When Anequs finds the first dragon egg in centuries, and the baby chooses her to be her companion, she realizes her village doesn’t know how to shape the dragon’s breath anymore. With the goal of keeping her village safe from both the dragon and the colonizers who might attack them for hiding the creature, Anequs enrolls in a dragon academy.

She wasn’t expecting her presence to cause any kind of rebellion, or Anglish people to be so racist and have so many rules. She must learn to keep away from trouble without forgetting her roots, if she wants to return home with her dragon alive.
To Shape a Dragon’s Breath was a slow paced story, where you mainly follow the daily life at the dragon academy, as well as getting to know the folklore and traditions of Anequs people. It’s also a clear portrayal of the prejudices against indigenous people, showing clearly how the colonizers (called Anglish) consider themselves superior for following hundreds of society rules that make little sense.

Colonialism, as well as how indigenous people are treated as uncivilized just because their traditions, folklore and society rules are different, it’s a very interesting and important theme, and one that we need to be educated on. I found very scary how many readers seem to be enjoying books pro-colonialism, often not even understanding what the stories are even supporting (I’m talking about books like A Dark and Drowning Tide, which was a Goodreads nominee).

It was a breath of fresh air to finally read a young adult/new adult fantasy book that handled the theme of colonialism correctly. When I learned that the author herself was part of an indigenous community, it made sense that the theme was so important in the story and so well-portrayed.

I also loved being inside this story. I adore books set in a magical academy, where you can follow the characters as they learn about their powers while they develop relationships between each other. It was great, going back to that fantastical place every time I opened this book.

While I enjoyed how the story was set, my interest in the book slowly decreased the more I read, because the pacing was too slow for me. I really appreciated the indigenous and queer representation, but I wanted the story to give me a thrilling plot to match.

Overall, I’m actually glad I read this because I really enjoyed the first part, until I started to gradually lose interest because of the pacing. To be honest, I don’t think I was quite the audience for this. If you are someone who chooses vibes over actual plot, and you love the idea of a dragon academy as much as I do, this may be the book for you. The writing was good and everything was solid, just not action-driven enough to keep my interest until the end.


*Rating: 2.5/5

I kindly received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

3.5⭐️
The worldbuilding is imaginative and feels immersive and fully fleshed out. I enjoyed the plot's conflict and Anqeus' character with how headstrong and unwavering she is. The use of first person didn't feel wholly utilized, therefore was lacking a bit in details, but the tone and voice was consistent throughout. The steampunk and dragons vibe was highly enjoyable. Although I feel like I would've enjoyed the novel better in a physical copy rather than a digital one.

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is a lush, imaginative fantasy with sharp parallels to Indigenous history and the realities of anti-Indigeneity. The novel tackles colonialism, assimilation, racism, and the fight for cultural survival with authenticity and care. I loved the representation- POGM, autism, queerness, which were integral aspects to each character's identity without being made to feel like tokenism. PLUS, such an inspiring main character who is a queer, poly Indigenous youth deeply rooted in her culture, bonded to her dragon, and fiercely devoted to her chosen family.

The worldbuilding is this book is incredibly immersive (we love dragons!), and the portrayal of Indigenous relationships with land and animals as sacred and reciprocal stands in powerful contrast to Western worldviews. Brilliantly layered, this is a fantasy that challenges colonial narratives and imagines a world shaped by Indigenous wisdom and inclusive love. I can’t wait for book 2!!!

3.5 Stars
To Shape a Dragon's Breath wasn't what I was expecting, but it was still a satisfying surprise.

To be honest, I'm not sure what I was expecting of the book, but I heard really good things about it and decided to jump into it when I got an eARC thanks to NetGalley.

The book isn't shy enough to present the themes it explores. Discrimination and classism, seen through the lens of a female indigenous teenager in a world akin to the 18th century United States, but it's a big world filled with dragons who can transform the world with their breath.

I really liked Anequs as a protagonist. It was inspiring and infuriating reading how she has to face challenge after challenge in the academy she has to (forcefully) enroll in to save her dragon. The rest of the characters don't fall behind too far; most of them were entertaining enough, fulfilling well their place in the story, but the highlight for me is Theod.

The writing was well-done and served the story right. I also appreciate how the name of every chapter when put together tells the story of the book in a simplified manner.
My biggest (and it's not that big) problem with the book is the world. While it is detailed enough, I feel it had more lore-dumps that is tolerable and for a book centered around dragons I think there wasn't enough of them and how their existence changes the world. I hope the sequel for the book does better in this aspect.

To conclude, To Shape a Dragon's Breath is a great experience to explore themes around discrimination and femininity in a fantasy academia. Less thrilling action than I expected but more than enough feelings to make up for it.

4.75
All the dragons on the island of Masquapaug have been gone for generations until Anequs sees a dragon and later finds her egg. The young dragon chooses Anequs, and she becomes 'someone who belongs to a dragon'. Everyone is overjoyed until the colonizers, the Anglish conquerors, find out that she has bonded with a dragon. They are quite upset that a dragon has chosen her, as they only wish dragons to bond with men of 'polite society' and have strict believes on how a dragon should be raised and which should be allowed to live. They demand that she attend their dragon riding school if she wishes to allow her dragon to live. She agrees, only because no one on her island has a dragon and there is no one to support her in her bond with her dragon.
She quickly realizes that the Anglish few a bond with a dragon very differently than her people, seeing them as inferior and equivalent to a dog or horse. Further, they see her, as inferior, a savage, and do not understand her people and truly see them. Anequs is strong in her sense of self, her culture and community and will not forget who she is or change to fit 'polite society'. She will stand for what is right.

Honestly, this book was phenomenal. I think one of the most powerful messages in this book is how the Anglish view the dragons, versus how Anequs' people see them. The Anglish see them as something to be tamed and controlled, whereas Anequs' people see it as an honor to belong to the a dragon. I think this really parallels (I think purposefully by Moniquill) how many Indigenous Peoples see the land versus how colonizers view the land. The English saw and many settlers see the land as something to be owned and to serve us, whereas many Indigenous teachings tell us that the land is a teacher, and a relative, something to be honoured and protected.

It also really reveals the discrimination and racism that did and still does exist here in Canada. So powerful.

The only thing that I noticed was that there was not any growth in Anequs character, she is so sure of herself and of everything, I didn't find that there was any room for growth or development. I am hoping that we will see some growth in the next book.

I just finished this, so I'll probably add more when I have time to think about it. But I was hooked from the start to the end, watching the characters develop. I adore Kasaqua, this is definitely a new favourite dragon book of mine.

I did not realise this was polyamorous until I read it! The romance is definitely a subplot, but it's there. Maybe we'll see it develop more as the story goes on?

Always love indigenous representation in books!

I think the second book is published in January 2026? I can't wait! Already very excited.

I hadn't heard of this work until it became a nominee for the 2025 Astounding Award for Best New Writer (sponsored by Dell Magazines). I was sure I wanted to read it from the description.

A sample excerpt was included with my voting packet - with instructions to request a full copy from Netgalley if you wanted more. I did. But by the time I finished the excerpt — I was too impatient to wait for approval. Or for my library's copy to become available. I bought the Kindle version. And when I finished the book, I pre-ordered the next.

It is by no means a perfect book. It is however a very engaging one. I actually want to support that. Best way I know to have an author keep writing what I like.

Highly recommended.

A young native american girl is chosen by a dragon, she was happy with her life, but Kasaqua, her dragon, now needs her to be more, so she does, and the first step is to know how to shape Kasaqua's breath, sadly the only ones who have that kind of knowledge this days are the Anglish.
Anequs tells the story of native americans but with dragons, everything is extremely similar to actual history, and I believe that is the whole point, these stories need to be read, heard and understood, nobody discovered a new world, they found something they did not have and took it from their rightful owners.
I thoroughly enjoyed this story, the MC its super proud and challenging, but for once its not because she " is not like other girls" or because she likes to take risks and nobody understands her, tropes that honestly annoying even for teenage MC's, she is proud and will not change for the sake or respect of people who do not offer her the same graces.

Specifically about the prose, I found it a bit technical, the author takes a great deal of time describing how everything works, sometimes for the sake of the plot, sometimes just world building, I personally like it, but it can get tiresome.
Overall its a strong read, I thorougly enjoyed it, we need more colorful voices and different stories, even if its the same story, we need a different narrator.
I cant wait to read the next part.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

In the vein of fantasy like Earthsea and *redacted due to the author being a POS*, this book is one that I would say is aimed at teens to early twenties readers, but has something to be appreciated and enjoyed by people of all ages. To Shape a Dragon's Breath is a bold and fresh take on the magic school trope following a young indigenous girl forced to attend a coloniser-run dragon school. One thing I especially loved is Anaqus's complete rejection to conform; she fiercely argues with anyone and everyone, consistently explaining how she is not attending through choice but instead necessity because of how society is shaped. With friendship dynamics akin to Babel, Anaqus meets fellow students who become friends and enemies, and studies under professors who accept, put up with, or reject her. These friendships explore queerness, autism, privilege, ignorance, and so much more in very direct and clear ways. It is for this reason that I consider this book aimed at younger audiences. Everything is communicated in very clear and direct ways, which for readers of fantasy that like subtlety or greyness will be a negative. For me, I can appreciate Blackgoose having a very clear thesis for what this book is for and why it exists, and choosing to nail that down much like Anaqus herself. My main issue with this book is that the pacing can sometimes really slow to a halt which can feel especially long considering how short the chapters are. It can feel like you've read forever getting through short chapters and made no real progress at all. I am also conflicted because this book lacks any real action scenes which didn't help the pacing, but I also love the bold decision to not indulge action scenes for action scenes sake.

Overall, I feel a good 3.5 rating and can see real potential for the second book!

Unfortunately a DNF for me. I couldn't connect to the main character, though the worldbuilding was really interesting and intricate. I just felt she was being pulled along by the plot and it sometimes felt very one-dimensional. I also enjoyed the story more outside of the school setting, and I think I'm just done with magic school settings in general. I may come back to it one day if I come across a copy but I didn't feel a strong pull to continue as is.

I was fortunate enough to get this as an ARC and I am honored to have been chosen to read and review it. If it weren't for Netgalley I dont think I would've ever heard of this book and that is such a shame. It is such a great story! I hope it just explodes in the book world because more people need to read this! I love that it is a coming of age story and that Anequs is such a strong female lead. This would be a great book for teenage girls who are trying to find their place in the world. It would help them see that they can be strong and make a difference to those around you, that you dont need to change yourself or who you are for others or for this world to accept you. I also really enjoyed learning more about the native culture and stories. I feel like the world needs more books like this one!

4.5 stars this was an incredible and challenging read. Such a unique take on dragons with the shaping of their breath and a mix of indigenousculture, steampunk, and academia vibes. More info in my TikTok review!

I’m so impressed with the start of this series!
The story, the world building, the unique and diverse characters!

A coming of age story that includes a feisty new Nampeshiweisit, her adorable dragon and a lot of learning. Anequs is determined to uphold the honour that has been bestowed upon her, while maintaining her roots. The story was dark, full of hatred from many people that she met. But also filled with many learning experiences as she tries to fit in with the Anglish.

At times it was hard stay focused as the learning segments could drag a bit. But I know that a lot of this info will come in handy as the story progresses.

I loved the relationship between the dragoneers (don’t call Anequs that!) and their dragons. The connecting is beautiful and I’m looking forward to seeing how she gets closer to Kasaqua as she grows. I was hoping her dragon would do a bit more but honestly, it was adorable how cat like she is as a baby.

I’m so excited to start the next in the series!

I enjoyed this book much more than I expected to. The combination of coming of age and anti-racist struggles plus wonderfully written characters combined to make a piece I thoroughly enjoyed and have already recommended to others.

This was a fresh take on dragons in academia, with social commentary on anti-colonialism woven through the very fabric of this story. At it's heart, this is a story about stories. It is about the stories that are passed on from generation to generation, building on traditions and forming the core of a culture. I truly enjoyed how whole chapters were dedicated to these folk stories that the characters were telling. It is also about harmful stories, written by the victors in any conflict, twisting the truth into something unrecognisable and dangerous.

Anequs is a 15-year-old indigenous girl who bonds with a dragon and ends up in an Anglish dragon boarding school, having to face all the challenges that come with being thrown into unfamiliar circumstances. Anequs is a likable enough character, very even-keeled and practical. However, I was a little thrown by the fact that she was extremely self-confident for a young teenage girl, with none of the usual self-doubt that is natural at that age. This is especially so since she is pretty much thrown into extremely unfamiliar situations with little support and yet she somehow prevails with equanimity. It would have been gratifying to witness some internal conflict and the entailing growth in maturity of our main protagonist (she is instead presented to us preternaturally confident and sure of herself).

We do get to see some conflict and growth in a supporting character, Theod, which makes him all the more interesting. Some of the other supporting characters are difficult to keep track of, especially Niquiat's ( Anequs' older brother's) friends. They tend to merge into one and did little to move the story along. Many of the Anglish characters also come across as very one-dimensional, very much like caricatures, except for Sander (another student at the Academy).

The writing of this author is very evocative without being flowery or overdone. However, it was not so easy to get a good grasp into how Anequs was truly feeling as all her emotions seem to be written in a very detached style.

The dragons were interesting and unique. It would have been nice to have a glossary to cover the various types of dragons present in this book, as it was quite difficult to remember all their traits and characteristics.

Overall, I enjoyed this book which has a very original premise and am looking forward to reading the second book in this series.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in return for an honest review.

Loved this first installment! Such a unique take on a dragon x academy book. The main character, Anaques, is an indigenous girl who bonds with the first dragon hatchling that her island has seen in hundreds of years and ends up enrolling in an “Anglish” dragon academy to learn how to safely use her dragon’s “breath.” The magic system is incredibly detailed (I feel like the first book on scratched the surface, but it was heavily based in chemical elements, geometry, etc.) and I LOVED Anaques as a main character. Definitely YA in tone and topics but still very much enjoyable for an adult reader.

I liked what this book was trying to do more than what it was successfully doing. I feel like the skeleton of the story is solid, but the execution is lacking. It's like none of the conflict in the story gets the chance to really BE conflict. Our morally correct main character is correct on all of her opinions and the people who disagree with her on that just kinda... Disagree or learn. There's not really any pushback. It feels like this book could have been more and I'm a bit disappointed by how this turned out, but I'm hoping the writing improves later in the series. The potential is here and I would love to see that potential turn into actually good writing.

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath is different than anything I’ve ever read, and I read a lot of dragon books. The setting Is basically an alternative, magical version of history following Anequs, a 15-year-old from an indigenous tribe who was selected by a dragon hatchling, the first that the island of Masquepauq has seen in generations. Based on Anglish colonizer rules, she must attend their dragon academy to be allowed to keep her dragon.

As you can imagine, Anequs was raised quite differently than the society she is thrust into, which causes her to clash with many of her peers and teachers. But she does not falter. She is assertive, confident, brave, and just plain brilliant. She isn’t afraid to speak her mind even if it isn’t “proper,” regardless of potential consequences. I absolutely adore her.

Overall I really enjoyed this well-crafted story including the not-so-subtle parallels to real world injustice. I’ll be reading the second book soon!

4.25 stars.

Thank you to Random House - Ballantine for the ARC.

Anequs lives in Masquapaug, where colonizers have encroached and put themselves in charge of what isn't theirs, and the Nampeshiwe (native dragons) are known to be long gone. Only the Anglish varieties and their riders now darken the skies. But when Anequs sees a supposedly extinct dragon and returns to the spot only to find her egg, everything changes. When the baby hatches, she bonds with Anequs, naming herself Kasaqua.

You KNOW I am here for steampunk vibes, and this book has the added benefit of not being oblivious to the times it's reshaping. And what else am I obsessed with? A magical school, of course. Anequs makes the difficult decision to attend an Anglish dragon academy with Kasaqua. Traditional knowledge about caring for dragons and shaping their dangerous breath has been lost in the generations without dragons. For the well-being of her dragon and others, and to fend off any threat the Anglish might pose should they discover an "unregistered" dragon on the island, Anequs leaves home.

Anequs is a bi queen who's not here for all the Anglish cisheteronormative nonsense. She has many excellent complaints about the system she finds herself surrounded by at school, one that criminalizes same sex romances, imposes a stark gender binary, and prays at the altar of strict monogamy. Coming from a community where all those things are bizarre and inhumane, Anequs refuses to limit herself to these constraints she doesn't believe in. This paves the way for her to court not just one but two excellent potential love interests, Liberty and Theod. Liberty is an indentured servant at the school whose maid duties will conclude once a debt is paid off. She's a Black woman who dreams of being a seamstress, and Anequs' stories of home with all its queer friendly norms and different approach to "family values" appeal to a sapphic woman who can only be punished in Anglish society for a future that could appeal to her. Theod, meanwhile, is the other Indigenous student at school, but he was "raised" away from his culture because his parents were killed in retaliation for an uprising around the time of his birth. He has an Anglish mindset, a servant's eye for propriety and social station, and a dragon he was never supposed to bond with. A ward of the school, he focuses on not ruffling the feathers of anyone else and staying out of their way when all else fails. Anequs presents a scary puzzle, a person who doesn't fit the propaganda about his own ancestry that he's been fed and who is bold and unwavering where he's been taught to fear and make himself small.

In the friend department, Anequs bonds early with Sander Jansen, whose neurodivergence sets him apart from his peers. He prefers communicating via writing, and Anequs takes it all in stride, allowing them to strike up a true friendship. Her roommate, Marta Hagan, presents a more complicated situation. Though she's the only other girl at the school, her adherence to upper-class Anglish social mores often puts her and Anequs at loggerheads. It has that whiff of white feminism that she can comprehend some things about Anequs' situation but is bullheaded in her refusal to listen on other points. She's unprepared to he challenged on her views, and even when she's being helpful, there's an air of kindly condescension, as if she's doing a great work by indoctrinating Anequs to "civilization."

I love how Anequs uses her voice, frank and unyielding. It isn't fair how frequently she has to use it to stand up for what's right, but the fact that she always does is so admirable. Whether facing a professor or a society doll, she doesn't fear repercussions in stating her truth, counter to their expectations though it may be. She's not unaware of the dangers to her in doing so (how could she be with a history of violence toward her people?), nor does she seek to be unkind. However, politeness that doesn't extend to her own social norms is a load of crock she doesn't have patience for.

My science-y brain was delighted with the way a fantastical take on chemistry and the scientific method forms the basis for the magic of the book. That's the kind of system I can get behind. Anequs is a natural scientist, and she takes her studies very seriously-- not for the reasons spouted by the school and government officials but because she needs to learn for her dragon's sake and for her home's. She doesn't lose sight of traditional knowledge, though, which shouldn't be surprising given her personality, and it lends her great strength and insight beyond what her peers learn in class.

My only thing is that this is a monster of a book. A lot of explanations are needed, and some fantasy science explanations are given whether they're really needed or not. My enthusiasm for the characters and social commentary was not equalled by the plot, which leans heavily into the academic setting and its minutiae. I wonder if all the groundwork to establish Anequs in this book will leave more space for action in the sequel (and I don't mean action like violence-- I am very anxious to keep Anequs safe at all costs; I mean action like movement, growth, etc.). I would very much like to read it and see what's next for all of the characters. Thanks to Del Rey for my copy to read and review!

Anequs finds a dragon egg and is forced to attend an Anglish dragon school. There's dragons, magic school, new friends, and old racism.

I loved how this book tackled colonization and racism within a magic and fantasy setting. I'd give anything to be half as articulate and well-spoken as Anequs. She's fierce and steadfast in who she is. I loved how she wouldn't be cowered into playing nice and becoming more Anglish. Her idealism is her character flaw. She so badly believes the world should be as she thinks it should be but is naive about what it takes to make it that way. I loved Sander and Theod and hope to see a lot more of them in the next book.