They Who Brought the Storm (Starbinder, #0.5)

Dragons rule in secret, known only to a few chosen humans-and Rhi, who strikes a deal with a dragon: Servitude for protection. Rhi is small, anxious, and gifted with magic that disables them more than it helps-Powerful magic, which many would stop at nothing to obtain. In their desperate search for safety, Rhi turns to none other than one of the secret dragon masters of Habitat Seventeen, Laura, Lady of Ash. Exposing Rhi‘s forbidden knowledge could garner Laura the recognition and allies she needs. Instead she offers them a choice: She will shield them from their pursuers, and they‘ll be her hunting dog. Loyal, obedient, and exactly what she needs to deal with a pervasive monster situation in her territory before the other Starborn catch wind of it. Rhi tentatively agrees, but the plan is complicated by the watchful eye of Calia, a bloodthirsty dragon with much to gain from their failure. And Rhi, grappling with their magic and desperately angling for control, doesn‘t realize that being with Laura will put them closer to danger than ever before until it‘s too late. Storm is a dark fantasy novel with a new spin of what constitutes that darkness, highlighting hope, community, queerness and comfort. If you enjoy fantastical worlds, hungry monsters, dangerous lesbians and diverse characters that learn to support and comfort one another, you‘ll enjoy Vaela and Micah‘s page-turning novel.