Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon

by Rena Rocford

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon was fun! When it starts, Allyson is at the mall with her best friend, Beth, when they run into a group of very large men talking about unicorns. Allyson is convinced that they're speaking in code and that they're human traffickers. She's trying to figure out what to do when she unexpectedly breathes fire at them! What's going on?! Allyson and Beth get away from the men, and Beth tells Allyson that they're trolls and really are looking for unicorns to sell. Oh, and she's also half-troll and Allyson is half-dragon.

I really enjoyed Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon from that very first chapter. Allyson is kind of a loser, with Beth being her only friend. She cakes on theater make-up to cover what she believes is chronic acne, which is actually emerging scales. Her asthma turns out to be her starting to be able to breath fire! She's gone 15 years without knowing what she is, and now she's caught in the middle of a mythical creature crime scene! Not only must she help her best friend clear her name after being accused of kidnapping unicorns, she also has to learn about her own abilities and save her dad from an evil plot! Lots of stuff going on.

The one thing that bothered me about Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon was Allyson's relationship with her mom. Or maybe her mom's motives. They move every few months, so Allyson has never even completed a semester in the same school. I suppose this was her mom's way of protecting her, but from what? Her father? Other Kin? Who? She never really explains this. And I found it odd that she refused to tell Allyson the truth about being a dragon even when she saw the signs of her manifesting. You cannot convince me that her mom didn't suspect about the scales and fire breath? That's not something you can hide forever!

Anyway. Acne, Asthma, and Other Signs You Might Be Half Dragon was a quick, fun read. Allyson and Beth go on a wild roadtrip, following clues left by her aunt, and outrunning those who seek to harm them.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.