
Member Reviews

I love this series. I absolutely loved reading Doli's story. The characters are engaging and the story is a perfect HEA. I would classify this as a cozy fantasy that checks all of the boxes I want. Easy to read and enjoy. The addition of the recipes is a great touch to enhance a readers experience. I would be happy to return to Adenashire.

A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons is a delightful mix of whimsy, wit, and adventure. The concept is pure magic—books, dragons, and brave librarians! Some pacing dips, but the charm, humor, and heart more than make up for it. A cozy, clever tale that sparks joy for any book lover.

This book is the follow up of a Fellowship of bakers & magic, but focusses on a different duo, but still the characters we have come
to love in A Fellowship of bakers & magic appear 🥳. And jpenner really does an amazing job at making super cute and cozy stories, it feels like a warm bad and an amazing cup of tea.
Doli, our FMC and Sarson our MMC fit together perfectly and I could relate to both a lot (even though I am not a magical creature myself), but I also loved jez hesitancy toward Sarson as he got more interested in Doli (protective best friend for the win!), but I do love how she turned around and apologised later as well when Doli asked.
Evvy (the pink baby dragon) it just to cute but also an absolute menance, but she makes the book so much better.
Just as in a Fellowship of bakers & magic the strength of this book (next to the cozy feelings) is the wide ensemble of characters and how they all work together. @jpennerauthor is so talented in writing these super different characters but making them all work together without (much) hostility, it is so nice!
Towards the ending there was a little more happening, but it got a little messy in my opinion with some new story lines (that were predictable tough) in a short time that then felt a bit of in the pacing compared to the rest of the book, but that is also my only complaint. All in all this is a lovely cozy read that I can definitely recommend, I do feel that I know what book 3 will be about and I am looking forward to that too!
Thank you so much netgalley and poisonedpenpress granting me this arc in exchange for an honest review.

A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragons is a cosy fantasy filled with magic, friendship, and small-town charm, but it didn’t quite hit the mark for me.
We follow Doli, a tea-magic-wielding dwarf who inherits a dragon egg and finds herself caught between family responsibilities, a budding romance, and a light mystery.
While the premise is adorable and the side characters are lovable (special shoutout to the fox!), the story itself felt a little undercooked.
The pacing dragged, most of the action happened near the end, and the plot never fully committed to any one thread. I also struggled to connect with Doli as a main character. Her anxious, scattered energy made it hard to root for her, and the romance lacked depth.
It’s a sweet, low-stakes read, but compared to book one, this sequel just didn’t have the same spark. Still, a good pick if you’re after something light and cosy.

4.5 Stars rounded up just because it is so cozy!
A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons is an absolute delight! A warm, comforting return to a beloved world filled with heart, charm, and just the right touch of magic. J. Penner once again delivers a beautifully balanced story, where the romance feels organic, slow burning, and deeply rewarding. There’s no rush, no insta-love, just an authentic emotional journey that unfolds with grace and sincerity.
While this sequel operates on lower stakes than its predecessor, that worked in its favor for me. The story leans into its coziness, creating a sense of emotional refuge that’s rare and so appreciated. Reading Penner’s writing feels like curling up by the fire, a purring cat on your lap and a warm mug of tea in your hands. It’s just that kind of soothing.
The addition of the dragon brought a fresh, whimsical energy that heightened the fantastical feel of the world in a delightful way. It gave the story an added layer of charm without disrupting its gentle rhythm. In short, this sequel may not be action packed, but it’s a tender, joyful experience that left me smiling from start to finish. Penner’s stories are pure comfort reads, and I already can’t wait to revisit this world again.

Another great, cozy read! Doli was my favorite character from rhe first book so I was very excited for this one. I think pretty much everyone can find this book relatable between overbearing, condescending parents, the need to people please, and feeling like you have to hide any emotion other than happy. This book is guaranteed to put you in a good mood!
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the free eARC.

I debated for a while if I would give this book two or three stars. In the end, I went with two. That being said, it is not bad, and I did, for the most part, enjoy it. But, I enjoyed book one more and I gave that three stars. This one was honestly just kind of boring. It was almost as if it tried a little too hard to be cozy. I wish the author would have either picked the dragon storyline or the parents' storyline and really fleshed it out. The romance aspect felt a little forced, and I feel that could have benefited from being more fleshed out also. I think I will read the third book. This one had potential, and book one was good. Hopefully, book three is great.
Thank you, NetGalley, and the publisher for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

First thank you to NetGallery and Poisoned Pen Press for an ARC of the deluxe edition.
I really enjoyed the second book in this series. I loved Dolli and all her friends. It’s definitely a found family story. We get to explore more about Doli and her magic, insecurities, friendships and family. How she grows as a person with the help of her friends and an inheritance of a dragon egg that turns into a pink dragon. She also finds a love interest who was also has a love of books and tea. Everyone helps her realize that she’s perfect the way she is. That you need to love yourself and have confidence in yourself. Be true to who you are.
Overall I would definitely recommend this who series as something that’s light, cozy, not to complex but puts a smile on your face.

While browsing NetGalley, I stumbled on a title that immediately grabbed me with two of my favorite words: librarians and dragons. I smashed that request button so fast!
A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons by J. Penner is a cozy, heartwarming fantasy and the second standalone in the interconnected Adenashire series. I hadn’t read book one, but had no trouble jumping in—and now that I’ve met these characters, I definitely plan to go back and read the first.
This story follows Doli Butterbuckle, a good-natured dwarf with tea magic, a love of fashion, and a passion for books. She’s traded her family’s gem mining legacy in Dundes Heights for a quieter life working in a bookstore in Adenashire—much to her snooty parents’ dismay.
Just as Doli feels like she’s settling in, everything changes:
📦 a surprise inheritance arrives
💌 her parents announce an unexpected visit
🗿 and a mysterious (and handsome) gargoyle stranger appears in the stacks
Suddenly, Doli’s peaceful life is full of new responsibilities, family tension, and romantic possibilities. At its core, this is a story about self-acceptance, found family, and standing up for the life you want.
It’s perfect for fans of Legends & Lattes, A Rival Most Vial, and The Spellshop—full of charm, magic, and cozy little surprises. I absolutely loved my time in this world.
**I received this ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review**

📚A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons🐉
4⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Calling all cozy fantasy lovers! We're back in the heartwarming world of Adenashire, where the friendships are as strong as ever, and this time, we're diving into the delightful story of Doli! 🥰
Doli is an absolute ray of sunshine ☀️, a total people-pleaser with a smile that often hides a deeper story. When a mysterious gargoyle takes up residence in the village, her inner romantic (fueled by her love of romance novels, naturally!) kicks into high gear. Intrigue alert! 🕵️♀️
Between wrangling a baby dragon (adorable chaos!), navigating roommate dynamics, and a certain off-page romance that left me wanting more, Doli's journey is a charming one. But I gotta be honest, while the glimpses of Sarson's romance were cute, I was really hoping to see more of their relationship develop on the page. I loved witnessing Arleta and Theo's connection grow in the first book, and I missed that deeper dive here.
Still, if you're in the mood for a charming, low-stakes fantasy with delightful characters, this is a great pick!

Many thanks to the author for the ARC!
As always, this is my honest opinion, getting a review copy doesn’t change how I feel.
This book was pure bookish magic. From the very first page, I was charmed by the whimsical tone, the clever humor, and the cozy yet adventurous atmosphere. It’s the kind of story that feels like a hidden gem, quietly powerful and deeply comforting.
The characters are all wonderfully unique and relatable, and the found family dynamic gave me so many feelings. I loved the mix of librarians, scrolls, secret doors, and (of course) dragons. There’s something truly touching in the way this book celebrates books, memory, and the quiet strength of those who protect stories.
The deluxe edition adds to the magic, beautifully designed, it feels like a book you’d find in a secret library somewhere.
If you love cozy fantasy, gentle magic, and heartfelt storytelling, this one’s for you.

'A Fellowship of Librarians and Dragons' is the second book in the 'Adenashire' series that revolves around magical creatures and their cozy adventures. This time around, dwarf Doli receives an inheritance from her uncle that includes a dragon's egg! And she also meets a new Adenashire resident, the mysterious Sharson who comes into the bookstore where she works.
First of all, the story has some interesting aspects, but all the action was spread out thinly throughout the book, and most of it happened in the last three chapters. The mystery also wasn't that intriguing to keep things interesting, and the romance felt more like the first stages before the first date, without many scenes between the leads to create more intimacy and for them to get to know each other.
In addition, Doli was kind of an annoying character. She was supposed to have a sunshine personality and all, but she was mostly a mess, stressing all the time, and leaving things halfway done.
But the rest of the characters were adorable and lovable, especially the fox one.
Also, the food was nice, and the small tea breaks were really cozy. Moreover, the recipes in the end were great!! But I would have loved more books in the story!
This review is posted on Goodreads and Storygraph as well

Another cozy, low-stakes fantasy from J. Penner that has me wanting to snuggle up in a blanket. I really enjoyed diving deeper into Doli's mindset and watch her character development. Although Adenashire is full of magic, I felt like many of Doli's thoughts & feelings were relatable. It was also nice to see what other characters from the first book were up to while focusing on different main characters.
While this is an interconnected standalone to Book 1, I would recommend starting with A Fellowship Of Bakers & Magic if you don't want any spoilers and to better understand the characters' development. Although this book focuses on different central characters, it can definitely be read as a standalone!
As a bonus, I was pleasantly surprised to find a few recipes hiding out at the end as well! There were a few in Book 1, which centered around a baking battle, but I didn't necessarily expect more in this one.

This was such a fun and cute read. It just gives of happy vibes. This book just makes you happy. Love the characters and how Doli grows in this. Will absolutly read more of this author

The second in the Adenashire series, while easy to read and somewhat entertaining, falls flat for a couple reasons. Mainly, this story is so much like the first book that it’s pretty boring after you’ve read A Fellowship of Bakers and Magic. As a reader, it truly feels as if Doli’s character has changed from book 1 (where she is a side character) to book 2 (where she is the main character). Slight plot and character differences exist between book 1 and 2 but it isn’t enough to warrant another book.
Additionally, the food descriptions made sense in the first book because the entire book was a baking competition so there was simply a lot of food involved. Describing the environment with food related adjectives was fun and quirky. In this book, the focus on food and that word choice makes little to no sense.
2 stars because it has it positive parts- in particular, Jez’ character was great in this book and I enjoyed her much more than I did in book 1! Additionally, I liked Doli’s relationship/arc with her parents even if it was rushed.

A Fellowship of Librarians & Dragonsr is perfect for readers who enjoy heartwarming, low-stakes stories filled with magic, friendship, and charming small-town vibes. It continues the tale of Doli Butterbuckle, a cheerful, tea-magic-wielding dwarf, and while it can be read as a standalone, it’s the second in the Adenashire series. This book is ideal for fans of comforting, feel-good reads without intense drama or violence. I was hoping for a bit more compared to the first book—it didn’t quite hit the same spark—but it’s still a very cozy, cute story that leaves you smiling.

first of all, thank you to netgalley, the publisher and the author for allowing me to read this book in advance exchange for an honest review.
i have to say that the same issues i found in the first book of this series were present in this one too, but this time it impacted my reading experience more, paired with how frustrating it was to see doli not speak up and talk back until the last second.
it was a nice read, though!

Thank you NetGalley, Poisoned Pen Press and J. Penner for the e-ARC in exchange for my review!
This was such a cute, cozy fantasy read! This story follows a dwarf named Doli who has the magical ability to make tea and works at a bookstore in Adenshire. One day she received an inheritance package from her uncle, and inside of it is a dragon egg. As the story unfolds, Doli's journey is all about finding true self while she tries to juggle her responsibilities to her friends, family and newfound dragon.
Overall, this is a pretty low-key, cozy story. I enjoyed the characters, but did feel like it was a bit lacking the "adventure" aspect I was expecting. I was also hoping that we'd get a bit more character/plot development, but I still enjoyed it. This was great as a palate cleanser and I love that it's a standalone where you don't have to read the other book in the series to know what's going on.

4.25 stars
Thank you so much to Poisoned Pen Press and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC of this one. All thoughts are my own.
It was so wonderful to be back in the world of Adenashire! I loved this one even more than the first.
Doli is such a beautiful character. My exact brand of sunshine. She’s so lovely and wholesome and I loved her journey through this book, realising she didn’t have to be sunshiny and please everyone all the time.
The plot with Evvy the dragon was so dang cute! I loved Evvy so much!
And I really liked the romance in this one. Sarson was such a wonderful love interest, absolutely smitten with Doli from their first meeting. I loved watching their relationship blossom.
I can’t wait to get my hands on book 3!

If you like:
-cozy fantasy
-found family
-baby dragons
-magical small towns
-fun, low angst books
Then this one is definitely worth a read! Not a whole lot happens in this book, it was definitely more vibes then plot but I did really enjoy the plot with the baby dragon. Evvy was so cute and funny and I loved all her shenanigans. Doli was also such a lovely character. I definitely felt for her and how she tried to be positive and happy all the time even if she didn’t feel that way. I felt like she really came into herself throughout this book.
This definitely isn’t a romantasy but there is a tiny sprinkle of romance in this book. Doli and Sarson were both so shy and awkward and I loved their friendship/flirting. Since this wasn’t a romance we didn’t really get a big romantic moment at the end which wouldve been fun but there are definitely some sweet moments between them.
Thank you to NetGalley and Poisoned Pen Press for the ARC!