This is a thoughtful and beautifully written YA fantasy that combines dragons, magic school, and anti-colonial themes. Anequs is a strong, confident protagonist whose bond with her dragon Kasaqua is both heartwarming and fun. The story tackles racism, cultural clashes, and queerness with care, and includes a wonderfully diverse cast, especially notable is the respectful portrayal of a character with autism.

While the pacing is slow and some of the in-world lectures feel information-heavy, the rich worldbuilding and unique premise make it a standout. Perfect for fans of cozy yet meaningful fantasy with dragons and deep social themes.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House for the ARC.

II’d give this more stars if I could.

This book is literally beautiful from start to finish and I could not put it down. The dragons are really cool and the bond between Anequs and Kasaqua is beautiful and I can’t wait to see this develop in book 2.

At the heart of this story is a thought provoking deep dive into the effects of colonisation on the indigenous people still living there. How the indigenous people suffer racism, ignorance, bigotry from the Anglish settlers taking over. The arrogance and hate spewed at Anequs and Theode calling them savages, when they are the complete opposite, will hopefully rile you up as is intended by the author.

Anequs openness and freedom to love who and how she wants is amazing and I can’t wait to see if we get to read more about her and her possible poly relationship.

I was very happy to see the inclusion of someone living with autism, and how Anequs treats him with respect and shows him that he is worthy of having friendships and bonds with people and that his mum is a beast. I loved Sander.

If you are considering reading this book and it’s on your TBR, you have to pick it up. It is worth your time.

I received an ARC from @NetGalley on behalf of @Random House Books and the author, and this is my honest review.

After chooses Anequs finds a dragon egg, the hatched dragon chooses her as its dragon rider. She has little choice but to enroll into a dragon rider academy. Here her indigenous background clashes with the Nordic inspired culture of the people that colonized her lands. The book is reminiscent of Legendborn, and that one series that shall not be named, but does a lot of things better than either of them.

The good:
- Anequs is a very likeable protagonist. She's a bit preachy and a bit rash at times, but she knows herself and stands up for herself and others. Too often cozy fantasy (and this is a bit cozy) and YA tends to create conflict or character flaws by making the main character too insecure and completely over-do the over-thinking. This book was a breath of fresh air by not falling into this trap.
- Blackgoose does not shy away from introducing a lot of diversity into the cast of characters. It results in rich worldbuilding even outside the magic/fantasy setting.
- The dragon Kasaqua is very adorable and the bonds the riders have with their dragons is described well. I absolutely adored Kasaqua's cat-like mannerisms and occassional mischievousness.
- Both the mingling as the clashes between cultures, races, and ideologies were handled expertly. As said before, Anequs can be a bit preachy, but aside from that minor thing people from all sides of the coin felt believable and well thought out.
- For fans of magic schools/academies: this book actually has a huge emphasis on the in-world theories and magical laws. Whole lectures are put on paper. I liked the slice-of-life feeling of it all. The world felt lived in.

The Could be better:
- To expand on the previous point: the lectures and book excerpts did get a bit tedious in their length. There was quite a bit of info-dumping, and even then it feels like you're still thrown into the deep end of this rich world.
- I didn't mind the slow pacing so much, but it was a bit slow. I didn't really know what to expect from this book so I was wondering where the meandering was headed. There were no high highs or low lows.

The Bad:
- Can't really say anything was particularly bad!

In conclusion I think it's a wonderful YA books for fans of magic schools and dragons. Another reviewer, Esta, described this as "Nordic-inspired, steampunk-adjacent, anti-colonial, polyamorous, queer, dragon academia fantasy", still managed to forget "indigenous-inspired", and somehow despite this extremely broad mixing of subjects and vibes Blackgoose has woven together a coherent tale and world.

Thanks to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group for providing me with an ARC. All opinions are my own.

This one of the coolest books I've ever read. The reimagining of our world, the lore, the way things work with dragons, it's all so unparalleled and fantastic and interesting. The characters are interesting and have great character development. To see this combination of Nors mythology, Native American mythology and steampunk elements is so cool and something I apparently didn't realize how much I NEEDED in my life. I can't wait to see this series continue, this book is very well deserving of some literary awards, its just so eloquently written and fantastic.


Anequs sees a dragon with sad eyes come near her island. It's the first time a dragon has been seen there in 200 years. She goes to where she saw the dragon and finds a egg and brings it back to her people to care for. When it hatches, she's chosen by the dragon to be her rider. But the Anglish rule over them and have rules and she must go to a academy in order to keep her dragon. Being that she is indigenous, everyone and everything is working against her and she has to overcome prejudice and navigating a world she has no idea how to with the expectation that she should just know everything already.

(I received this as a arc)

Thank you for the privilege of reading this book. Unfortunately, I struggled with this one. I loved the premise and really thought I’d love this story. However, I had a hard time finishing this book. Most of the characters were flat with no real development or even internal conflict. They either were awful, horrible, racist people or near perfect, tolerant, highly logical people. It seemed more often than not, people would push back to Anequs and say she needed to conform, but after a couple conversations, would come round to agreeing with her. Speaking if Amequs, she had all the set up of being a strong female character leading the way for social change, but she lacks empathy or any internal struggle about her situation or behavior. She looks down her nose at anyone who doesn’t agree with her while getting upset when others do the same to her (I’m thinking mostly of her roommate, Marta) and there’s no consequences for this. She puts people she considers her friends in dangerous positions (poor Liberty who could be imprisoned or lose her ability to gain her freedom) without considering the implications or how they might feel about it. When confronted with this she just throws her hands up saying she didn’t know better and all is immediately forgiven. When an innocent child loses her father in a horrific manner, it’s just a brief mention, and she feels little guilt or concern, nor does she show any empathy to that child. For a 15 year-old, she is highly logical and has very little emotional range, or empathy, really. I tried, but could not connect with her most of the time.

The pacing was slow, but I could have enjoyed that had there been more character development or world building. Things didn’t pick up until about the last 10%, and even then, she acts in a rebellious manner with no thought for the people she’s with. Additionally, the writing flow felt stilted to me and the sentence structure and transitions between chapters (and paragraphs occasionally) were jarring.

I’m hoping the next book is more well rounded and we can see more humanity in the main character.

Absolutely fantastic! Such a great story with so many wonderful & important themes explored. Colonisation, classism, gender and tradition are all woven into this story about dragons, their bond with their chosen human and the study of how to shape their dragons breath. Fabulous.

There is certainly no lack of YA books about dragons and even dragon rider schools, so finding one that stands out can be like looking for a needle in a haystack. To Shape a Dragon's Breath is somewhat original and brings a breath of fresh air to a space that could definitely use it. Now the story isn't perfect. The main character is a teen full of righteous indignation and following her point of view feels as though she only sees herself as right and doesn't even strive for perspective or understanding an alternate view. That said, she is a teen and that headstrong determination is a symptom, this is the age for idealism and taking a stand for your beliefs. This girl leaves her indigenous community to attend a dragon rider school run by the colonizers of her native land. She is confronted by those who do not want her there as well as some who would have her assimilate and her experiences as she finds her way, makes friends, and learns what she needs to know to be able to keep her dragon make this so much more than a run-of-the-mill dragon rider novel. This is definitely targeted to teens who are more interested in social issues than how much dorm furniture the main character and her love interest can break. (3.5/5)
I received access to this eARC thru NetGalley (for which I want to thank NetGalley and the publisher, Random House Publishing Group - Ballantine, Del Rey) for an honest review. The opinion expressed here is my own.

This was fantastic. Highly recommend if you enjoy fantasy and dragons. Looking forward to more from this author as this was highly entertaining and engaging. I cannot wait for book 2.

"To Shape a Dragon's Breath" by Moniquill Blackgoose takes place in the 1800's on the East Coast of what we know as the United States. There are a few fundamental differences though. The biggest would be the existence of dragons. From the first moment they hatch, these dragons choose and bind for life with a human. These dragons can use their breath to wreak destruction, and with training and guidance from their human partner, dragon breath can also be used to create various alchemical reactions to further benefit (or harm) society. One more twist: the east coast seems to be ruled with a fairly heavy hand by settlers from various European countries. It is not a comfortable place to be a native American.

Early in the story a native American heroine discovers a newly laid dragon egg, and without going into too much detail, needs to learn how to be a successful companion to a newly hatched dragon, while dealing with an incredible amount of prejudice and danger.

Readers that enjoy fantasy stories such as the Golden Compass and the Harry Potter series will likely enjoy this book.

I thank the author and publisher for kindly providing an electronic review copy of the work.

4.5/5 stars. This book was amazing. It had both indigenous and LGBTQ+ representation and was a painfully beautiful fantasy tale. The subtext of struggles to be seen as worthy and equal in this story touched my heart. This story very vaguely reminded me of the fantasy series Dragonriders of Pern that I devoured as a child. More in the sense of the dragon's connection to its partner than anything else. I think this is a stunning YA fantasy entry and highly recommend it to all readers.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily

When teenage Anequs finds a dragon egg on her island, she is very aware of how much her life will change. The Anglish who govern the island as part of their colonies chased dragons from Masquapaug, so Nampeshiweisit (humans with bonds to dragons) have no existed on the islands for years. After the decision is made that the safest path is for Anequs to inform the Anglish of her dragon, the two move to the mainland to attend a boarding school where dragons are monitored and grow under supervision and among others. A school where Anequs is one of only two non-Anglish students, and subject to harsh scrutiny.
'To Shape a Dragon's Breath' is a magical academia that explores legacy, race, and magic, in a culture that blends Nordic and British culture as colonisers in a quasi-historical setting. Anequs is unashamed of her identity as a queer (polyamorous bisexual) indigineous woman, and reinforces this throughout the book, hitting back against unjust expectations and stereotypes from both schoolmates and family. The book includes a number of academia elements, from the worldbuilding/magic lessons, to intense study sessions, to making friends and enemies among peers and adults.
Dragons in this world are animalistic but have intelligence, especially as part of the connection with humans. There is more of an emotional intuitive bond than speaking connection (at least at the young age in the book) between the two, and lacks the military element (at this point) present in other dragon books. It is not a new idea, but is refreshingly different to other recent dragon books.
Would recommend to those who enjoy magical schools, bildungsroman, dragons (in a non-antagonistic role), and steampunk-tinged historical fantasy from a less-seen perspective.

I enjoyed this a lot! I felt the world was rich and complex, although this did make it feel hard to grasp aspects and I had a general confusion around the world for a fair portion.

I felt captured by the story from the start and i felt it was such an interesting take on a book surrounding dragons and school.

The representation and characters were great. This book centres indigenous experiences and character, it was refreshing and so important. I also very much enjoyed the LGBTQ rep as well.

Reminded me a little bit of Babel with the historic setting, magical realism and the horrifying consequences of colonialism. Unlike Babel it was a lot easier to get into.

Our protagonist, Anequs, is out of place in the Anglish world but certainly not lost, she has fire and drive and we learn about the new world she has entered as she does. Think cyber punk with Nordic inspiration, add disability and queer rep, a celebration of indigenous culture and commentary on “civilisation” in an academic setting and you’ve got TSADB.

There is romance but it is not a central plot point, the dragons are different to any that I’ve read before but more time is spent describing the process of an engine than the breeds which is a little disappointing.

The main thing I didn’t really like were the chapter titles, I don’t know why I just found them off putting as they so clearly told you what was happening in the chapter.

I will definitely be keeping my eye out for the next in the series and recommending this for any YA fantasy fans.

I need time to sit with this one- Viking Steampunk Victorian era setting with witchcraft, organic chemistry, and dragons… But also a realistic look at the far-reaching harm of colonialism and prejudice??? I’m not sure how to even accurately rate this it was unlike anything I’ve ever read (but did give me some blood over bright haven vibes with some of the overarching themes). Amazing.

Note: I received a galley copy of this book for purposes of award voting.

This is a standard Bildungsroman (coming of age story) and if the use of a German word there annoys you, you will NOT like this book as it is heavily sprinkled with psuedo-German, -Norse, and -Wampanoag vocabulary throughout. Given the author's background, I'm going to assume the Wampanoag is valid.

Anyways, your standard dragon-girl from Nantucket going to a magic dragon training school Bildungsroman, filled with dragon-owning Vikings. Lightly sprinkled with the expected tropes: hatchling dragons bonding, one really mean professor, more seemingly-stern-but-ultimately-good-on-the-inside professors, a protagonist that despite coming from informal schooling manages to master Algebra in a weekend, etc. As you would expect, the action takes place during a single school year, running September-May. (It's nice of the local pagan Vikings to use the Christian Gregorian Calendar.)

The anti-colonialism is laid on pretty thick at points, with most of the villains managing to be basically caricatures of racists. The conflict mostly revolves around the fact that the antagonists don't want this particular teenage girl to have <s>an Assault Helicopter with WMDs</s> a Dragon.

Lots of characters, very few of whom get any sort of character development. Many of the characters manage to be one-dimensional tokens.

The writing is decent. The pacing is a bit rushed at the end. The worldbuilding is fun but at times illogical (they have steamships and flying dragons but don't seem to have managed to mapped the far side of North America). There's a whole steampunk thing going on that has zero relevance to the plot beyond the need for coal providing a reason for natives to have been pushed off their land. But the steampunk stuff might just be laying groundwork for the sequel.

Yes. Freaking yes. Freaking yes. The perfect book to start pride month for sure. This takes YA fantasy and balances it on the wings of science, machinery, and Dragons. Holy heck. give me book 2 mas rapido!

This is about a teenager who finds she has a connection to a found dragon egg on the island her people live on that hasn't seen one in in generations.

In accordance with the law, she has to go to school with the dragon to learn the ways of Shaping Dragons Breath (controlling their fire, which can harm). She learns history, dragon chemistry, husbandry, and how to "act" in polite society, in which conflict arises.

Themes of equality, colonialism, destruction of cultural heritages, beauty of family, LGBTQ characters, and found family/friends.

I loved the chemistry between the characters. It is a great book for adults and YA alike.

Thank you, @netgalley, for the free ebook.

I absolutely loved this book and cannot fathom waiting another six months for book two! The characters were universally well written, and the story pulled me in right from the start. I have read some good (and not so good) books with dragons in the last year. This one blew me away! One of the things that really stood out to me was how the author reimagined the casual horrors of colonialism in such a thoughtful, and powerful way. The complex history of Canada was such a wonderful backdrop to the challenges the Anequs is put through. The way the other students and staff treated her was infuriating, but so well done and felt very true to what others endured in canadian higher level academia. Their racism wasn’t always loud or obvious, but you could feel how much they didn’t want her to succeed just because of their own pride. It made me root for her even more. I cannot express how much I adore this book!

To Shape a Dragon’s Breath might just be one of my favorite reads this year. It’s YA, there’s a dragon school, and it’s way more layered than I expected. There’s a lot going on beneath the surface; questions of culture, power, and who gets to make the rules.

Anequs, a fifteen-year-old Masquapuaq girl, bonds with a dragon, something incredibly rare in their culture and heavily regulated by their colonizers. To keep her dragon safe and ensure it doesn’t get labeled dangerous later on, she decides to go to an Anglish academy on the mainland. The culture clash is immediate and sharp, but what I really liked is that the story doesn’t pick a side and call it a day. Both the Anglish and Masquapuaq ways are shown with complexity. Sometimes they’re right, sometimes they’re really not, and it all feels honest without getting preachy.

The standout for me was the voice. Anequs is a delightful narrator, and her relationship with her dragon Kasaqua is a highlight. I would’ve happily read twice as much about the two of them. Masquapuaq culture was also fascinating to explore, especially in contrast to the uptight world of the Anglish academy.

That said, I do have a few quibbles. Anequs can feel a little too perfect. Confident, wise, and unshakable from start to finish, which leaves her with very little growth. For a dragon school, the dragons themselves barely get any narrative weight; they’re more symbolic than present. And while the worldbuilding is rich, it takes up so much space that both plot and supporting characters suffer. The climax, in particular, felt rushed and leaned a little too hard on a convenient solution.

Still, despite those bumps, I had a great time with this one (the audiobook narration definitely helped), and I’ll be first in line for book two in 2026.

This story was a beautiful low-stakes, school setting story with indigenous rep, queer rep, and autism spectrum rep.

Anequs is not your typical dragon riding badass, I’ll cut you YA protagonist and I loved her all the more for it. She is who she is and doesn’t let anyone influence her, and stands up for what she believes in. She struggled with the Anglish society that she must join in order to learn how to train her dragon.

Her dragon!! The absolutely cutest. It was so fun to see her grow and her personality come out. In the beginning she’s the size of a cat and I love how that was integrated in the story because dragon and dragoneer go everywhere together.

Also Anequs has a lovely family back home but I also adored the found family at school. I don’t normally like low stakes stories but I adore these characters and the conversations Anequs had are important. I could listen to her discuss for hours.

The story seemed like it would be really interesting but I struggled to connect with it and be interested. I do think others might really enjoy the story. The use of indigenous storytelling was great.