Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames

Emba Oak / Dragon Girl #1

by Jenny Moore

An 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?

Genres: Fantasy, Middle Grade, Dragons, Middle Grade Fantasy, Adventure, Magic

352 pages, Hardcover

First published October 28, 2022

About the author

Jenny Moore is a children's author and novelist from Devon who writes for all ages from toddlers up to adults. Her numerous children's books include everything from exciting dragon adventures to tales of raging robots and gangster koalas.

Reviews

[Bookishrealm · Rating 3 out of 5]

What Worked: The idea/concept of this book is not something that I've seen in middle grade fantasy before. Having a main character that is part dragon/has dragon blood is intriguing and immediately caught my attention. Though some characters feel like caricatures, the twists and turns are unexpected, interesting, and fun. The relationship between Fred and Emba is beautiful and serves as a wonderful foundation for Emba's motivations as a character.

What Didn't Work: While the concept of this book is intriguing, the execution is not spectacular. The pacing falters in some areas which makes the book feel both slow and fast. As I stated before, some characters read like stereotypical fantasy caricatures.

Overall, this is a solid read and will definitely work well for younger readers who are interested in dragons.

[Jacq.and.the.readstalk · Rating 3 out of 5]

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.

[Kristen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This was a great take on dragons for young readers. I really enjoyed that the main character was a strong female as more girls need to see this in literature. I loved the adventure Emba embarked on and how she made a friend along the way and became a great heroine. This was a fun start to a new middle grade fantasy.

[Valinora Troy · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Robyn Little]

I 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.

[YSBR · Rating 4 out of 5]

In a world where there used to be dragons, there is a girl with odd colored eyes and scales on her skin who lives in a cave in Witchingford Wood. Emba Oak doesn’t remember her parents, but she is happy with her quiet life where she spends time with her best friend Odolf (who has dreams of becoming a brave hero) and her adoptive parent, the wise hermit Winnifred (“Fred”) who guards the Tome of Terrible Tomorrows (a magical book of prophecies). But everything changes when a thunderous thwump echoes at the cave entrance—a dragon mirage only Emba can see—launching an unexpected adventure. Soon Emba learns that Fred has been using her magical toenails to keep Emba hidden until she was old enough to learn the truth of where she came from… and that she just might be connected to the lost dragons. When the infamous dark wizard Necromalcolm kidnaps Fred in search of Emba’s dragon blood, Emba and Odolf set off on a quest to save her before it’s too late. Of course, the path of a quest is never easy and there will be challenges along the way. Are Emba and Odolf brave and clever enough to rescue Fred? Most characters cue as white.

Moore does a great job of weaving humor into the action, which allows her to keep the more serious bits of the plot from becoming overwhelming. Even with the chosen one orphan child trope, Emba is an interesting and unique character. While the main conflict is mostly resolved by the final page, there are still loose threads and readers will be left with some questions. Thankfully the sequel, Dragon Girl and the Graveyard of Doom is expected to come out in May 2026 so readers won’t have long to wait to find out what happens to Emba and Odolf! Link to complete review: https://ysbookreviews.wordpress.com/2...

[Cindy Mitchell *Kiss the Book* · Rating 3 out of 5]

Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames (Emba Oak #1) by Jenny Moore, 307 pages. Sourcebooks, 2026. $10 (pb)

Content: G (mild danger)
BUYING ADVISORY: EL - ADVISABLE
APPEALS TO: SOME

Young Emba has always had scales on her arms and she knows that she was hatched from an egg, but she loves her stepmother, the witch Fred. Fred did a reading from the Tome of Terrible Tomorrows for Emba, but when Fred is kidnapped, Emba throws all caution to the wind to save Fred. WIth the help of Odolf, Emba marches straight towards danger and the evil sorcerer who wants to harvest Emba’s dragon blood.

Originally published in England, there are four books in the series. I like Emba - her friend Odolf is a bit of a humorous sidekick. Moore goes with unlikely and funny details that play against normal fantasy tropes. a good paperback series for young dragon lovers.

Cindy, Middle School Librarian, MLS

[Jame_EReader · Rating 4 out of 5]

👧🏻review: it is a colorful story middle grade book about Emba Oak and her magical powers. She leads a quiet and peaceful life with her best friend Odolf and with Wise Hermit Winnifred or Fred. She was born half-dragon with magical powers, and her reasoning was to help her friends. I really enjoyed this book because it offered plenty of high fantasy, adventure, friendship, loyalty, action and many laughters. Also the dialogues are seriously funny and entertaining while the story evolved. The lovely cover of the book absolutely made the story and plot imaginative and interesting. I highly recommend this book to middle schoolers who enjoy fantasy and adventure.

[KittMyth · Rating 4 out of 5]

3¾⭐️
Dragon Girl and the Awakened Flames
This was a fun fantasy read aimed at children. Overall, this was an enjoyable and energetic read following some likeable characters, Emba and Odolf, as they go on a mission to save the wise woman Fred. The story is quick to pull you in and set the scene and full of humour and jokes, not taking itself too seriously.
I do need to admit, I did hate the number of times toenails were brought up in this story!

Thank you, netgalley, Jenny Moore, and Sourcebooks UK, for the early access to this book.

[Galatée · Rating 5 out of 5]

The perfect book to read to children for parents fond of fantasy.
I loved the characters, the witty dragon girl and her funny not so brave hero friend.
The plot was genius, full of surprises but simple enough so children can understand everything and feel invested. There is good banter too !
As a parent, I have enjoyed this book almost as much as any adult fantasy book. What a fun time we had !

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for this ARC.

[Beth Icard · Rating 4 out of 5]

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.

[Clara · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great middle grade fantasy novel for the age group to dive into the genre to see if they love it! Emba is not like the other girls.. quite literally, seeing as she's got dragon blood in her veins, and has scales on her body and even hatched from an egg!
I found the pacing to be great and the humor is also great! This was a fun read and enjoyed every page.

[Vonprice · Rating 4 out of 5]

Funny middle grade fantasy quest with a great authorial voice. You can read my review here: http://vsviewfromthebookshelves.home....

[Susan · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun start to a middle grade series about a girl with scales (and perhaps a connection to dragons) and her best friend who has dreams of becoming a brave hero.

Advanced Reader’s Copy provided by Sourcebooks Young Readers in exchange for an honest review.

[Em Jay · Rating 5 out of 5]

ridiculously fun and fast-paced. it has all the elements of a classic fantasy adventure, but still manages to feel fresh. loved the humor, danger, and characters, and will definitely be reading more from this series! kids will adore Emba!

[Erica Gabel · Rating 5 out of 5]

My 7 and 10 year old read this. They love any book with a dragon on it. Specifically they said they loved the mystery part of this.




~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Very grateful for the ARC that was provided by the publisher via Netgalley 🙌🏽

[The Page Ladies Book Club · Rating 5 out of 5]

Talk about a power trip! Emba Oak discovers she literally hatched from a dragon’s egg and has dragon blood that grants immortality. Now an evil necromancer is hunting her down. It’s got The Final Prophecy, amazing world-building, and so much heart. Emba is the fierce lead we all need.

[M. · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you to Sourcebooks for sending me this copy with sprayed edges. This book is great for a young middle grade audience who likes dragons! It details the adventures of Emba and all the people she encounters.

[Sophie Cornell · Rating 5 out of 5]

Emba oak is sooooo good

[Dark Reader · Rating 4 out of 5]

A fun middle grade book with dragons. The characters were likeable, and I particularly enjoyed Odolf. It was cute, and my 10-year-old loved it.

[David Barker · Rating 5 out of 5]

A great quest for a girl with dragon in her blood. Lots of family tenderness and humour as well as gripping action. Raced through it - eager to see what happens next in the series. Flamin' good!

[Melaina Taylor · Rating 1 out of 5]

DNF. I couldn’t get past the toenails….iykyk

[Natasha · Rating 3 out of 5]

Unique fantasy, twisty ending, broken fourth wall

[Kate · Rating 2 out of 5]

Toenails that are magical? Students wear socks with sandals because they are grossed out by feet. I’m not sure they will finish it once the toenails are mentioned.

[Karen Anderson · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5*

[Elana · Rating 3 out of 5]

A cute, quick fantasy that younger readers will definitely enjoy! Not a lot of dragon page time, although our FMC has dragon blood, which is always fun :)

[cucumbercantolo]

Ik les het boek en het nederlandse taal

[Silent Reviewer · Rating 4 out of 5]

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...

[Ourbooksoflife · Rating 3 out of 5]

BUCHTITEL: Ambra Flammenmädchen: Drachenaugen sehen alles
AUTORIN: Jenny Moore
VERLAG: cbj
ISBN: 9783570180846
SEITENZAHL PRINT: 256
REIHE: Die Ambra-Flammenmädchen-Reihe
BAND: 1 von 1

KLAPPENTEXT:
Ambra ist halb Mensch, halb Drache – ein einzigartiges Flammenmädchen. In ihr schlummert eine mächtige Kraft. Doch diese Gabe hat ihren Preis.

Nach einem kräftigen Wumms vor ihrer Tür ist für die 11-jährige Ambra nichts mehr, wie es war. Ein Geisterdrache verfolgt sie und ihren Ziehbruder Odolf plötzlich quer durch den Wurzelnden Wald – und als wäre das nicht genug, heftet sich außerdem ein blutdurstiger Zauberer an ihre Fersen!
Den beiden bleibt nur ein einziger Ausweg: Ambra muss ihre besonderen, drachenstarken Fähigkeiten endlich zulassen, um nicht nur sich selbst zu retten, sondern auch die, die ihr am nächsten stehen. Aber das ist gar nicht so einfach wie gedacht ...

Band 1 der bildgewaltigen Abenteuerfantasy in einer fantastischen Welt voller Drachen und Magier!

MEINE MEINUNG:
Es handelt sich hier um den ersten Band der "Die Ambra-Flammenmädchen"-Reihe.

Bücher mit Drachen lieben sowohl meine Kinder als auch ich, aus diesem Grund war es klar, das uns dieses Buch interessiert.

Ambra ist ein elfjähriges Mädchen und halb Mensch, halb Drache. Wir lernen sie als starkes, aber dennoch vorsichtiges Mädchen kennen.

Als ihre Ziehmutter plötzlich verschwindet begibt sie sich gemeinsam mit ihrem Ziehbruder Odolf auf die Suche...

Wir sind hin und hergerissen und konnten uns nicht so ganz entscheiden, wie gut uns das Buch gefällt:

- Die Idee das die Hauptprotagonisten ein Mädchen ist, welches halb Mensch, halb Drache ist fanden wir gut.
- Gefehlt hat uns allerdings das öftere Erscheinen der Drachenfähigkeit, diese kam in unseren Augen zu kurz.
- Der Schreibstil ist zwar angenehm zu lesen, allerdings an einigen Stellen leider auch sehr langatmig und dadurch zieht es sich teilweise doch sehr.

Fazit: Auftakt einer Reihe, die noch ganz viel Luft nach oben hat.

Dennoch freuen wir uns schon auf den zweiten Band.

Überblick der "Die Ambra-Flammenmädchen"-Reihe:
Band 1: Ambra Flammenmädchen: Drachenaugen sehen alles

[Tira · Rating 3 out of 5]

Als Ambra eines Tages einen Drachen vor sich sieht und ihre Ziehmutter verschwindet, geht sie mit ihrem Freund Odolf auf eine abenteuerliche Suche. Sie folgen den Spuren eines bösen Zauberers und begeben sich auf einen gefährlichen Weg.

Meine Meinung:
Ambras drachenartigen Besonderheiten haben mir gut gefallen. Es ist spannend wie sie sich weiterentwickelt. Auch der mysteriöse Drache der ab und zu auftaucht hat die Geschichte interessant gemacht. Dieses magische Thema kam insgesamt aber zu kurz. Ich hätte gerne mehr über Ambras Fähigkeiten erfahren, doch diese bleiben lange im Dunkeln.

Im Mittelteil zieht sich die abenteuerliche Suche der Kinder stark in die Länge. Es passiert nicht viel aufregendes und die Stimmung von Ambra ihrem Freund Odolf wird immer schlechter. Einige Handlungen und Ereignisse waren für mich nicht nachvollziehbar. Ich kann mir vorstellen, dass Kinder beim Lesen oder Vorlesen viele Fragen haben, die sich nicht wirklich logisch beantworten lassen.

Für meinen Geschmack spielen die alten Zehennägel der Ziehmutter in dieser Geschichte eine zu große Rolle. Dinge dieser Art kommen öfter vor und sollen die Leser sicher zum Lachen bringen. Meinen Humor trifft das nicht, aber vielleicht ist das bei Kindern ja anders.

Der Schreibstil ist leicht und kindgerecht. Die Geschichte ist in kurze Kapitel unterteilt und eignet sich daher auch gut zum Vorlesen. Alles wird anschaulich beschrieben. Teilweise fand ich die Handlung für Kinder unpassend, vor allem was den Schluss angeht.

Gestaltung:
Die Covergestaltung ist sehr gut gelungen. Die Bildkomposition hat eine schöne Wirkung und die Blau und Orangetöne bilden einen tollen Kontrast. Auch die Schwarzweiß Illustration im Innenteil gefällt mir gut.

Vielen Dank an das Bloggerportal und an die Penguin Random House Verlagsgruppe für das Leseexemplar!