A truly masterful tale of fantasy written by one of those rare authors whose storytelling comes as naturally as breathing. Fireborne is a hidden gem found within a sea of overwhelming choices. This uniquely written tale contains a combination of intrigue, survival and the shared desire to be free when individuals of different backgrounds are stripped of their personal freedoms.

Such a great book! I really enjoyed it! Great characters, action, storyline, dialog and writing! I definitely recommend checking this book out!

I think someone cursed me because lately, I'm facing too many disappointing books, I do not like this.

So, at first, I was really curious about this book. I have to say that I was a bit nervous about the number of other books this book was compared to.

"Game of Thrones meets Red Rising in a debut young adult fantasy that's full of rivalry, romance... and dragons."

"Inspired by Plato’s Republic"

"the story is pitched as Aegon Targaryen and Hermione Granger with dragons, set in the aftermath of a bloody revolution."

Because once a book is so heavily compared to other (popular) books, it better to really deliver.

And for me, it did not. It's simple as that.

In the beginning, I really struggled with the characters. I was unsure if I really liked Lee's POV and just in his first POV, I was annoyed by Annie before we even met her. She was just so heavily mentioned that I could not stand her.

However, I have to say that the first chapter was one of the lowest points of the book. It gets slightly better after that, but it still dragged. In all honesty, the book had few "interesting" moments when you thought something would happen and you turned the page and... nothing. Something really started to happen around the 84% mark. And then it all got super rushed.

As I mentioned above, I turned the page, and nothing happened, that's because so much happened off-page. When Lee was somewhere doing something interesting, we got Annie's POV instead. And then we would get some sort of recap of what the other experienced.
And even sometimes when the things were happening on-page, I felt like they were not really happening more like we were told and it was described to us what was going on.

As for the books to which it was compared to, I do not get those. I see the comparison and mention of Plato's Republic and the French Revolution, even Blitz and I personally saw some similarity with the Russian Revolution. And this aspect was really good. But the rest, Hermione Granger (I suppose that was Annie, but I don't really see it), Game of Thrones... No, nowhere near.

The story may have been good. The idea is good, but I did not enjoy the execution. And the writing is nowhere near the books mentioned above. Those "name-dropping" popular books may have done a huge disservice to the author and the book.


Beyond this, it might be slightly spoiler-ish!


The whole book felt just like background noise to Lee/Annie drama. And I cannot stand them as a couple. I like them standing up for each other, but they do not work together as a couple. Annie spends the majority of the book being offended/annoyed/worried or whatever by something Lee did, did not do, how he moved his muscle or whatever.
<spoiler> I think that the Lee and Crissa relationship makes way more sense. As for Annie, I don't really get her with Duck, but even that's better than Lee.</spoiler>

I all this, Power was the best character. He was my favourite, he was the only one who made any kind of sense, had a motive and somehow felt like a real character. <spoiler> Though I do not 100% buy his support of Annie as the Commander.</spoiler>


Here, I need to share my favourite quote from this book which really made me giggle at the moment.
"Maybe you could be my maidservant or something."
"I don't know how to be a maidservant."
"I think they just wash things. You're really good at that. Want to plan the trip with me."

First of all, Fireborne was nothing like Game of Thrones. It's a terrible comparison. Yes, they both have dragons, but that's where the similarities stop. Second, there's some rivalry, but it's definitely not full of romance and dragons. The cover and synopsis are very misleading, which I think does this book a disservice.

I went into this one thinking it was going to be a book about dragons. Were dragons present? Yes. Were they an important aspect of the story? Not really. I like my dragons fierce and capable, or sentient and conversational. The dragons in Fireborne were neither. They were essentially glorified horses with wings, and I really struggled with how they were portrayed. They were more like pets than companions.

Basically, a dragon selects a human when they're young, and then the two form an unbreakable bond. Their owners are given whistles that summon their dragons to them (the whistles create a sound only the dragons can hear, and each dragon responds to a different whistle). How did the humans create these whistles, since they can't hear the frequencies? They also saddle the dragons and place bits in their mouths, which isn't a very dignified existence for the dragons. Some of the riders would spillover while flying with their dragons (meaning their minds and emotions were linked), and that's the closest thing to a conversation anyone had with a dragon. It was super frustrating to see the dragons being used this way, and how they were held responsible for their owner's actions. It would be like punishing a dog for attacking someone when they were trained to obey a specific command.

As for the romance... it was seriously nonexistent. Lee gets handsy with someone as a distraction, but it's obvious he only cares about one person. Their histories make their friendship complicated, and Annie can't get over the face from her past. Her reservations made sense at first, but once we learn about everything Lee did for her, I no longer understood her hesitation. Her actions actually started to irritate me, and I never really liked her as a character. She wants to overcome the obstacles of her past, but she's unwilling to commit to her present. When she finally takes some initiative, it makes her sick (as it should), but neither she nor Lee challenge the decisions of others (even though they don't agree with what they're being asked to do).

Lee is understandably conflicted, and he's torn between what he knows and what he knows to be right. However, the people he's currently fighting for don't always make the best decisions, so it's hard to really choose a side. It seems like death is inevitable, and I disagree with the concept. The author said this book was loosely based on Plato's The Republic and Virgil's Aeneid, but that didn't make the story more enjoyable. Honestly, I thought the book was way too long, and wish it had been condensed for a quicker pace.

I almost gave up on this book, but instead took about two months to read it. I never wanted to pick it up, because I knew it was going to be a long and arduous process. Reading a book shouldn't feel like work, and that's exactly what Fireborne felt like to me. It didn't help that the dragon's played a minor role, and the characters were unbelievably frustrating.

Originally posted at Do You Dog-ear? on December 2, 2019.

4 stars

You can read all of my book reviews at https://www.NerdGirlLovesBooks.com.

WOW. What a ride! I haven't been this engrossed in a book in awhile. It has everything you could want in a YA Fantasy book. Revolution, class warfare, people overcoming obstacles, orphans, family troubles, inner struggles and turmoil, love triangles and best of all - dragons! It's a great start to what I hope will be a very good YA fantasy series.

The main characters, Annie and Lee, were children when a successful revolution changed life for everyone in their country. Before the revolution, three families ruled over the country, headed by Dragonlords. The rulers were arrogant and harsh, with little care or respect for the poor. Annie's family were farmers and Lee was a member of an aristocrat dragonlord family. Both children were forced to watch their families slaughtered. Annie's family were killed when a dragonlord had his dragon burn them alive. Lee's family were killed during the revolution. Both ended up in the same orphanage and clung to each other to survive. Despite how close Annie and Lee became, however, Lee never told her his secret. The secret that would cost him his life if revealed.

After the revolution, anyone could test to become a dragonrider. Years after the revolution, Annie and Lee are rising stars in the new regime. Both have become dragon riders and are competing to become the top commander of the dragonriding fleet. Just as the competition heats up, survivors from the old regime appear. They make it clear that they are determined to take back what was once theirs - by any means necessary. With this news, Lee must make the most important decision of his life. Stay loyal to the new regime, or reunite with his family and fight for the old regime.

Even though this book is almost 450 pages, it is a very easy, quick read. While there is minimal world building, the characters are fairly well developed. There is plenty of action and intrigue to keep the story moving, with very few sections where the story slowed down or dragged. I highly recommend you read this book and am excited to read the rest of the books in this series.

I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

E-galley provided by Netgalley and Penguin Teen in exchange for an honest review. All quotations and opinions are based off an uncorrected proof.

“All that I am, henceforth, belongs to Callipolis. By the wings of my dragon, I will keep her…”

Regardless of your story and characters, chance are that if you have dragons in your book, I’m going to read it. I’m very glad that as I read the book, I found that the dragons aren’t even the best part of the book. The best part, in my opinion, was the character relationships and the way the book talks about societal justice and the cyclical nature of violence.

When I started reading the book, I was incredibly impressed by how charming the characters were. However, the lightness of the beginning chapters gave me the false impression that this book would be funny or light-hearted. The book is actually quite dark and heavy. As the book went on, the characters became more weighted and complex. Of course, the plot of the book really stretches the characters out and molds them into something different as their world’s change.

The plot begins with the end of a revolution. An internal uprising that killed Lee’s family and avenged Annie’s. Both are talented dragon-riders and are vying for the same position. They also have incredible chemistry as friends, rivals, and romantic partners.

Lee and Annie’s relationship was incredibly complex and was a huge motivator for me to read this. They have a huge history with one another and know each other really well that they can see things in each other that no one else can. They also have this dedication to each other that comes before reason and patriotism. They’re two people who want more from one another and never seem to get around to it.

The politics of this book are also really great. Instead of centering on a building revolution, it’s already happening and the book focuses on the establishment of a new system. I realy loved that the book focuses on the way that one system is much like another and what really maters is the people in power and their motivations. I feel like this book had a lot to say about how power itself is a corrupting force and the consequences of reaching your goals.

The experience of reading this book was very very very slow at first. I felt like I had read hundreds of pages when I only read 20. The first half was very tough for me to get through and didn’t have as much substance as I thought the second half did. There’s lots of reasons for this distinction, so I don’t mind it much looking back now, but at the time it was rough. The second half of the book is great though, and I was able to get through it really quick. Character development as well as plot moves at a great pace and you really get to enjoy the whole scope of the story.

I hope and expect this to be a series as while I liked the ending there’s has to be more to the story and I fully intend on seeing this through to the end. I hope that this world grows, but I’m most excited for the character development that I’m eager to see.

TL;DR: A slow star, but a blazing finish for a new fantasy series that promises the excitement of dragons and a societal commentary that’s beyond thought-provoking. If you can push through the beginning of the book, you’ll be rewarded by the last page.

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda one of my most anticipated reads this year, and I'm thrilled to have read it and can easily say it not only lived up to expectations, but blew them out of the water! I've struggled with 'hyped' books and actually mostly avoided them this year after a bad start to 2018 when I DNFed a handful of my anticipated new releases in a row. Not this one! This one also makes me almost want to try some of those other Traditional pub books on my shelf, which is a big deal for me!

I'm easily drawn to fantasy reads, and almost can't resist a book with dragons (and riders!) but that said, I find it difficult for these books to really impress me and leave an impression, going above and beyond the run of the mill average books that tend to be numerous. This is one of those special books that I loved not for the initial draw, in this case dragons, but because the story as a whole was so incredible, and I loved the characters and story with or without dragons, that's what makes a good story. Fear not, there's plenty of dragons and no shortage of fantasy elements, but they aren't used as lures, but instead are woven into a beautiful story that's golden inside and out.

I loved reading Fireborn, and loved the balance of hope against the growing darkness, and seeing the characters learn and grow throughout. I'm so excited at the prospect of reading more of these characters, and can't wait for the chance to visit this world again!

*3.5 stars*
This book had a very interesting concept. I will say that I think I set my expectations for this book a little too high, so I was a little disappointed, but overall it was a good book. One thing that I really appreciated was the slowburn romance between two of the characters. I also loved that the dragons and the political intrigue aspects of the book reminded me a LOT of Game of Thrones. One thing that prevented me from rating this book higher was the pacing of the story. Occasionally there would be time jumps/gaps of time missing that seemed to come out of nowhere. But at the same time, the story still felt a little long/dragged out. Overall, I enjoyed the plot and the characters were very well written, so I look forward to reading the next book in this series!

This was a great book! I found it hard to put down once I got started. The story was interesting, the characters were engaging, and it was well paced.

“ Fireborne” is being marketed as Game of Thrones meets Red Rising so of course, I had to check it out! I mean a book about dragons, what’s not to love? There were some things I didn’t love. The story itself was good but there were many slow parts including a very slow to build beginning. I did enjoy the characters ( a tad more romance in book 2, eh? Lol) for the most part, although one in particular was more than a little frustrating. The worldbuilding was elaborate and the dragons, of course, played a huge role. Overall, “Fireborne” was an ok read and I look forward to reading book two in the future.

I received a digital copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

In all seriousness, Fireborne by Rosaria Munda is the best. I have nothing to compare it to. It is unique, yet takes elements I love from other fantasy novels and breathes new life into them. Do you like dragons? Do you like revolution? Do you like an unlikely hero? Do you love a heart-breaking romance? If you said yes to more than one of these, you are going to love Fireborne. Following two orphans of the revolution, Fireborne explores what happens to society and the teens left behind to rebuild it.

Annie and Lee are opposites. Annie is a former serf, orphaned when her family was executed by the dragonlord they served. She’s timid and shy, but very smart. Her brains take her far. She is allowed a dragon and trained as one of the new riders. Lee is the orphaned son of one of the dragonlords. He should have died, yet he was spared. No one knows how or why, and no one knows his true identity. He keeps it secret. His family was hated and despised, Lee knows that if his identity was ever leaked, he’d be killed. It is the mercy that he was shown and Annie’s history that gives Lee a unique perspective. Lee doesn’t want revenge for what was done to his family, he wants to move past it and build a better future for those that survived.

I love both Annie and Lee. They are unlikely friends that depend on each other to make them better. Lee cares deeply for Annie which is evident from their first interaction. Annie cares just as deeply, but also is confused. She knows who he is, even if the name was never spoken. This silence drives a wedge in their relationship, and when we the readers first meet them it is painful to see. The author’s writing evokes a powerful response from the reader. It is unlike anything else I’ve ever read. I truly felt both their pain and hurt. I just wanted to wrap them both in a hug.

The plot is centered around a tournament, which all the dragonriders have entered. Each win gets them closer to being the leader of the new dragonriders, an aerial fleet for the kingdom. The undertones of the tournament and education they receive is different than what the general public receives. History is being rewritten by the winners of the revolution that occurred ten years prior. Annie, Lee, and the other riders know it. The question is when is it too much. When do you tell the truth and when do you tell a pretty lie? This book explores propaganda and a society in which people are divided not by their birth but by their smarts.

Overall, if you haven’t guessed already, I love Fireborne. It is a fantastic read. The details and the dragons, the new government, and Lee and Annie drive the plot making it a fast read. If you enjoy YA fantasy with a heavy dose of politics, I highly recommend it. Me? I’m just going to be over here waiting for the next installment with bated breath because I need it ASAP please!

Excellent first book in a intelligent, well written young adult fantasy novel. Well written with detailed characters that really draw you into the story. I really liked the historical themes of dragons, romance, war, betrayal and love. This book is for more mature readers, it is intense, and at times slow moving. I was really drawn into the lives and world of the characters, and looking forward to the next book in the series.

Fireborne was by far one of the most inserting books I’ve read in a long time and Ive read Star Wars legends. Fireborne portrayed a form of game of thrones which is healthy and not as hardcore. I was especially entranced by the moral dilemmas constantly faced and the controversy always being encountered by the main MCs.
I’m glad I was given a chance to read a early copy. Definitely a book to pick up before the year is over!

I really liked the concept here but the story didn't draw me in. The beginning felt very slow with nothing really happening and the dual POVs read exactly the same, so I found myself backtracking several times trying to figure out whose head I was supposed to be in. The pace picked up toward the end and stuff happened. I wanted it to be less predictable, but I'll probably give the next book in the series a try.

Interesting read. As a dragon lover, I am always interested in how writers portray them. This was a different angle. I will probably look for book two as I am curious about what comes of the main characters.

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda is a fantastic read. It hooks the reader right away. This book is about two young people from different backgrounds. Both of them having lost their families, they met each other at an orphanage and became fast friends. Lee and Annie are dragon riders in training. After seven years of training, they are finally competing to be the FirstRider. The firstrider is a very important position in the dragon army.

I thought this book was such a great story. I loved getting to know the characters. It was hopeful and dark. I loved all the dragons and politics. I really liked how the story focused on what it costs to be the leaders and the responsibility it takes. Fireborne definitely takes you on the ride of your life. I can't wait to read more about these great characters. I absolutely love them and I am so anxious for more.

Title : Fireborne

Series :The Aurelian Cycle #1

Author: Rosaria Munda

Genre : young adult fantasy

Pages : 448

Rating:4.5

Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world, giving everyone—even the lowborn—a chance to test into the governing class of dragon riders.

Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn’t be more different. Annie’s lowborn family was executed by dragon fire, while Lee’s aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragon riding fleet.

But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.

With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he’s come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.

From debut author Rosaria Munda comes a gripping adventure that calls into question which matters most: the family you were born into, or the one you’ve chosen.



My thoughts

Would I recommend it? Yes

Would I continue with the series? Yes

Would I read more by this author? Yes

Told in dual point of view you see the story come to live before your very eyes, the characters, the world, everything, you find out that there was a brutal revolution that happened and that everything changed, and with that changed came a new time when everyone no matter who they are could test to see if they have what it takes to be dragon riders. As for the story itself the plot was so well thought out and detailed, that I had no trouble understand what was going on and the even though the world building was slow it was through explained in away that it brought the story even more to life . It's a story that's about good vs evil, right or wrong and friendships vs the family that we are born into . And our choices . With that said I want to thank NetGalley for letting me read it and review it .

DNF. Thank you so much for approving me for this book! However, I cannot do love triangles in any form and this book gets too close to one, so it is not for me. I do love the dragon book trend tho. I am only rating this bc the form made me do so.

I didn’t love it and I didn’t hate it. I’ve seen Fireborne likened to a YA Game of Thrones which I can see. It has the politics and the dragons and a rising rebellion. I wish there was just a little bit...more. Especially more history and more action. I wish it was a tv show so I could better visualize this world. It’s a show I would definitely watch. There were parts that I did enjoy. There was great character development especially with Annie. As for book 2 in this series, I think I will still read it as book 1 ended at a spot where I was starting to feel invested.

To say this is "Game of Thrones meets Red Rising" could not be more accurate but it's even better than Game of Thrones. I was captivated from page one and enjoyed this book thoroughly. I need the second book NOW.

Thanks so much to Netgalley for the e-arc!