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Spark of Secrets
In the Empire, dragons are revered creatures, but only boys have the ability to bond with them—or so everyone believes.
Fourteen-year-old Aura Blackstone has always dreamed of becoming a dragon rider, even though she knows it’s impossible with her being a girl. But when she sneaks into a dragon’s lair to save an egg destined for destruction, something impossible happens: she bonds with the dragon within.
Now, Aura must keep her identity secret as she enrolls in Wings Academy disguised as a boy to train as a dragon rider. Between the academy’s rigorous trials and prejudiced classmates, hiding her true self is harder than she imagined. One mistake could reveal her secret, endanger her dragon, and upend everything she’s worked for.
Meanwhile, the Empire is on the brink of chaos. Savage dragons are wreaking havoc, and whispers of rebellion are spreading. Aura must decide if she will hide in the shadows or risk everything to influence the destiny of both humans and dragons.
Mulan meets How to Train Your Dragon in this coming-of-age, lower YA fantasy that blends courage, secrets, and the unbreakable bond between a girl and her dragon.
Fourteen-year-old Aura Blackstone has always dreamed of becoming a dragon rider, even though she knows it’s impossible with her being a girl. But when she sneaks into a dragon’s lair to save an egg destined for destruction, something impossible happens: she bonds with the dragon within.
Now, Aura must keep her identity secret as she enrolls in Wings Academy disguised as a boy to train as a dragon rider. Between the academy’s rigorous trials and prejudiced classmates, hiding her true self is harder than she imagined. One mistake could reveal her secret, endanger her dragon, and upend everything she’s worked for.
Meanwhile, the Empire is on the brink of chaos. Savage dragons are wreaking havoc, and whispers of rebellion are spreading. Aura must decide if she will hide in the shadows or risk everything to influence the destiny of both humans and dragons.
Mulan meets How to Train Your Dragon in this coming-of-age, lower YA fantasy that blends courage, secrets, and the unbreakable bond between a girl and her dragon.
- GenresFantasy
367 pages, Paperback
Published February 17, 2026
6 people are currently reading
98 people want to read
About the author
Julie Janis
7 books59 followersJulie Janis crafts imaginative fantasy adventures filled with rich magic, thrilling action, and swoony romance for readers of all ages to enjoy. When she’s not dreaming up new worlds, she’s reading from her endless TBR list, exploring mountain trails, rewatching The Lord of the Rings, or indulging in her love of ice cream. She lives in Utah with her husband, son, and their lively Toy Australian Shepherd.
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Displaying 1 - 19 of 19 reviews
February 21, 2026
4 stars ⭐️ Clean Fiction - YA Fantasy (dragons with some magic abilities received from them)
So. I really didn’t mean to devour this book in one sitting and stay up until the wee hours of the morning. I really didn’t.
But I was so sucked into this book! I had really high hopes for this story—I mean, hello? Dragon riding school + secret identity? I’ll take three, thanks—but oh my goodness, it was better than I expected.
As silly as it may sound because the cover shows a girl and boy, I didn’t realize there would be romance in this plot. They are only fourteen, so I admit to wishing they were at least sixteen because there was a few times I wanted to snap my fingers in front of Aura and tell her to focus—and not on the boy’s muscles. Not the time, girlfriend! Important dragon riding business to take care of, tik tok tik tok. ⌚️👀
Aura did make some…stupid or poor decisions at times. I will chalk it up to her age. I totally read those parts squinting at my Kindle and bracing for impact because I figured they would backfire and yeah, some of them did. Let’s call it stubbornness and lesson learning? There were a lot of moments I thought “that’s a terrible idea” but I’m overly safety cautious and a born rule follower, so I probably wouldn’t have stolen a dragon egg anyway. 😅
On Aura, I have to say that I absolutely loved that she was a girly-girl! Most books I’ve seen with the whole “female main character has to disguise herself as a boy because of xyz” are thrilled with the idea of wearing pants or breaking their society’s norm. Aura? Oh no, she loathes to dress as a boy but had to for the sake of riding a dragon. It was such a nice change to the typical reactions I see for this trope and I loved seeing her feminine side be so important to her.
Aura wasn’t really interested in knowing her parents or who they were, but I was completely curious! I had my theories, but the ending had me going “noooo!” at the cliffhanger. I wasn’t sure this was a series, but I tried to prepare myself for the fact that it probably was. So, learn from me: it’s a trilogy. But the next book releases in June! So it’s basically a birthday gift to me and I’m very excited now. 😁
There was some info dumping at the end with a certain character, but other than that, I thought all the information about the world was paced really well throughout the book. Having beginners/first year classes helped explain things about the setting of this book without overwhelming a reader was very clever and worked well. Sometimes this is difficult for a book in first-person, but the author impressed me with it. The only question I had towards the end wasn’t anything about the world because it was all explained by then—I just wanted to know about Aura’s parents. 😂 Which makes me very curious to see what will happen next!
Main Content-
In this world, when a dragon is hatched, they are bonded together or the dragon will become “savage” and cause major destruction; Once someone is bonded to their dragon, they can communicate telepathically and the dragon gives their rider some of it’s power (this is called “Manifesting” and once this happens, the rider can often control fire, water, shadows, or have telekinesis based on the type of dragon; both of these elements are seen and most are experienced on-page including being able to move people around with an ability); A “savage” dragon is one that is not bonded to a human and is more monster than dragon (it lives outside the kingdom’s walls); A rider and it’s dragon’s bonds can be “severed”; Aura asks for the magic (from the bond with her dragon) to help a few times in a dangerous situation.
Aura crosses her fingers a few times for luck.
Aura hears someone call another “Master” and her skin crawls as it’s like the person “needing to be worshipped like a deity”.
Mentions of miracles; A few mentions of luck.
Language- A cut-off “bi—“ (implied female b word); Multiple uses of in-world fictional phrases/curses such as ‘thank the stars’, ‘for stars sake’, ‘stars’, ‘what/how in the stars’, ‘scumming’, ‘dragon’s breath’, are either sighed or exclaimed; Curses are said by other characters but not written out; Two unfinished ‘what the—‘ are exclaimed; Other minor words like: ‘gah!’, ’stupid’, ‘idiot’, ’shut up’, ‘suck’, ‘ticked off’, and ‘wicked’, are said; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Some prejudice/snobby comments from rich people about those poorer than them (their son calls his parents “pompous jerks”).
Aura overhears a conversation about destroying dragon eggs (either by fire or cold water/drowning) due to not having anyone to bond to them & that greatly distresses her; Aura steals a dragon egg and feels guilt over it at times because it was illegal and could be killed for it, but didn’t want it to be destroyed; Aura disobeys other orders/rules and while feels guilt, doesn’t regret them; Aura sneaks out at night via her window for a reason that she thinks any dragon rider would understand; Aura feels torn over obeying and wanting to change her kingdom.
Because of pretending to be a boy, Aura does lie to keep the secret & later lies to her guardian; A character asks Aura (when she’s pretending to be a boy) to tell him her secret and not tell her guardian that he knows (which she does not do because she promised her guardian and won’t break it); Aura is teased, taunted, and bullied (including physically that leads to possible death or harm) by a group of boys (this is often on-page and Aura cries because of it privately); Aura is beat up in a sparring class by boys & injured/in pain (up to a few sentences).
Aura doesn’t know who her parents are as they left her with her current guardian, but she notes that she’s never been loved by a parent-figure and has tried to accept that, but it still stings.
Aura is concerned that she may have to live the rest of her life as a man after pretending to be a boy to go to the dragon rider’s school (because of the connections/jobs that would come from being a trained dragon rider).
Near death situations, Fighting, Being attacked, Being punched & punching someone, Being held at sword-point and nearly stabbed, Injuries, Pain, Blood/Bleeding, Passing out, & Throwing up (up to a few sentences); Seeing deaths/bodies, battles/fights, injuries, blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Seeing a dragon whipped, in pain, & bleeding (up to a few sentences); Going to a pub for a meal and seeing others drinking; Hearing someone be belittled and mocked by a parent.
Mentions of the possibility of deaths, being killed, or a dragon being killed; Mentions of wars/battles, the collapse of a kingdom, & deaths; Mentions of violence; Mentions of fights/fighting & beatings; Mentions of injuries, blood/bleeding, & pain; Mentions of throwing up/puking/barfing; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of jealousy & hatred; A few mentions of women and girls being kidnapped; A few mentions of fires & deaths; A few mentions of smoking & cigars; A few mentions of butts (in the context of falling and mocking); A mention of a manipulative parent; A mention of a ten-year-old wearing make-up (which Aura is shocked by).
1 fingers-to-lips touch,
1 cheek kiss,
Wanting to kiss (up to a couple sentences).
Touches, Embraces and Accidental embraces, Butterflies, & Nearness (up to a few sentences); Blushes; Noticing & Staring (including at muscles and a shirtless boy, up to a couple sentences); Going on a date.
Aura’s best friend talks about cute boys, her crushes, & sighs over them (which Aura thinks is silly because they could be mean, rude, or gross); Aura has no interest in boys until she meets one that she thinks is cute and she thinks of him as dreamy and tries not to sigh over him.
Aura has a bit of self-consciousness and compares her appearance to her best friend’s appearance; Aura has to bind her chest for pretending to be a boy & is concerned that another school outfit could show off her “expanding curves” (her guardian says the other students won’t focus on her “assets” because they don’t know she’s a girl).
When pretending to be a boy, Aura shields her eyes when walking into a boy’s locker room where the boys are in their underwear and shirtless (a bully calls her a prude because of her reaction).
Mentions of cute boys & crushes; Mentions of flirting & blushes; A few mentions of a date.
So. I really didn’t mean to devour this book in one sitting and stay up until the wee hours of the morning. I really didn’t.
But I was so sucked into this book! I had really high hopes for this story—I mean, hello? Dragon riding school + secret identity? I’ll take three, thanks—but oh my goodness, it was better than I expected.
As silly as it may sound because the cover shows a girl and boy, I didn’t realize there would be romance in this plot. They are only fourteen, so I admit to wishing they were at least sixteen because there was a few times I wanted to snap my fingers in front of Aura and tell her to focus—and not on the boy’s muscles. Not the time, girlfriend! Important dragon riding business to take care of, tik tok tik tok. ⌚️👀
Aura did make some…stupid or poor decisions at times. I will chalk it up to her age. I totally read those parts squinting at my Kindle and bracing for impact because I figured they would backfire and yeah, some of them did. Let’s call it stubbornness and lesson learning? There were a lot of moments I thought “that’s a terrible idea” but I’m overly safety cautious and a born rule follower, so I probably wouldn’t have stolen a dragon egg anyway. 😅
On Aura, I have to say that I absolutely loved that she was a girly-girl! Most books I’ve seen with the whole “female main character has to disguise herself as a boy because of xyz” are thrilled with the idea of wearing pants or breaking their society’s norm. Aura? Oh no, she loathes to dress as a boy but had to for the sake of riding a dragon. It was such a nice change to the typical reactions I see for this trope and I loved seeing her feminine side be so important to her.
Aura wasn’t really interested in knowing her parents or who they were, but I was completely curious! I had my theories, but the ending had me going “noooo!” at the cliffhanger. I wasn’t sure this was a series, but I tried to prepare myself for the fact that it probably was. So, learn from me: it’s a trilogy. But the next book releases in June! So it’s basically a birthday gift to me and I’m very excited now. 😁
There was some info dumping at the end with a certain character, but other than that, I thought all the information about the world was paced really well throughout the book. Having beginners/first year classes helped explain things about the setting of this book without overwhelming a reader was very clever and worked well. Sometimes this is difficult for a book in first-person, but the author impressed me with it. The only question I had towards the end wasn’t anything about the world because it was all explained by then—I just wanted to know about Aura’s parents. 😂 Which makes me very curious to see what will happen next!
Main Content-
In this world, when a dragon is hatched, they are bonded together or the dragon will become “savage” and cause major destruction; Once someone is bonded to their dragon, they can communicate telepathically and the dragon gives their rider some of it’s power (this is called “Manifesting” and once this happens, the rider can often control fire, water, shadows, or have telekinesis based on the type of dragon; both of these elements are seen and most are experienced on-page including being able to move people around with an ability); A “savage” dragon is one that is not bonded to a human and is more monster than dragon (it lives outside the kingdom’s walls); A rider and it’s dragon’s bonds can be “severed”; Aura asks for the magic (from the bond with her dragon) to help a few times in a dangerous situation.
Aura crosses her fingers a few times for luck.
Aura hears someone call another “Master” and her skin crawls as it’s like the person “needing to be worshipped like a deity”.
Mentions of miracles; A few mentions of luck.
Language- A cut-off “bi—“ (implied female b word); Multiple uses of in-world fictional phrases/curses such as ‘thank the stars’, ‘for stars sake’, ‘stars’, ‘what/how in the stars’, ‘scumming’, ‘dragon’s breath’, are either sighed or exclaimed; Curses are said by other characters but not written out; Two unfinished ‘what the—‘ are exclaimed; Other minor words like: ‘gah!’, ’stupid’, ‘idiot’, ’shut up’, ‘suck’, ‘ticked off’, and ‘wicked’, are said; Eye rolling & Sarcasm; Some prejudice/snobby comments from rich people about those poorer than them (their son calls his parents “pompous jerks”).
Aura overhears a conversation about destroying dragon eggs (either by fire or cold water/drowning) due to not having anyone to bond to them & that greatly distresses her; Aura steals a dragon egg and feels guilt over it at times because it was illegal and could be killed for it, but didn’t want it to be destroyed; Aura disobeys other orders/rules and while feels guilt, doesn’t regret them; Aura sneaks out at night via her window for a reason that she thinks any dragon rider would understand; Aura feels torn over obeying and wanting to change her kingdom.
Because of pretending to be a boy, Aura does lie to keep the secret & later lies to her guardian; A character asks Aura (when she’s pretending to be a boy) to tell him her secret and not tell her guardian that he knows (which she does not do because she promised her guardian and won’t break it); Aura is teased, taunted, and bullied (including physically that leads to possible death or harm) by a group of boys (this is often on-page and Aura cries because of it privately); Aura is beat up in a sparring class by boys & injured/in pain (up to a few sentences).
Aura doesn’t know who her parents are as they left her with her current guardian, but she notes that she’s never been loved by a parent-figure and has tried to accept that, but it still stings.
Aura is concerned that she may have to live the rest of her life as a man after pretending to be a boy to go to the dragon rider’s school (because of the connections/jobs that would come from being a trained dragon rider).
Near death situations, Fighting, Being attacked, Being punched & punching someone, Being held at sword-point and nearly stabbed, Injuries, Pain, Blood/Bleeding, Passing out, & Throwing up (up to a few sentences); Seeing deaths/bodies, battles/fights, injuries, blood/bleeding (up to a few sentences); Seeing a dragon whipped, in pain, & bleeding (up to a few sentences); Going to a pub for a meal and seeing others drinking; Hearing someone be belittled and mocked by a parent.
Mentions of the possibility of deaths, being killed, or a dragon being killed; Mentions of wars/battles, the collapse of a kingdom, & deaths; Mentions of violence; Mentions of fights/fighting & beatings; Mentions of injuries, blood/bleeding, & pain; Mentions of throwing up/puking/barfing; Mentions of lies, lying, & liars; Mentions of jealousy & hatred; A few mentions of women and girls being kidnapped; A few mentions of fires & deaths; A few mentions of smoking & cigars; A few mentions of butts (in the context of falling and mocking); A mention of a manipulative parent; A mention of a ten-year-old wearing make-up (which Aura is shocked by).
1 fingers-to-lips touch,
1 cheek kiss,
Wanting to kiss (up to a couple sentences).
Touches, Embraces and Accidental embraces, Butterflies, & Nearness (up to a few sentences); Blushes; Noticing & Staring (including at muscles and a shirtless boy, up to a couple sentences); Going on a date.
Aura’s best friend talks about cute boys, her crushes, & sighs over them (which Aura thinks is silly because they could be mean, rude, or gross); Aura has no interest in boys until she meets one that she thinks is cute and she thinks of him as dreamy and tries not to sigh over him.
Aura has a bit of self-consciousness and compares her appearance to her best friend’s appearance; Aura has to bind her chest for pretending to be a boy & is concerned that another school outfit could show off her “expanding curves” (her guardian says the other students won’t focus on her “assets” because they don’t know she’s a girl).
When pretending to be a boy, Aura shields her eyes when walking into a boy’s locker room where the boys are in their underwear and shirtless (a bully calls her a prude because of her reaction).
Mentions of cute boys & crushes; Mentions of flirting & blushes; A few mentions of a date.
December 31, 2025
I’m so glad I took a chance on reading Spark of Secrets. It’s the first book in a young adult fantasy trilogy that follows a 14 year old girl that ends up bonding with a dragon in a world where only boys are allowed to bond with dragons.
Though I’ve never been a girly girl, I can appreciate the author having the FMC Aurelia (Aura) being a young girl obsessed with pretty dresses, hair bows, jewelry , and cosmetics who also just wants to be able to ride a dragon. It’s refreshing to see main characters in a fantasy setting actually act like they are young teenagers. She’s girly, impulsive, wants to prove to everyone that she can do what boys can do, and she makes mistakes that have real and lasting consequences. The story is told completely through Aura’s POV and I loved her inner monologue and overall personality.
Then you have Kenric Hawthorne…the perfect gentleman and MMC. He’s a typical teenage boy but also is one of the hero types that stands up to bullies, treats most people with respect, and rides the line between confidence and arrogance/cockiness.
It was also enjoyable to read a fantasy with two young kids as the stars and it not be a romance. They’re crushing on each other and they are 14 years old so it’s gonna be weird and awkward, but it wasn’t an essential plot point…more of subplot in this particular book but I have an inkling they’ll grow closer as the series progresses.
The storytelling kept me engaged through the entirety and there’s enough intrigue to keep me reading to know more about the world and its history with dragons.
This story is a true YA book that mentions violence, but doesn’t go in detail about it, no foul language, there’s no spice (not even kissing), and if it were a movie it would definitely get a PG rating. I think it’ll be enjoyable for kids and adults alike and I excited to see how the adventure unfolds in the next book.
I’m definitely thankful for the author for allowing me the privilege of being on the Beta and ARC teams.
Though I’ve never been a girly girl, I can appreciate the author having the FMC Aurelia (Aura) being a young girl obsessed with pretty dresses, hair bows, jewelry , and cosmetics who also just wants to be able to ride a dragon. It’s refreshing to see main characters in a fantasy setting actually act like they are young teenagers. She’s girly, impulsive, wants to prove to everyone that she can do what boys can do, and she makes mistakes that have real and lasting consequences. The story is told completely through Aura’s POV and I loved her inner monologue and overall personality.
Then you have Kenric Hawthorne…the perfect gentleman and MMC. He’s a typical teenage boy but also is one of the hero types that stands up to bullies, treats most people with respect, and rides the line between confidence and arrogance/cockiness.
It was also enjoyable to read a fantasy with two young kids as the stars and it not be a romance. They’re crushing on each other and they are 14 years old so it’s gonna be weird and awkward, but it wasn’t an essential plot point…more of subplot in this particular book but I have an inkling they’ll grow closer as the series progresses.
The storytelling kept me engaged through the entirety and there’s enough intrigue to keep me reading to know more about the world and its history with dragons.
This story is a true YA book that mentions violence, but doesn’t go in detail about it, no foul language, there’s no spice (not even kissing), and if it were a movie it would definitely get a PG rating. I think it’ll be enjoyable for kids and adults alike and I excited to see how the adventure unfolds in the next book.
I’m definitely thankful for the author for allowing me the privilege of being on the Beta and ARC teams.
Review of advance copy received from Autor
Hi! What an amazing read! Thank you, Julie Janis; it has been awesome to experience Aura's story before its release. Now, let's start with the review.
--
Aura's character is unique; I love that she's actually very girly. That helped the main plot and her character development be much more realistic; also, the Mulan approach to her character makes sense. For a lower YA book, it was a fresh approach to the FMC's narrative and encouraging to the readers about a moral narrative like responsibility. For example, Aura's main storyline starts with her making herself responsible for her decisions by making a compromise with one thing she adores: her being a girl and looking very girly.
--
Now, the change in Aura, or her growth, was written beautifully. I loved the change in her way of thinking, how it's shown before the change in her actions. Sometimes some books show the character development as simply bigger confidence or awesome fighting skills, but I loved her character development being her change in mentality and gaining a much bigger sense of the greater picture.
--
And I loved the dynamic between her and Kenric (love the sass; I laughed out loud at several of his comebacks), their friendship, and how they connect beyond their status or their gender and is based on respect for each of their personal abilities and admiration for each other.
--
Also, I love that the world-building is similar to Fourth Wing (the dragon-riding academy, the political development behind that academy, and the dragons background) with a much lighter tone, less adult romance, and more fantasy; so as someone who loves to read fantasy stories with dragons, I would recommend this for my younger cousins.
--
Also, by chapter 13, I couldn't stop reading, so the flow between chapters made sense once I understood the world-building and which way the main plot was going with the storyline. Besides, I think it was a very cozy read. Since I'm used to a dramatic style of fantasy, this was a nice change.
--
And by the way, what a smart ending, honestly. Normally the first book in any series is tiring or even a lot of world-building, but since the storyline was clear from the beginning, when I finished the book, I wanted to keep reading, so I'll be back once the next book is ready (with an array of theories of what could happen next) and amazing writing. Julie Janis, congrats.
--
Aura's character is unique; I love that she's actually very girly. That helped the main plot and her character development be much more realistic; also, the Mulan approach to her character makes sense. For a lower YA book, it was a fresh approach to the FMC's narrative and encouraging to the readers about a moral narrative like responsibility. For example, Aura's main storyline starts with her making herself responsible for her decisions by making a compromise with one thing she adores: her being a girl and looking very girly.
--
Now, the change in Aura, or her growth, was written beautifully. I loved the change in her way of thinking, how it's shown before the change in her actions. Sometimes some books show the character development as simply bigger confidence or awesome fighting skills, but I loved her character development being her change in mentality and gaining a much bigger sense of the greater picture.
--
And I loved the dynamic between her and Kenric (love the sass; I laughed out loud at several of his comebacks), their friendship, and how they connect beyond their status or their gender and is based on respect for each of their personal abilities and admiration for each other.
--
Also, I love that the world-building is similar to Fourth Wing (the dragon-riding academy, the political development behind that academy, and the dragons background) with a much lighter tone, less adult romance, and more fantasy; so as someone who loves to read fantasy stories with dragons, I would recommend this for my younger cousins.
--
Also, by chapter 13, I couldn't stop reading, so the flow between chapters made sense once I understood the world-building and which way the main plot was going with the storyline. Besides, I think it was a very cozy read. Since I'm used to a dramatic style of fantasy, this was a nice change.
--
And by the way, what a smart ending, honestly. Normally the first book in any series is tiring or even a lot of world-building, but since the storyline was clear from the beginning, when I finished the book, I wanted to keep reading, so I'll be back once the next book is ready (with an array of theories of what could happen next) and amazing writing. Julie Janis, congrats.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Spark of Secrets is perfect for fans of dragons and mysterious happenings. One of my favorite parts of this book was Aurelia herself. I loved that she’s a girly girl who embraces her femininity, and that she’s allowed to be nervous and anxious. It feels like so many fantasy main characters have zero fear, and that just isn’t realistic. Aurelia felt very relatable because of that.
The dragon writing school was such a fun and interesting concept, and I was engaged from page one. I really enjoyed learning about the different types of dragons and the bond between dragons and their riders, which felt unique and well thought out.
Professor Roscoe was a dynamic character, and I liked watching his growth throughout the story as he slowly came to care for Aurelia. Friendship is a huge focus in this book, and I absolutely loved the dynamic between Kenric and Aurelia, even when she was August. Kenric showed kindness to someone who was honestly pretty odd, which was nice to see.
The relationship between Kenric and Aurelia is sweet and age appropriate. I loved that it wasn’t very romantic at all, which feels exactly right for a middle YA book. I also really enjoyed the bonus chapter from Kenric’s POV and was so glad it was included.
I would highly recommend this book to younger teenagers, especially since the characters are fourteen, though I really enjoyed it as an older teen as well. Thank you so much to Julie Janis for the advanced copy.
Favorite Quotes:
His entire demeanor lit up. “You’re smiling.” For some reason, I had completely forgotten that he hadn’t seen me smile like this before. I self-consciously tucked a tendril of hair behind my ear. “Oh, uh… yeah.” “It looks good.” My stomach took a great big swoop, but in a good way. Interesting how three simple words could make me feel all fluttery and giddy inside.
“Dude, you just got punched by a girl.”
His mouth slanted into a shy smile. “Besides, even if they weren’t in danger, I’d follow you wherever you go.”
Content Notes:
Spice🌶️ 0/10
Profanity🤬 1/10 (uses the word pi****, which some wouldn’t classify as profanity)
Violence🗡️ 4/10
The dragon writing school was such a fun and interesting concept, and I was engaged from page one. I really enjoyed learning about the different types of dragons and the bond between dragons and their riders, which felt unique and well thought out.
Professor Roscoe was a dynamic character, and I liked watching his growth throughout the story as he slowly came to care for Aurelia. Friendship is a huge focus in this book, and I absolutely loved the dynamic between Kenric and Aurelia, even when she was August. Kenric showed kindness to someone who was honestly pretty odd, which was nice to see.
The relationship between Kenric and Aurelia is sweet and age appropriate. I loved that it wasn’t very romantic at all, which feels exactly right for a middle YA book. I also really enjoyed the bonus chapter from Kenric’s POV and was so glad it was included.
I would highly recommend this book to younger teenagers, especially since the characters are fourteen, though I really enjoyed it as an older teen as well. Thank you so much to Julie Janis for the advanced copy.
Favorite Quotes:
His entire demeanor lit up. “You’re smiling.” For some reason, I had completely forgotten that he hadn’t seen me smile like this before. I self-consciously tucked a tendril of hair behind my ear. “Oh, uh… yeah.” “It looks good.” My stomach took a great big swoop, but in a good way. Interesting how three simple words could make me feel all fluttery and giddy inside.
“Dude, you just got punched by a girl.”
His mouth slanted into a shy smile. “Besides, even if they weren’t in danger, I’d follow you wherever you go.”
Content Notes:
Spice🌶️ 0/10
Profanity🤬 1/10 (uses the word pi****, which some wouldn’t classify as profanity)
Violence🗡️ 4/10
February 17, 2026
Now I will say take this with a grain of salt, I tend to read more magical realism middle school books than straight up fantasy. I totally see I am not the intended audience.
It was as advertised. A story where a Mulan happens, girl has to pretend to be boy, and it's focused on a girl having a dragon rather than a boy having a dragon. Mulan meets how to train your dragon. Overall I liked the concept of the book, when I was growing up I couldn't think of a book that was about a girl and a dragon, only boys and dragons, so this is a welcome change. A school for dragon riders, but the only people who attend are the sons of warlords and nobility or politicians (seems like something that will be explored in book 2). Like they set it up for this book so we can get some more dirt for book 2.
I did appreciate that Aura acts her age, she is 14 and doesn't have all the answers. Her and her classmates talk like 14 year olds. There are no swears, and just a few cute romance moments.
Aura is a girly girl, and wants to stick true to herself but is put in the position of a life time; the chance to become a dragon rider if she hides her true self. That means the book has some good morales, we should be true to ourselves, shouldn't judge others without getting to know them, that sort of thing.
This will keep your avid reader busy with a 367 page story.
It was as advertised. A story where a Mulan happens, girl has to pretend to be boy, and it's focused on a girl having a dragon rather than a boy having a dragon. Mulan meets how to train your dragon. Overall I liked the concept of the book, when I was growing up I couldn't think of a book that was about a girl and a dragon, only boys and dragons, so this is a welcome change. A school for dragon riders, but the only people who attend are the sons of warlords and nobility or politicians (seems like something that will be explored in book 2). Like they set it up for this book so we can get some more dirt for book 2.
I did appreciate that Aura acts her age, she is 14 and doesn't have all the answers. Her and her classmates talk like 14 year olds. There are no swears, and just a few cute romance moments.
Aura is a girly girl, and wants to stick true to herself but is put in the position of a life time; the chance to become a dragon rider if she hides her true self. That means the book has some good morales, we should be true to ourselves, shouldn't judge others without getting to know them, that sort of thing.
This will keep your avid reader busy with a 367 page story.
Review of advance copy received from Author
A girl as a dragon rider! The moment I saw this snippet of Julie’s book, I knew I had to read it. Especially because she’s not your typical tomboy girl.
Aura, the FMC, is a 14-year-old girl who is a self-proclaimed girlie girl. And as she will tell you herself, she loves dresses, makeup, and being a girl. She’s committed, caring, and brave.
Kenric, the MMC, is a young boy who comes from a very prestigious and respectable family, who is kind, caring, honest, and brave.
Aura has a dragon that is now bonded to her. Something that should not happen because she’s a girl. This leads to Aura disguising herself as a boy to be able to attend Wings Academy. Where she will learn how to be a dragon rider, and where her path becomes intertwined with Kenric’s. With his help along the way, Aura will learn that being a dragon rider is not so simple. And that there is more at stake than what she could have ever imagined. Chaos is brewing in the shadows, and choices will have to be made that will alter Aura and her dragon’s destiny.
If you enjoy reading very young adult, dragon-filled, adventure, fantasy, with some forbidden romance, you will enjoy this book! Thank you to Julie for the ARC.
Aura, the FMC, is a 14-year-old girl who is a self-proclaimed girlie girl. And as she will tell you herself, she loves dresses, makeup, and being a girl. She’s committed, caring, and brave.
Kenric, the MMC, is a young boy who comes from a very prestigious and respectable family, who is kind, caring, honest, and brave.
Aura has a dragon that is now bonded to her. Something that should not happen because she’s a girl. This leads to Aura disguising herself as a boy to be able to attend Wings Academy. Where she will learn how to be a dragon rider, and where her path becomes intertwined with Kenric’s. With his help along the way, Aura will learn that being a dragon rider is not so simple. And that there is more at stake than what she could have ever imagined. Chaos is brewing in the shadows, and choices will have to be made that will alter Aura and her dragon’s destiny.
If you enjoy reading very young adult, dragon-filled, adventure, fantasy, with some forbidden romance, you will enjoy this book! Thank you to Julie for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
What a fun, adventure filled ride! 😆 Spark of Secrets follows a 14-year-old girl, Aura, who loves all the frill and girly stuff, but longs for nothing more than to ride a dragon, which only boys could bond with–or so they thought. When she bonds with a dragon, she enters the academy disguised as a boy and trains to be a dragon rider. The characters were all great, the storytelling compelling, and the plot engaging. It holds fast as a true YA fantasy, with none of the spice or woke content you too often see nowadays, which I really appreciated! There’s a hint of a romance between Aura and the boy that trains and befriends her, but it’s written as a sweet crush with promises of more to come. All in all I loved this book, and am intrigued by the mystery surrounding the empire leaders and what they really know about dragon bonding. That ending left me eager for more! 😁
/I received an ARC from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own/
/I received an ARC from the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own/
Review of advance copy received from Author
I love the premise of this book, the synopsis gives me Tamora Pierce's Alanna vibes. It is an easy, quick read as befitting a book for lower young adults. Our main character here, Aura, actually acts her age. I'll admit it took my brain a bit to get used to! I over all enjoyed this book but it seemed like parts were under developed? Aura is a well fleshed out character but felt like the only one that was. And maybe that was intentional but even the main male character, Kenric, felt flat. We only really start to learn much about him toward the end of the book. I dont want to spoil anything but some of the interactions felt rushed at times when I wanted more information to explain Aura's reaction.
Review of advance copy received from Author
THIS BOOK WAS A BREATH OF FREAH AIR
I love fantasy, but everything published lately seems to include a FMC that wants to be treated like one of the boys, with a morally grey MMC that tortures her in some form or another until things turn into sexual friction.
I IMMEDIATELY was giddy about the FMC being a girls girl! The MMC was perfectly respectable and everything felt extremely age appropriate for 14 year olds! I read this book and thought, I cannot wait to read this with my daughter, which immediately makes it bookshelf worthy to me! The story was plot driven, characters were unique and fit the world perfectly. Cannot recommend this book enough!
*I did receive this as an advanced copy, but the review is 100% my honest opinion!
I love fantasy, but everything published lately seems to include a FMC that wants to be treated like one of the boys, with a morally grey MMC that tortures her in some form or another until things turn into sexual friction.
I IMMEDIATELY was giddy about the FMC being a girls girl! The MMC was perfectly respectable and everything felt extremely age appropriate for 14 year olds! I read this book and thought, I cannot wait to read this with my daughter, which immediately makes it bookshelf worthy to me! The story was plot driven, characters were unique and fit the world perfectly. Cannot recommend this book enough!
*I did receive this as an advanced copy, but the review is 100% my honest opinion!
Review of advance copy received from Author
If you want a YA book about dragons that follows a classic Mulan trope, look no further than Spark of Secrets by Julie Janis. I enjoyed the read, particularly the first half where we learn about our main character and watch her discover the dragon. That initial setup and the bond building were definitely the highlights for me.
However, I did find myself getting a bit bored closer to the end. While I can usually appreciate YA books written for a younger demographic, this one felt very young—definitely aimed at kids younger than what I usually read. Because of that, the stakes didn't feel quite high enough for me personally, but if you have younger kids, I would definitely give this to them for a cool fantasy introduction!
However, I did find myself getting a bit bored closer to the end. While I can usually appreciate YA books written for a younger demographic, this one felt very young—definitely aimed at kids younger than what I usually read. Because of that, the stakes didn't feel quite high enough for me personally, but if you have younger kids, I would definitely give this to them for a cool fantasy introduction!
March 1, 2026
This book caught my attention because it's dedication
"To all the girly girls -
Your femininity is not a weakness. It's your strength. Stay brave. Stay bold."
This book is sweet. It has the perfect blend of feminine heart and girl power strength. The characters are easy to root for, and it's the type of book I would put into my niece's or someday my daughter's hands to show her what feminine strength and valor looks like. I loved reading this sweet story, and can't wait to share it with my friends.
"To all the girly girls -
Your femininity is not a weakness. It's your strength. Stay brave. Stay bold."
This book is sweet. It has the perfect blend of feminine heart and girl power strength. The characters are easy to root for, and it's the type of book I would put into my niece's or someday my daughter's hands to show her what feminine strength and valor looks like. I loved reading this sweet story, and can't wait to share it with my friends.
December 17, 2025
I have been so excited for this book and having the opportunity to read it had me ecstatic. I love how Aura is still portrayed as feminine and loving girly things even while going through her trials and hardships in her pursuit of being a dragon rider. The relationship between Aura and Kenric is absolutely adorable and I can’t wait to see more of them! Overall the story is very captivating and I am intrigued to see how it will progress in future books.
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January 3, 2026I was a beta reader for this. Thank you to Julie Janis with providing me with that opportunity! I love this cover! It's so refreshing for the indie space.
This was a fun and addicting read. There were so many fun one liners and lovely descriptions especially of fashion. There are some topics that are touched on that is needed for this age group. I am thinking upper MG/lower YA, but it depends on the emotional maturity of the child/teen. I am excited for excited for people to read this and for me to get into book 2. I can't wait to see how Aura and the rest of the characters grows and we deal with the aftermath. The Ending dude!
This was a fun and addicting read. There were so many fun one liners and lovely descriptions especially of fashion. There are some topics that are touched on that is needed for this age group. I am thinking upper MG/lower YA, but it depends on the emotional maturity of the child/teen. I am excited for excited for people to read this and for me to get into book 2. I can't wait to see how Aura and the rest of the characters grows and we deal with the aftermath. The Ending dude!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I enjoyed this book more than I thought. it's nice to have a break from "spicy" books on occasion. This is definitely something I think my kids would absolutely love too. I very much enjoyed watching the dynamic change with Aura and those around her and I can't wait to see how the rest of the story unfolds.
December 22, 2025
Parts of the first chapter seemed a little mechanical with a few extra large words for YA however the characters vocabulary became more natural as the story progressed. Over all the story was well written and entertaining with a good story line.
February 18, 2026
Loved this book! I loved the main character, the action, adventure, of course the dragon riding. There was mulan vibes with Aura having to hide who she is. I also really enjoyed the growing friendships and relationships with all the characters. Overall a fun YA book!
December 21, 2025
ARC here. I just finished and it was amazing. I can’t wait for the second book!! I loved it!
January 25, 2026
I absolutely loved this! I loved the fast pacing. I love Aura and Kenric! Loved the dragons and everything about this!
This is great for lower ya or middle grade. So so good!
This is great for lower ya or middle grade. So so good!
Review of advance copy received from Author
This was a really good book to read. I enjoyed every minute of it.
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