I have made a decision.

I am no longer reading A.T. (Aamna) Qureshi’s books. They are clearly not for me. This one will go to the charity shop as soon as I’ve finished writing this.

Apparently, The Baby Dragon Bakery is one of Qureshi’s Adult novels. Frankly, the characters in A Witch’s Guide were more mature and sensible. I’d switch the two for their marketing categories, not that it would make any difference to whether I’d read either again.

It’s true they snuck around less, but I feel very sure that baby dragons, being lizards, do not require bottles of special baby dragon formula (which rather suggests milk). Dead chicks would probably be preferred. Again, maybe it’s a little thing (like the “snuck”s), but it did rather jar my disbelief. A reminder that all is not as it should be. And sure, dragons are mythological, who really knows, but they are still lizards. Winged serpents. It’s dead chicks for dinner for the babies. Cows for the adults. Not milk.

And then there was the really very teenaged behaviour on the part of the main characters (both mid-twenties), and their inability to actually talk to each other, despite apparently being the very Best of Friends and knowing all there is to know about each other. Or nearly all there is to know. It was all very unconvincing. Like I said: I don’t think I’m the target audience. But I do despair of the target audience. Adults aren’t really this silly, are they?

I nearly didn’t bother finishing this book. They were annoying me from the first chapter. I persevered, however, and then wished I hadn’t. But there was a car journey, and traffic.

But I do know I shan’t be rereading this, and there it shall end.

Verdict: Off to the Charity Shop!

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