Novice Dragoneer
E. E. Knight

This is the first in a new series by a national bestselling fantasy author. A 14-year-old girl has escaped the cruel Captain who raised her in a Dickensian orphanage. She somehow made her way to the gates of the Serpentine Academy on the annual open application day. She arrives in the night only to be told she’s too late; the gates are closed. She begs in her halting stutter to be admitted as it isn’t midnight yet, but they leave her shivering in the cold, refusing even her request for a drink of water. However, she’s determined to find a way to apply: her dearest dream is to become a Dragoneer. Besides, she has no money and nowhere to go. So she settles down on the rocky ground.

I think you can tell from this brief introduction if this is the sort of story you, or someone in your family, will find to be your cup of tea. I wasn’t sure as I usually prefer more science- and sociology-related SciFi. But I came across this and thought, well, I love Tolkien, I’ll give it a try. And I thoroughly enjoyed reading it! There's a reason Knight is such a popular YA author.