After I finished Furyborn, the first description to come to my mind was “ambitious”. Told in alternating chapters between the perspectives of two young women separated by a thousand years, this is a novel that demands a fair bit of investment and patience from the reader, though if you do manage to see it through to the end, you might find the payoff rewarding.

First, we get to meet Rielle. As a daughter of a nobleman, she got to grow up at the palace, becoming best friends with crown prince Audric and his cousin and betrothed, Ludivine. The three were inseparable, until one fateful day during a high-profile horse race, Rielle had to reveal her magical powers while trying to save Audric from assassins, and suddenly, everything changed. For it’s one thing for Rielle to possess power, another to have the ability to perform all seven kinds of elemental magic. It is said that the only people who should be able to do so are a pair of prophesied queens: the Sun Queen, bringer of light and all that is good, as well as the Blood Queen, who will bring death and destruction. To determine which one she is, Rielle is put through a series of dangerous trials to test her magic. If she can’t prove she is the Sun Queen, she will be put to death—that is, if the trials don’t kill her first.

Next up, we have Eliana, whose storyline begins a millennium after the time of Queen Rielle, a figure who has become more legend than reality at this point. After the Undying Empire conquered her homeland, Eliana was left with no choice but to serve her new masters as a bounty hunter in order to keep herself and her family alive. She also has special powers, but because magic is thought to have left the world, she keeps her abilities a secret as not to draw any attention to herself, especially given her chosen profession. But then, her mother suddenly disappears, snatched away like so many other women in the city. While the empire shows no mercy to rebels, Eliana ends up joining the resistance in the hopes that they will help her find some answers, but what she learns is more than she ever bargained for.

First things first: I’ve never made it a secret my struggle with books that utilize multiple timelines, so in a way, I’d known as soon as I discovered the story’s format that Furyborn would be an uphill battle. With two entirely different perspectives in play, there was twice as much groundwork to cover, so not surprisingly, I also felt that it took the book twice as long for it to finally get somewhere. The first hundred pages were perhaps the toughest; things were confusing and vague, huge chunks of the story felt missing, and worse was knowing that this was all likely done on purpose. To the book’s credit, the holes do get filled in as time goes on, though getting to the point where everything finally makes sense can be quite tedious. Add to that, the author attempted to end every chapter on a cliffhanger, which was murder on the pacing, not to mention how watching the resulting plot acrobatics of trying to get this to work while keeping the story interesting at the same time were just downright exhausting.

I also didn’t feel a connection to either Rielle or Eliana. Part of this is due to the format, as one could hardly expect a narrative that’s constantly going back and forth between timelines to be conducive to quickly making the reader feel invested in any one character. And quite honestly, they both just felt kind of bland. Granted, I did find Rielle and Eliana likeable enough, but I also didn’t find anything too memorable about them to latch onto either.

That said, despite what might seem like nothing but harsh criticism so far, I actually didn’t dislike this novel. It had some great ideas, and no doubt the author had an incredible and creative vision for the end result. I just don’t think it quite got there. While the story was interesting, it could have been more. I also didn’t think the book had to be so long, as much of plot was padded with action and other fluff. It was fun, but in the end, not too substantive or meaningful.

All this is ultimately why I cannot give Furyborn more than a middling rating. Maybe as the series grows it’ll gradually become something more, but as an opener, this first novel was simply too forgettable. It’s a shame because it could have—should have—been more with such a strong premise and original concept behind it, but in the end, there was just something lacking in the execution.

Wow. Let's just say that this one caught me by surprise.

Having recently finished Morgan Rhodes' Falling Kingdom series (and discovering that the spin-off series I adore was canceled), I was looking for something to fill a void. I really had no idea what to expect when I started reading, but it did not disappoint.

I am always skeptical of alternating points of view stories because they can tend to be flat and repetitive. Furyborn takes that concept, though, and adds in a thousand year time gap. Because of this, you get a seriously complicated back story for Rielle while simultaneously learning about Eliana in a more modern setting (but not really modern at all). I figured out the connection rather early on between the two kick butt females, but the significance doesn't really set in until the final 1/3 of the book. It's like one of those internet videos that has been captioned "wait for it".

I can't really get into the nitty-gritty of what I loved about this book because it would risk ruining so much for anyone that hasn't read it yet. I will say, though, that it was well paced and the plot is pretty solid. There were no glaring holes that made me roll my eyes. The descriptions were perfect and did a fantastic job of supporting the story. It's hard to pick a character that I would call a favorite, but Simon and Eliana are pretty awesome. Rielle's story is the most intriguing, but those two are such a great combination of sass and fury. I really have high hopes for book 2 in this series since Furyborn did a phenomenal job of setting the stage for it.

Wow, wow, wow, this has to be the most epic YA fantasy I have ever read. I would honestly categorize this as Adult fantasy maybe New adult fantasy just by the way it reads. This is the first of its kind an epic YA fantasy is never heard of. In Furyborn we are introduced to two heroines Rielle whose story takes place 1000 years in the past and Eliana whose takes place in the present. But both are inexplicably connected. I loved these to women; their both so real neither are perfect nothing is black and white. You don’t see that a lot in YA writings, the heroines are almost always morally conscious and do the right thing. I just love me morally ambiguous characters. Now let’s not forget the side characters. Can I get a hallelujah for awesome female friendship representation. I wish there was more positive female friendships in YA that didn’t involve tearing each other down and focused more on pushing each other up. And before I forget I love Audric he is my cinnamon roll. And I won’t spoil the villain but he is a villain you just hate to love. The world building was exceptionally done it was detailed without being to info dumpy which seems to happen a lot in fantasy books. The romance is great too. There is sex in this book but there is heavy emphasis on consent which I think is important in any genre, especially teen books so A++ for that. There is also heavy violence and gore which may turn off some people so I would recommend that for older teens. Overall this is an exceptionally done fantasy novel with fantastic heroines, female friendship and positive sexual relationships and a great feminist read.

FURYBORN is Claire Legrand's first book in an exciting new fantasy series called the Empirium. In it, she introduces readers to an alternate world filled with elemental magic where a cosmic battle rages between angels, warrior saints, and humans.

The story follows two fiercely independent young women (one a queen, the other a bounty hunter) born centuries apart, who are part of an ancient prophecy that says two Queens will rise—one of blood, and one of light—and that their arrival will mean the return of the angels and their revenge. Which girl will save the world and which will doom it in this epic fantasy?

From the moment I read the prologue, I was hooked by this nearly unputdownable story. Claire Legrand’s FURYBORN thrusts the reader into an imaginative world of angels, magic, and deception, featuring two complex heroines.

“The seven saints combined their powers and opened a doorway into the Deep with wind and water, with metal and fire, with shadow and earth. And when Saint Katell, last of all, let fly her blazing, sunlit sword, the angels fell screaming into eternal darkness.”
The story centers around an age-old conflict with a warrior race of angels and saints who have been locked out of the mortal world after the Angelic Wars, held only in place by a force known as the Gate, until the day they break free—a day brought on by the arrival of the prophesized Blood and Sun Queens.

What made this story stand out for me was the unique timeline used for the two protagonists stories; each intersecting but told a thousand years apart from each other.

Rielle is introduced in the prologue (one of the most intense I've read in awhile!!) and we see the epic conclusion of her story; a pivotal moment in time that ensures readers will want to know more about her. Her story moves backward, eventually converging with Eliana's story. The seven elemental tests, the romance, the angel whose voice she hears, and her doubts about which queen she really is, all held me captive to her narrative.

Eliana's story alternates with Rielle's and is told from a thousand years later. After meeting Eliana, a hired bounty hunter, the story reveals more about these fierce angels and their connection to the queens of blood and light.

Both girls possess unimaginable elemental powers that they are hiding, and when discovered, both are thrust into a dangerous world of warrior angels. Both are just trying to survive in a world they are not sure how they fit in. Each is questioning whether they are the 'good' or the 'bad' Queen.

Surprisingly, Rielle's story ended up being more intriguing for me. I knew how her story ended but, I desperately wanted to know how she got there.

What I loved most about FURYBORN is the way Claire Legrand didn't write Rielle and Eliana as clearly defined 'good' or 'bad' characters, but rather gave them both complicated, multi-faceted layers that defied their traditional roles.

Fierce and stubborn, I could relate and sympathize with both. These are troubled heroines (my favorite kind!) women who do not fit easily into that typical role as normally defined but, so much more compelling and a breath of fresh air in the YA fantasy genre.

Even though the shift between Rielle's past and Eliana's present story time-lines confused me at times, I wouldn't want their story told any other way.

My one complaint really is that I wanted more time with these warrior angels and saints, more one-on-one action with the Queens. I have a feeling though that my wish will be granted in the next installment in the Empirium Trilogy.

In the end
The novel's ending is at a perfect place. It leaves readers with some answers but needing more as Rielle and Eliana's story meet in a conclusion that leaves you grabbing for more.

Recommended for:

Readers who enjoy alternate timelines, complex heroines, and a unique world. Fascinating angel and saint lore from the backstory made this even more of a standout read.

I was absolutely in love with this book. Everything about it had me gripped from the start.

The characters were easy to understand and connect with even across the two timelines. I loved getting to know the different characters and how they fit into the world.
Inspiring characters that absolutely should be read by every girl!

The writing was absolutely amazing, it managed to pull you into the story from the get go and you were constantly wanting to know what happened next. If I hadn't been working I would have spent all day reading this amazing novel.
The author new exactly how to write a fantasy novel that had romance as a second plot point which I feel only emphasised how good it made the novel. The action is what gave the book everything but the romance managed to give it a push in the direction I think we all needed for these characters and I am so excited to read the next in the series I definitely want to get my hands on it already.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone who loves a high fantasy novels!

Thank you to the publisher for providing me a copy of this book to review.

Like Children of Blood and Bone, this book was majorly hyped. And it deserved all of it. When this book was first hitting the book scene, I was not really into it. I am sometimes wary of super-hyped books but then I was, like most things, "Ahh, might as well try it." AND I LOVED IT. Though book seems to be like a lot of popular books; you will love it to pieces or you will hate every fiber of its being. I have noticed a lot of people who are complaining about the size of the book. I have been lately wanting to read some long (about 500 page) fantasy books so I appreciated that fact. For me, Legrand did not add any scenes that I felt were unnecessary as the book is basically two stories together.

I love being thrown into the action and this book starts with Rielle fighting to save her daughter and yes it is very dramatic. You also get to meet Simon, who is the same little boy that Rielle gives her daughter to at the beginning of the book, who is also with Eliana during her time; yes there is a completely logical explanation for this. Though I do have lots of questions as to how Simon managed that. 

The Blood Queen

I enjoyed Rielle's POV a little more the Eliana's which is weird because you know that Rielle dies so it is not like there is any is-she-going-to-die tension. Fear not, what it lacks in tension of when she is going to die is made up in how does she become queen? The answer to this question is wholely dramatic and I loved it though I definitely was not expecting it.

The Sun Queen

Then there is Eliana who I would describe as Adelina Amouteru with the flair of Celena Sardothein. She once jumped off a 3-story building with a red cape because she can. Now tell me Celena wouldn't do that and I totally would too if I knew that I wouldn't go splat on the ground. Now she is also invincible, well not completely as she does get hurt but she heals really fast so basically. And she is so much like Adelina because she is (extremely) morally grey but she does love her family. I thought that Simon's remark after the little incident with the army prison was a bit much but it did show Eliana how her actions do affect others. And because the reader knows about the prophecy and the fact that Rielle is called the Blood Queen, it is not hard to put together that Eliana is the Sun Queen. But she does not know that so it makes it interesting for when she is told.

Now, both Rielle and Eliana have bisexual feelings but it is not an in your face "THESE CHARACTERS ARE QUEER!!!!" remark. And that is perfectly okay. 

One plot point that I was expecting to be a bit different was how the prophecy was going to play out. I was expecting a little more hush, hush on who was the Bloof Queen and who was the Sun Queen. 

The supporting characters are a strong part of Furyborn. I loved Ludivine and Remy! Ludivine is Rielle's close friend and the betrothed to Audric. She is completely okay Audric and Rielle loving each other because I think that she might be aro/ace but then again there is a whole plot twist thing and that might be the reason why she has no love interests. And then there is Remy, who is Elianna's little brother; he is adorable and I love the bond between him and Elianna. 

In a nutshell, I did really enjoy reading this book it was a lot of fun and I can't wait to read the next one! 

I know that I shouldn't be quoting an ARC but I just love this line. 

I do not break or bend.

I cannot be silenced. 

I am everywhere. 

Page 339

This story was scattered. Every few pages I felt like I was reading a book I had read before. It was like the author thought if she took specific elements from several ultra popular YA stories an quilted them together she'd have an instant bestseller: The Grisha books, The Hunger Games, Harry Potter, and the Shades of Magic books with some Tomb Raider game play action thrown in. If it had not been a review ARC I would have DNFed it in the first 25% because a good chunk of the beginning was just back to back repetitive fighting scenes. Then the angels came in, angels that can solve every problem if you call on them... this is a huge writing crutch. Anyone can write a story if there is a character who can magically and instantly help everyone overcome every single obstacle, so boring. Another thing that annoyed me was if an item is significant enough to be described in physical detail, like the fashion in this story, readers also need the who, what, where, WHY, when. Why is the outfit significant, why was it made out if that specific material, why was that person selected to make it? You know, like in The Hungers Games. Ha ha. If you are going to blatantly copy elements at least try to write them as well, or better, than the original. And those sex scenes. Not only were they too detailed to be appropriate for YA, they were so drugstore romance cheesy they were laughable, and not in a good way.

These last few years have been excellent for fantasy novels. They are escapism at its finest, as the worlds in such novels are so far removed from our own that we can forget about the insane headlines or the rest of our problems. The heroes allow us to live vicariously through them, fighting insurmountable odds to make a difference and change their world for the better. Plus, no matter how crazy the fantasy world is, it still makes more sense than the United States right about now.

I say all this because it shows I am thoroughly enjoying the fantasy genre these days. It is better than any so-called beach read. Novels like Furyborn make me happy. The combination of a world that contains magic and mythical beings, where women quite literally rule and save the day against overwhelming odds not only captures and holds my interest, such stories give me hope. More importantly, they inspire me. Often what the heroes of these stories have most of is a desire for change and an urgent need to right a wrong. I may not be able to call on the elements, cast spells, or wield a sword, but I can use the weapons I do have - my voice, my vote, my money - to right wrongs in my world and influence changes for the benefit of others. Such is the power of the fantasy novel.

Furyborn fits right into the reasons I love the fantasy genre. The story occurs within two very richly developed worlds with plenty of action and suspense to keep things interesting. There are multiple power struggles at play, only some of which we know. The situations within which Rielle and Eliana find themselves are often morally ambiguous, making it easier to sympathize with the difficult decisions they must make. The enemy is nebulous, mostly hidden; even as the story ends, we remain uncertain what the enemy's true purpose is. There is a complexity to the entire story which allows it to transcend to the next level of story-telling.

What impresses me most about Furyborn is its complexity as well as the fact that Ms. Legrand does not spoon-feed her audience the particulars of her world. There is none of the lengthy exposition of the political situations or detailed descriptive passages building the world. Instead, we are thrust into Rielle's and Eliana's lives with no backstory. We must discern details about these worlds from context clues, and I love it. The action is intense and nonstop because there are no breaks to explain the situations. Moreover, we empathize with Rielle and Eliana because we don't have the full picture; we only see the world through their eyes, especially in the beginning. Because Eliana's story occurs 1,000 years after Rielle's, we can piece together tidbits of information to form a greater picture of what happened during those lost years, which then provides greater context for Rielle's story during the next narrator shift. Not only does this all make the story more interesting, it forces you to be an active reader, involved in deciphering the clues left by Ms. Legrand to build her world on your own. This, in turn, allows more room for flexibility in interpretation, as no one reader is going to have the same mental image as another.

In this way, Ms. Legrand takes a major chance on Furyborn. Not every reader is going to appreciate the role she forces readers to take. After all, this is almost the exact opposite of current trends, in which we are fed news at such a rapid pace that it leaves no room for interpretation or study; we have to rely on experts to give us our opinions about events. In Furyborn, Ms. Legrand takes a step back and requires readers to seek out the news and take the time to understand it without outside commentary. Some readers will not take the time to do so and will find the story confusing as a result. This is their loss. For the right reader, the one who not only recognizes what Ms. Legrand is doing, appreciates it, and becomes the intended careful reader, the story that unfolds is remarkable in its detail, its gray morality, and its exploration of survival and power with two heroines that elicit sympathy and generate empathy for their complicated plights.

“A Queen made of blood, and a Queen made of light. The Blood Queen and the Sun Queen, they had come to be called over the centuries.”

A prophecy of destruction and redemption brought on by two women. Two queens. One for each. I don’t remember if the Blood Queen is doomed to be the destroyer or if that is the assumption of the fictional masses. It seems that the one they deem Blood Queen (after her destruction of life as they know it) was made of light. It pulses through her body in her final moments. The other queen, who has yet to discover her special role, appears born of blood. She’s an assassin, raised and trained by her assassin mother.

I felt perplexed by Furyborn. I don’t really like Rielle or Eliana. Rielle has almost everything but she’s constantly tempted by what she can’t have. Eliana has been taught to kill to provide for and protect her family yet she has the greater compassion. While she’s responsible for the execution of a child at one point, she forces herself not to think about it so she won’t be overwhelmed. Meanwhile, Rielle must save three children’s lives. She mostly does it for political reasons and doesn’t worry over their well-being. Just their not dying. She never thinks of them again after they’re safe. Probably because she's too busy thinking about herself.

I also struggled to get through parts of it. Some sections are exciting and flow well. Others, the pacing is lost. As much as I’d like to find out why Rielle makes the decisions she does, I don’t think I’ll read the next book.

A copy of this book was provided by Netgalley for an honest review.

An ancient prophecy foretold the coming of two queens with the power to control all seven types of elemental magic - a Blood Queen who could destroy the world and a Sun Queen who could save it. Furyborn alternates between the perspectives of Rielle Dardenne, a noblewoman who reveals her stunning powers while saving her friend the prince from an assassination attempt, and Eliana Ferracora, a fierce and lethal bounty hunter living centuries later. The action-packed narrative draws readers in right from the prologue and leaves them wanting more at the end. I can't wait to reenter the world of the Empirium with the next installment in the series!

[Excerpt]:

First of all, I realize I’m VERY late with this reveiw. The book was released on May 22nd of this year, but a) it took me MUCH longer than anticipated to read it all and b) I was in a bit of a slump when I first started the book, and I never got out of it.

However…..[spoilers ahead!!!]:

The opening chapter was PHENOMENAL. If ever there was a way to get me hooked, it was by introducing the story this way. This beginning was an A+++++++ in my eyes. Unlike so many books, especially fantasy but also mysteries and YA stories, a lot of the circumstances of the book, and likely the series, are somewhat explained in this prologue chapter. It’s revealed that:

Rielle is twenty years old and births a baby girl.
Her husband, the former crown prince and then king, Audric, is dead by her hand.
Audric was a “Lightbringer” so he obviously used some kind of famed light power.
Rielle is the Sun Queen and has been recognized as such for 2 years.
Rielle has some connection to the angel Corien, who has come to kill her infant daughter.
A young boy named Simon hates Rielle because she murdered her husband, the king, and used her powers to wage war.
Simon’s POV shows that Rielle is universally hated in the kingdom of Celdaria, although how accurate a young child’s perspective can be is yet to be determined.
Eliana is most likely Rielle’s daughter, who by some accident (caused by Simon, who can travel long distances in a blink, and possibly through time), wound up 1,000 years in the future rather than in a neighboring country in present time.
Rielle is more powerful than 99% of people + angels (it’s hard to say she’s definitively more powerful than everyone considering this is the opening scene).
By the end of the chapter, it’s unclear but seems as if Rielle, the supposed protagonist and main character of this trilogy, dies.

There’s obviously so much information given to readers within these 20 or so pages. We have characterization, some history, relationships among characters, who’s dead and who’s alive and why, and the state of the royal family. I’m used to finding out information a little bit at a time, and although some of the “mystery” may be spoiled, I think the way in which Legrand did it was very clever and beyond intriguing. Plus, there’s no doubt a lot of twists and turns before the story got to this point. I was shocked and immediately enthralled by this world, and my interest and appreciation for the independent and strong-willed Rielle only grew stronger as I continued into the first chapter.

Things inevitably become more complicated. It’s revealed that, in Eliana’s time, Rielle is known as the Blood Queen, so the question becomes, is Rielle really the Sun Queen or the Blood Queen? And as for whichever Queen she isn’t, well…..who else is supposed to hold one of these titles? Could it be her daughter, Eliana? To me, it seems like Rielle is the Sun and Eliana is the Blood Queen.
[Full review on my blog!]

Two strong heroines, a an engaging plot, and a fascinating world. What's not to like? The novel kept giving me The Queen of the Tearling vibes, one of my favorite fantasy trilogies ever. In fact, I liked this book so much, I bought a finished hard cover - something I have not done for any of the books I've gotten from NetGalley so far.

As soon as I heard about this book, I knew it was something I needed to read. Claire calls it the “book of her heart” and it’s obvious why. She puts passion into every word and page, something that gives it an undeniably addictive quality. Once I started, I wanted to finish this book so, so bad. Who needs to work or go to the gym or eat when there are wonderful books to devour?

Rielle and Eliana exist a thousand years apart in time, but their journeys intersect in exciting ways. I found Eliana’s story slightly more intriguing, maybe because we don’t know how it will end, but there was never a moment during Rielle’s chapters where I was bored. I couldn’t be bored, not when Furyborn has magic and romance, danger and assassins, angels and foretold queens.

I can’t wait for 2019 and the continuation of the Empirium story!

This simple, yet elegant cover caught my attention right away, though the synopsis is what really pulled me in. I love how subtle the inferences to the two queens are on this cover. The Queen of Light and the Queen of Blood. The dark cover choice for this was great, making the golden corners and white lettering stand out. I could only see this as an e-book but I could imagine how stunning this book cover is in person.

"The emperium lies within ever living thing, and every living thing is of the empirium. Its power connects not only flesh and bone, root to earth, stars to sky, but also road to road, city to city. Moment to moment."

This story switches between the stories of two women from two different times. Each chapter alternates between the point of view of Eliana and Rielle as they experience similar events. Each chapter is labeled with the name of the character whose POV it is from. In some stories it becomes unclear, Claire avoided any possible confusion here.

This method of story telling allows the reader to compare and contrast how these characters approach and deal with the problems thrown at them. They each harbor incredible power and admirable self-confidence. I loved seeing how differently each Rielle and Eliana approached each situation. Though these women are what the story primarily focuses on, I find that it brings so many more well-developed characters to our attention as well.

"Dread,' he murmered, his breath caressing her cheek, "is only a feeling, easily squashed. But wolves, me dear, have teeth."

There is romance between characters, but I was relieved to discover that it is not a major driving factor of the story. The story is driven by the trials Rielle is facing and the lengths to which Eliana goes to find her mother. I really enjoy these types of books. Romance is nice to see between characters, and often most times inevitable, but it should not take over the story unless it is a romance novel.

The book does present many action-packed scenes, but it took me a bit to get into initially. I felt that the beginning was slow. It did pick up and keep a fast pace through the rest of the story though! I was pulled into the story, invested in the characters and their perils. Some of the plot twists were predictable, I was hoping for more shocking twists...ones I would never see coming. At times the story can become confusing. There were often so many different things going on that details could be confusing. This might be cleared up by rereading the book. This is the reason I am rating it four books.

I enjoyed so many parts of this book, but I do not want to give anything away. I just know that I personally dislike spoilers about books I might read, so I try to avoid them in my reviews. I can say that I really enjoyed this book and if you enjoy fantasy novels packed with action, you might as well. This is the first book in the series and from my understanding, there will be 2 more. I do look forward to them! I just need to know what happens next.

"By the moon, by the moon. That's where you'll find me. By the moon, by the moon. We'll hold hands, just you and me. We'll pray to the stars and ask them to set us free. By the moon, by the moon. That's where you'll find me."

First, as trivial as this is, I really did love all the names in the book especially Prince Audric i.e. Rielle’s love interest. There are so many examples here – Rielle, Bastien, Evyline, Navana and so on. Call me silly but I just like these character names.

The odd chapters of Furyborn follow Rielle’s story and the even ones follow Eliana. I actually did like Eliana as a character but I found her story slightly boring at times. Rielle on the other hand was just okay as a character. I also hoped for more involvement from Audric in the story which I really couldn’t see. The alternate chapter writing was slightly cumbersome at first but soon grew on me as it tied the story together nicely and made for quite a few cliffhanger.

This was so good. but something is keeping me from giving it a full 5 stars. it deserves the hype it's been getting.

*Thank you to Netgalley and Sourcebooks Fire for sending me this ARC!*

It's been a while since I've read a new-to-me fantasy series, and I've been completely blown away by Furyborn. Usually I don't like alternating viewpoints, but the ways Rielle's and Eliana's stories intertwined even with centuries between them intrigued me.

Rielle's story does feature a possible love triangle, but I appreciate how Legrand chose not to go the route of girls hating other girls for no reason, and instead gave Rielle a true, strong friendship. She also has a complex relationship with her feelings about her magic and its intersection with her family life, which I would enjoy the possibility of exploring in the future.

Eliana's cold, hard "Dread of Orline" exterior duels with warm feelings for her mother and brother. I admire her tenacity in the face of her entire world changing, and, in the end, her willingness to accept a new reality. I enjoyed Rielle's parts more than Eliana's in the beginning, because of the allure of the elemental trials and the magic, but by the middle, I had come around to Eliana's story.

These two women were fierce and independent each in their own ways, but I do think I enjoyed more of the story after we began to see more of the connection between them and how that will come into play.

I was also interested in the elemental system of magic and its intersection with the Saints. In order to prove herself as the Sun Queen, Rielle had to prove that she had mastered all seven elements by undergoing a trial for each. I've always liked trials, and seeing what distinguishes Furyborn’s magic from other books’ was a treat.

The plot was enthralling, if a bit slow in the beginning. I do think that some elements were unnecessary, such as some of the science-fiction-esque creature-creation in later chapters, and Eliana’s beginning dragged a bit. I thoroughly enjoyed the mystery about Eliana’s history, and the suspense of Rielle’s terrifying trials.

Well done, Legrand! I am waiting on the edge of my seat for book 2.

furyborn seems to be the book of the moment, the fantasy book that's getting all the hype. I can see why, but the hype was a bit much for me. I felt like I had already read a lot of these things that were happening in this book, which is never what you want to focus on when reading a new it-fantasy read.

At first this book took me a little longer to read. That’s not because I didn’t like it, but because it was filled with so many introductions and intricate descriptions that I took longer to read each page. But it wasn’t long until I was familiar with the world and characters and I was soon sucked into this book to the point that my family went to great pain to try to drag me out of it again for meals/sleep/socialising and other aspects of daily life.
This is an epic fantasy, and boy is it epic. Not just in the sense that the world is so beautifully crafted, but in the sense that I just really enjoyed this book and it has become on of my new favourite reads. There was a moment when I got to chapter five, that I suddenly had to go back and re-read the prologue again as it took on a whole new meaning which made my heart really happy (you’ll understand what I mean when you read it). The plot and the characters are woven together so well in this book, there are tiny pieces of detail that make you exclaim in excitement such as ‘OH SO THAT’S WHAT THAT MEANT’ or ‘OMG IT’S THAT CHARACTER’ as everything Claire writes has meaning, and all of it leads towards something, usually character development or relationships. It reads like fate and it makes you so happy when you finally start to puzzle out the plot and all the pieces start to fall together to make so much glorious sense.
By the midpoint in this book I was so invested in the characters, and so invested in their plight that I nearly forgot to leave the house for my doctor’s appointment. I don’t recommend that. But this book is purely addictive, you are permanently on the edge of your seat. So much happens in each page, there is never a dull moment and every time you put the book down to do something else, you are left aching for more, needing to find out what happens next.
The thing I loved most about this book though, was the way that Claire didn’t have a clearly defined ‘good’ and ‘evil’ like you find in most fantasy books. Every character had layers, there was no clear hero or antagonist, and even the side characters had fully designed backgrounds, plotlines and deep personalities. Each character was written into this book like they belong there, they all have purpose and they all feel real. Every one of them is flawed, and all of them having redeeming points as well, and it leaves you feeling really conflicted on how to feel about a character. You still find yourself invested in them when they are doing terrible things as much as you do when they are being heroic. They are believable, and you can really understand their needs and desires. A good character can make a book, and this book has an abundance of wonderfully crafted characters that makes this book spectacular.
The romance is believable and I am rooting for all of them all the way, I ship every pairing Claire crafted, but I especially ship Eliana and her love interest. Eliana was my favourite character in this book, but both protagonists are strong, independent and intelligent women who know what they want and do anything they can to get it. I love a badass female lead, and this book has two. The family and friend relationships are also really sweet and relatable, and their backstories are so well written. You feel everything with the two protagonists, their obstacles are painful, their love is warm, their happiness is infectious and you feel the sadness too. Some moments nearly bringing me to tears. Reading this was truly an emotional roller-coaster but it was worth every minute of it.
This book ends just as seemed to be beginning leaving way for a sequel that I need in my life desperately. We leave the book in the perfect place. The same the main plots that we needed resolved, are resolved, and some are left open so we long for more.
I really loved this book. It was fantastic and I am going to be the first person in the queue as soon as the sequel is released.

4.5 stars from me!

Furyborn was such a such an enjoyable read! The writing was excellent, the characters were distinct, the world was original, and the plot was creative.

Furyborn starts with the queen, Queen Rielle giving birth to her daughter. Only seconds after, the doctor realizes that someone else is in the room, Corien, and thus, a super intense escape scene begins.

From the start, I was enthralled. One of my favorite qualities that this book has is the fact that it jumps between time zones. At first, it was hard to keep track of the two different storylines as I didn't know enough about the characters to fully distinguish them. However, I soon was able to differentiate between the two different time settings, and I soon had no more confusion.

The book moved at a very swift pace; even when the time jumps occurred, each character was always in the middle of the action. While this made me read the book faster, I wanted to see what happened next, I would have enjoyed some more down moments at the ends of chapters. I feel like that would have helped me to enjoy and savor each character's development and story more.

Something that I wish was included was more of a background. While the time-jumps helped to fill in the gaps actively, I would have liked more information about the origins of elements and how people came to control them and the saints and what happened them. While there was never a super good part in the book to discuss this, I feel like it could have been included in the prologue or the beginning when we learn the people are praying at the seven temples.

One of my favorite parts of the writing was the fact that from the prologue, we know the Rielle is the Blood Queen. However, when the story starts, we meet Rielle before she is given the title. This makes it so much more interesting to see how she became the Blood Queen. For me, one of the best lines in the book is, "They will love me. All of them will." These two simple sentences show Reille's determination not to be someone that is feared, but instead to be someone seen as the protector of the kingdom. I think that her commitment to become the beloved Sun Queen makes her transition to Blood Queen even better.

For me, this book alternated between being super predictable and super surprising. There were parts that I legit rolled my eyes when characters FINALLY realized something important. But, on the flip side, there were moments where I was left flabbergasted, and everything clicked into place.

The ending of the book was satisfying and only fueled my need for the next book! I loved how it ended, well it was a love-hate, but it was so good!

In conclusion, I would highly recommend this book to people who love time jumps, distinct characters, a creative world, and an addicting plot. The fast-paced nature of this book meant that it was a quicker read as the chapters almost always ended on a cliffhanger. I have already recommended this book to so many people! I need to have the next book now!