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(and Dragons) #2
Partridge Up a Pear Tree (and Dragons)
She loves him. He loathes her, and rightfully so. Not even time heals wounds this jagged and misaligned.
Eighteen-year-old Joey Partridge doesn’t do conflict. Negative tension stresses her out. Yelling sends her verbally vomiting every thought in her head and bursting into tears. Which, as a normally confident, world-wise daughter of globetrotting dragon scientists, is just embarrassing.
It also wrecked her relationship with drummer-boy Slade Adler, her best friend and romantic addiction. A year ago, she publicly fell apart, blamed Slade for something he didn’t do, and destroyed his future plans and their relationship.
Now all dragon scientists have been called to Newfoundland to study an incubating dragon egg. Slade will be there, and he’s not shy about making it clear how much he hates her. Joey’s best option?
Avoid him at all costs.
Only weird things are going on in Newfoundland. Shady figures keep sabotaging the scientists and sneaking into the cove holding the egg. When a local magic-handler convinces Joey to help investigate, her first clue points a little too close to…Slade.
No way will Joey risk getting him into trouble again. Not when deep inside she still wants him back. Joey must solve the mystery, protect the egg and Slade, and convince him to forgive her for her past mistakes. All while avoiding any sign of conflict.
She is so screwed.
Eighteen-year-old Joey Partridge doesn’t do conflict. Negative tension stresses her out. Yelling sends her verbally vomiting every thought in her head and bursting into tears. Which, as a normally confident, world-wise daughter of globetrotting dragon scientists, is just embarrassing.
It also wrecked her relationship with drummer-boy Slade Adler, her best friend and romantic addiction. A year ago, she publicly fell apart, blamed Slade for something he didn’t do, and destroyed his future plans and their relationship.
Now all dragon scientists have been called to Newfoundland to study an incubating dragon egg. Slade will be there, and he’s not shy about making it clear how much he hates her. Joey’s best option?
Avoid him at all costs.
Only weird things are going on in Newfoundland. Shady figures keep sabotaging the scientists and sneaking into the cove holding the egg. When a local magic-handler convinces Joey to help investigate, her first clue points a little too close to…Slade.
No way will Joey risk getting him into trouble again. Not when deep inside she still wants him back. Joey must solve the mystery, protect the egg and Slade, and convince him to forgive her for her past mistakes. All while avoiding any sign of conflict.
She is so screwed.
Kindle Edition
First published November 1, 2025
2 people are currently reading
19 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Taylor Thompson
3 books28 followersRachel Taylor Thompson lives in the central coast area of California with her husband, daughters, and a truly ridiculous number of animals (including but not limited to horses, rabbits, chickens, cats, a guinea pig, a bearded dragon, bees, and various wild animals that endlessly steal the cat food).
She started writing after she and a group of friends played the game Two Truths and a Lie and not a single person guessed that 'I'm writing a book' was her lie. Since her friends had so much faith in her, she decided to go for it.
To hear more about her books (and animals) head over to her website/newsletter-signup: www.racheltaylorthompson.com
She started writing after she and a group of friends played the game Two Truths and a Lie and not a single person guessed that 'I'm writing a book' was her lie. Since her friends had so much faith in her, she decided to go for it.
To hear more about her books (and animals) head over to her website/newsletter-signup: www.racheltaylorthompson.com
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
October 18, 2025
I need more people to read and fall in love with these books so I have people to talk to about them. This is loosely connected to book one (Sasha) as in same world but new set of characters. There’s some cameos from book one, though. I’m not going to lie I was a little nervous that this wouldn’t live up to the first book but it completely surpassed my expectations.
Quick actual review: 18 year old word-vomit-prone Joey Partridge would rather face a dragon than any kind of confrontation. Unfortunately her ex-boyfriend, Slade, will be at the same research site where their dragon-scientist parents are studying a mysterious egg. When sabotage and magic start swirling around, Joey has to protect the egg, investigate what’s going on, and try to have a bit of a social life. I described the first book as a Howl’s Moving Castle/Lemony Snicket vibes road trip. This book I would describe as a cozy dragon mystery wrapped in teen angst and secondhand embarrassment. And I say that with LOVE!!
Cover is again giving middle grade vibes when it’s YA (our girl is about to go to college). And theres only some kissing and talking about kissing (and dragons).
Read this as an ARC from NetGalley.
Edited to add: big kudos to the author for neurodivergence representation done well.
Quick actual review: 18 year old word-vomit-prone Joey Partridge would rather face a dragon than any kind of confrontation. Unfortunately her ex-boyfriend, Slade, will be at the same research site where their dragon-scientist parents are studying a mysterious egg. When sabotage and magic start swirling around, Joey has to protect the egg, investigate what’s going on, and try to have a bit of a social life. I described the first book as a Howl’s Moving Castle/Lemony Snicket vibes road trip. This book I would describe as a cozy dragon mystery wrapped in teen angst and secondhand embarrassment. And I say that with LOVE!!
Cover is again giving middle grade vibes when it’s YA (our girl is about to go to college). And theres only some kissing and talking about kissing (and dragons).
Read this as an ARC from NetGalley.
Edited to add: big kudos to the author for neurodivergence representation done well.
October 30, 2025
I grew up in a family where the women were capable and pragmatic, which isn't unusual in New Zealand. Accordingly, I prefer to read about women like that, and fortunately there are plenty of fictional heroines who are. Sasha, the protagonist of the first book of this series, for example.
Unfortunately, at least from my point of view, Joey Partridge, the protagonist of this book, is not that, even though she fixes things around the house (something that felt to me as if it had been tacked on to make her seem more competent). She's a big ball of crippling anxiety wrapped in a thick layer of codependency, and I personally found her trying to spend time with. She's surrounded by people who are incapable of listening to her, and treats this as normal and not a reason to, for example, refuse to go out with them. She has crying jags so severe as to be completely debilitating, and under stress she spills a desperate stream of consciousness that causes all kinds of trouble, not only for her but for the people around her. It got her previous boyfriend arrested by the Chinese state security forces, for example, which not only resulted in her family and his being thrown out of China but also broke their relationship completely.
He, of course, refuses to listen to her apologies. He's a brooding musician. At one point he describes her as the complete opposite of what we know her to be through her POV - fearless, happy, carefree - and then says she doesn't get him. Project much? (To be fair, when they were together she was able to be more like he describes, at least outwardly - but that in itself is a problem, in fact several problems.)
Her parents, and his, are part of a Canadian government department that researches dragons, called in to Newfoundland because of the events of the previous book. They move around a lot, researching dragons in various parts of the world; her parents are emotionally distant and impractical, and (you'll be surprised to learn) don't listen to her when she tries to tell them that she wants to pick her own college rather than the various ones they and several other family members have arranged for her.
For some reason - I suspect because otherwise she couldn't conceivably be the protagonist - the dragons have decided they like Joey, based on no acquaintance at all, and only she will do to help in finding out who is trying to do something initially vague to the incubating dragons that all of the fuss is about. She spends the first quarter of the book refusing the call, arguing (quite plausibly) that she's a poor choice for the role, engaging in extreme teenage angst, not being listened to by basically anyone, and starting up a new relationship that is obviously doomed (thus providing the classic YA love triangle), interspersed with flashbacks to the backstory in China.
She turns out to be surprisingly good at investigating, despite continuing high teen drama and a series of terrible choices and major wimp-outs on her part. Her handler/dragon liaison, Bob, says at one point that she's less incompetent than he'd expected, and honestly I felt the same. For me, it was the mystery and the investigation that kept me reading despite the teen angst - so I was somewhat frustrated when the resolution to the teen angst came before, and delayed, the resolution of the mystery plot, with no sense of urgency even though one was called for.
Other readers will no doubt enjoy the parts I didn't. The relationship and emotional dynamics are well developed and realistic, to be clear, so this isn't about the author's skill but the reviewer's taste.
Something else I enjoyed besides the investigation plot was the antics of the dragons, who are intelligent but in a way that doesn't completely map to human ways of thinking. They name themselves after dragons from fantasy literature, like Ramoth and Temeraire, which I also liked.
I had a pre-publication version for review via Netgalley, and one thing I did notice about it was that the editing was in a much better state than the previous book. I suspect a good copy editor has gone through and largely corrected the author's terrible overhyphenation habit, though they've missed a couple of cases where there's a hyphen between a verb and the pronoun which is its object (why would anyone do that?), and there are still one or two places where there's a hyphen between an adjective and the noun it's modifying. This includes "magical-creatures," which was everywhere in the first book, and the editor may have decided to keep it consistent (even though that means consistently wrong). There's also frequently a comma used after "of course" when it's just being used to agree with a previous statement, which is a common error encouraged by MS Word's inaccurate grammar checker. As always with books I get via Netgalley, there may be further editing to come after I see it and before it's published.
For me, it was a difficult-to-rate mix of strong storytelling, a character I didn't care for (though she does develop), and a cheeky shortcut by the author to justify why that character is even involved. Joey's character arc, from total emotional bomb site to able to stand up for herself and cope, came late and rapidly, which stretched my suspension of disbelief a little, though it is true that having to focus on the needs of others - in this case, the dragons - is the most likely thing to get someone in internal crisis to pull themselves together and break out of their downward spiral.
Overall, I'm putting it in the Bronze (lowest) tier of my annual recommendation list, because it wasn't quite the book I'd hoped for and didn't fit my taste well. If that hadn't been true, it would have won a place in Silver, since it's soundly written and has some insight into human relationships - just between humans I don't particularly care to read about. Your mileage is highly likely to vary.
I will hesitate a bit longer before picking up the third book, though I probably will do so. It's clear which character will be at the centre of it, and she's not particularly promising, though she may be more promising than Joey. We'll see.
Unfortunately, at least from my point of view, Joey Partridge, the protagonist of this book, is not that, even though she fixes things around the house (something that felt to me as if it had been tacked on to make her seem more competent). She's a big ball of crippling anxiety wrapped in a thick layer of codependency, and I personally found her trying to spend time with. She's surrounded by people who are incapable of listening to her, and treats this as normal and not a reason to, for example, refuse to go out with them. She has crying jags so severe as to be completely debilitating, and under stress she spills a desperate stream of consciousness that causes all kinds of trouble, not only for her but for the people around her. It got her previous boyfriend arrested by the Chinese state security forces, for example, which not only resulted in her family and his being thrown out of China but also broke their relationship completely.
He, of course, refuses to listen to her apologies. He's a brooding musician. At one point he describes her as the complete opposite of what we know her to be through her POV - fearless, happy, carefree - and then says she doesn't get him. Project much? (To be fair, when they were together she was able to be more like he describes, at least outwardly - but that in itself is a problem, in fact several problems.)
Her parents, and his, are part of a Canadian government department that researches dragons, called in to Newfoundland because of the events of the previous book. They move around a lot, researching dragons in various parts of the world; her parents are emotionally distant and impractical, and (you'll be surprised to learn) don't listen to her when she tries to tell them that she wants to pick her own college rather than the various ones they and several other family members have arranged for her.
For some reason - I suspect because otherwise she couldn't conceivably be the protagonist - the dragons have decided they like Joey, based on no acquaintance at all, and only she will do to help in finding out who is trying to do something initially vague to the incubating dragons that all of the fuss is about. She spends the first quarter of the book refusing the call, arguing (quite plausibly) that she's a poor choice for the role, engaging in extreme teenage angst, not being listened to by basically anyone, and starting up a new relationship that is obviously doomed (thus providing the classic YA love triangle), interspersed with flashbacks to the backstory in China.
She turns out to be surprisingly good at investigating, despite continuing high teen drama and a series of terrible choices and major wimp-outs on her part. Her handler/dragon liaison, Bob, says at one point that she's less incompetent than he'd expected, and honestly I felt the same. For me, it was the mystery and the investigation that kept me reading despite the teen angst - so I was somewhat frustrated when the resolution to the teen angst came before, and delayed, the resolution of the mystery plot, with no sense of urgency even though one was called for.
Other readers will no doubt enjoy the parts I didn't. The relationship and emotional dynamics are well developed and realistic, to be clear, so this isn't about the author's skill but the reviewer's taste.
Something else I enjoyed besides the investigation plot was the antics of the dragons, who are intelligent but in a way that doesn't completely map to human ways of thinking. They name themselves after dragons from fantasy literature, like Ramoth and Temeraire, which I also liked.
I had a pre-publication version for review via Netgalley, and one thing I did notice about it was that the editing was in a much better state than the previous book. I suspect a good copy editor has gone through and largely corrected the author's terrible overhyphenation habit, though they've missed a couple of cases where there's a hyphen between a verb and the pronoun which is its object (why would anyone do that?), and there are still one or two places where there's a hyphen between an adjective and the noun it's modifying. This includes "magical-creatures," which was everywhere in the first book, and the editor may have decided to keep it consistent (even though that means consistently wrong). There's also frequently a comma used after "of course" when it's just being used to agree with a previous statement, which is a common error encouraged by MS Word's inaccurate grammar checker. As always with books I get via Netgalley, there may be further editing to come after I see it and before it's published.
For me, it was a difficult-to-rate mix of strong storytelling, a character I didn't care for (though she does develop), and a cheeky shortcut by the author to justify why that character is even involved. Joey's character arc, from total emotional bomb site to able to stand up for herself and cope, came late and rapidly, which stretched my suspension of disbelief a little, though it is true that having to focus on the needs of others - in this case, the dragons - is the most likely thing to get someone in internal crisis to pull themselves together and break out of their downward spiral.
Overall, I'm putting it in the Bronze (lowest) tier of my annual recommendation list, because it wasn't quite the book I'd hoped for and didn't fit my taste well. If that hadn't been true, it would have won a place in Silver, since it's soundly written and has some insight into human relationships - just between humans I don't particularly care to read about. Your mileage is highly likely to vary.
I will hesitate a bit longer before picking up the third book, though I probably will do so. It's clear which character will be at the centre of it, and she's not particularly promising, though she may be more promising than Joey. We'll see.
January 3, 2026
Thank you NetGalley and Victory Editing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
In “Partridge Up a Pear Tree (and Dragons),” Rachel Taylor Thompson returns to her magic-tinged, dragon-filled world with a fresh set of characters, a cozy mystery twist, and a heroine whose anxiety is as powerful as the dragons she keeps stumbling into helping. While loosely connected to the first book in the series, this installment stands on its own. While it’s not necessary to read the previous installment, there are familiar cameos in this one.
At the center of the story is Joey Partridge: eighteen, mechanically handy, and burdened with social anxiety strong enough that she’d genuinely rather square up with a dragon than have a difficult conversation. Unfortunately for her, both dragons and awkward run-ins with her ex-boyfriend Slade are unavoidable when their parents who are researchers studying dragons for the Canadian government bring them together on a remote field site guarding a mysterious egg. What follows is part dragon-science investigation, part messy coming-of-age, and part teen romantic tension with a hearty helping of humor along the way.
Joey is not a universally easy protagonist to warm up to. She was definitely a flawed character, like with her spiraling internal monologue, her crying jags, and her tendency to bottle or catastrophically spill her emotions. But I did find her growth rewarding. She starts out overwhelmed and underestimated (sometimes by others, sometimes by herself), yet grows into someone capable of facing challenges for the sake of the dragons who inexplicably choose her. Her arc toward self-advocacy and emotional regulation may come late and fast, but once it clicks, her agency feels earned.
The book’s tone is a balancing act: equal parts heartfelt and ridiculous. There is a love triangle of sorts, which is rooted primarily in Joey’s unresolved feelings for Slade, paired with flashbacks that add emotional weight to their dynamic. Whether you find their history compelling or frustrating may depend on your tolerance for miscommunication and prolonged angst, but the themes of apology, forgiveness, and learning to speak up give the relationship more layers than first meets the eye.
Plot-wise, this is less about tight realism and more about embracing the absurd. Sabotage, magic, dragons with literary-inspired names, interdepartmental politics, and a mystery that spirals through social mishaps and emotional landmines keep the pacing lively. The internal drama overshadowed the external stakes at times, though I absolutely loved the humor; the dragons’ antics lightened the mood and deepened the world. The dragons themselves are highlights as they’re intelligent but not human, curious, cheeky, and wonderfully invested in Joey’s personal life.
Thompson’s writing continues to shine in character psychology and emotional nuance, even if some editing quirks and structural choices create friction. But above all, the book succeeds in capturing a chaotic, charming, cozy sense of fantasy: a story where dragons loom large, but the scariest thing might still be saying what you mean to the people you love.
Overall, “Partridge Up a Pear Tree (and Dragons”) may not charm everyone equally, especially those who prefer stoic or steel-spined heroines, but for those willing to embrace messy feelings, cozy mysteries, and dragons who steal scenes as easily as hearts, it’s a humorous and heartfelt continuation of a world worth exploring. Your mileage may vary, but for many, this book definitely lands as both entertaining and unexpectedly moving.
In “Partridge Up a Pear Tree (and Dragons),” Rachel Taylor Thompson returns to her magic-tinged, dragon-filled world with a fresh set of characters, a cozy mystery twist, and a heroine whose anxiety is as powerful as the dragons she keeps stumbling into helping. While loosely connected to the first book in the series, this installment stands on its own. While it’s not necessary to read the previous installment, there are familiar cameos in this one.
At the center of the story is Joey Partridge: eighteen, mechanically handy, and burdened with social anxiety strong enough that she’d genuinely rather square up with a dragon than have a difficult conversation. Unfortunately for her, both dragons and awkward run-ins with her ex-boyfriend Slade are unavoidable when their parents who are researchers studying dragons for the Canadian government bring them together on a remote field site guarding a mysterious egg. What follows is part dragon-science investigation, part messy coming-of-age, and part teen romantic tension with a hearty helping of humor along the way.
Joey is not a universally easy protagonist to warm up to. She was definitely a flawed character, like with her spiraling internal monologue, her crying jags, and her tendency to bottle or catastrophically spill her emotions. But I did find her growth rewarding. She starts out overwhelmed and underestimated (sometimes by others, sometimes by herself), yet grows into someone capable of facing challenges for the sake of the dragons who inexplicably choose her. Her arc toward self-advocacy and emotional regulation may come late and fast, but once it clicks, her agency feels earned.
The book’s tone is a balancing act: equal parts heartfelt and ridiculous. There is a love triangle of sorts, which is rooted primarily in Joey’s unresolved feelings for Slade, paired with flashbacks that add emotional weight to their dynamic. Whether you find their history compelling or frustrating may depend on your tolerance for miscommunication and prolonged angst, but the themes of apology, forgiveness, and learning to speak up give the relationship more layers than first meets the eye.
Plot-wise, this is less about tight realism and more about embracing the absurd. Sabotage, magic, dragons with literary-inspired names, interdepartmental politics, and a mystery that spirals through social mishaps and emotional landmines keep the pacing lively. The internal drama overshadowed the external stakes at times, though I absolutely loved the humor; the dragons’ antics lightened the mood and deepened the world. The dragons themselves are highlights as they’re intelligent but not human, curious, cheeky, and wonderfully invested in Joey’s personal life.
Thompson’s writing continues to shine in character psychology and emotional nuance, even if some editing quirks and structural choices create friction. But above all, the book succeeds in capturing a chaotic, charming, cozy sense of fantasy: a story where dragons loom large, but the scariest thing might still be saying what you mean to the people you love.
Overall, “Partridge Up a Pear Tree (and Dragons”) may not charm everyone equally, especially those who prefer stoic or steel-spined heroines, but for those willing to embrace messy feelings, cozy mysteries, and dragons who steal scenes as easily as hearts, it’s a humorous and heartfelt continuation of a world worth exploring. Your mileage may vary, but for many, this book definitely lands as both entertaining and unexpectedly moving.
January 8, 2026
I’m glad this book was my first read of the new year, because it was enjoyable in so many ways and yet helped me transition back to ‘real life’ after the holidays. I loved the first book in the (and Dragons!) series, but I’m always hesitant when series switch lead characters. Sasha and Ari do make some cute *tiny* appearances in this one which I really appreciated. And with a writer as fun as Rachel Taylor Thompson, I really shouldn’t have worried. Book #2 includes more of the same humor and warmth as we continue the tale of protecting the last sea dragon’s egg.
Joey/Jojo/Josephine is a very different type of FMC, as were both potential love interests, Slade and Mo. Joey grew up having her whole life dictated by her parents’ careers involving the study and protection of magical creatures, which resulted in a bunch of international moves. While the book is a comedic YA fantasy romance adventure mystery, it also features a bit of a psychological study of Joey and her anxiety, Slade and his dysfunctional family (and past trauma), and family dynamics of an overachieving family. I enjoyed it all.
Spoiler alert: there are some dragons in this book, too. And they are the most unusual, fun, and devious little creatures I’ve read in a long time—certainly the zaniest dragons I’ve ever read about. I did want to yell at Joey a couple of times, “Don’t tell them *that*!!” But it played well to comedic effect.
While this book didn’t have the delightful adages of the Clem family that I so enjoyed from the first book, I did like the quirky mannerisms of the Partridge family. Book #1 drew a lot from my favorite old classic, LM Montgomery’s The Blue Castle, and this book followed in its own way with numerous references to various literary classics the students were reading, most of which I knew, but a couple I didn’t! (Egad.)
I strongly recommend this series for teens or for adults who just want to relax and enjoy some fantasy capers. I can’t wait for Book #3.
Joey/Jojo/Josephine is a very different type of FMC, as were both potential love interests, Slade and Mo. Joey grew up having her whole life dictated by her parents’ careers involving the study and protection of magical creatures, which resulted in a bunch of international moves. While the book is a comedic YA fantasy romance adventure mystery, it also features a bit of a psychological study of Joey and her anxiety, Slade and his dysfunctional family (and past trauma), and family dynamics of an overachieving family. I enjoyed it all.
Spoiler alert: there are some dragons in this book, too. And they are the most unusual, fun, and devious little creatures I’ve read in a long time—certainly the zaniest dragons I’ve ever read about. I did want to yell at Joey a couple of times, “Don’t tell them *that*!!” But it played well to comedic effect.
While this book didn’t have the delightful adages of the Clem family that I so enjoyed from the first book, I did like the quirky mannerisms of the Partridge family. Book #1 drew a lot from my favorite old classic, LM Montgomery’s The Blue Castle, and this book followed in its own way with numerous references to various literary classics the students were reading, most of which I knew, but a couple I didn’t! (Egad.)
I strongly recommend this series for teens or for adults who just want to relax and enjoy some fantasy capers. I can’t wait for Book #3.
January 11, 2026
Partridge Up a Pear Tree and Dragons turned out to be a delightful surprise. Once again, I jumped into a series without realizing it was a series, but in this case that actually works in the book’s favor. I hadn’t read the first installment, yet I never felt lost. The story provides enough context through what felt less like simple flashbacks and more like a true dual-timeline structure, making it easy to follow as a standalone.
One of the highlights for me was the treatment of dragons. We so often see them portrayed as enormous, ancient, wise, and majestic, and while those dragons do exist here, the book also introduces other species that are… considerably less grand. These smaller, less dignified dragons were genuinely adorable and added a lot of charm to the story.
I also appreciated that the ending wasn’t obvious from the start. There are relationship dynamics at play, but the story doesn’t rely solely on romance. The “save the magical creatures” thread carries real weight and keeps the plot engaging and unpredictable.
Overall, this was a fun, satisfying read. I’d happily go back and read earlier books in the series, and I’d absolutely pick up other books by this author as well.
One of the highlights for me was the treatment of dragons. We so often see them portrayed as enormous, ancient, wise, and majestic, and while those dragons do exist here, the book also introduces other species that are… considerably less grand. These smaller, less dignified dragons were genuinely adorable and added a lot of charm to the story.
I also appreciated that the ending wasn’t obvious from the start. There are relationship dynamics at play, but the story doesn’t rely solely on romance. The “save the magical creatures” thread carries real weight and keeps the plot engaging and unpredictable.
Overall, this was a fun, satisfying read. I’d happily go back and read earlier books in the series, and I’d absolutely pick up other books by this author as well.
December 18, 2025
Gut rating: ⭐⭐
CAWPILE rating: 1.93
ARC publication date: November 1st 2025
DNF 16%
Tropes:
- YA fantasy
- Dysfunctional family
- Dragons
- unique magic system
Trigger warnings: Panic attack, toxic friendship, toxic relationship, bullying, abandonment, grief, police brutality, alcohol, car accident
Quote: Even with his painful, like-stabbing-my-own-chest-with-a-knife hatred between us, I’d missed him. Completely, utterly, unconditionally, thoroughly, wholeheartedly, consummately, without qualifications, to-the-depths-of-my-soul missed him. My Slade.
Synopsis: Constantly on the move with her parents as they fly around the world working on dragon biology for the Canadian Magical Sciences Research Council, 18yo Josephine "Joey" Bridget Patridge's college dreams are squashed when the Canadian Prime Minister summons all Canadian scientists and their families to Gander, Newfoundland for a rare dragon hatching. When the baby dragon egg is threatened, Joey is pulled into a rescue mission with her mortal enemy and ex-best friend Slade Adler. Can Joey save the egg and their friendship?
Review: This was an uncomfortable read, with a dysfunctional family, toxic friends, and pushy love interests. The book was confusing, with two different plots pushed together and I felt dragged along. Everyone had long names that weighed the story down and made it harder to remember characters. Not everyone needs their middle name announced each time their introduced. The magic/biology system was complex and relied heavily on the reader referring to a glossary rather than attempting to explain this through the story.
With thanks to the Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
CAWPILE rating: 1.93
ARC publication date: November 1st 2025
DNF 16%
Tropes:
- YA fantasy
- Dysfunctional family
- Dragons
- unique magic system
Trigger warnings: Panic attack, toxic friendship, toxic relationship, bullying, abandonment, grief, police brutality, alcohol, car accident
Quote: Even with his painful, like-stabbing-my-own-chest-with-a-knife hatred between us, I’d missed him. Completely, utterly, unconditionally, thoroughly, wholeheartedly, consummately, without qualifications, to-the-depths-of-my-soul missed him. My Slade.
Synopsis: Constantly on the move with her parents as they fly around the world working on dragon biology for the Canadian Magical Sciences Research Council, 18yo Josephine "Joey" Bridget Patridge's college dreams are squashed when the Canadian Prime Minister summons all Canadian scientists and their families to Gander, Newfoundland for a rare dragon hatching. When the baby dragon egg is threatened, Joey is pulled into a rescue mission with her mortal enemy and ex-best friend Slade Adler. Can Joey save the egg and their friendship?
Review: This was an uncomfortable read, with a dysfunctional family, toxic friends, and pushy love interests. The book was confusing, with two different plots pushed together and I felt dragged along. Everyone had long names that weighed the story down and made it harder to remember characters. Not everyone needs their middle name announced each time their introduced. The magic/biology system was complex and relied heavily on the reader referring to a glossary rather than attempting to explain this through the story.
With thanks to the Publishers and NetGalley for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
October 7, 2025
I adored the first book in the series, but I found this one harder to connect with. I didn't form a bond with Joey, the narrator, until about halfway through the book - but once I did, I enjoyed her story.
I liked how Joey's character is developed, especially her anxiety and the mess she creates trying to mask it. The love interest, Slade, is also a complex and interesting character, and the arc of forgiveness resonated.
The plot was quite ridiculous. At first, that annoyed me, but then I embraced it and just laughed along. It does feel forced at times, but if you enjoy fun and silly, then it's very enjoyable.
I liked how Joey's character is developed, especially her anxiety and the mess she creates trying to mask it. The love interest, Slade, is also a complex and interesting character, and the arc of forgiveness resonated.
The plot was quite ridiculous. At first, that annoyed me, but then I embraced it and just laughed along. It does feel forced at times, but if you enjoy fun and silly, then it's very enjoyable.
October 8, 2025
What a delightful addition to this magical
series by a favorite Author. Joey, a simply
delightful youngster, goes through an awful
lot in this fast paced, fascinating “mythtery”
Myth and Mystery are side by side from
start to finish.
I was happy when we learned …ah….
NO SPOILERS HERE, folks!
I am permanently in love with this series❤️.
My thanks to the Author for an advance copy
of the book! Read via kindle…
series by a favorite Author. Joey, a simply
delightful youngster, goes through an awful
lot in this fast paced, fascinating “mythtery”
Myth and Mystery are side by side from
start to finish.
I was happy when we learned …ah….
NO SPOILERS HERE, folks!
I am permanently in love with this series❤️.
My thanks to the Author for an advance copy
of the book! Read via kindle…
October 9, 2025
Oh so good. I love the way Thompson's lead female characters are powerful and strong despite and because of their weaknesses. Though not the same characters, you should read the first "and Dragons" book first because it introduces the world and sets the stage for this one. Absolutely loved it.
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Full disclosure - I received a copy of the book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review
October 13, 2025
I enjoyed this book! Not as much as the first one but it was still quite entertaining. I had trouble at first with Joey and adjusting to her being so deeply insecure most of the time and also super confident in certain situations. I have trouble relating to such an extreme people pleaser.
I loved all the new dragons. They were so amusing. I loved them learning new skills and their interest in Joey's love life. I'm excited to see what the next book brings!
I loved all the new dragons. They were so amusing. I loved them learning new skills and their interest in Joey's love life. I'm excited to see what the next book brings!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 22, 2025
Thank you to the publisher for this free eARC! All opinions are my own.
I was really interested in finishing this one. However, the main character's anxiety was giving me anxiety, and I just couldn't continue. I made it to the scene where Joey gets her job at the pizza restaurant. #PatridgeUpAPearTree #NetGalley
I was really interested in finishing this one. However, the main character's anxiety was giving me anxiety, and I just couldn't continue. I made it to the scene where Joey gets her job at the pizza restaurant. #PatridgeUpAPearTree #NetGalley
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