A whimsical story about witches, pumpkins and fluffiest cutiest dragons you'll ever meet.

I've read Cat Dragon twice and I genuinely wish cat dragons were real. Samantha Birch has crafted a wonderfully cozy world in Tangleroot Valley, where magic hums through air and every leaf.

Cat Dragon is set in Tangleroot Valley, it's a place where people can prolong their lives by turning into pumpkins and continue guiding their descendants from the garden patch. One day, Aloysia Papplewick, a witch-botanist, is busy tending to her ancestor-pumpkins in preparation for Harvest Day—until a magical mishap changes everything. The source of the Valley's magic, a giant Guardian, collapses over her house, gravely ill—and if he dies, the Valley dies with him. Now, Aloysia must team up with her rival to find a cure and save the Valley. All the while, she's trying to bond with her long-awaited cat dragon, a magical companion she’s dreamed of for over two decades.

The concept of cat dragons is pure joy. They are powerful creatures who provide immense magical strength to their witch partners—and at the same time, they’re ridiculously adorable. The bonding ritual? Belly rubs and back caresses. Honestly, sign me up.

I loved how this novel focused more on self-discovery and personal growth than romance. However, the slow-burn romantic subplot was beautifully understated, and I'm especially thankful for the absence of explicit scenes—it kept the tone tender and wholesome.

The rich descriptions allow readers to fully immerse themselves in Tangleroot Valley, painting the world in lush, vivid detail. Every one of Aloysia’s adventures feels tangible, and reading Cat Dragon was a delightful mix of giggles, gasps, and curiosity about whether the characters would succeed in saving their home.

I gave this novel 4.25 stars because I found the beginning a little challenging to get into. However, once you settle into the rhythm of Samantha’s writing and the story’s pace, you’re rewarded with one of the coziest, most enchanting adventures I’ve read in a long time.

Thank you to Samantha Birch and One More Chapter for sending me the proof copy of the novel. It was a magical, memorable read!

This is a cosy fantasy novel with a hint of slow burn romance where we follow the FMC Aloysia who is a witch with the ultimate goal to bond with a Cat Dragon. However she definitely gets more than she bargained for when she ends up on a quest to save the Guardian of Tangleroot Valley before the magical well runs out.

This book was an easy read and a wholesome one at that, I loved the world building and the character arc of Aloysia. She makes many acquaintances along the way which are loveable in their own way and become friends with the FMC. Of course I absolutely loved the adorable side kick characters of the cat dragons and the crow and the banter that is shared between them.

If you love Autumn, Cats, Dragons and spooky season you will absolutely love this book!

I really wanted to like this book. I love the cover and the idea of a cat dragon. However that was all I loved about the book. It was confusing and I had the hardest time getting into the book. I’m sure there are others who will enjoy this book unfortunately it was me.

30-something magicobotanist Aloysia is really just trying to keep her magical farm going. Which isn’t easy when she is alone and doesn’t have a cat dragon familiar like every other witch in Tangleroot Valley. When something goes horribly wrong at the Harvest Festival, putting her farm and her home in danger, Aloysia and her best friend’s insufferable brother, Hollis, are thrust together on a mystical quest. Can they work together to save Tangleroot Valley, and magic itself?

I had a really fun time with this. It was cosy and whimsical but with high stakes and a storyline that kept me invested throughout.
I liked Aloysia. She was flawed and therefore relatable, and I found the concept of her not having found her cat dragon familiar, when a witch usually finds them at age 8, a really interesting one. I would have liked to have seen this explored more – from the title I did anticipate this being a bigger feature of the storyline – but I really liked the cat dragons we were introduced to, and I want my own Littlewick! The relationships with the animal companions – cat dragons and Crow – were done so well. The bonds felt realistic and I was intrigued by how these relationships varied depending on the personalities of each person and the companion they were bonded to.

I also really liked Hollis. I must admit that I was expecting someone awful from the descriptions of him by Aloysia and her best friend Ivy (Hollis’ sister). I clearly got caught in the trap of taking a sibling and their friends’ perspective as set in stone. The way that Hollis cared was a joy to see and I enjoyed the development of his and Aloysia’s relationship. Again, it felt real, despite the situation they found themselves in.

While this did have cosy elements, it was much higher stakes than I initially anticipated, and filled with just the right amount of tension and action to keep me fully engaged. The story was a little bit confusing at times, but it felt fresh and original and I thoroughly enjoyed my time with Aloysia, Hollis and the gang. I wouldn’t hesitate to recommend this to someone looking for a cosy-ish, quirky fantasy with a strong found family element, interesting magic system and well-developed romance.

With thanks to One More Chapter and NetGalley for the opportunity to read this eARC in advance of publication for an honest review.

I went into Cat Dragon so excited, this was to be the perfect book to start of my autumn cosy reads for 2025, but unfortunately it just wasn’t quiet it for me!

The asthetic of TangleValley was divine and what I wouldn’t do to have my very own Cat Dragon to fly around on and snuggle up with!

But overall, I found the premise very hard to follow, as this book felt very much targeted at the lower end of young adult on this occassion, 13 old me would have absoloutely adored this - for me there was just too much description throughout, which made it difficult to focus and stay gripped chapter to chapter

Cat Dragon was a fun cozy read. You follow the path of Aloysia a young witch who is trying to find her “familiar”. She befriends a cat dragon and they go on a mystery tour. It’s a lovely written book that fills your mind with magic and adventure. It’s whimsical, full of fun and joy. A great 4 star read. Thanks to Netgalley and the publishers for a copy.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for an ARC of Cat Dragon!

This book was beautifully written and had a cozy vibe! I wouldn’t necessary categorize this as a run of the mill cozy fantasy due to the stakes being higher than in other cozy fantasy books I’ve read.

I loved how well developed and diverse the characters were! There wasn’t a single character that I didn’t want to learn more about. The pacing did drag at a few points and I found that at certain point, the plot got caught up in the imagery rather than advancing the story itself. Overall, it was a fun read perfect for a rainy fall day!

2.5 rounded up

Cat Dragon had all the makings of a cozy fantasy I usually enjoy. The characters were likeable, the magical creatures were charming, and the world was soft and whimsical. The seasonal magic and the idea of bonding with a familiar felt full of promise and reminded me why I love books like The Spellshop.

Unfortunately, the execution did not quite work for me.

While it was undeniably cozy, the tone often felt too childish which made it difficult to fully connect with the story. The writing was overly flowery at times and disrupted the pacing which already felt a little too slow in places.

I did enjoy the final third of the book more than the beginning. Once the quest started to progress and the animal characters had more focus I found myself more invested. Littlewick was a definite highlight and added heart and humour to the story.

The romance felt underdeveloped and abrupt. It came out of nowhere and lacked the emotional build-up I was hoping for. It had potential but never quite delivered.

Cat Dragon has a lovely premise and a strong cozy aesthetic, but it struggled to hold my attention. There were sweet moments and standout characters, but overall it felt like a missed opportunity.

A witchy cosy fantasy. I loved the introduction to the character and the vibes of the town and her home. I love whimsical books and this book delivered those vibes.

I loved the world building and the descriptions of the animals, plants and creatures.

However, at some points it felt like the book was longer and more complicated than it needed to be. I was struggling to understand what was going on at some points. Crow was my favourite character but their sassy remarks disappeared about halfway through. It then felt like the light-hearted relief had gone.

Unfortunately this book wasn't for me.
I loved the idea of a cute, cosy, whimsical, witchy vibe but it just didn't deliver for me.

I felt the writing style was overly complex and had a lot of unusual magical words that I stumbled over. I was looking forward to a light, easy read but I struggled to enjoy it due to the writing. I had to re-read parts as I had lost track of what was happening.

I didn't feel any connection to Aloysia, whether that was to do with it being in third person point of view, or if there just wasn't enough building of her character.

I do love the cover of this book, it drew me to picking up this book. Although I didn't enjoy this book, I feel it could be a great cosy autumn read for others.

Thank you to one more chapter for the advanced copy.

2.5 ⭐️

Cat Dragon is a cosy fantasy story. I enjoyed reading about all the magical creatures, and the characters were interesting (AND the romance between Aloysia and Hollis was good!). The story itself had its charm as well.

But despite all this, unfortunately this book was not it for me. The writing style was overly complicated which made reading it not as enjoyable as it should be. Such a bummer for me personally since this book does have the ingredients for a great story.

I was super excited for this book as I love a cosy fantasy and I am obsessed with cats.

Unfortunately this just fell a bit flat for me. I feel like the language was too flowery? Not sure if that's the right word.

The overall story was good and I adored the cat dragons. It just felt a little long winded and struggled to hold my attention.

I think I was hoping for a little more cat dragon action!

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for the ARC.

fairly effective and fun romantic fantasy filled with some interesting vibes and some great setting descriptions! would definitely recommend this one. 4 stars. tysm for the arc.

ARC review
Publication date 14 August 2025.

"Cat Dragon" by Samantha Birch is a cute and cozy fantasy.

I received an e-ARC from HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter (via Netgalley).
Opinions from this review are completely my own.

The cover of this book (especially the cute cat dragon) initially got my attention.
This is a cozy story about a witch (Aloysia) that struggles to bond with her cat dragon.

What you can expect:
- adorable magical creatures
- magic
- grumpy/sunshine characters
- forced proximity
- slow burn romance
- found family

It took me a while to get into this story because of the writing style.
The world and magic is interesting, but the vocabulary is a bit difficult.

The story and the romance was cute overall, there is no spice and there is a plot twist at the end.

Fantastic addition to my favourite genre, cosy fantasy. The magic system here was really clever, with some twists I haven't seen anywhere else. The romance was just a hair too much for me, but other readers will eat it up I know! I will definitely be looking for more by this author as I think there's plenty more to explore in this amazing world.

I loved the concept of this book. I really liked the main characters and the thought of a world that had Cat Dragons in it! I also liked all the different plants and the descriptions of what they can do.
As this is an e-arc, having read the acknowledgements it sounds as if there would be illustrations throughout the book which sounds like a good idea.
There was a lot going on in the last 20% of the book, so much so that I lost track of what was happening at times, but overall I enjoyed it.

Thank you NetGalley and One More Chapter for the eARC of Cat Dragon.

I loved reading this book, it was so cosy but still had the anticipation of what was gonna happen. I felt it was written so well and it was full of lavish descriptions and the settings just formed the perfect picture in my mind as I was reading. The descriptions of the cat dragons had me melting from the cuteness.
I really loved how this novel is written, it's captivating and the storyline pulls you in. The characters are all well written and I loved the development of Aloysia, I really liked her character and I loved littlewick. All of the characters are fantastic and really bring this enjoyable whimsical story together.
I absolutely loved reading it and can't wait to get my physical copy.

My thanks for the ARC goes to NetGalley and HarperCollins UK, One More Chapter. I'm voluntarily leaving a review.

Genre: Cozy Fantasy, Cottagecore
Audience: Adult
Language: I really don't remember cursing.

CAT DRAGON is whimsical and surprising.

I was curious how this book would turn out because the danger is larger and more present than some cozy fantasies. Aloysia is dedicated to her community, and is shocked when they turn on her. I loved how there is a slow burn romance. This really worked because they're going from an enemies to lovers situation. There is some talk about them getting together and how that would be weird since Aloysia is best friends with his sister.

The solution to the very present danger was unique, and I enjoyed seeing how it worked out. I was not sure how I would like the cat dragons—I was afraid it would feel sort of "written to market" and it might have been, but it worked for this story and these characters.

If you've enjoyed stories like The Spellshop, I think you will want to read this one too.

Happy reading!

This has such cute witchy vibes and i had a lot of fun with the characters!
One thing to note that isnt necessarily a con its just something that gave me a bit of trouble was the writing style. It was kind of flowery and just took me out of the story more often than not.
The world building was so cool and i found it to be really cozy!

All the cute with just the right amount of romance thrown in.

This is the perfect light-hearted read. I can see myself re-reading this when the colder months set in.

Here's hoping there's more from this cast of characters to come!