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Emba Oak / Dragon Girl #1
Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames
Not yet published
Expected 3 Mar 26An orphan girl discovers she has dragon blood—the key to immortality. Hunted by an evil necromancer, she must learn to control her emerging powers if she is going to stop him.
"A hero forged in fiercest flame, A child of iron and pain. By blood shall heal and chasm seal A kingdom torn in twain."—The Final Prophecy from the Tome of Terrible Tomorrows*
*Also known as Odolf's prophecy. (But only by Odolf!)
All the best stories and adventures start with a knock at the door… Or the thwump of a dragon's tail at the entrance to her cave, in the case of Emba Oak. But then nothing about Emba's story is normal; from the scales on her arms and legs, to the shocking discovery that she hatched out of a dragon's egg. Even more shocking is the news that an evil sorcerer is after her dragon blood and will do anything to get his hands on it. Can Emba keep herself safe or will her loved ones pay the price?
"A hero forged in fiercest flame, A child of iron and pain. By blood shall heal and chasm seal A kingdom torn in twain."—The Final Prophecy from the Tome of Terrible Tomorrows*
*Also known as Odolf's prophecy. (But only by Odolf!)
All the best stories and adventures start with a knock at the door… Or the thwump of a dragon's tail at the entrance to her cave, in the case of Emba Oak. But then nothing about Emba's story is normal; from the scales on her arms and legs, to the shocking discovery that she hatched out of a dragon's egg. Even more shocking is the news that an evil sorcerer is after her dragon blood and will do anything to get his hands on it. Can Emba keep herself safe or will her loved ones pay the price?
352 pages, Hardcover
First published October 28, 2022
3 people are currently reading
3218 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews
December 3, 2022
An easy, fun filled read for readers ready for chapter and more length in a novel.
Not much to say aside that I found the plot to be generic and the humour mediocre, nothing to fully envelop me in the story, but will appeal to younger audience.
Thankyou to NetGalley and Maverick Arts Publishing Ltd for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
Not much to say aside that I found the plot to be generic and the humour mediocre, nothing to fully envelop me in the story, but will appeal to younger audience.
Thankyou to NetGalley and Maverick Arts Publishing Ltd for this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
June 6, 2023
Emba lives in a cave with Fred, the Wise Hermit of Witcherly Wood. Fred is the guardian and interpreter of the Tome of Terrible Tomorrows, a book of obscure prophecies, as well as the only mother Emba has ever known. When Emba sees a dragon that no one else does, Fred decides come clean about Emba’s parentage. It turns out Emba actually hatched from a dragon’s egg. Fred has been using magic charms to protect Emba from the necromancer, Necromalcolm, who is desperately seeking dragon blood. While Emba worries about what it all means, Fred is abducted, and a ransom note from Necromalcolm threatens a calamitous end to Fred if Emba doesn’t present herself at his door. Despite not knowing what ‘calamitous’ means, Emba and her friend, Odolf BraveBuckle, set off on a journey to rescue Fred.
Emba Oak and the Terrible Tomorrows is an imaginative, well-written, and fun story. Emba, with her snake skin arms, her courage and fierce determination to rescue Fred, regardless of the cost, and her kind nature, is a great heroine. Odolf, who longs to be the hero, but struggles to overcome his fear when faced with danger, is a loyal friend and worthy sidekick. I loved the imaginative details scattered throughout the book – the snare roots and boulder beasts of the forest, for instance, or the Pool of Perilous Perception which shows either your greatest fear or your greatest desire (funnily enough, often people can’t tell which they have been shown!). The story is told in a very light-hearted humorous way, and while I usually prefer my fantasy less tongue-in-cheek, I really enjoyed this charming magical adventure (though the toenail talisman totally grossed me out!). Emba Oak is sure to be a hit with young readers too.
Emba Oak and the Terrible Tomorrows is an imaginative, well-written, and fun story. Emba, with her snake skin arms, her courage and fierce determination to rescue Fred, regardless of the cost, and her kind nature, is a great heroine. Odolf, who longs to be the hero, but struggles to overcome his fear when faced with danger, is a loyal friend and worthy sidekick. I loved the imaginative details scattered throughout the book – the snare roots and boulder beasts of the forest, for instance, or the Pool of Perilous Perception which shows either your greatest fear or your greatest desire (funnily enough, often people can’t tell which they have been shown!). The story is told in a very light-hearted humorous way, and while I usually prefer my fantasy less tongue-in-cheek, I really enjoyed this charming magical adventure (though the toenail talisman totally grossed me out!). Emba Oak is sure to be a hit with young readers too.
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October 28, 2022I received a free copy of this ARC in exchange for an honest review
The greatest fictional character of all time might be Odolf Bravebuckle. What a goddamned delight.
Emba Oak hatched from a dragon’s egg, now a friend is missing and she has to find answers from the tome of terrible tomorrows, oh and someone is after her blood. Literally.
This a perfect example of why I love Middle-Grade fiction. Jenny Moore has created an adventure with likable characters and just a taste of a neat little fantasy world. It’s sweet, witty, fun, and clever.
The greatest fictional character of all time might be Odolf Bravebuckle. What a goddamned delight.
Emba Oak hatched from a dragon’s egg, now a friend is missing and she has to find answers from the tome of terrible tomorrows, oh and someone is after her blood. Literally.
This a perfect example of why I love Middle-Grade fiction. Jenny Moore has created an adventure with likable characters and just a taste of a neat little fantasy world. It’s sweet, witty, fun, and clever.
June 11, 2025
I'm going to start counting books in my reading challenge that I copyedited or proofread, when they're available here on Goodreads for me to add in a timely manner (several I've worked on already exist and are being repackaged/rereleased by a publisher). It's only fair. It's a damn lot of reading I'm not including otherwise.
October 30, 2025
Funny middle grade fantasy quest with a great authorial voice. You can read my review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....
November 22, 2023
Note: The publisher (Maverick) contacted and provided me with the book for this review, but all opinions stated are my own honest thoughts. The links are not affiliated in any way.
Summary:
Emba Oak is an eleven-year-old girl with scales on her arms and legs, who lives in a cave with her guardian Fred and best friend Odolf in his nearby tree. Fred is not only the guardian of Emba, but also of the Tome of Terrible Tomorrows, a book that reveals tricksy prophecies of the future. On an unsuspecting day, Emba comes face to face with a dragon that only she could see. Fred is forced to come clean about her origins, explaining that Emba hatched from a dragon’s egg, followed by the horrifying news she is being sought after by the evil Necromalcolm for her powerful blood, hence the toenail-pouch she must wear around her neck for protection! Unfortunately, this was news to Odolf too, so he had to admit to disclosing their location to a suspicious stranger – who later was part of old Fred’s kidnapping. Thrust headlong on a quest to find Fred before she befalls to a calamitous fate (even if they are not quite sure where the quest will take them) and defeat Necromalcolm. Emba must confront that she was not the ordinary cave-dweller as she had always assumed.
The Specifics of the Edition:
I read the standard paperback, which was published in 2022 by Maverick. It is the only available edition and sports a beautiful, wrap-around front cover that depicts the protagonists of the story, alongside some crucial locations (it also has a plasticky texture, so will be able to withstand wear and tear). The inside of the cover is a lush blue forest and artwork can also be found on the title page and chapter headings, which is a lovely touch throughout.
My thoughts:
Emba Oak and the Terrible Tomorrows was a fabulous middle grade adventure, which was very deserving of being longlisted for the James Reckitt Hull Children’s Book Award 2024. It is highly entertaining and fast paced introduction to a series, that I would definitely recommend to younger readers seeking out thicker chapter books/series. The opening scenes were entirely gripping and I think will have set the whole series up for success. It included many beloved tropes and certainly hooked me which I am sure would be the same for the target audience.
The humorous writing style is distinct, as is the character voice of Emba, despite it being in the third person. I liked how she was still very much a child, even if she is also fighting an evil necromancer and contending with the dragon realm. In fact, all the characters were so wonderful in their own way; I enjoyed how each one had clear differences in portrayal (whether that be for their magical toenails (!) or heroism in training). The author shone particularly in her naming, each one was so witty and carried on the concept of spells/the magical setting. I enjoyed the chapter titles and the unusual system of numbering – for instance having the expected chapter, but the next one being the same number, but noted to be the real version. The alliterative chapter headings were often tongue-in-cheek, reminiscent of Emba’s thought processes and wit. I think they would encourage a younger reader to slow down and look at all the details that created the story. In terms of setting, I was intrigued by the Pool of Perilous Perception and really hope it makes a return in some capacity! I wonder if the rich man with bad eyesight will be featured in the next book with more detail.
Please find the rest of my review here: https://thesilentreviewerblog.wordpre...
Summary:
Emba Oak is an eleven-year-old girl with scales on her arms and legs, who lives in a cave with her guardian Fred and best friend Odolf in his nearby tree. Fred is not only the guardian of Emba, but also of the Tome of Terrible Tomorrows, a book that reveals tricksy prophecies of the future. On an unsuspecting day, Emba comes face to face with a dragon that only she could see. Fred is forced to come clean about her origins, explaining that Emba hatched from a dragon’s egg, followed by the horrifying news she is being sought after by the evil Necromalcolm for her powerful blood, hence the toenail-pouch she must wear around her neck for protection! Unfortunately, this was news to Odolf too, so he had to admit to disclosing their location to a suspicious stranger – who later was part of old Fred’s kidnapping. Thrust headlong on a quest to find Fred before she befalls to a calamitous fate (even if they are not quite sure where the quest will take them) and defeat Necromalcolm. Emba must confront that she was not the ordinary cave-dweller as she had always assumed.
The Specifics of the Edition:
I read the standard paperback, which was published in 2022 by Maverick. It is the only available edition and sports a beautiful, wrap-around front cover that depicts the protagonists of the story, alongside some crucial locations (it also has a plasticky texture, so will be able to withstand wear and tear). The inside of the cover is a lush blue forest and artwork can also be found on the title page and chapter headings, which is a lovely touch throughout.
My thoughts:
Emba Oak and the Terrible Tomorrows was a fabulous middle grade adventure, which was very deserving of being longlisted for the James Reckitt Hull Children’s Book Award 2024. It is highly entertaining and fast paced introduction to a series, that I would definitely recommend to younger readers seeking out thicker chapter books/series. The opening scenes were entirely gripping and I think will have set the whole series up for success. It included many beloved tropes and certainly hooked me which I am sure would be the same for the target audience.
The humorous writing style is distinct, as is the character voice of Emba, despite it being in the third person. I liked how she was still very much a child, even if she is also fighting an evil necromancer and contending with the dragon realm. In fact, all the characters were so wonderful in their own way; I enjoyed how each one had clear differences in portrayal (whether that be for their magical toenails (!) or heroism in training). The author shone particularly in her naming, each one was so witty and carried on the concept of spells/the magical setting. I enjoyed the chapter titles and the unusual system of numbering – for instance having the expected chapter, but the next one being the same number, but noted to be the real version. The alliterative chapter headings were often tongue-in-cheek, reminiscent of Emba’s thought processes and wit. I think they would encourage a younger reader to slow down and look at all the details that created the story. In terms of setting, I was intrigued by the Pool of Perilous Perception and really hope it makes a return in some capacity! I wonder if the rich man with bad eyesight will be featured in the next book with more detail.
Please find the rest of my review here: https://thesilentreviewerblog.wordpre...
April 1, 2024
An enjoyable adventure story, bravery, quest, and castles, all the elements of a great fantasy, but it probably won't linger in my memory.
This had everything a young reader could want in a middle grade adventure story besides that special something, that heart, that will lodge the story firmly as a childhood classic or a formative reading experience.
The characters are likeable enough, but with names much more engaging that their personalities: Odolf Bravebuckle, and Necromalcom especially, absolutely loved the idea of Necromalcolm, but he didn't really do very much. The fact that the main character was not really dealt with in any depth, and there was just a lack of depth of emotion or feeling in general. So, plot based, more than character-based, but the plot was a fairly basic going-in-search of someone who needs rescuing kind of plot, while the characters plodded on their way, the side characters waited for them to do so, and when we did finally meet Necromalcolm, he was very quickly dealt with, when, with the best name in the book, he could have been a fully developed villain character himself.
It was ok, I did wonder if the humour was for an older audience than the target readership, which meant that maybe younger readers wouldn't find it as funny, and therefore as engaging(?). I had a good time reading it, but having done so, I'm not sure I'd remember it.
This had everything a young reader could want in a middle grade adventure story besides that special something, that heart, that will lodge the story firmly as a childhood classic or a formative reading experience.
The characters are likeable enough, but with names much more engaging that their personalities: Odolf Bravebuckle, and Necromalcom especially, absolutely loved the idea of Necromalcolm, but he didn't really do very much. The fact that the main character was not really dealt with in any depth, and there was just a lack of depth of emotion or feeling in general. So, plot based, more than character-based, but the plot was a fairly basic going-in-search of someone who needs rescuing kind of plot, while the characters plodded on their way, the side characters waited for them to do so, and when we did finally meet Necromalcolm, he was very quickly dealt with, when, with the best name in the book, he could have been a fully developed villain character himself.
It was ok, I did wonder if the humour was for an older audience than the target readership, which meant that maybe younger readers wouldn't find it as funny, and therefore as engaging(?). I had a good time reading it, but having done so, I'm not sure I'd remember it.
October 14, 2022
This is an incredible Middle Grade Fantasy adventure with a heart as warm as dragon fire. Emba Oak lives a day to day life, scrubbing squirrel stew off her clothes and waiting for an adventure to knock on her door. Themes of chosen family, adoption and spellbinding side splitting magic throughout.
It does, and it’s a non-stop hilarious ride from there. I’d give it more than five stars if I could. ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
It does, and it’s a non-stop hilarious ride from there. I’d give it more than five stars if I could. ARC provided by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
March 7, 2024
This was a pretty fun, fast paced read.
I liked the characters of ember and her friend, they had a great relationship and their interactions were often funny.
The quest was a bit usual, run off to find someone who's been taken by an evil necromancer called necromalcolm (loved this name).
But although I enjoyed the characters greatly, the story itself never really grabbed me.
So although I finished it, I'd likely not read any more in the series.
I liked the characters of ember and her friend, they had a great relationship and their interactions were often funny.
The quest was a bit usual, run off to find someone who's been taken by an evil necromancer called necromalcolm (loved this name).
But although I enjoyed the characters greatly, the story itself never really grabbed me.
So although I finished it, I'd likely not read any more in the series.
June 20, 2023
I am aware I am not the target audience for this book, but I do enjoy a good middle grade.
And this book was enjoyable enough. It was fun and fast paced... but nothing special. I liked the characters enough, and there were some nice and clever plot ideas. But overall the story was quite generic and completely failed to grab me, and there were some elements to it that just didn't make sense.
I had a decent enough time with this book, but I won't be continuing the series.
And this book was enjoyable enough. It was fun and fast paced... but nothing special. I liked the characters enough, and there were some nice and clever plot ideas. But overall the story was quite generic and completely failed to grab me, and there were some elements to it that just didn't make sense.
I had a decent enough time with this book, but I won't be continuing the series.
November 25, 2022
What a delight this book is. Emba is a gutsy heroine but you can still very much hear the childs voice in her. Olaf is a delight trying to be so brave but being terrified all the while. Its a story of friendship and trying to do the right thing against the odds. Heartwarming story with a lot of humour. We loved it.
January 10, 2026
Like yes it's basic as far as middle grade fantasy goes but I had a really good time reading it. Solid loose world-building and great main characters. The villain could've been better and more fleshed-out, though. Maybe something to work on for future installments.
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
Full review at: https://skybookcorner.blogspot.com/20...
November 29, 2022
We love Jenny Moore's books. Her word play, humour and imagination are just brilliant. Emba Oak and the Terrible Tomorrows is no exception. Funny, heart-warming, with lots of twists and turns and great characters. Perfect for fans of Vivian French.
April 12, 2023
A great book for children. I enjoyed it along with my step daughter. The story was interesting and kept me wanting to find out what happened next. I have only read a few books aimed at children but I think this is a pretty good one!
September 1, 2024
I really enjoyed this one. It was a very easy read but highly enjoyable and well written. I'm curious to know where the series goes and if what Emba sees in the pool of perilous perception comes to pass 😂 I know it's a series so I will eventually be reading on I'm sure 😁
November 21, 2022
An exciting adventure with dragons, sorcerers, and two young heroes that fight to save the ones they love. 😍📖😍
Displaying 1 - 16 of 16 reviews