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, Dragons, Young Adult Fantasy, Romance, Fiction

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

[Zoë · Rating 4 out of 5]

I did judge this book by its cover (I do not like the cover, personally) but you know what, this book slayed

[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 ( :

[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.

[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.

[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.

[Tessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you so much to Penguin Random House, Natasha Bowen and NetGalley for sending me an eARC of Call of the Dragon!

Call of the Dragon follows Moremi, the daughter of the principle priestess in the temple dedicated to the dragon goddess Yida, one of the two draconic gods that created the world and banished evil spirits from the land. Moremi struggles with the prayers that are expected of her as the daughter of the priestess, and so does not want to enter the ceremony where the two gods choose humans to wield their idan, their power. However, Moremi finds herself in this ceremony, and is chosen by both Yida and her husband Dam, bearing both of their marks. When the ceremony goes wrong and the evil spirits are unleashed on the world and the gods injured, it's up to Moremi and her friends to find the gods and reunite them in order to cleanse the world of the spirits.

I really enjoyed this one. I'm not the most familiar with African mythology, so I was incredibly interested in the way mythology and lore was woven into this world and the way the world was built. The concept of draconic gods that command the elements was a really unique theme that I found myself really enjoying, and while I wish that we had more page time for the dragon gods, I did enjoy the sections that we got with them. I also really enjoyed the rich culture and traditions that we got to see in this story, with how each god was celebrated and the way that this shaped the way their people interacted with each other. It felt like the gods were the true focal points of the lives of these people, which I really liked seeing. Also the vast amount of unique creatures in this was amazing. I loved hearing descriptions of these animals that I've never read about before and seeing how they interacted with our characters. The dragons were the main focus of the story but the other animals really added a new layer to the world building

Our main character Moremi was such an interesting character to read about. She truly went on a journey of self discovery alongside the journey to save the world in this; she starts off being very unsure of herself and her place in the world, and feeling wholly inadequate because of expectations that were put upon her by her mother and those around her, but that she failed to meet. She blames herself for everything and constantly feels not good enough; this is something that I can really relate to so I really felt for Moremi. At times I wanted to shake her and shout that she is good enough! Her growth throughout the book is really great, however there were times that she truly leaned into her rage and pride which I also liked seeing but made me feel a bit annoyed at her, especially when it clouded her judgement. However those reactions are totally understandable and only made her a more fleshed out character that I enjoyed reading from the perspective of.

My main gripe with this would be the romantic aspect, and in particular one of the love interests, Moremi's childhood best friend Nox. I just really didn't like the way he was around Moremi; the overprotective nature and trying to make every decision for her under the guise of protecting her really rubbed me the wrong way. I much preferred the other love interest, Jagun, and am looking forward to seeing where his story arc goes in the next book. Also the pacing was a little off for me; we'd run into obstacles, solve it and then just move on quickly, and it felt like some big moments were just brushed aside without really being felt. I understand that they just needed to get on with the quest and could come to terms with everything later, but those sections did feel a little rushed for me.

Overall I still really enjoyed the lush writing and rich cultural aspects of this book, and think this is a really strong YA story! I'll definitely be reading the sequel as the ending really had me wanting to know what will happen next. I really recommend this if you're looking for a great YA dragon story with rich culture and a main character that truly comes to know her worth.

[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.

[C.P. Thuot · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have pre-ordered every book fro0m this author for a reason: Bowen can weave culture and fantasy, storytelling and emotion, into one novel and you never forget it.

Set in the Kingdom of Kwa, we immediately become entrenched in the world and life of Moremi (the main character). She beats a lot of annoying YA FMC tropes by being presented as a flawed but relatable person, and her POV greatly enriches the reader with the lore of their dragon gods, Yida and Dam, without loredumping. There is action where it's needed and a quiet love for her surroundings and values to give that action meaning. The magic system of idan - the power of the dragon gods - is also so fascinating, as it incorporates dance techniques as a form of prayer and to utilize the magic.

Moremi must unite the dragon gods once more when the Oba Ojaja - Kwa's monarch - is convinced by a diplomat from the neighbor kingdom of Carew to call upon the emi buburu instead of the idan of the gods. This unleashes evil shadow magic onto the kingdom and time is of the essence to bring the gods back and ask them to cleanse their land once more.

With Moremi are three others. Noxolo, a childhood friend and potential sweetheart; her rival-turned-friend, Zaye; and the Oba's son, Jagun, a warrior who is a sort of rival for Moremi's affections. There is a time crunch the characters must navigate alongside magical traps and their own disagreements and inner struggles. The heart of all four are united in Kwa's safety and in saving the world, yet they each have a unique philosophy as to why they feel this way. This also ties into their interpersonal struggles, allowing the story to have a layered plot that is well furbished rather than overcomplicated.

If you are worried about the "love triangle," please don't be. It doesn't override the plot or character development at all, and I felt it was tastefully done.

I must also comment on how well Bowen utilized dragons in her stories. Most books of the "dragon riders" type do not do much with actual dragons. But, because they are literal gods in this universe, they are steeped into every aspect of life for the people of Kwa. Yida and Dam are major players in this story from beginning to end, even if they are not on page for the scene. I was also pleasantly surprised by the addition of a new dragon god, their child Maha. I won't share how she is revealed - it is truly worth reading for yourself. But the dragons overall are their own characters with meaningful places in the story. If you are a dragon fan, you will appreciate how they are portrayed in Call of the Dragon.

The ending also was fitting for Moremi's arc. She holds love and affection for her friends, family, and people; she also stands at the precipice of mortality and divinity because of her blessing of being able to channel and bond with both dragons. Having her be given the responsibility of a new dragon goddess to raise is a literal and symbolic gesture of Moremi's new role as oloori, queen. Her story is not yet over, as the ex-oba and his son are now in the Carew kingdom, and will likely pose a threat in the sequel.

I can't wait to pre-order the next title, and to write another raving review!

[Nicole Austin · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Books for Young Readers for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

“Call of the Dragon” by Natasha Bowen is an ambitious fantasy filled with rich culture, powerful magic, and a high-stakes quest rooted in African mythology. With dragon gods, ancient evils, and a heroine struggling with overwhelming power, the story delivers an adventurous and cinematic reading experience.

The book follows Moremi, a girl living in the peaceful kingdom of Kwa, where two dragon gods protect the land from ancient shadow creatures. When a power-hungry king disrupts their sacred ritual and causes the dragons to abandon the people, chaos is unleashed. After being unexpectedly chosen by both dragon gods, Moremi sets out on a dangerous journey to find them and restore balance, joined by a secretive prince and her childhood friend, which leads to some complicated romantic tension along the way.

One of the story’s strongest elements is its world. The story brings together African mythology, religious traditions, and magical lore in a way that feels immersive and vibrant. The descriptions of rituals, culture, and setting are especially vivid, and the mythology is accessible even for readers unfamiliar with it. The magic system and creatures add to the sense of wonder, and the story’s cinematic feel makes the world come alive on the page.

Moremi herself is a complex protagonist. She struggles with feelings of inadequacy, living under the shadow of her powerful mother and the stigma of her banished father. Her journey explores the burden of power and how it can isolate or even corrupt those who wield it. As she grows into her abilities, and sometimes lets pride and anger take over (which may be relatable to younger YA readers), the story raises interesting questions about responsibility, leadership, and community. Her internal conflict and emotional vulnerability make her easy to sympathize with, even when her choices are frustrating.

However, while the premise and worldbuilding are compelling, the execution can feel uneven at times. The pacing is sometimes rushed, and the quest structure occasionally becomes repetitive, with similar obstacles appearing and resolving quickly. I wanted more exploration of the world itself and its lore; despite the focus on dragon gods, they sometimes take a backseat to the journey itself.

Character development can also feel inconsistent at times. Moremi’s emotional struggles occasionally repeat without significant growth, and the romantic tension, including hints of a love triangle, felt a bit unnecessary and distracting in relation to the overall plot.

Overall, “Call of the Dragon” is a visually rich and culturally immersive fantasy with an exciting premise and meaningful themes. While the pacing and character development may not work for everyone, those interested in mythology-driven adventures, complex heroines, and epic quests will likely find it an engaging start to a series.

[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.

[Sifa Poulton · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the publisher in preparation for a UKYASpotlight interview. It has not affected my opinions.

CALL OF THE DRAGON is a quest book. I love quest books and I love it when we get one that has that very classic feeling - gods and an undisputed villain, a long journey and a traveling crew that, plus prophecies. This felt like both a fresh take and something in the mould of classics of this sub-genre. It's a celebration of these tropes but written for a modern YA audience.

The book draws on various African mythologies to create a rich world of magical creatures. In place of horses, they have guiamalas (which are giant crosses between camels and giraffes) and there are birds that nest where lightning has struck. And, of course, there are the dragon gods. These creatures were so much fun to discover and really made this book stand apart.

Moremi and much of the cast are members of religious orders. Faith is such a core part of the world and the characters. I really appreciated how their faith remains strong. There are challenges, often about interpretation, but the book never derides them for their faith or seeks to have a big "it's all a lie" twist. Instead, they are allowed to have this faith and explore how different people react and use their faith as a positive driver in their lives.

It's a really well paced book - I got through it in about a day despite the fact it's longer than either SKIN OF THE SEA or SOUL OF THE DEEP. There's a lot of action, sprinkled with moments where Moremi realises Nox has feelings for her (and she might return them) but that never detracts from the end-of-the-world mission as she decides she has to prioritise that (which, frankly, is the smart decision). The writing is really smooth too.

[Gemma Anne · Rating 3 out of 5]

The premise of this book is amazing.
African mythology mixed with dragons in a fantasy setting.
I loved the fact that this brings culture to fantasy, something that is much needed.
However, sadly, I did feel it was missing a pronunciation guide, just to help me with names. I think if it had a guide, it would have helped with feeling more connected with the characters and the story.

The story is slow to start but is rich in world building, especially around the ceremony that takes place near the beginning of the book.

The magic is really interesting. I love how the dragons channel magic through the humans, and worship and praise are used to provide power to the dragon gods.

The world building in the beginning is fabulous; however, as it progresses, it sadly lacks a depth that I wish continued. As I was wanting to know more about the places they visited on the quest to save the kingdom.

I found the writing didn’t sit right with me, for one specific reason.
There are two male characters; they have names, Nox and Jagun. However, the author would sometimes address them as the boy, and I found it to be jarring, as it took me out of the story.

As the quest continues, the pace picks up. And I think the story is really good; it had the potential to be great. I just feel I didn’t connect as well because of these details.

[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!

[Mere · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to Get Underlined for an ARC!

Dragons! I’m sorry, I saw dragons and the fantastic cover and knew I had to read this book. The mythology aspect and world building of this book were excellent! I loved how they were connected together from the very beginning.

I also enjoyed the writing in this book, it was easy to read and get lost in. I will say, while the writing itself was good, much like her other book I felt the execution lacked a bit. I wanted to see a bit more than I was getting from the plot. While it did advertise dragons, they weren’t a huge part of the book overall.

Call of the Dragon is your very traditional YA fantasy chosen one trope, which works well with how Bowen set it up. She sticks to a tried and true method and yet adds her own identity to it.

There is also the traditional love triangle, prince vs best friend. Honestly, I think that was probably one of my least favorite parts of the book. I’m not a fan of love triangles in the first place, and this one just wasn’t the best.

I felt as if this book just slightly missed the mark for me.

[Sarah · Rating 5 out of 5]

*4.5 stars rounded up*

Two dragons: one of ice, the other of fire. They created Moremi’s world, & now she has to convince them to help save it…

Loved the start of this new series & can’t wait for the next installment! The world-building while she was on her quest was so interesting with the fantastical animals & the two separate temples, & their different religious ideologies revolving around the two dragons. The different kingdoms added another layer of complexity. There was also a lot of growth on Moremi’s part - I’m looking forward to seeing how she handles the power of being bonded to both dragons in the forthcoming book, & how her relationships with friends & family continue to evolve.

Side note, I loved the dragons in this book & definitely need to read this author’s past work featuring mermaids!

Thank you very much to NetGalley & Random House Children’s Books for ARC in exchange for an honest review!

[Phoe · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable YA fantasy that was a fast and easy read. Moremi is a priestess in a land where the men worship one dragon and the women another; but when someone seeks to grasp the gods’ power for themselves and unleashes dark shadows on the land, Moremi and her companions must seek to unite the gods again.

I loved the African setting and mythology and the majesty of the dragon gods - the magic system is fantastic and not overcomplicated, with dance and clapping used to channel the essence of the gods. Moremi is not at all a flawless character with plenty of issues to overcome - it is a bit “chosen one” but she certainly has some growth, and whilst the main villain appears exaggeratedly evil at first, his motivations and grievances are revealed as the story continues.

It felt maybe younger than a usual YA fantasy in terms of complexity and depth and would be appropriate too to mid grade readers.

[Hannah · 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. ://

[Phoebe · Rating 4 out of 5]

'Call of the Dragon' is a wonderful book full of African mythology. As somebody who is not particularly knowledgable in this regard, I highly enjoyed the worldbuilding and the way lore was introduced throughout the story.

Moremi, the main character, is incredibly relatable with her struggles to meet the expectations of everyone around her at the beginning of the book, and I loved to see her growth as the story progresses. And the dragons are of course the highlight of the story!
The only thing that I had some issues with was honestly the love triangle, but that might just me not liking the trope very much in general.

The ending left me desperate for the sequel, and I am very curious to see with what else the author will come up!

Thanks to the publishers and Netgalley for providing me with an ARC. All opinions expressed are my own.

[Rebecca Jarvis · Rating 5 out of 5]

4.5 rounded up

Dragons, magic and no smut! Count me in!

After begrudgingly participating in a trial where participants hope to be chosen by one of the gods to receive the gift of idan —magic— Moremi is chosen by both! This sets her on the path to restoring the gods to their full power after the king tries to take it for himself.

I really loved the exploration of African mythology and the imagery was rich and beautifully written. The concept of the dragons as gods and the religious elements were fascinating. Religion plays a significant role in this book and the portrayal is both beautiful and non-preachy.

Overall this is fantastical and meaningful adventure that is visually and culturally rich and I can’t wait for book two!

Thank you to Penguin for the opportunity to read this title before release.

[East of Reality · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love seeing the way religion in this book is portrayed, with dancing and drumming, worship and community. And, you know, the dragons. The dragons — the gods in this book — are such a neat part of the story. The way magic and faith play together as the dragons feed on the faith of their followers and the followers use the magic of their gods feels so organic and imaginative, and I just had so much fun with the way it all comes together.

Moremi as a character is young, afraid and angry, and it’s nice to see a female character allowed to be angry — and justly so. She’s clever, compassionate, and willing to make the hard choices. I really hope there are going to be more books set in this world. Thank you so very much to Net Galley and the publisher for the ARC.

[Ellen Knowles · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for the chance to review this book. I’m a sucker for dragons and once I saw the cover I knew I had to give it a try.

I really enjoyed this book, it was interesting and I liked how strong the main character was. I thought it was good how she was shown to struggle with the power within her and had to try hard not to allow it to consume her.

I thought the lore and characters were engaging and I loved learning about them. I would say I’m not the biggest fan of love triangles so could have done without it.

I would recommend this book to fantasy lovers and complex lore.

[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.

[Cyd’s Books · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for approving me to read this book, I’m rating it 3.5 stars rounded up to 4.0.

I went in quite blind, I saw dragon in the title and on the cover and thought sign me up. This is a unique book with heavy themes on religion and how greed can cause so much suffering. Our FMC ends up on this quest to fix what’s been broken and save her people. There’s a few side characters who are part of her journey and I have mixed reviews on them to say the least.

The ending took a real turn, I’m so surprised by the level of treachery and even more surprised by our FMC at the end. I feel like she grew a lot by this experience but worry it hardened her. I’d be intrigued to see where a book 2 would go after everything that happened.

[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.

[Kimberly · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book wasn't bad, it just wasn't anything I would recommend to anyone else. The plot is essentially Lord of the Rings combined with Fourth Wing. While in theory that sounds good the general book is a lot of traveling, stopping, traveling, stopping for borderline the exact same reason, traveling. The relationships feel forced at times, even though the characters don't have any real character development. I really wanted to like this book but something about it just wasn't for me.

[Ms. Woc Reader · Rating 2 out of 5]

I wanted to love this one because I really enjoyed Skin of the Sea but the plot was quite boring and unmemorabke for me. The characters themselves were just fine. Nobody really stood out. The journey just didn't give exciting. The love triangle lacked chemistry. It took me some time to get through this book and I can't even remember what really happened.

[Derrick Garcia · Rating 3 out of 5]

I enjoyed Natasha’s Skin of the Sea and thought I’d like this one. The cover looks great. The world-building, magic, and dragons are there, but it falls short. I didn’t connect with the characters. This is a new series, so I’ll give it a chance due to the ending and more world-building. I listened to the audiobook, and Osadumebi’s narration made me see this through the end.

[Charlene · Rating 4 out of 5]

Good beginning to the series with an ending that both satisfies and makes me look forward to the next installment. Like the protagonist, but I hope at some point we can get to strong protagonists that have to share power and can lead with others instead of "I must do all the hard things myself and no one is allowed to sacrifice more than me".