zoeislostinabook 's review for:

Cat Dragon by Samantha Birch

4.0

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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.