Until the Dragons Fly: A Dark Fantasy Standalone

by E.J. Ashwood

In a world shrouded beneath a dark haze, where beasts stalk the onyx night and luminescent plants color the darkness, ancient enemies must unite to break a deadly curse before it destroys them all.In Everrynd, a cursed kingdom of eternally gray days, strange vegetation, and mysterious beasts that stalk the onyx nights, the elves rule over all.

Even the once-fearsome dragons.

It’s been over a thousand years since the witch’s curse cast an everlasting magical veil over the land—a haze that will never dissipate and is poisoning nearly all life beneath it, little by little.

When Elysande, the elven princess, stumbles upon an ancient clue from the past, hope flickers for the first time in ages. Can she finally free the land from the suffocating mist that cloaks it, all while escaping the king’s notice?

Alone, she likely doesn’t stand a chance. But when unlikely allies band together after a misunderstanding or two—one involving a knife at her throat courtesy of a particularly mean dragon shifter—will they be able to break the curse once and for all?

One thing is understood upon by each of them.

They will die trying.

Genres: Dragons, Romantasy, Romance, Magic, Fantasy, Enemies To Lovers, Spicy

527 pages, Paperback

Published July 16, 2026

Reviews

[Books &Chaos · Rating 5 out of 5]

Until the Dragons Fly is an absolute must-read if you’re looking for a book that will make you feel every emotion with an intensity that could rival the sun.

This book is fast-paced and completely captivated me from start to finish. There wasn’t a single moment where I felt bored or wanted to put it down. None of the “it starts slow” or “it drags in the middle” comments here—this story had me completely locked in for the entire ride.

It’s a standalone romantasy featuring a slow burn that eventually turns spicy, and let me tell you… the slow burn is delicious! I genuinely had butterflies watching this romance unfold and when it finally did? It was everything I hoped for and more. The love story was epic, heartfelt, and so worth the wait.

But like I said, this book will make you feel every emotion. And that includes absolute heartbreak and devastation. Fair warning: you’re going to need tissues! I have never cried so hard over a book in my life. At one point I had to stop reading because the tears were falling so hard I literally couldn’t see the words on the page.

So, would I recommend this book? Absolutely! Without hesitation. If you love romantasy filled with adventure and a love story that will stay with you long after you turn the last page, you need to add Until the Dragons Fly to your TBR immediately.

Rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Spice: 🌶️🌶️

Tropes ✨:
DARK FANTASY STANDALONE
EPIC QUEST
A CURSED LAND
DRAGON SHIFTER X ELF
FOUND FAMILY
ENEMIES TO LOVERS
SLOW BURN ROMANCE

Thank you to the author for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

[bookrat_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

An absolutely beautiful slow burn romantasy. It comes with adventure, found family, lots of character growth, and heartbreak.
I loved watching Daegan and Elysande's romance blossom. The slow burn was amazing. At times you wanted to shake them, but you just have to sit back and enjoy.
I enjoyed all the friendships that grew from the adventure. The bonds that were made during trying times. Then you had the heartbreak. Let me tell you, the heartache is real. Have tissues on hand. I'm emotionally wrecked.

[Ashley(burntedgesandbooks) · Rating 4 out of 5]

A standalone dark fantasy? YES PLEASE. This does not happen enough, and I get that and love series but the long standalone, genius.
This book wasn't want I was expecting. And it was really fun! I enjoyed this book a lot. The world building was great! It built as you went along but you also learn about the world and what was happening to it. This book mainly focused on Fae and dragon shifters, there are other species that are normally in it but it was all very differently set. I think it all worked out very well.
I really liked that this was a quest/adventure type of book! Which are always so entertaining. E.J Ashwood Did a wonderful job of keeping it light and continuing but also bringing in that dark and dangerous! All the characters were very well written and flowed really well with this story.
Elysande: at the beginning I thought she was a little immature but as you get to know her you understand why she feels that way. I do think that she grows into herself and her personality. The book takes in all her ups and downs and you experience them with her! I love that she wasn't instantly good at fighting or using her powers but she was always willing to learn.
Daegan, he was 100% he falls first type of guy. I also enjoyed his growth throughout the book. I mean for a MMC he was the perfect type, and Dude was a dragon how could you go wrong? I really loved that he would literally do whatever he could for Elle.
Raef, oh Raef. I loved him so much! He was such the perfect best friend. I loved how he was always happy, always willing for the next exciting thing! I also really loved that he was so strong and steady throughout the whole book.
The ending... omg the ending. I can't even put it to words. it left me gasping, wondering if that was really the end? Satisfied but not? But I do think it was perfect for the book, 100% sad and devastating but still really good!
Also completely 100% did not see that coming, well one part not the other parts. But you need to read this to completely understand what my ramblings are about!

Thank you E.J Ashwood and her team for allowing to read this ARC early. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[E.A. Ellis · Rating 5 out of 5]

No. But what? I’m wrecked. I’m spiraling. I might throw up. All the feels. Go read it. That’s all I can really say at this moment in time. Until then, you can find me staring at a wall.

Tropes:

* Dragons
* Elves
* Slow Burn
* Curses
* Epic Quest
* Witty Banter
* Found Family

[Crysta Rae · Rating 1 out of 5]

ARC review- I’m thankful for the opportunity to receive a copy of this book for a review.

I normally would not put any review to a book I had not finished. This is only the second time I needed to DNF a book. And unfortunately, I do feel it warrants some review because of that.

This book very well may be what others love to read. Sadly for me after almost 50 pages into the story I had to call it quits.
The writing style is very childish and explains things in a way we would clearly understand already and wouldn’t need an explanation for. This book is long but I do feel it ls because it has a lot of filler. It reads less like it was presented and more like a 6-8th grade read which didn’t sit right with me given the context of the book. Even the use of profanity actively felt out of place. For a fantasy/ romantasy this felt like lost potential and it had the bones for something really amazing.

[Erin McDonnell · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book checks off so many of my boxes for what I look for in a fantasy novel: enemies to lovers, found family, deadly quest. I thought it was a very beautiful, easy to read story. My biggest problem with the book, however, is that events that I felt should have had so much build up, so much emotion attached to them just fell flat. They were mentioned and it felt like we just kept moving. There was a decent amount of connection we had to the characters and events so when there was no emotional pull to these catastrophic happenings it left large, empty hole in the development and continuation of the story. Overall, still loved the book and I love when a title is incorporated into the story so well.

[Melissa Mejia · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of receiving this as an e-ARC and voluntarily will be giving my honest review. Wow oh wow oh wow!! This was such a phenomenal read!! I totally devoured it and had a hard time putting it down. The world building and character building was absolutely amazing!! This was packed with adventures and quests!! If you love fated mates, elves and dragons you will definitely love this book!! This will forever be in my heart!! This is a dark fantasy standalone and a must read!!

“In a world shrouded beneath a dark haze, where beasts stalk the onyx night and luminescent plants color the darkness, ancient enemies must unite to break a deadly curse before it destroys them all.
In Everrynd, a cursed kingdom of eternally gray days, strange vegetation, and mysterious beasts that stalk the onyx nights, the elves rule over all.

Even the once-fearsome dragons.

It’s been over a thousand years since the witch’s curse cast an everlasting magical veil over the land—a haze that will never dissipate and is poisoning nearly all life beneath it, little by little.

When Elysande, the elven princess, stumbles upon an ancient clue from the past, hope flickers for the first time in ages. Can she finally free the land from the suffocating mist that cloaks it, all while escaping the king’s notice?

Alone, she likely doesn’t stand a chance. But when unlikely allies band together after a misunderstanding or two—one involving a knife at her throat courtesy of a particularly mean dragon shifter—will they be able to break the curse once and for all?

One thing is understood upon by each of them.

They will die trying.”

[kellyann ☾ · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 stars 💫

wowwwww, this was such a great book. the world building was amazing - enjoyable & not too much, the quests were so fun, & the romance was delicious. i couldn’t put it down!! & when i haddddd to put it down (bc life lol) i was thinking about it & when i could pick it back up again.

if you like ….

💜 Elves
💜 Dragon shifters
💜 Epic quest
💜 Elemental magic
💜 A cursed land
💜 Found family
💜 Banter
💜 He saves her
💜 Emotional damage

then you would LOVE until the dragons fly! this is a dark fantasy standalone & is available NOW & on kindle unlimited 🐉

i’m always down for books with dragons, so when i saw this ARC i had to apply! i’m so grateful for the opportunity to read this, thank you thank you thank you to the author! 💜

[Dani · Rating 4 out of 5]

Beautiful standalone fantasy that I wish were a series! Lots of character growth, found family, heartbreak, and adventure. It was fast-paced, and once I started, I didn’t want to put it down.

Slow-burn romantasy that has you so frustrated until you’re not. It was beautiful to watch the romance unfold, but also made me want to shake them.

There is heartbreak throughout, so make sure you have your tissues close! And the ending...I didn’t see it coming...I don’t know that I will recover from it.

If you’re looking for a great Romantasy/Dark Fantasy read, this is a must-add to your TBR.

[Katrina Rathbone · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC REVIEW:
This one was super close to being a five star read for me. It had all the elements I love about a good Romantasy: Enemies to lovers, found family, an unbreakable curse, the naive FMC who turns into a baddy, etc.
The pace dragged for a bit in the beginning, but picked up and kept me turning pages for the rest of the book. Then came the emotional damage. Ugh, excuse me?!?! One star deducted just for the heartbreak of that ending. In all seriousness, I saw it coming so I can’t say I was surprised by it, but it still hurt. Kept hoping I was just wrong.
I think in general I would have loved to have this broken up into a duet so the ending wouldn’t have felt as rushed, after waiting so long to get there. I wanted to savor it more.
I still enjoyed the journey, and the characters and each of their quirks was what made this book so enjoyable and worth the four stars for me. Thank you to the author for the advanced copy!!

[Jayden · Rating 1 out of 5]

I’m gonna start this off by saying I received this book as an ARC. It’s my first time ever arc reviewing and I was super excited! I’m ending this book severely disappointed and quite frankly pissed off. The story was mostly good and I enjoyed the plot, that is until they started killing off characters for no significant plot reasoning. I am honestly pissed of it turned out to not have a HEA romantically. No where that this book was advertised when I signed up to be an ARC reader did it say it DID NOT have a happy ever after of the romance.
Was the story good? Yes. Was the main character frequently childish? Yes. Honestly, it feels like the writer was scared to write a really good book. I felt like I was reading something I would have wrote as a teenager. I was constantly reading lines that would have been highlighted and quoted all over booktok, bookstagram, etc. only for it to be followed by the main character being like “Idk though i could just be crazy lol xD rawr” and ending up cringing though half the book.
This could have been an amazing book and held so much potential. It kinda crushed my heart to have spent so much time reading a nearly 700 page book only for the author to ruin it repeatedly.

[Janessa Shepard · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 3.5
Until the Dragons Fly is a story of perseverance and growth as a group of friends fight to dispell the curse that's destroying their world. They are forced to fight through monsters—animal and elven—to reach their goals, and on the way they discover the deepest parts of each other. They encounter many setback, but they refuse to give in. They may not know it, but they are the only ones who can save their world.

The characters and plot are a highlight of this story for me. I absolutely adore Daegon, the MMC, and his best friend, Raef. They are both very well written. Daegon seems ornery at first, but slowly opens up into such a caring sweetheart toward Elysande, the FMC. It's clear he forms strong bonds with those he trusts and is endlessly loyal. Raef is joyful, mischievous, and loveable. He's the perfect best friend to anyone and everyone he meets. Elysande goes through a lot of growth throughout this narrative, going from naive and adorable to hardened but perseverant. Meela is another character I really connected with—she's very serious but her character softens after spending time with Raef. All of the main characters really drew me in.

The plot was incredible to watch unfold as well. An epic journey to cure the land isn't a super original idea, but the story beats did feel unique. I really enjoyed that the characters didn't immediately know what to do and had to go through a lot of hoops to reach their goals. I LOVE that there are actually consequences and it's not guaranteed that the main characters will live to see the curse broken. I think too many authors avoid giving real consequences to their characters, so this was really refreshing. The pacing worked pretty well, though there were some lulls that felt a bit long.

While I very much enjoyed the plot and character, I did struggle a bit with the writing itself. I think this story could've easily been a 5 star had it been a bit more polished. Below are my notes taken during my read that goes more in depth into my thoughts! SPOILERS AHEAD

I admit, I was initially worried that I wouldn't enjoy this read. The first few chapters felt a bit thrown together. It started in the middle of the action, but didn't tell the reader what was going on, which I think was initially detrimental. Everything was too mysterious. My writing professors always suggest telling the reader everything the main character knows, and I think that would've helped in those first chapters.
On top of that, Elysande was a bit too childish in the beginning. It made it hard to like her initially.

However, once the story got rolling, I was all in. There's a lot of good world building, with clear consequences and interesting politics caused by the curse. I really like the idea that the curse negatively affects much of the land but allows elves to hold more power over the other races. It adds a lot of conflict to the relationships, especially between the main characters.

Elysande became much more likable very quickly. I love that she's innocent and a bit naive but still willing to give her all to help others. Especially when she hasn't met who she's trying to help. She has such a good heart and is easy to fall for. I really enjoy the core group. Raef is a loveable goof and his dynamic with Meela is so fun to watch unfold. I like how Daegan isn't nearly as broody as Elysande seems to think—he often smiles with Raef and opens up to Elysande. The pacing that his character unfolds works really well. I do think Rhydra and Gaethri are underwritten, unfortunately. They feel thrown into the narrative and not completely necessary.

I do wish Elysande and Meela would've trained more. Magic came way too easily for them in my opinion. Think of in ATLA when Katara really struggles to learn water bending and Aang figures it out immediately. Elysande and Meela are both Aang. They sit down with some books and are immediately able to recreate the moves. It just felt rushed to me. The fact that neither really attempts to train for battle outside of their magic was frustrating as well.

There are some character revelations that feel sudden and forced. I only noticed this in part two—part one all felt very intentional and well done. It just seemed like there were moments in part two where revelations were forced to add to what was going on, but it just felt a bit sloppy and unnecessary. When Rhydra reveals her heritage it doesn't feel natural, as if justifying why her character is important. It's very sudden, with no real foreshadowing (that I caught, at least). The same thing happens later with Kezra. I tend to miss foreshadowing but these reveals really came out of nowhere. The ending with Daegon felt better, but still a bit off. Like his ending came after the narrative and the corresponding foreshadowing was added to the story later but not completely blended in. I wasn't expecting the ending to happen exactly as it did, but I wasn't surprised either.

I adore Elysande and Daegon's relationship. I love how fearcily protective he is of her despite the knowledge that must haunt him. Seeing him want nothing but to hold her close is so endearing. I think Ashwood did an amazing job with the growth of their relationship; it doesn't feel rushed at all. It just feels right.

This is more of a nitpick than anything, but the swearing did get annoying and felt unnecessary. The f word felt thrown in because it could be, not because the characters actually spoke that way. It just didn't feel natural and only seemed to start in part 2.

Part 2 felt rushed to me—I think part 1 would've been a 5 star without it, and part 2 could've been a second book. With some more editing I think it could've really stood out as well. I do like this book, I think it's worth the read, but it isn't quite as polished as I would've liked.

[Anita · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review for Until the Dragons Fly by E.J. Ashwood:

“Imagine. Two dragon shifters, two elves, a Dothronite, and a Skeldaryn. An unlikely bunch of allies. We’re becoming a real…” Raef stops, tilting his chin up as he thinks. “A real tribe of misfits? No. A troop of unlikely allies?”

When all the world and its species are suffering except for the elves, what do you do? Well, you stand up to the tyranny and find a way to break the curse that made the sun, moon, stars and skies disappear. And do it with a unique blend of people you shouldn't trust but do.

You know a book is going to be great when someone thinks about punching a dragon shifter in the dick within the first ten pages of the book. This just starts off the internal and external banter of the book. You gotta love a best friend like Meela, Kezra and Raef when it comes to open, honest lampoonery. The amount of times I almost choked on something because of a laugh is always an amazing sign in a book. You can really see the found family dynamic that all the characters needed throughout.

“I don’t deserve you.”

And then there's the aspect of love that's growing between our MCs. He braids her hair and rubs her feet. They are there for one another whether in silence, in strength or understanding. I'm a sucker for anytime a guy plays with or braids hair. It's the simple things that add a whole other level of trust and relationship building.

Intuition, hope, perseverance and caring are major themes throughout. Striving to do better, to be better than those who turn a blind eye to the suffering of the world in the name of power. That even through the hard times, which there are here, they keep fighting, pushing and loving.

You definitely don't have to fight or push your way through this story. Pages fly by as you are fully immersed in the lives and scenery in this book. You may lose sleep, but you won't miss it. At least not until you reach the end. This is a 5☆ must read tale. Your only regret will be that you didn't read it sooner.

I want to thank the author and publisher for allowing me to be an early part of this book's journey and for trusting my opinions of it. It truly is an epic that deserves to be read and worshipped.

[Taylor · Rating 4 out of 5]

I honestly didn’t expect this story to pull me in as quickly as it did, but once I was invested, I couldn’t stop reading. Every chapter made me want to know what was waiting around the next corner, and before I knew it, I was flying through the pages.

This book delivers everything I love in fantasy—magic, dangerous quests, unforgettable characters, found family, slow-burning tension, and plenty of emotional moments. The world felt immersive without being overwhelming, and I really enjoyed watching the relationships develop naturally throughout the story.

One thing I appreciated most was that the characters felt human despite the fantasy setting. They weren’t perfect, they made mistakes, and their growth made every victory and setback feel meaningful.

And that ending… I definitely wasn’t prepared. Even after finishing, I kept thinking about the characters and everything they went through. It’s the kind of book that stays with you long after you close it.

If you’re looking for a character-driven fantasy filled with adventure, emotion, and just enough romance to keep you invested, this one is absolutely worth adding to your TBR.

Thank you to the author for providing me with an ARC in exchange for my honest review!

[Sam G · Rating 5 out of 5]

This story gripped me from the first page. Right out the gate I was invested in the characters and the FMC’s quest to solve the curse plaguing the land. The tenacity of the elf princess FMC Elysande working to break the curse is so engaging to read. She will stop at nothing. I mean NOTHING to solve it. Even collaborating with the supposed “enemies” and making a found family I adored!
Which brings me to our MMC Daegan. He is dangerous and wants to figure out what Elysande is up to. Maybe even join her? The back and forth between their characters is so well done. I feel the tension and yearning! This is a good slow burn. Just the way I like it! The banter is top notch. 🤌🏻
The way Ashwood does world building is phenomenal. I feel like I’m walking through the fantastic bioluminescent forest with different plants and creatures than I’ve ever encountered in a story. The story and world are so immersive. I couldn’t believe it was a standalone! Have your tissues ready. This one will emotionally gut you. I highly recommend this book!
Did I mention that one of her besties is a plant? 🌱 so cute!

[Diana Chinchilla (dianasbookhaven) · Rating 4 out of 5]

𝙁𝙞𝙣𝙞𝙨𝙝𝙚𝙙: 8/15/2026
𝙍𝙖𝙩𝙞𝙣𝙜: 💜💜💜💜
𝙎𝙥𝙞𝙘𝙚: 🌶️
𝙏𝙚𝙖𝙧𝙨: 🤧😢
𝙏𝙧𝙤𝙥𝙚𝙨: Fantasy
Enemies to Lovers
Magic & Curses
Political Intrigue
Found Family
Slow Burn


𝙁𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙌𝙪𝙤𝙩𝙚: To envy another is to curse everything that you are


🆁🅴🆅🅸🅴🆆: Here I was, chugging along, thinking the shattering had already happened only to be slapped in the face & punched in the gut with how wrong I was.
The story pulled me in from the start and every time a new character was introduced, I was left feeling whole & slowly empty all at once.
The bond between the group was so well written, the journey to end the curse is magically perfect - yet tragic. I ate it all up. From the minor roll of the plant that left me wanting one of my own, to the fierce grumpy best friend that had me wishing was around more, it all just consumed my every thought.
I had all these feelings and thoughts about my review but when I got the last page, they went out the window.

[Michelle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Have you ever read a book that completely sucks you into its world? Like, you just can’t help but get lost in it? That’s what Until the Dragons Fly did for me.

Don’t let the time it took me to read fool you; life happened and I couldn’t read as much as I wanted to. But when I hit about 30% in my eARC, I think I read the last 70% in 2 days. It was so hard to put down until I couldn’t breathe and I had to for my own sanity.

Until the Dragons Fly is a dark fantasy about one elf princess and an unlikely band of allies who are on an epic quest to heal their cursed land. There is found family, banter, peril, yearning, magic, fighting, and a bit of spice that is totally on point! And let’s not talk about the emotional damage! This book made me laugh, want to throw my Kindle across the room, cry, yell, and sob. And yet, the worst thing about this book is that it’s a standalone! This is the second standalone I’ve read in 2026 that I wish wasn’t.


What have you done to me, E. J. Ashwood??? Until the Dragons Fly continues to consume my thoughts days after I finished reading. Thank you so much for giving me the opportunity to read the ARC!

[Alina Bryson · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC review of Until the Dragons Fly:

This was my first ARC I ever read and I want to say I am so grateful for the opportunity and WHAT A BOOK TO START OFF MY ARC READING JOURNEY. This book had so much amazing world building and it was so unique and different. The ending is just so good. The author rips out your heart and stomps on it (in a good way?), we love a good heartbreak romantasy novel. It is funny, cute, intriguing and holds your interest all the way through. I mean I will say I read the last half of it in two days literally and this book is almost 700 pages. The author really knows how to get you to feel connected to the characters without you realizing just to rip your heart out later. Please go preorder it on Amazon for 99 cents or buy it when it comes out! You won’t regret this read! It is slow-paced because it is a standalone and the author goes in depth to make sure we really feel immersed in the story, so keep that in mind. Also, HE BRAIDS HER HAIR!!! 🥺🥺

Y’all also have no idea what the title means and I can’t wait for you guys to find out 😭😭😭

This book follows an elf princess as she is trying to research how to break a curse that has been on her land for a very long time and realizes her enemies are trying to do the same. Imagine if you couldn’t see the stars, the moon, the sun, and everything was gray ALL THE TIME LIKE MORE THAN IN THE PACIFIC NORTHWEST (it rains and is gray most of the year here), wouldn’t you try to break that curse too, especially if it was killing off different people?

[Nena Taylor · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the best time reading this book. I loved the world building, I loved the premise of this book, and I loved the characters and adored the side characters. Raef felt like a Ridoc from Fourthwing and I just adored him. This book was very well written and I highly recommend it

[Andrea Kersey · Rating 5 out of 5]

That ending was uncalled for

[Rachel Wright · Rating 2 out of 5]

I. Am. Pissed. The miscommunication was insane. The information dumps were annoying and the character deaths felt pointless??? The main character irritated me so much that I felt myself hate reading. And the ending???? Be so fr right now. The real world sucks enough as it is I don’t want my books to end that way as well.

[Sarah Berkowitz-Melton · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐ V&V RATING
Overall Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Spice Level: 🌶️🌶️
Emotional Damage: 🖤🖤🖤
Tropes: Enemies to Friends to Allies to Lovers, Political Intrigue, Man vs. Nature, Hidden Magic, Witches, Fae, Dragons, Found Family

I truly enjoyed this book, and not just because it was a standalone (which, let's face it, is epic). This book felt different, and happily, the ending most definitely was! This book was clear in its message, I believed in the characters, and loved the found family.

[Jenn Merriman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you to the author for the eARC! It took me a little to figure out what to write in the rating. First off 5 stars - without a doubt. I know this was a standalone but I wouldn’t have been mad if it was a series. I loved the characters and became invested in them all. When I say my heart shattered and that one scene at the end, I’m talking about crying on the treadmill at the gym completely in shock and speechless and heartbroken. I cannot wait to see what you do next!!!

[Haley Bohme · Rating 5 out of 5]

✨ Until The Dragon’s Fly completely swept me away! I’m so grateful I had the opportunity to receive an ARC of this incredible story, and I genuinely never saw the ending coming, it left me absolutely shocked in the best possible way. This is one of those books that stays with you long after you turn the final page. 🐉💙📚

[Nate Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Until The Dragons Fly by @ejashwood


Our FMC, Elysande (the elven princess of Allydra) meets a couple of dragon shifters. They have a secret, but so does she.

She spends most of her time in the library looking for clues to help lift this curse upon the land.

A curse that benefits the Elves, by the way. 
Dragons can no longer fly, dangerous creatures roam outside the walls, and the sky can no longer be seen thru the gray haze left by the curse.

The Dragons are in Allydra, for political face-and information gathering (and no one is able to refuse the King anyways)

Things begin to pick up from here.

Enemies become allies ( for the moment)

Secrets about the curse become unraveled as shifters Daegan and Raef join Elysande in the pursuit of a witch who might give them more information.

From here things heat up. 🔥Literally🔥

There's comic relief when needed, there's tears (and blood) shed.

Plenty of banter and yearning, and heartbreak to seal the deal.

I can't say much more, because you have to see this tale unravel yourselves. It's fulfilling, but it's hurtful.
It's beautiful and painful.

Definitely at least a 4 🌟 for me!

[CassiieeReads · Rating 4 out of 5]

After careful consideration, I’d give this book a 3.75-star rating, rounded up to 4 stars because it was genuinely a difficult decision to make.
Overall, I found this book to be enchantingly fascinating and never wanted it to end. I finished this 688-page standalone novel in about 2 days.

!! Some spoilers ahead !!

Characters
• One of the strongest aspects of this book was its cast. Nearly every character introduced felt important to the story and had a meaningful role to play.
• Elysande was a wonderful balance of independent and dependent, which I think is difficult to write correctly. She was proactive and capable, often taking matters into her own hands, yet she gradually let others in when she trusted they shared her goals. Despite her reluctance, she remained inviting and inclusive rather than abrasive. Most importantly, she was not reduced to being a damsel in distress waiting to be rescued.
• Daegan, in my opinion, had an excellent character arc. His feelings for Elysande evolved naturally—from outright hatred due to her race and tolerance to reluctant trust and eventually love. The progression felt gradual and believable. We, as readers, were given the chance to fall in love with Daegan alongside Elysande.
• Meela… this might be a hot take, but I was not fond of her at first. She’s cold and distant, which is fine since no one wants a copy and paste of each character, but she didn’t really seem like a great friend to Elysande. At first. The more she and Elysande interacted, the more I began to see how close Elysande and Meela were and how accepting they were of each other’s contrasting personalities. I absolutely loved the scene where Meela opened up to Elysande about her trauma, and that was the moment I really fell in love with Meela’s character. And I LOVED that she and Raef had begun to form a bond.
• Raef was a fantastic source of comic relief, and I loved that it wasn’t his only purpose. He still expressed complexity and struggled with trauma much the same as the others yet valued the importance of humor in tough times. He could pull someone out of their spiraling thoughts without ever minimizing their pain.
• I do wish we had spent more time with Adrian early on. His role felt more like a plot conflict than an emotional gut punch; I wanted to understand why Elysande had grown fond of him over the years and feel what Elysande first felt for him. Strengthening both her feelings for him and his feelings for her would have made his betrayal far more devastating. Instead, we were given glimpses of her crush, his surface-level interest, and then Daegan quickly stepped into that role. The transition felt somewhat rushed.
• As for the Elf King (whose name I’ve forgotten because eff that guy), I have no complaints about how his character was written. However, I do wish we’d gotten to know him and his relationship with Elysande (his daughter) a bit better. I really wanted to know WHY the king didn’t want the curse to be broken outside of just wanting power. Usually there’s an underlying motive, such as anger or fear, and I wanted to hear from him about the curse and the state of the realm more.
• My thoughts on Taevis, Daegan’s father, are much the same as the king. I wanted to get to know him, his relationship with his son, and even his relationship with the other dragon shifters more.
• Gaethri and Rhydra, I felt, were an odd pairing that didn’t really make sense to me, and I wished we’d gotten a bit more of their backgrounds. I understand their importance to the plot, Gaethri more than Rhydra, and I don’t think they were unnecessary. However, the reveal about Rhydra’s parentage felt a bit underwhelming because it ultimately didn’t seem to have much impact on the story and she never got to fulfill her adamant vengeance against her father.
• Phaedra was the one character I felt was a bit unnecessary, and her betrayal felt more like an afterthought than intentional. I think there was a lot of potential to make that betrayal more shocking if there’d been time spent building a relationship between Elysande and Phaedra.
• Yara truly felt like an afterthought. She never became a conflict but was just there, seemingly, to make Elysande feel confusion and jealousy over her unexpected fondness of Daegan. She was there right before Meela’s party and then was never mentioned again.

World Building
• The world itself was absolutely fascinating.
• My only real complaint is that many of the descriptions felt somewhat vague. I desperately wanted more information about the beasts and how they came to exist. Surely, after years of studying and reading, Elysande would have encountered books detailing how the curse transformed the world over time.
• I was also a little confused about the different racial regions. Were they independent kingdoms with their own monarchies/laws? How were they situated in relation to one another? I found myself wanting a clearer understanding of the political and geographical landscape.
• The magic system was equally intriguing but somewhat underexplained. While the concept was compelling, there was little explanation of the mechanics behind the magic or the costs associated with using it.
• Overall, I loved the world; it just left me with wanting to know -more- about it.

The Writing
• My biggest criticism of the writing itself is that certain words and phrases occasionally felt too modern for the setting. Whenever they appeared, they pulled me out of the story and disrupted my immersion.
• Several events felt as though they were brushed aside when they could have served as valuable opportunities for character and relationship development. For example, Elysande was initially very determined to train with Adrian. However, she and Meela seemed to have only attended a single training session before the focus shifted almost entirely to reading about their elemental abilities and then putting that knowledge into practice. I would have liked to have seen more of these training sessions, not only to develop their skills but also to strengthen the character dynamics and relationships—this could have also been an excellent way to explain how magic works, since neither Elysande nor Meela has a full understanding either.

Final Thoughts
• Despite my criticisms, I genuinely loved this book. The plot kept me invested from beginning to end, and I’m sad that it's come to an end.
• Many of my criticisms stem from wanting more. More character depth, more geographical and ecological exploration, and more insight into the magic system.

* This book could have easily been developed into a duology to fully expand on the world, magic system, and building relationships and tension.

* This book will absolutely destroy you. I had anticipated many of the shocking and heartbreaking moments, so they didn’t hit me quite as hard. The ending, however, is an entirely different story. No matter how you think the book is going to end—even while you’re actively reading the ending—you’re probably wrong.

* I sincerely hope the author continues to write in this world, even if not directly related to this set of characters.

[Izzi · Rating 2 out of 5]

NOTE: I'm so sorry about the delayed review, I was travelling and the in-flight service fucking lied about the availability of WIFI.

once again i find myself victim of a really, really good ending that changes my perception of this entire book.

but like guys seriously it was a really good ending

elysande needs a fucking reality check
If I were to sum up the FMC in one word, it would be clueless. Never in my life have I ever read about someone so exhaustingly naive.
So the whole premise of the story is that Elysande isn't like the other nobles (refreshing from the not like other girls at least) and cares about the country. Yet, somehow, it has never crossed her little mind that maybe the other nobles... are bad? And have ulterior motives? Like yeah! All these people are suffering under the guidance of the people in charge might be suffering... because of them??? Woah. What an idea. One that Elysande clearly hasn't grasped yet.
Besides this, the whole betrayal by Phaedra was remarkably stupid in terms of Elysande's little brain. She's obviously close with Adrian. So why the fuck wouldn't she betray Elysande???

something is not adding up here and its not their terrible math skills
(of course im only assuming but you never know...)
Because it's a romantasy, obviously the FMC has never learned to fight before. Also because it's a romantasy, the male lead decides to teach her to fight. A common trope but not necessarily a bad one.
HOWEVER, in this particular situation, Elysande and her friend learn to fight using a book. A book that Elysande, someone who spends half her life in libraries, apparently just came across. Which could work but you're telling me even after coming to the realization that her world's all wrong she never even attempted to have the ability to fix it herself? Like hello??? This is another level of useless and one that I don't particularly like.
So, she finds this book, right, and she somehow gains entire years' worth of magical ability by reading and learning from this book ONCE.
Someone should get her into solving global warming because what. the. fuck.

i guess nobody else is allowed to have plans besides her???
The justification for her romance was wildly weak and was a very obvious plot decide. I also cannot believe (by then i shouldve started believing) Elysande never even thought about how her decisions may be used against her.
It was at this point that I realized Elysande is so fucking useless that I need to personally apologize to everyone I've called useless in the past.

what is wrong with everyone
I've been writing this review for a while now, and I realized that I have some sort of grievance with every character.
THE WEIRD UNHINGED MOTHERFUCKER: A romantasy isn't complete without a prophecy, which is where Maethrel comes in. Now, because everyone is FUCKING IDIOTIC, they spill their guts to some sketchy stranger. As we do. Who then proceeds to offer a guiding hand (another plot device!!!) because obviously this dude knows EXACTLY what's good for them and tells them EXACTLY what to do next. And he also has a bunch of little spidey things that are defeated by an Elysande and then Maethrel has the fucking audacity to utter the words "don't insult them by calling them weak".
DEATHS OF MAIN CHARACTERS: didn't impact them! No, they just kept on walking. Problem solved and all that fucking jazz I guess???
however i will say i liked raef and meela had a pretty good story.

telling not showing
This entire book felt incredibly rigid. Everything is just... told. Like you're told that so-and-so's brave, but then he turns into some sort of sad mush at the first sign of trouble. Someone's brilliant, but it's never backed up. The writing just wasn't for me, which probably contributed to a lot of my issues.

Thank you to the author for this eARC in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.

[Magg · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐️ 1🌶️
OKAY EMOTIONAL DAMAGE?!?! It takes a lot to make me cry in a book, and this one had me SO close to shedding a tear. The ending made everything feel full-circle, and while the ending was unpredictable, it felt fitting to the world.
I think the writing style is effective yet a bit simple. It’s very conversational, and feels a bit disjointed at times when the FMC abruptly changes topics. Similarly, the beginning sets the scene in a way that feels cliche - where she immediately meets the MMC and has a different suitor and wants to train to defend herself all happening in the first 5% of the book.

TROPES
Reluctant Allies to Lovers
Dragon Shifter x Elf
Love Triangle
Breaking a Curse
Star-Crossed Lovers
Standalone Epic Fantasy

THE WORLD
I feel like the worldbuilding is good here! I did want a tiny bit more from the beginning though just to clarify the magic system and the political structure, but overall it was good. Some of the species were unique (Dothronites, Sylocs, etc) while others were typical in fantasy (like werewolves, elves, and the dragon shifters). It felt like a good combination of species I’m familiar with and species I’m not familiar with.
I would call this an epic fantasy due to the quest and the path that had to be taken to succeed. I do feel like there were too many instances of “oh! This is convenient that exactly what I need is easy to get” in a way that made it feel too easy for me. I feel like this would have thrived as a duology where things were more challenging and laid out more.
Similarly, I found the world to be reasonably detailed, but I would have loved even more to set the scene. They travelled a bit and I would have liked more detail on the changes in scenery.

THE CHARACTERS
Our group of MCs was really fun, and I found all of them to have strong personalities. They all had their own backstories and I felt like they were all decently developed, even though there were six of them.
Surprisingly, I feel like out of the six, Elysande and Daegan had the least original backstories and were the least developed. I would have liked to see more of their originality come through.

THE ROMANCE
The banter was fun and I loved Elysande’s yearning! It was fun but didn’t detract from the main plot.
The spice was lackluster for me. It was a little bland and lacked detail to bring emotion into the story.

Thank you to E. J. Ashwood for the ARC!!

QUOTES:
*quotes are from an advanced readers copy. Please refer to the final publication for official quotes*

“To all those who feel like they can't fly, may you one day discover your wings.”

“Yes, some might think the world has peace. But is it peace if the majority of species are struggling to survive, the very essences of their beings threatened or already destroyed?”

“We are not simply the bad guys for sitting around passively while everyone else suffers, like I thought. We are the bad guys because we are still actively destroying other people and their lands.”

"You're a warrior."
Then she subtly dips her head.
"I can barely hold a sword," I scoff.
"There are many different kinds of warriors."

"I feel like I'm not even breathing air when you're near me. I'm just breathing you. And if I don't get enough, I'm slowly dying inside. I can never get enough,"

"Storms visit us all. What matters is whether we build shelters... or learn to dance in the rain."

“I don't need to see the fucking sky, because you're it. You're my sky, my stars, my moon, my sun. I don't need to see any of them to know that they don't compare to you. If I die gazing upon your face, then I'll die happy. Nothing else matters anymore. Everything I do now, I do it for you."

[ARIII ♡ · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 🌟

As bad as it sounds, I love a tragedy. It's actually crazy how I nearly DNF'd this book, but I stand on my convictions and I just can never bring myself to actually do it because some stories may actually surprise you. And boy did Ashwood throw me on a roller coaster with no warning but a "hold on!"

So let's get into this story, we're presented with a magical world where elves are rulers of all other species, but the lands have been cursed by a witch that has left them in a veil concealing sunlight and moonlight. Due to them living without natural light, some species go extinct, along with vegetation, which forces all their lives to adjust. Our FMC, Elysande, has the chance to free the land of such a fate but she must befriend the dragons shifters, who they have a rocky relationship with, to possibly break the curse. Sounds like an epic adventure to me and I absolutely loved the idea of this world cloaked in darkness, the concept is different.

Now, by 4% I was indeed ready to tap out. Our FMC, Elysande meets our MMC—Daegan, he has a knife to her neck thinking she’s overheard his conversation. At this point he does not know she is the princess of the Elven kingdom, so naturally he does threaten her along the lines of "I'll be watching you." And the second time they come in contact she’s already calling him a stalker which by the way, they're at a BALL that is "WELCOMING" the dragon shifters so I was a little confused on how he’s a stalker when he is literally meant to be there… for honestly the first few chapters Elysande was just insufferable and I almost couldn't take it. She describes his behavior as stalking but that man was not checking for her foreal. Was he watching her if they were in the same room, yes, but thats literally what he said he'd do. Which if I was a dragon shifter in enemy lands, I'm watching everybody if we're honest and again he suspected her of over hearing a conversation which could be considered treason.

Next I feel as though there was a slight dead spot and a lot of repetition. They spend a lot of time in the library going over the same details and I started to forget the plot. But once the adventure begins, the story takes off and really grabs your attention. Elysande, Daegan, and Raef, Daegan's cousin/ best friend, must trust each other and save all the other people of the land for the veil does not too much effect the lives of the elves. The adventure was fun as more pieces to the puzzle began to reveal itself and the friends made along the way, both added a lightness and darkness to the story. Hope that they could really break the curse and the constant reminder of what the veil has taken from them.

As the story comes to an end, I caught myself sighing in relief because there were some tough times throughout but the end is so near how could anything else possibly happen? Right? WRONG! Ashwood presents us with yet a real tragedy and I would have never guessed such a turn of events. I was DEVASTATED. Had to put the Kindle down and catch my bearings before I could completely finish the last few pages. As much as I love a happy ending, I love a tragedy just the same. My feeling may have been played with and maybe like Elysande, I desperately wished things could have been different but I appreciated the ending and the characters even more.

[Peyton · Rating 5 out of 5]

In E.J. Ashwood’s standalone romantasy Until the Dragons Fly, readers will embark on a journey as our characters race against the clock to break the dark magic blanketing the sky, allowing dragons to fly once more, or die trying.

Long ago, the stars twinkled in the night sky, the moon shone brightly overhead, and the sun radiated warmth over the land. Everything changed when a magical veil was cast across the sky, preventing those living below from ever seeing anything in the sky ever again. A thousand years later, the veil still covers the skies, but the land, and the different species living on Everrynd, are on the brink of extinction. Ellysande, princess of the elf kingdom and main female character, is harboring a secret. For years, she’s been researching a way to break the veil, but is unsuccessful. It is until the dragon delegation from the south is visiting for a political summit that her luck has changed. Daegan Vaelor from Torrynth also has a secret. He’s also trying to find a way to break the veil so that dragons can fly once more. Together, this unlikely pairing form an alliance to break the curse.

What’s not to love about our characters? Each one is well thought out and fleshed out. You can’t help but become emotionally attached to them. Each one of our merry band of heroes has their own reasons for breaking the veil, whether that be for years of oppression, prejudice against other magical beings, or love. Raef brings his humor in times of seriousness, Meela brings her friendship and her acceptance for others, Ellysande brings hope, Daegan brings his perseverance. Those they meet along the way contribute to the cause, and give readers hope. They may not have liked each other in the beginning, but everyone learned to trust one another in order to succeed. In trusting each other only then can they achieve their goal. They’re fighting for the greater good. In a world physically and metaphorically in the dark, their tenacity for hope is the bright light shining in the dark.

It was lovely to see Ellysande and Daegan’s relationship flourish over time from enemies to lovers. It was also beautiful to see their friendships, ones newly formed and ones years in the making. All the pieces coming together as if fate intervened. Plus the banter with how they talk to their friends with how they talk to each other, as well as their inner monologues was great. I didn’t see that twist at the end of the story in an already thrilling and descriptive plot. There were so many emotions that will have readers laughing, crying, and being emotionally attached to these characters and their stories.

All in all, this was an enjoyable reading experience about hope, love, resistance, and humanity.

I received an advance reader copy of this book from E.J. Ashwood for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily. My intentions are to write feedback that reflects my genuine thoughts and is written with the book’s genre and target audience in mind. I aim to review fairly and respectfully, focusing on the story’s purpose.