Child of the Dragon by Ashley N.Y. Sheesley | BBNYA 2026 Spotlight
Welcome to the BBNYA 2026 Spotlight Tour!
Today, I'm featuring Child of the Dragon by Ashley N.Y. Sheesley, a young adult fantasy about shapeshifting dragons, ancient curses, and the power of hope.
Kat thought her grandmother's stories of the Rhaegynne were only fairy tales. After tragedy strikes, she discovers that the dragons are real-and that she is one of them. Now a prophecy, a curse, and tyrannical kings threaten far more than her senior year.
Which sounds more intimidating: a centuries-old dragon curse or high school calculus? Kat may have to tackle both!
Let's take a closer look at this BBNYA 2026 semi-finalist.
About the Book: Child of the Dragon by Ashley N.Y. Sheesley
Title: Child of the Dragon
Author: Ashley N.Y. Sheesley
Genre: Fantasy, Contemporary Fiction
Age Category: Young Adult
Length: 435 pages
Publication Date: March 10, 2026
Book Blurb
Our only hope is the hope we forge ourselves.
Kat always thought her grandma's stories of Rhaegynne-shapeshifting dragons-were just fairytales. But that all changes when her grandma is killed, and she learns that not only are they real, but she is one.
A prophecy and a curse set in motion ages ago, have now turned Kat's quiet senior year into chaos. What was supposed to be a gift becomes a tool for breaking a curse that forces others to serve tyrannical kings who will use them to wage war and destruction across Earth.
But hope . . . is more stubborn than a curse.
Fighting alongside friends new and old, Kat must learn to harness the heart of the dragon in order to break the curse, destroy the kings, and save the dragons. All before succumbing to the curse herself.
Honestly? It'll be a breeze compared to calculus.
Find the Book
Shop Child of the Dragon on Amazon | Goodreads | The StoryGraph
As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.
Meet the Author
Ashley N.Y. Sheesley
Ashley N.Y. Sheesley is an aroace and disabled author, scientist, animal lover, and a big fan of all things fantasy. In fact, she is only a scientist because she can't figure out how to be a wizard in real life. She lives with her husband and her small army of animals-a bearded dragon, a bunny, and three cats. Her writing can be found in Artifice & Access: A Disability in Fantasy Anthology, Why Aren't You Dead Yet?: A Disability in Dystopia Anthology, and with her award-winning debut YA contemporary fantasy, Child of the Dragon from Inked in Gray Press, the first book in the Pact of the Ancients series.
She is represented by Kaitlyn Katsoupis at Belcastro Agency.
A Little Extra from the Author
Ashley shared a few fun details about the book with BBNYA, including its opening line and the idea that started it all.
What is the opening line of your book?
"Nowhere in my plans for Friday night did I anticipate hiding behind a steel crate in a shipping yard with a dead body at my feet."
Tell us a fun fact about your book
"I initially started this book when I was in high school 15 years ago. At the time I was experiencing chased-by-dragons levels of stress, and wanted an escape, so I wrote about a girl in high school who could actually fight real dragons (and turn into a dragon because that was dope). That book has evolved so far over the years, but the initial idea came because, given the choice between dragons and high school drama...well...I think we'd all choose the dragons."
What food or drink pairs best with your book?
"Dr. Pepper"
About BBNYA
The Book Bloggers' Novel of the Year Award (BBNYA) is celebrating the books that made it to the semi-finals with a mini spotlight blitz tour for each title.
BBNYA is a yearly competition where book bloggers from all over the world read and score books written by indie authors, ending with 15 finalists (18 in 2026) and one overall winner.
Learn more at BBNYA and follow @BBNYA_Official.
Let's Chat!
If you could choose, would you rather discover you could transform into a dragon or have one as your loyal companion?
More Dragon Fantasy to Discover: If you love stories featuring fierce heroines, dragon bonds, magic, and dangerous kingdoms, don't miss my 2025 BBNYA spotlight featuring Lady of Dragons Part One by Shelby Elizabeth.
Thank you for joining me for this BBNYA 2026 Spotlight Tour feature, in association with TheWriteReads!
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