I absolutely loved returning to the whimsical world of Adenshire, this time with Doli Butterbuckle taking center stage! I adored her bright, cheerful energy in the first book, and was so excited to explore her story more deeply in this installment.

Just like the first book, this sequel delivers all the cozy Romantasy vibes I’ve come to love. I’ve realized how much I truly enjoy a low-stakes fantasy—one that still has magic and wonder, but without the stress and intensity. It’s the perfect kind of comfort read.

This story follows Doli on her journey of self-discovery, identity, and love. I was thrilled that this book was told from her POV. She was a standout favorite in book one, and getting to see her shine here was an absolute delight. Doli is a dwarf, a tea enthusiast/magician, fashionista, and romance book lover who stands out from her family of traditional miners. Her quiet life is suddenly upended when she inherits a dragon egg from her uncle and at the same time, finds her self entangled with a mysterious and brooding gargoyle named Sarson, whose tail has a mind of its own (and occasionally wraps around her waist… yes, I swooned).

As Doli struggles to reconcile who she is with who she’s expected to be, she also finds herself caught in a subtle but growing threat to the peace of Adenshire. With her found family, a budding connection with Sarson, and a growing sense of self-worth, Doli steps into her own power in the most heartwarming way.

This book is full of charm, gentle magic, found family, romance, and the kind of world I never want to leave. It’s a story about being true to yourself, even when the world tries to push you into a mold. I truly enjoyed this book! It was a bit slower for me than the first but I still had a great time revisiting Adenshire! .

Thank you to the author and the publisher for the advanced copy through NetGalley! All opinions are my own.

This book was a perfect follow-up to Bakers and Magic! i loved the cameos and the way it let the story continue without taking dolis our new main character!

the new characters as much as seeing our old ones made this journey great! just like the last one the book is definitely more character driven than plot but I love it! cant wait to see the next book

I loved this book! It was a cozy fantasy, and it was paced perfectly. It allowed me to relax and live in the story for awhile. The romance was very sweet and I loved getting to see the chemistry between Sarson and Doli as they realized their feelings for each other. I really identified with Doli because she tries to keep her problems and her anxiety to herself and she realizes that’s not working for her. She had to learn to lean on the people she loves. I am kind of going through that same thing right now so to see it in the book really touched my soul. Overall, this was a great cozy fantasy!

As much as I love: ❤️‍🔥🩸🪦⚔️🔮💀

This book is more: ☕️🧁🐉📖✨🕯️

And I LOVED it. This series is my new cozy go-to and I can tell I will reread this a thousand times already.

Book one, A Fellowship of Bakers & Magic focuses on Arleta, Theo, and the family they find along the way in a magical baking competition. Book two, A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons is centered around the sweet, fabulous, tea-conjuring dwarf that is Doli Butterbuckle.

Doli inherits a dragon egg and meets a handsome gargoyle while working in the local (queer-owned!) bookshop. She navigates the locals’ antics and complex family dynamics, and raises a young dragon while simply doing her best.

I’m obsessed with the world-building and character descriptions. This is an anxiety-reducing series and I cannot wait to read the next book.

This gorgeous copy releases on June 3rd and definitely deserves a place on your shelves so you can read it whenever you need a cozy escape 🫖

Thank you to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for this ARC!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫
4.5/5 stars!

A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons has gone straight onto my favourite shelf! What an amazing story, I was hooked from the first page and did not stop reading until I got to the very last page.

It’s is the second book in the Adenashire series, the first book being A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic, which I hadn’t read but purchased immediately after finishing this story.

The main character is Doli, a gentle people-pleasing dwarf who works with books and has tea magic. She has left her family as she has no interest in joining the family business. The book opens with the arrival of a parcel from her late uncle’s estate. He has left her a dragon egg. Doli has no idea what to do with it but fortunately for her she meets a cute gargoyle called Sarson who collects books and a basic idea of how to raise a dragon. This knowledge is really useful when the egg hatches and an adorable, but naughty, pink dragon named Eevy comes into her life.

To add to Doli’s stress her overbearing parents invite themselves to visit and she discovers all sorts of ner-do-wells want to take the baby dragon.

So starts a magical and heartwarming journey of self discovery and romance as Doli and her friends work together to protect the baby dragon as Doli learn a how to train and bond with the greedy little baby.

At the very end there is a bonus chapter where eight-year-old Doli spends time with her beloved Grammy. Grammy’s cosy cottage is Doli’s safe place where she hones her tea magic and learns to bake Jam-filled Spice cookies. There is also a recipe for the cookies.

I am very happy to see there are two more books in the series - “A Fellowship of Games and Fables” a new version of which is due out this September 2025, and “A Fellowship of Cats and Curses” which is due out this November 2025. Both are on my wish list

Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and NetGalley for providing this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This series continues to delight and inspire! In this installment, we follow Doli as she adapts to a new life in Adenashire. Surrounded by friends new and old, she learns to trust in her abilities and fully embrace who she is.

This series is the ultimate in cozy fantasy, and I look forward to reading the rest surrounded by coffee/tea and a comfy blanket.

Thank you to Netgalley and Poison Pen Press for the advanced reader's copy of The Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons by J. Penner.

The author has done it again. A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons is a charming follow-up to Fellowship of Bakers and Magic, and it delivers all the cozy, feel-good fantasy vibes. One of my favorite additions was the baby dragon who was curious, mischievous, and absolutely obsessed with pastries. It was like having a puppy with wings and an appetite for cinnamon buns. The dragon added a layer of joy and gentle chaos that balanced perfectly with the cozy bookstore setting.

The author's writing is calm and engaging, with characters who feel like friends. There’s a sense of community and purpose that runs through the narrative, making this the kind of book you want to curl up with under a blanket on a rainy afternoon.

If you loved Fellowship of Bakers and Magic, this sequel will wrap you up in that same comforting feeling.

I've read A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons by J. Penner. It's my first enjoyable acquaintance with the author and her books.

This book was an absolute treat, like a warm cup of cocoa with a sprinkle of magic. The story is about self-discovery, found family, friendship and just the right amount of romance. The characters were all so charming. It filled me with joy and it's a total addictive fairytale with a fantastical ending.

The story is about Doli, a dwarf who works in a bookstore. She inherits a dragon egg from her uncle and she's responsible for Evvy, the little dragon she hatched. Her friends and family will help her through all this, and all the other responsibilities in her life, and in her new love.
While all these characters go on this journey together, they learn to get to know eachother better and become very close.

It's a cozy fantasy book and I loved it. For me it's definitely a 3 star read, and I will enjoy reading other books of this author.

Thank you, J. Penner, Netgalley and Poisoned Penn Press for this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

A Fellowship of Librarians And Dragons is a sweet, cozy, magical read about friendship, discovering your own path and finding love in the most loveable way.💫💫💫💫💫

Doli is a dwarf who lives her life as carefree and sweetly as she can. But when she is given a dragon egg to care for, her world is turned up side down. She will navigate this new normal in a chaotic but cute way. Her very diverse magical friends will help guide her and her dragon while Doli also navigates the world of love.

I really loved the world that is Adenashire and the magical creatures that inhabit it. Eevy, the dragon is such a cutie that I just want to hug.

Thank you, Netgalley, and Poisoned Pen Press for this ARC. All opinions are entirely my own.

An extremely unexpected inheritance, a prophecy fulfilled, a tiny pink dragon, a romance blossomed, self-discovery, mending of familial bonds, daring rescue, and so many happy tears. Yet, the book still felt like such an incredibly warm hug. I am shocked at how much happened in this book while still being so wonderfully warm and cozy.

I connected so well with Doli too, a people pleaser, confrontation avoider, hating to see others upset and wanting to do all in your power to fix it, afraid to truly embrace herself. It was so sweet to see as well as seeing a very realistic, slow growth at embracing herself and finding her voice.

3,5 stars

A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons is a companion and follow up to A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic. Where we first follow a baker now we follow a dwarf book seller with tea magic.

Arleta and her friends have returned to her home town Adenashire. Dolli, the dwarf, works and lives at the book store Arletta's fathers own with their fox friend. When an inheritance lands on her doorstep in the form of a dragon, life will change even further for our dwarf.

Dolli is an interesting character. She's stepped out of the normal dwarf mold by entering in the baking contest and moving to Adenashire. Yet she seems scared to show her side that isn't happy and bubbly. But she has that otherwise, that gets cranky. When her parents come to town that is even more so pushed into her need to be the perfect daughter. But she's is never going to be that. I liked this part of the plot. Where she had to learn to stand up to herself and where her parents have also done some looking into themselves by the end.

However I still struggle with the depth in places like her bond with the dragon. I thought there could have been more work done there. Instead a lot of the focus went to learning new things about dragons from her love interest. I also felt that the friendships here were a little pushy. Like who invites all of their friends when a roommate, who is clearly anxious about it, has to open an inheritance box like it is some kind of spectacle? There were more little things like that between them that obstructed the view the author tried to give of his perfect friendship between them all. I feel like those relationships could also use a bit more depth.

Other than that it is an easy cozy fantasy read that is a good read between heavier fantasy.

J. Penner has done it again with this beautiful, emotive and altogether charming sequel in her Adenashire series, with this new novel focusing on the cheerful, calming character of Doli Butterbuckle.

Doli Butterbuckle is a sweet, caring dwarf who always brings a smile to her friends' faces with her addicting personality and her delicious tea-magic but even the happiest people cannot hide their sorrows. Doli is unlike the rest of her dwarf family with their successful mining business; she wants to bake and make tea and create the most adorable clothes in all of Adenashire but she knows her parents will always disapprove of her way of life and deep down, it eats away at her. Life with her friends is fulfilling; no one judges her, she is free to bake, sew and work at the orcs' bookshop till her hearts content but when a strange package arrives from her sadly deceased uncle along with a surprise visit from her judgmental parents, all of Doli's calmness and joyfulness falls out of the window.

What I personally loved about this sequel is how it described the events of the first book without overshadowing the adventures of Doli. Every mention of the characters' adventures in the first book is subtly slipped in without making the reader wonder 'are they just repeating the same stuff?' And Doli's adventures were such a vast contrast to those of Arleta; Doli is forced to deal with uncomfortable emotions, uncontrollable magical forces (dragons, obviously) and letting her guard down for the first time. Doli is what I would class as a people pleaser but in the sense that she tries her best to keep everyone happy and calm and keeping her smile on her face; you can really see the struggle she faces when it comes to allowing someone else to comfort her for once and letting her smile fade just for a moment. It was really lovely to see.

In comparison to the romance of Arleta and Theo, I really enjoyed Doli's romantic relationship in this one. The chemistry and romance happened almost from the get-go which I really enjoyed and whilst Doli has more of an intimate relationship with her companion, it is a closed-door, almost fade to black kind of intimacy where it is implied but not really outright stated which is nice to see.

J. Penner certainly knows how to entertain an audience and keep them begging for more as I cannot wait to get my hands on the next book and find out who will fall in love next!

This was cozy, heart-steeped tale that feels like sipping enchanted tea under the glow of a firefly lantern. Set in the quiet village of Adenshire, we follow Doli — a tea-making dwarf who lives a gentle life among books and brews… until a mysterious inheritance arrives containing, of all things, a dragon egg. 🐉

What unfolds is a soft, slow-burn journey of self-discovery, with Doli navigating newfound responsibility, quiet longing, and her growing bond with a not-so-little dragon. There’s also the whisper of romance — tender and low-key — especially when it comes to Sarson, the new-in-town gargoyle whose gruff charm and grounded presence quietly stole a corner of my heart. 🪨💕

This isn’t a high-octane fantasy — it’s low-stakes, high-comfort. While I would’ve loved just a bit more momentum in the plot or a deeper dip into certain character arcs, I truly enjoyed the cozy rhythm of it all. It’s a standalone too, which makes it a perfect palate cleanser between heavier reads.

If you’re in the mood for dragon hatchlings, tea magic, found family, and a slow, sweet brush of romance (with bonus gargoyle), this one is a gentle delight.

Huge thanks to NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press, and J. Penner for the gifted e-ARC and the chance to spend time in Adenshire’s cozy corners.

This was a great, cozy read. I'll note that this is the second book in a series, and while it's not necessary to read the first book in the series first, I would recommend it to get a good feel for the characters and setting.
In this book, Doli is settling into a new city with her friends. She's mostly content with her life, despite the fact that it's not what her parents want for her. A mysterious and intriguing stranger, Sarson, comes to town. Just as Doli decides to get to know Sarson better, her life is turned upside down. She inherits a dragon egg, and her parents send a message that they will be arriving in town to visit her the next day. Doli soon has to juggle taking care of a dragon, entertaining her parents, and getting to know Sarson. What's more, Sarson has a mysterious past he doesn't want to discuss, and people in town are quite interested in her dragon.
This was a really fun story to read. There is quite a lot going on in this story, and I feel like because of that, things get wrapped up a bit too quicky at the end. But despite that, the book never loses its cozy feel. Humor and heartwarming moments break up the action of the book so it never feels like the stakes get too high.
This was a great sequel to a Fellowship of Bakers and Magic. I really enjoyed getting to know the characters from the first book even more and continue on their adventures with them. The characters are all so likable and their found family is a delight to read. I liked that this book was from Doli's pov so I got to get to know her better. I also really liked the addition of Sarson to this book. He's a very likable character and I hope that we get to know him even more in the next book. Evvy was absolutely adorable and I love her troublemaking tendencies.
4 stars and I can't wait to read the next book in the series!

Another cozy and joyous read from J. Penner! I absolutely loved A Fellowship of Baking and Magic and while this one didn’t have quite the same magic for me, it was still adorable, heartwarming, and funny. I loved revisiting the characters from book one and meeting new characters in this installation. My absolute favorite character in this one was Evvy the dragon for sure! I can’t wait to read the next book in this series.

this series is super cute. it is slow at times but all and all it was a cute book. I look forward to read more from this series

Thank you to the author and publisher for the opportunity to read A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons.

This book is adorable. It's incredibly cozy and heartfelt with a touch of spice. I really have no complaints - it's well written, the characters are well thought out, and the storyline is a good mix of sweet and spellbinding. I can't wait for the release!

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Book 2 of Adenashire follows dwarf Doli, the towns book store worker and her journey with a dragon egg passed down by her uncle. This story is such a feel good cozy fantasy!🤍

A cozy romantasy that lives up to its title….

I was caught – there’s no other word for it – by the title of J Penner’s second Adenashire book: A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons. After all, both librarians and dragons are some of my favorite characters. Now granted, usually the librarians are in mysteries, and the dragons are in fantasies, but that doesn’t always have to be the case – and Penner does a nice job of combining the two in a fun romantasy.

As the story opens, Doli Butterbuckle, who was one of the entrants in the baking competition in the first book, has settled into Adenashire. She’s working in the local bookshop, It’s About Tome, and she has gathered a rather nice found family (a human, a couple of ogres, a fennex, some elves) in counterpoint to her own overbearing dwarf parents. Calm often comes before a storm, though, so when her uncle bequeaths her an almost-ready-to-hatch dragon egg, and then her mother and father show up for an unexpected visit, things get interesting. The dragon egg hatches, releasing Evvy, a terminally cute, but also terminally chaotic, young dragon. And then there's the handsome gargoyle who has recently moved to town. Shake and stir, and enjoy the result.

Provided you go into it with expectations of a slower-paced cozy fantasy with a nice dollop of romance, A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons is as enjoyable as its name, and gets four stars from me. (Please note that four stars is a really solid, read-this-book, recommendation from me, since I try to limit star-flation a bit.) If, however, you’re looking for more of a high-adventure fantasy, this probably won’t be for you.

One final note – when I’m thinking about reviewing a book in a series I’m not familiar with, I will often try to go back and read at least one of the earlier books to see if I really want to read/review the new one. In this case, the first book, A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic, was available via Kindle Unlimited, so I read it. I enjoyed it a lot as well, and I think it helped to have that background when reading this one. Penner does a pretty good job of filling in the absolutely necessary background, so A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons can be read as a standalone, I think. But if you are able to read the first one first, I would recommend that.

And finally, my thanks to Net Galley and Poisoned Pen Press for my review copy.

I was so thrilled to receive an eARC of this book from NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press by J Penner! Big thank you to all involved, and with that out of the way lets discuss the book:

This novel is on the short end and feels like a warm hug or your favourite cup of tea. The characters feel like friends, and the writing style flows easily. The world building is loose if compared to an epic, but solid enough that you can orient yourself and feels that the author did not want to waste any words and allows the reader to fill in some blanks.

I went back and forth on how to rate this book and had to stick to the system I have in place pretty firmly. The characters are wonderful, though the romance does develop a bit faster than I typically like. That did not detract from my enjoyment of the novel, and I found myself choosing this over the other books I had on the go and putting off tasks in order to read another chapter...or three. I was engrossed and demolished this book in two days despite my non negotiable obligations. The friends felt like a warm hug that encompassed you, and the cosy vibes were strong.

I think this book could have benefitted from another 50 pages to flesh out the action subplot along with the romance a little more. While a good read, the pace and broad strokes left me feeling like something was missing by the time I finished.

A note: consider skipping this one if you are on a strict diet. Lots of delicious food mentioned, and recipes for them at the end!

Overall: if you like cosy books and don't mind broad strokes in plot and romance, read this! It was exactly what my soul needed after a hard week. I'm looking forward to reading the next one, as I imagine it will revolve around Jez who may have been my favourite character.