The Dragon of the Month Club...What next?

Title: The Dragon of the Month Club
Author: Iain Reading
ISBN: 9781505633665
Rating: 7/10
Genre: Fiction, Fantasy, Teen

"The sudden transition into the brilliant light was painful, and it took a lot of squinting and gradual eye opening before they were able to get a proper look at the world around them.
They were on a long sandy beach at the barrier between the trees and the water that stretched off into infinity in both directions from where they were standing. Something about it reminded Ayana of the beaches her father used to take them to on Vancouver Island during summer vacation. The scene was a neverending wall of green trees, golden sand and blue ocean beyond.

The waves were lapping at the shore a short distance from where the two of them had landed. Crystal clear water stretched out to the distant horizon, dotted here and there by the tiny deserted islands that they'd seen the night before. It was Tyler's bedspread brought to life.
'It's beautiful,' Ayana breathed as she shielded her eyes against the glare of the exquisite blue water.
'What do we do now?' Tyler asked, looking left and right along the seemingly endless expanse of beach on either side of them.
As if to emphasise Tyler's point, they both suddenly heard the far-off snipping of the tailor's giant scissors descending through the forest above them."

Once again I was requested by the fabulous author Iain Reading, to review his first installment of the Dragon Series. Iain is the author of the Kitty Hawk series which I am sure you will remember my reviews from when I read them last summer.

I will admit I have had this book for a while but have simply not found the time to sit and read it with work commitments and other things in life getting in the way. However, I was reminded of the book and I found that my time in Switzerland was the perfect time to start and read this book. I am so glad I did, I really enjoyed it. There are times when you wonder if Tyler and Ayana will make it back to their homes or if they will be forced to stay in this make believe fairyland. They decide to skip school for the afternoon to work on their dragon conjuring skills. The pair creates a range of dragons of all types and abilities. It is following the conjuring of Vapor, the steam dragon, where they spill boiling water onto a pop-up book. This water then creates a spiralling vortex which pulls both Ayana and Tyler into a mysterious land.

Tyler and Ayana are an unexpected friendship. They meet in a library after Ayana is forced in their by the bullying she experiences at school. It is in this library where their friendship develops and they stumble across a book. The Dragon of the Month Book. Ayana and Tyler are not your usual expectation of two friends because they are both very different characters with very different personalities. Tyler is quiet, reserved and shy, Ayana is outspoken, brave and courageous, or so she perceives. As the book develops we find out that Ayana is in fact, a very confused and hurt girl. Her father has "abandoned" her and her and her mother without reason or explanation. There are many times in the story where Ayana reveals her true feelings. She becomes aggressive towards her father who are represented by the sharks attacking her beloved dragons, could this be imagery of her mother being hurt and injured by her father? Ayana fights with all her might to save the dragons from the brutal attack of the sharks.

This is only one of the many adventures Ayana and Tyler find themselves on throughout the story. They become trapped in a forest where they encounter someone who plays with matches and a thumb cutting barber. They visit a desert, where only sand worms and smelly Fremen live. Next, they arrive at a very remote and tranquil Chinese garden. The adventures continue with a stop in Victorian London where they are lucky enough  to stay with Sherlock Homes and Dr. Watson. Before finally arriving at the home of Professor Mobius. The only person who Tyler believes will help our two characters get home again. How wrong they could be!

Once Professor Mobius promises to help Tyler and Ayana, he suggests a nice relaxing sleep. Tyler has told him absolutely everything, everything about the dragons and the book and the mysterious lands they have been travelling across in order to get to the Professor. The Professor uses this knowledge against our characters and takes the dragons away and locks the two in a bedroom where they are unable to leave. This is where we leave Tyler and Ayana screaming and shouting for Professor Mobius to let them out of their prison cell. Iain Reading leaves the book at this stage and does not allow the reader to know any further information about what will happen to Tyler and Ayana. I will only be able to find out from the next book. Professor Mobius now has a map to the mysterious land, the dragons Tyler and Ayana have worked hard to look after and the book where all sorts of future dragons can be conjured. What will happen next?

In the fun facts at the end of the story, Iain Reading admits that he does not know how many more stories will be in this series about Tyler and Ayana but I do hope he creates another book to answer the questions which have come to mind. What will happen to them? What will happen to the dragons? Will Tyler ever admit that he has feelings for Ayana? Or does she already know? Will the dragons return? Only another book will tell.

Rating: 7/10
10-word-review: Mysterious! A great fantasy book which left you wanting more.

FINALLY!! I am thrilled to be able to read the new Harry Potter book, sorry, screenplay! Harry Potter and the Cursed Child Part 1 and Part 2, by J. K. Rowling, John Tiffany, and Jack Thorne. I have been waiting for this for nearly 10 years! I really hope this does not let me down. I am also hoping to read it quickly so hopefully there should be another review posted soon.

Since my last post I have had my birthday, I am now officially a quarter of a century. 25!! I had a great day, spent it in Edinburgh Zoo and got a lot of lovely and great presents. It has now been 20 months since I started this blog and so much has changed. I cannot wait to find out what else happens. Steph xx