Book: Rider of Dragons by A.T. Qureshi
Reviewed by Anonymous
Rating: 4/5
Thank you Booksparks for the gifted book. All opinions are my own. (I did an immersion read with the audiobook.)
This is my first book by this author, and although this one can for sure be read as a standalone, you could definitely tell it is a bit of a “spin-off” from her cozy Romantasy series: 𝘛𝘩𝘦 𝘉𝘢𝘣𝘺 𝘋𝘳𝘢𝘨𝘰𝘯 series. I definitely think reading that series first may add a different dimension to the story, having read and been introduced to these characters before, but I still think it stood well on its own.
Now, although this one is likely darker than her Baby Dragon series, I found the vibes still relatively cozy, just with the added occasional stabbing or death. 🤭
I really enjoyed all the dragon racing scenes. The way they were written really had me on the edge of my seat, thoroughly engaged, and rooting for our heroine. Definitely the major highlight for me.
I also really enjoyed the romance between Genevieve and the mysterious Qais, who agrees to train her (for a price) when no one else would. A very slow burn, with ever building tension, all of it leading to an ending that had me saying “oh noooo! 😬” 🤐
The tension between Genevieve and her Dad also added some extra angst, as he was dead set against his daughter racing, even with a long history of it running through (the male side of) his family. I’ll be interested to see where that dynamic goes in the second installment.
Overall, I really enjoyed my time with this one, and will definitely be staying tuned for book 2!
Audiobook notes: Amelia March was the perfect voice for Genevieve, and definitely added to the cozy feel I was getting from the story. Definitely a great way to take this story in.
What this book is giving:
✅ Cozy(-adjacent) Romantasy
✅ Single POV
✅ Dragon Racing
✅ w/ danger and violence
✅ And women “don’t” race 😤
✅ Breaking barriers
✅ Mysterious/Dangerous? Love Interest
✅ A wee bit of a cliffhanger
✅ Book 1 of a Duology
Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ / 5
🌶️🌶️½ / 5