The Dragon Next Door by Vanessa Ricci-Thode is a captivating middle-grade fantasy novel that effortlessly blends magical realism with everyday life. The story follows the young and curious main character, who lives in a quiet suburb until they stumble upon an extraordinary secret—there's a dragon living right next door. The discovery sparks a journey of friendship, personal growth, and uncovering hidden wonders, as the protagonist learns that there is much more to the world than meets the eye.

This was a really exciting fantasy about dragons, with an adorable f/f romance, and lots of political intrigue.

I absolutely loved the premise of this novel and it exceeded all my expectations! Bee and Tollar were really fascinating characters in their own right, and I loved how we learned more about their past and backstory as the novel progressed. I think the 'before' chapters were some of my favourites from the whole book. I also loved the chapter from Bale's POV. Bale is such an adorable character and it was so cool to see things from her perspective and how she perceives the dynamics between characters.

The world-building was great, I loved the emphasis on the different professions/life-styles of the characters, and how they worked together.

Overall, a really good queer fantasy! With dragons!