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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.
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 truce: 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.
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 truce: 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.
352 pages, Hardcover
First published August 26, 2025
26 people are currently reading
2671 people want to read
About the author
A.M. Strickland
6 books561 followersA.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 Court of the Undying Seasons, In the Ravenous Dark, and Beyond the Black Door.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 83 reviews
September 4, 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 24, 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.
dnf
August 26, 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.
August 9, 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
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!
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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
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.
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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.
September 21, 2025
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.
3.5 stars rounded up. Cute, sweet, full of sapphic yearning, and also surprisingly gory at times. I really enjoyed Kirek especially as a protagonist; seeing the stark differences in dragon culture through her eyes and watching her gradually adopt human aspects was fascinating. Samansa was a bit weaker as a protagonist but serviceable and her relationship with Kirek was very sweet, and the lead up to their first kiss made me laugh out loud. I do wish though that there was more exploration of her later decline, as I felt the lack of POV chapters during her transformations made it hard to picture how she was losing herself. The story's conflict was also pretty simplistic, I feel, but not bad, though I also wish Samansa and her mother's relationship with Branon had been more layered and complicated. As is, he felt a little flat as an antagonist with his rampant sexism seeming a little out of place for someone raised in a kingdom that's been ruled by women for centuries. Overall though, a very quick read filled to the brim with dragons and queer love.
3.5 stars rounded up. Cute, sweet, full of sapphic yearning, and also surprisingly gory at times. I really enjoyed Kirek especially as a protagonist; seeing the stark differences in dragon culture through her eyes and watching her gradually adopt human aspects was fascinating. Samansa was a bit weaker as a protagonist but serviceable and her relationship with Kirek was very sweet, and the lead up to their first kiss made me laugh out loud. I do wish though that there was more exploration of her later decline, as I felt the lack of POV chapters during her transformations made it hard to picture how she was losing herself. The story's conflict was also pretty simplistic, I feel, but not bad, though I also wish Samansa and her mother's relationship with Branon had been more layered and complicated. As is, he felt a little flat as an antagonist with his rampant sexism seeming a little out of place for someone raised in a kingdom that's been ruled by women for centuries. Overall though, a very quick read filled to the brim with dragons and queer love.
August 26, 2025
4 1/2 stars
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Thank you to Edelweiss for my earc.
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Thank you to Edelweiss for my earc.
April 12, 2025
The moment I saw even the barest scrap of info on this book, I was vibrating with excitement. Sapphic dragon book! Sapphic dragon book! Those are the only words I need to hear to try out a book. And when the cover was released? Woah. Those are some great vibes. My biggest worry was the YA categorization. My experiences with YA have been declining in recent years, and while some of that might be the books in question, I also just think I’m getting old. Fortunately for me, this is way more of an upper YA book, borderline adult book. If we had a proper new adult category, I’d say this falls under that umbrella. Both characters are considered adults in their societies, but the adult responsibilities they’re taking on in this book are new to them.
With that out of the way, I’m here to say: this book lived up to the hype I made up in my mind (lol). Kirek, my beloved! (She’s the Lady Dragon of the title.) Samansa, the other main character of this story, was great too, but Kirek is everything I want from a character that isn’t human. Namely: she doesn’t act human! It’s such a low bar for fantasy worldbuilding to hit, but everyone just wants to be lazy and write inhuman societies that are either barely different from our own or are different yet the people in them still act like humans (except maybe are extra “snobbish” — looking at you Dull Book About Fae Courts #9000). Lady Dragon does not torture me in this way and instead creates a society of dragons that is wonderfully unique and alien, which carries into how the dragons are characterized.
One of the comp titles of this book is Seraphina, and the moment we met Kirek, I understood exactly why. It’s not that dragon society in this book mirrors that in Seraphina’s (a significant difference is that every dragon is female), but that like in Seraphina, dragons aren’t just “human-lite” — they feel significantly culturally different from humans in ways that can be outright repugnant to human morality. Beautiful! More of this, please (lol). But seriously — it’s such a relief when a book asks you to think. An early example of this is being told Kirek is expected to kill her mother to ascend to the throne. Samansa is deeply disturbed by this; she loves her mother and can’t imagine ever killing her. She wonders what this means for Kirek’s relationship with her mother: do mother and daughter hate each other? Is Kirek’s mother evil and brutal? The answer is a definition of love that humans could never follow, but it’s one that makes sense for dragons and is written with surprising empathy. You do not feel like dragons are “wrong” for their beliefs. Samansa doesn’t swoop in and “reform” dragon society. She, like the reader, is forced to engage with dragons as they are and learn to see the beauty and logic of a very different society.
Speaking of dragon society, the big difference you learn immediately (which I referenced earlier) is that all dragons are women. And let me tell you, it’s a big reason this book isn’t just a sapphic book, but a queer book. The gender shit happening in here is terrific. Dragons are women according to humans, but what does that mean for dragons? How do you define what it means to be a woman when there’s nothing else you can be? How do those dragons then interact with a (relatively) patriarchal society? These are all ideas that get explored in the story in a really organic way. There’s a moment with a minor human character who is trans that I tensed up at (not being sure what to expect from it), and while it’s a moment of ignorance from Kirek, it’s a very innocent ignorance no different than all the other instances of human customs eluding her. Ultimately, Samansa sets her straight as she does with other situations, and I was very pleased with how it was handled — and that it was handled at all, instead of ignoring the implications of dragons being a one-gender race.
If I have any criticisms of this book, it’s that I surely would have loved to linger more in the world, especially in the first half (which was more focused on Kirek trying to interact with humans). When the conflict kicks up, it REALLY kicks up, and I felt almost sad to be met with action scenes instead of Kirek eating a bloody steak at a royal dinner (lol). Unfortunately, something something “books are supposed to have plots” blah blah blah. I say they don’t! (I’m lying; books without tension are no fun either.)
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a lot of fun worldbuilding in their sapphic dragon books. 😊 Trust. 👍
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing me with an ARC of this book. Now go make some fancy special editions for me to buy, thanks.
With that out of the way, I’m here to say: this book lived up to the hype I made up in my mind (lol). Kirek, my beloved! (She’s the Lady Dragon of the title.) Samansa, the other main character of this story, was great too, but Kirek is everything I want from a character that isn’t human. Namely: she doesn’t act human! It’s such a low bar for fantasy worldbuilding to hit, but everyone just wants to be lazy and write inhuman societies that are either barely different from our own or are different yet the people in them still act like humans (except maybe are extra “snobbish” — looking at you Dull Book About Fae Courts #9000). Lady Dragon does not torture me in this way and instead creates a society of dragons that is wonderfully unique and alien, which carries into how the dragons are characterized.
One of the comp titles of this book is Seraphina, and the moment we met Kirek, I understood exactly why. It’s not that dragon society in this book mirrors that in Seraphina’s (a significant difference is that every dragon is female), but that like in Seraphina, dragons aren’t just “human-lite” — they feel significantly culturally different from humans in ways that can be outright repugnant to human morality. Beautiful! More of this, please (lol). But seriously — it’s such a relief when a book asks you to think. An early example of this is being told Kirek is expected to kill her mother to ascend to the throne. Samansa is deeply disturbed by this; she loves her mother and can’t imagine ever killing her. She wonders what this means for Kirek’s relationship with her mother: do mother and daughter hate each other? Is Kirek’s mother evil and brutal? The answer is a definition of love that humans could never follow, but it’s one that makes sense for dragons and is written with surprising empathy. You do not feel like dragons are “wrong” for their beliefs. Samansa doesn’t swoop in and “reform” dragon society. She, like the reader, is forced to engage with dragons as they are and learn to see the beauty and logic of a very different society.
Speaking of dragon society, the big difference you learn immediately (which I referenced earlier) is that all dragons are women. And let me tell you, it’s a big reason this book isn’t just a sapphic book, but a queer book. The gender shit happening in here is terrific. Dragons are women according to humans, but what does that mean for dragons? How do you define what it means to be a woman when there’s nothing else you can be? How do those dragons then interact with a (relatively) patriarchal society? These are all ideas that get explored in the story in a really organic way. There’s a moment with a minor human character who is trans that I tensed up at (not being sure what to expect from it), and while it’s a moment of ignorance from Kirek, it’s a very innocent ignorance no different than all the other instances of human customs eluding her. Ultimately, Samansa sets her straight as she does with other situations, and I was very pleased with how it was handled — and that it was handled at all, instead of ignoring the implications of dragons being a one-gender race.
If I have any criticisms of this book, it’s that I surely would have loved to linger more in the world, especially in the first half (which was more focused on Kirek trying to interact with humans). When the conflict kicks up, it REALLY kicks up, and I felt almost sad to be met with action scenes instead of Kirek eating a bloody steak at a royal dinner (lol). Unfortunately, something something “books are supposed to have plots” blah blah blah. I say they don’t! (I’m lying; books without tension are no fun either.)
I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for a lot of fun worldbuilding in their sapphic dragon books. 😊 Trust. 👍
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for providing me with an ARC of this book. Now go make some fancy special editions for me to buy, thanks.
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.
July 28, 2025
Thanks Netgalley for the ARC!
This was a fun, fast paced, action packed YA fantasy with some interesting concepts. In this world, there's a human queendom and dragon queendom. They used to be at war, but then the human queen ended it by murdering her husband (who was king), and from then on the dragons demanded that only a queen can rule the human lands.
Our MC, Samansa, is the heir to the human throne, and only daughter of the current queen. Kirek is the heir to the dragon queen, and she is sent to the human realm with a magic stone that allows her to take a human form to study humans and strenghten their relationship.
Tensions between the two nations are rising, and Samansa has a much older brother who is dissatisfied with his ineligibility for the crown, and it is up to Samansa and Kirek to save the treaty and prevent another war.
I really liked the development of the dragon culture in the worldbuilding. Dragons are all female, and reproduce by themselves, but do have a sort of mating bond with another dragon who guards them while they nest. An interesting point is that the dragons don't necessarily feel more similar to human women, and claim that while they're all female, human women have more in common with human men than dragons. Dragon culture is also extremely focused on strength, and Kirek is very focused on never showing any weakness, and I liked how this was explored.
The human culture could have been developed a bit more. I think it's fine for a YA, but the structures are all pretty basic. I also noticed that the male antagonistic characters all can be pretty sexist, and seem to believe they were denied something because only a woman can be queen. While this ties in well to our world, I was a little unsure how this culture developed exactly, because the only women can be queen rule has been around for a while, and I think the existence of sexism and how this works could have been explored more. With an only women can be queen rule I'm always a bit worried the implication is that this would be intrinsically better, when of course women are plenty capable of being horrible rulers. I think in this book, it is emphasized this rule is largely a demand of the dragons and part of the reason the MCs want to uphold it is to protect the treaty.
The plot is very fast paced and twisty, much I didn't see coming and the book kept me interested. It's not very long, but a lot happens in that time. It's not super complex, but I think it's great for a YA fantasy.
The romance was nice and sweet. It takes its time to develop, as Kirek initially is very distrusting towards humans and her mother (the dragon queen) also encourages her to study human weaknesses, but they grow closer over the book and are also kind of forced together. It felt well developed, and not insta-love.
The characters were decently developed, and I think Kirek had a bit more depth than Samansa, but I enjoyed reading both their POVs. I especially enjoyed Kirek's relationship with perceived strength and weakness, and she develops in this over the course of the book as she spends more time around humans, and especially Samansa, who has very different ideas of what strength means.
Would recommend it to fans of fat paced sapphic YA fantasy
This was a fun, fast paced, action packed YA fantasy with some interesting concepts. In this world, there's a human queendom and dragon queendom. They used to be at war, but then the human queen ended it by murdering her husband (who was king), and from then on the dragons demanded that only a queen can rule the human lands.
Our MC, Samansa, is the heir to the human throne, and only daughter of the current queen. Kirek is the heir to the dragon queen, and she is sent to the human realm with a magic stone that allows her to take a human form to study humans and strenghten their relationship.
Tensions between the two nations are rising, and Samansa has a much older brother who is dissatisfied with his ineligibility for the crown, and it is up to Samansa and Kirek to save the treaty and prevent another war.
I really liked the development of the dragon culture in the worldbuilding. Dragons are all female, and reproduce by themselves, but do have a sort of mating bond with another dragon who guards them while they nest. An interesting point is that the dragons don't necessarily feel more similar to human women, and claim that while they're all female, human women have more in common with human men than dragons. Dragon culture is also extremely focused on strength, and Kirek is very focused on never showing any weakness, and I liked how this was explored.
The human culture could have been developed a bit more. I think it's fine for a YA, but the structures are all pretty basic. I also noticed that the male antagonistic characters all can be pretty sexist, and seem to believe they were denied something because only a woman can be queen. While this ties in well to our world, I was a little unsure how this culture developed exactly, because the only women can be queen rule has been around for a while, and I think the existence of sexism and how this works could have been explored more. With an only women can be queen rule I'm always a bit worried the implication is that this would be intrinsically better, when of course women are plenty capable of being horrible rulers. I think in this book, it is emphasized this rule is largely a demand of the dragons and part of the reason the MCs want to uphold it is to protect the treaty.
The plot is very fast paced and twisty, much I didn't see coming and the book kept me interested. It's not very long, but a lot happens in that time. It's not super complex, but I think it's great for a YA fantasy.
The romance was nice and sweet. It takes its time to develop, as Kirek initially is very distrusting towards humans and her mother (the dragon queen) also encourages her to study human weaknesses, but they grow closer over the book and are also kind of forced together. It felt well developed, and not insta-love.
The characters were decently developed, and I think Kirek had a bit more depth than Samansa, but I enjoyed reading both their POVs. I especially enjoyed Kirek's relationship with perceived strength and weakness, and she develops in this over the course of the book as she spends more time around humans, and especially Samansa, who has very different ideas of what strength means.
Would recommend it to fans of fat paced sapphic YA fantasy
May 14, 2025
Thank you so much to Netgalley and Feiwel & Friends for an e-ARC of Lady Dragon. This book was incredible. Lady Dragon delivers on all of the tropes you expect to see with dragons. Kirek is the strong and fierce daughter to the current matriarch of the dragons, Queen Mother. The dragons in this setting are ruthless, self-reproducing, and have a society built upon daughters challenging their mothers for right to the throne when they come of age. Kirek is a direct opposite to Samansa, the heir to the human throne of Andrath. Samansa is soft, delicate, a bit too trusting, and so utterly flawed. Of course she is flawed, because she is human. Lady Dragon weaves a beautiful tale of two princesses who are completely different at the start of the novel. Samansa and Kirek are both driven by their duty as daughters. However, that duty looks different. Kirek is sent to Andrath by the Queen Mother to uncover humanity's weaknesses so that the dragons may be able to utilize them. Samansa is plagued by her mother's constant reminders that she needs to start a courtship so that she may ensure a daughter heir for Andrath when it is her time to rule. Both dragon and girl are pressured into maintaining the status quo of their race, while simultaneously being drawn to one another.
I don't want to get too much into the plot. However, Lady Dragon is choke full of political intrigue, commentary on gender, and commentary on love and what that love looks like. Lady Dragon has some soft, feminine moments. However, the novel does not forget to remind you that it also has teeth and bares them quite regularly. The Samansa and Kirek at the end of the novel are beautifully, wonderfully, transformed from the two that start the novel. I loved that the novel is told from both prospectives. Overall, I enjoyed this sapphic fantasy wholly. For those of you who are afraid of picking this up due to the political climate or fear the bury your gays trope...do not be afraid with this novel. Although Lady Dragon does not shy away from death, fire, and horror that almost could parallel the human world....it does not let Kirek and Samansa suffer a tragic fate. In the end, Lady Dragon allows the princess to save the dragon and the dragon to get the girl.
I don't want to get too much into the plot. However, Lady Dragon is choke full of political intrigue, commentary on gender, and commentary on love and what that love looks like. Lady Dragon has some soft, feminine moments. However, the novel does not forget to remind you that it also has teeth and bares them quite regularly. The Samansa and Kirek at the end of the novel are beautifully, wonderfully, transformed from the two that start the novel. I loved that the novel is told from both prospectives. Overall, I enjoyed this sapphic fantasy wholly. For those of you who are afraid of picking this up due to the political climate or fear the bury your gays trope...do not be afraid with this novel. Although Lady Dragon does not shy away from death, fire, and horror that almost could parallel the human world....it does not let Kirek and Samansa suffer a tragic fate. In the end, Lady Dragon allows the princess to save the dragon and the dragon to get the girl.
May 19, 2025
Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing this e-ARC in exchange for my honest review.
Strickland heard us crying for more sapphic dragon romantasies, and they provided! This is a dragon shifter YA romantasy that does the hard parts of this genre extremely well. It's a YA with an engaging, unique plot and no teenaged main characters, a romantasy where the fantasy portion stands well on it's own, and does it's world building in a way that unique and immersive but not confusing. For me, the sapphic romance and matriarchy are big, fat bonuses as well.
This story gets very intense, very quickly. I went from leisurely picking it up when I had free time, to locked in and unable to put it down half way through. I finished the second half of the book in one sitting.
I loved the banter between our two main characters in the beginning of this story before one of the big twists. It was the classic grumpy/sunshine trope but with 2 princesses, and one of those princesses is more of a knight. I appreciated this dynamic and do wish we spent a tiny bit more time in this space.
I thought I knew where this story was going at that point, but it took a few turns that I did not see coming. I LOVE that in stories! I cannot say much more without spoiling the best bits, but once this part of the story stops, there is no slowing down. I loved how vivid the fight scenes were. And I appreciated how lore and magic were explained. It was not dumbed down, but I did feel like I understood every part of this story. I liked this much more than I expected to, which was surprising because I already loved all the ingredients in this story. I could see myself re-reading this and highly recommend this as a sapphic fantasy.
Also....spoilerish.......I so, so, so appreciate a sapphic happily ever after. It so extremely rare these days, so big props to the author for that.
Strickland heard us crying for more sapphic dragon romantasies, and they provided! This is a dragon shifter YA romantasy that does the hard parts of this genre extremely well. It's a YA with an engaging, unique plot and no teenaged main characters, a romantasy where the fantasy portion stands well on it's own, and does it's world building in a way that unique and immersive but not confusing. For me, the sapphic romance and matriarchy are big, fat bonuses as well.
This story gets very intense, very quickly. I went from leisurely picking it up when I had free time, to locked in and unable to put it down half way through. I finished the second half of the book in one sitting.
I loved the banter between our two main characters in the beginning of this story before one of the big twists. It was the classic grumpy/sunshine trope but with 2 princesses, and one of those princesses is more of a knight. I appreciated this dynamic and do wish we spent a tiny bit more time in this space.
I thought I knew where this story was going at that point, but it took a few turns that I did not see coming. I LOVE that in stories! I cannot say much more without spoiling the best bits, but once this part of the story stops, there is no slowing down. I loved how vivid the fight scenes were. And I appreciated how lore and magic were explained. It was not dumbed down, but I did feel like I understood every part of this story. I liked this much more than I expected to, which was surprising because I already loved all the ingredients in this story. I could see myself re-reading this and highly recommend this as a sapphic fantasy.
Also....spoilerish.......I so, so, so appreciate a sapphic happily ever after. It so extremely rare these days, so big props to the author for that.
July 6, 2025
Summary:
To Princess Samansa, the war between dragons and humans has been through a treaty centuries ago, but it's never felt more present than now, when Kirek, the heir to the dragon throne, is visiting Samansa's kingdom to foster ties. The "lady dragon" is brusque - no time for human emotions or cultural norms that aren't a battle to the death, but Samansa finds herself drawn to Kirek anyways, and Kirek finds herself protecting the princess in return. Facing political intrigue and scheming on both sides, Samansa and Kirek are forced to rely on one another to make it out of this unscathed, and with peace between their species intact. Along the way, they might learn a thing or two about each other, their cultural norms, and maybe fall in love.....
Review:
I loved the world-building here. The cultural differences between humans and dragons, where dragons fight everything to the death b/c they have sharp teeth and claws etc., was very cool and clever. I really liked Kirek as a character as well - her fighting style and thought process were fiery and fun. I also loved the commentary on gender/gender identity woven into the dragon/human body shifting metaphor, and I cannot express how much it meant that the author made a statement about trans people at the end of the book, esp. at this time in the US. I did have some issues with major plot holes though - I detailed them on my Storygraph review (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews...) so they can be hidden appropriately. I also felt that Kirek compromised more with Samansa/humans than the reverse, which was a bummer to me as I really found the dragon culture to be intriguing, and I felt the narrative sort of demonized them by promoting the "human way through feelings" as better/best.
All and all, a fast and engaging read! Thank you to NetGalley in exchange for this free and honest review!
To Princess Samansa, the war between dragons and humans has been through a treaty centuries ago, but it's never felt more present than now, when Kirek, the heir to the dragon throne, is visiting Samansa's kingdom to foster ties. The "lady dragon" is brusque - no time for human emotions or cultural norms that aren't a battle to the death, but Samansa finds herself drawn to Kirek anyways, and Kirek finds herself protecting the princess in return. Facing political intrigue and scheming on both sides, Samansa and Kirek are forced to rely on one another to make it out of this unscathed, and with peace between their species intact. Along the way, they might learn a thing or two about each other, their cultural norms, and maybe fall in love.....
Review:
I loved the world-building here. The cultural differences between humans and dragons, where dragons fight everything to the death b/c they have sharp teeth and claws etc., was very cool and clever. I really liked Kirek as a character as well - her fighting style and thought process were fiery and fun. I also loved the commentary on gender/gender identity woven into the dragon/human body shifting metaphor, and I cannot express how much it meant that the author made a statement about trans people at the end of the book, esp. at this time in the US. I did have some issues with major plot holes though - I detailed them on my Storygraph review (https://app.thestorygraph.com/reviews...) so they can be hidden appropriately. I also felt that Kirek compromised more with Samansa/humans than the reverse, which was a bummer to me as I really found the dragon culture to be intriguing, and I felt the narrative sort of demonized them by promoting the "human way through feelings" as better/best.
All and all, a fast and engaging read! Thank you to NetGalley in exchange for this free and honest review!
October 6, 2025
It starts so promising with fresh takes on matriarchal, non-human dragonic views on gender, feminity and power - but that lasts about two chapters only. Then it moves toward stock plot elements with stock characters and stock pseudo-medieval descriptions with tournaments, assassination attempts and clothes that feel like prom dresses and halloween costumes. It gives me whiplash similar to "Once Upon A Time" which I couldn't stand for looking so fake and basic instead of immersive.
And then there is the writing. For mysterious reasons, many sapphic fiction authors struggle with having two female characters together and use designations like "the other woman", "both women" or similar instead of simply saying the main characters' names and pronouns which creates distance rather than romantic chemistry. It's especially bad here because the author also uses designations for the respective POV character like "the princess" or "the dragon girl" and I startle every time, under the impression the POV suddenly changed. While the plot switches direction at the middle, I've already lost interest to put up with the irking writing by then and skimmed through the rest. I also dislike the plot twist immensely.
Seriously, enough authors manage without falling to designations. Just think of the tons of books with a majority of male characters where authors have no problem with characters using the same pronouns. It's infinitely less bothering to read if you repeat the names or write in a way so the readers understand who does what even if you only say the pronouns.
And then there is the writing. For mysterious reasons, many sapphic fiction authors struggle with having two female characters together and use designations like "the other woman", "both women" or similar instead of simply saying the main characters' names and pronouns which creates distance rather than romantic chemistry. It's especially bad here because the author also uses designations for the respective POV character like "the princess" or "the dragon girl" and I startle every time, under the impression the POV suddenly changed. While the plot switches direction at the middle, I've already lost interest to put up with the irking writing by then and skimmed through the rest. I also dislike the plot twist immensely.
Seriously, enough authors manage without falling to designations. Just think of the tons of books with a majority of male characters where authors have no problem with characters using the same pronouns. It's infinitely less bothering to read if you repeat the names or write in a way so the readers understand who does what even if you only say the pronouns.
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