Rielle has the ability to manipulate seven elements, making her one of the prophesied pair of Queens that could save or doom the world. She has to undergo trials in each of the elements to prove herself, risking her life in order to do so. A thousand years later, Eliana is a bounty hunter for the Undying Empire, killing others to keep her family safe. At first, she thought it was working, but then her mother disappeared and she had to ally with the rebel leader in order to find out what had happened. Both soon discover there are far more secrets than they ever knew about.

The stories of Rielle and Eliana are interwoven, and you suspect the relationship between the two long before it's actually revealed over the course of the novel. At first, Rielle is depicted as the horrible Blood Queen of legend in the prologue, but then we actually see her story unfold. She had thought she was the Sun Queen, that she could have the man she loved, the friends she cared for, and be worthy of the people she had been hiding her magical abilities from. Eliana had wanted to be nothing more than the soulless bounty hunter that would keep her family safe and hadn't wanted to question anything she was doing or feel emotion about the consequences of her actions. Each of them was hiding in their own way, and the trials within the novel really force them to take a hard look at themselves and their motives.

Furyborn is the first novel in the Empirium Trilogy. The Empirium in this world is the magic that controls the elements: fire, air, water, earth, metal, darkness, and light. I love the world building involved with the different kingdoms, the history hinted at with the war with angels and their odd appearance and abilities. There are a number of really surprising twists in both storylines, especially as the plots pick up speed and grow really intense. Because this is the first of a trilogy, it feels as though the ending is a bit abrupt. Both story threads end on a somewhat completed note, as both Rielle and Eliana reach the goal that they set out to do at the start of the novel. There's clearly more to the story, and I was disappointed that there wasn't more. I'll have to wait for the other two books in the trilogy, just like everyone else.

Furyborn is the first book in the Empirium trilogy (I believe), and I found myself with mixed feelings about it.

Frankly, I did not find either of the main characters, Rielle and Eliana, all that likable, and most of the time their thoughts and actions annoyed or disgusted me. Probably the only investment I had in these two was hoping for any kind of improvement or development...SOMETHING to make me like them more.

On the other hand, I did enjoy the fantastical/magical/mythological aspects of Furyborn, and I kept turning the pages if only to see what happened next and how everything would (finally) be connected.

***I voluntarily read and reviewed an Advance Reader Copy provided by the publisher via NetGalley. ***

This epic fantasy story follows two girls from two different time lines set centuries apart gifted with the seven elemental powers that will either save their world or doom it. One is the Sun Queen, the other the Queen of Blood and Destruction. During the devastating war between humans and the fearsome beings known as angels, seven powerful magic users manage to imprison the angels in a separate realm, but it isnt meant to last. It is prophesied that as the gate gets weaker and the angels influence once again gets stronger that two queens will rise.

Right from the start I was intrigued by both main characters and was able to connect to them. They're both complexe and flawed in a way where you can see them easily becoming either the hero or the villain of the story. They both had a tough childhood and make some not so great choices. Eliana is a bounty hunter for the Empire and its cruel ruler while Rielle lives in the past as signs of the gates getting weaker start showing. I was so excited when I found out that both main characters were attracted to more than one gender, and its completely accepted in this world. We even get a lord with a harem of both women and men.

I loved all the different types of relationships. We get a wonderful sibling relationship between Eliana and her brother Remy. Eliana partner/lover Harkan was just the sweetest thing. I really hope we get to see more of him. I also enjoyed seeing Eliana butt heads with Simon and her friendship progression with Navi. Rielle on the other hand has a great female friendship with Ludevine and a cute romance with the Prince. Ludevine was an amazing friend. Even though she's betrothed to the Prince all she wants is to see her two best friends happy together. I also liked how Rielles complicated relationship with Tal and her father develops.

The world with its history, magic and angels was fascinating. Id loved to know more about the marques and their powers. The creatures created by the emperor were so creepy. I did feel like the prologue gave too much of the plot away. The book was a bit longer than it needed to be, but having every chapter end on a cliff hanger really helped keep me engaged. This could have easily been an adult fantasy with its dark themes and steamy scenes. I had a couple issues like how the trials werent actually helping them decide if she was the Sun Queen or the Blood Queen, but only tested how strong she was. I still really enjoyed it and I cant believe I have to wait a year for the sequel.

<REVIEW> FURYBORN (Empirium #1)
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• ⭐️:4,5/5
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💬: The first third of the book was a mess of informations and it took sometime for me to organize my thoughts and all the world building surrounding the story, but when everything settled in their respective place...UOU WHAT AN INCREDIBLE WORLD!
The plot is build with two different povs, one is Rielle and the other Eliana, both women are capable of using the seven elements and for that they are linked to an old prophecy, where exists two queens: The Blood Queen, the destroyer; and the Sun Queen, the one who would save them all. Even if their stories are told lots of years apart, they are linked by fate.
Rielle’s story shows a sensible girl who was afraid of her powers and what it could do with the people she loves, she is an amazing woman who loves with all her heart. She’s also tormented by a voice in her head, Corien. But also enlightened by the love of her life, Audric. To prove to the kingdom that her powers won’t destroy anyone and that she is the Sun Queen, she has to pass 7 trials, each one designed according to an element and deadly dangerous.
Eliana’s story is heartbreaking. She learned with her “mother” how to fight and how to kill and later on she started to work for the Empire as their personal assassin. But her path crosses with one of the favorite agents from the resistance against the Empire, The Wolf, and she cuts a bargain with him. Someone we all know from the beginning of the story and are all dying of curiosity to know how he ended up where he is...The Wolf, Eliana and Remy are trying to bring Princess Navi safely back to her home country as a way to save this other kingdom from the Empire and that means...action and adventures! Also, I know Eliana’s heart is set on her old lover but I kept wishing something would develop between her and The Wolf throughout their mission, because I’m a sucker for forbidden romances and because THEY HAVE CHEMISTRY AND ARE FATED TO BE TOGETHER SOMEHOW.
I was more engaged with Eliana’s story by far but Rielle’s also had my heart rooting for her at some points and saddened by others. I loved Eliana’s relationship with her little brother, Remy and how complicated it was. It wasn’t a blind love like most families have, it was a partnership and understanding. Needless to say that Remy, Eliana’s little brother stole my heart with his imaginative and adorableness.
I can’t wait for the next book and I know things are getting more intense because Corien exists and he is an asshole. But i’m hoping Eliana and The Wolf will be alright at the end.

Furyborn received a lot of hype, so perhaps I went in with higher expectations than warranted. It started out with an explosive beginning and then sort of fizzled. The premise is fascinating, but I had issues with the timing and the alternating timelines. The two lead characters felt like every other fantasy heroine over the last five years. They are fierce warriors but come across as unlikeable. I felt little if any interest in their plights. Simon was easily my favorite character and definitely the most entertaining.

Since I read a lot of fantasy, I don’t mind world building and complex storylines. However, this one became too tedious. Reading Rielle’s countless trials bogged down the entire flow of the book. Despite some of my irritations, the series has potential. I will likely try the next installment.

Thank you to SOURCEBOOKS Fire and NetGalley for my advanced review copy.

Furyborn gives you a world filled with magic and mystery. A distant land where villains are saviors, and angels are monsters. Two queens will rise. The Sun Queen who would bring light into the darkness, savior of humankind and elemental magic. And the Blood Queen, The Lady of Death, The Kingsbane. They're destined to bring ruin and salvation, foretold by the angel Aryava. The only question was, when?

This is an epic fantasy unlike any you've read before. The plot is so detailed and incredibly fantastical, it will sweep you away from the very first pulse-pounding pages. The prologue throws you right in the middle of the action, and the desperation of the characters is so palpable, it will grab hold of you and refuse to let go. The struggle between good and evil is a strong theme; in the fight against the angels and the Empire, and the internal struggle within both of the heroines. Eliana and Rielle both grapple with the duality of their morals, their conscience, and their loyalty.

Rielle Dardenne is blessed with the ability to control all of the elements in the Empirium, but lives in fear of being discovered. There have been signs that the prophesy of the two queens is almost upon them, and the kingdom of Celdaria will look at her with suspicion and distrust if they learned of her unimaginable power. But she's impulsive, and simmering with impatience over being suppressed for so long by her father. One wrong move, and an attack on Prince Audric forces her hand in revealing her true self. Now she'll be forced to prove that her heart and intentions are pure.

During the Angelic wars, the seven saints defeated the angels by opening a doorway into the Deep, and sealing them behind a great gate. They were locked away, with many years of peace ahead, but they would not be imprisoned forever. Rielle will soon discover that one sinister angel in particular somehow has his sights set firmly on her and the potential of her power. In the privacy of her mind, he places doubts about her loved ones, and feeds the fire of her anger. Corien was a truly menacing and disturbing villain. I can't say I really understood her failure to tell someone that he was communicating with her once she knew what he was. Maybe it was his ability to see her weaknesses and exploit them. Or maybe the praise she received from him filled a hole that was left hollow for so long. But as she was put through seven trials to prove her skills and intent, that voice in her head only got stronger and louder.

I've been seeing a lot of people say that their favorite of the two young women was Rielle, but personally, I was drawn to Eliana and her storyline the most. Eliana Ferracora was the Dread of Orline. A deadly assassin who sold her soul every day for the safety and protection of her family. Her mother and brother are the only things of importance in her ravaged world, She's lost hope for herself, but will never give up fighting for their future. If she has to lie, cheat, or kill, she'll do it. Without hesitation.

After her first kill at the age of 12, and since then, doesn't allow herself the luxury of guilt or remorse. Those weaknesses are tucked away in a neat little box never to be heard from again. Survival is her ultimate priority. Eliana was a cold and hard character, but understanding her motivations, and seeing the selflessness that she showed in those rare moments made me believe that the Empire hadn't hadn't completely ruined her. She would need faith to make the right choices, to use her gifts to fight for the weak and helpless rather than throw them to the wolves. And speaking of wolves....that brings me to the Wolf.

The Wolf is a character you can't help but admire, as the second in command to the leader of the resistance. He seems noble, strong, brave, but like both women, much more complex than he first appears, with layers that haven't even begun to have been pulled back.

Both Eliana and the Wolf were a well oiled cog on opposite sides of the war. Unlikely allies, but not necessarily friends, the reluctantly made a mutually beneficial bargain that would further their own agendas. They clashed and butted heads, but fought together like a perfectly synchronized machine. And they were more alike than either would care to admit. I desperately wanted both of them to find a little peace, even if for a moment. His deepest, darkest scars that have yet to be revealed, and I'm so eager to unravel his secrets.

It would be impossible to adequately describe the depth of the characters, or the intricacy of the world building. And I wouldn't want to. You need to discover this awe inspiring world for yourself. There will be terror, despair, heartache, and loss. But there is also love, hope, resilience, and courage. So why not five stars? That was my original rating, but I did have a minor issue with the alternating storylines feeling too jarring. It would have been easier to transition if we got to spend more time in each place, say three or four chapters instead of one before the switch. It was honestly a noticeable adjustment for a decent chunk into the book. However, that being said, this is still undoubtedly a top favorite for me this year, and after that action packed ending, I'm going to be counting down the days until I get my hands on the next installment. Don't walk....RUN now to get your copy of this book.

Two Queens will rise. One of blood. One of light.

Generations ago in a war between humans and Angels, the angels were defeated and locked behind a gate. Do to their influence being taken from the world, magic slowly started seeping out of it.

When the crown Prince Audric is attacked by assassins and Rielle Dardenne saves him, she does so using all the elemental powers as prophesized. To discover the true depth of her power, Rielle will undergo a series of tests, but as she pushes herself to the limit, she begins to understand that things are waking up within herself as well as in the world again, things that maybe should have stayed locked away forever.

Centuries later, as Rielle’s name is but a whisper on the wind, Eliana Ferracora is an assassin known as The Dread of Orlins, word is she’s invincible. She kills those opposed to the Empire in order to keep her family safe, but at the cost of losing a bit of herself with each death. When her mother is taken in the night, Eliana will align herself with those she’s been tasked to kill to get her mother back and she’ll begin to see the rot that surrounds the Kingdom. When an opportunity arises for Eliana to fight on the side of good, she’ll have to face some hard truths about herself.

Furyborn alternates perspectives between Rielle and Eliana. Rielle’s is mainly filling in the blanks that lead to and shaped the world Eliana lives in. While we weave our way through the story, I didn’t think it was about the “big reveals” or the twists and turns so much as it’s about seeing these two timelines and these two women who are each almost in the same situation(s) and they impact they have. It’s actually pretty easy to see where the storyline is going (barring a couple of surprises mind you), but I enjoyed seeing how we would get there.

Both Rielle and Eliana’s alternating stories somewhat mirror one another. I like the nuances of each woman facing the same type of challenges in separate timelines and seeing the choices each made. If I’d had time to read this book twice before reviewing, I would have so I could really pinpoint the variances.

One complaint is that a lot of the forward motion of Eliana’s portion of the story felt very jerky and spur of the moment. It lacked a certain flow at times. I think it’s because there’s so much being packed into this story that it kept the bad guys from feeling as wicked as they’re supposed to be and the relationships as deep as their supposed to be. That goes on both Eliana and Rielle’s side of things actually. I found it rather difficult to like either Rielle or Eliana as they both have some huge flaws and oftentimes make some terrible decisions. The feeling that these women are so revered by the end of the book kinda grated on my nerves a bit. But they try to be good, even sometimes begrudgingly.

I liked the way Claire Legrand posits about the ability of power to corrupt and that even the good sides of things have their darkness.

It’s an interesting world started in Furyborn. By the end many of the connections between the past and the present are made. I’m interested to see how Claire Legrand fills in the rest of the blanks and how those continue to build into the next book.

Thank you, NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to have read this awesome new fantasy fiction novel by Claire Legrand.
This new series opened with a POP! This novel was awesome. It had a huge world to built and at times I felt it dragged out, but man alive was it worth it! The two perspectives we hear from are tough, family oriented and wise. They made mistakes, but this is young adult and they are young. But their decisions were smart.
I just felt this was all around a great new fantasy and the author writes it so well that I bel Eve many should enjoy.

When her friend and the prince is ambushed, Rielle unleashes power that she's been hiding her whole life. She's put through trials to prove she can control her powers, and for the king to decide if she's the foretold sun queen. One thousand years later, Eliana is a bounty hunter to support her family, and she's good at it. Her mother disappears and Eliana joins the Wolf (a rebel captain) on a mission.This was a great, inventive new fantasy YA. It took me a little bit to get used to the chapters flipping between times/people but I was soon engrossed and immersed in the world. I was so excited to find out how the worlds and people connected, and am excited for book 2.

Furyborn is an exciting tale of two strong females, who despite all odds take control of their own destiny.
LeGrand crafts a plot thick story that follows two different characters, an interesting way to write a book as you know the ending of one of the characters right off, but you do get to realize how they got there. An excellent book with a plot full of twists and strong females. Definitely one I will recommend.

This book is probably my FAVORITE book of 2018 thus far. These beautifully flawed, strong women are everything that I want to read in novels of any genre!

I loved the alternating perspectives from Eliana and Rielle / present and past, and how wonderfully their stories are so intertwined. All these characters live in shades of grey and I freaking love it!

Forbidden love, courtly drama, a Prince and a Wolf, two fierce women trying to figure themselves out and where they stand, magic and mystery, this book has it all. I was sucked in from the very beginning and I ended on the edge of my seat anxiously awaiting a sequel!

4.5 STARS!

Set in the medieval times world where war seems to be the answer and magic powers, angels, and other dark forces exist, Furyborn by Claire Legrand is a fantasy romance about two fierce heroines and the connection they share!

The story jumps from the past and flashes into the present, a 1000 years apart. We quickly learn about Rielle Dardenne, she's learning how to hone her elemental powers after being held prisoner for so long by her father. She's a rather powerful magistra who can burn the world down with just her fury alone. Then we meet Eliana Ferracora, she's a lethal assassin for the Undying Empire until her mother mysteriously disappears without a trace and she joins the rebels in order to find her. As the story progresses we come across a lot of twists and turns that leave us railing and wanting more!

Claire's storytelling made me remember how much I love and miss YA fantasy/paranormal books. Its been a long time coming since I've been in a world as imaginative as the one this author has created. Claire Legrand not only wrote two strong and loveable females, but really likeable secondary characters who brought more depth to the story as well. Furyborn captivated me from the very first page and though it ends in a cliffhanger, I cannot wait to embark on this journey once more!

This was an awesome premise but didn't quite follow through. I suspect that the next in the series will clear up the problems I had with this one. Full review found at the link to my blog, [a cup of tea and an armful of books]!

********4.5 Star*****

I didn't know what expect from this book when I picked it up and what I found was a book that surprised me at every corner. This book did not read as a ya book and that is not a bad thing. I enjoyed the adult themes in this story. The themes of survival, morality, loyalty, love (romance, family and friendship) are interwoven into the story of two Queens separated by 1000 years, but who face a similar journey with one outcome, destruction or rebirth.

Furyborn had an interesting storytelling format. each chapter switches back and forth between the two main characters (The Queens), Rielle and Eliana. I thought this was brilliant story telling because you see the past come to life in Rielle story and you see the possible future in Eliana story. The past is needed in order to understand the present situation and to show the reader that the past can be redeemed.

Both Rielle and Eliana stories are heartbreaking. Rielle was a girl with tremendous power and when it was accidentally unleashed, instead of her family trying to understand it and to nurture her power. she was locked away and made to feel unworthy and unlovable. Rielle was so lonely that it allowed her to fall prey to an individual that had ill attention. Rielle was giving everything she wanted by this one person who desired to feed her darkness, that she begans to lose her light and her way.

Eliana is a girl living in a world ruled by a ruthless Empire. Her world suffers from the mistakes of Rielle still felt 1000 years later. Eliana world is one built on survival at all cost. Do anything, be anything in order to protect her family and to live just one more day. It's a life that cost a little bit of her soul on a daily basis. She is a women who is afraid of the darkness that lives inside. She fears that one day this darkness will overtake her and she will be lost forever.

Legrand does a great job of showing that this world isn't black or white. That there are no easy choices or answers. The characters all have to deal with there own darkness and desires that may be less than honorable. Her characters are complex, well developed and they each have their own demons to fight and choices to make that may hurt those around them.

The only minor quibble I have is that it is being marketed as a YA book and it doesn't not read as a YA book, but more as an adult fantasy, due to content in this book. It didn't take away from my enjoyment, but I am women of a certain age.

An amazing new fantasy series that consumed me from page one, had me on batted breath and left me wanting more.

******Publisher provided a review copy via NetGalley********

Many Thanks to Net-Galley and the publisher for an advanced e-copy. This did not affect my rating.
*4.5/5*

<i> “Two Queens will rise. One with the power to save the world. One with the power to destroy it. They carry your fate in their hands.” </i>

Furyborn is the story of two prophesied Queens.. The Blood Queen and the Sun Queen, one with the ability to destroy the world and one to save it. Both hold the power to wield all 7 elemental powers.

Rielle is a girl who is hiding many secrets.. about her powers, who she loves.. and all these come to a world shattering head when the boy she holds dear to her, is threatened by assassins. Rielle exposes her powers when she saves his life but puts her own life in danger as the King does not know what to do with her. To prove she is one of the prophesied Queens, and has control of her powers, she must face trials of all 7 elements. Along with her burgeoning powers, there is a voice that talks to Rielle, who she pushes her to be strong. But what is his agenda?
I love love love stories that have trials and tests in them.. I find them so fascinating. Claire Legrand threw the world at Rielle and it was stunning. The way the elemental magic works is so interesting. I just kept wanting to read on and on about how Rielle was going to survive the next trial.

Eliana is the Dread of Orline. 1000 years after Rielle has died and ridded the world of magic, Eliana believes that Rielle and the angels are stories. There is no magic in her world. Eliana is a skilled assassin, helping the Empire get rid of its enemies. She has a caring mother and brother - she does everything to keep them safe. Until her next mark is The Wolf. A rebel who has been wrecking havoc for the Empire. Spurred by the disappearance of her mother and wanting to keep her brother safe, Eliana strike up a bargain and throws her whole world in to chaos.

The supporting cast are all awesome characters, and I can't wait to see how the grow in the next book.
For Rielle, there is Audric, Ludivine, Corien, and Tal.
For Eliana, there are Remy, Simon, Navi, and Zahra.
All these characters play a big role in this book.

I commend Claire for how she handled grief. It is an ever present feeling, leading both Rielle and Eliana in their journeys.

Now, I didn't realize this book had angels, and as soon as that came up.. I was on high alert. I have only read a handful of books where I enjoyed their portrayal.. Well, rest assured, I actually enjoyed that aspect and the mythology it added to the world and I can't wait to see where it leads.

The prologue alone had me flipping pages to see how the characters ended up there.. what happened! and while this book doesn't get there, I can't wait to find out.

Ahhh Romance. Each girl has their own romantic interest. Yes, there is sex in this book but it is tastefully done and respectful. The narrative emphasized consent throughout the whole scene. Hell yes to consensual sex!

Overall, I loved the mythology, the magic system, both badass women, and their supporting cast. It was a fun, action filled ride with sweet moments of young love but also friendship.

I would like to first note that I generously received an ARC of this book though this review is being posted because I want to share the love of this book and all thoughts are completely my own.

This book has been one of my most anticipated books since first hearing of it and I was so excited to be given a copy because I couldn't wait to get my hands on it. Now I can see why I wanted it so badly and I loved this book from beginning to end. I read and finished it in less than four days which is quite a feat for me and I read every moment I could because I needed to know what would happen next!

This is the story of two women (Rielle who is known by history as the Blood Queen and Eliana who is a bounty hunter that heals quickly from wounds) who are one thousand years apart in timelines so it's rather hard to believe there's a connection between these two very different women... and yet... sometimes the most elusive connection can lead to surprising discoveries.

Both of these women are powerful in their own rights and both also have a choice as to whether help save the world or let it burn. Sometimes the most important decisions can be the hardest because there's a slim chance that things will work out because life is always full of surprises.

I loved that both Rielle and Eliana are fiercely protective of those they love and are not afraid to make some hard choices to protect their loved ones though in a variety of different ways.

Rielle has spent much of her life being sheltered with her father being a commander to their King though she's had her fair share of struggles with trying to wrestle with her powers and keep it a secret for fear that she may be led to the slaughter. I liked getting to know Rielle because she's a funny, kind, powerful and protective young woman who will do anything to keep her loved ones safe and is also very smart. She's about to get in over her head but luckily she has at least a couple of people to count on to be there for support.

Eliana is known as the Dread of Orline and has done a number of different jobs to put food on the table and protect her brother as well as Mother. Even though she's an assassin, I really liked her character because she's one tough, loyal person who is loving to those she cares for and will do anything to keep them safe. The jobs are starting to wear on her though and one job gone wrong may very well be the key to her salvation.

Full of magic, intrigue, the power of love, adventure and twists... I still can't quite wrap my head around some parts because it was all so amazing and I highly recommend checking out this book. I can't wait to see what is in store for all the characters in the next book! Also I'd love to have my very own Chavaile and super loyal Ludivine, Simon, Remy and Audric!

I feel like I need more time with this review. I will do a more in depth one on good reads this week. I'm debating between a 4 and a 5 star rating.

The beginning of this book had me on my toes! It was intense and drama filled and I could not believe that it started that way.

I love both Rielle and Eliana. I'm all for these bad ass female leads nowadays. All my favorite books from the last year have a strong female lead.

Dislike: I think dislike is a strong word. There's not much that I dislike about this book, but the jumping back and forth 1000+ years took a little time to adjust to. Also, I almost feel like their stories could have been separated. 2 separate books and it would have been easier to digest.

No matter that though, there was enough drama to keep me going through this and I loved it. I can't wait to get my own physical copy of it. #netgalley #furyborn

Furyborn (Empirium #1)
I was given this book by net galley and source books in advance. So for me this book started out very slow during the first half and then i was at the edge of my seat by the second half. I really liked one of the main characters Eliana for being a strong character and I thought she was tougher than Rielle. Riellie seemed pretty cool with all of those powers and sometimes seemed to be written with to much power. Rielle was always debating with herself and would be positive one minute then the next was very negative and hard on herself, so I wish that didn't happen as much. I really liked the writing style and how she described details and the thoughts of the characters.
I really like the male character Simon! I won't say much about him except that I love him. Audric was a pretty good character too. And Ludivine was so sweet and so cute!

I liked the romance in this book but i thought that there were way to many details during the love scenes that didn't need to be that detailed.
I also didn't like the amount of F bombs said in the book.
But overall i liked the book very much and can't wait for the next one.

Disclaimer: I received a copy via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Plot
Claire Legrand has created a really exciting fantasy world. She’s really good at writing together this story, but it’s not super complex or different from many others, but it’s still unique in its own way and I like it like that. As soon as i started this book, I was completely hooked. The entire concept drew me in. Sadly, for me some parts at the end were a little slow and made me slightly uninterested at those points, which made me bring my rating down to 4. Also, the trials that Rielle had to go through in order to become the Queen were interesting to read about. The trials kind of reminded me of the Hunger Games, and sort of the Goblet Of Fire from Harry Potter. But when I was reading about the trials, it seemed a little easy, and I never once doubted that she wasn’t going to pull through with nothing wrong, which it would’ve been nice to have some suspense.
Characters
I really loved reading through Rielle and Eliana’s perspectives. To be honest, I didn’t see a ton of difference between them. The author didn’t write a ton of personality depth, and if you were just looking at their traits then it would be easy to mix them up. But the actions they do define them. It was easy to tell Rielle seemed innocent, but we’re also reading it where we can see her slowly become a little darker. Eliana, on the other hand, already had a darkness in her, but she doesn’t seem like the darkness comes naturally to her, she definitely cares deeply for others. Now, onto my thoughts about the romance. At the beginning, I thought Rielle and Audric were kind of sudden, and I didn’t believe they were cute together. Thankfully, Claire Legrand keeps writing them together, and the more I see them together, the more I ship them. For most of the book Eliana doesn’t have a love interest, and I like it like that. I think she’s a great character without a love interest.
Overall
I really liked this book, and I’m super excited for the sequel. I think that so many fantasy lovers would really appreciate this book, so if you like fantasy, then you’ll most likely love this book. The plot is woven together in a way that’s keeps you reading, and the characters keep you immersed in the book, and make you care about what happens.

*4+ stars. Gets off to an exciting, dramatic start and keeps getting better as the story progresses. I'm not quite sure I'd recommend this for YA reading however if that classification means ages 12-18. There is at least one explicit, adult sex scene which might be better suited for 17-18 year-olds. Great strong and courageous female characters though and lots of action, adventure and romance.

The story begins with an ending: Queen Rielle gives birth to a baby girl but knows she herself must die and sends her newborn daughter to safety with a servant named Simon. But something goes wrong along the way...

The story then goes back to two years earlier and begins to tell Rielle's story and what led to this desperate moment.

And in alternating chapters, we jump to over 1000 years later and meet Eliana, the Dread of Orline, who works for the evil Empire as a bounty hunter. She is aware that women are going missing, but can she figure out how and why?

The prophecy: "The Gate will fall. The angels will return and bring ruin to the world. You will know this time by the rise of two human Queens--one of blood, and one of light. One with the power to save the world. One with the power to destroy it. Two Queens will rise. They will carry the power of the Seven. They will carry your fate in their hands. Two Queens will rise."

Can't wait to learn their fate!

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher and author for providing me with an arc of this excellent new fantasy for an honest review.