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The Dragons of Nóra #1
Upscaled
It begins and ends, as things do, with a girl throwing a birthday party for a dragon. Or it would, if things were ever that simple.
Generations ago, the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided that dragons were a great evil and it was their duty to banish them from the land of Nóra. The dragons weren't (they just grew tired of the bother and migrated north), and the Inquisition didn't (they just pretended otherwise), but that's beside the point.
Though evidence of dragons still existed, it remained within the realm of smugglers, ne'er-do-wells, and people with too much time and money on their hands . . . until a hatching egg finds its way into the hands of a young girl named Ailís.
Now, with the first newborn dragon seen in generations in her company, Ailís finds herself beset by merchants, brigands, Inquisitors, and a greedy governor, and all she wants to do is throw a birthday party for her dragon.
And you thought planning a party for your kids was tough.
Generations ago, the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided that dragons were a great evil and it was their duty to banish them from the land of Nóra. The dragons weren't (they just grew tired of the bother and migrated north), and the Inquisition didn't (they just pretended otherwise), but that's beside the point.
Though evidence of dragons still existed, it remained within the realm of smugglers, ne'er-do-wells, and people with too much time and money on their hands . . . until a hatching egg finds its way into the hands of a young girl named Ailís.
Now, with the first newborn dragon seen in generations in her company, Ailís finds herself beset by merchants, brigands, Inquisitors, and a greedy governor, and all she wants to do is throw a birthday party for her dragon.
And you thought planning a party for your kids was tough.
201 pages, Unknown Binding
First published August 23, 2024
About the author
Joseph John Lee
6 books78 followersReceive the novella PALE NIGHT, RED FIELDS for free by subscribing to Joe's newsletter: https://joseph-john-lee.com/
Joseph John Lee is the fantasy author responsible for unleashing The Spellbinders and the Gunslingers trilogy and The Dragons of Nóra duology, and has been a semifinalist in Mark Lawrence's annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. A true product of New England, he prefers Dunkin' over Starbucks, sometimes speaks with a Boston accent, and does not say the word "wicked" in casual conversation as much as one may think. He currently lives in Boston with his wife, Annie, and their robot vacuum named Crumb.
Joseph John Lee is the fantasy author responsible for unleashing The Spellbinders and the Gunslingers trilogy and The Dragons of Nóra duology, and has been a semifinalist in Mark Lawrence's annual Self-Published Fantasy Blog-Off. A true product of New England, he prefers Dunkin' over Starbucks, sometimes speaks with a Boston accent, and does not say the word "wicked" in casual conversation as much as one may think. He currently lives in Boston with his wife, Annie, and their robot vacuum named Crumb.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 77 reviews
July 22, 2024
Hi. I wrote this, and I think it's pretty neat.
I set out to write what would become Upscaled largely because my previous series, The Spellbinders and the Gunslingers, was really fucking dark and depressing - not just to read, but also to write. I needed a mental reset. And I got to thinking, what if I just wrote the absolute opposite of the Spellbinders series?
As I was finishing up the last entry in the Spellbinders series, I reflected on how much my niece and nephew love to read, and how very much not the Spellbinders series was for them.
So I wrote Upscaled for them.
But just because I wrote it with an 11- and 8-year-old in mind, it doesn't mean I'm leaving the adult readers hanging. There's plenty to like here for all ages, I think. If you like cozy fantasy, or the wit and humor of Pratchett, or the absurdism of Monty Python, this may just be one you'll enjoy giving a go.
Hope you like reading it! I sure liked writing it.
I set out to write what would become Upscaled largely because my previous series, The Spellbinders and the Gunslingers, was really fucking dark and depressing - not just to read, but also to write. I needed a mental reset. And I got to thinking, what if I just wrote the absolute opposite of the Spellbinders series?
As I was finishing up the last entry in the Spellbinders series, I reflected on how much my niece and nephew love to read, and how very much not the Spellbinders series was for them.
So I wrote Upscaled for them.
But just because I wrote it with an 11- and 8-year-old in mind, it doesn't mean I'm leaving the adult readers hanging. There's plenty to like here for all ages, I think. If you like cozy fantasy, or the wit and humor of Pratchett, or the absurdism of Monty Python, this may just be one you'll enjoy giving a go.
Hope you like reading it! I sure liked writing it.
August 23, 2024
This review was originally published on Before We Go Blog
Terry Pratchett’s Guards! Guards! meets T. Kingfisher’s A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking in Upscaled, a delectable cozy-ish fantasy comedy full of dragons, baked goodies, and tons of heart. It’s heartwarming, it’s funny, it’s thrilling, it’s refreshing, and, most of all, it’s absolutely unforgettable!
In a time long past, humans and dragons peacefully shared the lands of Nóra, but then the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided that dragons were evil, and thus they all had to go (no questions please, just trust the Inquisition, they are really telling the truth about their heroic mission and victory!). But now, through a series of rather peculiar circumstances, a young girl has found herself in the possession of the first dragon hatchling in generations; all kinds of adversaries turn their eyes upon Ailís and her family, but you better bet that nothing is going to stop her from throwing a birthday party for her new baby companion.
Well, if that premise doesn’t give it away, Upscaled is not your typical epic dragon fantasy. In a way, it almost reads like a loving satire of the fantasy genre, taking the most beloved tropes and subverting them in the most entertaining ways. From the very first page, Lee just sets the tone and creates an irresistibly charming and impressively immersive atmosphere that transports you right into this rollicking adventure.
Ailís immediately captured my heart with her slightly stubborn and almost dangerously curious personality, and I loved how her childhood innocence infused this narrative with so much heart and wonder. Even though the stakes actually get spectacularly high for a cozy novel, I never felt stressed or anxious because Ailís herself is mostly just absolutely thrilled about all the exciting adventures that she gets thrown into (and who can blame her, dragons and pies are all one really needs in life anyway, right?!).
Moreover, I absolutely loved the vibrant cast of supporting characters, and I ate up the strong (found) family dynamics in Upscaled. Ailís’s mom (yes, the mom survives!) truly deserves an award for her patience, protectiveness and clever inventiveness, and her eccentric uncle Iósef and the lovely yet enigmatic Áine also absolutely stole the show. I’d almost dare to say that they were all a bit too compelling and endearing, because every time we got an occasional shift in perspective (to the ‘antagonists’ mostly), I just found myself wanting to go back to my lovely group of oddballs.
Though, while the characters were absolutely the heart of this story for me, I was truly so pleasantly surprised by the level of depth and richness to the world building. Even though it feels like we have only barely scratched the surface, I was already gobbling up all the little tidbits of twisted history and the intriguing dragon lore here. Lee really breathed so much life into this world, and I loved exploring so many different awe-inspiring settings throughout this wildly entertaining adventure.
Upscaled is honestly a much more nuanced and multi-layered story than I initially gave it credit for, and I deeply admire how Lee balanced the absurdity with the seriousness. There are plenty of intentionally caricaturish characters, ridiculously funny scenarios and silly interactions that will have anyone cackling out loud, but there’s also quite a bit of dark humour and scathing social commentary cleverly hidden between the lines that will appeal to the more jaded, weary souls among us.
How Lee managed to pack such a punch in only 200-ish pages is honestly the real magic of this story to me, and I already can’t wait to see all the crazy fun that’s yet to come in the Dragons of Nóra series. If you think you are tired of the ‘boy girl and her dragon’ trope or feel like you can’t enjoy middle-grade/YA stories anymore, then I dare you to try Upscaled and think again; just make sure you have some snacks ready, because this book will make your tummy roar louder than a dragon ever could.
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
Terry Pratchett’s Guards! Guards! meets T. Kingfisher’s A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking in Upscaled, a delectable cozy-ish fantasy comedy full of dragons, baked goodies, and tons of heart. It’s heartwarming, it’s funny, it’s thrilling, it’s refreshing, and, most of all, it’s absolutely unforgettable!
In a time long past, humans and dragons peacefully shared the lands of Nóra, but then the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided that dragons were evil, and thus they all had to go (no questions please, just trust the Inquisition, they are really telling the truth about their heroic mission and victory!). But now, through a series of rather peculiar circumstances, a young girl has found herself in the possession of the first dragon hatchling in generations; all kinds of adversaries turn their eyes upon Ailís and her family, but you better bet that nothing is going to stop her from throwing a birthday party for her new baby companion.
Well, if that premise doesn’t give it away, Upscaled is not your typical epic dragon fantasy. In a way, it almost reads like a loving satire of the fantasy genre, taking the most beloved tropes and subverting them in the most entertaining ways. From the very first page, Lee just sets the tone and creates an irresistibly charming and impressively immersive atmosphere that transports you right into this rollicking adventure.
Ailís immediately captured my heart with her slightly stubborn and almost dangerously curious personality, and I loved how her childhood innocence infused this narrative with so much heart and wonder. Even though the stakes actually get spectacularly high for a cozy novel, I never felt stressed or anxious because Ailís herself is mostly just absolutely thrilled about all the exciting adventures that she gets thrown into (and who can blame her, dragons and pies are all one really needs in life anyway, right?!).
Moreover, I absolutely loved the vibrant cast of supporting characters, and I ate up the strong (found) family dynamics in Upscaled. Ailís’s mom (yes, the mom survives!) truly deserves an award for her patience, protectiveness and clever inventiveness, and her eccentric uncle Iósef and the lovely yet enigmatic Áine also absolutely stole the show. I’d almost dare to say that they were all a bit too compelling and endearing, because every time we got an occasional shift in perspective (to the ‘antagonists’ mostly), I just found myself wanting to go back to my lovely group of oddballs.
Though, while the characters were absolutely the heart of this story for me, I was truly so pleasantly surprised by the level of depth and richness to the world building. Even though it feels like we have only barely scratched the surface, I was already gobbling up all the little tidbits of twisted history and the intriguing dragon lore here. Lee really breathed so much life into this world, and I loved exploring so many different awe-inspiring settings throughout this wildly entertaining adventure.
Upscaled is honestly a much more nuanced and multi-layered story than I initially gave it credit for, and I deeply admire how Lee balanced the absurdity with the seriousness. There are plenty of intentionally caricaturish characters, ridiculously funny scenarios and silly interactions that will have anyone cackling out loud, but there’s also quite a bit of dark humour and scathing social commentary cleverly hidden between the lines that will appeal to the more jaded, weary souls among us.
How Lee managed to pack such a punch in only 200-ish pages is honestly the real magic of this story to me, and I already can’t wait to see all the crazy fun that’s yet to come in the Dragons of Nóra series. If you think you are tired of the ‘
Thank you to the author for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
September 27, 2024
A very cute, wholesome, hilarious (almost satirical) tale about a girl who hatched a dragon (and simply wanted to throw a birthday party for it).
With hijinks and quests and a great deal of heart, this quick book was refreshing amongst so many dark and grim dark stories. There are easter eggs a plenty if you have spent any time in the fantasy space over the past decade, and it definitely shares more than a nod with Terry Pratchett’s flavour of absurdism.
The characters are bold and vibrant, the dragon adores pie, and the magic is every bit as wondrous as you’d find in any epic fantasy tale.
It’s the perfect mix for this super fun, short read!
With hijinks and quests and a great deal of heart, this quick book was refreshing amongst so many dark and grim dark stories. There are easter eggs a plenty if you have spent any time in the fantasy space over the past decade, and it definitely shares more than a nod with Terry Pratchett’s flavour of absurdism.
The characters are bold and vibrant, the dragon adores pie, and the magic is every bit as wondrous as you’d find in any epic fantasy tale.
It’s the perfect mix for this super fun, short read!
January 16, 2025
Well now! What an incredibly awesome book, that I'm glad I bumped right up to the top of the TBR pile.
In a complete genre change of what I'd been reading, Upscaled focuses on Ailis, a young girl who through some, umm, let's just say inventive measures ends up with a dragon egg. That egg hatches, and Pilib enters her world. Unfortunately for Ailis, Pilib, her family and everyone else, dragons have been outlawed in the land of Nora. The Inquisition in charge of hunting them down takes a firm stance on that matter, and surely they are a....well, they're definitely an organization with goals of sorts. Whether they achieve them is another matter, but the important thing is they tried. If this took place on Earth, they'd surely have quite the participation trophy display!
After Pilib arrives, Ailis and her Ma, and her brother have to flee their town and run to their estranged uncle, who's in exile in the Fae woods. Her uncle, Iosaf, is also my favorite character of the story; he's absolutely hilarious, even when he doesn't intend to be.
“I told you there’s nothing to worry about, didn’t I? I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
The trees began to rustle, leaves and twigs snapping. “The hell was that?” Iósaf’s sudden change in tone made them all alert.
The story continues on the families journey, and in order to not ruin anything that's all I'll say, but it was an incredibly fun journey to go on with them!
I think the biggest positive about the book was the humor throughout it. I'm not even exaggerating, I laughed out loud a bunch of times during it, and got told to be quiet by my wife last night cause I was apparently ruining the serious tone of the show she was watching (Outer Banks, in case anyone wants to know; it's...a show, for sure).
“You didn’t put any ink on the quill, and we all know you’re illiterate!”
“Hey!” Saibhir pointed right back at Ma.
“I am no longer illiterate. Last week, I read Mr. Dragon Meets His Grave!”
“That’s a picture book for babies. It has five words in it.”
“And I read them all!”
I also appreciated the relatively low stakes of the story; besides the Inquisition trying to get the dragon back, it was nice to focus on a smaller family and even location in the world; it can be exhausting reading 800 page TOMES with backstories that go on and on and on about the history of some town that we never even visit! Unscaled is fantasy made fun, with a cast of characters that you can learn to appreciate and grow with, as they do as well.
This was a fast paced, non stop adventure story and it had a lot of heart to it, that made it an absolute joy to read. I'm very eagerly awaiting book 2, which is sure to be just as great as this one.
In a complete genre change of what I'd been reading, Upscaled focuses on Ailis, a young girl who through some, umm, let's just say inventive measures ends up with a dragon egg. That egg hatches, and Pilib enters her world. Unfortunately for Ailis, Pilib, her family and everyone else, dragons have been outlawed in the land of Nora. The Inquisition in charge of hunting them down takes a firm stance on that matter, and surely they are a....well, they're definitely an organization with goals of sorts. Whether they achieve them is another matter, but the important thing is they tried. If this took place on Earth, they'd surely have quite the participation trophy display!
After Pilib arrives, Ailis and her Ma, and her brother have to flee their town and run to their estranged uncle, who's in exile in the Fae woods. Her uncle, Iosaf, is also my favorite character of the story; he's absolutely hilarious, even when he doesn't intend to be.
“I told you there’s nothing to worry about, didn’t I? I won’t let anything happen to you. I promise.”
The trees began to rustle, leaves and twigs snapping. “The hell was that?” Iósaf’s sudden change in tone made them all alert.
The story continues on the families journey, and in order to not ruin anything that's all I'll say, but it was an incredibly fun journey to go on with them!
I think the biggest positive about the book was the humor throughout it. I'm not even exaggerating, I laughed out loud a bunch of times during it, and got told to be quiet by my wife last night cause I was apparently ruining the serious tone of the show she was watching (Outer Banks, in case anyone wants to know; it's...a show, for sure).
“You didn’t put any ink on the quill, and we all know you’re illiterate!”
“Hey!” Saibhir pointed right back at Ma.
“I am no longer illiterate. Last week, I read Mr. Dragon Meets His Grave!”
“That’s a picture book for babies. It has five words in it.”
“And I read them all!”
I also appreciated the relatively low stakes of the story; besides the Inquisition trying to get the dragon back, it was nice to focus on a smaller family and even location in the world; it can be exhausting reading 800 page TOMES with backstories that go on and on and on about the history of some town that we never even visit! Unscaled is fantasy made fun, with a cast of characters that you can learn to appreciate and grow with, as they do as well.
This was a fast paced, non stop adventure story and it had a lot of heart to it, that made it an absolute joy to read. I'm very eagerly awaiting book 2, which is sure to be just as great as this one.
August 23, 2024
I was given this free ARC in exchange for a review. Delightful and fun are the best words I can use to describe this book. It have Terry Pratchett vibes and some Monty Python absurdity mixed in to create some really entertaining prose. I can tell the author had a lot of fun writing this story. I loved following the characters on their journey and was excited by the plot twist at the end. I'm very interested to see where the series goes.
4.5 rounded up
4.5 rounded up
July 25, 2024
Upscaled by Joseph John Lee is a fun and humorous adventure. Young Ailis must contend with how to care for a hatchling dragon in a land where dragons themselves are forbidden. With Inquisitors upholding anti-dragon laws and always one step behind, Ailis must discover more about her relationship with her dragon—and of herself. A journey of discovery (and comedy) take place for Ailis and her family. Overall, a fun story with splashes of humor that bring entertainment for a good read. I received an advance review copy for free, and I am leaving this review voluntarily.
September 10, 2024
Had Ailís been holding something, she’d have dropped it. To illustrate the point, she took off her ghillies, held them, and then dropped them.
In all the dragon books I’ve read, I’ve never come across one where a dragon experiences a sugar crash after eating a lot of pie. If that sounds like something you’re interested in, you’ll love this book.
I loved my time in this one. It is the perfect brand of cozy fantasy for me. I am partial to low stakes in my cozy fantasies or even when the stakes get too high, I want to be comfortable reading it knowing nothing is going to happen to our MCs or the people I like. In this book, I liked all of the characters, even the supposed antagonists. We switched between the protagonists and the antagonists multiple times and it was great fun following either of the parties. Sometimes, it was more fun to follow the antagonists actually.
The humor is also very enjoyable for kids and adults alike. There were a lot of laugh-out-loud moments and some very clever fun poked at real world happenstances. There are also a lot of delicious pies, one angry gnome, fae creatures and Joe Lee’s own twist on the farmer boy finding a dragon egg trope.
Overall I really enjoyed this one and am really sad that it is only going to be a duology. I like the characters well enough that I hope the author revisits this world with many more installments in the future.
In all the dragon books I’ve read, I’ve never come across one where a dragon experiences a sugar crash after eating a lot of pie. If that sounds like something you’re interested in, you’ll love this book.
I loved my time in this one. It is the perfect brand of cozy fantasy for me. I am partial to low stakes in my cozy fantasies or even when the stakes get too high, I want to be comfortable reading it knowing nothing is going to happen to our MCs or the people I like. In this book, I liked all of the characters, even the supposed antagonists. We switched between the protagonists and the antagonists multiple times and it was great fun following either of the parties. Sometimes, it was more fun to follow the antagonists actually.
The humor is also very enjoyable for kids and adults alike. There were a lot of laugh-out-loud moments and some very clever fun poked at real world happenstances. There are also a lot of delicious pies, one angry gnome, fae creatures and Joe Lee’s own twist on the farmer boy finding a dragon egg trope.
Overall I really enjoyed this one and am really sad that it is only going to be a duology. I like the characters well enough that I hope the author revisits this world with many more installments in the future.
July 31, 2024
I received an advanced readers copy from netgalley for an honest review.
First of all, before we get this review started, can we just take a minute to appreciate how freaking adorable the cover art is? It really sets the mood/vibe of the book and basically is a good way of showing you exactly what the book is about.
Upscaled is about two kids who live in a fantasy world full of dragons and magical creatures. However, the Inquisition has decided that creatures like dragons are evil and have made it their mission to try and exterminate them. However, these two kids, setting out with the simple task to find and procure eggs for their mom at the market, end up bring home a dragon egg instead. Much to their moms dismay, the dragon ends up hatching, and all the shenanigans start to ensue.
This was a really cute and light hearted book. I really liked the characters and the over all silliness of the story. I think this book would be enjoyable for all ages and thing both kids and parents will enjoy reading this together.
Despite it's overall silliness. I do like how some of the commentary brings up topics like disputes being made for stupid reasons or over misunderstandings because realistically that's how a lot of conflicts are. You look at them in hind sight and you're just left thinking how stupid a lot of these conflicts are and the reason why they where started. It also shows how easy it is for someone to control a narrative or how easy it is to convince people of something. I don't think the author initially intended that outcome or really meant to dive to much into it but that's just what I got out of it!
I was a little impartial to the humor but I think that's because I'm reading this from an adults perspective and not a kids. I've seen other reviews say the humors bad, dry, or something along the lines of Monty Python. I wouldn't say it's that bad. It's definitely something kids would find funny and the humor reminds me of the books I read when I was a kid. So I think going in, you need to look at it from a kids perspective and what a kid finds funny.
Overall, I enjoyed and think I'll buy a physical copy for my nephew when it releases!
First of all, before we get this review started, can we just take a minute to appreciate how freaking adorable the cover art is? It really sets the mood/vibe of the book and basically is a good way of showing you exactly what the book is about.
Upscaled is about two kids who live in a fantasy world full of dragons and magical creatures. However, the Inquisition has decided that creatures like dragons are evil and have made it their mission to try and exterminate them. However, these two kids, setting out with the simple task to find and procure eggs for their mom at the market, end up bring home a dragon egg instead. Much to their moms dismay, the dragon ends up hatching, and all the shenanigans start to ensue.
This was a really cute and light hearted book. I really liked the characters and the over all silliness of the story. I think this book would be enjoyable for all ages and thing both kids and parents will enjoy reading this together.
Despite it's overall silliness. I do like how some of the commentary brings up topics like disputes being made for stupid reasons or over misunderstandings because realistically that's how a lot of conflicts are. You look at them in hind sight and you're just left thinking how stupid a lot of these conflicts are and the reason why they where started. It also shows how easy it is for someone to control a narrative or how easy it is to convince people of something. I don't think the author initially intended that outcome or really meant to dive to much into it but that's just what I got out of it!
I was a little impartial to the humor but I think that's because I'm reading this from an adults perspective and not a kids. I've seen other reviews say the humors bad, dry, or something along the lines of Monty Python. I wouldn't say it's that bad. It's definitely something kids would find funny and the humor reminds me of the books I read when I was a kid. So I think going in, you need to look at it from a kids perspective and what a kid finds funny.
Overall, I enjoyed and think I'll buy a physical copy for my nephew when it releases!
July 31, 2024
After finishing the chonky tome Herald and then navigating the complexities of Vultures, Upscaled by Joseph John Lee was a refreshing change of pace.
This middle-grade novella, centered around an 11-year-old girl and her hatchling dragon, offers a charming and delightful reading experience. Upscaled is an endearing story with a cast of likable characters that made me smile and giggle throughout. The whimsical tone and light-hearted adventure reminded me of a cozy fantasy with a touch of Monty Python's style of silliness.
Joe Lee's witty writing adds to the overall charm of the story. Although it took me a few days to finish due to a busy mind, it's a story that can easily be devoured in one sitting when you're in a relaxed mood.
Some of the dialogue feels awkward and very simple, but this fits the mentality of some characters, so it doesn’t feel out of place. And I have to mention how adorable this cover is. It perfectly captures the essence of the story, drawing you into its cute and playful world. If you're in the mood for a fun and cozy fantasy adventure, Upscaled is an excellent choice.
Thank you to Joseph John Lee for providing me with an ARC of this wonderful book. Upscaled will be released on August 23, 2024.
This middle-grade novella, centered around an 11-year-old girl and her hatchling dragon, offers a charming and delightful reading experience. Upscaled is an endearing story with a cast of likable characters that made me smile and giggle throughout. The whimsical tone and light-hearted adventure reminded me of a cozy fantasy with a touch of Monty Python's style of silliness.
Joe Lee's witty writing adds to the overall charm of the story. Although it took me a few days to finish due to a busy mind, it's a story that can easily be devoured in one sitting when you're in a relaxed mood.
Some of the dialogue feels awkward and very simple, but this fits the mentality of some characters, so it doesn’t feel out of place. And I have to mention how adorable this cover is. It perfectly captures the essence of the story, drawing you into its cute and playful world. If you're in the mood for a fun and cozy fantasy adventure, Upscaled is an excellent choice.
Thank you to Joseph John Lee for providing me with an ARC of this wonderful book. Upscaled will be released on August 23, 2024.
August 14, 2024
Upscaled by Joseph John Lee
Adventurous, challenging, emotional, funny,
hopeful, informative, inspiring, lighthearted,
reflective, and tense.
Fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
4.25 Stars
This was such a satisfying story. It was something that I needed, that I didn't know that I lacked.
I have two grandchildren, and I am so excited to introduce them to this world. Love the characters. The protagonist is SO sweet, that I cannot wait for my granddaughter to get to know Ailís, and for my grandson to me her and her brother Camaráin...and to go on this adventure with them.
I loved that you brought along Ma, and Uncle Iósaf. I've read The Hobbit to them, and I alway felt a tinge of fear...that some "wisened wizard" catch the ear of our loved ones...and take them away from us (crazy world), so I counciled them about not talking and interacting with strangers that their Ma hasn't introduced them to. But, in this story...they are a part of the adventure.
Also, to meet Pilib...and the fun they all had together.
Obviously, there are the "bad" people of this land, that are in fear of dragons, so...it complicated their lives...and so the stakes are high, for this "cozy Fantasy world."
One thing that at times took me out of the world, but at other times just made me laugh...was the inserts of OUR real world books/such (Warren Peace). Obviously, the kids are NOT going to understand what you did, but it gave me a chuckle when I read them. Then I'd turn to my wife and explain why I was "snorting in laughter" or just "chuckling" to myself.
Thank you for being able to read this ahead of time. I got this eArc directly from you...and I wanted to thank you. I have now read ALL your published works, and have enjoyed them all. Please keep writing, for you have brought joy to my life, and this book, especially...will entertain and encourage our grandchildren to hope to find a dragon egg...and go on an adventure. Thank you.
PS - I'm a little worried about Cam, and I do hope that you will be writing a sequel to this story, but I fear that something bad may happen. Either way, I really NEED to read this next installment of The Dragons of Nóra series.
eArc from the author
Adventurous, challenging, emotional, funny,
hopeful, informative, inspiring, lighthearted,
reflective, and tense.
Fast-paced
Plot- or character-driven? Character
Strong character development? Yes
Loveable characters? Yes
Diverse cast of characters? It's complicated
Flaws of characters are a main focus? Yes
4.25 Stars
This was such a satisfying story. It was something that I needed, that I didn't know that I lacked.
I have two grandchildren, and I am so excited to introduce them to this world. Love the characters. The protagonist is SO sweet, that I cannot wait for my granddaughter to get to know Ailís, and for my grandson to me her and her brother Camaráin...and to go on this adventure with them.
I loved that you brought along Ma, and Uncle Iósaf. I've read The Hobbit to them, and I alway felt a tinge of fear...that some "wisened wizard" catch the ear of our loved ones...and take them away from us (crazy world), so I counciled them about not talking and interacting with strangers that their Ma hasn't introduced them to. But, in this story...they are a part of the adventure.
Also, to meet Pilib...and the fun they all had together.
Obviously, there are the "bad" people of this land, that are in fear of dragons, so...it complicated their lives...and so the stakes are high, for this "cozy Fantasy world."
One thing that at times took me out of the world, but at other times just made me laugh...was the inserts of OUR real world books/such (Warren Peace). Obviously, the kids are NOT going to understand what you did, but it gave me a chuckle when I read them. Then I'd turn to my wife and explain why I was "snorting in laughter" or just "chuckling" to myself.
Thank you for being able to read this ahead of time. I got this eArc directly from you...and I wanted to thank you. I have now read ALL your published works, and have enjoyed them all. Please keep writing, for you have brought joy to my life, and this book, especially...will entertain and encourage our grandchildren to hope to find a dragon egg...and go on an adventure. Thank you.
PS - I'm a little worried about Cam, and I do hope that you will be writing a sequel to this story, but I fear that something bad may happen. Either way, I really NEED to read this next installment of The Dragons of Nóra series.
eArc from the author
August 5, 2024
Upscaled was such a fun little book that came at the perfect time. I really enjoyed it. It set the tone for the whole novella in the very first paragraph so you know exactly what you’re getting right away. It felt like a perfect fit for my mood.
I thought it was great irony that the book said it’s not the type of epic tale with a chosen one soaring atop their scaled mount on a quest to stop evil, when—in its own way—it is exactly that, including the humble village at the start, just in a funny and cozy way instead. It makes me wonder whether the author’s other series starts exactly that way too.
Having an 11-year-old character as the main narrator wasn’t exactly my favorite but she did grow on me over time and ended up being a good fit for the story. The humor was a bit strong for my liking in some parts but hit just right in others (if you loved the humor in this, make sure to check out The Crew by Sadir S. Samir!).
Overall, this was a really fun story that was heart-warming with just enough excitement to keep a good pace and a good setup for the rest of the series. I’m really looking forward to the next one.
I thought it was great irony that the book said it’s not the type of epic tale with a chosen one soaring atop their scaled mount on a quest to stop evil, when—in its own way—it is exactly that, including the humble village at the start, just in a funny and cozy way instead. It makes me wonder whether the author’s other series starts exactly that way too.
Having an 11-year-old character as the main narrator wasn’t exactly my favorite but she did grow on me over time and ended up being a good fit for the story. The humor was a bit strong for my liking in some parts but hit just right in others (if you loved the humor in this, make sure to check out The Crew by Sadir S. Samir!).
Overall, this was a really fun story that was heart-warming with just enough excitement to keep a good pace and a good setup for the rest of the series. I’m really looking forward to the next one.
August 20, 2024
Updating with review.
When I first saw that Joe Lee was writing a cozy fantasy and saw the adorable dragon and his pie on the cover, I was scared. Is Lee going to make me cry over this dragon??? BUT I LOVED LOVED LOVED this Cozy YA fantasy - it was adorable and just what I needed.
Characters: 5/5 - A lot of these characters reminded me of characters you'd find in a Terry Pratchett YA book.
Atmosphere/Setting: 4.5/5 - I wanted just a tad bit more.
Writing Style: 5/5 - This was super easy and fun to read.
Plot: 5/5 - Simpl yet effective.
Intrigue: 5/5 - More than I expected there to be!
Logic/Relationships: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5 - I loved just about everything about this book. It felt like chicken soup for my soul.
Total: 34.5/7 = 4.9/5 stars
When I first saw that Joe Lee was writing a cozy fantasy and saw the adorable dragon and his pie on the cover, I was scared. Is Lee going to make me cry over this dragon??? BUT I LOVED LOVED LOVED this Cozy YA fantasy - it was adorable and just what I needed.
Characters: 5/5 - A lot of these characters reminded me of characters you'd find in a Terry Pratchett YA book.
Atmosphere/Setting: 4.5/5 - I wanted just a tad bit more.
Writing Style: 5/5 - This was super easy and fun to read.
Plot: 5/5 - Simpl yet effective.
Intrigue: 5/5 - More than I expected there to be!
Logic/Relationships: 5/5
Enjoyment: 5/5 - I loved just about everything about this book. It felt like chicken soup for my soul.
Total: 34.5/7 = 4.9/5 stars
August 23, 2024
This was my first book I read by this author. I enjoyed it and found it very charming. I’m look forward to the next book in the series.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC. All opinions in this review is my own.
Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC. All opinions in this review is my own.
July 22, 2024
“When comes an egg, there may come a hatchling, and there may come a story to tell.”
Except dragons are EXTINCT in the lands of Nóra… or at least that's what they say. Just don't go past the three Cliffs of Ard—the Tall Cliffs, the Small Cliffs, and the Awaiting-a-Growth-Spurt Cliffs—because that's where the dragons are exiled because they're extinct, if you know what I mean.
But everything changes when asmuggler's legitimate trader’s precious dragon egg goes missing, only to be found by our eleven-year-old hero, Ailís.
The egg hatches soon after Ailís finds it, resulting in an adventure where she and her family must protect the baby dragon that everyone wants to get their hands on…
Upscaled is an immensely fun read, with the most unique and laugh-out-loud writing style.
The author crafts a cozy fantasy adventure with a strong cast of characters. There's also, of course, a healthy dose of dragon, which was honestly refreshing compared to your average dragon book.
There is a bit of language in this book for the age range (which I'm guessing is middle grade), but other than that, I think it's a great read for anyone wanting to crash on a beanbag after playing Zelda and read about dragons for an afternoon. (Oddly specific, I know…)
I received this book from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review
Except dragons are EXTINCT in the lands of Nóra… or at least that's what they say. Just don't go past the three Cliffs of Ard—the Tall Cliffs, the Small Cliffs, and the Awaiting-a-Growth-Spurt Cliffs—because that's where the dragons are exiled because they're extinct, if you know what I mean.
But everything changes when a
The egg hatches soon after Ailís finds it, resulting in an adventure where she and her family must protect the baby dragon that everyone wants to get their hands on…
Upscaled is an immensely fun read, with the most unique and laugh-out-loud writing style.
The author crafts a cozy fantasy adventure with a strong cast of characters. There's also, of course, a healthy dose of dragon, which was honestly refreshing compared to your average dragon book.
There is a bit of language in this book for the age range (which I'm guessing is middle grade), but other than that, I think it's a great read for anyone wanting to crash on a beanbag after playing Zelda and read about dragons for an afternoon. (Oddly specific, I know…)
I received this book from BookSirens in exchange for an honest review
August 16, 2024
"Most good stories begin with a lie, kiddo." This quote from the novel summarizes the story up perfectly. It's how the adventure begins, the trouble Ailís causes, avoids, and gets into. It makes for a fun, humorous story. The size of the novel is short but the humor is big. It's the main flagship of the story with a girl who just wants to have entertainment in her small, quiet town. Stubborn through and through and gifted with a mother who is a saint and beyond patient (likely because she was once a troublemaker herself!). The family unites in a cause against the vile Inquisitors, and that's mostly about keeping a dragon and throwing it a party. There were parts of the history of the Inquisitors that confused and me, but this was classic the good guys are smart and the bad guys are fools, so it did not ruin the story. A quick enjoyable read where the kids know best - unless mother says so (sometimes).
October 10, 2024
Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
3 stars
This is a fun, cute story that would be a fun read for younger readers. It relied a lot on bumbling idiot humor, which isn't necessarily bad. It had me smiling, but it definitely made it read younger. Ma was a ton of fun with how she handled it all, though xD She was probably my favorite character. I'm sure it would be a great book to give to kiddos for their first adventurous high fantasy!
All that said, something about the book just didn't do it for me. It was fun, but not really catching. I also wish Pilib would have had more to do than just hang out in a bag. He provided so much opportunity for silly shenanigans, but it never really happened.
If you reading this decide to pick it up, I hope you enjoy :D
3 stars
This is a fun, cute story that would be a fun read for younger readers. It relied a lot on bumbling idiot humor, which isn't necessarily bad. It had me smiling, but it definitely made it read younger. Ma was a ton of fun with how she handled it all, though xD She was probably my favorite character. I'm sure it would be a great book to give to kiddos for their first adventurous high fantasy!
All that said, something about the book just didn't do it for me. It was fun, but not really catching. I also wish Pilib would have had more to do than just hang out in a bag. He provided so much opportunity for silly shenanigans, but it never really happened.
If you reading this decide to pick it up, I hope you enjoy :D
August 3, 2024
I received an advanced review copy from the author, thank you! My review is honest and my opinions are my own.
Upscaled is a young adult comedic fantasy novella featuring a mischievous and feisty pre-teen girl and a cute dragon which hatches after she finds an egg. The humour is mostly sarcastic and there are characters who could have been in Pratchett and comedic routines which seem very Monty Pythonesque, but occasionally the humour feels a little forced. This will probably be overlooked by the target age group, though.
Pilib the dragon is adorable and is starting to develop more of a personality by the end of this story. There are other fantastical creatures in this world in addition to dragons, with fae, a bad-tempered gnome, and even some magical pie-making. The bad guys are idiotic and easy to laugh at.
The ending did not come as a surprise to me as there was plenty of foreshadowing, but I can see that if you are not paying attention throughout the story it might.
A thoroughly enjoyable little tale of a little girl, a little dragon and their quest for a big future together!
Upscaled is a young adult comedic fantasy novella featuring a mischievous and feisty pre-teen girl and a cute dragon which hatches after she finds an egg. The humour is mostly sarcastic and there are characters who could have been in Pratchett and comedic routines which seem very Monty Pythonesque, but occasionally the humour feels a little forced. This will probably be overlooked by the target age group, though.
Pilib the dragon is adorable and is starting to develop more of a personality by the end of this story. There are other fantastical creatures in this world in addition to dragons, with fae, a bad-tempered gnome, and even some magical pie-making. The bad guys are idiotic and easy to laugh at.
The ending did not come as a surprise to me as there was plenty of foreshadowing, but I can see that if you are not paying attention throughout the story it might.
A thoroughly enjoyable little tale of a little girl, a little dragon and their quest for a big future together!
September 18, 2024
First, thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!
This was a cute little read, all about a girl who really just wanted pie and to throw her newborn dragon friend a birthday party. This definitely seems more for younger audiences, but if you're just looking for something light-hearted to give you a good laugh, definitely check it out!
My one gripe was the ending. It was painfully obvious what her brother was hiding, and it all felt a bit rushed. Given that this was a less than 300 page book, I feel like we could've had another chapter or two to make the end a bit smoother. Otherwise, no complaints!
This was a cute little read, all about a girl who really just wanted pie and to throw her newborn dragon friend a birthday party. This definitely seems more for younger audiences, but if you're just looking for something light-hearted to give you a good laugh, definitely check it out!
My one gripe was the ending. It was painfully obvious what her brother was hiding, and it all felt a bit rushed. Given that this was a less than 300 page book, I feel like we could've had another chapter or two to make the end a bit smoother. Otherwise, no complaints!
September 13, 2024
This is a magical first book into a cozy fantasy world ripe for young and older readers alike. We have some goofy humor that should delight young audiences. There are unpleasant guards who aren’t very bright and bring some humor to the adventure.
Ailís is an eleven year old girl and her brother, Cam, who is younger happen upon a strange egg. Yes, a dragon egg. They believe dragons are only in stories, but never real. The merchant who wants to sell this egg to the local governor seeks to find the whereabouts of his stolen egg. Also the Inquisitors who protect the people and uphold the (shady) laws, they search for anyone who has messed around with alleged dragon eggs.
So Ailís’ family leaves to find an estranged uncle and they discover a whole new whimsical, magical world with faeries and gnomes, especially Adhahm, who is curmudgeonly to put it politely.
What will happen to the little dragon? We must wait to find out more.
Lovely worldbuilding and delightful characters
Thank you to NetGalley for this book.
Ailís is an eleven year old girl and her brother, Cam, who is younger happen upon a strange egg. Yes, a dragon egg. They believe dragons are only in stories, but never real. The merchant who wants to sell this egg to the local governor seeks to find the whereabouts of his stolen egg. Also the Inquisitors who protect the people and uphold the (shady) laws, they search for anyone who has messed around with alleged dragon eggs.
So Ailís’ family leaves to find an estranged uncle and they discover a whole new whimsical, magical world with faeries and gnomes, especially Adhahm, who is curmudgeonly to put it politely.
What will happen to the little dragon? We must wait to find out more.
Lovely worldbuilding and delightful characters
Thank you to NetGalley for this book.
August 8, 2024
I received this as an ebook from NetGalley in exchange of a review.
I initially chose this book to read because I definitely judged it by its cover- super cute! I like books that have dragons and are fantasy but couldn’t get into the humor, maybe because this book is geared more towards younger readers. Overall it was cute and I enjoyed the main characters possessiveness and enthusiasm towards the dragon.
I initially chose this book to read because I definitely judged it by its cover- super cute! I like books that have dragons and are fantasy but couldn’t get into the humor, maybe because this book is geared more towards younger readers. Overall it was cute and I enjoyed the main characters possessiveness and enthusiasm towards the dragon.
September 16, 2024
I was immediately drawn to Upscaled by the adorable cover, and thankfully, this is one novella where the book itself is just as stinking cute as the cover. Upscaled is a fantastically fun and cozy fantasy that follows an eleven year old girl, Ailís, who is determined to throw a birthday party for her newborn dragon friend. Sounds simple? Well, yes, and no. Ailís and her dragon, Pilib, run into just the right amount of trouble—exasperated mothers, curious faeries, incompetent members of the Inquisition, smugglers, bandits, and retired dragon priests—along the way to blowing out Pilib’s candles.
I gotta say that I am absolutely the intended audience for Upscaled. I love everything about the premise and the original and fun takes on traditionally serious fantasy tropes. I was immediately enamored that in the quintessential battle between dragons and knights that, well, the dragons didn’t want the hassle, so emigrated away from humans (who seem more like door to door salesmen who have forgotten their catalogs and what they’re selling—but keep knocking on the door at all hours anyways—than actual knights), and sealed themselves off from the rest of the world. These knights, so to speak, dub themselves Inquisitors and claim that it is they who have actually outlawed and driven out the dragons (not that the dragons chose to leave for their own peace and quiet and simply couldn’t be bothered to set the record straight).
“Luckily, there is a story to tell. No, nothing of the sort where a chosen hero embarks upon a quest atop their scaled mount, soaring through the sky to stop a great evil. Remember, the Inquisition banned that sort of thing.”
I’ve always really struggled with the traditional versions of dragons in fantasy and grappled with their relationships with humans. Wouldn’t we be mere insects or pets to these massive, powerful, and wise creatures? I could easily see humans worshiping dragons and certainly fearing them, but rushing off to fight them seems a bit less tenable. So I really loved seeing this take on dragons being absolutely unconcerned with the affairs of humans. In a similar vein, I was always fascinated by the idea of dragon priests in Skyrim, so it was really cool to get glimpses of this type of system at work in Upscaled, and I’m really excited to learn more about it in the sequel.
I’m also looking forward to finding out more about the world-building in general. I love that the author kept Ailís’s world suitably small for a little girl living in a very small village, and who’s worst tribulation was dance class. Learning more about the world and its magical inhabitants along with Ailís as she went on her birthday party quest made the discovery of it all that much more exciting. It doesn’t hurt that all of the characters are incredibly endearing. I loved Ailís’s world-weary mother, her little brother who clearly has more going on than Ailís knows, and her eccentric uncle, Iósaf, who lives out in the woods rather than conform to anti-dragon societal conventions. Heck, I even loved the ragingly incompetent Inquisition who can’t help but to trip all over themselves in trying to chase down a little girl and her dragon hatchling who just want to have a birthday party.
“‘But what role does she play in this?’
‘What “role?”’ Iósaf asked.
He shrugged. ‘Does she need a role? We’re not characters in some grand epic to rise against the corrupt and wicked. She’s not a chosen hero. She’s just the right person for the right dragon.’ He winked at Ailís, and then set his eyes on Pilib, regarding the dragon in silence.”
Admittedly, at times in the novella, I did get a teensey bit impatient with the repetitive humor and arguing between the villains. It’s the type of humor that doesn’t shy from laying it on thick, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I wanted to get back to Ailís and Pilib’s hijinks and therefore had to fight the urge to skim during the repeats of the same running jokes in slightly different exchanges. Unlike the villains who are consistently and stupefyingly incompetent, Ailís’s characterization did seem a bit inconsistent to me. She’s very naive sometimes and a bit too perceptive in others, which is probably why her mother is so (rightfully) exhausted. But perhaps this inconsistency is in line with a young girl finding herself in such a unique situation. I am very anxious to see where Ailis’s next adventure will lead and would jump at the chance to read a story about her and Pilib’s bond as she grows older.
I have seen a lot of comparisons of Upscaled to the works of Terry Prachett, but I haven’t read any of his works and cannot comment on the validity of that assessment. However, I also saw multiple reviewers compare this novella to Brandon Sanderson’s A Frugal Wizard’s Guide, which I can speak to—I DNFed the latter, despite its fun premise, because I couldn’t stand the incessant bludgeoning over the head with the humor. (I’m sorry, Brandon, I swear I’m a fan).
Thankfully, Upscaled keeps the humor tastefully whimsical and dryly takes readers into their confidence, letting them in on the almost-but-not-quite-too frequent jokes, without being obnoxious about it. And, though sometimes the humor slows down the plot, it doesn’t grind it to a halt. Unlike A Frugal Wizard’s Guide, it didn’t feel like the main point of Upscaled was to prove that the author could write something funny. Upscaled did remind me a lot of one of my favorite series growing up, Enchanted Forest Chronicles, which starts with Dealing with Dragons. I also think fans of T. Kingfisher’s cozier works will find plenty to enjoy here as well.
Upscaled is a breath of fresh air in a genre that often takes itself too seriously. This novella sweetly imagines that any person could have the potential good luck to stumble across a dragon and throw them a birthday party without all of the fuss of chosen ones, ancient prophecies, and world-saving quests. Instead of these kinds of scenarios, Upscaled takes the time to stop and smell the roses of the fantasy forests, appreciating that what is important is not the journey, but the people (and dragons) who are with us on it.
I gotta say that I am absolutely the intended audience for Upscaled. I love everything about the premise and the original and fun takes on traditionally serious fantasy tropes. I was immediately enamored that in the quintessential battle between dragons and knights that, well, the dragons didn’t want the hassle, so emigrated away from humans (who seem more like door to door salesmen who have forgotten their catalogs and what they’re selling—but keep knocking on the door at all hours anyways—than actual knights), and sealed themselves off from the rest of the world. These knights, so to speak, dub themselves Inquisitors and claim that it is they who have actually outlawed and driven out the dragons (not that the dragons chose to leave for their own peace and quiet and simply couldn’t be bothered to set the record straight).
“Luckily, there is a story to tell. No, nothing of the sort where a chosen hero embarks upon a quest atop their scaled mount, soaring through the sky to stop a great evil. Remember, the Inquisition banned that sort of thing.”
I’ve always really struggled with the traditional versions of dragons in fantasy and grappled with their relationships with humans. Wouldn’t we be mere insects or pets to these massive, powerful, and wise creatures? I could easily see humans worshiping dragons and certainly fearing them, but rushing off to fight them seems a bit less tenable. So I really loved seeing this take on dragons being absolutely unconcerned with the affairs of humans. In a similar vein, I was always fascinated by the idea of dragon priests in Skyrim, so it was really cool to get glimpses of this type of system at work in Upscaled, and I’m really excited to learn more about it in the sequel.
I’m also looking forward to finding out more about the world-building in general. I love that the author kept Ailís’s world suitably small for a little girl living in a very small village, and who’s worst tribulation was dance class. Learning more about the world and its magical inhabitants along with Ailís as she went on her birthday party quest made the discovery of it all that much more exciting. It doesn’t hurt that all of the characters are incredibly endearing. I loved Ailís’s world-weary mother, her little brother who clearly has more going on than Ailís knows, and her eccentric uncle, Iósaf, who lives out in the woods rather than conform to anti-dragon societal conventions. Heck, I even loved the ragingly incompetent Inquisition who can’t help but to trip all over themselves in trying to chase down a little girl and her dragon hatchling who just want to have a birthday party.
“‘But what role does she play in this?’
‘What “role?”’ Iósaf asked.
He shrugged. ‘Does she need a role? We’re not characters in some grand epic to rise against the corrupt and wicked. She’s not a chosen hero. She’s just the right person for the right dragon.’ He winked at Ailís, and then set his eyes on Pilib, regarding the dragon in silence.”
Admittedly, at times in the novella, I did get a teensey bit impatient with the repetitive humor and arguing between the villains. It’s the type of humor that doesn’t shy from laying it on thick, which isn’t necessarily a bad thing, but I wanted to get back to Ailís and Pilib’s hijinks and therefore had to fight the urge to skim during the repeats of the same running jokes in slightly different exchanges. Unlike the villains who are consistently and stupefyingly incompetent, Ailís’s characterization did seem a bit inconsistent to me. She’s very naive sometimes and a bit too perceptive in others, which is probably why her mother is so (rightfully) exhausted. But perhaps this inconsistency is in line with a young girl finding herself in such a unique situation. I am very anxious to see where Ailis’s next adventure will lead and would jump at the chance to read a story about her and Pilib’s bond as she grows older.
I have seen a lot of comparisons of Upscaled to the works of Terry Prachett, but I haven’t read any of his works and cannot comment on the validity of that assessment. However, I also saw multiple reviewers compare this novella to Brandon Sanderson’s A Frugal Wizard’s Guide, which I can speak to—I DNFed the latter, despite its fun premise, because I couldn’t stand the incessant bludgeoning over the head with the humor. (I’m sorry, Brandon, I swear I’m a fan).
Thankfully, Upscaled keeps the humor tastefully whimsical and dryly takes readers into their confidence, letting them in on the almost-but-not-quite-too frequent jokes, without being obnoxious about it. And, though sometimes the humor slows down the plot, it doesn’t grind it to a halt. Unlike A Frugal Wizard’s Guide, it didn’t feel like the main point of Upscaled was to prove that the author could write something funny. Upscaled did remind me a lot of one of my favorite series growing up, Enchanted Forest Chronicles, which starts with Dealing with Dragons. I also think fans of T. Kingfisher’s cozier works will find plenty to enjoy here as well.
Upscaled is a breath of fresh air in a genre that often takes itself too seriously. This novella sweetly imagines that any person could have the potential good luck to stumble across a dragon and throw them a birthday party without all of the fuss of chosen ones, ancient prophecies, and world-saving quests. Instead of these kinds of scenarios, Upscaled takes the time to stop and smell the roses of the fantasy forests, appreciating that what is important is not the journey, but the people (and dragons) who are with us on it.
August 15, 2024
TL;DR Review: How to Train Your Dragon with the flavor of A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking. Good, clean comedic fantasy fun.
Full Review:
Upscaled tells the story of Ailis, a wildly precocious like child who “finds” a dragon egg (through absolutely no fault or any kind of prank of her own) and brings it home. Before her poor, exasperated Ma can tell her they can’t keep it, well out hatches the dragon and the mayhem begins.
Ailis and her wisely-named dragon, Pilib, will face all manner of dangers—from poorly baked goods to even more poorly trained agents of the local Inquisition, from blossoming magical abilities to the absolute travesty that is putting vegetables in pies. She, Ma, and Cam, her brother, find themselves swept up on a very small-scale adventure that takes them from their home deep into a mystical fae forest and beyond, perhaps even to encountering the terrifying and evil (as the Inquisition rightly proves in their abundance of literature) dragons.
I fell in love with the cheeky, sharp, humorous, Pratchett-esque flavor of the world from the first page. Yes, it’s a bit silly, but in the best way possible.
Ailis is a whirlwind in a bottle, a force of pure chaos who can’t seem to understand why her actions could possibly have consequences or why her Ma is so exhausted, annoyed, and frustrated with her at all times. She is utterly well-meaning but simply clueless to why she is the source of so many problems. And when she realizes it? Well, she just brushes it off as “no big deal” and continues skipping her merry way through life.
She reminds me of Pippi Longstockings a great deal, with the same unshakable enthusiasm and verve for life that not even the possibility of death or an extra helping of broccoli can sway. With her, you never really know what she’s going to do next, but you know that A) she absolutely means no harm by it, and B) it’s going to cause a great deal of problems for everyone around her.
The agents of the big bad Inquisition were another hilarious addition to the world. In the opening pages, we feel the menace they radiate, how the world is crushed under their heel and forced to obey their stringent laws. But as we get to meet more of them, see how they operate, even come face to face with their highest-ranking, most powerful and influential members, we come to see their…well, I suppose hapless ineptitude is the best way I could describe it.
Upscaled is a great deal of fun, with a light-hearted, humorous tone that had me chuckling or laughing in every chapter. Don’t go into it expecting an epic story, but be prepared to marvel at just how much trouble Ailis can get herself into—and the wondrous ways she can talk, run, eat, or think her way back out again.
If How to Train Your Dragon had babies with A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, it would be this book.
Full Review:
Upscaled tells the story of Ailis, a wildly precocious like child who “finds” a dragon egg (through absolutely no fault or any kind of prank of her own) and brings it home. Before her poor, exasperated Ma can tell her they can’t keep it, well out hatches the dragon and the mayhem begins.
Ailis and her wisely-named dragon, Pilib, will face all manner of dangers—from poorly baked goods to even more poorly trained agents of the local Inquisition, from blossoming magical abilities to the absolute travesty that is putting vegetables in pies. She, Ma, and Cam, her brother, find themselves swept up on a very small-scale adventure that takes them from their home deep into a mystical fae forest and beyond, perhaps even to encountering the terrifying and evil (as the Inquisition rightly proves in their abundance of literature) dragons.
I fell in love with the cheeky, sharp, humorous, Pratchett-esque flavor of the world from the first page. Yes, it’s a bit silly, but in the best way possible.
Ailis is a whirlwind in a bottle, a force of pure chaos who can’t seem to understand why her actions could possibly have consequences or why her Ma is so exhausted, annoyed, and frustrated with her at all times. She is utterly well-meaning but simply clueless to why she is the source of so many problems. And when she realizes it? Well, she just brushes it off as “no big deal” and continues skipping her merry way through life.
She reminds me of Pippi Longstockings a great deal, with the same unshakable enthusiasm and verve for life that not even the possibility of death or an extra helping of broccoli can sway. With her, you never really know what she’s going to do next, but you know that A) she absolutely means no harm by it, and B) it’s going to cause a great deal of problems for everyone around her.
The agents of the big bad Inquisition were another hilarious addition to the world. In the opening pages, we feel the menace they radiate, how the world is crushed under their heel and forced to obey their stringent laws. But as we get to meet more of them, see how they operate, even come face to face with their highest-ranking, most powerful and influential members, we come to see their…well, I suppose hapless ineptitude is the best way I could describe it.
Upscaled is a great deal of fun, with a light-hearted, humorous tone that had me chuckling or laughing in every chapter. Don’t go into it expecting an epic story, but be prepared to marvel at just how much trouble Ailis can get herself into—and the wondrous ways she can talk, run, eat, or think her way back out again.
If How to Train Your Dragon had babies with A Wizard’s Guide to Defensive Baking, it would be this book.
August 8, 2024
What a well written book! The prologue itself is reminiscent of storytellers of old. This was a delightful and sweet and cute and humourous read. A quick read, I got to the end of it all too soon, chucking through most of it. So, basically, Dragons are, in effect, extinct. They had been declared evil and hunted ruthlessly by the Inquisitors, but inevitably, some fall through the cracks.
Kids, right? Easily bored, always trying to have fun that doesn't involve chores or work, or even more boring dance lessons, so they look for a way to brighten their day. 11 year old Ailis and her younger brother play a prank on an unsuspecting merchant, a prank that has unexpected results, eye opening in fact, that both she and her brother were stunned at what they found. Oh do I love their ma! What a fierce mama bear she is! No, not a BEAR, she's just protective of her kids the way a mama bear would be. To avoid the bumbling inquisitors....ummm... questioning, with Philib in toe they leave the village and head to Mairin''s brother, who isolated himself years before, in the Crann Woods! Iosef is the strangest yet most jovial of people, then we get to meet a very disgruntled gnome, some Fae folk, and...yeah a few others who are just as interesting.
The story is told from a few POVs, Ailis and Liam primarily, sharing their insights with the reader to real raucous effect. Liam, BTW, is the merchant the kids pranked.... and Lord Saihbir was the one who commissioned the smuggling, oops, sorry... LEGITIMATE trade...Now you get an inkling of the comical aspects to this story. Ailis is the most precocious little girl, so innocent yet so forceful in what she wants. And that would be Philib, a cute newly hatched dragon, who she'd do anything to protect. I lived how she "changed" since she... acquired Philib, vividly realistic dreams, she can suddenly do weird things and then things get real complicated.
This fantastic magical tale is not only so well written that I devoured every word without putting down the book, the author, who is new to me, wove a fabulous tale of betrayal, friendship, drama and family, laced with humour. A story that started off with a prank, ended up with much bigger stakes, stakes I was fed bit by bit until I realised WHAT I was being fed! I was given a full 10 course meal! Excuse me while I burp my appreciation for the literary masterful author!
Kids, right? Easily bored, always trying to have fun that doesn't involve chores or work, or even more boring dance lessons, so they look for a way to brighten their day. 11 year old Ailis and her younger brother play a prank on an unsuspecting merchant, a prank that has unexpected results, eye opening in fact, that both she and her brother were stunned at what they found. Oh do I love their ma! What a fierce mama bear she is! No, not a BEAR, she's just protective of her kids the way a mama bear would be. To avoid the bumbling inquisitors....ummm... questioning, with Philib in toe they leave the village and head to Mairin''s brother, who isolated himself years before, in the Crann Woods! Iosef is the strangest yet most jovial of people, then we get to meet a very disgruntled gnome, some Fae folk, and...yeah a few others who are just as interesting.
The story is told from a few POVs, Ailis and Liam primarily, sharing their insights with the reader to real raucous effect. Liam, BTW, is the merchant the kids pranked.... and Lord Saihbir was the one who commissioned the smuggling, oops, sorry... LEGITIMATE trade...Now you get an inkling of the comical aspects to this story. Ailis is the most precocious little girl, so innocent yet so forceful in what she wants. And that would be Philib, a cute newly hatched dragon, who she'd do anything to protect. I lived how she "changed" since she... acquired Philib, vividly realistic dreams, she can suddenly do weird things and then things get real complicated.
This fantastic magical tale is not only so well written that I devoured every word without putting down the book, the author, who is new to me, wove a fabulous tale of betrayal, friendship, drama and family, laced with humour. A story that started off with a prank, ended up with much bigger stakes, stakes I was fed bit by bit until I realised WHAT I was being fed! I was given a full 10 course meal! Excuse me while I burp my appreciation for the literary masterful author!
September 15, 2024
I have to admit I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. It’s a somewhat campy but ultimately cozy book with plenty of dragons, jokes, and fun characters.
A review of this book would probably be inadequate without noting some of the names of essential elements. The fact that the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided to ban dragons and forbid all questions about their heroic mission tells you a lot about the kind of humor and hijinks the book will contain.
The stakes are pretty high (the Inquisition is after them, after all!), but it never feels tense. Everything stays lighthearted and fun. The book’s humor might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it. The humor reminded me somewhat of The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom series by Christopher Healy. There are stupid jokes and pop culture references that characters shouldn’t be making, considering that they’re in a fantasy world, but the book's silliness encourages the reader to just roll with it and enjoy the book for what it is. It’s not trying to be a serious fantasy with intricate rules. It’s trying to be a book with pie and dragons and silly jokes to make you smile, and it more than delivers at that. Once or twice the jokes pulled me out of the story for a moment and occasionally the jokes were a little forced, but overall I got a few chuckles.
I’m not entirely sure who the audience for this would be. A lot of the humor wouldn’t make sense to a kid, but an eleven-year-old main character (who doesn’t always act her age, unfortunately sometimes seeming much younger) isn’t going to appeal to a lot of older readers. Maybe it would be a fun read-aloud?
I wish the dragon had a lot more time because it sometimes felt like it was an afterthought in spite of being a main plot point, and some of the descriptions were repetitive or confusing. Despite the faults, though, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
While I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect book, I had a perfectly enjoyable time reading it. The flaws were overshadowed by the charm of the characters, the silly humor, and the overall fun time.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me a free copy to review in exchange for my honest review.
A review of this book would probably be inadequate without noting some of the names of essential elements. The fact that the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided to ban dragons and forbid all questions about their heroic mission tells you a lot about the kind of humor and hijinks the book will contain.
The stakes are pretty high (the Inquisition is after them, after all!), but it never feels tense. Everything stays lighthearted and fun. The book’s humor might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it. The humor reminded me somewhat of The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom series by Christopher Healy. There are stupid jokes and pop culture references that characters shouldn’t be making, considering that they’re in a fantasy world, but the book's silliness encourages the reader to just roll with it and enjoy the book for what it is. It’s not trying to be a serious fantasy with intricate rules. It’s trying to be a book with pie and dragons and silly jokes to make you smile, and it more than delivers at that. Once or twice the jokes pulled me out of the story for a moment and occasionally the jokes were a little forced, but overall I got a few chuckles.
I’m not entirely sure who the audience for this would be. A lot of the humor wouldn’t make sense to a kid, but an eleven-year-old main character (who doesn’t always act her age, unfortunately sometimes seeming much younger) isn’t going to appeal to a lot of older readers. Maybe it would be a fun read-aloud?
I wish the dragon had a lot more time because it sometimes felt like it was an afterthought in spite of being a main plot point, and some of the descriptions were repetitive or confusing. Despite the faults, though, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.
While I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect book, I had a perfectly enjoyable time reading it. The flaws were overshadowed by the charm of the characters, the silly humor, and the overall fun time.
Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me a free copy to review in exchange for my honest review.
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August 12, 2024Thank you to Eclipseborn Publishing and NetGalley for the ARC.
I DNFed this at 20%/page 43. I tried so hard to give it a fair shake, to see if it just needed to find its feet, but it never did and I wasn’t enjoying where it was heading. This is the first time I’m DNFing an ARC and I feel really bad about that.
The cover is amazing. The synopsis is so charming. The content doesn’t match either.
This book desperately needs an editor.
I think it’s meant to be witty and quirky and a little Princess-Bride-y, but the author regularly uses the wrong word, uses repetition to ill-effect, and has a lot of clunky descriptions. The quirky moments are also alternated with otherwise very standard writing, which makes them feel cringe instead of cute.
I also have no idea who the target audience is. The “precocious eleven-year-old” main character acts like she’s seven but will have random “motherly” thoughts (which is super uncomfortable to read from any child character, even an eleven-year-old). Then there’s a secondary character that’s a full-grown adult man with no patience. The pet dragon feels like a footnote almost immediately—though this may be improved later in the book.
Unfortunately, if the book is for children, the narration is bloated with five-dollar words and flowery descriptions, so I don’t think they’d enjoy it either.
So who’s this for? Not me, at least.
To conclude, I’m sad. I usually try to recommend it to a certain type of person or reader, or talk about all the things I loved and hated, but my biggest take-away was just that it needs both a developmental editor and a line editor badly—and one of them should be a woman and/or have experience with children.
I definitely had the wrong expectations going in—I was picturing teenage characters going on a light-hearted romp through the town to get party suppliers and something silly goes wrong at each stop—and instead got a surprisingly dark and heavy keep-the-dragon-secret plot told from a small-girl-child-according-to-a-grown-man’s perspective.
I DNFed this at 20%/page 43. I tried so hard to give it a fair shake, to see if it just needed to find its feet, but it never did and I wasn’t enjoying where it was heading. This is the first time I’m DNFing an ARC and I feel really bad about that.
The cover is amazing. The synopsis is so charming. The content doesn’t match either.
This book desperately needs an editor.
I think it’s meant to be witty and quirky and a little Princess-Bride-y, but the author regularly uses the wrong word, uses repetition to ill-effect, and has a lot of clunky descriptions. The quirky moments are also alternated with otherwise very standard writing, which makes them feel cringe instead of cute.
I also have no idea who the target audience is. The “precocious eleven-year-old” main character acts like she’s seven but will have random “motherly” thoughts (which is super uncomfortable to read from any child character, even an eleven-year-old). Then there’s a secondary character that’s a full-grown adult man with no patience. The pet dragon feels like a footnote almost immediately—though this may be improved later in the book.
Unfortunately, if the book is for children, the narration is bloated with five-dollar words and flowery descriptions, so I don’t think they’d enjoy it either.
So who’s this for? Not me, at least.
To conclude, I’m sad. I usually try to recommend it to a certain type of person or reader, or talk about all the things I loved and hated, but my biggest take-away was just that it needs both a developmental editor and a line editor badly—and one of them should be a woman and/or have experience with children.
I definitely had the wrong expectations going in—I was picturing teenage characters going on a light-hearted romp through the town to get party suppliers and something silly goes wrong at each stop—and instead got a surprisingly dark and heavy keep-the-dragon-secret plot told from a small-girl-child-according-to-a-grown-man’s perspective.
August 11, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley & Eclipseborn Publishing for this arc!
This was such good fun! 4.5 stars rounded up.
- I haven't read anything quite like this before and I was constantly surprised by how funny, heartwarming and charming it was.
- I was also surprised by how much I loved the characters, particularly the mother. It's a trope in mg/ya fiction to have really unlikeable parental figures and I'm so glad this didn't fall into that. I loved her no-nonsense yet caring attitude. The family dynamics as a whole in this were wonderful- found family in the form of Aine and blood family in the form of the siblings, ma and uncle. I loved how they all connected during the story. The main character Ailiss was also a delight. She was clearly her age, yet she still had fantastic determination!
- The humour was sort of python-esque and frequently silly, but it never got in the way of the fun of the plot which, though it was mostly shennanigans, was always engaging. Ailiss' quest to find baked goods for her dragon was just delightful. Was it epic and high stakes? No. But it didn't need to be and the author knew it!
- Speaking of dragons, I really enjoyed their prescence! While Pilib is quite cat-like at the moment, seeing the intelligent creatures that are in store was really nice and I can't wait to see how he changes as the series continues.
- I think perhaps the villains could have done with a little bit of de-sillifying. They were good fun, but I could see some social commentary there that didn't quite land for me because they were so stupid. I feel like a properly sinister inquisitor could have elevated my enjoyment of the story a little bit but, honestly, that might just be personal preference.
- Overall, a really fun cosy read that's just perfect for a rainy day (or any day really) when you want to lighten your mood! However, a warning: the baked goods will make you hungry.
This was such good fun! 4.5 stars rounded up.
- I haven't read anything quite like this before and I was constantly surprised by how funny, heartwarming and charming it was.
- I was also surprised by how much I loved the characters, particularly the mother. It's a trope in mg/ya fiction to have really unlikeable parental figures and I'm so glad this didn't fall into that. I loved her no-nonsense yet caring attitude. The family dynamics as a whole in this were wonderful- found family in the form of Aine and blood family in the form of the siblings, ma and uncle. I loved how they all connected during the story. The main character Ailiss was also a delight. She was clearly her age, yet she still had fantastic determination!
- The humour was sort of python-esque and frequently silly, but it never got in the way of the fun of the plot which, though it was mostly shennanigans, was always engaging. Ailiss' quest to find baked goods for her dragon was just delightful. Was it epic and high stakes? No. But it didn't need to be and the author knew it!
- Speaking of dragons, I really enjoyed their prescence! While Pilib is quite cat-like at the moment, seeing the intelligent creatures that are in store was really nice and I can't wait to see how he changes as the series continues.
- I think perhaps the villains could have done with a little bit of de-sillifying. They were good fun, but I could see some social commentary there that didn't quite land for me because they were so stupid. I feel like a properly sinister inquisitor could have elevated my enjoyment of the story a little bit but, honestly, that might just be personal preference.
- Overall, a really fun cosy read that's just perfect for a rainy day (or any day really) when you want to lighten your mood! However, a warning: the baked goods will make you hungry.
September 18, 2024
Cute, cozy, charming with a sharp sense of humor & comparatively low-stakes
I am thankful to the author and the folks at NetGalley for this ARC of the book. Upscaled by Joseph John Lee (whose Spellblinders & Gunslingers series I have been meaning to pick up for a while now) portrays a dragon story that is charming, cozy, and cute with a spunky, mischievous, determined 11-year-old lead one can get behind, balancing a wicked sense of humor behind the coziness and the low stake nature of the story.
Eleven-year-old Ailis “comes” across a dragon egg through a lucky set of circumstances that she may have orchestrated. The Land of Nora ostensibly has “banished” dragons through the efforts of the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet (that’s a mouthful) but it was more like the dragons themselves decided that they didn’t want this trouble and vanished. However, as is wont in such societies, those in relative power do want dragonic artifacts and there is a roaring black market for smuggled dragon goods. Ailis pretty much has laid hands on a dragon egg that is meant for a powerful lord, all hell breaks loose and the matter is further complicated as the egg hatches. Complicating matters further, Ailis wants to bake a cake to celebrate the dragon leading to a quest to find the land of the dragons while managing family dynamics and relationships.
“I only write the laws! They do not apply to me”
Make no mistake, Upscaled is a very cute and charming dragon story about a girl who wants to throw a party for her dragon and bake a cake. But dig beneath the surface, there is a lot of commentary on the nature of power and the stupidity of those following rules made by people in power. In an almost Pratchett style, the humor is of multiple aspects – sharp, sarcastic, biting, slapstick depending on the situation – the story's cuteness and charm shouldn’t take away from the aspects of humor permeating the story.
“It was a silence of three parts, but speaking was a different matter from delivering the same. It was safer to say it was a silence of a single part, and that part was sadness”
This book is also about family (own and found), how messy families can get, and the emotions and feelings it can trigger. Given the energy, determination, and stubbornness Ailis brings to the table, one almost feels bad for her bedraggled mother. The interactions that Ailis has with her family and her dragon are quite engaging and form the real heart of the story. The quest that Ailis sets off is not without its complications but it does get resolved rather easily. Which brings me to what I wanted perhaps a bit more from this book – I probably wanted a bit more stakes on this. I found some of the situations resolved rather conveniently than satisfactorily. But then the author also seeds elements for the next book – therefore we may see some amount of stake elevation in the next book
Upscaled can be one of the Disney movies comfortably (in a good way) – it has a charming lead, cute moments, and a baby dragon to boot. But at its very heart, this is a multi-layered book that packs in a fair amount of commentary below the surface and has a sly sense of humor driving this engine. Come for the cuteness and stay for the commentary, Upscaled is a dragon story unlike what you have read before.
Rating – 3.5 Dragon Eggs on 5
I am thankful to the author and the folks at NetGalley for this ARC of the book. Upscaled by Joseph John Lee (whose Spellblinders & Gunslingers series I have been meaning to pick up for a while now) portrays a dragon story that is charming, cozy, and cute with a spunky, mischievous, determined 11-year-old lead one can get behind, balancing a wicked sense of humor behind the coziness and the low stake nature of the story.
Eleven-year-old Ailis “comes” across a dragon egg through a lucky set of circumstances that she may have orchestrated. The Land of Nora ostensibly has “banished” dragons through the efforts of the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet (that’s a mouthful) but it was more like the dragons themselves decided that they didn’t want this trouble and vanished. However, as is wont in such societies, those in relative power do want dragonic artifacts and there is a roaring black market for smuggled dragon goods. Ailis pretty much has laid hands on a dragon egg that is meant for a powerful lord, all hell breaks loose and the matter is further complicated as the egg hatches. Complicating matters further, Ailis wants to bake a cake to celebrate the dragon leading to a quest to find the land of the dragons while managing family dynamics and relationships.
“I only write the laws! They do not apply to me”
Make no mistake, Upscaled is a very cute and charming dragon story about a girl who wants to throw a party for her dragon and bake a cake. But dig beneath the surface, there is a lot of commentary on the nature of power and the stupidity of those following rules made by people in power. In an almost Pratchett style, the humor is of multiple aspects – sharp, sarcastic, biting, slapstick depending on the situation – the story's cuteness and charm shouldn’t take away from the aspects of humor permeating the story.
“It was a silence of three parts, but speaking was a different matter from delivering the same. It was safer to say it was a silence of a single part, and that part was sadness”
This book is also about family (own and found), how messy families can get, and the emotions and feelings it can trigger. Given the energy, determination, and stubbornness Ailis brings to the table, one almost feels bad for her bedraggled mother. The interactions that Ailis has with her family and her dragon are quite engaging and form the real heart of the story. The quest that Ailis sets off is not without its complications but it does get resolved rather easily. Which brings me to what I wanted perhaps a bit more from this book – I probably wanted a bit more stakes on this. I found some of the situations resolved rather conveniently than satisfactorily. But then the author also seeds elements for the next book – therefore we may see some amount of stake elevation in the next book
Upscaled can be one of the Disney movies comfortably (in a good way) – it has a charming lead, cute moments, and a baby dragon to boot. But at its very heart, this is a multi-layered book that packs in a fair amount of commentary below the surface and has a sly sense of humor driving this engine. Come for the cuteness and stay for the commentary, Upscaled is a dragon story unlike what you have read before.
Rating – 3.5 Dragon Eggs on 5
August 8, 2024
What an absolute riot of a book!
This book was short, sweet, and sarcastically to the point. Upscaled is not your typical dragon fantasy, but it is such a fun read and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. I don’t think I’ve read something of this nature, with the amount of sarcasm and satire all wrapped up with dragons and delightful baked treats.
*Upscaled* is a captivating blend of fantasy and humor that will charm readers of all ages. The story centers on Ailís, a young girl who stumbles upon a dragon hatchling and is determined to celebrate its first birthday despite facing numerous obstacles. This fresh take on dragon lore mixes adventure with heartwarming moments and a dash of comedy.
Ailís and her supporting cast, including her younger brother, patient mother, eccentric uncle, and enigmatic friend Áine, create a compelling and relatable family dynamic. Their interactions bring depth and warmth to the story, making them unforgettable characters you’ll look forward to revisiting. Even when the narrative shifts to focus on the antagonists, it’s the main characters’ charm that steals the spotlight.
The book’s world-building is both rich and intriguing, with a well-developed history and dragon lore that hints at more to come. Despite being only around 200 pages, *Upscaled* manages to balance humor and deeper themes effectively. If you’re looking for a unique and engaging fantasy adventure, *Upscaled* offers a refreshing and entertaining read that’s definitely worth checking out.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All the opinions expressed are my own! :)
This book was short, sweet, and sarcastically to the point. Upscaled is not your typical dragon fantasy, but it is such a fun read and I found myself laughing out loud more than once. I don’t think I’ve read something of this nature, with the amount of sarcasm and satire all wrapped up with dragons and delightful baked treats.
*Upscaled* is a captivating blend of fantasy and humor that will charm readers of all ages. The story centers on Ailís, a young girl who stumbles upon a dragon hatchling and is determined to celebrate its first birthday despite facing numerous obstacles. This fresh take on dragon lore mixes adventure with heartwarming moments and a dash of comedy.
Ailís and her supporting cast, including her younger brother, patient mother, eccentric uncle, and enigmatic friend Áine, create a compelling and relatable family dynamic. Their interactions bring depth and warmth to the story, making them unforgettable characters you’ll look forward to revisiting. Even when the narrative shifts to focus on the antagonists, it’s the main characters’ charm that steals the spotlight.
The book’s world-building is both rich and intriguing, with a well-developed history and dragon lore that hints at more to come. Despite being only around 200 pages, *Upscaled* manages to balance humor and deeper themes effectively. If you’re looking for a unique and engaging fantasy adventure, *Upscaled* offers a refreshing and entertaining read that’s definitely worth checking out.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC of this book. All the opinions expressed are my own! :)
July 24, 2024
Upscaled is the first book in The Dragons Ńora duology and you do not want to miss out on this hilarious story. Upscaled brings you family drama, tons of humor, an adorable dragon, and an ending that will leave you eager for the second book.
Upscaled details a story of a young girl who’s only intent was to play a prank on a merchant coming into town instead of doing her chores for her mother. The prank though? It pays off in spades when she discovers an egg. A dragon’s egg. An egg that shouldn’t exist according the Inquisition who claim to have “rid the world” of all dragons. Guess they missed a few here and there, huh?
Well, cue up the chaos and drama, especially when said dragon egg hatches. Of course, Ailίs is thrilled, but her mother? Not so much. Things quickly escalate but one thing is for sure and that is...you will be laughing your head off with this book. The comedy is thick with this book, but the way that it’s done is practically chef’s kiss. The comedy isn’t overdone, but comes off as perfectly balanced.
The storyline will keep you engaged from beginning to end as you read to find out what exactly is going to happen with Ailίs and her family. You’re getting the adorable little dragon on the cover, and every time the story focuses on him...he threatens to steal the show. While we will be saying “good-bye” to Ailίs for a time, there is more to look forward to and we’re here for it.
Upscaled details a story of a young girl who’s only intent was to play a prank on a merchant coming into town instead of doing her chores for her mother. The prank though? It pays off in spades when she discovers an egg. A dragon’s egg. An egg that shouldn’t exist according the Inquisition who claim to have “rid the world” of all dragons. Guess they missed a few here and there, huh?
Well, cue up the chaos and drama, especially when said dragon egg hatches. Of course, Ailίs is thrilled, but her mother? Not so much. Things quickly escalate but one thing is for sure and that is...you will be laughing your head off with this book. The comedy is thick with this book, but the way that it’s done is practically chef’s kiss. The comedy isn’t overdone, but comes off as perfectly balanced.
The storyline will keep you engaged from beginning to end as you read to find out what exactly is going to happen with Ailίs and her family. You’re getting the adorable little dragon on the cover, and every time the story focuses on him...he threatens to steal the show. While we will be saying “good-bye” to Ailίs for a time, there is more to look forward to and we’re here for it.
August 17, 2024
Originally posted on my blog Nonstop Reader.
Upscaled is the first volume in a new cozy middle grade/YA fantasy series by Joseph John Lee. Due out 23rd Aug 2024, it's 201 pages and will be available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free at release.
This is a truly exuberant, often silly, cozy fantasy with two young protagonists, a random encounter with destiny on an errand to the market to buy eggs, and a fairy-tale version of the kitten (dragon egg) that "followed them home".
It's not derivative, but it gives the same vibe as T. Kingfisher's awesome A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking , and fans of the latter will likely enjoy this one too.
Four stars. Silly (REALLY silly and occasionally overwrought), but quite good fun.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
Upscaled is the first volume in a new cozy middle grade/YA fantasy series by Joseph John Lee. Due out 23rd Aug 2024, it's 201 pages and will be available in hardcover, paperback, and ebook formats. It's worth noting that the ebook format has a handy interactive table of contents as well as interactive links and references throughout. For Kindle Unlimited subscribers, this book is currently included in the KU subscription library to borrow and read for free at release.
This is a truly exuberant, often silly, cozy fantasy with two young protagonists, a random encounter with destiny on an errand to the market to buy eggs, and a fairy-tale version of the kitten (dragon egg) that "followed them home".
It's not derivative, but it gives the same vibe as T. Kingfisher's awesome A Wizard's Guide to Defensive Baking , and fans of the latter will likely enjoy this one too.
Four stars. Silly (REALLY silly and occasionally overwrought), but quite good fun.
Disclosure: I received an ARC at no cost from the author/publisher for review purposes.
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