Lady Dragon

Rachel Hartman's Seraphina meets The Priory of the Orange Tree in Lady Dragon, a sapphic YA romantasy from A. M. Strickland.

The age of queens is over. . . unless they can save it.

Since the last war between humans and dragons left the leaders of both species slain - the last human king of Andrath and the legendary dragon queen - both queendoms have been living under a tentative truce: only women will sit on the throne of Andrath, the dragons will have free passage through the human lands. . . and if men ever try to retake the throne, the draconic realm will retaliate.

Samansa and Kirek are two new leaders coming of age in war-scarred lands - Samansa a reluctant human princess and Kirek the favored contender for the draconic queenship. Per tradition, Kirek must undergo the distasteful task of using a mysterious gem called the Heartstone to shift into human form and maintain the strained ties between the species . . . and study human weaknesses, a new and secret task she's been given by her queen. As the princess and the dragon girl grow closer, they are sent to investigate a potential breach of the treaty and encounter a plot that could reignite an even bloodier war. While fighting to maintain the peace their ancestors fought for and uncovering centuries-old secrets, Samansa and Kirek must grapple with betraying their clashing nations . . . or their unexpected feelings for each other.

"A master of twisty, imaginative YA fantasy, Strickland delivers everything you could want and more: succession drama; awesome dragon battles; and a romance with the slow, intense burn of dragon fire and the sweetness of first love. By turns full of rage and tenderness, Lady Dragon is sweeping, affirming, and completely unputdownable." -Allison Saft, #1 New York Times-bestselling author of A Fragile Enchantment