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thedragonqueen's reviews
206 reviews
Camp Lanier by Sylvester Barzey
dark
emotional
mysterious
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
4.0
Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC!
Camp Lanier follows, Taylor, a young black girl who attends a mostly white private school. When her friends get her to steal from a store in the mall, she ends up in more trouble than she thought possible.
She is sent to a program at Lake Lanier instead of jail, but Camp Lanier has hauntingly dark secrets lurking in its waters.
Taylor is haunted by the lake’s history and must solve the mystery of years of missing people at the Camp.
I’ve always been saddened and intrigued with Lake Lanier. I’ve lived in Georgia all my life and our history is full of tragedies like Oscarville. While this story is lightly based on the history of the lake and Forsyth County, GA, this story gives hope for the victims of our history to find peace. I’ve always steered clear of Lake Lanier and will never step foot near that lake. Seriously, stay out of Lake Lanier.
Camp Lanier follows, Taylor, a young black girl who attends a mostly white private school. When her friends get her to steal from a store in the mall, she ends up in more trouble than she thought possible.
She is sent to a program at Lake Lanier instead of jail, but Camp Lanier has hauntingly dark secrets lurking in its waters.
Taylor is haunted by the lake’s history and must solve the mystery of years of missing people at the Camp.
I’ve always been saddened and intrigued with Lake Lanier. I’ve lived in Georgia all my life and our history is full of tragedies like Oscarville. While this story is lightly based on the history of the lake and Forsyth County, GA, this story gives hope for the victims of our history to find peace. I’ve always steered clear of Lake Lanier and will never step foot near that lake. Seriously, stay out of Lake Lanier.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Violence, Racism, and Racial slurs
Dragonfall by L.R. Lam
adventurous
challenging
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
Dragonfall is multi-POV, enemies to lovers, queer fantasy.
In the human realm, dragons are revered as Gods, their history lost. Illness has ravaged the realm twice now, leaving humans to succumb to hunger. They become Starvelings if they push their magic too far, causing them to devour whatever and whoever is near them .
Dragons have been banished from their realm they originally shared with humans. Bonds between humans and dragons have been long forgotten, and the dragons have been trying to get back to their realm for centuries. Predominately a female race, the first male dragon is born after hundreds of years, Everen. Male dragons are meant to be the seers for their kind, and Everen looks for his purpose, leading him to dive through a rip in the Veil.
Once through the rip, he finds Arcady. A young, nonbinary thief who wants nothing more than to prove their family line isn’t what the humans believe it to be. Arcady and Everen end up bonded to one another and must learn to trust one another to be able to break the bond that has tied them together. Arcady plans heist to get enough money for a team, and for them to attend University.
Arcady teaches Everen the life of a thief as they plan the biggest job ever planned. But Arcady doesn’t know Everen is a dragon in human form. Everen needs to complete the bond and then kill Arcady to get his kind back through the Veil. Can Everen actually kill Arcady? Or will he fall first?
I really enjoyed this book, starting with a dragon POV definitely had me intrigued. I love a queer-normative world as well. The writing at times was confusing but made sense in the end. Speaking of the end, WOW. I won’t spoil it, but it kept me on the edge of my seat.
4/5 stars, very happy to have this as our Pride pick!
In the human realm, dragons are revered as Gods, their history lost. Illness has ravaged the realm twice now, leaving humans to succumb to hunger. They become Starvelings if they push their magic too far, causing them to devour whatever and whoever is near them .
Dragons have been banished from their realm they originally shared with humans. Bonds between humans and dragons have been long forgotten, and the dragons have been trying to get back to their realm for centuries. Predominately a female race, the first male dragon is born after hundreds of years, Everen. Male dragons are meant to be the seers for their kind, and Everen looks for his purpose, leading him to dive through a rip in the Veil.
Once through the rip, he finds Arcady. A young, nonbinary thief who wants nothing more than to prove their family line isn’t what the humans believe it to be. Arcady and Everen end up bonded to one another and must learn to trust one another to be able to break the bond that has tied them together. Arcady plans heist to get enough money for a team, and for them to attend University.
Arcady teaches Everen the life of a thief as they plan the biggest job ever planned. But Arcady doesn’t know Everen is a dragon in human form. Everen needs to complete the bond and then kill Arcady to get his kind back through the Veil. Can Everen actually kill Arcady? Or will he fall first?
I really enjoyed this book, starting with a dragon POV definitely had me intrigued. I love a queer-normative world as well. The writing at times was confusing but made sense in the end. Speaking of the end, WOW. I won’t spoil it, but it kept me on the edge of my seat.
4/5 stars, very happy to have this as our Pride pick!
Love at First Set by Jennifer Dugan
fast-paced
5.0
The gym is Lizzie’s first love, her home, and her passion. She works as the front desk manager of a gym, and is best friends with a sweet gym bro who happens to be the owners’ son. James begs Lizzie to be his guest at his sister’s wedding, whose she’s never met.
Lizzie takes this as an opportunity to convince Jame’s parents to consider her for a promotion for a position they’re hiring for. Her nerves get the best of her and she embarrasses herself in the process.
She meets the very attractive bride to be, Cara, in the bathroom and they immediately have a connection. Lizzie accidentally convinces Cara to follow her heart and she calls off the wedding to everyone’s surprise. Afterwards Cara stays with her brother, annoying him with trying to set him up on dates and spending time at the gym. James knows Lizzie has a crush on his sister and begs her to flirt and entertain her so she’ll leave him alone. Only Lizzie actually has feelings for Cara and struggles with lies and secrets all around.
I related to Lizzie far more than I expected, even down to her inner monologue. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lori Prince. I loved the narration, the banter was definitely my favorite part. Love at First Set deals with narcissistic parents, trust issues, classism and gaslighting.
5/5 stars, I’m a sucker for a good romcom!
Lizzie takes this as an opportunity to convince Jame’s parents to consider her for a promotion for a position they’re hiring for. Her nerves get the best of her and she embarrasses herself in the process.
She meets the very attractive bride to be, Cara, in the bathroom and they immediately have a connection. Lizzie accidentally convinces Cara to follow her heart and she calls off the wedding to everyone’s surprise. Afterwards Cara stays with her brother, annoying him with trying to set him up on dates and spending time at the gym. James knows Lizzie has a crush on his sister and begs her to flirt and entertain her so she’ll leave him alone. Only Lizzie actually has feelings for Cara and struggles with lies and secrets all around.
I related to Lizzie far more than I expected, even down to her inner monologue. I listened to the audiobook, narrated by Lori Prince. I loved the narration, the banter was definitely my favorite part. Love at First Set deals with narcissistic parents, trust issues, classism and gaslighting.
5/5 stars, I’m a sucker for a good romcom!
Gay the Pray Away by Natalie Naudus
challenging
emotional
funny
tense
fast-paced
5.0
I devoured Gay the Pray Away by Natalie Naudus in one sitting. I listened via audiobook and I think that’s the best way to read the book, Natalie’s narrating is always wonderful. I related to the main character’s struggles far more than I expected to. It healed something in me.
Lies on the Serpent's Tongue by Kate Pearsall
adventurous
dark
emotional
mysterious
tense
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? N/A
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
“It’s the people you trust that are close enough to stab you in the back. Because everybody lies.”
Thank you Penguin teen for an advanced readers copy!
Lies on the Serpents Tongue is the frighteningly mysterious, gothic thriller I needed! In this compelling sequel we follow Rowan, the James sister with ability to smell when people are lying. The people of Caball Hollow start losing important things like a watch, and a necklace, but then start to lose their memories. Is this due to a new creature stalking th e forest? Another murder, a John Doe and poachers aren't the only mysteries Rowan must figure out, there's a crack in the bone tree. The return to this Appalachian Practical Magic was as good as; if not better than Bittersweet in the Hollow. I didn't want to leave Caball Hollow after finishing and immediately downloaded the first book in audio
I'm only sad the book won't be out until January. Kate pearsall is now an auto-buy author for me!
The quote I've used is from an uncorrected copy and may not be in the completed version
Thank you Penguin teen for an advanced readers copy!
Lies on the Serpents Tongue is the frighteningly mysterious, gothic thriller I needed! In this compelling sequel we follow Rowan, the James sister with ability to smell when people are lying. The people of Caball Hollow start losing important things like a watch, and a necklace, but then start to lose their memories. Is this due to a new creature stalking th e forest? Another murder, a John Doe and poachers aren't the only mysteries Rowan must figure out, there's a crack in the bone tree. The return to this Appalachian Practical Magic was as good as; if not better than Bittersweet in the Hollow. I didn't want to leave Caball Hollow after finishing and immediately downloaded the first book in audio
I'm only sad the book won't be out until January. Kate pearsall is now an auto-buy author for me!
The quote I've used is from an uncorrected copy and may not be in the completed version
Of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen
adventurous
challenging
emotional
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
5.0
I hybrid read of Jade and Dragons by Amber Chen thanks to PRH audio and Penguin Teen. We follow Aihui Ying, a young girl who witness's her father's murder. She sets out to figure out who would want her father dead, disguised as her brother. She joins the trials to join the prestigious Engineer's Guild, in hopes she'll find more about her father while also following her dream to be a guild master engineer. This mysterious, captivating debut kept me at the edge of my seat! I loved the trials and the main character's tenacity and stubbornness. The twist and turns made this book a 5/5 for me. And THAT ENDING, WOW! Run to get yourself a copy on June 18!
Wish You Weren't Here by Erin Baldwin
adventurous
funny
hopeful
lighthearted
fast-paced
5.0
Thank you to Penguin Teen for an advanced readers copy!
I couldn’t put this book down, I read it in one day! I laughed, I cried, and smiled through most of the book. I love a good sapphic romance and Wish You Weren’t Here didn’t disappoint. If you’re looking for a sapphic, funny, frenemies to lovers summer read, this is the perfect book!
I couldn’t put this book down, I read it in one day! I laughed, I cried, and smiled through most of the book. I love a good sapphic romance and Wish You Weren’t Here didn’t disappoint. If you’re looking for a sapphic, funny, frenemies to lovers summer read, this is the perfect book!
The Fireborne Blade by Charlotte Bond
adventurous
dark
mysterious
fast-paced
4.0
This sapphic fantasy novella follows Maddileh, a knight who is searching for the Fireborne Blade. With her squire, she traverses through the White Lady’s dragon lair to find the sword and defeat the ancient creature. I really enjoyed this novella, it has compelling characters an interesting magic system, and a splash of women taking their power over the patriarchy. Looking for a short, captivating dragon book? This is the one for you!