Call of the Dragon

by Natasha Bowen

In the first book of a new series inspired by African mythology, dragon gods rule the earth and sky—until the gods are betrayed, and one girl embarks on a journey to save the world from war and ruin. From the New York Times bestselling author of Skin of the Sea.

The people are calling . . .
And the gods will answer.

Moremi has only ever known peace in the Kingdom of Kwa, thanks to the two dragon gods keeping an unspeakable evil at bay. But when the king tries to claim the gods’ power for himself, it all goes dreadfully wrong. The great dragons are injured and flee . . . and the world’s darkest shadows are released.

Suddenly, Kwa’s ancient tales of monsters become all too real. Yet as death comes for those around her, Moremi somehow finds herself magically connected to both dragon gods—a feat that should be impossible.

Now, Moremi is Kwa’s only hope for restoring the gods to full strength. But will Jagun, the mysterious prince, let her anywhere near the dragons? And how does her childhood friend, Nox, feel about it all? It may not matter in the end, because if Moremi fails her quest, then she risks the earth caving in and the sky crumbling down.

Genres: Fantasy, Young Adult, Fiction, Romance, Dragons

368 pages, Hardcover

Published February 10, 2026

About the author

Natasha Bowen is a writer, a teacher, and a mother of three children. She is of Nigerian and Welsh descent and lives in Cambridge, England, where she grew up. Natasha studied English and creative writing at Bath Spa University before moving to East London, where she taught for nearly ten years. Her debut book was inspired by her passion for mermaids and African history. She is obsessed with Japanese and German stationery and spends stupid amounts on notebooks, which she then features on her secret Instagram. When she’s not writing, she’s reading, watched over carefully by Milk and Honey, her cat and dog.

Reviews

[Tangi Trussell · Rating 4 out of 5]

(( 4.25 )) This was a good read. I thought the lore had originality to it. I was locked in from the beginning. I’d definitely recommend & will be reading the sequel.

Received E-ARC courtesy of NetGalley ( :

[FindingFiction · Rating 4 out of 5]

Lucious rich with culture and magic, Call of the Dragon twines together a story full of adventure and betrayal.

This books incorporates African Mythology, horrifying beasts and a magic system that has been fleshed out. The quest and characters had me turning the page and the ending wrapped it up enough to satisfy the reader but also left some unfinished threads that I look eager to exploring in book two.

While on the quest, it felt a bit redundant with some of the push and pull (mostly romantic intrigue) for my liking. I am always hesitant with love triangles and while this wasn’t an “in your face” one, it’s still lingering consistently.

Thank you to PenguinTeen and Netgalley for an e-arc of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Maxine · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 for me
I think the author set this world up beautifully. As someone who is not familiar with African mythology, I was able to understand the world, culture and magic system. It was all done beautifully and made for a rich story with a complex FMC.

I think with Moremi character I think her complexity was to illustrate power and its sometimes-corruptive nature and what happens when we isolate ourselves intentionally or unintentionally. With Moremi she is a girl who grew up under a lot of pressure and hasn't always lived up to the standard of those around her especially those of her mother while also living under the stigma of her banished father. While she may have carved out a space for herself adjacent to the desires of her mother by helping people with herbs and tonics as well as becoming well versed in the archives she still struggles of feeling like she and it is not enough. So, at these moments you want to hug and encourage her especially when she gets chosen by both the dragon gods and has all this power that she is unprepared for and doesn't know how to handle. Now she is on this quest with these powers and the weight of her world on her shoulders and at time the powers overtake her, and you see a shift in her as the powers overtake her and in a way that power shifts her personality in a way where she now views those around her as a hindrance. I think this is to illustrate how isolating oneself and the corrupting nature of all-encompassing power can be. You can see that point throughout the book with the king and others who corrupt themselves in the quest for power. So, it's in the moments to drive home that point where you might be like girl get yourself together. Thankfully those are moments due to her friends and community that when she leans on them that she comes back to herself a little wiser to what is happening.
I think this is an element/struggle we will continue to see especially with how this book ended and she now is the one in charge not just of the kingdom but with raising this all powerful dragon and with having to steer people in this combining of religious secs, being a girl and her position will all be very isolating so I think this struggle with power will be one continuing to play out and I am interested in seeing how she deals with it.

Overall, I enjoyed the story, the exposure to a new mythology and I enjoyed the complexity of the FMC and I am intrigued with the next book.


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This book is about Moremi whose home has always been at peace protected by two dragon gods whose cleansing keeps the ancient evils at bay. That is until the king disrupts the cleansing to try and claim their powers for himself. His actions wound and offend the dragons to where they abandon the people allowing those evils to be unleashed on the people. But just before the chaos something impossible happened and Moremi was claimed by both the dragon gods and because of that she may be the only one able to find them and plead for them to return and save her people. So, she sets off on her quest with a with a secretive prince and a childhood friend who she has conflicting feelings about all while the earth around her starts to break apart. But failure is not an option when it could mean the sky falling and everything she loves turning to dust.


I received an ARC Copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Daria (AnxiKitKatReads) · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unfortunately, this one didn’t land as well as I hoped. The premise of the book sounds fantastic and I was ready for an epic quest, but it felt very rushed and shallow. The world building had potential, but it was underdeveloped in my opinion. I feel like the world building should’ve been more cohesive and we should’ve learned more about the lore, creatures, and magic system. The dragon gods took a backseat to the quest, so if you’re looking for story with dragons fully involved in the plot, this is not it. Even the quest felt discombobulated at times, like just random ideas thrown together and then when they encountered obstacles, things just got quickly resolved and they would move on. Again, it felt shallow and lacked any real depth. It is as if this story was hastily thrown together and unfinished.

I had a few issues with characters as well. Our main character was grappling with her insecurities the entire journey, but also had moments where her anger, ego, and pride were in the driver’s seat. It became very repetitive and there wasn’t much growth throughout the story. There was also a forced love triangle that didn’t make a lot of sense and I found it annoying. Another issue I had was the tragedies that were occurring throughout the story would just happen and then get swept under the rug. It felt like trying to force the readers to feel something or just to be a shock factor rather than an emotional experience. It was almost what I expect from a middle grade book rather than YA.

I might check out the sequel whenever it releases to see if some of my issues with the first book get resolved.

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Children’s Books for the ARC.

[Dario Pacheco · Rating 4 out of 5]

First and foremost I’d like to thank NetGalley and Random house publishing for the amazing opportunity of a copy of this book. My review is a honest reflection of my feelings of this books.
What happens when the dark parts of human nature come out to play with gods and monsters?
You get a Call of the Dragon. We meet a girl who has always felt like she wasn’t worth attention until she’s chosen as representative of two powerful dragons. One of earth and one of sky. Not only that but when the human leader craves to talk the power of these two dragons for himself at the cost of the whole world burning to the ground
This book was a pretty solid YA book that delt with feelings of worthiness and being thrown into the center of a war.
I loved Natasha’s previous books and this book was filled with breathtaking culture and intricate world building.
For sure a knock out of a book.

[Ashley - The Tattered Page · Rating 4 out of 5]

🎧📖𝒜𝐿𝒞 𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌📖🎧

𝒞𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒟𝓇𝒶𝑔𝑜𝓃 ʙʏ ɴᴀᴛᴀsʜᴀ ʙᴏᴡᴇɴ

𝑅𝒶𝓉𝒾𝓃𝑔: 🥀🥀🥀🥀 ᴏᴜᴛ ᴏғ 𝟻 ᴇɴᴄʜᴀɴᴛᴇᴅ ʀᴏsᴇs

✨ 𝐻𝑜𝑜𝓀✨

ɪɴ ᴀ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ʀᴜʟᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ ɢᴏᴅs ᴏғ ᴇᴀʀᴛʜ ᴀɴᴅ sᴋʏ, ᴏɴᴇ ɢɪʀʟ ʀɪsᴇs ᴛᴏ sᴛᴏᴘ ᴀ ᴡᴀʀ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴄᴏᴜʟᴅ ᴅᴇsᴛʀᴏʏ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴛʜɪɴɢ.

𝑅𝑒𝓋𝒾𝑒𝓌:

ʜᴜɢᴇ ᴛʜᴀɴᴋ ʏᴏᴜ ᴛᴏ ᴘʀʜ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏ ғᴏʀ ɢɪғᴛɪɴɢ ᴍᴇ ᴛʜɪs ᴀʟᴄ!

ᴇᴘɪᴄ, ɪᴍᴍᴇʀsɪᴠᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ-ғᴏʀᴡᴀʀᴅ—𝒞𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒟𝓇𝒶𝑔𝑜𝓃 ɪs ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴᴅ ᴏғ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴍᴀᴋᴇs ʏᴏᴜ ғᴏʀɢᴇᴛ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ʟɪsᴛᴇɴɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏɴᴠɪɴᴄᴇs ʏᴏᴜʀ ʙʀᴀɪɴ ʏᴏᴜ’ʀᴇ ʟɪᴠɪɴɢ ɪɴsɪᴅᴇ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ.

ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴇᴅ ʙʏ ᴀғʀɪᴄᴀɴ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ, ᴛʜɪs sᴇʀɪᴇs ᴏᴘᴇɴᴇʀ ғᴏʟʟᴏᴡs ᴍᴏʀᴇᴍɪ, ᴀ ɢɪʀʟ ʀᴀɪsᴇᴅ ɪɴ ᴘᴇᴀᴄᴇ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘʀᴏᴛᴇᴄᴛɪᴏɴ ᴏғ ᴛᴡᴏ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ ɢᴏᴅs—ᴜɴᴛɪʟ ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ɢʀᴇᴇᴅ sʜᴀᴛᴛᴇʀs ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ ʜᴏʟᴅɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ᴛᴏɢᴇᴛʜᴇʀ. ᴡʜᴇɴ ᴛʜᴇ ᴋɪɴɢ ᴀᴛᴛᴇᴍᴘᴛs ᴛᴏ sᴇɪᴢᴇ ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴs ᴀʀᴇ ᴡᴏᴜɴᴅᴇᴅ, ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ᴇᴠɪʟs sᴘɪʟʟ ʟᴏᴏsᴇ, ᴀɴᴅ sᴜᴅᴅᴇɴʟʏ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏᴛʜs ᴍᴇᴀɴᴛ ᴛᴏ ᴡᴀʀɴ ʜᴀᴠᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛᴇʀʀɪғʏɪɴɢʟʏ ʀᴇᴀʟ.

ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇᴍɪ? sʜᴇ ʙᴇᴄᴏᴍᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ɪᴍᴘᴏssɪʙʟᴇ—ᴍᴀɢɪᴄᴀʟʟʏ ʙᴏᴜɴᴅ ᴛᴏ ʙᴏᴛʜ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ ɢᴏᴅs.

🐉𝒲𝒽𝒶𝓉 𝒲𝑜𝓇𝓀𝓈:
✨ᴛʜᴇ ᴡᴏʀʟᴅʙᴜɪʟᴅɪɴɢ ɪs ʀɪᴄʜ ʙᴜᴛ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴏᴠᴇʀᴡʜᴇʟᴍɪɴɢ
✨ᴀғʀɪᴄᴀɴ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ ɪs ᴡᴏᴠᴇɴ ɪɴ sᴇᴀᴍʟᴇssʟʏ, ɴᴏᴛ ɪɴғᴏ-ᴅᴜᴍᴘᴇᴅ
✨ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴs ғᴇᴇʟ ʟɪᴋᴇ ɢᴏᴅs—ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀғᴜʟ, ᴅɪsᴛᴀɴᴛ, ᴛᴇʀʀɪғʏɪɴɢ, sᴀᴄʀᴇᴅ
✨ᴛʜᴇ ᴍᴀɢɪᴄ ʙᴏɴᴅ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴍᴏʀᴇᴍɪ ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴs ɪs ғᴀsᴄɪɴᴀᴛɪɴɢ ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ɢʀᴏᴜɴᴅᴇᴅ

⚔️ 𝒞𝒽𝒶𝓇𝒶𝒸𝓉𝑒𝓇 𝒟𝓎𝓃𝒶𝓂𝒾𝒸𝓈:
ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ’s ᴛᴇɴsɪᴏɴ ᴇᴠᴇʀʏᴡʜᴇʀᴇ—ɪɴ ᴛʜᴇ ʙᴇsᴛ ᴡᴀʏ.
✨ᴊᴀɢᴜɴ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏsᴛᴇʀɪᴏᴜs ᴘʀɪɴᴄᴇ, ʙʀɪɴɢs sᴜsᴘɪᴄɪᴏɴ ᴀɴᴅ ɢᴜᴀʀᴅᴇᴅ ɪɴᴛᴇɴsɪᴛʏ
✨ɴᴏx, ᴛʜᴇ ᴄʜɪʟᴅʜᴏᴏᴅ ғʀɪᴇɴᴅ, ᴀᴅᴅs ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴡᴇɪɢʜᴛ ᴀɴᴅ ᴜɴʀᴇsᴏʟᴠᴇᴅ ʜɪsᴛᴏʀʏ
✨ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇᴍɪ ɪs ᴄᴀᴜɢʜᴛ ʙᴇᴛᴡᴇᴇɴ ᴅᴜᴛʏ, ғᴇᴀʀ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴀ ᴅᴇsᴛɪɴʏ sʜᴇ ɴᴇᴠᴇʀ ᴀsᴋᴇᴅ ғᴏʀ

ᴛʜɪs ɪsɴ’ᴛ ʀᴏᴍᴀɴᴄᴇ-ғɪʀsᴛ, ʙᴜᴛ ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴏᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴀʟ ɪs ᴛʜᴇʀᴇ, sɪᴍᴍᴇʀɪɴɢ ᴜɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛʜᴇ sᴜʀғᴀᴄᴇ, ʟᴀʏᴇʀᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʟᴏʏᴀʟᴛʏ, ᴍɪsᴛʀᴜsᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ʟᴏɴɢɪɴɢ.

🎙️𝒩𝒶𝓇𝓇𝒶𝓉𝒾𝑜𝓃: ᴏsᴀᴅᴜᴍᴇʙɪ
ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ɪs sᴛᴜɴɴɪɴɢ. ᴛʜᴇ ɴᴀʀʀᴀᴛᴏʀ ʙʀɪɴɢs ᴀ ʟʏʀɪᴄᴀʟ, ᴀʟᴍᴏsᴛ ᴄᴇʀᴇᴍᴏɴɪᴀʟ ǫᴜᴀʟɪᴛʏ ᴛᴏ ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ ᴛʜᴀᴛ ᴘᴇʀғᴇᴄᴛʟʏ ᴍᴀᴛᴄʜᴇs ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏᴛʜɪᴄ ᴛᴏɴᴇ. ᴘʀᴏɴᴜɴᴄɪᴀᴛɪᴏɴs ғᴇᴇʟ ɪɴᴛᴇɴᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ ᴀɴᴅ ʀᴇsᴘᴇᴄᴛғᴜʟ, ᴛʜᴇ ᴘᴀᴄɪɴɢ ɪs ᴇxᴄᴇʟʟᴇɴᴛ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴛʜᴇ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟ sʜɪғᴛs—ғʀᴏᴍ ᴡᴏɴᴅᴇʀ ᴛᴏ ᴅʀᴇᴀᴅ ᴛᴏ ǫᴜɪᴇᴛ ʀᴇsᴏʟᴠᴇ—ᴀʀᴇ ʜᴀɴᴅʟᴇᴅ ᴡɪᴛʜ ʀᴇᴀʟ ᴄᴀʀᴇ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴs ғᴇᴇʟ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ, ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴀᴋᴇs ғᴇᴇʟ ᴄᴏsᴍɪᴄ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴍᴏʀᴇᴍɪ’s ғᴇᴀʀ ᴀɴᴅ ᴄᴏᴜʀᴀɢᴇ ᴄᴏᴍᴇ ᴛʜʀᴏᴜɢʜ ᴄʟᴇᴀʀʟʏ ᴡɪᴛʜᴏᴜᴛ ᴇᴠᴇʀ ғᴇᴇʟɪɴɢ ᴍᴇʟᴏᴅʀᴀᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ.

𝒯𝓇𝑜𝓅𝑒𝓈 & 𝒱𝒾𝒷𝑒𝓈:
🐉 ᴀғʀɪᴄᴀɴ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ–ɪɴsᴘɪʀᴇᴅ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ
✨ ᴅʀᴀɢᴏɴ ɢᴏᴅs
🐉 ʜᴜᴍᴀɴ ɢʀᴇᴇᴅ ᴠs ᴅɪᴠɪɴᴇ ʙᴀʟᴀɴᴄᴇ
✨ ᴀɴᴄɪᴇɴᴛ ᴇᴠɪʟs ᴜɴʟᴇᴀsʜᴇᴅ x sᴀᴠᴇ-ᴛʜᴇ-ᴡᴏʀʟᴅ ǫᴜᴇsᴛ
🐉 ᴄʜᴏsᴇɴ ᴏɴᴇ ᴡɪᴛʜ ᴀ ᴛᴡɪsᴛ
✨ ᴍʏᴛʜ ᴍᴇᴇᴛs ᴍᴏʀᴀʟ ᴄᴏɴsᴇǫᴜᴇɴᴄᴇ
🐉 ᴘᴏʟɪᴛɪᴄᴀʟ ʙᴇᴛʀᴀʏᴀʟ
✨ʟᴏᴠᴇ ᴛʀɪᴀɴɢʟᴇ

𝐹𝒾𝓃𝒶𝓁 𝓋𝑒𝓇𝒹𝒾𝒸𝓉:
𝒞𝒶𝓁𝓁 𝑜𝒻 𝓉𝒽𝑒 𝒟𝓇𝒶𝑔𝑜𝓃 ɪs ᴀ ᴘᴏᴡᴇʀғᴜʟ sᴇʀɪᴇs sᴛᴀʀᴛᴇʀ—ᴛʜᴏᴜɢʜᴛғᴜʟ, ᴄɪɴᴇᴍᴀᴛɪᴄ, ᴀɴᴅ ᴇᴍᴏᴛɪᴏɴᴀʟʟʏ ʀᴇsᴏɴᴀɴᴛ. ᴛʜᴇ ᴀᴜᴅɪᴏʙᴏᴏᴋ ᴇʟᴇᴠᴀᴛᴇs ᴛʜᴇ sᴛᴏʀʏ, ᴍᴀᴋɪɴɢ ᴛʜᴇ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢʏ ғᴇᴇʟ ᴀʟɪᴠᴇ ᴀɴᴅ sᴀᴄʀᴇᴅ. ɪғ ʏᴏᴜ ʟᴏᴠᴇᴅ sᴋɪɴ ᴏғ ᴛʜᴇ sᴇᴀ ᴏʀ ᴡᴀɴᴛ ᴇᴘɪᴄ ғᴀɴᴛᴀsʏ ʀᴏᴏᴛᴇᴅ ɪɴ ɴᴏɴ-ᴡᴇsᴛᴇʀɴ ᴍʏᴛʜᴏʟᴏɢɪᴇs, ᴛʜɪs ɪs ᴀ ᴍᴜsᴛ-ʟɪsᴛᴇɴ.

ʜᴀᴘᴘʏ ʀᴇᴀᴅɪɴɢ!
𝒜𝓈𝒽𝓁𝑒𝓎

[Elyse · Rating 3 out of 5]

A story centering on the beautiful and richness or African mythology should be right up my ally. The premise was so unique and for some of the time I truly enjoyed learning more about this world. The actual story, however, did not deliver.
The Kingdom of Kwa centers their lives around the gods that made them, the two dragons of Earth and Sky. Every ten years, the dragons bless the land in order to keep the shadow creatures at bay which is accompanied by a ceremony in their honor. Our main character wishes to take part in the ceremony so she may be chosen by the Earth God, Yida. By a miraculous turn of events, she is chosen by not only Yida but by the Sky God as well, Dam.
There story sets off from there, a huge betrayal that wrecks the kingdom and forces our main character to go on a journey to fix it all. This whole premise sounds really awesome, it really does. Unfortunately I felt it very lacking.
I do want to see that I appreciate the world so much. The religion, the traditions, the magic, the creatures, were all so fun to read about and it made me crave more. But at some point it felt like those elements were randomly thrown in there for fun instead of it being actually important to the story. The world building especially needed more focus.
Our main character Moremi goes through a lot of challenges during her journey. Challenges that eventually feel unnecessary and repetitive. It felt like it was the same formula over and over again: stumble upon a group of people, get kicked out but then helped, the bad guys come, she runs away, uses more magic. Repeat. The constant feeling of déjà vu made it a chore to pick up.
Moremi went through a lot during her journey and I understand how that can impact her reactions but I found her thought process to be annoying at times. She was constantly up and down, letting her pride get the better of her. Instead of learning from it, by the end of the book it seems she didn’t develop as a character at all and is still the same one from the beginning.
I know many people will enjoy this so please give it a try for yourself. There is great things about this book that I wish I could’ve appreciated more.

[Vixen · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF at 74%... I REALLY REALLY tried to like this book. I felt like a lot of it could of been interesting but the world building and plot looked into beyond surface level did not make sense to me. I did ABSOLUTELY love the different than my own culture aspect to the world and feel like with some more work the world, creatures, magic, etc. could make this story better. FMC annoyed me and the conversations with the side characters a lot of the time didn't feel like natural dialog. The story also needs to go through more editing as there were still quite a few spelling and word usage errors throughout what I had read. I was sitting at a 3 star view for most of the book until a huge turning point happened in the book and I found I could not care less about it and felt it was my time to end it as I was not even wanting to know what was going to happen any longer. I do think a lot of people could enjoy this story though and maybe it was more a me problem than anything else. Lastly, I think for me with the dragons and the humans being the main focal point to the story the other creatures felt very thrown in and felt unnecessary? Once the characters ran into any creature it was an info dump, conflict, move along... it just felt weird to me, like the author wasn't sure what struggles to have their characters go through and just threw random stuff at them. I love the dragons and the magic in the overall but the division and such just felt weird I guess, at least to me.

[claudia reads it all · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natasha Bowen's Skin of the Sea was one of the first books I read that included African mythology. Her beautiful prose and immersive writing hooked me in, and both qualities are on display in Call of the Dragon.

Moremi has grown up in the kingdom of Kwa, where two powerful dragon gods keep the people safe - until a greedy king decides he knows better (he's done his own research, you know) and tries to five-finger-discount some of that power. Not only does he absolutely fail, but he also releases some evil creatures that have, so far, been kept at bay.

Although she has always felt like a disappointment to her powerful priestess mother, never doing the prayers and rituals correctly, Moremi ends up bonding with both of the dragon gods and must summon all her strength and intelligence to figure out how to fix everything and save her people.

This book is so cinematic, and not just because of the dragons. From the first page, we are in Kwa, the descriptions of rituals and clothing and food so engrossing that you can feel the ground shaking as the feet of those praying slap down again and again. I am very excited to see what happens in the next book!

[Hannah (semi-hiatus + slump) · Rating 1 out of 5]

Thank you to Random House and Natasha Bowen for the eARC in exchange for an honest review!

Call of the Dragon by Natasha Bowen presents an intriguing premise rooted in African mythology, an aspect that is both refreshing and full of potential. Unfortunately, the novel did not deliver on this promise. The narrative lacks focus and cohesion, with characters subjected to a series of loosely connected challenges that feel arbitrary rather than purposeful. These repetitive obstacles failed to meaningfully develop character arcs or build emotional stakes.

As the story progresses, the redundancy becomes increasingly apparent, contributing to a sense that the novel is unfinished. While the conceptual foundation is compelling, the execution is underdeveloped and lacks the structural clarity necessary to sustain the plot. ://

[Gilly · Rating 4 out of 5]

The premise of this book had me hooked. And it did a really good job keeping me entertained and pondering... well what is going to happen next?!
The many different creatures and villages, along with the different beliefs were really well done and created a world I would be interested in exploring even more.

The lore I felt could have been a bit more layered, with a bit more depth, but it was original and made sense as the foundation of this plot and story.

In essence, I enjoyed this book and will be waiting eagerly for book 2.

[Leanna Lim · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of Call of the Dragon by Natasha Bowen! I loved the premise and the book did not disappoint. The world-building was comprehensive and the mythology included was interesting, engaging, and relevant to the story. While I started the book for the dragons and magic, the adventure and suspense combined with the emotional pull of the main character Moremi kept me going.

4.5 stars

[Morgan Gayles · Rating 3 out of 5]

She never wanted the ceremony…she was perfectly fine being a healer. But of course, that wouldn’t make much of a story. Her father is banished, and she’s pushed into redeeming herself and her family name. She’s chosen to carry the magic of the gods. With dark magic rising she’s fighting to save not just herself and her family, but her entire country. She must show there has to be a new way to worship their gods one without separation or exclusion.

[Chantel · Rating 5 out of 5]

Clever and well written world building, intriguing characters and DRAGONS, this book has it all. I loved it and can't wait for the next one!

Thank you to the publisher for providing a copy for review

[Jazsmen Winfrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Natasha is brilliant! Reading about our cultures and how she intertwined it into a YA book nonetheless makes my heart swell. I can’t wait to get this for my daughter. The magic and action is top tier.

[Book · Rating 5 out of 5]

I picked this up because, hello, dragon! I stuck with it due to the satisfyingly fast-paced, thrill ride! This book showed how painfully human humans can be and how love, loss and power are intoxicating forces of good and evil.

[Ilaena · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.25

[Karla · Rating 4 out of 5]

4/5 stars

Thank you to Netgalley and Random House Children's Publishing for giving me an ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own and offered voluntarily.

I immediately felt drawn into the lore and magic of the story. I could've done without the love triangle, but that's just me being picky. I think the story flowed well but did have some repetitive story plots that I felt could've been fleshed out better. Overall, an amazing show of African folklore and mythology.