TL;DR: The Dragon’s Apprentice is a fantastical and magical adventure-filled tale. With a feisty and exuberant leading character fighting for justice against evil rulers and trying to uncover what happened to the most powerful mage in the land alongside a grumpy dragon to teach her all about magic, I think this is a story that many middle-grade readers will enjoy!

I was hooked from the moment the story started. The voice of the first pov we encounter leaped off the pages and immediately had me eager to keep reading to see what happened next. The "mystery" element of the story was particularly intriguing, and I couldn't wait to learn how the present-day situation came about following the events of the first chapter. I will say that I found the world-building and explanation of the use of dragon magic a bit cumbersome... The magic in particular was explained in such a roundabout way that, when combined with the liberal use of humour, it didn't entirely work for me. I think it will be okay for young readers who may not pay particular attention to these aspects, but I would've liked for it to have been sharper. That said, there is still clearly much of this world left to explore, so I hope that it's done so in a simpler way in future books!

There are two main POVs with this other “side” pov interwoven throughout, but the author did a great job in creating vibrant character voices that keep the reader engaged. I also think the author did a great job in capturing the naive and precocious nature of childhood through the children in the story, but especially through Ciara, our human main character’s perspective.

Ciara is feisty and hard-headed, but she’s fiercely loyal and has a hunger for adventure and justice that I think many young readers will enjoy. Of course, she makes some horrible and thoughtless decisions at times, but the naiveté of youth is that they think they know better than the adults in their lives, so I think that was realistically captured. 😂 There were other characters that I wished we got to see more of, especially Meg, her father and Ciara's mum, but at 240 pages, there's only so much that can be fit in. I hope they will play a more prominent role in the sequel(s)!

I loved how The Book within this book felt like a character on its own, and of course, I highly appreciated Scorch, the talking dragon! There was a somewhat childish quality to this grumpy dragon and reluctant taker-on of apprentices that reminded me very much of Mushu from Mulan. Much like Mushu, Scorch also had the same wisdom to impart when it came down to more serious business. Scorch tended to err on the side of caution more than necessary, which made the struggle between him and Ciara more pronounced. However, I appreciated his growth and acceptance as much as I appreciated Ciara's in the end.

Unfortunately, this does end on a cliffhanger, and I'm very curious to see where the author will take the story next! Hopefully, we don't have to wait too long for the next book to come out. 😃

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by TBR & Beyond Tours. Special thanks to Labyrinth Road for providing a digital ARC via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. 3.5 stars rounded up!

Now, this was a fun ride!

The story follows Ciara as she discovers a book (quite the naughty one) that will totally change her life and give her the adventure of a lifetime! And what does this adventure involve, you may ask? Dragons? ✅ Magic?✅ Despicable villain?✅ Cliffhanger? ✅ ✅ ✅

With this book, the author only scratched the surface of what is yet to come in this world full of magic, dragons, and a fun, witty and quite bold 12-year-old protagonist who would do anything to try to find a cure and save her mother and the villagers of Skael from the Warden and the evils that have befallen those people. With the help of Scorch (a cute but stern-looking dragon) and her close friend Meg, they join forces for one epic quest! Or more epic quests… I just need the second book to find that out!

I found some characters very likeable and funny, especially in the voice of the owner of the said found book! (but shuushhh, I’m not going to say more about who that person is; you need to read the book to find out!) Others were quite mysterious, and we didn’t see enough of them as this was a hint there would be a following book to come, and no, the ginormous cliffhanger was not a clue!!

I just need the second book, really!

It clearly is a middle-grade book, so sometimes, the actions and dialogue did make me cringe a little, and at one point, the “name callings” became a tad irritating...

This aside, this was a solid 4-star read for me that I quite enjoyed, and I will be absolutely looking forward to the second book! I do recommend it!

Ciara summons a dragon using a spell from an old book she found that the emperor has been searching for a long time. The wardens find out that Ciara has the book and comes after her and her sick mother. Ciara escapes the wardens and that is when she summons the Dragon to help her save her mom.
This is a fun book and the narrator is a hoot. The dragon is moody and Ciara isn’t going to stop until she saved her mom. The characters are wonderful and the book has its funny and serious parts. There is a bit more suspense than action but still a can’t put down kind of book. I enjoyed it a lot and hope to see Ciara again soon.

Thank you to NetGalley for the advanced copy for review.

This is a good book for upper elementary or middle grade students. The author utilizes the use of italics, ellipses, and multiple exclamation marks in the text to help bring you into the story, emphasizing different thoughts or words.

A good adventure book for those who enjoy fantasy.

A middle grade fantasy novel that includes a snarky, ancient dragon and a spunky twelve-year old girl with a mission? Sign me up! Scorch has been asleep for a thousand years, so when Ciara accidentally summons him after finding a hidden magic diary, it takes him a bit to understand what has happened to his apprentice and the world. As they work together to save her mother and village, the reader starts to also see the mystery and problems in their world. I think most middle grade readers would enjoy this and be excited for a new world and series.

This is so sweet. I loved their relationship, learning that she is the descendant and that is why she can do more than the others. A very easy and enjoyable read, fun too , and brings me some nostalgia to P. Wrede, and like that this one will enchant reader and reluctant readers as well. I fell in love with the cover and illustrations. It's a great start for a new series.

Thank you to NetGalley, ARC of this book! A cute, fast-paced story about dragons, magic and a young girls heart to help people. It is perfect for middle grade readers and really hooks you into the story. It ends with a cliffhanger, setting up the possibility for a series. Looking forward to reading the next book!

This was such a fun read! With all of the adventures and antics between Ciara and Scorch I couldn't help but laugh and enjoy every minute I spent reading this story! There's also a deeper side and I really enjoyed that. It's a story about friendship, family, the truth and standing up for what you believe in and what's right! Overall it's an entertaining, funny, exciting and fast-paced story and most of all it has dragons! Who doesn’t enjoy a good dragon book! Thank you Tbr and Beyond Tours and James Riley for sharing this book with me!

The Dragon’s Apprentice by James Riley is a humorous fantasy about 12 year old Ciara who accidentally summons a dragon. What entails involves magic, a terrible Warden, and an often cranky dragon.

This is a fun book that I think my students would enjoy- especially those who are fans of the Dragon Masters and Dragon Girls series.

While able to enjoyed by anyone, the truth is that James Riley’s The Dragon's Apprentice is squarely aimed at the middle grade audience and there is no doubt that exact audience will delight in this tale of a girl, Ciara, who finds a magic book that allows her to summon a dragon, which she hopes will teach her magic so she can save not only her mother but her village, maybe more. The story is lighthearted with a healthy dose of humor, with plenty of that coming from Ciara’s interaction with the cranky dragon Scorch. I’d like to thank Random House Children's | Labyrinth Road and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review an eARC of the first book in James Riley’s newest series.

https://www.amazon.com/review/R20TY3WJ9T9CF7/ref=pe_123899240_1043597390_SRTC0204BT_cm_rv_eml_rv0_rv

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and Random House Children's; Labyrinth Road. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: MG Fantasy, Kid Lit
Audience: Elementary-aged kids
Potty Humor: Yes, a couple of times

THE DRAGON'S APPRENTICE is cheeky fun with a dragon-cat morphing monster and a rebellious girl.

This book could be used as a class on how to write middle grade.

Funny — check
Saving family — check
Smart kids — check
Obvious bad guy — check
People to root for — check
Magic — check
Unexpected magic twists — check

Ciara's blunders into summoning a dragon! There's a reason magic is forbidden, but does one blunder stop Ciara? Absolutely not! It's time for more magic and more mistakes.

Kids are going to giggle as they read this books. It's perfect for kids who love reading and for reluctant readers. This is a beginning of a series, but it ends in a good way in the first installment.

I hope you and your kids love it! It would be great for a classroom too.

Happy reading!

It’s turn for Ciara to get the knowledge that the dragons possess, however only a few are selected now to get this information. She finds a notebook and now her troubles start. Bianca wrote this journal and with the information in it the emperor must have. Scorch is the dragon who has ties to Bianca and how Ciara has the pleasure of meeting him. Together can they restore things the way they were. My middle school loved this she said it reminded her of an older Treehouse adventure. She loved the fantasy, the dragons and the world building. The imagination came to life and she is looking forward to more. Great book definitely a book for young kids and adults who love dragons.

Of course I jumped at the chance to read another James Riley book! With his characteristic humorous style, a little spellbook with a big personality, a chatterbox protagonist, and a cranky dragon, the book is sure to find an interested middle-grade audience.

Still, it's difficult to bring something new to the classic "kid hero + dragon" dynamic we've seen so many times before, and the middle of the book does slow down a bit more than I would like.

But most importantly, it's a story about doing what you know is right, fighting for the ones you love, and searching for the truth, even when it's hard to find.

And that, I think, is a very good thing.

𝐑𝐄𝐀𝐃 𝐓𝐇𝐈𝐒 𝐈𝐅 𝐘𝐎𝐔
🐉 love snarky talking dragons
🪄 would learn magic to save your mother
🛌 have ever slept for 1000 years
📒 keep a journal

• 𝐖𝐇𝐀𝐓 𝐈𝐓’𝐒 𝐀𝐁𝐎𝐔𝐓

STOP. Don’t read any further. There are magic spells in this book, and the Emperor has forbidden anyone from learning magic, because it’s way too dangerous! If you try one of the spells, any number of terrible things might happen (or so the Emperor says). 

Don’t be like Ciara, a twelve-year-old girl living in the tiny village of Skael. When she used a spell from within this book, she ended up summoning a dragon. A DRAGON! Those things breathe fire! From their mouths! She’s obviously doomed. 

And don’t listen if Ciara tells you that dragons won’t hurt humans, and that they even once taught us magic, a thousand years ago. Definitely don’t pay any attention to the fact that the dragon she summoned, Scorch, might be willing to help rescue Ciara’s mother and free her village from the Emperor and his Warden, because it’s all obviously a big lie. So put this book down, and forget about it. Magic is just way too dangerous. After all, you wouldn’t want to summon your own dragon, would you?

• 𝐌𝐘 𝐓𝐇𝐎𝐔𝐆𝐇𝐓𝐒

This was such a fun read! While it’s certainly meant for preteens and teenagers, it had a lot of funny moments, and I found myself laughing at the crazy antics that Ciara and Scorch got up to. The magic that she learns was a lot of fun, and the way she does them, by tracing magical runes, really added to the story and helped me to visualize everything a bit more. I loved the plot development. It was quick, but so entertaining. Definitely a fun one to pick up if you love dragons and magic!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for my e-ARC of The Dragon’s Apprentice!

I think that the voice in this book is just stunning. Ciara and Scorch are perfectly portrayed in a way that kids will just love. Their voices and personalities shine throughout this book. I left the book wanting more. Ciara character is strong and dynamic, and I love that her intentions with summoning a dragon are to learn magic to save her mother. Everything about this book will appeal to the young reader and I am so excited to get it into their hands soon.
Thank you to Random House Children’s and Netgalley for allowing me to read an advance copy of this title.

Twelve-year-old Ciara lives with her mother in the village of Skael. Magic is forbidden in the Draconic Empire, but five years ago Ciara found a magical journal that belonged to Bianca, an apprentice to the Great Dragon Mage. She has kept the book hidden ever since but can’t resist reading it and trying out some of the magic.

Ciara is stunned when she summons a dragon named Scorch. Together these two are like a bickering comedy team. What Ciara needs help with is to cure her mother of the deadly Skael Cough, the same illness that took her father’s life. There’s a mean protagonist in the town’s leader who wants Bianca’s book returned. He is good at lying and making himself richer at the expense of the citizens.

Ciara comes to believe she not only can heal her mother (who is now imprisoned), but can also can save the whole town from this terrible man. Not so fast as she is just beginning to learn magic, leading her to frequently being exhausted and falling asleep.

The third person narration keeps the story flowing at just the right speed. Ciara and Scorch bring differing viewpoints on how to make things right and their interactions are the highlight of the story. The climatic, suspenseful ending will keep you on the edge of your seat. But wait, turns out this is a series and an epilogue hints at what’s in store next.

Fantasy and dragon lovers have a new best friend in THE DRAGON’S APPRENTICE.

I was so excited to know that James Riley had a new book coming out and I jumped to the opportunity to review it. My first book by Riley was The Revenge of Magic and absolutely loved it. This time around we have even more magic and of course dragons.

Our protagonist Ciara, a twelve year old ordinary girl finds a magical book and uses its power to try and save her mother and herself from the evil Emperor’s army. In doing so, she unleashes an ancient dragon. But the dragon named Scorch is very grumpy and doesn’t want to listen to her. Ciara will have to prove to him that she is worthy of leaning magic and hence begins an epic adventure to save her mother and the kingdom. Ciara was such a fun character to read and love seeing her fight evil with her dragon. Now I’ll be patiently waiting for book two.

A solid midde grade read for young fantasy readers. This was obviously the first installment in an extended series of books. It stands on its own, but the last chapters prepare you for turns that will appear in the next book. Students will get a kick out of Cara and Scorch. The story didn't flow as easily as I woul dhave preferred and was confusing to follow at times. I think it was trying really hart to be tongue-in-cheek, but that's an adult perspective on a book that is aimed at 10 year olds.

12-year old Ciara finds an ancient journal/spellbook belonging to Bianca, a disciple of the legendary Dragon Mage, in an abandoned tower, but refuses to hand it over to the local Warden, who has pillaged the local town with his relentless greed. She summons a dragon named Scorch, who has been asleep for 1,000 years; he realizes that Ciara is a descendant of Bianca and knows the Dragon Mage wanted magic to be accessible to all people. Instead, her evil disciple (Cillian) has misrepresented her wishes, claiming only living descendants can wield magic or monster Revenants will return. Scorch reluctantly begins to teach Ciara magic from the spellbook (a hoot itself) so she can rescue her mother from the Warden and cure her mother of the deadly Skael Cough that killed her father. Sadly, too much magic drains Ciara of all her energy. With the help of the Captain of the Guard's daughter, they launch a daring rescue attempt, which falters when Ciara's energy wanes, requiring outside intervention.

I want to thank NetGalley and Labyrinth Road for allowing me to read and provide my honest feedback to "The Dragon's Apprentice" by James Riley.

We follow Ciara, a girl from a small village, who finds a mysterious book. The book is highly sought after by the Warden, but Ciara keeps it hidden. She learns it's a journal of an apprentice who lived long before her time, who was learning magic from a dragon. Ciara encounters some challenges along her story, yet she discovers more about the book, the apprentice Bianca and her Magister dragon. As a new apprentice herself, she wants to serve her village and save her mom.

The magical system in this book is not like one I have seen before. It is fun and not complicated, a perfect combination for the middle grade audience. Ciara goes through some challenges as an apprentice, but she is determined to learn and help her village.

I found the writing style lighthearted and simple, yet fun for an adult fantasy reader. Throughout the book, I am reminded of a popular adulty fantasy book that does not suit the readers of this audience. Because of this, I found this is a perfect read for the children of those parents who enjoy adult fantasy. A great book for parents/guardians to connect over with their middle grade reader.

Finally, I would recommend this book to my future students, family and friends! An easy 5 star for me!