Under Restless Skies

by Day Leitao

One wrong move could end her life. One forbidden bond could claim her heart.

Mayara has always dreamed of becoming a sentinel to defend the realm from invading dragons and the brutal riders who command them. 

But when a charming thief full of secrets sabotages her entry trial of the Sky Academy, that future falls apart. Before she can accept defeat, he offers her a dangerous bargain: help him steal dragon eggs, and he will secure her a second chance at the future he destroyed.

To survive the dragons and their riders, she'll have to trust the mischievous man who betrayed her—while fighting her growing attraction for him. 

But when an encounter with a rider almost kills her, she's saved by none other than a dragon, kindling a new power and awakening a strange connection, allowing her safe return to the kingdom. 

Mayara finally carves her place in the Sky Academy and even bonds with the stolen hatchlings.

But dark secrets lurk within the walls—and betrayal waits in the wings.. 
 
Some bonds are forged in fire. Some are meant to burn it all down.

Under Restless Skies is a steamy enemies-to-lovers epic romantasy featuring badass dragons, a ruthless rider, forbidden magic, cute hatchlings, a morally-gray prince, a heroine finding her power, and an academy hiding dangerous secrets. 

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dragons, Romance, Fiction, Enemies To Lovers

Paperback

Expected publication September 25, 2026

About the author

🪄 Magic, 💜 heart, 🗡️ action, and 😆 banter!

Find my socials at dayleitao.carrd.co/

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Day Leitao loves stories with romance, magic, and banter. With a penchant for morally grey, complex characters, and a lifelong appreciation for enemies to lovers, she writes heroes and heroines whose personalities collide in tons of shenanigans and sparks. She likes her romantasy exciting, romantic, and steamy, with characters finding their own strength and opening their hearts. 😂

Reviews

[Day Leitao]

I'm so excited for this book!
You know how I love enemies to lovers, and I hope ETL readers enjoy the dynamic in this series.
It's planned to be a duology.

[moon · Rating 4 out of 5]

— ARC review

4.5 ⭐️

RTC

[The Apron Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own. Thank you Day Leitao for this opportunity!

I really enjoyed this book, i read in two sittings! Immediately opening the book, it had me hooked and i did not want to put the book down. i love the prose of the dragons, the academy, and the trials.

Some aspects of the book i felt could’ve had more depth to them, felt a little surface level for my liking: the trials: we only catch a glimpse of the trials and would’ve loved an explanation on why those obstacles are chosen specifically. The dragons: more explaination on their origins and overall their dynamics with the humans. The academy: the founding of the academy, grading systems, felt like the academy portion didn’t have the vibe of a school at all. That being said, the plot, the secrets, and the characters made up for these significantly.

As for the characters, i loved the family dynamic of Maraya, Kaoi, and Laristella. The friendships the FMC, felt surface level but i enjoyed both of the friends personalities.

Overall, i had an amazing time reading this book. If you enjoy dragons, shady academic secrets, and life or death situations, highly recommend this book!

I will be 100% reading the second book!

[Courtney Martin · Rating 5 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Under Restless Skies was a little tough for me to get into at first, but once it grabbed my attention, it absolutely refused to let go. The pace picked up quickly, and before I knew it, I was completely hooked. I finished the entire book within 24 hours because I needed to know what happened next.

This story is absolutely brimming with lies, betrayal, secrets, and mysteries. Every time I thought I was starting to understand what was really going on, something else happened that had me questioning everything all over again. There are so many layers to unravel, especially when it comes to the academy, the dragons and riders, the magic, and the characters themselves. Trust is definitely in short supply in this book!

I also really enjoyed watching Mayara’s journey unfold. She’s fighting so hard for the future she’s always wanted, only to discover that things may not be nearly as black and white as she’s been led to believe. Add in dragons, forbidden magic, adorable hatchlings, dangerous secrets, a morally gray love interest, enemies-to-lovers tension, and plenty of steam, and I was sold.

The romance and tension were delicious, but it was honestly all of the unanswered questions and mysteries that made this so difficult for me to put down. By the end, I had SO MANY QUESTIONS, and I desperately wanted to keep reading.

And the worst part? Goodness knows when we’re getting book two! 😭 Because after that ending, I am nowhere near ready to leave this world behind.

A thrilling, addictive start to what has the potential to be an incredible romantasy series. I need the next book ASAP! 🐉🔥

Thank you Day Leitao and publisher for providing me with an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

[Amanda]

Thank you to Grimm & Co and the author for letting me read this early.

I really wanted to love it and I got a good chunk of the way in before realizing I was losing interest. It just wasn’t holding my attention any more. I got to 61% into this. I really tried to love it but it just wasn’t working for me. However the writing style was engaging so I may try something else from this author to see if I can like a different book of hers.

[°•~ Klaudyna☆▪︎°]

Coming soon!!!

[Neely · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️½ rounded up to 4

This ended up being a really mixed read for me. I flew through it in basically a day, so it was definitely easy to read and kept me entertained, but for most of the book I wasn't entirely sure that I actually liked it.

Even though this is New Adult rather than YA, the writing and characters often felt much younger to me. The dialogue in particular sometimes gave me a teenage feel that didn't always match the more adult content of the story. This may simply be a writing style that isn't completely for me rather than something inherently wrong with the book.

There is also a LOT happening, and somehow the whole thing felt like a bit of a whirlwind. I don't necessarily think the fast pacing bothered me because it definitely kept me reading, but I did find myself wishing some parts had been developed a little more. There was a lot going on, yet some of it still felt a little surface-level.

I also struggled quite a bit with Mayara. She came across as very naive and gullible at times, and her desperation to get what she wanted led to decisions that frustrated me. There were so many moments when things seemed incredibly obvious to me as the reader while she remained willing to go along with them, and I found myself wanting her to question what was happening around her a little more.

I also had a hard time figuring out how I was supposed to feel about one of the relationships. There were behaviors that raised some pretty enormous red flags for me very early on, but because Mayara seemed so willing to overlook them, for a while I genuinely wasn't sure if I was supposed to see them as red flags or if this was just meant to be a "morally gray" character. By the end, I felt like I understood what the book was doing much better, but getting there was occasionally a strange reading experience. Also, I think our definitions of morally gray are a little different, lol.

The steamier scenes weren't really for me either. That's partly personal preference because I read fantasy primarily for the fantasy and could happily live without spicy scenes altogether, but combined with how young some of the characterization felt, they seemed especially out of place to me.

Some of the bigger developments were also fairly easy for me to predict, although there were still things that surprised me.

But then that ending happened.

The last part...and by last I mean the last, like...4%, was easily my favorite section of the entire book. The story started moving in a direction that I found much more interesting, and suddenly I was much more curious about where all of this was going. I really liked where it ended, and it did make me want to see where the story is going, which felt like where I was hoping all along.

So this is a strange one to rate. I'm landing around 3.5 stars. I had quite a few "issues" with it, but I also read it in basically a day, it kept me entertained, and the ending made me want to continue the series. I'm actually hopeful that I'll enjoy the next book more now that the story seems to be heading in a direction that really grabbed me, although the writing style itself may just not be entirely for me.
Also, I have to mention that the cover is absolutely gorgeous.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC!

[Shiya · Rating 3 out of 5]

Under Restless Skies by Day Leitao
★ ★ ★ |🌶️🌶️.5| Book one in a romantasy series

"𝑰 𝒅𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒘𝒂𝒏𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒃𝒆 𝒔𝒐 𝒘𝒆𝒂𝒌 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒎𝒚 𝒋𝒐𝒚 𝒅𝒆𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒅𝒔 𝒐𝒏 𝒂 𝒎𝒂𝒏’𝒔 𝒘𝒉𝒊𝒎."

𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ 𝐇𝐨𝐧𝐞𝐬𝐭 𝐭𝐡𝐨𝐮𝐠𝐡𝐭𝐬

I've had mixed feelings throughout this entire book. This is the first book I've read which left me feeling so conflicted about whether I liked this or not. The reason for this low rating would be the "romance". In other words, swap out the MMC and this would be an easy 4.5 star read.

𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ 𝐖𝐨𝐫𝐥𝐝 𝐛𝐮𝐢𝐥𝐝𝐢𝐧𝐠 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐏𝐥𝐨𝐭

It felt easy to read, the world making sense more and more as you read along. The premise of stolen eggs and baby dragons had me sold, and it did deliver in that aspect. The romance was lacking to say the least, and I'm glad it was not what I originally imagined it to be.
I wish there could've been more hints about the plot twists, which at times felt too sudden.

𓂃˖ ࣪⊹ 𝐓𝐡𝐞 𝐂𝐡𝐚𝐫𝐚𝐜𝐭𝐞𝐫𝐬 𝐚𝐧𝐝 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐑𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧𝐜𝐞

𝑰’𝒎 𝒕𝒓𝒆𝒎𝒃𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒆𝒂𝒓𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒘𝒆𝒕𝒕𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒎𝒚 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔. “𝑪𝒂𝒏 𝑰 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒉𝒖𝒈?” 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒘𝒓𝒂𝒑𝒔 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒂𝒓𝒎𝒔 𝒂𝒓𝒐𝒖𝒏𝒅 𝒎𝒆. “𝑴𝒚 𝒍𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒍𝒆 𝒈𝒊𝒓𝒍. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒔𝒌 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒂 𝒉𝒖𝒈 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒔𝒕𝒂𝒓𝒕 𝒕𝒉𝒊𝒏𝒌𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆’𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒊𝒎𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒕𝒐𝒓 𝒊𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒑𝒍𝒂𝒄𝒆.” “𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒎𝒆. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖. 𝑰’𝒍𝒍 𝒎𝒊𝒔𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒔𝒐 𝒎𝒖𝒄𝒉.” 𝑴𝒚 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒎𝒆𝒔 𝒂𝒎𝒊𝒅𝒔𝒕 𝒔𝒐𝒃𝒔, 𝒂𝒔 𝒔𝒉𝒆 𝒄𝒂𝒓𝒆𝒔𝒔𝒆𝒔 𝒎𝒚 𝒃𝒂𝒄𝒌.

Oh how I adored the relationship between Mayara and Laristella. I've always loved the micro-trope of an unknown person taking you in as a kid and then becoming your family.
Personally, Mallor is probably the most realistic character in the book, and I hope that we see more of him.

𝑯𝒆 𝒍𝒆𝒕𝒔 𝒐𝒖𝒕 𝒂 𝒃𝒊𝒕𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒄𝒉𝒖𝒄𝒌𝒍𝒆. “𝑻𝒉𝒂𝒕 𝒃𝒐𝒚 𝒐𝒏𝒍𝒚 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒊𝒎𝒔𝒆𝒍𝒇. 𝑰𝒕’𝒔 𝒄𝒍𝒆𝒂𝒓 𝒂𝒔 𝒅𝒂𝒚. 𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆 𝒉𝒊𝒎, 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒉𝒆 𝒎𝒊𝒈𝒉𝒕 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒄𝒐𝒏𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒄𝒆𝒅 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒊𝒌𝒆𝒔 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝒃𝒖𝒕 𝒊𝒕 𝒅𝒐𝒆𝒔𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒊𝒕 𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒆.”

Mayara is gullible and naive at times, but her ambitious nature is what drew me to her and made me feel connected with her. If her character could've been a little more sensible, it would've been a perfect mixture of flaws and strengths.

*SPOILERS AHEAD*

The romance however...I'm just glad it isn't what I thought at first. Alayel's behavior was concerning, toxic and manipulative. I felt creepy crawlies when I was reading their "spice" scenes. I was practically waiting to forget this book if he turned out to be the MMC. There's morally grey, and then there's this bastard.

EXHIBIT A:

"𝑾𝒉𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒑𝒑𝒆𝒏𝒔, 𝑰 𝒄𝒂𝒏’𝒕 𝒍𝒆𝒕 𝑨𝒍𝒂𝒚𝒆𝒍 𝒔𝒆𝒅𝒖𝒄𝒆 𝒎𝒆. 𝑯𝒆’𝒔 𝒄𝒓𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒚 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒍𝒆𝒘𝒅, 𝒏𝒐𝒕 𝒕𝒐 𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏 𝒖𝒏𝒑𝒓𝒆𝒅𝒊𝒄𝒕𝒂𝒃𝒍𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒅 𝒕𝒆𝒎𝒑𝒆𝒓𝒂𝒎𝒆𝒏𝒕𝒂𝒍. 𝑨𝒏𝒅 𝒖𝒏𝒕𝒓𝒖𝒔𝒕𝒘𝒐𝒓𝒕𝒉𝒚."

this is him in a two sentences basically. Mayara didn't want her joys to be linked to man but that IS what she ended up doing, especially with a gross pig like Alayel.

EXHIBIT B:

“𝑴𝒚 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚.” “𝑭𝒊𝒏𝒆, 𝒕𝒉𝒆𝒏.” 𝑯𝒊𝒔 𝒆𝒚𝒆𝒔 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒂 𝒈𝒍𝒊𝒏𝒕 𝒐𝒇 𝒇𝒖𝒓𝒚. “𝑺𝒕𝒊𝒄𝒌 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒅𝒊𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒚 𝒖𝒑 𝒚𝒐𝒖𝒓 𝒄𝒖𝒏𝒕. 𝑭𝒓𝒐𝒎 𝒏𝒐𝒘 𝒐𝒏, 𝒚𝒐𝒖’𝒍𝒍 𝒏𝒐 𝒍𝒐𝒏𝒈𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆 𝒎𝒚 𝒑𝒓𝒐𝒕𝒆𝒄𝒕𝒊𝒐𝒏. 𝑳𝒆𝒕’𝒔 𝒔𝒆𝒆 𝒉𝒐𝒘 𝒘𝒆𝒍𝒍 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒇𝒂𝒓𝒆 𝒊𝒏 𝒕𝒉𝒆 𝒂𝒄𝒂𝒅𝒆𝒎𝒚.”

I was practically begging for Tauan to be our MMC, and how I adored Stormy.


All in all, I will read book two, just to see how it unfolds.

[The Page Collectors · Rating 1 out of 5]

**Thank you to Sparkly Wave for providing this book for review consideration via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.**

Unfortunately this book was not for me. I knew pretty early on that I was struggling with this one, and by 28% I was seriously considering DNFing. BUT because it was a gifted review copy, I wanted to do my part to provide candid feedback and pushed through.

Unfortunately, it never got better. My biggest issue was the writing and overall execution. I never found myself engaged with the story and so much of what happened felt rushed, disconnected, and underdeveloped.

I never felt like the characters were developed enough to understand the choices they were making. Things would just... happen. Major events, huge decisions, dramatic twists, and revelations but before having time to process one thing, we were already onto the next. Instead of feeling shocking or exciting, it just felt like there was way too much happening without enough development.

The romance was my biggest struggle. Alayel's behavior toward Mayara read as manipulative, controlling, aggressive, and at times genuinely disturbing. He did not come across as morally grey to me. There is a difference between a morally complicated character and someone who is simply behaving like a childish asshole, and he 100% lands in the latter of the two. I could not, at any point, understand why Mayara was into him. No one is attractive enough for a woman to overlook that kind of behavior from day 1.

Also, the power dynamics throughout the story did not work for me. There were moments involving sexual language, coercive behavior, and significant imbalances of power that made me uncomfortable, and I didn't feel like those situations were handled thoughtfully enough.

The plot was another struggle. The story was constantly throwing something new at Mayara. New conflicts, new dramatic developments, secrets, unexplainable revelations, and twists. And listen, I LOVE chaotic fantasy adventure. But this was chaotic without feeling cohesive.

There were some elements I wanted to enjoy more, particularly the dragons which were the closest thing to a highlight for me. I could see the potential in the fantasy world and some of the ideas being explored, but the execution just never came together.

By the end I was more relieved to be finished than satisfied by the journey. I know every book has its readers, and I'm sure there will be people who enjoy the dramatic "romance," fast pacing and constant twists in this story. But the writing, characters, romance, and overall structure all missed the mark for me.

This was a disappointing read, and unfortunately, not one I will be recommending.

[Letitia Brooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received ARC copy from author, which I am incredibly grateful for.

This review is my own thoughs and words.

I finished this book in one sitting, it was such an easy & enjoyable read, literally couldn't put it down, I had to see how it was all going to play out. The ending - really! I need book 2 now.

This book had so many elements I love, dragons, hidden magic, acedamia setting, morally grey MMC an FMC that showed real growth. Some of the twists I anticipated but not to the degree they played out. I don't want to spoil the read for anyone so there is a lot I want to say but I can't.

I will definetly be reading book 2, there are so many loose ends and I want to see how our girl handles them all and that our baby dragons are okay. Add this to your TBR now, it will be released end of September 2026.

Here is the full trope...

Under Restless Skies is an adult enemies to lovers romantasy with:

🐉 Dangerous dragons
⚔️ Enemies to lovers
🪺 Cute Baby dragons
💪 A heroine finding her power
🤴 A morally gray prince
🔮 Mysterious magic

After failing the entrance trial of the Sky Academy, Mayara accepts the charming thief Alayel's risky deal: help him steal dragon eggs from an enemy lair, and he’ll get her in.

As danger looms, a mysterious dragon saves her life, forging a bond that complicates her mission and will test her loyalty.

Mayara finally carves her place in the Sky Academy and even bonds with the stolen hatchlings.

But dark secrets lurk within the walls—and betrayal waits in the wings.

[Suzanne Lawrence · Rating 4 out of 5]

Firstly, many thanks to the author for allowing me to read your book.

I am so glad that I got to read this wonderful story. Mayara works in a kitchen where she & her brother have been living since the owner took them in as abandoned children. Mayara dreams of more & wishes to join the academy of flyers who protect the city from dragon attacks. She has been rejected twice & is about to embark on her third attempt. Thus follows a complicated plot of stealing dragon eggs from a distant island alongside a charismatic, attractive instructor, Alayel.

For me this first part is a bit rushed (so much happens in 5 chapters!). I felt It was setting the scene, but was concerned the whole book was going to be the same. However, my worries were unfounded & the book took off from the minute they return to Dracolius. I really liked Mayara. I could easily relate to her & felt everything alongside her, even if she was being frustrating. She isn't you usual MFC & regardless of her feelings for Alayel, she sees the bigger picture. This is her story & hers alone. I felt I was living it alongside her.

The book is so easy to read. The world building fantastic & there are dragons. I learnt about them as Mayara does which made me feel part of the story. The characters made me feel for them in all sorts of ways, good & bad. I knew there would be a cliffhanger, as this is part one of a duology & I rushed into it regardless (it's not one of 'those', but I was left was with so many questions).

In all I found it a thoroughly enjoyable read & I cannot wait to see what happens next.

[Katie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to the author for the ARC copy of this book!

This might just be my favourite book of 2026!

The fantasy world of Under Restless Skies is absolutely gorgeous, with vivid descriptions of a beautiful landscape filled with dragons (and baby Dragons!), subtle magic and a cast of characters that are very well fleshed out and complex.

I adore Mayara; a strong, resilient woman who has faced a harsh life but still remains soft-hearted and compassionate. We love to see a heroine who can hold her own whilst still being a font of kindness! I felt for her through the entire story as she battled with her desire to trust the people around her but never knowing who she truly could trust whilst also trying to figure out how she fit into the new world she found herself in.

The mystery of the academy kept me guessing the whole way through and it revealed a secret much darker than I was anticipating. 10/10 build up there!

Without giving any spoilers, the only nitpicky critique I have is that the twist at the end was rather obvious from early on but it didn't make it any less emotionally impactful and the 1st novel in this duology still ended in an epic finale. But, dear author, did you have to end on such a cliffhanger!

I'll be counting down the days till book 2 cause I neeeed it!

[Jackie · Rating 4 out of 5]

Dragons, forbidden magic, enemies to lovers, morally gray characters, an academy full of secrets, AND baby dragons?! Under Restless Skies had so many of my favorite romantasy elements packed into one story.

This was such a fun, fast-paced read. I really enjoyed Mayara’s journey as everything she thought she knew about dragons, her kingdom, and the people around her slowly began to unravel. The mystery surrounding her newfound powers kept me intrigued, and I loved never quite knowing who could actually be trusted.

The romance and tension definitely kept me invested, especially as more secrets and questionable motives started coming to light. I also appreciated that there was actually some spice alongside the fantasy plot! I did wish certain aspects of the worldbuilding, Academy, friendships, and relationships had been explored with a little more depth. At times, there was so much happening that I wanted the story to slow down and let some of those moments develop more.

But the twists (and THAT ENDING!) absolutely did their job. The final part of this book completely changed the game and left me with so many questions. I will definitely be picking up book two because I need to know where these relationships go from here!

[Gabys_Vault · Rating 5 out of 5]

I couldn’t stop reading it!
It’s like a spiderweb carefully crafted and intertwened.

I lived the fairytale with the FMC as long as it lasted and believed everyword that was told to her so I did fall for it. And until now, I am still in shock.
Do I recomend this book?
YES!

Am I going to read this book when #2 Comes out?!
YES

Have you ever read a book that keept you reading non-stop? Well, this is that kind of book.

It’s the first book in a duology.
It’s about a girl who wants to enter to The Sky Academy but She fails everytime she tries to enter until one day she meets a thief who offers her to get into the academy in exchange of helping him to steal dragon eggs.
The thing is that from that point on her life changes drastically.

I don’t want to spoil the surprise so I will say this:
If you love reading books full of unexpected surprises then this book is for you.

I want to thank the author for allowing me to read this ARC.

This is a 5 Star read for me! And I do recommend it! 🙂‍↕️

[Jenna Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

✨ARC Review✨

I really enjoyed this one, and finished it in one sitting!

The Sky Academy, dragons, stolen eggs, forbidden bonds, and all the secrets and betrayals had me completely invested. I loved watching Mayara fight for the future she had always dreamed of and discovering that her path was going to be so much bigger…and more dangerous than she ever imagined.

The dragon bond was definitely one of my favorite parts, and there were so many moments that had me wanting to know what would happen next. That said, there were a few holes in the plot that left me with questions, and I struggled a little with Mayara and Alayel’s relationship. Their dynamic felt a bit immature to me at times, which made it harder for me to fully connect with them.

Overall, though, this was a fun and adventurous read with dragons, magic, secrets, and plenty of twists. A solid 4 stars from me! 🐉❤️‍🔥

[Erna Mazer · Rating 5 out of 5]

ARC Review of Under Restless Skies:
Wow! This is an excellent story that grabbed my attention from the very first sentence and captivated me through the entire book. The pace was perfect and I found myself on the edge of my seat quite often. There were many twists and turns and it kept me guessing throughout. And that ending???? I'm positively reeling and I cant wait to see what happens in the 2nd book of this duology. The character development and world building was spot on. @day_leitao has created such a vivid world that is beautifully described without being over complicated. There were characters I loved and characters I really disliked, which goes to show how expertly they were written. I highly recommend this book to anyone looking for their next great dragon adventure! Plus... cute baby dragons!!!!

[Nita_reads · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book and finished it in one sitting! I genuinely couldn't stop reading.I loved the Sky Academy, dragons, stolen eggs, forbidden bonds, secrets, and all the unexpected twists. Mayara was such a determined FMC, and I loved watching her continue to chase her dream even when things didn't go as planned.The dragon bond was definitely one of my favorite parts, and the story kept me wanting to know what would happen next. It felt like a fairytale full of secrets and surprises, and I definitely did not see some of the twists coming! If you love fantasy romance with dragons, magic, adventure, and plenty of unexpected surprises, I definitely recommend this one.I'm already excited for book two!
Thank you so much to the author for allowing me to read this ARC!

[Katharine Knoodle · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received this book in exchange for an honest review from NetGalley.

Overall, I enjoyed this story. What's not to love about baby dragons?!

I enjoyed the relationship Mayara had with Laristella and Kaio, though I do wish it went a little deeper. Her friendships with Celine and Nelly, though, were great — I loved how they supported each other in every way.

There were some good twists at the end that I didn't see coming and that truly surprised me.

I still have a lot of questions, like why the two nations are at war and why the dragons attack them. I hope we learn more in book two, which I will definitely be reading — and I hope it goes a little deeper into the relationships and the world they're in.

[Amanda · Rating 4 out of 5]

ARC Review:

THAT ENDING! 🤯

I’ll be honest: I rated this 4 stars almost entirely because the MMC is a total asshole. I didn’t like him at any point, and I made "ick" noises out loud so often that my husband literally expressed genuine concern. I was internally screaming at our FMC for even considering him.

BUT THE LAST HOUR OF THIS BOOK?! Masterful.

The final stretch completed pulled me in and saved the day. The author’s writing is smooth and easy to follow. If you love dragons (especially adorable, baby hatchlings ones!) and a true coming-of-age journey for the FMC, you need this one your TBR. 🐉🐣

Just prepare yourself for that ending! Thank you to the author, Day Leitao, for adding me to her ARC team!

[Steffsbookrealm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Under Restless Skies features intriguing world-building that kept me constantly guessing what was going to happen and where the plot was going next! The FMC undergoes tremendous character growth as she grapples with chasing her dream of becoming a sentinel, finding where she belongs, a mysterious new power and protecting adorable baby dragons! But the Sky Academy is filled with secrets, danger, and high-stakes tension that kept me turning the pages. Beware - this spicy, enemies-to-lovers romantasy finished up with a cliffhanger that has me dying for book 2.

I received this ebook for free as an ARC reader but my review and opinion are my own.

[Alyssa · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Some bonds are forged in fire. Some are meant to burn it all down.

Enjoyed this eARC from Day Leitao.
Cover art work is gorgeous!!
Enjoyed the academy/military, dragons, and dragon riders aspect. Read this super quick, it’s very easy to read and kept me entertained through most of the story. A bit slow in the middle but man was the ending worth it! Such twists and turns, I’ll be needing book two soon. Not to mention adorable baby dragons!
I do wish that the relationships and friendships had some more development time to them as them felt a little rushed but overall enjoyed the story and will be defiantly continuing.

[Chloe Bradford · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received this lovely ARC! Thank you so much.

So I have started and finished this in one day. What a read!

The fact she stole the dragon eggs was so good and felt on the edge of my seat.

I found the academy interesting and wanted a bit more of the gliding as I’m still a bit confused how that works in combat. Loved the friendships she made but don’t want to ruin the book for anyone.

If I say how I feel about the love interest I think I’ll give away most of the book so you’ll just have to read it to find out.

I’m excited for the next book and looking forward to seeing what happens.

[Quinty Smits · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 book
Well written, fantasy Academy with dragons
I thought it was a good story. A lot happens, with her taking the rest and things being done to ensure she doesn't get chosen.

After that, she helps someone and gets into the Academy as a cleaner and is allowed to attend some classes.

The plot twist and the dragons are also great, especially the baby dragons.

Sometimes things moved too fast for me without real explanation or kept too small, like the testing where it started, but that is just my opinion.

[Amberheartsbooks · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC copy from the author in exchange for an honest review. The story hooked me right at the beginning of this book and I devoured it. Dragons? Yes always! I really enjoyed this book, even though I wanted to shake the FMC sometimes. However, I think book 1 was major set up for her being awesome and kicking butt in Book 2. I cherished the inklings of magic and the set up for the world. I loved the ending and cannot wait for the next in the series for further exploration into the magic, dragons, and expanding the world!

[Courtney Wilk · Rating 5 out of 5]

OMGGGGGG IT DID NOT END LIKE THAT RIGHT!?!?!?

Sorry don’t mind me I’ll just be staring at the wall for the next half hour…

Anyways - all you need to know about this book is two words. BABY. DRAGONS.

That alone should make you read it but in case it doesn’t maybe you need to know that it has 20 billion plot twists and you literally never know who you can trust.

GOOD LUCK AND JOIN ME IN AGONY WHILE I WAIT FOR BOOK 2.

[Kelly Thornburgh · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this book.. and I gave it every opportunity I could. I didn’t want to DNF it so I skipped multiple chapters and read the last 2. While the premise of the book is good, the story was very slow. There were multiple points in the book where it seemed things were missing. Like a whole description or story line we weren’t privy to. There was little to no world building and the characters seemed acquaintances at best.

[Darlene Martin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Received as an ARC. I really enjoyed this book! The story had a lot of potential, and I really liked the characters, but I found myself wanting to know so much more about them. The book also felt a little rushed at times, and I think the story could have been put together better with more depth and development. There was definitely a good story here. I just wanted more “meat” to it. Overall, I enjoyed the read and would still recommend giving it a try!

[Coral Hall · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5⭐️
This is definitely a must read for any romantasy lovers who love dragons, morally grey characters, enemies to lovers and strong FMC.

It had me hooked from beginning to end although at times i wanted to read more of what was happening but it had twists in the story I was not expecting and I could not put it down! And the ending had me at the edge of my seat and wanting to read more. I can't wait for book 2 so I can dive back into this world and find out what happens next!!

[Izzy Reads · Rating 5 out of 5]

Received ARC.

How could it end like this!? 😭😭😭 I need more. Immediately.

A couple things I saw coming and I was screaming at her but she couldn't hear me!

Couple quotes I loved:

“You were staring at me like you were starving and I was a juicy shrimp.”


“You’re saying you don’t love me enough?” “No. I’m saying I love myself enough. I don’t want pieces of love. I want everything.”

[Andra · Rating 4 out of 5]

Book 1 in The Tempest Dragon series

An imaginative take on dragons, dragon riders, and a sky academy with all the unsuspecting twists and intriguing details yet to come along with some surprising reveals. It has a tiny cliffhanger, just enough to hook the reader for book 2.

"Do dreams make a sound when they shatter? Or do they fade in everlasting silence?"