From the moment I read that packed synopsis, I knew I wanted to read this book. The concept of the two queens separated by a thousand years was mysterious and thrilling to me, and it still is in the book. To make this more clear, think of this book as two prophesied female Avatars (yes, as in The Last Airbender), one of whom is forced to undergo a magical tournament of sorts to prove her powers, the other of whom has no idea of her powers or where she truly comes from.

This book was a rollercoaster. The complexity begins right in the prologue, in which we meet many characters and hear many others referenced who show up later. It is a highly dramatic scene filled with death and chaos, and the reader feels a bit tossed around. I promise it will all make sense later.

Of the two queens, my favorite was Rielle. When her story begins, her biggest problem is that she is in love with her best friend Audric, the crown prince of Celdaria, who is engaged to his cousin and Rielle’s other best friend, Ludivine. Audric and Lu are not in love, but their betrothal eclipses any chance for Rielle to be with the man she loves. But when her powers are revealed, she is forced to undergo a series of seven trials to prove that she is the Sun Queen and not the dreaded Blood Queen. Rielle is a complex character and details revealed later give her so many layers and I am excited to see what further unfolds for her in future books.

Our other heroine, whose story takes place a thousand years later, is Eliana, who has lived as a trained killer since she was young. She believes herself to be heartless and with the help of her best friend and occasional lover, Harkan, she works for the crown to take out spies, rebels, and thieves. But when she is given one of her biggest assignments yet, she finds herself caught in a web that is more intricately spun than she ever realized. As she juggles a secret mission, a vow to aid the very criminal she’s supposed to be hunting, and a hunt for her missing mother, Eliana encounters zombies, princesses in hiding, and secret rebel camps.

I do have to praise Legrand for her diversity and representation, which I feel is often overlooked or poorly handled in fantasy. Her characters are many different races and sexualities, and the book is very sex positive. I haven’t seen much of that in this kind of fantasy before, so I was very pleasantly surprised.

I really did enjoy this book, but I do have two things that stood out to me as I read. The first is that fight scenes and more intimate scenes, which are ultimately very similar as far as writing them goes, read a bit clinical. The narration tends to follow the movements and goings on and loses the character’s emotions and motivations, so the scenes end up reading like stage directions instead of a book.

The other thing that bothered me is that this book felt a little muddy, which sometimes makes it a little difficult to pinpoint exactly what it is that’s bothering you as a reader. I think the muddiness comes from the fact that this fictional world is very large and complicated and is not well fleshed out for the reader. I can tell that Legrand has put an immense amount of thought into the different parts of the countries and kingdoms, but especially earlier on, there would be mentions of places that I as a reader did not know or understand, and a weak world building tends to make the story as a whole feel fuzzy around the edges. As I read on that became less of an issue, but as Eliana’s troupe traveled, their route was not clearly written out, so I could’t follow where they were or where they were going.

I found myself more intrigued by the relationships between the characters more than the characters themselves in this book. The wild nature of this book doesn’t make for incredibly relatable characters, though Eliana and Rielle both do have some very relatable innately human qualities. But their relationships with their family and friends and how they develop through the book is very interesting to read. Combined with how active the plot is, how much happens in roughly five hundred pages, and the number of surprise twists there are, this book is definitely a wild ride for any lover of fantasy. All in all, I really did enjoy this book! I’m very likely to read the next one to find out more dangerous secrets and see how certain plot points resolve.

Thank you to the publisher for approving me on Netgalley and gifting me a paperback through the Bookish First program. The opinions are my own and were not influenced by this.

I was not immediately pulled into the story. There is a lot going on and it is a long book so I gave it about 15% until I was hooked. I was jarred by the changing timelines. However, once I got into a flow with it, it worked for me.

My favorite character by far is Simon from Eliana’s chapters. I found Eliana’s chapters a bit more relatable as I struggled visualizing Rielle’s elemental magic. That said, there were things I liked in both timelines and points of view and it kept me reading. I expect to read the 2nd at least to see if it flows better for me.

I would mark this as upper YA or NA.

Rating ~2.5

I truly wanted to love this book. I swear it. Hence why I wished for it. But alas it simply did not resonate with me.

It started off with a blazing fury. But it quickly lost momentum and the for a significant portion of it I was either bored or confused. I tend to enjoy books with multiple POV because it usually adds to the story. However, it simply did not work for me here. Because it as soon as I started to get interested in what was about to come for one of our main characters, we switched to the others POV/storyline. Not my cup of tea.

**I received an advanced copy from Netgalley in exchange for a review. All opinions are my own.**
I honestly wish I could give half stars on Goodreads because this book isn't 3 stars, it's more like 3 1/2. I couldn't see giving it a full 4 stars because of two things: 1. Even though it's a long book, there is still so much I feel is missing. Things that are touched on that should be. I felt pretty confused most of the time when talk of angels and things like that popped up. I feel a little more explanation would have made the story a bit better, hopefully, the next books give us more insight. 2. This book was the most predictable story I think I have ever read. I basically knew what was going to happen towards the end by the end of the fifth chapter and that's not something I really like in a book. A book that is too predictable becomes boring pretty easily. That didn't happen a whole lot with this book, in fact, I was kinda attached, but it was pretty easy to put it down to do other things as well.
I did, however, love the storyline. I tend to have lots of trouble with books that have alternating points of view, but after the initial awkwardness of it, it became easier to keep up with. The characters were likable, I felt that there was good development with both Rielle and Eliana, but I also feel like a lot about Rielle was left out. The whole chapter about the birth of Rielle's daughter was great foreshadowing, but I feel like we don't learn much as to how that came about(I mean, I know where babies come from and all, but a lot of unanswered questions came from the existence of that specific paragraph.
Overall, it was a good book. It was good enough that I would like to read the next ones, just to see if my questions are answered. And who knows, maybe once the series is done, I might think differently of this book.

This wasn’t a bad book there was just too much going on. It was hard to get into. Something intense was happening in EVERY. SINGLE. CHAPTER. It got a little exhausting after a while. I was good, just not really for me

Rielle has the ability to manipulate seven elements, making her one of the prophesied pair of Queens that could save or doom the world. She has to undergo trials in each of the elements to prove herself, risking her life in order to do so. A thousand years later, Eliana is a bounty hunter for the Undying Empire, killing others to keep her family safe. At first, she thought it was working, but then her mother disappeared and she had to ally with the rebel leader in order to find out what had happened. Both soon discover there are far more secrets than they ever knew about.

The stories of Rielle and Eliana are interwoven, and you suspect the relationship between the two long before it's actually revealed over the course of the novel. At first, Rielle is depicted as the horrible Blood Queen of legend in the prologue, but then we actually see her story unfold. She had thought she was the Sun Queen, that she could have the man she loved, the friends she cared for, and be worthy of the people she had been hiding her magical abilities from. Eliana had wanted to be nothing more than the soulless bounty hunter that would keep her family safe and hadn't wanted to question anything she was doing or feel emotion about the consequences of her actions. Each of them was hiding in their own way, and the trials within the novel really force them to take a hard look at themselves and their motives.

Furyborn is the first novel in the Empirium Trilogy. The Empirium in this world is the magic that controls the elements: fire, air, water, earth, metal, darkness, and light. I love the world building involved with the different kingdoms, the history hinted at with the war with angels and their odd appearance and abilities. There are a number of really surprising twists in both storylines, especially as the plots pick up speed and grow really intense. Because this is the first of a trilogy, it feels as though the ending is a bit abrupt. Both story threads end on a somewhat completed note, as both Rielle and Eliana reach the goal that they set out to do at the start of the novel. There's clearly more to the story, and I was disappointed that there wasn't more. I'll have to wait for the other two books in the trilogy, just like everyone else.

Furyborn is the first book in the Empirium trilogy (I believe), and I found myself with mixed feelings about it.

Frankly, I did not find either of the main characters, Rielle and Eliana, all that likable, and most of the time their thoughts and actions annoyed or disgusted me. Probably the only investment I had in these two was hoping for any kind of improvement or development...SOMETHING to make me like them more.

On the other hand, I did enjoy the fantastical/magical/mythological aspects of Furyborn, and I kept turning the pages if only to see what happened next and how everything would (finally) be connected.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley. ***

This epic fantasy story follows two girls from two different time lines set centuries apart gifted with the seven elemental powers that will either save their world or doom it. One is the Sun Queen, the other the Queen of Blood and Destruction. During the devastating war between humans and the fearsome beings known as angels, seven powerful magic users manage to imprison the angels in a separate realm, but it isnt meant to last. It is prophesied that as the gate gets weaker and the angels influence once again gets stronger that two queens will rise.

Right from the start I was intrigued by both main characters and was able to connect to them. They're both complexe and flawed in a way where you can see them easily becoming either the hero or the villain of the story. They both had a tough childhood and make some not so great choices. Eliana is a bounty hunter for the Empire and its cruel ruler while Rielle lives in the past as signs of the gates getting weaker start showing. I was so excited when I found out that both main characters were attracted to more than one gender, and its completely accepted in this world. We even get a lord with a harem of both women and men.

I loved all the different types of relationships. We get a wonderful sibling relationship between Eliana and her brother Remy. Eliana partner/lover Harkan was just the sweetest thing. I really hope we get to see more of him. I also enjoyed seeing Eliana butt heads with Simon and her friendship progression with Navi. Rielle on the other hand has a great female friendship with Ludevine and a cute romance with the Prince. Ludevine was an amazing friend. Even though she's betrothed to the Prince all she wants is to see her two best friends happy together. I also liked how Rielles complicated relationship with Tal and her father develops.

The world with its history, magic and angels was fascinating. Id loved to know more about the marques and their powers. The creatures created by the emperor were so creepy. I did feel like the prologue gave too much of the plot away. The book was a bit longer than it needed to be, but having every chapter end on a cliff hanger really helped keep me engaged. This could have easily been an adult fantasy with its dark themes and steamy scenes. I had a couple issues like how the trials werent actually helping them decide if she was the Sun Queen or the Blood Queen, but only tested how strong she was. I still really enjoyed it and I cant believe I have to wait a year for the sequel.

<REVIEW> FURYBORN (Empirium #1)
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• ⭐️:4,5/5
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💬: The first third of the book was a mess of informations and it took sometime for me to organize my thoughts and all the world building surrounding the story, but when everything settled in their respective place...UOU WHAT AN INCREDIBLE WORLD!
The plot is build with two different povs, one is Rielle and the other Eliana, both women are capable of using the seven elements and for that they are linked to an old prophecy, where exists two queens: The Blood Queen, the destroyer; and the Sun Queen, the one who would save them all. Even if their stories are told lots of years apart, they are linked by fate.
Rielle’s story shows a sensible girl who was afraid of her powers and what it could do with the people she loves, she is an amazing woman who loves with all her heart. She’s also tormented by a voice in her head, Corien. But also enlightened by the love of her life, Audric. To prove to the kingdom that her powers won’t destroy anyone and that she is the Sun Queen, she has to pass 7 trials, each one designed according to an element and deadly dangerous.
Eliana’s story is heartbreaking. She learned with her “mother” how to fight and how to kill and later on she started to work for the Empire as their personal assassin. But her path crosses with one of the favorite agents from the resistance against the Empire, The Wolf, and she cuts a bargain with him. Someone we all know from the beginning of the story and are all dying of curiosity to know how he ended up where he is...The Wolf, Eliana and Remy are trying to bring Princess Navi safely back to her home country as a way to save this other kingdom from the Empire and that means...action and adventures! Also, I know Eliana’s heart is set on her old lover but I kept wishing something would develop between her and The Wolf throughout their mission, because I’m a sucker for forbidden romances and because THEY HAVE CHEMISTRY AND ARE FATED TO BE TOGETHER SOMEHOW.
I was more engaged with Eliana’s story by far but Rielle’s also had my heart rooting for her at some points and saddened by others. I loved Eliana’s relationship with her little brother, Remy and how complicated it was. It wasn’t a blind love like most families have, it was a partnership and understanding. Needless to say that Remy, Eliana’s little brother stole my heart with his imaginative and adorableness.
I can’t wait for the next book and I know things are getting more intense because Corien exists and he is an asshole. But i’m hoping Eliana and The Wolf will be alright at the end.

Furyborn received a lot of hype, so perhaps I went in with higher expectations than warranted. It started out with an explosive beginning and then sort of fizzled. The premise is fascinating, but I had issues with the timing and the alternating timelines. The two lead characters felt like every other fantasy heroine over the last five years. They are fierce warriors but come across as unlikeable. I felt little if any interest in their plights. Simon was easily my favorite character and definitely the most entertaining.

Since I read a lot of fantasy, I don’t mind world building and complex storylines. However, this one became too tedious. Reading Rielle’s countless trials bogged down the entire flow of the book. Despite some of my irritations, the series has potential. I will likely try the next installment.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and NetGalley for my advanced review copy.

Furyborn gives you a world filled with magic and mystery. A distant land where villains are saviors, and angels are monsters. Two queens will rise. The Sun Queen who would bring light into the darkness, savior of humankind and elemental magic. And the Blood Queen, The Lady of Death, The Kingsbane. They're destined to bring ruin and salvation, foretold by the angel Aryava. The only question was, when?

This is an epic fantasy unlike any you've read before. The plot is so detailed and incredibly fantastical, it will sweep you away from the very first pulse-pounding pages. The prologue throws you right in the middle of the action, and the desperation of the characters is so palpable, it will grab hold of you and refuse to let go. The struggle between good and evil is a strong theme; in the fight against the angels and the Empire, and the internal struggle within both of the heroines. Eliana and Rielle both grapple with the duality of their morals, their conscience, and their loyalty.

Rielle Dardenne is blessed with the ability to control all of the elements in the Empirium, but lives in fear of being discovered. There have been signs that the prophesy of the two queens is almost upon them, and the kingdom of Celdaria will look at her with suspicion and distrust if they learned of her unimaginable power. But she's impulsive, and simmering with impatience over being suppressed for so long by her father. One wrong move, and an attack on Prince Audric forces her hand in revealing her true self. Now she'll be forced to prove that her heart and intentions are pure.

During the Angelic wars, the seven saints defeated the angels by opening a doorway into the Deep, and sealing them behind a great gate. They were locked away, with many years of peace ahead, but they would not be imprisoned forever. Rielle will soon discover that one sinister angel in particular somehow has his sights set firmly on her and the potential of her power. In the privacy of her mind, he places doubts about her loved ones, and feeds the fire of her anger. Corien was a truly menacing and disturbing villain. I can't say I really understood her failure to tell someone that he was communicating with her once she knew what he was. Maybe it was his ability to see her weaknesses and exploit them. Or maybe the praise she received from him filled a hole that was left hollow for so long. But as she was put through seven trials to prove her skills and intent, that voice in her head only got stronger and louder.

I've been seeing a lot of people say that their favorite of the two young women was Rielle, but personally, I was drawn to Eliana and her storyline the most. Eliana Ferracora was the Dread of Orline. A deadly assassin who sold her soul every day for the safety and protection of her family. Her mother and brother are the only things of importance in her ravaged world, She's lost hope for herself, but will never give up fighting for their future. If she has to lie, cheat, or kill, she'll do it. Without hesitation.

After her first kill at the age of 12, and since then, doesn't allow herself the luxury of guilt or remorse. Those weaknesses are tucked away in a neat little box never to be heard from again. Survival is her ultimate priority. Eliana was a cold and hard character, but understanding her motivations, and seeing the selflessness that she showed in those rare moments made me believe that the Empire hadn't hadn't completely ruined her. She would need faith to make the right choices, to use her gifts to fight for the weak and helpless rather than throw them to the wolves. And speaking of wolves....that brings me to the Wolf.

The Wolf is a character you can't help but admire, as the second in command to the leader of the resistance. He seems noble, strong, brave, but like both women, much more complex than he first appears, with layers that haven't even begun to have been pulled back.

Both Eliana and the Wolf were a well oiled cog on opposite sides of the war. Unlikely allies, but not necessarily friends, the reluctantly made a mutually beneficial bargain that would further their own agendas. They clashed and butted heads, but fought together like a perfectly synchronized machine. And they were more alike than either would care to admit. I desperately wanted both of them to find a little peace, even if for a moment. His deepest, darkest scars that have yet to be revealed, and I'm so eager to unravel his secrets.

It would be impossible to adequately describe the depth of the characters, or the intricacy of the world building. And I wouldn't want to. You need to discover this awe inspiring world for yourself. There will be terror, despair, heartache, and loss. But there is also love, hope, resilience, and courage. So why not five stars? That was my original rating, but I did have a minor issue with the alternating storylines feeling too jarring. It would have been easier to transition if we got to spend more time in each place, say three or four chapters instead of one before the switch. It was honestly a noticeable adjustment for a decent chunk into the book. However, that being said, this is still undoubtedly a top favorite for me this year, and after that action packed ending, I'm going to be counting down the days until I get my hands on the next installment. Don't walk....RUN now to get your copy of this book.

Two Queens will rise. One of blood. One of light.

Generations ago in a war between humans and Angels, the angels were defeated and locked behind a gate. Do to their influence being taken from the world, magic slowly started seeping out of it.

When the crown Prince Audric is attacked by assassins and Rielle Dardenne saves him, she does so using all the elemental powers as prophesized. To discover the true depth of her power, Rielle will undergo a series of tests, but as she pushes herself to the limit, she begins to understand that things are waking up within herself as well as in the world again, things that maybe should have stayed locked away forever.

Centuries later, as Rielle’s name is but a whisper on the wind, Eliana Ferracora is an assassin known as The Dread of Orlins, word is she’s invincible. She kills those opposed to the Empire in order to keep her family safe, but at the cost of losing a bit of herself with each death. When her mother is taken in the night, Eliana will align herself with those she’s been tasked to kill to get her mother back and she’ll begin to see the rot that surrounds the Kingdom. When an opportunity arises for Eliana to fight on the side of good, she’ll have to face some hard truths about herself.

Furyborn alternates perspectives between Rielle and Eliana. Rielle’s is mainly filling in the blanks that lead to and shaped the world Eliana lives in. While we weave our way through the story, I didn’t think it was about the “big reveals” or the twists and turns so much as it’s about seeing these two timelines and these two women who are each almost in the same situation(s) and they impact they have. It’s actually pretty easy to see where the storyline is going (barring a couple of surprises mind you), but I enjoyed seeing how we would get there.

Both Rielle and Eliana’s alternating stories somewhat mirror one another. I like the nuances of each woman facing the same type of challenges in separate timelines and seeing the choices each made. If I’d had time to read this book twice before reviewing, I would have so I could really pinpoint the variances.

One complaint is that a lot of the forward motion of Eliana’s portion of the story felt very jerky and spur of the moment. It lacked a certain flow at times. I think it’s because there’s so much being packed into this story that it kept the bad guys from feeling as wicked as they’re supposed to be and the relationships as deep as their supposed to be. That goes on both Eliana and Rielle’s side of things actually. I found it rather difficult to like either Rielle or Eliana as they both have some huge flaws and oftentimes make some terrible decisions. The feeling that these women are so revered by the end of the book kinda grated on my nerves a bit. But they try to be good, even sometimes begrudgingly.

I liked the way Claire Legrand posits about the ability of power to corrupt and that even the good sides of things have their darkness.

It’s an interesting world started in Furyborn. By the end many of the connections between the past and the present are made. I’m interested to see how Claire Legrand fills in the rest of the blanks and how those continue to build into the next book.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to have read this awesome new fantasy fiction novel by Claire Legrand.
This new series opened with a POP! This novel was awesome. It had a huge world to built and at times I felt it dragged out, but man alive was it worth it! The two perspectives we hear from are tough, family oriented and wise. They made mistakes, but this is young adult and they are young. But their decisions were smart.
I just felt this was all around a great new fantasy and the author writes it so well that I bel Eve many should enjoy.

When her friend and the prince is ambushed, Rielle unleashes power that she's been hiding her whole life. She's put through trials to prove she can control her powers, and for the king to decide if she's the foretold sun queen. One thousand years later, Eliana is a bounty hunter to support her family, and she's good at it. Her mother disappears and Eliana joins the Wolf (a rebel captain) on a mission.This was a great, inventive new fantasy YA. It took me a little bit to get used to the chapters flipping between times/people but I was soon engrossed and immersed in the world. I was so excited to find out how the worlds and people connected, and am excited for book 2.

Furyborn is an exciting tale of two strong females, who despite all odds take control of their own destiny.
LeGrand crafts a plot thick story that follows two different characters, an interesting way to write a book as you know the ending of one of the characters right off, but you do get to realize how they got there. An excellent book with a plot full of twists and strong females. Definitely one I will recommend.

This book is probably my FAVORITE book of 2018 thus far. These beautifully flawed, strong women are everything that I want to read in novels of any genre!

I loved the alternating perspectives from Eliana and Rielle / present and past, and how wonderfully their stories are so intertwined. All these characters live in shades of grey and I freaking love it!

Forbidden love, courtly drama, a Prince and a Wolf, two fierce women trying to figure themselves out and where they stand, magic and mystery, this book has it all. I was sucked in from the very beginning and I ended on the edge of my seat anxiously awaiting a sequel!

4.5 STARS!

Set in the medieval times world where war seems to be the answer and magic powers, angels, and other dark forces exist, Furyborn by Claire Legrand is a fantasy romance about two fierce heroines and the connection they share!

The story jumps from the past and flashes into the present, a 1000 years apart. We quickly learn about Rielle Dardenne, she's learning how to hone her elemental powers after being held prisoner for so long by her father. She's a rather powerful magistra who can burn the world down with just her fury alone. Then we meet Eliana Ferracora, she's a lethal assassin for the Undying Empire until her mother mysteriously disappears without a trace and she joins the rebels in order to find her. As the story progresses we come across a lot of twists and turns that leave us railing and wanting more!

Claire's storytelling made me remember how much I love and miss YA fantasy/paranormal books. Its been a long time coming since I've been in a world as imaginative as the one this author has created. Claire Legrand not only wrote two strong and loveable females, but really likeable secondary characters who brought more depth to the story as well. Furyborn captivated me from the very first page and though it ends in a cliffhanger, I cannot wait to embark on this journey once more!

This was an awesome premise but didn't quite follow through. I suspect that the next in the series will clear up the problems I had with this one. Full review found at the link to my blog, [a cup of tea and an armful of books]!

********4.5 Star*****

I didn't know what expect from this book when I picked it up and what I found was a book that surprised me at every corner. This book did not read as a ya book and that is not a bad thing. I enjoyed the adult themes in this story. The themes of survival, morality, loyalty, love (romance, family and friendship) are interwoven into the story of two Queens separated by 1000 years, but who face a similar journey with one outcome, destruction or rebirth.

Furyborn had an interesting storytelling format. each chapter switches back and forth between the two main characters (The Queens), Rielle and Eliana. I thought this was brilliant story telling because you see the past come to life in Rielle story and you see the possible future in Eliana story. The past is needed in order to understand the present situation and to show the reader that the past can be redeemed.

Both Rielle and Eliana stories are heartbreaking. Rielle was a girl with tremendous power and when it was accidentally unleashed, instead of her family trying to understand it and to nurture her power. she was locked away and made to feel unworthy and unlovable. Rielle was so lonely that it allowed her to fall prey to an individual that had ill attention. Rielle was giving everything she wanted by this one person who desired to feed her darkness, that she begans to lose her light and her way.

Eliana is a girl living in a world ruled by a ruthless Empire. Her world suffers from the mistakes of Rielle still felt 1000 years later. Eliana world is one built on survival at all cost. Do anything, be anything in order to protect her family and to live just one more day. It's a life that cost a little bit of her soul on a daily basis. She is a women who is afraid of the darkness that lives inside. She fears that one day this darkness will overtake her and she will be lost forever.

Legrand does a great job of showing that this world isn't black or white. That there are no easy choices or answers. The characters all have to deal with there own darkness and desires that may be less than honorable. Her characters are complex, well developed and they each have their own demons to fight and choices to make that may hurt those around them.

The only minor quibble I have is that it is being marketed as a YA book and it doesn't not read as a YA book, but more as an adult fantasy, due to content in this book. It didn't take away from my enjoyment, but I am women of a certain age.

An amazing new fantasy series that consumed me from page one, had me on batted breath and left me wanting more.

******Publisher provided a review copy via NetGalley********

Many Thanks to Net-Galley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy. This did not affect my rating.
*4.5/5*

<i> “Two Queens will rise. One with the power to save the world. One with the power to destroy it. They carry your fate in their hands.” </i>

Furyborn is the story of two prophesied Queens.. The Blood Queen and the Sun Queen, one with the ability to destroy the world and one to save it. Both hold the power to wield all 7 elemental powers.

Rielle is a girl who is hiding many secrets.. about her powers, who she loves.. and all these come to a world shattering head when the boy she holds dear to her, is threatened by assassins. Rielle exposes her powers when she saves his life but puts her own life in danger as the King does not know what to do with her. To prove she is one of the prophesied Queens, and has control of her powers, she must face trials of all 7 elements. Along with her burgeoning powers, there is a voice that talks to Rielle, who she pushes her to be strong. But what is his agenda?
I love love love stories that have trials and tests in them.. I find them so fascinating. Claire Legrand threw the world at Rielle and it was stunning. The way the elemental magic works is so interesting. I just kept wanting to read on and on about how Rielle was going to survive the next trial.

Eliana is the Dread of Orline. 1000 years after Rielle has died and ridded the world of magic, Eliana believes that Rielle and the angels are stories. There is no magic in her world. Eliana is a skilled assassin, helping the Empire get rid of its enemies. She has a caring mother and brother - she does everything to keep them safe. Until her next mark is The Wolf. A rebel who has been wrecking havoc for the Empire. Spurred by the disappearance of her mother and wanting to keep her brother safe, Eliana strike up a bargain and throws her whole world in to chaos.

The supporting cast are all awesome characters, and I can't wait to see how the grow in the next book.
For Rielle, there is Audric, Ludivine, Corien, and Tal.
For Eliana, there are Remy, Simon, Navi, and Zahra.
All these characters play a big role in this book.

I commend Claire for how she handled grief. It is an ever present feeling, leading both Rielle and Eliana in their journeys.

Now, I didn't realize this book had angels, and as soon as that came up.. I was on high alert. I have only read a handful of books where I enjoyed their portrayal.. Well, rest assured, I actually enjoyed that aspect and the mythology it added to the world and I can't wait to see where it leads.

The prologue alone had me flipping pages to see how the characters ended up there.. what happened! and while this book doesn't get there, I can't wait to find out.

Ahhh Romance. Each girl has their own romantic interest. Yes, there is sex in this book but it is tastefully done and respectful. The narrative emphasized consent throughout the whole scene. Hell yes to consensual sex!

Overall, I loved the mythology, the magic system, both badass women, and their supporting cast. It was a fun, action filled ride with sweet moments of young love but also friendship.