Thank you @netgalley for the Advanced Reader Copy of Dancing with Dragons by Jenni Ogden. This debut novel is set in Australia, and Gaia’s life changes forever when she is a teenager, when a house fire kills her parents, injures her older brother who then takes off, and leaves her with severe burns and scars. She is in a hospital and foster situation until she is 16, then comes back to her rural home where she attempts to live off the land, and spend time snorkeling and learning about the creatures that live in the sea. Life is difficult but she finds joy and ultimately friendships and found family. This reminded in some ways of Where the Crawdads Sing-both young girls, on their own, communing with nature. I was very pleasantly surprised, enjoyed this story. #dancingwithdragons #jenniogden #netgalley #advancedreadercopy #debutnovel #australia #bookstagram #foundfamily #lovetoread #takeapagefrommybook #readersofinstagram

This is my second book read by this author. It's a very touching and emotional story. The story of a young lady who loves the beauty of the sea. She was suppose to be a ballet dancer before the loss of her mother.

The hope she has of saving some of the creatures in the sea. How she survived losing her parents and then her brother leaving. The prejudice she was forced to witness because she chose to befriend you young Aboriginal boy who loved to watch her dance on the beach.

Gaia and her brother were being trained for the ballet. Their mother had been a ballet dancer and wanted her children to follow in her footsteps. The family lived on a farm where they worked the land. Sold vegetables in the market to make money. They didn't have electricity. Their parents wanted them to live off the land. They lived in a remote area with only a neighbor and his wife.

One day Gaia and her finds Sea Dragons in the water and is mesmerized by them. She knows they are a rare one to see and is so excited. But that night something horrible happens and her life takes a whole new path. She loses both parents in a fire and is badly burned herself. Her brother received burns but nothing like she did. After this Gaia pretty much isolates herself from people.

Gaia makes new friends. She deals with a lot of prejudice and violence because of a young boy who she befriends. While dealing with the possibility of losing the peaceful and tranquil life and the beauty of the sea to people who only want to take land and build resorts. They don't care about the wildlife. She does.

This is a very sweet book. A good read with a good feel to it. Aside from the prejudices that is. It's told in a beautiful way that just draws you in and keeps you turning the pages. To me it was a fast read. One I just couldn't put down.

The Epilogue was beautiful. Gave me chills and a few happier tears. Also do not skip the Author's Notes. A lot of great info there.

Thank you #NetGalley, #SeaDragonPress, for this ARC.

Five big stars.

I loved everything about this book starting with the cover. That was the first thing that I was attracted to. What a wonderfully well written story. I enjoyed reading every page of it.

I didn’t get to Dancing With Dragons before the publish date, but now that I have read it, I gave it 2.5 stars

This was a lovely story of survival and connection. Watching and learning how Gaia loves nature and sea life was amazing. The family dynamics provided very realistic depiction of her family life. This story was absolutely beautiful and is worth the additional attention and time it needed.
Huge thank you to NetGalley, Jenni Ogden, and Sea Dragon Press for this advanced copy.

3.5 stars

Dancing with Dragons is a compelling novel about survival and growth, following the fortunes of the orphaned Gaia, after a tragic house fire claims the lives of her parents. With her brother taking his own path, he returns to the family property to restart her life in whatever way she can.
Returning to her daily routine of dancing and snorkelling, she soon befriends a local Indigenous boy Jarrah, and their friendship helps both to grow in their own way, despite the conflicts that come their way.
This book just felt like summer, every time I picked it up. Ogden’s descriptions of the landscape, the coral and coast really come to life and I found myself thinking back on school summer holidays – not as they were but how you always imagined that they would be.
The central conflicts in the book revolve around some developers keen to turn Gaia’s idyllic surroundings into a resort; and her abusive, alcoholic neighbour Mason, who has designs both on the payout and on Gaia herself.
The rest of the novel revolves around Gaia coming to peace with her past and the things that have happened to her, and taking steps out of a previously sheltered life (home schooling and mother-run ballet practice) to find an extended community of her own, as well as a passion for environmental conservation – an element of the story that could perhaps have provided more challenge for the characters.
Like other readers, I felt that the two main conflicts were resolved a little too easily in the end (although I suppose you would argue otherwise if you were Bron!) and Gaia didn’t really have any other foils to her own growth – everybody else was enchanted by her.
That said, the story flowed well and did build tension – I thought Rita Roo was done for when they said Mason was out shooting roos, as did I think the male sea dragon was similarly fated. I particularly enjoyed reading about how much Jarrah came out of his shell and I liked his Epilogue.
All in, I think from a plotting point of view, this novel could have been tighter in certain aspects. But from the point of view of making the reader feel and root for the characters, I can say that Dancing with Dragons drew me in and I thoroughly enjoyed escaping to the coral coast for a little while.

My thanks to Sea Dragon Press, via NetGalley, for the eARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

A beautifully written story of living differently, early life tragedy, learning to overcome, discovering beauty and the importance of finding the right way to forge ahead. A very thoughtful story. Thanks #NetGalley #SeaDragonPress

i enjoyed this book, I just don't know that it what I expected it to be, even after reading the description. I thin kit was much sadder than I thought it would be and I wasn't prepared for that. Why I gave it 3 stars.

oh i just loved this! i found it so beautiful but heartbreaking at the same time - i usually struggle with books that are a little slower paced but this held my attention throughout! the setting was so beautiful as well, i felt like i was transported right over to Australia and could picture everything so vividly.

i’ve loved this author’s previous work and cannot wait to see what they do next!

thank you so much to netgalley, the publisher and the author for the arc 🫶🏻

Dancing with Dragons sounded very different because of its plot.

Gaia and her brother Bron lost their home and parents in a fire when she was 14. They’re so close and then have to go their separate ways. I was drawn to the book immediately.

I have physical and visual disabilities and a lot of scarring. I had to learn how to love my body again after surgeries and so identified with Gaia and Jarrah’s plights.

The areas where they live and the area where the sea dragons were is so atmospheric. The sea dragon mating ritual was interesting and magical.

I felt sad for Gaia and Bron when their parents died, and wondered if they’d ever see each other again as the story developed.

The writing style is gripping all the way through. It makes me feel as if I'm living everything along with the characters. There's no awkward lagging in pace or confusing parts.

Gaia has severe scarring after the fire. Will she ever dance again? Will she feel comfortable with her body? I liked how she met Jarrah, a boy with difficulty walking and a club foot. Their friendship is so special and a joy to witness.

I liked his aunty and I also liked Seamus. I'm half Irish, so the references to Irish culture through him were wonderful.

Will Jarrah and Gaia ever see each other again? I was really hoping they would. I was concerned about Gaia living in the barn of her childhood home.

Dancing with Dragons is magical, heartfelt and has wonderful visuals and well created characters. It’s unforgettable. It’s about learning to love yourself and your body no matter what it’s like. It’s about embracing your passions in life and fighting for the people and things you want and love.

I loved it when Gaia was referred to as a fairy.

New Zealand Aboriginal culture and Irish culture combine in this novel. Ballet and Irish dancing. It’s a lesson in life about finding happiness within sadness and difficulties.

I definitely hope there’ll be more books by Jenni Ogden.

Thanks to Jenni Ogden and Sea Dragon Press for my eARC in exchange for an honest and voluntary review.

5 stars

I adored this book. I thought the story was captivating and heartfelt. It inspired hope as well as action to do more. Thank you for the ARC. I look forward to reading more by this author.

A truly lovely story of love and loss and love regained. It finished somewhat abruptly, I'd have liked a more traditional 'all wrapped up' ending personally!

Living in Australia with the coral reef in her backyard, Gaia and her brother Bron find some rare sea dragons performing their mating dance. Their beauty and grace draw Gaia in, and she's entranced by these creatures. That night, her family home burns down and she's left to fend for herself as a teenager. Isolated with only a few neighbors nearby, she spends her days dancing along the beach and looking for those rare sea dragons again. She has to venture out and relearn how to trust others to ensure nobody threatens their survival, especially when threatened by land developers.

This book is really an overall message of hope and healing. We have hope for Gaia finding peace in her life, and hope that these sea dragons can be protected for future generations. I love all the conservation themes and her animal friends that follow her around her gardens. Rita Roo sounds lovely and makes me miss my wallaby friends I've made in the past. This story is beautifully written, so descriptive, and I hope it inspires others to protect the wilderness. Gaia is a strong and resilient character who is easy to relate to despite all the trauma she endures. Her found family is so warm and cozy, and I love Jarrah. There is so much heart in this story.

I really enjoyed this book and recommend it to all who enjoy dancing, healing, and nature. I look forward to reading more of Jenni Ogden's work. This cover is gorgeous, and as the author recommends it is really interesting to look up videos of sea dragons doing their mating dance! I received this book as an ARC from NetGalley for my opinions. It is available now!

4.5 Rounded up

I liked this so much. This is a perfect summer read for someone who doesn't want a beachy romance, but wants to feel seasonal in their reading choices. Beautiful story. I love the natural elements of this story, and love the sweet characters. Very good!

Beautiful story but heartbreaking at times. Nature, Romance and so much more ...Truly has all the feels, Gaia the main character goes thru so many challenges but never gives up.

This book had a wonderful sense of place- I felt transported. I would recommend this book to anyone from, traveling to, or interested in learning more about Western Australia’s Coral Coast. This book handled some difficult topics, with a particular emphasis on ecological issues and conservation. I loved the interconnected theme of emotional healing, particularly through connecting to nature. As someone with a passion for marine life, this is a great addition to my library.

I appreciate receiving a digital ARC from NetGalley and the publisher. The story was slow (I need to stay away from "lyrical prose") but informative from an ecological and aboriginal standpoint. If it weren't for those two things, I don't think I would even give it three stars. This opinion is my own.

The message in this book about environmental and indigenous rights is important to understand.

The story is a little slow paced, but I think that is something that helps the reader understand how connection to our environment is a communal journey and not a fleeting responsibility.

Gaia offered a unique perspective from her trauma and how nature helped her process and connect to herself. Jarrah was just a breath of fun youthful air that represents the innocence and beauty of the world.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC!

Absolutely loved his. Gorgeous setting, really likeable characters and a kangaroo called Rosie Roo!

It's got dance, a little romance, lots of rural Australian landscape, including secluded beaches and coral pools and an interesting story that keeps you entertained. It has big lessons on the environment, without being preachy, too. There are also discussions about racism, specifically the treatment of indigenous Australians, which is handled quite well, but I'd have been interested in there being more detail to that side of the story.

A beautiful book, from start to finish.