3.5 stars

FIREBORNE is a new YA fantasy that follows two teens, Lee and Anna (Antigone) in alternating points-of-view. Lee and Anna came from the same orphanage but with vastly different histories, and bonded during their time there. Their country is still in turmoil after a revolution to overthrow the previous government of dragonlords created a new structure. The dragonlords and their families subjugated the people with their dragons, which were also supposed to keep the people safe. They and their families were all killed in the revolution- or they were thought to have been.

Leo was a young boy and was almost killed but saved unexpectedly and then forgotten, assuming a different name (Lee) and not speaking about his past. Anna was a peasant who suffered under the old regime and has a bit of a troubled relationship with Lee- he has been there for her, but his father subjected her to a horrible ordeal and left her an orphan. The new government is predicated on everyone having an equal chance to rise, and so they are both now dragonriders and contending for the highest position of Firstrider.

The best part of the book are the philosophical discussions/implications about politics and what makes people good/evil, presenting both sides of a revolution. As Lee begins to choose for himself the future, he must confront his family, the new government and its imperfections. This provides some really interesting and deep thoughts about governments, rebellions, and all the gray areas of politics between black and white.

I have some mixed feelings about the book, because while some things were done really well, I found it difficult to really get into. Some of this was probably because of the repetitiveness of some ideas/discussions. It almost gets a little too deep into Lee and Anna's heads in places, and I like faster paced fantasies, so this may be personal preference. The world-building is really fantastic though, with history, people, and everything being displayed so well- this was a country and people I could certainly imagine.

Overall, this was an intriguing read which provides a platform for some deep thoughts about society and politics/government that make it a strong read. While I would have liked faster pacing, this has a very strongly built world and characters that make it a solid read. I would be interested in continuing with the series. The dragons and history make this quite an intense and thought-provoking read overall.

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.

A gripping and thoughtful debut rife with political intrigue, philosophical quandaries, love triangles, and dragons! Annie and Lee have a lot in common including a shared childhood at the same orphanage, exceptional skills at dragon-riding, and a common history that dates back to before the revolution that has shaped the country of Callipolis. What sets them apart, however, is the circumstances of their births. Lee is a highborn child who escaped the executions that took his entire family, while Annie was born to a serf family that was executed by a highborn lord before the revolution came. This is just the beginning of their struggles in this captivating new fantasy!

Inspired by a combination of classics such as Plato and also by dog fights above England during world war 2 the author imagines what it would be like if dragons fought in the air. It’s a crazy combination that works as the story she tells is about the aftermath of a revolution that leaves the victors and indeed the dispossessed struggling in their new utopia but have they truly created a paradise with freedom and prosperity for all or is it an illusion that can come crashing down ?
Our hero is Lee who hides the fact that he is the son of a much reviled and now dead Dragon Lord. He’s fought his way up through the ranks and now his goal of becoming First rider is within sight but first there’s the little matter of actually winning the trials. One of his rivals is Annie who is probably the person he is closest to but even she doesn’t know his secrets.
This story takes these characters and indeed the reader on a moral journey where it’s difficult to categorically state what is black and what is white. The political machinations are muddied with the author showing shockingly that even the heroes of this world have feet of clay . Do not expect a straight forward romance either because even then these characters make decisions that feel uncomfortable. If like me you want to read this because it’s about Dragons then I have to say that sadly even though these riders can communicate with their Dragons there isn’t as much of that here as perhaps I’d hoped. Instead we get the story told in turns from the point of view of both Lee and Annie as history starts to repeat itself and war is coming.
This is incredibly hard to rate because as much as I applauded the ending at times it did feel a little slow. Plus I know that we are all influenced by something and it’s almost impossible to have a completely new idea but the set up for these characters reminded me of another famous series.
Lee the young hero who is orphaned.
Annie the best friend who is undoubtedly brilliant but looked down upon by elitist snobs .
School/ academy setting.
Vile fellow student who is frequently rude and nasty to Annie.
The old guard determined to bring back dark times.
Yes I know it’s a completely different story but sadly all of the above plus a couple of other things did take me out of the story at times. I think overall given that it’s a book about squadrons of Dragons taking to the skies and fighting what really let this down was a distinct lack of action as even at the end when a much anticipated showdown occurs it just seemed to happen so very quickly. This isn’t a bad book because I did enjoy this story and I hope the sequel allows the Dragons and their riders to really show what they can do !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe

I didn't have many expectations except that it had dragons. I will say that the dragons were a bit of a letdown. I also had a few other issues with the book and didn't find the overall plot very gripping.

When it came to the dragons. They are used to ride on and cause havoc with their fire. I was thinking there would be bonds between the rider and dragons but there wasn't really per say. The dragons are there but not really present and I wanted more from them. I needed more action!

Another issue I had was connecting to the characters. The book has two point-of-views and even then I didn't feel much for Annie or Lee. I know I should have felt something due to their background but it just wasn't there for me. I will say that around 75% or so is when I finally felt something. It took awhile but I guess least it happened. The other characters were alright but there isn't much about their backgrounds. I didn't care to read about them.

There is romance but I wasn't a fan. It's just a lot of drama and a love triangle that's annoying. Nothing super serious ever happens because of the romance and it's just one that I couldn't get behind.

The world building is interesting and I do like the flashbacks of how their new politics came to be. There is a lot that goes on with the politics and at times I found it to be boring but like the characters, it does eventually pick up.

Overall, it was a decent read but with all the potential it had it just ended up lacking in certain areas. I wish the execution could have been better.

I got a first look on this book from Bookish First and even though I'm usually not a fantasy genre sort of girl, but this book grab my attention. Reading the whole book , it was left me with a WOW. It's such an exciting book and I LOVE how Rosaria Munda was able to take a story about dragons and also make it revelant today (political). I really wasn't expecting this book to be as good as it was. It's not your typical book about dragons and what not. Its a book that will leave you thinking.

Thank you NetGalley and the publishers of this book for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Although the main characters of this book are in the age range of young adults the book itself is written like an adult novel. It does have the same feel as game of thrones as far as the sophistication and politics goes. It was pretty slow paced for my taste and there was a lot of information that bored me at times. I rarely find myself skimming books, but I must admit, I did a few times in this one.

Though there is plenty of rivalry, I would hardly describe this book as being "full" of romance and dragons. Not that it really needs romance but there really wasn't much. And the dragons... *sigh* the dragons played a much smaller role than I was expecting.

I gave this 3 stars because although it wasn't really for me it was written well and it did intrigue me enough to finish it. Whether I'll read the next book though. I guess we'll see...

NetGalley sometimes emails me when books are up for read and review for a day when a publisher allows open requests to be granted. I am picky, so most of the time I read a summary but don't request - this time I did. I love dragons. I have loved them in movies like DragonHeart and with series like Pern. I am so glad I read this and took a chance.

I have fallen in love with this city out of Plato's Republic and with names from mythology and ancient Greek and Roman mythology tied together with tragedy and dragons and a hope to change things for the better.

Lee and Annie are something more than siblings or lovers, they are comrades in the Guardian force, bonded to dragons after a revolution took place. They grew up together in a orphanage, both coming from tragedy, although Annie was from a family of serfs and Lee from the dragon riding rulers.

Now, when their class of fellow Guardians do tournaments to determine the future First Rider of the Guardians and successor to the kingdom, family history and new ambitions threaten the bond Annie and Lee share, and may threaten their very lives in the end.

There pacing was perfect and it was great reading points of view from both Annie and Lee. However I had to get used to, and was thrown off at first, by bits of backstory told at the start of the characters. I felt it should have been a prologue, as it sometimes made it hard to pick up right after one first person chapter ended, third person flashback, and first person chapter begins.

Altogether a delightful start to a series I will definitely be following in the future (I hope there's a dozen)!

I really like how the author kept the reader thinking that the fantasy tropes were just being put to good use until she turned them on their heads and switched everything up. Anyone assuming this is your average dragon fantasy might want to check their expectations at the door. This is an excellent read that left me cheering on just about everyone, even those who were opponents. Although the book could have ended just as it was and I would have been happy, I will be waiting impatiently for the next book!

I love that cover! That alone was a good reason for requesting this book. Another good reason was reading about dragons! I loved learning about the different kinds of dragons and the fact that the dragons chose their riders. I look forward to the next book.
I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

This fantasy story titled “Fireborne” by Rosaria Munda, is the first book in “The Aurelian Cycle” series. It was fast paced, filled with emotion and action packed.
Two children, Annie and Lee, from opposite classes of society are brought together by a bloody revolution that will reshape the world they know.
Raised in an orphanage, they become friends and a family of two.
Together they are both chosen by dragons and become part of a group called Guardians who pledge themselves to the protection of their people.
Training for seven years with each other and their fellow Guardians have brought Annie and Lee to the top positions where they must fight each other for the title of Firstrider. They both have to decide what is it they really want and go after it no matter the cost.
But is the cost too great when those who are your family or friend may be hurt or even die by your hand? Can doing the right thing be enough when so much is at stake.
These two teens despite the help of their friends and frienemies must each make a stand on their own to do the right thing and then together for the good of their people and a way of life that the revolution set forth. Even when survivors of the old ruling class reappear to take back what they lost in the revolution with dragon fire and threats to set their world to ashes and fear.
With secrets coming to light. Loyalties questioned. Annie and Lee’s bond from their childhood is tested with heartache, pain and fire, only to have that bond strengthen as they stand together.

This book has gotten a lot of advanced buzz, and I have to say, I can see why.

The telepathic dragon/companion trope is pretty well worn by now, and Munda doesn't do much to add to it. But if you like that trope, you're going to be okay with the eggs, impression, shared emotional states with dragons, etc. Munda does a great job with it.

Where this book takes a left turn, I thought, was with the political situation. The story (sort of*) begins ten years after an especially bloody revolution, overthrowing the dragon lords who were this world's nobles. They kept the dragons to themselves, and of course they had everything. Including the leisure time for poetry. The rest of the world scrabbled to support them.

Until the revolution that overthrew them, and nearly stamped them out by killing all the dragon lords down the the smallest kid. But total annihilation is more difficult than it looks when it's hand to hand slaughter, and a few got away, or were spared--including one of our protagonists, Lee, who was born Leo, his father an important dragon lord.

I said "Sort of" above because we get snippets of the revolution, and Lee's story, along with Annie's. She is our secondary protagonist, once a serf. As a serf she would never have been permitted near a dragon, but now she and Lee are dragon riders, for the revolution made it possible for commoners to test for dragon riding.

Early on, we get a glimpse of a past event, an execution. Lee and Annie, tight friends, both misunderstood the other's reaction--and when the reader realizes it, the game alters. Nothing is predictable anymore. Moral dilemmas, with huge emotional freight attached, lie like landmines everywhere. There are no easy choices in this world.

I suspect Munda is a visual writer, as she paints in the complexities of character emotions through subtle observation of body language. That was a real pleasure to read--she avoids the easy but overused LED lights in eyes for emotional conveyance (his eyes gleamed/smoldered/flashed/shot flames, fire, ice, and daggers, blah de blah). That and the difficult choices, plus the twists in the backstory that you think you know, add up to a real page turner.

Tne climax is breathtaking, excruciating, exhilarating by turns. There is an exquisite balance between resolution and hints of what is to come to really make me eager to see what's next.

Wow!

Fireborne follows the perspectives of Lee and Annie, two orphans turned Guardians fighting to become Firstrider, which is the commander of the entire dragon fleet. Lee, born Leo Stormscourge, son of one of 3 triarchs, has hidden his identity his entire life after the old regime was overthrown. During his time in an orphanage, he meets Annie, a girl whose family was murdered through dragonfire by Leon stormscourge, aka Lee's father.

This book jumps right into a fast-paced rythm of dragon fighting and tournaments. I found it hard to put down because the world, the characters, the atmosphere, all of it was so addicting. I love this book because of how it mixes fantasy and politics and romance. Both Lee and Annie, by the end, are able to grow from one another and from their past.

Most of the time, I identified strongly with Annie. She was born into a subordinate role and struggled with that identity throughout the book, but she was able to push aside the doubts and fears and become someone confident, someone who didn't give up on what she wanted. At times, I was a little annoyed with her character because she was stuck in this back and forth on her opinion of Lee, but all in all, I enjoyed her character building and development.

If you are looking for a rip roaring dragon flying fire breathing good time, this ain't it. This is a feeling expressing flashback having insecure all the time character driven plot.

Issues I Had with the Book:
* Pacing-I like a character driven plot and as a matter of fact, I prefer it over plot driven but this book dragged a bit at about 65%. I felt like Munda could have said what she had to say in five pages rather than 15. The food shortage stuff also seemed to come in out of nowhere and was discussed very briefly. I understand the point but it seemed too quick.

*Lack of Intensity-Okay, so one land has declared war on another but instead of getting ready, they decide to continue with the festivities, parties and parades-WHAT? The teens are in school and they are training to be the elite dragon army (I think) and they just continue to train like everything is a-okay. Where are the strategy sessions and the council meetings and the war rooms? The characters in the book didn't seem concerned so as the reader, I wasn't concerned but I should have and it would have made the book a bit more enjoyable.

*Teens as Leaders-Okay Okay, this is a teen book and of course there have to be teens but the teens were the leaders of this elite dragon army and the adults were not making important decisions. I believe the teens were the only ones who could ride the dragons because they imprinted on them (TWILIGHT FLASHBACK) so it would make sense that the teens would be the ones going into battle. And they are training to be leaders so it would make sense that they would be involved in everything but they are not experienced military. Where are the adult military strategizers who work with the teen squadron leaders to make sure they are making correct decisions? It was just asking too much of the reader to suspend belief that teens are the generals of the army and not the corporals.

*That Ending-I was so excited for the big cliffhangery ending but it was so subdued. I had to make sure it was a series starter and not a stand-a-lone.

*Power-Power is a villain and he was an interesting villain because he has a mysterious backstory and he inserts himself into conflict and he causes conflict BUT his motives are inconsistent. I know Munda did this on purpose but no one ever calls him out on it and therefore, we don't know what his jam is and it BOTHERED ME!!!!!!!! This was the reason why my rating went from 4.50 to 4.25.

What I Liked-I liked things; I promise
*The World-This world was simple but interesting. The old barbaric regime was overthrown for a more just government, or is it? It was all explained nicely and not confusing and the internal conflict for the characters is part of the world which I will discuss next.

*Internal Conflict-Lee was part of the old regime but he was spared and sent to live in an orphanage. No one knew who he was or who he is and when the old regime wants to come back, Lee must decide if he wants to return to his family or stay with the new government. I liked the way this was paced and it was never predictable. This could be considered a trope but this nor anything in this novel was predictable-YESS! This also caused conflict between Lee and Annie because she wasn't sure which side he was going to choose. This also created some serious sexual tension.

*The Supporting Cast-Often times when books have a lot of other characters, they don't advance the plot or add much to the development of the MC but that was not the case in this book. Some of the characters were used to show the good and the bad of both regimes. Some characters were used to interfere in Lee and Annie's friendship/romantic relationship. I could honestly say that I liked all the characters in this book.

*No High School Bullshit-These teens are basically in HS but there when someone lost a battle, there was no hater-ade. There was no petty girl-on-girl hate and jealousy-THANK GOD! These teens were sacked with a lot of responsibility and didn't have time for drama and I was here for it.

*No Long Ass Dragon Battles-I don't like fight scenes and long battles so this was great. They battled but it was short and to the point. If you like plot driven stories, you might find this book boring.

Overall, I liked the writing. Munda wasn't trying to write GOT or HP; she was telling her own story and I enjoyed it a lot. I fear some people are going to find this book boring because the characters are in their head A LOT and there's not much action on the page. I mean come on, when you pick up a book about dragons, you expect there to be amazing dragon battles but my guess is that Munda is saving that for the next book.

You don’t read this book, you devour it. YA NEEDS books like this. There’s so much great storytelling in YA but often you feel writers forsake quality writing to draw in younger audiences or hit the next deadline. Fireborne beautifully and intelligently written & edited, It has all the romance, action and tension of classic YA but with the thoughtful, forthright investigation into class and gender discrimination. Munda’s world-building shows you can take the revolutionary teens/post-revolution stratified society trope and still make it fresh, exciting and RELEVANT. Her portrayal of trauma and loss, adolescent relationships and struggles with misogyny seem natural, and the books gives you all the feels, roars and gut-wrenches you desire from a great fantasy YA read. The character development continues to surprise-just as certain characters (ie Atreus, Lee) begin to feel slightly one dimensional, she delves further into what makes them tick, leaving plenty of anticipation and room for growth for the rest of the Aurelian cycle.
It’s effortlessly and realistically feminist. . The characters have real, complicated relationships where they are supportive, competitive, vulnerable, and inhabit all the gray between “good” and “bad”.
But most importantly -DRAGONS.
Such. great. dragons.
You know Munda has more to say about their history and relationship with humans and you just. can’t. WAIT 🤗

Two orphans who have been wronged, one by the new regime, and one by the old. Annie and Lee must decide if their past hurts can allow them to come together to create a new order or separate them. They are part of the new regime of Guardians, those who are allowed to bond and ride dragons, who are tasked with keeping Callipolis safe. With the Firstrider tournaments ahead, and secrets and lies coming between them, can the two orphans who once found friendship and comfort in each other, navigate through the new world created after the uprising together and form in into something that they can both accept, or will it break them apart?

Firborne is the first YA fantasy I have read in a long time that had me completely sucked in. I loved the relationship between the two main characters and narrators, Annie and Lee. Their was so much depth and emotions between the two, who had to come to terms with their individual histories, as well as their mutual history. Will their childhood trust be able to withstand their newly acquired adult understanding, or would it lead to betrayal? The supporting characters are all unique and defined, and were important to the story as well as enhanced it. Considering their were quite a few of them, this was a daunting task that was completed perfectly. I loved Duck and found myself rooting for him throughout the book. A good author makes who not only fall in love with the main characters, but the supporting characters as well.

The beginning of the story is a bit of an info-dump, but once I got passed that the story picked up it's pace. Fireborne was reminiscent of An Ember in the Ashes as well as Crown of Feathers. The only downfall of this book, is having read the ARC, I now have to wait even longer for the second book in this series.

This ARC was provided for me through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I read this book as an eARC from Netgalley.

This book had SO MUCH potential and it did nothing with it. The characters weren't really memorable, and the plot seemed pretty much a rehashing of a lot of post-apocalyptic books of the early 2000s. There was a pretty boring love triangle. There was not major character development. The only character I really liked was Powers, and he was mostly just a rehashing of Draco Malfoy.
This book put me into a bit of a reading slump and by the end I was racing through just so I could finish and be onto my next read.
I will not be continuing on with the series.

I received an uncorrected galley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed how the author humanized the facts of what happens after a revolution: the realities of trying to live by your hard-won values and the pitfalls of ideology in the face of human flaws. The two main characters were thoughtfully developed, and their arcs were so strong that I admire them as people.

The supporting characters were strong although I could tell what was going to happen with each of them. Since it was needed for the protagonists' story, and since they were still wonderfully real characters, it's fine. It's absolutely fine if I know what's coming if the characters feel like living people.

And still, there were a few surprises. The flashbacks were very intriguing.

Highly recommended. I'm upset that the book isn't out yet, which means it will be even longer until the next book. I'm keeping an eye on an author who draws from The Aeneid and The Republic!

ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley.

Really good -- well-written and intelligent. Lee and Annie are well-formed characters, and their struggles believable -- as victims on opposite sides of a bloody revolution, and leaders (and dragon riders) on the same side in its aftermath. The unfolding of the tension between the "noble" intent of the revolution and the ignoble reality of sacrifices required to survive a war is so compelling. The dragons are also well-developed characters -- Munda's descriptions of their connections to their riders, the training and the tournaments are such that it's easy to imagine they're out there, somewhere. The world building of Callipolis is elegantly done, rolled out through flashbacks, and the classes the dragon-riding Guardians are taking as part of their training.

It's a YA book, and its protagonists are teenagers, but Fireborne is one of the smartest novels I've read this year. (It has good bones: the author writes that her influences were Virgil's Aeneid for the long-form poetry called The Aurelian Cycle that recounts the history of Callipolis, and Plato's Republic for the political structure, propaganda and censorship of Atreus's post-revolution leadership of Callipolis.)

I received this book free through NetGalley.

I read the blurb for this book and was intrigued by the concept. Two children orphaned during a revolution make their way to become the most prestigious dragonriders, but at what cost to themselves?

I really enjoyed the characters and plot of this story. While nothing really surprised me, it was an enjoyable read. I did feel that the story could be tightened up a bit and that the pacing was a little slow. I still had a hard time putting it down when I had other things to get done, and found myself wanting to get back into the story as soon as I could. I found myself wanting more about the other characters. The main characters have a ton of angst, and a lot of time is spent on that that might have been better refocused and given us some more in-plot action.

But these are really minor quibbles. I very much enjoyed the book and look forward to more from this author.

goodreads review 8/29/19

This is a story that combines How to Train Your Dragon and The Red Queen. Fun and fast paced. Looking forward to the next...