DRAGONS. RACING. ROMANCE.She wants to race dragonsGenevieve's family is dead set against her joining the deadly dragon races. But she won't let them stop her.
He's the trainer she doesn't want, but needsWithout her family's money, nobody will train her. Desperate for help, she agrees to a terrible Qais, an alleged member of a dragon poaching gang, will train her to win the races, if she agrees to give him her prize money.
Every race could be their lastThe dragon races aren't just about being the fastest. In these races, sabotage, attacks and all out violence aren't just allowed, they're encouraged. The devastatingly handsome Qais will teach her to be cunning and cruel, and Genevieve will be forced to answer a devastating to win, is she willing to lose everything?
THE FIRST PART OF A THRILLING NEW ROMANTASY DUOLOGY FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BABY DRAGON CAFE
Aamna Qureshi is a Pakistani, Muslim American who adores words. She is an award-winning and USA Today, Amazon, and Times bestselling author who grew up on Long Island, New York, in a very loud household, surrounded by English (for school), Urdu (for conversation), and Punjabi (for emotion). Much of her childhood was spent being grounded for reading past her bed-time, writing stories in the backs of her notebooks, and being scolded by teachers for passing chapters under the tables. Through her writing, she wishes to inspire a love for the beautiful country and rich culture that informed much of her identity.
When she's not writing, she loves to travel to new places where she can explore different cultures or to Pakistan where she can revitalize her roots. She also loves baking complicated desserts, drinking fancy teas and coffees, watching sappy rom-coms, and going for walks about the estate (her backyard). She currently lives in New York. Look for her on IG @aamna_qureshi and Twitter @aamnaqureshi_ and at her website aamnaqureshi.com.
So firstly, many thanks to Netgalley for this digital ARC.
4.5⭐️
I actually hate you Aamna Qureshi. I hate the ending, I need Ginny to team up with Zavi or Aiden for the rescue. I can’t believe that Qais did what he did. I feel like it wasn’t very predictable.
At first I thought that Ginny was to dumb and naive, especially at the beginning. But her character really developed and Qureshi is really good at writing that. I am actually completely obsessed with Qais. He is actually so amazing which is why I guess the betrayal came as such a shock. Qureshi is also very good at using time skips effectively. It seemed as though they were always there for a reason and it didn’t feel weird when it skipped like two weeks.
But, some breaks did feel really unnatural. For example, when Qais is explaining to Ginny how the races works, and he just leaves for a few minutes to grab his armour. I don’t know but it just didn’t feel normal. Another bit was near the end of the book where there was also an unnatural break/time skip.
The beginning also felt really unnatural and not worthy of an introduction to the world of dragon racing. It took a while for me to get fully invested in the book. I think the moment it really clicked for me was when Ginny left home, but before then I didn’t really know what to think. The intro is quite slow imo but that could just be me. i do enjoy reading fantasy and I am very excited for the next book to come out.
Thanks again to netgalley, and publishers for the ARC
"Ever so gently, he ran a finger down her throat. An electric current shot down her spine, and she resisted the urge to lean into his touch. Then it was his turn to whisper in her ear, 'Best behave, then.' Rider of Dragons, by A. T Qureshi
Excuse me but WHAT?! This book was OUTSTANDING. And that ending?! I am almost devastated I had this ARC because now I have to wait even longer for the next book and I genuinely do not know how I am supposed to cope. I need reassurance. I need resolution. I need revenge.
How do I even describe this book? It is written and set in the same world as The Baby Dragon Cafe, so it carries those cosy romantasy vibes, but it also delivers high stakes dragon racing, dangerous gangs, a bad boy love interest, incredible tension, and just a touch of spice. The writing is so strong that I was completely hooked from the first page and by the final chapter my heart was pounding. I devoured this in one day.
The characters were compelling, the dragon human bond was absolutely adorable, and I loved the side characters. I fully despised Genevive’s father, even if his intentions might be good, and I was very invested in the subtle hint that there may be more than one love interest. I cannot wait to see how that plays out in book two. If you love romance, dragons, determined FMCs, dragon companions that must be protected at all costs, and cliffhanger endings that leave you screaming, add this to your TBR immediately. Thank you so much to NetGalley for the opportunity to read this. I absolutely loved it.
Rider of Dragon had suspense, romance, and family drama. Overall a quick and fun read. I loved Qais. His character was mysterious and stormy. Yet, he showed love to Ginny. Ginny was selfish, and naive, but her character was a product of her upbringing, and it plays a major role as she enters the world of dragon racing. Her parents purposefully kept her sheltered, and she found a way to break out from under their thumb. I very much enjoyed seeing her independence from them. The reason I have the book at three stars and not four is I feel as though the book told all of the races in so much detail, and left out the more personal parts of the story. At one point towards the end of the book it is discussed that Ginny had seen some of her family members at the cafe, but it was just a brief mention. I would like to have had more of how her family missed her, or how and why they all struggled with supporting her. I found myself at times skimming through the race part because it had become a bit repetitive. However, the ending made the whole book worth the read to me! I did not expect that twist, and I very much look forward to reading book two of this series! I need to know what is next for Ginny and Fang!
This is an imaginative fantasy with thoughtful world-building and clear technical skill behind the writing. A. T. Qureshi creates a vivid setting, and the concept of dragons being woven into the story’s politics and stakes is well thought out. The cover is absolutely gorgeous, and it immediately drew me in.
That said, the story never fully hooked me. While the pacing moved steadily and the plot had all the right pieces, I found myself mostly coasting through the book rather than feeling truly engaged or entertained. The characters and themes of power, loyalty, and choice are present and competently handled, but something intangible was missing for me—an emotional pull or spark that would have made the journey feel more compelling.
Overall, this is a solidly written novel, and it’s clear the author has talent, but it didn’t quite click with me on a personal level. Fans of YA fantasy should try it. It dead read more YA to me.
📚 I was able to read an advanced copy of this title thanks to NetGalley, A. T. Qureshi, and Avon Books UK 📚 All reviews and opinions are entirely my own
I want to preface this review by saying I’m historically not a fantasy genre fan. There have been a few books/series that I have enjoyed but overall I tend to avoid them. However, when I saw the book cover on NetGalley it caught my eye enough for me to read the jacket blurb, and that piqued my interest further. I decided to give it a shot.
I am so glad I did!
The author did a wonderful job creating not only the world, but also the characters. I felt like I could see the story playing out in my head- which I’m going to go ahead and say now I can’t wait to watch the movie that this will inevitably be made into.
*Spoiler Alert*
The tension between the main characters is delicious. I am waited with bated breath to see who Ginny enlists to help her in the next book. Crossing all my fingers that it’s Zavi and we get to see this love triangle play out.
I also am so incredibly curious to see how Qais got himself into this mess and to learn more about what was going on in the background that the reader and Ginny were unaware of.
I am so delighted that I took a chance on this book and cannot wait for the next one!
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
Rider of Dragons is a gripping, immersive fantasy that delivers rich world building, compelling characters, and a powerful emotional core. From the opening chapters, this story pulls you straight into a vivid, high stakes world built around dragons, duty, and identity. The characters are a standout. The protagonist Genevieve, is determined, layered, and easy to root for, with clear growth throughout the story. The supporting cast adds depth and tension, and the bond between rider and dragon is particularly well done it’s emotional, complex, and central to the heart of the plot. The relationships feel earned and grounded, enhancing both the action and quieter moments. The story blends classic dragon fantasy with a fresh voice and thoughtful themes, and fans of Eragon, Fourth Wing, and The Priory of the Orange Tree will find a lot to love here. The pacing stays strong, the stakes remain high, and the world feels expansive without being overwhelming.
Overall, this is a polished, engaging read that dragon loving fantasy readers will devour. A confident addition to the genre and a book I’d happily recommend but the ending and having to now wait till Aug 2027 is a killer!! That cliffhanger … wow 😯 🐉❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
The excitement when I saw I'd been offered this ARC. After the Baby Dragon Cafe series I had high hopes for this new series and was not disappointed.
It is a gripping and imaginative fantasy that delivers strong world-building, engaging characters, and a fast-moving plot. A. T. Qureshi creates a vivid setting where dragons are more than spectacle—they’re central to the story’s tension, politics, and emotional stakes. The pacing is tight, with plenty of action balanced by quieter character moments that give the story depth. The protagonist’s journey is compelling, and the themes of power, loyalty, and choice are woven naturally into the narrative.
Overall, this is a solid and entertaining read that will appeal to fans of dragon-centered fantasy and character-driven adventures. I’m glad I had the opportunity to read this as an ARC and would happily continue with the series.
📚I was able to read an advanced copy of title thanks to NetGalley, A. T. Qureshi and Avon Books UK📚 📚All reviews and opinions are entirely my own📚
Rider of Dragons by A.T. Quereshi published by Avon Books UK, is the first book in the Dragon Racer Series. Be aware the book is left with a major cliffie, so consider you warned. Genevieve grew up privileged and in a wealthy powerful family. She's a 24 year old woman. still living under the roof/thumb of her parents. And these parents are set against her attending a dangerous dragon race. Genevieve us all on her own in this endevor and what she needs is a trainer. Here Quais comes into the picture. But again be warned, heisn't what he seems. I read the book and couldn't help myself, Ginny is a naive, disillusionistic character who has a fair share of growing up to do. But noo, she knows best. And the male love interest, yep she'd should have stayed far away from him, but Ginny knows best - not. This book had me torn. I loved meeting the characters from the previous book, but I didn't like how they acted at all. But the writing is great, the suspense fantastic and I couldn't not finish the book.
I absolutely adored the Baby Dragon series - I was over the moon to see this one. Still set in the stunning world of Starshine Valley but it took on a whole new feel and adventure.
We follow Ginny on her journey to the Dragon Rider Championships. With her grand ambitions to follow in her brother’s footsteps, she knows she can win if given the chance. However with strict instructions from her father to enter under no circumstances, she defies the odds, finds a trainer and signs herself up to one of the most dangerous (and illegal) dragon races with her dragon Fang.
It was seriously such an amazing story and I whipped through it. I loved the compilations of her training, developing her bond with Fang (& with her trainer of course) and seeing how much she rose to the challenge and danger everytime. I’m so excited to follow up with the next book but man did I hate the ending. Guess I’ll have to calendar watch until the day of the next book release!
Thank you to the author and publisher for this book on NetGalley in return for my honest thoughts and review.
in rider of dragons we follow ginny as she attempts to win the dragon rider championships with her dragon, fang.
sadly, i did not connect with this story i didn’t realise it was set in the same world as baby dragon cafe so i felt dropped into a large cast of characters with existing family dynamics without enough explanation at the start of this story, the overall relationships through this story although enjoyable felt underdeveloped and several storylines were introduced and not fully fleshed out.
the structure also became repetitive very quickly, with training followed by the same trial format multiple times which made it drag, i wish we had seen more variety with this section of the book.
i did enjoy ginnys bond with fang, who was the highlight for me, and the witty banter between our mmc and fmc was fun to read i just wish the rest of the story had been more engaging.
Thank you to NetGalley, Avon Books and A.T. Qureshi for the opportunity to read an ARC! 🫶🏼
First off, thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC.
As a reader who reads for fun, I did enjoy this book and I will be looking forward to reading the next and seeing what happens.
As a critical reader, this is the first book I’ve read by this author, and I think maybe they were trying to mix characters from other books they have, but SO MANY characters were introduced at once, and it was hard to keep up. It took me three days to read this book; I’m not a fast reader. It was really choppy at points, and I do think some details that were drawn out shouldn’t have been, and then things that were brushed over should have been a bit more detailed. Also, the main male character in the last couple of chapters just seemed so out of left field and came off a little cheesy to me. Which also, the ending was not that big of a surprise; it’s hinted at the entire book.
Ginny has wanted to race her dragon and win for as long as she can remember but it certainly won't be without consequences. This book prominently features the dragons in particular the races. I was fully immersed in everything about this book from the magic to the romance and family dramas and especially the danger. I love the dragons and fell deeply emotionally connected to Fang. The story is so much fun and exciting. It's also heart in your mouth full of suspense. I screamed at the cliff hanger ending and screamed even more because now I have to wait for the second book and I desperately needed it yesterday. Dare I say this is even better than Fourth Wing.
Lovelies, we are not at the The Baby Dragon Café anymore! (I mean, we're still in Starshine Valley but we're getting SERIOUS.) I knew Genevieve's book was going to be incredible but this? This I couldn't put down. (Literally, I read it in one sitting.) This is what your favorite dragon riding - super tournament-fight to the death-championship contest should read like.
And then you get to the END.... Aamna, what did you do to your readers?! The last chapter absolutely killed me and I'm not sure how I'm going to survive until 2027...
Thanks to NetGalley and the publishers for an e-ARC of this book!
Rider of Dragons" by A. T. Qureshi is an absolutely captivating read that immerses you in a richly developed fantasy world filled with adventure, magic, and unforgettable characters. The author’s vivid storytelling and intricate plot twists keep you hooked from start to finish, making it impossible to put the book down. The depth of the characters and the author’s masterful world-building create a truly immersive experience that transports you into a realm where dragons soar and heroes rise. I highly recommend this book to anyone who loves epic fantasy novels—it's a five-star masterpiece that will leave you eagerly awaiting more from A. T. Qureshi!
Firstly I wanna say thank you to NetGallery for allowing me to have an advance copy, highly appreciate it.
My review- in the beginning I thought Ginny was a naive girl who was a tad dumb, but as the story went on her character grew beautifully. I do find that Amna Qureshi does that well, she also uses time skips quite well. Her writing has grown since the baby dragon cafe (which I adore) the time skips didn’t feel weird or awkward at any point it just flowed.
However, the beginning did feel a bit unnatural and not right for what the dragon races are about.
I love it when fantasy incorporates cultures from our world, and it's a nice change from all-white casts. Qureshi has written a wonderful world where dragons race, and only those with money can secure the best trainers and equipment.
Genevieve's family do not want her to race, but when she defies them, they refuse to fund her. So she has to turn to the one person she doesn't want to, to help her, despite his reputation for dragon poaching.
As her skill increases, so do things between her and Oais, but can she truly trust him?
Wow! The characters in this book were introduced to us in The Baby Dragon Cafe, but this series is so different!! Action, intrigue, spicy slow burn romance! Loved it!!
We follow Ginny and her entry in the Dragon Racing Championships!
I warn you now the ending will make go "Noooooo don't end there, I need to know!!"
Next book is out in 2027! I'll be reading it for sure!
What’s not to love about this book it had everything you could need! Trials, dragons, twists and turns, tension, yearning and that ending was phenomenal!
I was lucky and received an arc copy of this so thank you to NetGalley and Avon Books UK, although I will say it means I have to wait longer to read the second one!
The pacing was spot on and the characters were well written, Fang was absolutely the favourite for me though.
I think this had a lot of potential but overall unfortunately it was a miss from me. This could benefit from some added detail, renaming and revamp of the overall description. Classifying this as a "dark and thrilling romantasy" definitely do not match what I read. I would classify this as more of a cozy fantasy, they have cellphones and drink Lavender lattes at the local coffee shop...
Rider of Dragons is an engaging fantasy that I had so much fun reading. Dragons, destiny, and danger are woven into a story that’s easy to sink into and genuinely exciting. I especially appreciated how elements from the author’s previous work, The Baby Dragon Café, were woven into the plot. That connection added depth to the world and felt like a real treat as a returning reader. I also completely fell in love with the dragons, and I became deeply emotionally connected to Fang in particular. The sense of adventure is strong, the pacing keeps the suspense high, and there were several heart-in-your-mouth moments. That cliffhanger ending made me actually scream, and then scream again when I realised I now have to wait for book two, which I desperately needed yesterday. A thrilling, emotional read for fans of dragon-centered fantasy, with enough excitement and heart to leave you wanting more.
The beginning had a rough start. The writing style felt a little juvenile for this novel to be marketed as adult fiction. However, the writing style improved by the end of the book. I had a good time with this, I felt the story was original. Although the ending was predictable, I am excited to see what happens in book 2.
Honestly I am absolutely in love with this book. I loved the baby dragon series but this book steps it up a notch! Literally obsessed with both MMCs (EVEN AFTER THAT CLIFF HANGER) and I love the FMC. Spice is just right! I am absolutely devastated that I have to wait for the second one. Great job!!