This was fun, but inconsistent and a lot of the jokes seemed aimed at adults not kids. I did like all the characters, who were consistent, outside of the inquisitors who kept going back and forth between being actually threats and not.

The minute I saw this cover with an irresistibly adorable baby dragon wearing a party hat blowing out the candle on his birthday pie, I knew I just had to read this story and find out why. And this story did not disappoint me at all with it starting about how technically dragons were extinct/banished (but not really) and how an egg just happens to fall into the mischievous hands of Ailís who turns out to be the right person for little Pilib.

Yes, hijinks ensue with the smuggler-Nope, legitimate trader as well as the buyer (one Lord Saibhir who is thoroughly selfish and above the law and possibly mostly illiterate) on the hunt for the missing egg and then the inquisitors get involved (without a proper writ even!). That makes this story a nice cozy, hilarious adventure to get the dragon to safety and properly begin the journey of Pilib and Ailís as they set out to change the world, one dragon at a time. And now I want a good blackberry pie! Plus the next book so I can see what will happen with Ailís brother and the town of Baile which is definitely going through some changes now that eggs have arrived (and those inquisitors need writs!)

Thank you to netgalley and the publisher for this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review!
3 stars

This is a fun, cute story that would be a fun read for younger readers. It relied a lot on bumbling idiot humor, which isn't necessarily bad. It had me smiling, but it definitely made it read younger. Ma was a ton of fun with how she handled it all, though xD She was probably my favorite character. I'm sure it would be a great book to give to kiddos for their first adventurous high fantasy!

All that said, something about the book just didn't do it for me. It was fun, but not really catching. I also wish Pilib would have had more to do than just hang out in a bag. He provided so much opportunity for silly shenanigans, but it never really happened.

If you reading this decide to pick it up, I hope you enjoy :D

Joseph John Lee's Upscaled is a cosy and adventurous journey into a world where dragons and humans collide with plenty of chaos and charm. The sarcastic banter between characters adds a playful twist, keeping the tone light and fun even during tense moments. With quirky personalities and unexpected surprises, Lee’s imaginative world-building makes the story both entertaining and heart-warming. A perfect start for those who love a blend of cosy fantasy and sharp wit!

First, thank you to NetGalley and the author for the ARC!

This was a cute little read, all about a girl who really just wanted pie and to throw her newborn dragon friend a birthday party. This definitely seems more for younger audiences, but if you're just looking for something light-hearted to give you a good laugh, definitely check it out!

My one gripe was the ending. It was painfully obvious what her brother was hiding, and it all felt a bit rushed. Given that this was a less than 300 page book, I feel like we could've had another chapter or two to make the end a bit smoother. Otherwise, no complaints!

I have to admit I didn’t expect to enjoy this as much as I did. It’s a somewhat campy but ultimately cozy book with plenty of dragons, jokes, and fun characters.

A review of this book would probably be inadequate without noting some of the names of essential elements. The fact that the Inquisition of the Priory of the Thrice-Dead Prophet decided to ban dragons and forbid all questions about their heroic mission tells you a lot about the kind of humor and hijinks the book will contain.

The stakes are pretty high (the Inquisition is after them, after all!), but it never feels tense. Everything stays lighthearted and fun. The book’s humor might not be for everyone, but I enjoyed it. The humor reminded me somewhat of The Hero’s Guide to Saving Your Kingdom series by Christopher Healy. There are stupid jokes and pop culture references that characters shouldn’t be making, considering that they’re in a fantasy world, but the book's silliness encourages the reader to just roll with it and enjoy the book for what it is. It’s not trying to be a serious fantasy with intricate rules. It’s trying to be a book with pie and dragons and silly jokes to make you smile, and it more than delivers at that. Once or twice the jokes pulled me out of the story for a moment and occasionally the jokes were a little forced, but overall I got a few chuckles.

I’m not entirely sure who the audience for this would be. A lot of the humor wouldn’t make sense to a kid, but an eleven-year-old main character (who doesn’t always act her age, unfortunately sometimes seeming much younger) isn’t going to appeal to a lot of older readers. Maybe it would be a fun read-aloud?

I wish the dragon had a lot more time because it sometimes felt like it was an afterthought in spite of being a main plot point, and some of the descriptions were repetitive or confusing. Despite the faults, though, I thoroughly enjoyed reading it.

While I wouldn’t say it’s a perfect book, I had a perfectly enjoyable time reading it. The flaws were overshadowed by the charm of the characters, the silly humor, and the overall fun time.

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for giving me a free copy to review in exchange for my honest review.

3.5 stars rounded up.

A fun, snarky adventure full of unapologetically tongue-in-cheek humor and sarcastic dialogue!

This book follows young town troublemaker Ailis as she finds herself the proud new caretaker of a - deeply illegal and supposedly extinct - baby dragon. All Ailis wants is to enjoy her new companion and throw the dragon a birthday party, but everyone from her mother to the mayor to the High Inquisitor keep getting in her way!

I really enjoyed this silly little book. While the writing was very juvenile and less polished than I usually prefer to read, the sarcastic humor and the way the book didn't take itself seriously at all made for a really fun story. I enjoyed all the characters and chaos and would recommend this book to any reader, young or old, who enjoys snarky, goofy, and lighthearted stories... or anyone who just loves dragons!

I think I'm not the right target audience for this book. Maybe cosy fantasy just isn't for me. The ending annoyed me and felt too rushed. A lot of the story felt rushed. I don't know why we followed the smuggler only to never get his ending from his perspective.

I did like seeing the Irish names used and the dragons were cool. This book is meant for kids and I'm an adult so like I said not intended audience.

This is a really great book for kids. The adventure the family goes on due to Ailin doing a prank on a traveler. The book moves along well. I really enjoyed it and would recommend to kids who enjoy fantasy and dragons 🐉! The way the book is written it made me feel like I was watching a movie and the side comments are fun. As an adult I enjoyed it and the kid in me would have loved reading it in school.

Upscaled is a really cute novel, but unfortunately I had to DNF this one after I read aprox. half of it, because I couldn't connect with a 11 years old. That being said, I feel like the book could be great for a middle grader and I think that founding it in the teens & YA category was just an error

Thank you Eclipseborn publishing and NetGalley for the ARC of this book😊

I laughed so much during this tale! Ailís is a wonderful character and she grew on me the more the story progressed!! All she wanted was a birthday party for her dragon (Pilib).
I loved the humor and it was exactly the type of fun read I needed!!

I found out not to long ago that I’m a dragon lover. I absolutely loved this book and had a great time reading it! I’m not usually a cozy fantasy girl but, Upscaled may have just changed that game for me. Having a younger main character is also a bit of a switch up and I think the writing was done so well that I was still able to become immersed in the book. If you’re up for a fun and cozy fantasy please do yourself the favor and pick this up.

This was such a gem. Although it reads like a children’s tale, I was never bored by this cute and silly (in the best way) story. This is also the first time I’ve read a book where the author proclaimed their humor was inherited from Pratchett and the Monty Python and it actually felt like it. Every single chapter with the Inquisition and many other scenes read like they were taken out of a Monty Python movie.

The characters are endearing and so relatable. No matter how old you are, you’ll find one you’ll probably identify with in some way. The overall low stakes and the absurdity of the bad guys made this a journey where you can just enjoy the flow without ever having to fear for the characters’ lives.

This was my first book I read by this author. I enjoyed it and found it very charming. I’m look forward to the next book in the series.

Thank you NetGalley for letting me read this ARC. All opinions in this review is my own.

Many years ago, the Inquisition banned all dragons because they represented a great evil according to the Prophet. The fact that they did not manage to eradicate them all is widely ignored. When a dragon egg falls into the hands of a young girl - she only wants to prank a merchant - a small dragon hatches from it. While the Inquisition is after her, she only wants to throw a little birthday party for the dragon.

A delightful, lighthearted, humorous story about a dragon in need of a birthday party.

Sadly, it was not my humor. Most of the humor was deprived of all persons of authority being utter idiots. Unfortunately, this fact also made the book a bit boring. The b

A cute cozy fantasy story that kept me reading and made me smile. The perfect book that makes you feel good and travel to a places you never knew existed.
Well plotted, intriguing characters and world building. I can't wait to read the next one as I loved this one.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher for this ARC, all opinions are mine

Upscaled is the first book in The Dragons of Nóra series. It's such a cozy story with a humorous tone that I really enjoyed. Even though it's more on the younger side, I think everyone will love the story. Plus, the cover is adorable, which initially drew me to the book. Overall, it was a delightful read and I highly recommend it to everyone. I can't wait to pick up the next book. Thanks to Netgalley and Eclipseborn Publishing for the arc.

Thank you Netgalley and Eclipseborn for access to this arc.

Can I just put it out that I really was hoping for a LOT more dragon stuff. Pilib is adorable but spends a great deal of his time asleep. But then he is a youngster so perhaps that accounts for it. Ailis is, ahem, strong-willed. Bratty might be a better term. She's eleven and acts like it knowing full well that it will drive her poor Ma demented. Ma and Camarain are my two favorite characters after Pilib. I'm willing to admit that maybe it takes a strong person to bond with a dragon but Ailis got on my last nerve a time or two.


The other people in the book range from secretive (but otherwise nice) to frankly silly. Many of them, as the secretive person says, "engage in debates of their own idiocy." This happens frequently. It was boring after a round or two. One character in particular bloviates quite a bit. The debates and arguments are frequently repeated not just in general but often basically word for word. It's like watching the Ministry of Silly Walks non-stop for a few hours.


There's a lot of humor and an overall lighthearted feel to the story. However those very aspects also remove almost all the tension and sense of urgency as well as often not landing properly and falling flat. It's clear that witty and whimsical were what was being aimed for but alas, these are reached maybe half the time. I also sincerely hope that the final version has been line edited a bit more as many words were often missing altogether or used strangely.


I'm not sorry I read the book but I'm also debating whether or not I'm the right audience for it. Perhaps the silly humor and low key approach to the high stakes will work better for lower middle grade readers. I honestly doubt that teens, much less young adults, would be entertained. But at the same time, there are some arguments lightly made against the causes of (real world) disputes which might sail over the heads of eleven year olds. So is it a cozy fantasy? Well ..... mostly, maybe? The story ends with an epilogue that I could see coming which also intrigues me so I will be watching to see what the second book is about. C+

What I liked:
-The main character was precocious, fun, mischievous little girl who has a good heart but always gets into trouble. I really enjoyed reading her story.
-The humor was great. It was reminiscent of Monty Python, which I enjoy. The book struck a good balance between humor and serious moments.
-I think this book can be enjoyed by all ages, though I would probably classify this as a juvenile book.

What I didn't like:
-Camarain was underused. I felt like there wasn't much of a reason for him to even be in the story because he didn't really do anything. I feel like we'll get more of him in the next book, especially after the ending, but I wish we had gotten to know him more in this one.
-There was not enough of the cute dragon! I thought it would be more of a character but instead he's more of a house pet. This is definitely Ailis's story and I was hoping it was going to be more of Ailis and the dragon's story.

The tone is funny and fresh, perfectly suited to the protagonist's age, and the touches of absurd humor are a real delight. However, I must say that the girl at the center of this story deserves a few slaps, and I had some trouble continuing my reading at times. I felt more sympathy for the poor, exhausted mother. But a young reader probably won't dwell on that ^^ The ending was very predictable, and I admit I'm a bit tired of chosen one stories. But the writing is lively and funny.