragon romantasy is instead filled with clunky, heavy-handed interruptions that often felt out of place and disrupted the plot. this isn’t a bad story, and i would still recommend it to fans of damsel, but a little faith in readers’ ability to understand context and themes would have gone a long way towards making this a more enjoyable read.
this ARC was provided by the publisher via netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
rating: 2.5/5.0 stars
January 17, 2026
I don't know how this book managed to make lesbian dragons boring
October 6, 2025
This was actually really fun and cute. Very YA and pretty straightforward in plot. VERY unsubtle with its themes and messages. But terribly funny how anti-men-being-in-charge it is.
And fuck yeah for the Author's Note at the end.
And fuck yeah for the Author's Note at the end.
May 26, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for Lady Dragon by A.M. Strickland.
I really enjoyed this. It wasn't quite as good as In the Ravenous Dark (which i LOVED). But, they were totally different. The world building was okay for a YA book. I feel like we mainly learned about the dragon's society. The parts of the human's society we learned about were really only those that pertain to the dragons and the treaty. The treaty and the history between the two societies was well developed and interesting. But, we really only saw one trip away from the castle in the human society to visit a destroyed town so didn't learn much about the culture or the people.
But, this was a quick read that kept me interested. The love story was cute. I love when the readers know they're falling way before the characters do. I think I related more to Kirek than Samansa, but I loved the way they gradually picked up traits from each other and that made me grow to love them both. I liked Jamsens, Cenara, and Valraka's characters best outside of our MC's and I think they all added to the story in different but important ways. I loved the several different commentaries on gender. And I think the ending was perfect, specifically Branon's.
Overall, this was the first dragon book I've read in a while that had an adequate amount of dragons and I appreciated that. 4 stars and still love A.M. Strickland!
I really enjoyed this. It wasn't quite as good as In the Ravenous Dark (which i LOVED). But, they were totally different. The world building was okay for a YA book. I feel like we mainly learned about the dragon's society. The parts of the human's society we learned about were really only those that pertain to the dragons and the treaty. The treaty and the history between the two societies was well developed and interesting. But, we really only saw one trip away from the castle in the human society to visit a destroyed town so didn't learn much about the culture or the people.
But, this was a quick read that kept me interested. The love story was cute. I love when the readers know they're falling way before the characters do. I think I related more to Kirek than Samansa, but I loved the way they gradually picked up traits from each other and that made me grow to love them both. I liked Jamsens, Cenara, and Valraka's characters best outside of our MC's and I think they all added to the story in different but important ways. I loved the several different commentaries on gender. And I think the ending was perfect, specifically Branon's.
Overall, this was the first dragon book I've read in a while that had an adequate amount of dragons and I appreciated that. 4 stars and still love A.M. Strickland!
May 26, 2026
what an amazingly unique and heart wrenching story. it reminded me a bit of Girl, Serpent, ThornGirl, Serpent, Thorn with the tight knit cast of characters and actual consequences and deaths. at first I got worried it was not gonna be a standalone about 75% of the way through due to some of the plot developments and then I was curious if A. M Strickland would be able to wrap it all up as a standalone, and she did. Perfectly. This is not my normal five stars as in "changed my life" but more of a "this was so fun and so unique." Would love to get more like this from Strickland in the future.
December 25, 2025
A.M. Strickland’s Lady Dragon is a novel that feels caught in an in-between state—between draft and finished work, between promise and payoff. From its title onward, the book gives the impression of something provisional. Lady Dragon reads less like a definitive statement of theme or character and more like a working title attached to a story that never quite settles into its final form. That sense of incompletion permeates the novel as a whole, shaping an experience that is competent on the surface but frustratingly under-realized.
At its core, the concept should be compelling. Dragons and humans coexist in a world where boundaries between species and bodies are porous, with characters shifting from dragon to human and back again. This fluidity opens the door to rich explorations of identity, power, and transformation. Yet the narrative rarely pushes these ideas far enough. Instead of interrogating the implications of such a world, the novel tends to gesture toward them and then move on, leaving the reader with the sense that much has been left unexplored.
The pacing is another major issue. For a story built around dragons—creatures traditionally associated with danger, awe, and spectacle—the book is surprisingly tame. The tone remains firmly PG throughout, not just in content but in emotional intensity. Conflicts arise gently, resolve quickly, and rarely escalate into anything that feels genuinely risky or thrilling. I kept waiting for a moment when the story would ignite, when events would turn sharp or dangerous, but that moment never arrived. Everything remains tepid, safe, and carefully contained.
This restraint might work if the novel compensated with psychological depth or thematic boldness, but those elements are also muted. Characters often feel sketched rather than fully embodied, and their arcs lack the tension necessary to sustain interest. As a result, large portions of the book feel dull—not because the ideas are bad, but because they are handled so cautiously. The story seems afraid to commit to its own potential.
Where Lady Dragon does succeed is in its handling of anthropomorphic gender fluidity. The shifting between dragon and human forms, and the way those transformations intersect with identity, is easily the most engaging aspect of the text. Strickland presents a world in which gender and form are not fixed, and this flexibility is treated as natural rather than sensationalized. Dragons becoming humans and humans becoming dragons is genuinely cool, and it hints at a far more daring and imaginative novel lurking beneath the surface.
Ultimately, Lady Dragon feels like the outline of a stronger book rather than the book itself. The ideas are there, and at times they are intriguing, but they never fully coalesce into a satisfying whole. Readers interested in themes of transformation and fluid identity may find moments to appreciate, but those hoping for excitement, depth, or narrative fire may come away disappointed. It’s a novel that suggests what it could have been more often than it delivers what it is.
At its core, the concept should be compelling. Dragons and humans coexist in a world where boundaries between species and bodies are porous, with characters shifting from dragon to human and back again. This fluidity opens the door to rich explorations of identity, power, and transformation. Yet the narrative rarely pushes these ideas far enough. Instead of interrogating the implications of such a world, the novel tends to gesture toward them and then move on, leaving the reader with the sense that much has been left unexplored.
The pacing is another major issue. For a story built around dragons—creatures traditionally associated with danger, awe, and spectacle—the book is surprisingly tame. The tone remains firmly PG throughout, not just in content but in emotional intensity. Conflicts arise gently, resolve quickly, and rarely escalate into anything that feels genuinely risky or thrilling. I kept waiting for a moment when the story would ignite, when events would turn sharp or dangerous, but that moment never arrived. Everything remains tepid, safe, and carefully contained.
This restraint might work if the novel compensated with psychological depth or thematic boldness, but those elements are also muted. Characters often feel sketched rather than fully embodied, and their arcs lack the tension necessary to sustain interest. As a result, large portions of the book feel dull—not because the ideas are bad, but because they are handled so cautiously. The story seems afraid to commit to its own potential.
Where Lady Dragon does succeed is in its handling of anthropomorphic gender fluidity. The shifting between dragon and human forms, and the way those transformations intersect with identity, is easily the most engaging aspect of the text. Strickland presents a world in which gender and form are not fixed, and this flexibility is treated as natural rather than sensationalized. Dragons becoming humans and humans becoming dragons is genuinely cool, and it hints at a far more daring and imaginative novel lurking beneath the surface.
Ultimately, Lady Dragon feels like the outline of a stronger book rather than the book itself. The ideas are there, and at times they are intriguing, but they never fully coalesce into a satisfying whole. Readers interested in themes of transformation and fluid identity may find moments to appreciate, but those hoping for excitement, depth, or narrative fire may come away disappointed. It’s a novel that suggests what it could have been more often than it delivers what it is.
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August 23, 2025Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
Lady Dragon by A.M. Strickland is a third person dual-POV fantasy romance between a human princess and a dragon princess who can take human form. Princess Samansa is old enough to be courted and many men are ready to compete for her hand in a tournament despite her reservations towards all of them, including her childhood friend. Kirek is the daughter of the Queen Mother dragon and arrives to help solidify peace between the humans and the dragons. But when there is a potential breach of their treaty, things start to go awry and feelings start to grow.
Kirek’s ability to take human form is because of the Heartstone, so it's not a talent she was born with nor is it something all dragons can do at will. I've read a lot of dragon x human princess fanfic over the years, so this was a different twist on the classic trope that has captivated so many for so long. I really liked Kirek's POV for how she feels in human form and how it makes her feel uncomfortable which reads a lot like body dysmorphia to me. It's a very trans interpretation.
Kirek and Samansa’s romance is a slowburn. The both of them have never really considered romance as an option, let alone with someone of a different species. Samansa doesn’t seem to know that a relationship with a woman is something she can have and she instead thinks on how she can’t picture herself with a man. For Kirek, dragons in this world are all female and don’t need a partner in order to have children, so while she could have romance, it’s not really something that feels like a pressing need. These two experiences together are something a lot of Sapphics do go through and it was handled well.
One of the things I thought was really interesting was how the two queendoms, human and dragon, are under threat of the patriarchy coming back and how that will impact them. I’m always curious how a matriarchy that used to be a patriarchy would need to fight back if someone decides to go back to the old ways. This really comes through in Samansa’s brother who is unsatisfied with being a prince and wants to be king, going so far as to make an argument to Kirek that the queendom concept is flawed.
I would recommend this to fans of fantasy with a trans lens and readers of romantasy who want a Sapphic twist on a classic trope
Lady Dragon by A.M. Strickland is a third person dual-POV fantasy romance between a human princess and a dragon princess who can take human form. Princess Samansa is old enough to be courted and many men are ready to compete for her hand in a tournament despite her reservations towards all of them, including her childhood friend. Kirek is the daughter of the Queen Mother dragon and arrives to help solidify peace between the humans and the dragons. But when there is a potential breach of their treaty, things start to go awry and feelings start to grow.
Kirek’s ability to take human form is because of the Heartstone, so it's not a talent she was born with nor is it something all dragons can do at will. I've read a lot of dragon x human princess fanfic over the years, so this was a different twist on the classic trope that has captivated so many for so long. I really liked Kirek's POV for how she feels in human form and how it makes her feel uncomfortable which reads a lot like body dysmorphia to me. It's a very trans interpretation.
Kirek and Samansa’s romance is a slowburn. The both of them have never really considered romance as an option, let alone with someone of a different species. Samansa doesn’t seem to know that a relationship with a woman is something she can have and she instead thinks on how she can’t picture herself with a man. For Kirek, dragons in this world are all female and don’t need a partner in order to have children, so while she could have romance, it’s not really something that feels like a pressing need. These two experiences together are something a lot of Sapphics do go through and it was handled well.
One of the things I thought was really interesting was how the two queendoms, human and dragon, are under threat of the patriarchy coming back and how that will impact them. I’m always curious how a matriarchy that used to be a patriarchy would need to fight back if someone decides to go back to the old ways. This really comes through in Samansa’s brother who is unsatisfied with being a prince and wants to be king, going so far as to make an argument to Kirek that the queendom concept is flawed.
I would recommend this to fans of fantasy with a trans lens and readers of romantasy who want a Sapphic twist on a classic trope
September 28, 2026
I was really excited to read this one, and I'm glad it was an enjoyable read. However, the first half of the book seems like an entirely different author than the second.
The first half holds a lot of promise: it's a true enemies to lovers, with some great tense moments and political intrigue galore. Obviously, the dragons are a plus. What really holds everything together is this connection between Kirek and Samansa, who are endlessly fascinated by one another, albeit standoffish of the other. However, this starts to fall apart in the second half. What made this pair so interesting to me was their distinct foiling personalities. But Samansa seems to go back and forth on whether she's a damsel in distress, or a badass-warrior-princess, in a way that doesn't feel very authentic. There's also a secondary possession-ish plotline (I won't explain, for sake of spoilers) that didn't really matter to me or enhance the story or plotline. But the first half was genuinely so good that I can't give this any less than 4 stars, seriously. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more by this author!
The first half holds a lot of promise: it's a true enemies to lovers, with some great tense moments and political intrigue galore. Obviously, the dragons are a plus. What really holds everything together is this connection between Kirek and Samansa, who are endlessly fascinated by one another, albeit standoffish of the other. However, this starts to fall apart in the second half. What made this pair so interesting to me was their distinct foiling personalities. But Samansa seems to go back and forth on whether she's a damsel in distress, or a badass-warrior-princess, in a way that doesn't feel very authentic. There's also a secondary possession-ish plotline (I won't explain, for sake of spoilers) that didn't really matter to me or enhance the story or plotline. But the first half was genuinely so good that I can't give this any less than 4 stars, seriously. I will definitely be looking forward to reading more by this author!
August 26, 2025
I would WILLINGLY read more books focused on Samansa and Kirek if offered. I will never get enough of these two- both individually and together. Nothing makes me go weak in the knees faster than a whole “X fell first, but Y fell harder trope”.
With that being said though, this was a phenomenal sapphic upper YA standalone that contained everything I’m looking for in such a story. The world-building was highly detailed, the lore with well explained- it was all so easy to process and enjoy as the book progressed.
I also appreciated the underlying messages that are so important in today’s political climate, Stricklands words carry so much meaning and truth.
This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year and I hope many add this to their must-reads as they won’t be disappointed!
With that being said though, this was a phenomenal sapphic upper YA standalone that contained everything I’m looking for in such a story. The world-building was highly detailed, the lore with well explained- it was all so easy to process and enjoy as the book progressed.
I also appreciated the underlying messages that are so important in today’s political climate, Stricklands words carry so much meaning and truth.
This is definitely one of my favorite books of the year and I hope many add this to their must-reads as they won’t be disappointed!
August 24, 2025
Overall I enjoyed this read. The reluctant allies to lovers trope was pretty prevalent from the beginning, but the banter was cute and the opposing personalities meshed well.
I do think it could have benefitted from another round of edits. Maybe fleshed out the side characters more, to add depth to the losses later on.
I also think the very immediate was quite disappointing. Especially so very early on in the story.
It wrapped up well and has a cute ending. For anyone looking for a little YA sapphic romantic fantasy that's easy to read, I would recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
I do think it could have benefitted from another round of edits. Maybe fleshed out the side characters more, to add depth to the losses later on.
I also think the very immediate was quite disappointing. Especially so very early on in the story.
It wrapped up well and has a cute ending. For anyone looking for a little YA sapphic romantic fantasy that's easy to read, I would recommend it.
Thank you to NetGalley and Feiwel & Friends for the ARC in exchange for my honest feedback.
September 28, 2025
i love kirek’s characterization and the way it is juxtaposed by our mc! but i do feel like for a character that is a dragon, her introduction is way less menacing. she’s a being of power and yet i struggled to feel any of that conveyed in the story. a lot of the writing is very much a case of “this happened” and “the maid coughed to disguise a laugh” with little rawness. but there were cute moments, such as when mc gives kirek her princess favor. i did like those bits a lot! but i did crave more intimacy and tension between them that wasn’t felt by me personally :(
August 30, 2025
I almost DNF’ed this so many times and the book isn’t even that long. It should have been everything I love, dragons, sapphic love. But it was just really cringe (not in the fun way like SJM) with zero likable characters and world-building that tried, but missed the mark entirely. Just reread Priory of the Orange Tree.
November 9, 2025
One of the better stories I've read in a long awhile. Had all but given up on sapphic reads because the tropes are old and tired. This kept me curious until the end. Well written and I think rather well paced. A bit slow at times but I'm eager to read more by this author. This is what a sapphic fantasy should be.
July 7, 2026
This was a really good book!
I feel like the characters were well done and likable, the worldbuilding with the dragons culture was excellent and the ending was very sweet. Some people say it’s boring but I didn’t find it boring, there was always a new twist or plot development to keep it interesting. Would highly recommend!
I feel like the characters were well done and likable, the worldbuilding with the dragons culture was excellent and the ending was very sweet. Some people say it’s boring but I didn’t find it boring, there was always a new twist or plot development to keep it interesting. Would highly recommend!
Did Not Finish
July 1, 2025I don't even want to rate this. I really disliked this book. the storyline was boring, the characters, the plot, even the romance. I really wanted to enjoy this but it just was not it for me. the concept was great but simply not for me.
September 23, 2025
me? rating two dragon books 5 stars in the same year?
October 19, 2025
I still can't believe mother died.. That was sad.
October 5, 2026
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my YouTube channel: https://www.youtube.com/c/JayGTheAwkw...
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
After the last war between humans and dragons, peace has been held together by two rulers: the Human Queen and the Dragon Queen, bound by a fragile treaty. Samansa, human princess and heir to her mother’s throne, and Kirek, daughter of the Dragon Queen, are summoned to meet in hopes of strengthening that alliance. They expect diplomacy, duty, and formality. What they don’t expect is to genuinely connect with oneanother forming a bond that could either fortify the treaty or ruin it forever.
I absolutely loved The Ravenous Dark by this author, so I was excited to pick up another one of their books. Although it wasn't a 5/5 like the previous book, I still really enjoyed this sapphic dragon shifter romance! I am a sucker for anything with dragons, and this did not disappoint... Throw in a little (light) enemies to lovers and I was sold. I listened to it on audio, and really enjoyed the narrator. I loved that we got POVs from both Samansa and Kirek - I think it really helped solidify the characters and their personalities for me. I thought the romance was sweet, although a bit rushed, I still really enjoyed it. I also loved the idea of the Heartstone, and was so intrigued by its powers.
I'm kind of bummed it's a standalone to be honest, I would definitely read more about these two and their kingdoms.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
After the last war between humans and dragons, peace has been held together by two rulers: the Human Queen and the Dragon Queen, bound by a fragile treaty. Samansa, human princess and heir to her mother’s throne, and Kirek, daughter of the Dragon Queen, are summoned to meet in hopes of strengthening that alliance. They expect diplomacy, duty, and formality. What they don’t expect is to genuinely connect with oneanother forming a bond that could either fortify the treaty or ruin it forever.
I absolutely loved The Ravenous Dark by this author, so I was excited to pick up another one of their books. Although it wasn't a 5/5 like the previous book, I still really enjoyed this sapphic dragon shifter romance! I am a sucker for anything with dragons, and this did not disappoint... Throw in a little (light) enemies to lovers and I was sold. I listened to it on audio, and really enjoyed the narrator. I loved that we got POVs from both Samansa and Kirek - I think it really helped solidify the characters and their personalities for me. I thought the romance was sweet, although a bit rushed, I still really enjoyed it. I also loved the idea of the Heartstone, and was so intrigued by its powers.
I'm kind of bummed it's a standalone to be honest, I would definitely read more about these two and their kingdoms.
August 17, 2026
Read all of Kirek's lines in my head in Lae'zel's voice.
August 18, 2026
Started off strong, then went the way of too much plot
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