Dragon's Oath

Reach for this book when your teenager is grappling with the heavy realization that growing up often means making impossible choices between duty and personal desire. Set against the backdrop of P.C. Cast's House of Night universe, this novella serves as a prequel that explores how a young man transitions from a human world of expectation to a supernatural world of service, all while navigating a tragic first love. It is a poignant meditation on the permanence of loss and the strength required to honor one's commitments even when the heart is breaking. Parents will appreciate the way it handles themes of loyalty and cultural identity, as the protagonist, Dragon Lankford, must reconcile his traditional upbringing with his new identity as a vampire fledgling. While it contains some mature romantic elements and violence typical of the YA fantasy genre, the story is primarily an emotional exploration of grief and the formation of character. It provides a helpful entry point for discussing how our past experiences and the people we have lost shape the leaders we eventually become.