House of the Iron Reaper: A sapphic Cinderella retelling

by Storm Lomax

Dragons and magic combine in this sapphic retelling of Cinderella. Deyanara is one of the last surviving dragons of House Iron, her lineage hanging by a thread after a tragic accident claimed her family. With her House on the brink of ruin, she's determined to work day and night to ensure its survival.

When she's mistaken for a contender in the brutal Ascension Rites—a legendary tournament where dragons fight monsters for the chance at winning divine favour—Deyanara expects humiliation. Instead, she finds a talent for battle and friendships she never expected—including one sharp-tongued rival.

But after a shocking turn sends the Rites spiralling into something far more deadly, Deyanara must decide what she's truly fighting for.

Genres: Fantasy, Lesbian

302 pages, Kindle Edition

Expected publication October 3, 2026

Reviews

[ʟᴀᴜʀᴀ]

I did not expect to cry multiple times a day when I decided to give this wonderful story a chance.

I did not expect to grow so attached to this amazing found family or to feel their deepest hurts as if they were my own.

I did not expect to encounter so many beautiful reflections on grief, with none of them coming across as pretentious or instructive, just gentle and genuinely moving. Gosh I need to stop crying!! 💔

While the emotional side worked for me brilliantly, some other aspects could've been stronger. For starters, I wanted more romance, and a bit more depth to Novalie's character - her story felt somewhat unpolished. Then the main antagonist was definitely a surprise, maybe because their motivation seemed too vague. And, yeah, some minor inconsistencies joined the list as well, certainly noticeable enough to raise an eyebrow here and there, but not enough to take much from my enjoyment.

Overall, I'll remember this one for the intense feels rather than the fantasy itself. Should've prepared the tissues, though.


Thank you to Gay Romance Reviews for the opportunity to read this ARC, all opinions and ramblings are entirely my own.

[Aila Krisse]

Yeah this is only like a 2.5 / 5 stars for me unfortunately. I really try not to DNF ARCs, so I did finish this but it was a struggle. This was just absolutely not the book for me, but based on the goodreads rating I'm obviously in the minority with my experience.

I think my main problem with this book was the worldbuilding, and the general lack of explanations. I usually like it when books don't world-build in very obvious and often obtrusive ways, where the plot stops for a paragraph or two to hold a monologue about an aspect of the world. But this book went too far in the other direction and explains not enough of its world-building, which left me a bit confused, but mainly uninterested.

For example, the ultimate fight and the ascension ceremony/process. The whole book, the four main characters are working towards it, but what it actually is, what the pros and cons, the dangers and such are went mostly unexplained, which made it really hard to care about it in any way. I mostly understood why Lysandra didn't want Deyanara to compete, but I had no clue why Deyanara did want to compete. The stakes in general were just very unclear, and that makes it really hard to get invested in any way.

Other parts of the world were also left too vague for my taste. I was very confused when werewolves were first mentioned, because we get 0 information about them. The physical structure of the city was also quite confusing; it’s divided into tiers, but I never quite understood whether that was more ‘metaphorical’ or if the city is actually fully vertical (like e.g. Zaun/Piltover from Arcane). Also what is a doomkin? A monster obviously, but this world has werewolves, dragon shifters, sirens and more, so I’d really appreaciate a bit more than just that.

There’s also weird incosistencies every now and then. Like in Chapter 10 Novalie says «I have not seen Deyanara even smile, let alone laugh», even though just a few chapters earlier it was an important story-beat that Deyanara laughed while fighting a doomkin. It’s ultimately inconsequential, but it just all kept adding up to make me more and more annoyed at everything.

I really didn’t find much I like about this book. The main characters were okay, though they always felt a bit… rigid? I really liked the dynamic between Deyanara and Lysandra, but I wish their relationship had gotten more page-time. Deyanara’s struggle with her past and how that affected her mental health was also very interesting, but again, I wish it had been discussed more.
----
Thank you to the author for the ARC

[Laura Elisabeth]

3,75 ⭐️

Thank you so much to the author and NetGalley for allowing me to read an ARC of this book. I am leaving this review voluntarily and all thoughts are my own.

This was honestly quite difficult to rate because despite the flaws it was also just a truly special read. The found family was incredibly lovely and with the most perfect side characters that stole my heart. Everything with Deimos and Ronan was just so heartfelt, painful, and beautiful, that I ended up in tears multiple times. And the way the story handled the concept of grief was honestly so profound and tender. The reflections were moving and I couldn't help caring deeply about these characters despite it being a somewhat short book.

The stakes ended up being lower than I thought they would be. It worked for the story, because the characters and their inner journeys got to shine instead, but something about the easy and convenient resolutions to all the conflicts made the plot fall a little flat, I think. There were also some inconsistencies and very vague motivations that didn't always feel natural, and the writing could sometimes lean towards being a bit "tell not show". Sadly, I was also somewhat disappointed with the romance, because any time something even slightly romantic happened, we got a sudden time jump and were left without the emotional payoff that felt promised. I would have liked to see more of Deyanara and Novalie's relationship and to witness more of the change and growing feelings between them.

So as I said, it did have some flaws – but it also had some beautiful and profound perspectives on grief and healing that took my breath away, and those will definitely stay with me for a long time.

[KMart Books]

4.25 stars!

Such a fantastic sapphic read that also ripped my heart out repeatedly. (Not a complaint.)

The found family is almost effortless here. This group of characters is competing for honor and greater magic, and they're all so easy to love. I got attached SO quickly. They just love and support each other in a way that is so sweet. The romance between (1) one shy, traumatized dragon shifter from the lower class and (2) the smooth, standoffish golden girl from the higher echelons, who is thoroughly in denial but falls head over heels for her, is absolutely adorable. It hits all the right notes, even with tropes I don't usually gravitate toward.

There are some pretty intense themes it touches upon: grief, addiction, classism, survivor's guilt, and complex family dynamics. While they are handled with more care than I expected, some are fairly surface-level and did not feel as satisfying as they might otherwise with a longer story. My only major complaint is that some conflicts resolve a little TOO easily given how complex they actually are.

The world-building exists more as texture than detail, here. Interesting and obviously deep, but not spelled out. You get enough to be intrigued without feeling like you're drowning in lore. I'm not sure if I liked that aspect or not, honestly.

I want this to be a series. I'd happily spend a lot more time with these characters. Short(ish) and sweet with emotional depth. Great choice to pick up when it comes out.

Thanks to R&R Booktours and the author for the complimentary pre-released copy. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

[Cas]

Dragons? Check. Fighting? Check. Lesbians? Check check check. Man, I love a good found family, "enemies" to lovers, sapphic tale. House of the Iron Reaper is a Cinderella-esque story focusing on Dey and Novalie and they're quest to complete the Dragon Rites. Honestly while reading the book I forgot it was a Cinderella retelling, the only Cinderella similarities is the step daughter being forced to work to the bone and not allowed to do anything else. That being said, this was still a great sapphic read. I really enjoyed the found family aspect and felt genuine connections to each character. Storm Lomax also wrote a very descriptive world, and I could almost picture myself in the desert along with the characters. The only things I would really change about the book is the length. I would've happily read 400+ pages to learn about the world, the houses, and the different parts of the world we're in, and I feel a little more exposition would've helped. All in all a fantastic read and definitely one I would re-read

Thank you to Love Notes PR for providing me with a copy of this ARC in exchange for my honest review

[Shannon]

A massive thank you to Storm Lomax and BookSirens for an ARC of House of the Iron Reaper!

Easily a contender for book of the year for me, a six star read and I’d quite happily reread it again already. It was a fast paced read, I found myself engrossed in the story and ended up reading 100+ pages without even realising it 🫣

The worldbuilding was fantastic, and after seeing the drawings of Coalsburgh on Instagram it’s exactly how I pictured it in my head ✨

The relationship between Novalie and Deyanara was perfectly executed, the angst and slow burn and “just kiss me already” had me rooting for them the whole way though 🙌🏻

I spent this book laughing, crying, and riveted, it was just a joy to read and everyone should add it to their tbr 💛

You’ll enjoy this if you like:
🐉 Dragon Shifters
🫣 Fake Dating
⚔️ Rivals to Lovers
❤️ Found Family
👩🏽‍❤️‍👩🏾Sapphic Romance

[Emma Blanchard]

I really loved this book! I was pleasantly surprised by the quality of the writing and the world-building. Everything is so well crafted, and the characters are truly endearing! I just wanted to give Deyanara a big hug, and it’s so satisfying to see her development and how she opens up to others.

I was immediately drawn into the world and the story. I was very surprised by the final villain; perhaps I missed some clues, but it seemed to come a bit out of the blue. Nothing too serious, though.

The only slight downside is the odd typo here and there (not instead of no for example); there aren’t many, but sometimes I had to reread a sentence twice because the typo took me out of the story.

Overall, very good – I’d recommend it to fans of fantasy and dragons!

I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

[Paige Firb]

Many thanks to the author for giving me an advanced copy!

I found the House of the Iron Reaper to be a mixed bag of a book. Firstly, I want to start with the positives:

The book begins with quite a narrative punch. While I found the prose and info-dumping to be clunky in the opening chapters, the actual story it tells doesn’t hold anything back, and is a perfect set-up to my favourite character in the book, Deyanara. I was very excited by what it was setting up, and Deyanara’s character and personality is immediately clear on the page - and immediately both heartbreaking and kind of hilarious. By chapter two, I really felt as though the book had hit its stride, and I came across some great physical comedy and genuinely funny dialogue, that all came from poor Deyanara’s quiet, shy, and desperately subservient characterisation. I was really looking forward to following this character and her world as she was dumped into a rather violent contest almost against her will.

Unfortunately, this was where I started to get a little disappointed.

I do have my own personal bias against books with multiple POVs. I’m a little tired of them, and I think the grand majority of books would benefit from restricting the POV characters down to the smallest number possible, because it adds to the stakes. Not knowing what every character is thinking adds tension. It makes any story (in my opinion) so much richer, and with a character like Deyanara, who I immediately adored, I was really hoping just to follow her. This was not the case. It’s a personal gripe, but I do think some of the romantic tension might have suffered from our frequent dips into Novalie’s (our other main character and love interest) life. It doesn’t help that, in my opinion, Novalie is a much weaker character with an arc I have seen many times before. Deyanara is the true star of the book here, but we part from her so often, I feel like we lost a lot. It didn’t help that we quickly devolved into rather tired tropes (the “fake dating” in particular was disappointing).

To be honest, the more I delved into this book and learnt about this world, the more confused I became. I still, having read the entire book, do not understand what Ascension is. I don’t understand what it does for our characters, what it means for them or their powers physically, why any of them truly want it. Nothing about what it is is stated plainly. It’s seems a mystery in and of itself and I don’t quite understand why.

The training aspects of the book were few and far between, I definitely wanted more of it. The camaraderie and bonding between the four “trainees” (I don’t remember if there was a specific word) honestly felt a little sped past in favour of them instantly becoming like family. The two men were very lovely, but I didn’t end up caring much about either of them - especially since their confessions about their trauma seemed to come very abruptly, before I had much of a chance to understand who they were as people.

I don’t know why a werewolf is here. Partway through the book, I had a kind of epiphany of “ohhh because werewolves are shapeshifters like the dragons are meant to be shapeshifters”, but after sitting with that for a while… I do not understand why a werewolf is here. And I kept forgetting the dragons were meant to be able to shapeshift into actual dragons. It comes up very little.

I think the problem is, the world and the plot happening to the characters feels consistently disconnected to the actual scenes and moments in the book. One example I can think of is that our four trainees were introduced to a massive crowd of people in a stadium, all of whom were very excited about this whole Ascension thing and the four taking part, and took specific note of their names and faces and all that jazz… and yet, whenever our characters go out into the city/town to get food and/or alcohol (and I should note this happens a lot. There are a lot of scenes of characters eating together or drinking together or talking about going to eat and/or drinking together) nobody seems to recognise them. There is no raucous. They aren’t bothered or asked for autographs. Several scenes of a stadium full of cheering, screaming fans, several scenes of them out in public. No connection. They might as well be walking around in a different country.

Parts of this book and world were obviously thought about, such as the way the dragons greet one another, with a tap of their chin, and the dragon honourifics, which I found to be interesting language expression. But it’s almost like the small things were considered while the big things were sort of left in the wash. My full image of this world is incredibly blurry, and that’s frustrating because I want it to be clear! I want to know about this world and love it just as much as the author does, but I wasn’t given enough information to! This book is missing out so much detail and explanation, which could have been expressed somewhere but just… isn’t.

There are some beautifully written moments in this book. Some bits of prose that genuinely made me stop to appreciate them. Deyanara is a character I will be thinking about for quite a while - she is truly something special, having her trauma actually affect and encompass who she is as a person, down to her thoughts and her actions and her personality. That is a rare thing. Often trauma is thrown at a character for the sake of it, but Deyanara is someone enveloped by hers in every aspect. Her and Novalie shared some sweet moments. But altogether, I found this book to be lacking a bit. I wanted the prose, as a whole, to be better. I wanted the world to be clearer, I wanted to understand the stakes so that I could actually care. The twist villain felt like it was thrown out there for a last minute final battle. I didn’t even realise there was meant to be a secret villain at all. The book just felt haphazard at times, and that is a shame, because there are certainly some gems to be found in it.

[CristoC]

A book that makes you go through the whole spectrum of emotions while reading it is a book worth reading, especially if it’s sapphic.

This book will make me stalk the author’s newsletter and socials for the foreseeable future and read the backlog because wow, is it well written. What I appreciate most is how funny this book is; humour is not something I am finding often in fantasy these days, or at least that is well made. Here we have banter that is actually funny and witty, physicality that manages to be comic in an effortless manner (seemingly, because it’s fucking hard to write physical comedy), and it’s a subtle, seamless humour as well. Don’t get be wrong, this book deals with heavy themes that are extremely well handled, especially grief and guilt, but to find levity in a book that handles these topics without making anything fall flat is a sign of a skilled author. And this fact is proved times and times again: House of the Iron Reaper is a Cinderella retelling, and while reading I completely forgot about this little detail. After reading the book I obviously know what makes it such, but the fact that it doesn’t smack you in the face means that the story only retraces the archetypes and general theme of the source without overly relying on it. And the theme is brilliantly developed through the cast of characters, which, in turn, is probably the best group I’ve read about in a while. They’re not only perfectly functioning as a whole, with a fun, supportive, and balanced dynamic, but as individual characters as well, each with a personality and an arc of growth that develops through their friendship. The main couple is honestly perfectly written in that regard, Novalie and Deyanara are a perfectly assorted pair: they are opposites but end up positively influencing each other, the first, determined but reluctant to let anyone in, learns to be vulnerable, and the second, scared and sensitive, learns to be confident and to overcome her fear of herself.
At the cost of repeating myself, even the introduction of the world-building to the reader is perfectly well done. The reader is not treated as an idiot, every detail is perfectly clear without infodumps while not making anything feel vague, and instead everything is gradually unveiled at the right time in the right way.
The only weaknesses of this book are a lack of “macrocosm” and a lack of depth when it comes to the villain. As for the first point, there is no link between the heroes of the Rites and the audience, the mass of people that go to the fights and admire the contenders almost to the point of veneration; there’s no relationship with the public. As for the villain, there’s no foreshadowing that makes the reader think there might even be a villain, so that when the revelation comes it’s abrupt, and the motivation behind their actions feel weak because not grounded on a developed character, which is a pity because the final fight is beautiful.

A little warning in case anyone is reading this, get some tissues before reading because you’ll cry. A lot.



I received an eARC of the book and this represents my honest opinion

[Natalie Garcia]

Grumpy x Sunshine
30+yo Characters
Dragon Shifters
Unique World
POC rep
Rivals-to-Lovers
Found Family
No Spice

"I did not know how deprived I had been of someone's smile until I saw hers and now, no one else's will do."

House of the Iron Reaper by Storm Lomax is a unique, funny, and emotional fantasy-with-a-side-of-romance novel. The first thing that really struck me about this book was how fleshed out the world felt. It was a great end-of-summer read, taking place in the desert. I was sweating alongside Deyanara, although, thankfully, not having to drag sandbricks in a cart miles uphill.

The magic system the dragon shifters use, the pantheon of gods, the cultures of dragons, werewolves, and sirens that we're introduced to, all come together to make this world feel rich and lively. Our side characters also feel well-rounded. Their stories matter just as much as Deyanara's. The found-family love was beautiful. The comradery and friendship formed between Deyanara, Novalie, Deimos, and Ronan had me in my feels even more than the romance! The depth and struggles of each character was perfect and made them feel so real.

Ronan the werewolf and his story in particular became a favorite of mine. His first fight in the Rites arena will pull at your heartstrings and have you cheering for him as you read along. He was such a sweet father figure to the group.

The romance between Deyanara and Novalie fell a little flat for me. While Deyanara's character makes sense to read as a bit over-sheltered and immature, Novalie also came across as reading less than 30 years old. Their conversations and mannerisms feel very YA-coded - and I say that as someone who loves YA. I did get more invested by about 60% of the way through the book, but mostly, I just wish their romance felt more mature and their behaviors matched their ages more.

The last 10 chapters could have also used a bit more editing for pacing, consistency, and clarity. The big twist at the end where the true villain is revealed was certainly shocking, but also… didn't quite make sense. Their motivation doesn't feel strong enough. But the hero's journey was very satisfying and well earned. I am very happy to have received this ARC. The world building and character arcs were very strong with this book. If you love found family in fantasy, I think you'll really enjoy House of the Iron Reaper!

[Ruby Ridge]

I was given this book complimentary from Book Sirens in e-book form in return for my honest review. Everything stated in this review is of my own opinion and I was not compensated monetarily for providing this review.

I have looked over my ratings over the last few years and noticed they are gradually trending higher, this is not due to me mellowing as I grow older but rather a tribute to the amazing new fantasy authors I have been reviewing. I need to thank Book Sirens for introducing me to a lot of these and I hope my reviews do a small way to assisting these talented folk.

This novel is a case in point, the author has taken the old tales of Dragons and Dragon shifters, mixed it with a little from the Cinderella story and come up with this great story. The characters are great, the author has really bought them to life, even the minor ones. The four main characters and the synergy between them could not have been done better. The pacing is perfect both the sapphic romance and the Arena fights. Without spoiling anyone's reading enjoyment the ending is just ideal with a twist I did not see coming although the signs were there.

the world building is nice with the class consciousness balanced against a total acceptance of same sex unions, I will comment here that I have hated every werewolf I have read in fantasy novels with the ridiculous alpha male attitudes with the one exception of Ronan here who is just an ordinary nice person with none of the toxicity that most authors give to werewolves

Another sapphic fantasy well worth the five stars, if you are a fantasy fan I recommend you read this novel, it is not a long book and I enjoyed very page. There are some books that you try to stretch out as they are such a great read but at the same time cannot put down for the same reason - this is one of them.

[Faye Anne]

After devouring Wrath of the Never Queen a few months ago, I followed the author on Instagram, where I saw and loved the blurb reveal for House of the Iron Reaper (sapphic Cinderella retelling with dragon shifters, gladatorial-style tournament AND fake dating in it, yes please!). And then I saw the character art, and I was all in. Honestly, look up the art of Deyanara and Novalie and tell me I'm wrong! So when I saw the ARC appear on NetGalley, I instantly hit that Request button and I'm so glad I got to read House of the Iron Reaper early!

Just like with Wrath of the Never Queen, the writing style pulled me in from the very first page. House of the Iron Reaper was emotional, action-packed, and the character art definitely represented the main characters well. Deyanara and Novalie have a sweet, supportive, no-spice romance arc that was just so lovely to see unfold. There wasn't any drama from their relationship itself, as all of that came from the plot, which is personally my preference!

The Cinderella inspiration was clear but it was integrated so well with this fantasy setting with dragon and wolf shifters, so it felt like a really unique and fresh interpretation of the Cinderella fairytale. The gladiator-style tournament was also refreshing because the competitors weren't competing against each other. They were just there to show their individual worth. The plot genuinely surprised me too, and a few things happened that I just didn't see coming.

Disclaimer: I received an Advance Reader Copy from NetGalley, but this is my voluntary and honest review.

[Keturah Sergeant]

I adored this book! The world-building, the characters, the emotions, the romance, the growth, the action. It was absolutely incredible. It instantly hooks with a tragic backstory, a deep rooted fear and an instant sense of regret leading to a self-imposed penitence. A house fallen and a child and her soul gift held entirely responsible, serving her time in hard, constant labour. When she finds herself in the wrong place at the right time she is drawn into a training group for ascension, learning her strength, learning to fight and meeting others with difficult pasts and complex relationships with their soul magic. Her new self-proclaimed rival, from a privileged background, a whole other world, with different expectations upon her and different motivations. Alongside their classmates they grow, they mature, they fight.

The relationships evolve so well, well paced and natural. The romance slow and sweet, developing and growing beautifully. Then this book is confronts grief beautifully. The characters share a major loss, and all handle it differently. Their internal breakdowns, their discussions, their growth, it's emotional, it's bittersweet and it's chokingly honest. And, all in the lead up to the exposure of a dark plot, a major confrontation and further character development!

It is brilliantly written, perfectly paced and packed with action, character growth and a sweet sapphic romance!
I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.

[rebeccareads]

House of the Iron Reaper is a fresh, engaging Cinderella retelling featuring dragon shifters, class divisions, and some fun, gory monster action.

The Cinderella character, a dragon shifter named Deyanara, subverts expectations - she's very deferential, insecure, and emotionally vulnerable due to severe childhood trauma, but is also described as very strong and muscular, seems butch-coded, and is exceedingly powerful in her dragon form. Her stepmother, Lysandra, the leader of their dragon clan, is also a lot more complex than the typical evil-stepmother trope. From there, the story doesn't resemble Cinderella's too much, and rather focuses on a series of trials in which dragons and other shifters fight monsters to prove their worth. Though trials will always feel a bit stale to me at this point, the fight scenes are gripping, and I enjoyed the found-family dynamic between Deyanara, her love interest Novalie, and the other competitors. Deyanara and Novalie's romance is sweet, if fairly rushed and young in feel. The fighters are all meant to be in their 30s - one has children, and it's a big part of his storyline - but they speak and behave a lot younger. It ends up feeling fairly YA, but that didn't detract from my enjoyment of the story.

I recommend House of the Iron Reaper for fans of sapphic retellings, shifter romances, and dragon fantasies. I, for one, will definitely plan to read any further sapphic fairytale remixes by Storm Lomax!

[Lizzie]

What an INCREDIBLE fantasy adventure!!

I was gripped from page one, picking it up whenever I had a chance to read some more and find out what happened next. It is a rare treat to find a book so creative and original, but written in a way that it still feels welcoming and familiar.

I love love love this fantasy world. Many of the creatures are familiar to us – dragons and werewolves, for a start – but their existing lore is only the starting point. Particularly with the dragons, Storm Lomax has created such a rich and intricate society, social structure, and culture. Even just the way dragons exist and work as physical creatures felt fresh and original, without ever losing the ‘dragon-ness’ of it all.

Our two main characters are Deyanara and Novalie, and I really enjoyed their dynamic and seeing how they helped each other grow throughout the book. Deyanara in particular goes on such a journey, and it’s impossible not to be cheering her on and rooting for her the whole way.

There were plenty of action scenes throughout the book, and reading them felt almost cinematic. I could picture it all so clearly in my head, and I loved seeing these incredibly strong women become the warriors they were destined to be.

This was the perfect book to escape for a few hours, and I have definitely found a new favourite author in Storm Lomax!

I received a free copy for an honest review.

[Shannon Mulqueen]

I did not expect to like this book as much as I did - 5 stars for how some of the content has lived rent free in my head since finishing, despite some areas where I wanted more from the book.

The world-building here was remarkable - I felt like I could really immerse myself in this world and the different levels of the kingdom and each character's house. I liked learning more about each of the characters and the world overall.

Some real quoteable gems certainly contribute to the quality of the story. I want to highlight one quote that's really stuck with me - "I suppose you could liken it to sea waves. We are all of us sea waves, rising from the sea when we are born, cresting into adulthood, and then down, down, down, sinking back into the sea for our death. The Reapers come to welcome us back into the world but we were always a part of it, and we still are, even in death.... Like the waves, then, you never really leave"

I did want to see more of the romance development, and especially I wanted some more depth from Novalie's character development. This was a little bit of a bummer, because of my level of obsession with this couple overall. The main villain was also a big surprise, but in the way that it came out of seemingly nowhere.

I'm very thankful for the opportunity to read this ARC, and I would love to dive back into this world.

[Lizzy]

"It is power," I say. "Everything about you is power."

☆.｡.:*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*･ﾟ☆.｡.:*･ﾟ☆

I LOVED this book. It was a very original retelling of the tale of Cinderella. Set in a fantasy world devided in a top and a lower tier, the story follows two POVs : Deyanara, from the House of Iron in the lower tier, and Novalie, from the House of Glass, obviously a rich girl. Deyanara works herself to the bone, eaten by grief and guilt, and cares little about her own life. She provides for her people as much as she can. Work, sleep, and barely enough food to keep her going. But the Rites approach, and Deyanara has a delivery leading her to the arena. That's where she meets Novalie. Talented fighter, daughter of the Eldest of the House of Glass, and would do anything to win the Rites. Quickly, they fall into a sort of rivalery, but also partership. Their little group is composed by them and two other people : Ronan, a werewolf, and Deimos, a water dragon. if something can make me read a book, it's a good found family trope, and I was served with this book. I was hooked by the cute sapphic romance as well, but the whole setting and relationships between all the characters were the real deal for me.

I also need to warn you : make sure to have tissues. A box. Even two, if you're really emotional. Grief is a major theme of the story, and it is really accurately depicted.

I would definetely recommend this book if you're into : crazy plot twists, found family, girls kissing, and dragons... I also mention that the fights in the books were amazing, so that's more reasons to read it.

[Jennifer]

House of the Iron Reaper was a refreshing twist on Cinderella that felt completely its own. I especially enjoyed Deyanara as a main character—she starts out simply trying to keep her struggling House alive, but her journey quickly becomes much bigger and more exciting. The gladiatorial-style dragon battles added plenty of action, while the unique magic system kept me interested throughout. Storm Lomax does a great job balancing high-stakes fantasy with character development, making it easy to stay invested in both the world and the people in it.
One of my favorite parts of the book was the relationships. The sapphic romance, rivals-to-lovers dynamic, and fake dating elements blended naturally into the story without taking away from the larger plot. I also loved the found family theme, which gave the book a lot of heart alongside all the action and danger. As a fan of Storm Lomax's writing, this book reminded me why I keep coming back to her stories—engaging characters, imaginative world-building, and an emotional core that makes the adventure feel meaningful. I would definitely recommend House of the Iron Reaper to readers who enjoy fantasy retellings, dragon shifters, and character-driven stories with a strong romantic subplot.
.

[Fiona]

2.5⭐️

I was so excited for this one but sadly, it didn’t live up to what I expected🥲

This was very fast-paced and perfect if you’re slumping and need a quick and fun read! I did love how the fairytale retelling was added into the story.

The dragon culture that the author created was very unique and well done and it was clear that a lot of thought went into it that I think payed off well!

While I did think the found family was really cute and that the characters had fairly good development, I just didn’t emotionally connect to any of it and made this a bit of a slog for me to get through.

Sadly, the writing style read quite juvenile and simplistic, which took me out of the story a bit. As well as this, the romance felt insta-lovey and the ‘rivals to lovers’ and ‘fake dating’ tropes were just thrown in and didn’t make much sense or really add anything to the plot.

I did enjoy how the ending played out and thought it had good pacing and twists!

Overall, I would still encourage people to give this one a go if they’re looking for something fast and unique, I just think this missed the mark personally!

Tysm to novel tours and the author for the early copy <3

[Hannah Boyland]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

House of the Iron Reaper is a gorgeous sapphic cinderella re-telling set in a world of magic and dragons.

This was such a brilliantly fast paced novel. I basically blew my way through it, the chapters felt like the perfect length - nice and short, but without being so short that it felt like things were missing!

The world building was brilliant, and it was such a fun magical world! Everything fit so well, and it was unique enough that it was different and fun, but not so unique that it was hard to keep track of what was going on.

The romance was a solid 10/10. I was OBSESSED with both Novelie and Deyanara, it felt like Lomax had created the perfectly complimented couple.

This was meant to be a Cinderella retelling, and to be honest, during my read of it, I forgot that it was meant to be a retelling as the plot felt so fresh and unique. But reflecting on it now, the inspiration is clearly there!

I will absolutely be reading more from the author, Storm Lomax, in the future, as this was incredible!!!

[Paula &#x1f308;]

I was NOT prepared.
I got this book as an ARC (my first one!!! So exciting!!) I literally don’t know where to start..
I know that this is a sort of retelling of cinderella but tbh it really is not… but in the best way. What i mean is that it is extremely unique and a very new take on dragons and fantasy and love… it has everything my little fantasy queer heart could have ever wanted. Between the sapphic love story that is unproblematic, to the intricate world building, and to the adventures and action, what got me the most, was the grief. I mean… i sobbed. I also could NOT put it down. It was captivating and had twists and turns and soooo many feelings!!! What a ridiculously amazing book. I am going to have to take a break on books at the moment because i need a few days to recover. 10/10 best book i have read, i think, ever? Idk. Do yourself the favor and read this book. You have to pre-order it. I dont even know how to end this review because the words fail me to express how amazing this story was for me…

[Kate Ellen]

Goodreads lies... 4.5⭐

Many thanks to Fiona from Whimsy Words PR for arranging this ARC for me via Storm Lomax.

What do you mean the most anti-Disney Princess HEA elder emo would enjoy a romantasy retelling of Cinderella with a sapphic twist?! Oh... FYI... Dragon Shifters!

Oh how I DEVOURED this book. I loved Dey and even gritty, grumpy Novalie tugged my heartstrings. Talk about golden retriever X black cat energy with these two. But it was Deimos of House Copper who stole my heart.

Unlike The Wrath of the Never Queen I didn't guess the ending with this one, low-key had me sliding into the authors DM's to express my surprise.

If you liked Wrath of the Never Queen, you'll love House of the Iron Reaper. Storm's writing has matured slightly and her dialogue is engaging, and the character you meet you can't help but fall for.

This book was a easy read, engaging, sweet, different, and with a twist to surprise you. Do me a favour... Go read this. You shall not be disappointed.

[PurplePixie]

* Thank you Gay Romance Reviews and the author for the ARC and my honest review *

Eyyyy!!

This was a totally unexpected 5⭐️ read for me. I love monsters so dragons are a given. And it's sapphic?!?! And it's September?!?! I'm in heaven.

Our tale follows Deyanara as she navigates her life after the Iron Grief incident. A hardworking woman for her House, she accidentally stumbles upon the training grounds for the Rites, a gladiatoral event where dragons can ascend to bring pride to their houses. There, she finds Novalie, House of Glass, Deimos, House of Copper, and Ronan...a werewolf...of Swordstead. Together, they form a beautiful friendship that means the world to Dey. Novalie and Dey find more within themselves together as well.
I was captivatied by this tale. Strength. Perseverance. Found family. A villian sent to test all of that. I zipped through this book. Highly recommend and a favorite for 2026 for me.

[Lucia]

ARC Review

I was excited to read this book but it didn't really meet my expectations.

I liked the dragon and magic elements in the book and the idea of different Houses. I also liked the found family aspect. There were emotional and action filled moments, romance, found family and humor through the book.

Deyanara had more emotional depth to her character compared to the other characters in my opinion. You can see her grow from someone who is just surviving to someone who believes in herself and sees strength in herself.

I liked the contrast between Novalie's and Deyanara's peraonality. Deyanara is more anxious and gentle while Novalie's personality is more sharp.

I felt the pacing was uneven in places and the depth of the characters felt sometimes rushed or were not done properly in some moments. Even in some places, the story just felt like it was dragged on a bit.

Overall it was an okay book for me but I don't think this was what I expected from the book.

[Reading . Current]

Where to start! So much happens in 'House of the Iron Reaper' and with such a unique magic concept. Not only do we have dragons but also werewolves that reside in secular communities that is until we have the the Ascension Rites—a legendary tournament where dragons fight monsters for the chance at winning divine favour.

Deyanara takes part in these rites and what follows is a blossoming sapphic love that navigates social hierarchy, changing the lives of all the Houses. Whilst this is a story of love it's also a story of grief which becomes more prominent in the way present tense is changed to past tense signifying that though a loved one is gone, they'll always be a part of your story and there's a real beauty in that.

This is book two in the Magic and Malice series though both this and 'The Wrath of The Never Queen' can be read as standalones.

[Jvles]

This story had a lot of potential and some very cool ideas but it did fall a little flat in the end. I really liked this world but would have liked to know so much more about it. A little more world-building would have been great. The romance was more of an afterthought than the focus of the story. I definitely would have liked to see more of the relationship between Deyanara and Novalie. The emotion happened in the found family rather than their relationship but it wrecked my heart all the same and had me crying at the beach while I was reading it. The suspense never really got exciting. I felt like most problems were solved to smoothly and too quickly and the vague motivations of some of the characters didn't help with getting invested. In the end, it was a story about friendship that beautifully handled discussions of grief and loss and I appreciated it for being exactly that.

[Rachie Hachie]

I jumped at the opportunity to arc read Storm Lomax’s second novel after I enjoyed her first. I really liked that this was built from the same universe of Wrath of the Never Queen but explored the experiences of a new set of characters. It was helpful having read her previous book to understand some of the world building so would encourage people to read Wrath of the Never Queen first.

I really enjoyed this book. I liked the characters and thought their was strong relationships between them and enjoyed that friendship was the foundation. I enjoy Storm’s writing style which I find easy to read, sometimes within the Romantasy genre authors over-complicate their universes with heavy prose but I didn’t feel this was the case.

Arc Reader given an advanced copy for reviewing 4/5⭐️

Thank you to Storm and Whimsy Words PR for letting me Arc Read.

[KelseyReadsABunch]

I really enjoyed this one and it completely surprised me.

Going in, I was a little hesitant because of the Cinderella retelling angle in the description. Honestly, I think this story is strong enough to stand on its own without leaning on that comparison. It feels like its own unique, dark fantasy rather than just a retelling.

The world-building was fantastic, with plenty of mystery, morally grey characters, and a cast that felt wonderfully flawed. I also loved the dragon shifters and the exploration of class differences.

More than anything, I was surprised by how well written it was. It definitely exceeded my expectations.

Highly recommend this one. Thanks to NetGalley for the chance to read this arc.

[PrincessStitchy]

House of the Iron Reaper - Storm Lomax

Oh my the way this book starts I'm emotionally crushed and only 3% in!

Also NOT forgiven for that DEATH excuse you, well BOTH deaths!

The way Storm created the relationship between Novalie and Dey was full of slow burn angst and you just hoped they'd shut up and admit it lol!

Honestly Storm's writing style is top notch she grabs you from the start throws you around, emotionally destroys you at parts then puts you back togerher again!

I did not see the ending coming at all and I am always here for that in a book! The world building is brilliant and you can 100% visualise all the scenes, and watch especially Dey grow thoughout the book!

You know I love a side character and Ronan and Deimos were brilliant.

[van]

“You are not destruction. You are power.”

This book instantly had me at badass lesbian dragon-shifters but oh my god. This book easily earns a spot on my favorites of the year.

Fast paced but it works perfectly with the story. The characters are written with such care and admiration, they are so beautifully brought to life on page. This is a book that changes perspectives often, but not in a way that is at all confusing for the reader. Each characters story is so perfectly woven into one another’s.

I cannot wait for my copy to come in the mail so I can annotate the living hell out of this reread this book over and over again. This book will break your heart and then mend it again, truly amazing work to behold.