Review: Rider of Dragons by Aamna Qureshi

September 3, 2026

Synopsis:

Genevieve’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 needs.

Without her family’s money, nobody will train her. Desperate for help, she agrees to a terrible Qais, a 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 last.

The dragon races aren’t just about being the fastest. In these races, sabotage, attacks and all out violence are all legal. 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 DARK AND THRILLING ROMANTASY DUOLOGY FROM THE AUTHOR OF THE BABY DRAGON CAFE.

Review:

We live in a world where modern technology and dragons co-exist. I never know if I’m okay with combining those expectations, but that’s a me problem 🙂

The yearly dragon races have been a form of entertainment for a long time. Genevieve lost her brother years ago and wants to participate in the race, just like Danny did. Her family doesn’t support her, with her father even forbidding her from taking part. When she refuses to back down, he kicks her out. Genevieve now has to find a way to do everything in her power to convince everyone that her decision is the right one.

Early on, I was immediately drawn into the story and was rooting for Genevieve to find her way. I understood her family’s desire to protect her. However, the conflict came across as a bit harsh, with neither side willing to take a step towards the other. Genevieve coming from a financially stable background made it a little too easy for her to finance her endeavour. Her finding a place to stay also happened a bit too easily for my liking. Seeing her struggle more would have made her character arc more interesting to me.
While I enjoyed the trial-based system of the dragon race, it became somewhat repetitive during the second half of the book, as the trials were essentially more of the same. There were some moments of character development in between, some of which I enjoyed more than others, but overall I wanted more from the story.

It was an enjoyable read for me, with a lot of potential, but it didn’t fully succeed in delivering on that potential. I enjoyed the writing style a lot, which kept me turning the pages and not wanting to put the book down.
Overall, I was interested enough to want to know how the story unfolds in the next book.

🌙 Recension: Rider of Dragons (Dragon Racer #1) by Aamna Qureshi
📚 Genre: Romantasy
📅 Release Date: September 1, 2026
📖 Publisher: Avon
📱 Read as: Kindle
📗 available in various formats
💸 I received a free copy of this book and am voluntarily leaving a review.
🗣️ Language: English
📆 Pages: 427
⭐️ 3.5/5