
Member Reviews

this book contained dual point of views told from the two princesses who are entangled in this prophecy that half the world does not even believe is real. I love the trails that were described and i felt that one of the perspectives was stronger then the other so it kind of lagged in a few spots for me. I definately think this book is more new adult then ya with the amount of sexual overtones in the book i think it dabbles way to close to the line. I did throughly enjoy the story though i just think it should be marketed better for those who have teens that they want to know what they are reading.

I really liked this one. It’s not a life changer, give me more, I’m crying because it’s over, but it’s good. It’s slightly confusing in the beginning and I felt like it took a little while to pick up, but once it does it’s packed full of mystery, magic, actions and plot twists. It keeps you guessing and keeps you in the dark about things in the best way. You grow to love both of the main characters. You don’t see it until closer to the end, but these two stories that seem completely different are seamlessly woven together. Definitely a talented author! I would definitely love to read the next book and see what happens. I still have a lot of questions!
On the other hand, there are some parts that are rated R. So be warned- it has a little bit of everything in that realm.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

First off I want to say thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me an E-Arc of this book. Now, on to the review because I have a lot of thoughts.
The first chapter of this book was amazing, and I really loved Queen Rielle in those scenes, but after that I found the story to be quite lackluster and it really let me down. That could be because it was so hyped in the YA spaces on the internet, but I really expected so much more for this story and it just fell flat for me. The writing style just wasn't for me either. I really wanted to love this book, but sadly I didn't. I saw the plot twists coming in the first third of the book and I was just all together let down. I think the idea was in the right place, but the execution just didn't do anything for me.

In this high fantasy novel, there are two queens - the Blood Queen and the Sun Queen. One will unite the land and the other will destroy it. In the first book of what will be The Empirium Trilogy, we meet the cast of characters that will lead us through the, what can only be called "epic", journey of two young women.
Told in the alternating voices of Rielle and Eliana, their stories span two times of turmoil in their kingdom. Rielle, raised in the elite company of the King's son and his cousin, has been training for years to keep her gift a secret and under control. Eliana, a deadly assassin, working for the evil Emperor, has talents that she is unable to explain.
Furyborn will keep you in your seat as you become acquainted with Reille, Eliana and their friends and family. Every chapter in this tale is packed with action, adventure, danger and romance. It is breathtaking in it's scope and lush in it's descriptions. The character development is strong, and the writing is vivid and fast-paced.
The story of Furyborn will appeal to every fantasy lover out there. However, I have some concerns about putting this book in a school library. It is my opinion that the sex scenes are way too graphic for a school library - even high school! I would blush if I ever had student check out this book - and I don't consider myself a prude. It's not that they are having sex, it is the detailed description of the sex!
The story is great, but I will not be buying this book for the library.

This fantasy novel starts really slow, but as it progresses it will capture the readers' attention and not let go.

I had a feeling I wasn't going to like this one after everyone kept telling me how gripping the prologue was - and I couldn't even make it through that without taking two coffee breaks.
I don't know what it is with fantasies lately, but I fear they're all becoming the same?! The last three fantasies I reviewed had fantastic concepts, creative and innovative ideas that could have been suspenseful and breathtaking - and all didn't live up to their potential. Sadly, Furyborn seems to follow that new recipe.
The writing felt very unrefined and choppy. At first I believed this was only an issue in the prologue, but it stunted sentences throughout the story.
The pacing was lackluster. At times, it wanted to engage the reader but instead dragged on.
We follow two female perspectives in this book, a thousand years apart. This was at best confusing and at worst boring. Sometimes I didn't even know whose chapter I was on because the characters didn't feel all that different from each other. If you're using two POVs, I at least have to be able to tell the difference in characters. While I did like Rielle a bit more than Eliana, I didn't feel a connection to either of them. And the bi rep I was promised...well, I can't even remember reading about it, so it obviously wasn't enough.
All in all, I think this could have benefitted from editing - a shorter, more focused novel might have been the way to go. Still, I'm sure loads of people will love this story; it just wasn't for me.

The world building isn't bad, but the problem really is that there isn't much depth. It's all just non-stop action, and because of that, there's no investment in the characters. Also, I had a problem with the fact that the two main characters have almost identical voices, so unless I specifically looked at the name at the beginning of the chapter, I couldn't tell them apart. I was expecting something more due to all the positive reviews I had seen on Goodreads, but unfortunately I was let down.

This book is epic. The world building and characters are amazing. I really enjoyed reading strong, badass female characters. I can't wait to read book 2. And that cover is absolutely gorgeous.

I’m not really sure what to think about this book. I have wanted to read it for months and was absolutely stoked to receive an ARC but this book was hard work.
Usually I fly through a book quickly. This one, it was tough.
That said, I did enjoy it, and I await the following book(s). I think what bothered me was that basically right from the start we know who Eliana is. That’s not a surprise. But it takes SO long for things to start happening. At about 30% dots start connecting, then they stop. We get more about 55%, then it stops again. Finally at the end we get even more but it’s the end. The intervening sections are hard work to get through. Also, I felt not enough explanation was given about Eliana’s time. What happened after Rielle fell? Why is it bad? Even as simple as who is who?
Still, I did enjoy this book at points. Rielle was an intriguing character, who you thought you’d hate, but don’t. Eliana is a little more complex. One thing though is I absolutely HATE how she uses sex.
Simon is interesting, Remy is sweet, and Navi was neither here nor there.
I did think Zahara’s appearance was random, even if a great addition.
I would like to see more humour, the parts where it was were fantastic, and more explanations. I get we’re supposed to be left in the dark to an extent, but if it’s to the point where we check out, I don’t think is intended.
Still, a decent book if you can stick with it, and am awaiting the next books!

I really wanted to love this book. I've enjoyed other books by this author, but this one just really dragged for me. I found that I could not get interested in the characters or what was happening to them. I found the dual POV jarring even thought I usually enjoy multiple POVs. However, I know other people who have loved it, so it's really coming down to personal taste with this one.

Right off I know I'm a lone wolf on this book but man I just did not get it AT ALL. I can name the characters but can't tell you who was actually in an authentic relationship. I ship no one in this book. This story had a blood queen, a sun queen, angels, healers and crawlers but I could not picture any of it. Page after page the story never came together for me and I read every word. I don't know what to say except I won't be reading the next book in the series.

This story is told with two POVs: Rielle and Elaina. Rielle’s story is 1020 years prior to Elaina’s story, but these two women are vastly connected.
Rielle has hidden powers that she doesn’t want to expose and tries not to expose. However, when her best friend (also her crush) is nearly killed by assassins, her powers are exposed when saving him. This brings to light a prophecy: a queen of light and salvation and a queen of blood and destruction. Because she is exposed, Rielle must go through trials in order to prove she is a Sun Queen. If she fails, she dies.
The book opens with Rielle giving birth and giving her baby to Simon before Corien, an angel, discovers her. This leads us to Elaina’s POV later on. She has a little brother that likes to tell stories and a mother living with her. When her mother is abducted, she runs into The Wolf (Simon) and he promises to help her find her mother if she helps him in return.
It’s always tricky when you find out a book has two POVs because you want to be sure that you can follow the story. Thankfully, it was very easy to understand what was going on in the different time periods. There’s adventure, secrets, fun and dramatic moments that left me hanging on.
Honestly, the only character I didn’t like was Corien, which is plainly obvious. I found him to be creepy because, no matter what, he is always around. I just wanted him to go away, but obviously he is a vital part of the series so I guess he has to stick around. I’d definitely label him as a villain, though.
I loved both Rielle and Elaina. Their personalities really matched and they both were strong girls that had big hearts. I’m not saying that were “good”. When I talk about their hearts, I mean they hold so much love for their family and friends and it gives them so much will to continue their adventure and their mission in the book.
I enjoyed Simon’s character, too. To be honest, the name is too modern for me, but oh well. If it wasn’t for Claire’s character cards, I’d still be picturing him as an oldish man. He was your typical male character, though. He seemed to be angry at something when there wasn’t anything to be angry about. He’s stubborn at times, annoying and is damaged in some way. I totally love that MC trope, though. Bring it.
This book is literally so giant and I didn’t feel like it lost its pace anywhere. Every chapter seemed to fit together and provide the reader with valuable information. There’s one part near the end of the book that really broke my heart. It’s definitely too much of a spoiler, so I won’t say anything. Just be prepared for the shock value.
If you need further reason on why you should pick this up on release day, I’ll quote my tiny review on Goodreads from when I actually finished this book on January 31:
“WHAT!” x2

Rating: 4.5/5
Thank you, NetGalley and Sourcebooks Fire, for providing me with an electronic advanced reading copy of this book! Someday I will learn my lesson about reading the first book of a series that isn't complete yet. I tore through Furyborn in just a few days and now have to wait until "sometime in 2019." Sigh.
Furyborn was a really great read. The universe is unique and intriguing, and the women are strong and pretty complex. I never felt like the story was dragging, and I definitely didn't want it to end.
The story starts with a prologue that is immediately gripping. It contrasts sharply with the characters' lives and relationships in the first few chapters, which left me hungry to understand how everything could have gone so...wrong. You get the feeling that the story is going to be complex and exciting.
The narrative switches back and forth between our two protagonists: Rielle and Eliana. In a world full of magic and free of the threat of the angels—who have been trapped safely behind a gate for nearly 1,000 years—Rielle is a young girl with power like the world has never seen. She must convince others (and herself) that she will use it for good and not evil. A century later, Eliana is a bounty hunter for the Empire (evil, of course) that rose from Rielle's ashes, trying to convince herself that she is a terrible person so that she can live with herself and the lives she's taken. Then her mother is taken, and a high-ranking soldier from the underground faction of rebels convinces her that he can help Eliana find her. At the center of their stories is a prophecy stating that the angels' gate will fall when two queens rise—the Sun Queen and the Bood Queen, one with the power to destroy the world, and one with the power to save it. But who is which? We're whipped back and forth between the two girls' perspectives like lightning speed as they fight their battles—one whose path careens closer to the fall of the world, and one who will (presumedly) save it.
I'm not always a fan of alternating narrators; I feel like it pulls me out of the story. A cliffhanger sort of loses its potency when you have to read another whole chapter before it picks up again, and it's easier to set the book down that way. That was not really the case with this book. I was equally hooked into both storylines. I'd be frustrated when it would switch, but after only a few words, I'd be pulled back into that other story, glad to have returned to it.
A few of the ancillary characters were kind of flat, but completely lovable. And I do think the book set them up to become more complex in the next installment. There were also some really great romantic moments—oof. Wow.
Again, I cannot. believe. I have to wait for the next one. Why, cruel world?

I really did enjoy reading Furyborn! It definitely read as something heavily inspired by books like Three Dark Crowns, The Mortal Instruments and the Red Queen series - the mixture of all these three made it a great book overall, as I enjoyed all three of these series immensely.
My only issue with it is the way the narratives were set out - there were alternate chapters from Rielle's point of view and from Eliana's point of view - personally, I think it would've been better had this first book been about Rielle's story and then the subsequent books had focused on Eliana's character. It currently just reads as highly predictable - the epilogue/first chapter basically gives away the whole premise of the book, and considering it's 512 pages (roughly), it just makes the whole reading process seem pointless.
That being said, regardless of the WAY it was written, the actual story was great. I wouldn't say it was super different, but it was definitely a different take on the stories that have already been done, so I definitely appreciated it. I enjoyed reading it, even if it took me a while to get to it, and I probably will be reading the sequel!

**ARC provided by Sourcebooks via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Wow. I am new to YA fantasy, and after hearing several booktubers mention this book, I decided I would check it out ASAP. I was lucky enough to snag an ARC (!!!) and got to reading right away.
The prologue grabbed my attention immediately, but I also knew then that I was in for an interesting ride. There is ALOT happening in this book. You have two different stories happening in two different timelines. I had trouble following the world building because the story switched timelines every chapter.
I did, however, like the storytelling. I found myself racing through Eliana’s chapters so I could find out what happened to Rielle next, and then vice versa. The chapters are short, which I appreciated since I am a late night reader. The romance in the book is also not too “in your face” like I feel it is in most YA books.
Is this a perfect book? No, not even close. There were certain points in the story that I felt were copying The Hunger Games a bit. There are also certain aspects of the story that are not explained well, so I am hoping that is addressed in the next book.
Overall I think this is one that deserves a read, especially if you like YA fantasy. I would steer clear of too many details prior to reading it (hence my lack of plot details in this review). I am anxiously awaiting the next installment of this story!

This book probably could have gotten a grudging 3-star rating out of me if it had been about half the length it is now. Pro tip to authors: just because you are writing high fantasy doesn't mean it has to be ridiculously long, especially when you don't really have any plot to fill up that page space. Sometimes less really is more.
Anyway, this was your usual run-of-the-mill really bland YA fantasy story with weird romance included. There was a sex scene that was apparently horrible according to other reviews, but I can't really attest to that because I saw they were getting naked and just skipped to the next chapter. Also apparently there's a lot of hype for bi-rep with this, but it basically amounts to a few off-hand sentences about both the women sleeping with both men and women in the past [love interests in the current timeline are all male]. While that does technically mean they are bi, I feel like it's not really something to be overly-praised as I didn't even catch it until I came here to read all the reviews. That's how completely under-the-radar the whole thing was.
There was a mildly interesting plot hidden somewhere in this but 1. it was your average chosen one / prophecy plot that has been done to death at this point and 2. I had literally forgotten what was supposed to be happening by the time everything started coming together at the end because it's seriously just that long and boring. Looking back you can predict every plot twist in the book just from the prologue, but I was so bored it that it had already gone in one ear and out the other. Also I had literally forgotten there were angels in the book because they stopped mentioning them for the middle half of it and then suddenly it's back again and I'm just sitting here like 'wait, what???'.
I think the main problem was that none of the characters were interesting enough to make me care so information just went in one ear and out the other and I would constantly be asking myself 'wait, what is the point of this again?'. Someone with more patience for both long books and YA nonsense might have better luck with this, but I'm putting myself on a YA high fantasy ban at this point because I just can't do it anymore.

This book starts off well then slows down a bit but then it just gets better! I enjoyed both character perspectives, Rielle and Eliana, and I love that they were from different time periods. The story did get a bit confusing at times because even though there are 1000 years in between the two characters it doesn't seem like the world has changed very much. I'm also still confused about the angels. Still, even with these issues I was blown away by this book. I appreciated that there is an actual sex scene in the book. YA books are usually super vague on that topic.
I love the cover and I've looked up pictures of the finished copy because I was hoping the final would have gold foil accents. Unfortunately, it doesn't look like they do.

This book was HYPED up. Like I don't think I saw as much advertising or just energy put into a book being publicized in a long time- so props to the author's PR team. So you guys better bet that I was was shook when I got this book through netgalley for an honest review. I definitely was honored and very excited to read it.
In Furyborn we follow two women, Rielle and Eliana, in a tale that weaves through time. Apparently a long time ago angels ravaged the land, and Seven Saints got them on lock and shut them all behind the "Gate", however as this happened one of the Angels made a prophecy that one day two queens will emerge, The Blood Queen and The Sun Queen, and one will wreck havoc and free the angels and one will save them all. Rielle and Eliana are obviously the implicated queen duo. The story about how they find out, what they do, and how they are connected unfolds as you read it.
I was pretty split about this book. On one hand the premise is awesome and the idea of two stories happening centuries apart was cool, but on the other hand the main characters were not all that likeable and I dont know if the story was as cohesive as I would have enjoyed.
Lets talk about the characters first:
- Rielle: She came across as an all-powerful snowflake that was kind of a brat but I did feel for her. The relationship that she had with her father was obviously what defined her behavior but like come on, you could be a little less annoying
-Eliana: Cue the bad ass assassin with a fiery attitude and a secret past she knows nothing about.
- Audric: Probs my favorite character, but I am a sucker for a good boy with a loyal streak and sense of honor/duty. *swoon* Unfortunately he's dead so.... (not a spoiler I promise)
- Simon/Wolf: He seems like he has an interesting backstory and I want to know so much more about it. Why is he called the WOLF? Did I miss that? I WANT TO KNOW EVERYTHING. Hopefully it will be addressed in the future books.
I think that book has an interesting premise. Even though I wasn't really invested in the main two characters, I enjoyed the story enough to want to read through the trilogy and learn more about the history, about the Angels, and about the magic in general. Also it ended with a lot of questions unanswered, so I will definitely be picking up the next book to find out what the heck is going on.
3.5 stars

Furyborn by Claire Legrand
Book 1 of a trilogy. Fantasy. Alternating chapters between Rielle and Eliane, young women living a thousand years apart. Each soon to be Queen. Their powers define them.
War, power struggles and oppression.
So much killing. So much violence. Thousands of innocents, the poor and weak, their families, friends and even the horses. Much to graphic and senseless for me. And very, very long.
Rielle has numerous powers and must prove her abilities with trial after trial. I keep thinking Hunger Games. Eliane is running for her life with her brother trying to find her mother, constantly fighting for survival. Both must prove to themselves their worth.
Not a cliffhanger but not the end of the stories either.
If you like fantasy a la Game of Thrones, with power struggles, under-handed devious game playing and a plethora of death, this might be for you. Many people are loving this fantasy world.
I received a copy of this book from NetGalley.

Furyborn is a fantasy that follows the stories of two girls who live 1,000 years apart: Rielle, a girl with enormous power that she must keep secret, and Eliana, an assassin for an evil empire who puts aside her feels to keep her family safe. Throughout the story, we go back and forth, finally finding out how their two stories are connected at the end of the book, though it still ends on a cliffhanger, at least for Eliana's storyline (we find out what happens to Rielle in the shockingly dramatic opening scene).
There's almost non-stop action in Furyborn, so it's a really quick read and great for those who enjoy plot-based books. If you're looking for character-driven stories, this is probably not for you; though the main characters are fleshed out to an extent, the secondary characters are never fully formed and are used mostly to advance the plot. This is the first book in a series, though, so more character development may come later.
While the story and magic system in this story are not direct copies of any particular book I've read, it did seem like an amalgam of a lot of different popular YA books or series and I kept being reminded of other works while reading. It was entertaining, but nothing felt really new or unique about it (though for readers new to the genre, this won't be an issue).
There is one explicit sex scene (cringey, but not Sarah J. Maas levels of cringey), so this is best for older teens.