Dnf at 23% I honestly wanted to love this one as cosy fantasy is my cup of tea and I do love certain elements of it! Especially Crow and Aloysia but I found the plot very confusing. It jumps around a lot and the writing is quote pretentious rather than giving me the cosy vibes I expected.

A very cute and wholesome romantasy with an ‘enemies to lovers’ trope which makes you want to root for the protagonists Hollis and Aloysia. I loved the side characters but I was secretly hoping for more from the Lán and Shikha relationship!

There were some moments in the narrative which I felt were missing context, as if an earlier part had been heavily edited. For instance, in Chapter 7 when there is suddenly a “heap of fabric” left for Aloysia, which turns out to be a dress from Ivy. In addition, the entire storyline involving the mercenary and even the final letter (in Chapter 31) from Eckhardt Beaumont seemed unclear to me.

Aside from these tiny issues to be ironed out, it was in general a pleasant story with a cast of likeable and eccentric characters and a magical plot full of intricate detail.

Such a cute story, the perfect antidote for my previous read. I love the scene setting and magical-ness of the whole thing!


Thanks so much to the publishers for my copy!

This was my first cosy fantasy and I wanted to see what the genre was like. I’m not sure it’s for me, but I think that’s more about my taste than the book, as the writing style just didn’t click with me.

The story follows Aloysia Papplewick, the only witch in Tangleroot Valley without a cat dragon. She’s trying to wrangle her chaotic magical farm, put up with a gossiping pumpkin patch and get ready for the Harvest Festival. Then Hollis, her best friend’s irritating brother, turns up bringing trouble. Before long, the two of them are on a quest to a mysterious mountain, dealing with magic, mischief and an unexpected spark between them.

I really enjoyed the magical creatures, the colourful cast and the warm feel of the world. The romance between Aloysia and Hollis was sweet, but what I loved most was how the story focused on self-discovery and personal growth. I’ve realised I’m more of a high-stakes fantasy reader, but for fans of slower, whimsical adventures this will be a treat. I’ve seen plenty of glowing reviews for Cat Dragon and can see why.

Thank you to NetGalley, Samantha Birch and One More Chapter for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Whenever there’s been a question of what two creatures you would combine. Mine has always been a cat and a dragon, two of my favourite things. So how could I possibly resist when someone agreed with me and made it into a book! The ultimate cosy magical witchy fantasy read! Plus there’s a cat dragon or two! Instead of what you think of as a normal familiar. But Aloysia has a few struggles along the way. Definitely one for fans of The Baby Dragon Cafe.

First I want to thank Netgalley and One More Chapter for this e-ARC copy of Cat Dragon.

This is a perfect cosy fantasy read that will be perfect for Autumn/Fall. This book could easily become a comfort read.

I did struggle with the writing style and the plot at first, I wasn’t sure if I was going to enjoy this. But I’m glad I carried on as I ended up really enjoying it. I read this in a couple of days as the more I pushed on the easier it was to read, however that said this book was definitely confusing in parts.

Aloysia has never felt like a REAL witch. She has never found her familiar and with her bestie on the Elders council, she's been left feeling a bit...flat. But with the worlds Guardian returning, along with its Shepherd, who just happens to be Aloysia's nemesis, she gets another chance to bond with a familiar.

Things just go from bad to worse after that. Not only does Aloysia get her long awaited familiar, she and Hollis have to undertake an epic journey to save the world's magic.

Tangleroot Valley is a cosy, friendly, magically aware community and it seems like the perfect place to live. But it has its share of annoying neighbours who make life difficult for Aloysia. The secondary characters of Crow and Littlewick are scene stealers. And that big finale scene brought a tear or two I'll admit.

The romance with Hollis is very gentle and it could have been omitted all together and wouldn't really change the storyline at all. The pacing was a wee bit off on occasion and some of the scenes felt a tad disjointed but I still enjoyed the story and I'd read more adventures set in this world.

I thought Cat Dragon was going to be a super sweet low-stakes, cosy fantasy. While it was sweet and cosy, it was also epic and exciting!

Aloisha is a botanical witch, and the only person who can save her village’s magic from failing. To do this, she has to go on a quest (with her best friend’s older brother – eeek!) to find the rare magical/botanical ingredients for the spell that can save her village.

This was so much more epic than I expected, the quest is dangerous and exciting, the tension between Aloisha and Hollis is perfect, and of course the cat dragons are extremely cute!

I enjoyed this so much, the writing was good and the magic system were really original.

As I was reading it really reminded me of a Studio Ghibi movie – huge botanical guardians, cute fluffy magic creatures, a feisty but vulnerable heroine. If you like Ghibli, I think you’ll like this!

A whimsical story about witches, pumpkins and fluffiest cutiest dragons you'll ever meet.

I've read Cat Dragon twice and I genuinely wish cat dragons were real. Samantha Birch has crafted a wonderfully cozy world in Tangleroot Valley, where magic hums through air and every leaf.

Cat Dragon is set in Tangleroot Valley, it's a place where people can prolong their lives by turning into pumpkins and continue guiding their descendants from the garden patch. One day, Aloysia Papplewick, a witch-botanist, is busy tending to her ancestor-pumpkins in preparation for Harvest Day—until a magical mishap changes everything. The source of the Valley's magic, a giant Guardian, collapses over her house, gravely ill—and if he dies, the Valley dies with him. Now, Aloysia must team up with her rival to find a cure and save the Valley. All the while, she's trying to bond with her long-awaited cat dragon, a magical companion she’s dreamed of for over two decades.

The concept of cat dragons is pure joy. They are powerful creatures who provide immense magical strength to their witch partners—and at the same time, they’re ridiculously adorable. The bonding ritual? Belly rubs and back caresses. Honestly, sign me up.

I loved how this novel focused more on self-discovery and personal growth than romance. However, the slow-burn romantic subplot was beautifully understated, and I'm especially thankful for the absence of explicit scenes—it kept the tone tender and wholesome.

The rich descriptions allow readers to fully immerse themselves in Tangleroot Valley, painting the world in lush, vivid detail. Every one of Aloysia’s adventures feels tangible, and reading Cat Dragon was a delightful mix of giggles, gasps, and curiosity about whether the characters would succeed in saving their home.

I gave this novel 4.25 stars because I found the beginning a little challenging to get into. However, once you settle into the rhythm of Samantha’s writing and the story’s pace, you’re rewarded with one of the coziest, most enchanting adventures I’ve read in a long time.

Thank you to Samantha Birch and One More Chapter for sending me the proof copy of the novel. It was a magical, memorable read!

This is a cosy fantasy novel with a hint of slow burn romance where we follow the FMC Aloysia who is a witch with the ultimate goal to bond with a Cat Dragon. However she definitely gets more than she bargained for when she ends up on a quest to save the Guardian of Tangleroot Valley before the magical well runs out.

This book was an easy read and a wholesome one at that, I loved the world building and the character arc of Aloysia. She makes many acquaintances along the way which are loveable in their own way and become friends with the FMC. Of course I absolutely loved the adorable side kick characters of the cat dragons and the crow and the banter that is shared between them.

If you love Autumn, Cats, Dragons and spooky season you will absolutely love this book!

I really wanted to like this book. I love the cover and the idea of a cat dragon. However that was all I loved about the book. It was confusing and I had the hardest time getting into the book. I’m sure there are others who will enjoy this book unfortunately it was me.

30-something magicobotanist Aloysia is really just trying to keep her magical farm going. Which isn’t easy when she is alone and doesn’t have a cat dragon familiar like every other witch in Tangleroot Valley. When something goes horribly wrong at the Harvest Festival, putting her farm and her home in danger, Aloysia and her best friend’s insufferable brother, Hollis, are thrust together on a mystical quest. Can they work together to save Tangleroot Valley, and magic itself?

I had a really fun time with this. It was cosy and whimsical but with high stakes and a storyline that kept me invested throughout.
I liked Aloysia. She was flawed and therefore relatable, and I found the concept of her not having found her cat dragon familiar, when a witch usually finds them at age 8, a really interesting one. I would have liked to have seen this explored more – from the title I did anticipate this being a bigger feature of the storyline – but I really liked the cat dragons we were introduced to, and I want my own Littlewick! The relationships with the animal companions – cat dragons and Crow – were done so well. The bonds felt realistic and I was intrigued by how these relationships varied depending on the personalities of each person and the companion they were bonded to.

I also really liked Hollis. I must admit that I was expecting someone awful from the descriptions of him by Aloysia and her best friend Ivy (Hollis’ sister). I clearly got caught in the trap of taking a sibling and their friends’ perspective as set in stone. The way that Hollis cared was a joy to see and I enjoyed the development of his and Aloysia’s relationship. Again, it felt real, despite the situation they found themselves in.

While this did have cosy elements, it was much higher stakes than I initially anticipated, and filled with just the right amount of tension and action to keep me fully engaged. The story was a little bit confusing at times, but it felt fresh and original and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Aloysia, Hollis and the gang. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to someone looking for a cosy-ish, quirky fantasy with a strong found family element, interesting magic system and well-developed romance.

With thanks to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in advance of publication for an honest review.

I went into Cat Dragon so excited, this was to be the perfect book to start of my autumn cosy reads for 2025, but unfortunately it just wasn’t quiet it for me!

The asthetic of TangleValley was divine and what I wouldn’t do to have my very own Cat Dragon to fly around on and snuggle up with!

But overall, I found the premise very hard to follow, as this book felt very much targeted at the lower end of young adult on this occassion, 13 old me would have absoloutely adored this - for me there was just too much description throughout, which made it difficult to focus and stay gripped chapter to chapter

Cat Dragon was a fun cozy read. You follow the path of Aloysia a young witch who is trying to find her “familiar”. She befriends a cat dragon and they go on a mystery tour. It’s a lovely written book that fills your mind with magic and adventure. It’s whimsical, full of fun and joy. A great 4 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of Cat Dragon!

This book was beautifully written and had a cozy vibe! I wouldn’t necessary categorize this as a run of the mill cozy fantasy due to the stakes being higher than in other cozy fantasy books I’ve read.

I loved how well developed and diverse the characters were! There wasn’t a single character that I didn’t want to learn more about. The pacing did drag at a few points and I found that at certain point, the plot got caught up in the imagery rather than advancing the story itself. Overall, it was a fun read perfect for a rainy fall day!

2.5 rounded up

Cat Dragon had all the makings of a cozy fantasy I usually enjoy. The characters were likeable, the magical creatures were charming, and the world was soft and whimsical. The seasonal magic and the idea of bonding with a familiar felt full of promise and reminded me why I love books like The Spellshop.

Unfortunately, the execution did not quite work for me.

While it was undeniably cozy, the tone often felt too childish which made it difficult to fully connect with the story. The writing was overly flowery at times and disrupted the pacing which already felt a little too slow in places.

I did enjoy the final third of the book more than the beginning. Once the quest started to progress and the animal characters had more focus I found myself more invested. Littlewick was a definite highlight and added heart and humour to the story.

The romance felt underdeveloped and abrupt. It came out of nowhere and lacked the emotional build-up I was hoping for. It had potential but never quite delivered.

Cat Dragon has a lovely premise and a strong cozy aesthetic, but it struggled to hold my attention. There were sweet moments and standout characters, but overall it felt like a missed opportunity.

A witchy cosy fantasy. I loved the introduction to the character and the vibes of the town and her home. I love whimsical books and this book delivered those vibes.

I loved the world building and the descriptions of the animals, plants and creatures.

However, at some points it felt like the book was longer and more complicated than it needed to be. I was struggling to understand what was going on at some points. Crow was my favourite character but their sassy remarks disappeared about halfway through. It then felt like the light-hearted relief had gone.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me.
I loved the idea of a cute, cosy, whimsical, witchy vibe but it just didn't deliver for me.

I felt the writing style was overly complex and had a lot of unusual magical words that I stumbled over. I was looking forward to a light, easy read but I struggled to enjoy it due to the writing. I had to re-read parts as I had lost track of what was happening.

I didn't feel any connection to Aloysia, whether that was to do with it being in third person point of view, or if there just wasn't enough building of her character.

I do love the cover of this book, it drew me to picking up this book. Although I didn't enjoy this book, I feel it could be a great cosy autumn read for others.

Thank you to one more chapter for the advanced copy.

2.5 ⭐️

Cat Dragon is a cosy fantasy story. I enjoyed reading about all the magical creatures, and the characters were interesting (AND the romance between Aloysia and Hollis was good!). The story itself had its charm as well.

But despite all this, unfortunately this book was not it for me. The writing style was overly complicated which made reading it not as enjoyable as it should be. Such a bummer for me personally since this book does have the ingredients for a great story.

I was super excited for this book as I love a cosy fantasy and I am obsessed with cats.

Unfortunately this just fell a bit flat for me. I feel like the language was too flowery? Not sure if that's the right word.

The overall story was good and I adored the cat dragons. It just felt a little long winded and struggled to hold my attention.

I think I was hoping for a little more cat dragon action!

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC.