The Last of the Dragons and Some Others
A collection of century-old children's dragon stories with delightful illustrations, witty dialogue, and wonderfully ridiculous inventions. The title story is a gem, but the others are often too simplistic for my tastes—and the period racism and distrust-of-adults storytelling make for an uncomfortable read.
The Hero and the Crown
Aerin, the ostracized daughter of Damar's king, must forge a place for herself in a world that doubts her worth. An intimate, fiercely feminist coming-of-age fantasy about persistence, compassion, and finding strength without losing yourself—and a book that helped shape who I became.
The Drastic Dragon of Draco, Texas
A Wild West fantasy promising dragons and cozy eccentricity turns into a tedious account of kidnapping, captivity, and everyday life, complete with unfortunate Native American stereotypes. I wanted more dragon and less everything else.
Dragon's Pawn
A computer programmer named Noble King gets whisked into a fantasy quest. Clumsy prose, casual sexism, an abandoned cat, and an unfortunately attractive fennec fox put an end to my reading.
Nightpool
A wronged prince, singing dragons, ancient evil, and an entire tribe of impossibly charming talking otters. Delightful animal characters can't quite save an increasingly chaotic plot.