"The Queen stopped screaming just after midnight."
This book is so good! It has beautiful descriptions, interesting characters and it is full of action. The only thing is that it was a little hard to follow at times because there is a thousand years between the two main characters. There are also not many descriptions about the characters and not much difference in the voices of Rielle and Eliana. Even though the story was hard to follow at times, I did find it captivating. I wasn't able to finish the book because I was busy with work but I do plan on picking it up and finishing it!

The opening of this book was very strong and pulled me right in. However, I had trouble differentiating between the voices of the two main characters (even though they had distinct timelines and arcs). This made continuing on a little sluggish for me, ultimately impacting my enjoyment of the book. I still would recommend to teen fantasy lovers.

A thrilling fantasy feminist tour de force! The story follows two equally fascinating young women lifetimes apart, each born to change the shape of their worlds. How’re they connected? Can they save or damn their people? Read to find out. The world building in this story is superior. Legrand has created a mythology to rival other fantasy novels.

Fantasy set in 2 different time periods with lots of twists and turns. Once into the story, the clues are nicely spread out and the action fast paced

One of the things that drives me crazy about epic fantasy is when the world building feels unnatural. Furyborn has an interesting premise. From that first line, it invites you into the story but immediately starts bombarding with information. So much so that it felt like, “oh by the way” after every new detail, almost like an afterthought. We live in a kingdom, the queen is evil, she murdered her husband, angels and humans are walking a thin red line of friendship, human and angel hybrids are killed for their magic, oh, angels can talk in your head, there’s a prophecy, we must escape before the wicked queen or angels uncover our secret…all within 3 pages. Normally, all of this is good and well, but the way it was presented was overwhelming and confusing. It felt like being slammed in several directions at once. Granted, the scene itself is supposed to be suspenseful and full of anxiety, but I can’t help but wonder if some of these things could have been explained after the fact. Cue a queen giving birth, a doctor and son with a secret, and angel threatening the child, people escaping by following threads in the sky. That’s it, no explanation-it might have kept the mystery up and the reader wanting the know more.

There’s also the fact that angels can talk in the character’s head at any given moment. Because we already hear internal dialogue, random people suddenly appearing takes some adjustment.

The transition from that introductory chapter into 2 years earlier is rough. It takes a good few pages to realize what is going on and from that point on, it swings into two POVs and in different times.

The characters were interesting and complex. The girl who was supposed to be a villain, (I always love a good villain), was by far my favorite. The journey from who she was and who she became was full of hard choices and self-discovery, causing the reader to question the nature of evil and whether it is learned or inherent.

This is absolutely upper YA with lots of sexual activity and sex positivity. There is subtle bisexual relationships, really just a mention. Romance is heavy and sometimes….supernatural?

Claire Legrand's an author I watch closely, and I either own or have read all of her books (note: I've not read them all but I will). She's talented, and her middle grade novels have been so incredibly good, especially <i>Some Kind of Happiness</i>. Because of that, I went into <i>Furyborn</i> with massive expectations, which were only increased by the positive hype and news that it became a bestseller. Maybe it's the high expectations or maybe this fantasy isn't for me, but I was disappointed in <i>Furyborn</i>.

On Claire's Twitter, I saw something about how she'd worked on this book for something like eight years (don't quote me on this but it was a LONG time), and I wonder if that's the issue. The book does feel a bit over-baked and over-edited. That can happen sometimes, especially with epic fantasy that's been baking for a while. I felt that with <i>Truthwitch</i>, for example, like crucial characterization scenes ended up getting cut from the opening of the book, making it confusing on a first read. In this case, though, it feels like a lot more got lost somewhere in the process: world building and characterization especially.

Most of my concrete issues go directly back to the prologue. Without it, I think I would have been a good deal happier with the book, because it does have a lot of big, interesting ideas, and a cast I feel I should have liked. The prologue reveals a lot of key elements that then proceeded to undermine my reading experience:
1) Rielle dies facing down Corien just after the birth of her daughter. Rielle's the character that felt most fully fleshed-out to me, but I'm hard-pressed to bother investing emotionally in a character when I know from the beginning that they're going to die a tragic death at a young age.
2) Rielle (supposedly) killed King Audric, father of her baby. I say supposedly because it's not been covered in canon yet, but this is the rumor. Again, hard to invest in this romance because, even though I suspect that this will turn out to be a misunderstanding and actually Corien's doing, it's not in me to invest in a romance where I already know that one of the people will die. Add in the other person being blamed and I'm super not into it.
3) Simon is tasked with taking the baby to a safe place, because he can travel through time/space as a perk of being half-angel. Spoiler-tagging just in case, but I think this is pretty damn obvious if you've read a lot of fantasy. <spoiler>So when we have a mysterious heroine with mysterious powers in a dual narration about two queens and a mysteriously missing princess and the guy shows up who took the baby away, it's really not difficult to put things together. This reveal doesn't happen until the last 10-20% of the book, and it's frustrating because the prologue spelled it out even more clearly than the dual narration already did. This shouldn't have been played as a secret.</spoiler>
Without the prologue giving away those plot elements, I think I'd have been more invested in the cast and the plot. But, as it was, from the prologue, I could predict pretty much all of book one.

Aside from that, I struggled with the dual POV, which whips back and forth between Rielle and Eliana. The chapters are much too brief for me to settle into either plot line, and they're very disparate since they're set 1000 years apart (which is also a bonkers amount of time). Most of the relatively brief chapters end in cliffhangers, which is a cheap device to keep readers turning pages but one that's generally effective on me. In this case, though, it just irritated me, because I KNOW that I will have to read through an unrelated chapter before I get to what I was actually curious about. This absolutely killed the pacing of the novel for me.

The characterization feels lacking across the board. Most characters are entirely static, and, the ones who aren't, are puzzling. For example, I spent a bunch of time in the heads of both Rielle and Eliana, but I don't understand any of their motivations for basically anything they do. Which sucks because they do stupid things and then I have no sympathy because I don't know WHY they thought that was the right choice.

The lack of development really shows in the romance. I absolutely do not understand why anyone wants to bone anyone else in this book, and you know I'm all about the romance. Audric's completely boring and despite the fact that his and Rielle's passions lead to them almost boning in a garden at one point, they lack chemistry. Probably because Audric is cardboard. And I find it really hard to believe that, given Rielle's history she would be allowed to spend any time with Audric anyway. Rielle's weird sexy connection to Corien I'm not even going to get into because just WUT. It's like the Darkling but with no actual interaction or explanation. Most confusing of all is Simon and Eliana, who initially appear to thoroughly loathe one another. Then, with no change, all of a sudden Simon is flirting and they're both all horny for each other and just WUT. Also, I think it's gross he was like ten when she was a baby. He was basically the Hagrid dropping off her little Harry, and ew.

So far as the world building goes, I think there's way too much for the length of the book. To really work, I think this needed to be Brandon Sanderson long. There's so much world building Claire has clearly worked out but that didn't make it into the book, and as a reader you really feel everything that's missing. Like, I don't understand the magic system really at all. I'm equally confused by the Angels. Also, why are they angels? That word has serious religious implications, and it doesn't seem like this has anything to do with that at all, and it threw me out of the book every time it came up. Given another name, that whole element would have worked so much better for me.

This might be one of those fantasy novels that works better if you're new to reading fantasy, because, if you're familiar with common fantasy tropes, this book is a struggle. At this time, I do not plan to continue the series, though I will if I hear the series improves. It might, since we've run through much of the predictable plot out of the prologue. I will continue to try all of Legrand's other projects though for sure, because I've been really impressed with all her other work and I see some good bones here too.

I loved this book, and made it one of my staff picks! I think there's great potential for crossover with fans of adult fantasy as well.

This novel was a fantasy novel that I hadn’t heard anything about until I received an ARC for it. Once I read the plot, I was hooked.

The premise of this novel was so unique and interesting, and I am happy to state that the Claire Legrand did not disappoint with the follow through of this novel.

The one thing that I thoroughly loved about this novel’s structure was the way the POV changed each chapter. Additionally, the chapters weren’t super long and didn’t have unnecessary fillers, which made this 500+ novel feel like nothing to me. I got through this novel so quickly and EASILY once I got into it, and it was honestly such an enjoyable experience.

The POV’s of this novel were quite different so it was odd to go back and forth at the beginning, but once you got to know each of these characters, it was a pleasant feeling being able to switch from one character you love to another character you love.

Additionally, there was a significant time difference between the characters, but once you were able to connect with the stories of each character, this time difference didn’t effect the reading experience one bit!

There were also amazing relationships between the characters, my favourite being the relationship Eliana had with her brother Remy. It was beautiful to see the commitment she had to ensuring his safety at all times, even if that meant he thought of her as the bad guy.

Both of the main characters, Eliana and Rielle, had their pros and cons, but all in all, they were very likeable characters once you got to know them. Their faults were very human faults and it was hard to blame them for doing what they did once you got to know them.

It was such a joy to see these female characters written to have so much strength and power and independence. Of course they had moments of weakness, but they were always able to compose themselves and take control of the situation they were in. I thoroughly enjoyed reading from such strong females POVs and I’m very excited to read more about their adventures in the next book.

The character development in this novel was incredible. Despite the chapters being short and switching back and forth quite frequently, I was able to connect with all the characters and get a really good understanding of their personality.

I do have to mention that there are some steamy scenes in this novel that do get quite descriptive, so I wouldn’t recommend this novel to anyone who is under the age of 15? I don’t know what the right age is to read sex scenes, I still get uncomfortable. Just be warned that there are sex scenes!

All in all, this novel was exactly what I thought it would be and exactly what I was hoping for. It had wonderful characters and a very interesting and enthralling plot that was ever growing and changing to ensure the reader was on the edge of their seat. I loved the relationships between characters and I hope that we get to see those grow in future novels!

I definitely recommend this novel to anyone looking for a fun fantasy novel that follows two incredible, strong women! It was a fantastic read.

While it took me about four different tries to get more than about five chapters into Furyborn, once I sat down and ground through them, the rest of this novel paid of nicely.

It was interesting to read a novel where we know the fate of one of the characters from chapter one on—Rielle’s story is more of a whydunit, in that sense. Even though LeGrand gives you her outcome, you still (usually) root for her. Overall, I disliked her character, though. She didn’t really grow much—<s>everything is handed to her so easily. Perhaps that’s because of her powers and therefore the root of why she becomes the Blood Queen, but I am going to keep on being skeptical until the next novel(s) come out.</s>

However, Eliana was easier to dislike because of her actions, but she grew much more that she was a more interesting character to me. The biggest fault in Eliana’s plot was the “twist” that I could see coming from about chapter three. It was still a cool reveal, but it didn’t have the payoff it may have had had it not been so easily guessable.

My last note is that both Rielle and Eliana’s stories follow very trope-y plots. Eliana is a Katniss-alike, down the the humanizing sibling and Rielle is a little too Harry Potter-y. But LeGrand makes it work; I was interested enough throughout the book to keep reading and (somewhat) forgave the tropes as I was reading because of LeGrand’s newness as a writer.

Will I buy the book since it’s already out? ...maybe. I’m going to sit on this one and see if I continue to think about it. But I can see it having a place on my shelf.

I received my ebook copy of Furyborn from NetGalley in exchange for a fair review.

4.5/5

This book kept me on the edge of my seat! The prologue had me hooked. I immediately wanted to know more. Each chapter was urging me to keep reading. The reason this book didn’t get a full five stars from me was the inclusion of trials. It is one of my least favorite tropes. But, this book was so good, I didn’t mind them.

The female characters are incredible! They are complex, powerful, and each different from one another. I loved seeing them learn, make mistakes, and grow throughout the book. That was one of the highlights of my reading experience.

There were a few story elements that confused me, but by the end of the book, it became obvious that they would be addressed in the next one.

Overall, this book was exciting. I was rarely bored. I loved Rielle and Eliana! It was refreshing to see not one, but two morally grey female characters in one book and I loved how their stories intertwined!

*3.75

Thank you NetGalley and the publisher for the free ebook copy.

Furyborn by Claire Legrand was engrossing. It was action-packed from beginning to end. One of the biggest down points is actually the dual storyline. I feel like Rielle’s storyline could have been a novella on its own. I don’t really see the point of having it in the book. I really enjoyed Eliana’s storyline and would have loved more of it! On the same trend, I enjoyed the characters in Eliana’s storyline much more than in Rielle’s. I can’t wait to see what’s next.

Furyborn is a juxtaposition of Rielle and Eliana, potentially two amazingly strong women. However, Legrand's cosmic tale, sadly, was extremely hard for me to follow. I felt like the story had too much going on, from chapter-to-chapter, in order to get a true sense of a plot. Perhaps if the stories were told in a Part I vs. Part II format, the reader could have gotten a better feel for each character and their stories instead of always jumping back-and-forth between the two characters. Just when I felt like I was getting to understand the character, the story line was jumping to the opposing one.

This is a book I almost gave up on which I rarely do. Perhaps extreme fantasy lovers or those who are able to read this book in a sitting or two will feel differently about this book.

Thank you NetGalley for the ARC of this book. It is always an honor to read any work of art.

Thanks to the publisher for access to this title in return for a fair review.

This is a tale told in two parts, from two different times. One fated queen will destroy their world, while another is destined to save them all.

I was all set to love this one, but I think it got overly hyped. The story itself was good, and fans of Sarah Maas and Mary Pearson may enjoy it, but I felt completely removed from the story at certain points. The sex scenes were not the best, and one specifically wasn't necessary at all. I'm also completely jarred out of the world when language is used that doesn't match. I'm not opposed to swearing, but in this case it didn't work with the context of the story.

Overall, not a horrible book, but not one I will be able to hand to many of my teen readers. 3.5 stars.

Set as the first book in a new fantasy trilogy, Furyborn by Claire Legrand had me almost inhaling the book like I had been starving myself for days... almost. While I did indeed really enjoy the read (and read it within one week which is a high feat for me), there were a few components that were either unsatisfactory or just not present.
I should begin with what Legrand did execute successfully. Her world building was phenomenal. We flip flopped from the point of view of the past to the POV of the present, allowing us to not only learn about some of the major historical events that occurred within the story , but live it as well. I feel that when authors constantly bombard you with new facts about their world, it can get confusing. Legrand’s method was both innovative and unique.
Legrand’s writing was also a highlight of the book for me. She included just enough description mixed in with stream of consciousness that kept my attention and enabled me to empathize with each character.
But her character development was lacking in my opinion. Most of the characters had a grand reputation that preceded them which dictated their actions and how they were viewed in the eyes of others. These preconceived reputations limited each characters choices, rendering them much too predictable. You know how the saying goes, “an assassin is an assassin is an assassin”… (you get the point). I felt the characters lacked depth, from the conversations they had to the relationships that were portrayed.
Over all, I kept finding myself wanting to read more. Her plot and world building kept me intrigued and I will definitely pick up a copy of the second and third book. I feel confident that Legrand will only continue to get better and better with the other two upcoming books within the series.

Thank you to NetGalley and SOURCEBOOKS Fire for providing me an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

This high fantasy novel was a great read! I loved the world that Legrand created as well as the characters. She did an amazing job tying the two protagonists’ stories together in lieu of the stories taking place 1,000 years apart. The arcs for each story were action packed and the alternating point of views between the two girls kept me wanting more each passing chapter. In all I give this novel 4/5 stars.

I don't know if I was biased against this book from the start or if I could really not get into it. I tried listening to it on audio but found my attention straying. I could not keep the two storylines separate. So I decided to try the book version. Same thing happened. I was not interested in the story or characters. Several friends of mine had trouble with it complaining that the sex scenes were a little much and that it was great for fangirls. This just wasn't for me. Or maybe I have been reading too many books of this nature and loved them. I had some high expectations but this one fell short. I did not finish it. It felt to similar to all the others and therefore not worth my time...at least right now. Maybe I will try again at another time.

I’m becoming more and more skeptical of YA books as the years progress, especially when certain bookish communities seem to be promoting these books with rabid enthusiasm but in this case I’m delighted to say that Furyborn was actually a great read. This book has some classic tropes like the secret rebellion, super special main character, evil empire, etc. but I thought they were well done and didn’t make me want to roll my eyes so hard they got stuck. SourceBooks has been putting out some appealing YA in the last few years and the cover art and synopsis for this book made me immediately want to read it, whether or not it had early reviews at the time.

Furyborn has two POVs, which have a unique twist – they’re set a thousand years apart. Rielle Dardenne is nobility in an age of magic and she just happens to wield all seven kinds, meaning she is one of the prophesied Queens. She must undergo a series of trials set forth by the church to determine if she is the Sun Queen, destined to save her people, or the Blood Queen who is destined to doom them. Obviously if she’s the Blood Queen, things will end in blood for her. A millennium later, Eliana Ferracora is a bounty hunter merely trying to provide for her family in a world slowly being taken by an Empire across the sea. She quickly gets tied up with a rebel group when her mother disappears and things are a headlong hurtle towards drama, battles, and a plot twist that was simple to guess from the beginning, but satisfying nonetheless. Also, there are angels that aren’t nearly so good as you would expect them to be. In fact, most of them are heartless monsters out for revenge and domination.

I was surprised to find that I liked both POVs equally. I didn’t resent switching back and forth between them or rush through the POVs I don’t like as I find myself doing in some books. Rielle was particularly interesting because you find out her fate in her first introduction, while the rest of her chapters lead up to how she gets there. I thought the use of magic and the society in her much earlier POV were really interesting and I’m a sucker for anything involving trials, so Rielle was a win for me. Eliana is a YA tough girl – she’s like 17 or 18 (I don’t exactly remember) and she goes and hunts people down on behalf of the Undying Empire for money. Gotta keep food on the table somehow, right? What I like about Eliana is that she doesn’t turn into a willing participant in the rebellion right away, she tries to play both sides of the fence because all she wants to do is find her mother the quickest way possible. The side characters were also likable, especially Ludivine and Audric who, with Rielle, formed a very likable trio of friends. Simon was also fascinating and his presence was kind of a spoiler for the reveal towards the end of the book.

Overall, I thought this was a really cool book that plenty of action and emotion to keep me hooked for the entire time. Sure, there were a few things I thought were cheesy, particularly Eliana being called “The Dread of Orline”. It was sooo melodramatic that I thought I was either going to burst out laughing or die of embarrassment on behalf of this character. I’ll definitely keep up with series as I really enjoyed this first book – it was better than your average YA book, for sure!

I've said it before, I'll say it again - when you are writing a book with alternating points of view, you need to make sure that, if you cannot have two equally likable characters you at least have two equally compelling ones.

I very quickly came to only care about one of these stories, and was immensely frustrated by how short the chapter were - there wasn't enough time to really invest in either of the stories.

Thank you to Sourcebooks Fire via Netgalley for the eARC of this book! Furyborn takes place in two alternating time periods a thousand years apart; and following two women — Rielle, who sets out to prove that she is one of the Queens prophesied to save her people, and Eliana, the Dread of Orline, a seemingly invincible assassin. Both women have to use all their strength and skill to try to save the people they love.
I really enjoyed watching the pieces of this story come together. There was a lot of world building in the beginning, especially in Rielle’s Chapters, so I enjoyed Eliana’s a little more, but by about midway through both parts of the story were really compelling, and a fast read! I’d recommend this to people who enjoy fantasy, new worlds and strong female protagonists.

What to say about this book?

For the first quarter, I had such a hard time with it. The story was action packed and full of fierce ladies. But I just couldn’t connect to any of them. And I honestly can’t put my finger on why. So that made it hard for me to care what happened at first.

But then that last half happened and all of a sudden I was completely engrossed. I still didn’t live the characters, but I loved the story so much that I couldn’t put it down! By the time I closed the book, I was having such a good time. I’m really excited to see what happens next!

I would definitely recommend this book to fantasy lovers. I’m still not sure what my problem was at the beginning, so I don’t think other people would share my difficulties. And that ending more than makes up for any issues! This turned out to be a great book!