This story has major Disney channel energy XD. I can so clearly see the commercial break graphic of Ember shoving her boys playfully, then crossing her arms and popping her hip, her eyes flaring up draconically. The premise of this book is not goofy, it's kid soldiers and raids on refugees and sexual assault and racism/able-ism.... But the execution of that premise is sooooo goofy, these dragons and soldiers going surfing, grabbing smoothies and pizza, playing arcade games, getting butterflies in their tummies XD. This book, for all that it wants to have moodiness and heart, is actually pretty fluffy: Manic pixie dream punk meets awkward quiet conservative boy and they inspire each other to be Real, and then they smooch one summer. The teens worry about FEELINGS when they should be worrying about GUNFIRE, the villain monologues, but ultimately it's a cute story about love against all odds and living authentically. I was very entertained. I flew through the book and am eager to dive into the next one.