Really well done world building around a pair of distinctive and intriguing female heroines. (Though I will admit to the fact that I loved Rielle and only liked Elainia.) I'm really looking forward to seeing where this series goes next, as Legrand has laid out some captivating breadcrumbs regarding its internal history and mythology that I find very fascinating.

Thank you Netgalley for an advanced review copy of this book.

Normally I try to review my ARC copies closer to the release date, but I couldn't wait with this one. It's very good. It's about two women, Rielle and Eliana, who exist years apart but their stories start to relate in interesting ways. It's also about a prophecy: two queens will rise, one of blood and one of sun. I really liked how Legrand characterized each of these characters. They each were individual, complicated people, with interesting, complicated people around them.

My main complaint about the book is that it took me a little while to get into it. You're definitely thrown into the action, and it took me a while to get my bearings. Initially I also didn't read much of what the book was about, so the switch in narrators was also really confusing for me. By the end, I wasn't able to put it down, and it was a book I was reading on my phone, which normally I only read during my work lunch breaks.

I was so sad to see that I had missed receiving an arc of Furyborn in the November 'Ladies that Slay' Fairyloot box, but then I was granted an ARC off of Netgalley and all of my sadness was forgotten because I finally had the book in my hands! I didn't read too much about it before starting because I wanted to be surprised, and I think I have discovered one of my new favorite fantasy novels of all time!

Legrand does a fantastic job of weaving two stories together in Furyborn--Rielle's story and Eliana's story. Though the two take place in different time periods, they are connected in multiple ways which are revealed as the story goes on. Each chapter switches back and forth from Rielle to Eliana, which some people might find annoying, but I was so invested in both story lines that I didn't mind it at all. It seemed to me, even though the book is over 500 pages, that it is very fast paces and almost every chapter ends on a cliffhanger that leaves you wanting more. There were multiple times throughout Furyborn that I found myself completely caught up in the story, completely oblivious to the outside world. I managed to finish it in one sitting during an 11 hour plane ride, and I could barely notice the crying baby just three rows ahead of me. I thought that the plot itself was brilliant. Rielle is a lady who has grown up in court hiding her powers over pretty much every element from everyone else, until her best friend, the price, is in danger. After revealing her power, the people are frightened, and she has to prove to them that she is the good queen, the Sun Queen, who has come to help the world. She's put through a series of trials to prove herself, and in the midst of the difficult physical challenges, she's going through several things in her personal life--like how to deal with this voice which has appeared in her head and her feelings for the crown prince who just happens to be engaged to one of her other best friends. That's pretty much all I can say about Rielle's story without spoiling it. Now, Eliana's story reminded me somewhat of Celaena/Aelin from the Throne of Glass series. She's a bounty hunter working for the government, but after her mom gets captured by a mysterious group who's been kidnapping women and a group of deadly assassins try to recruit her--her life gets turned upside down. Oh, and she also has these powers she can't explain. I really can't say too much about her story because then I really would be spoiling it, but I think I liked her story slightly more than Rielle's because I found it less cliche.

Aside from her wonderful storytelling abilities, Legrand also possesses the ability to create an abundance of characters you just can't help but care for. The two main characters, Rielle and Eliana, are both bad ass women. There's a constant juxtaposition between the two, and by switching perspectives each chapter, the reader gets to see how they both react to somewhat similar situations. Rielle has been forced to hide her powers her entire life in fear of what might happen to her if someone was to find out, while Eliana is the famed 'Dread of Orline,' a famed assassin who's just trying to survive and keep her loved ones safe. I found myself enjoying both characters for several different reasons, and I enjoyed both of their characters immensely. Aside from the main characters, Legrand includes a plethora of side characters people are sure to love. My personal favorite is Simon, also known as The Wolf, because he is the perfect companion for Eliana, and, I'm not going to lie, they are one of my new favorite ships. In Rielle's story, she has two best friends, Ludavine and Audric. I adored Ludavine because I could see a lot of my best friend in her, and Audric was so sweet and truly cared for Rielle. Now, let's talk about the big, bad Corien. I loved him. I thought the way Legrand introduced him as a voice inside Rielle's head was wonderful, and he definitely gave me some Darkling vibes which was just the cherry on top. I can't go into too much detail on the characters in fear of spoiling something for y'all, but just know that each and every one of them is fantastic in their own way.


In conclusion, I give Furyborn by Claire Legrand five out of five stars for being a refreshing, new fantasy novel everyone is sure to love. I already can't wait to read the second novel, and the first isn't even out yet! I highly recommend it to anyone who is a fantasy lover, as well as anyone who is looking to get into fantasy. I can't wait for everyone to read it--I'm bursting at the seams to discuss it with someone!

“The Gate will fall,” the King recited. “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.”

Furyborn is a young adult fantasy novel told from alternating points of view, following two young women separated by time yet connected by a mysterious prophecy. Set in the realm of Avitas, the book takes place during a tenuous peace after the defeat and imprisonment of the angels behind the Gate.
“If you ever sent me into battle,” [Rielle] said, “I would go gladly, and I would burn our enemies to ashes. But I would not do it for you, or because of the prophecy. I would do it because this is my home too. And if you tried to keep me near for your love of me, you would fail.”

Beginning with a prologue that is one of the best I have read in recent memory, Furyborn introduces us to one of the main characters, Rielle Dardenne, a powerful magic user and queen who controls all seven types of elemental magic. After finding out the end of her story in the prologue, the book flashes back to her rise to power and the start of her tragic romance with the future king Audric. Through a series of trials to test her control and skill at mastering the elements, Rielle’s ego and temper give the reader a glimpse of how she arrives at her fate from the prologue. The prologue also reveals her connection to another woman living more than 1,000 years later and how both women will play a role in the centuries-old battle between angels and humans.

“I have always imagined a monster dwelling inside of me instead of a heart. And that’s why it was so easy to kill, to hunt.”

The second protagonist is ruthless bounty hunter and assassin Eliana Ferracora. Her character is selfish, rash, and aggressive and any warmth seen in her is only revealed through her relationship with her younger brother Remy. Remy is a particular favorite character of mine, a lover of the folktales and stories of their culture and someone who pushes back on Eliana’s decisions while still showing her unconditional love. Eliana serves the evil empire, ferreting out rebels and those who would conspire against the corrupt government. Every harsh decision she makes is meant to protect and provide for her family. When several women, including her mother, begin mysteriously disappearing from the city, Eliana teams up with a mysterious rebel leader known as the Wolf and a foreign princess disguised as a courtesan for assistance recovering her abducted mother. Eliana’s chapters were some of my favorites, though her character growth occurs at a snail’s pace and her decisions are frequently infuriating.

If you require that all your main characters be extremely likeable or relatable, then I would suggest proceeding with caution. But if you really enjoy morally gray, conflicted characters who show a whole range of painfully human emotions and reactions, then I believe you will be pleased with the main characters of this book. In fact, the connections between both narratives were some of my favorite parts of the books. Despite their different times and circumstances, the protagonists Rielle and Eliana struggle with their power and their egos in eerily similar parallels.

The cliffhanger endings of most chapters plus quick pacing and frequent action makes this book quite a fast read for a novel of more than 500 pages. I read it as part of a large buddy read with other reviewers on a set schedule and found it difficult to stop at our agreed upon place each night. In fact, one of my critiques of the novel is to say that the world building and explanation of the magic system in the novel suffers some because of the action-heavy focus. Additionally, the dark tone and themes in the book make it read more adult than young adult, and readers would be advised of potentially triggering/more mature content such as violence, abuse, animal cruelty, gore, murder, torture, sexual themes, and enslavement.

Overall, I found Furyborn a really enjoyable and unique read and a good break from a lot of the formulaic, trope-filled young adult fantasy I have read lately. I look forward to reading the rest of the trilogy as author Claire Legrand continues exploring this world, further explaining the magic system and history of the war with the angels in the future books. There is still so much growth for the characters to undergo and many questions yet to be answered.

The quotes in the above review were taken from an eARC and are subject to change before final publication. I received this advanced reader’s copy from NetGalley in exchange for my honest review.

How I'd Describe This Book to a Friend
Furyborn is a time traveling, high fantasy, girl power! novel with a heaping bowl full of romance as a side dish. The prologue on this book is amazing, by the way, and if it were published on its own as a short story I'd have demanded a book to go with it ... which makes me wonder where, exactly, things went off the rails here. Let's dissect it a bit and see, shall we? The prologue promises drama, introduces us in media res to some very interesting characters, and gives us a sneak peek of this whole concept of angel wars. Angel wars, now this I can sink my teeth into. In high school, I wrote an embarrassing number of short stories from the perspective of these guardian angels who adopted at-risk kids and I think one of them married his charge once she was of age and I don't .... know. Anyway, suffice it to say, part of my head really enjoys Cool Angel Stories. Unfortunately, after the prologue we don't get much of that at all.

We have two main characters: Rielle and Eliana. They live hundreds of years apart, and are separated by time, but still united by a prophecy foretelling that there will be two queens, one ~blessed~ and one ~wicked~. There are also a whole host of other, supporting characters, half of whom wind up just being there for lovemaking, but we'll get to that.

Rielle is a BAMF, and for a long time she was the only character I was truly interested in. In the world she inhabits, there are seven types of magic one could possibly possess. Rielle, our darling female main character, has all seven. This is Very Bad, and she is often drugged and locked away by her family because they don't want her having a temper tantrum and exploding the whole town, etc. Anyway, Rielle eventually - through some vaguely climactic events - reveals her powers to everyone in her kingdom, and has to undergo seven trials to prove that she is the real blessed sun queen. So she goes through seven grueling, copypasta trials wherein she doubts her abilities, excels anyway, and moves on to the next one.

Wait, don't scroll up. Oh, did you already do that? Is it because you thought I was reviewing Throne of Glass by Sarah J Maas? You wouldn't be the first. But no, this is its own thing.

Eliana is The Best, and is The Dread of Orline [where they live]. She is skilled with a sword, takes no shit or prisoners, and is allegedly bisexual but we see this brought up twice maybe, and only once is it implied anything has ever happened between her and a female. Eliana and Rielle are both the most thirsty women on the face of the planet, but since they live far, far apart in timelines, they can't ever be thirsty for each other. Also, at one point during some ~sexual escapades~, the ground shakes. This is not a metaphor. The ground literally. shakes.

Angel wars? Glossed over. Prophecy? Confusing. Characters? A parade of them tromp through, and we barely see half of them again. Eliana could - would, and probably has - seduce a literal boulder if it meant getting something she wanted. I can only see home girl do this so many times before it's like "Put your pants back on and just ask politely, girlfriend, I can't deal with you any more." Rielle ... if you find animal abuse triggering, don't read this book. That's all I can say that is not a spoiler.

Oh wait, did you scroll back up again a minute ago after you read about who Eliana is? Joke's on you! No, she's not Celaena from Throne of Glass - made you look - twice! - but she is damn sure close! I didn't like Throne of Glass either, and maybe that's why I have no love for Furyborn. It's just got such an interesting concept - angel wars, magic users, this whole dark undercurrent - and it's turned into a High Fantasy Sex Party.

The Bottom Line
If you like your high fantasy with fighting, morally grey characters and interesting backstories, this is not the book for you. If you, however, like your high fantasy with lots of (literally) earth-shaking sexual escapades, barely-there bisexual representation, a girl who has seven kinds of magic at her disposal but still manages to be repetitive, and a girl who names everything she owns and therefore has a softball team's worth of knives ... this is the book for you!

I loved Furyborn and I can't wait until the next installment in the series is published! Claire Legrand is an excellent storyteller and I predict that she will be the next big star in the fantasy world. Furyborn is such an interesting and original concept, I loved the magic, angels and connection across time of both of the queens. I also liked how Legrand alternated each chapter from the point of view of each queen and I really enjoyed discovering each queen and how their stories intertwine as their epic story unfolded. Legrand also does an excellent job of making each of her characters come alive and the world that they inhabit is well developed with rich detail. Readers who love epic fantasy with strong female characters will love this story, especially fans of Sarah J. Maas!

All in all, Furyborn is a beautiful, dark and seductive masterpiece that will haunt me for a while. There’s nothing more I can say except READ IT PEOPLE.

YES, everything I love about epic fantasy was here. The worldbuilding of elemental magic was incredibly well-done and Rielle's powers seemed all the more terrifying as a result when you saw what someone expert in just one stream of magic could do. Some great fun with the religious symbolism too: I spent a long time trying to work out the angels' agenda. Juxtaposing the two stories was clever as well: from the opening chapter, Rielle's fate seemed inevitable and all her hopes for being the Sun Queen, her love for the crown prince were all the more tragic. Similarly Eliana's true history seemed obvious to the reader, adding another dimension to her reflections on the history of the realm. Three-dimensional characters aplenty, with very few people feeling either truly good or evil. Can't wait to see where this story ends up going!

“The queen stopped screaming just after midnight.”

Apparently, this is going to be a super polarizing book here on Goodreads, which is totally fine. Whatever your feelings are towards this book, they are totally valid. I did end up really enjoying it though. I thought it read like an adult high fantasy, I loved the constant juxtaposition between the two main protagonists, I thought it was high action back to back to back, and I loved how morally grey and ambiguous everyone was. Maybe this book just catered to my personal reading tastes a bit more than others, but I really loved reading this.

I loved the worldbuilding, I didn’t find it difficult to understand. I loved the fast paced and constant action. I ended up completely adoring many of the characters. I thought the writing was smart and lyrical. And I just overall thought this was an expertly crafted tale and made these two girl’s stories and parallels blend perfectly.

Furyborn is a book about two girls who are leading very different paths, from very different times:

“She was supposed to be the Sun Queen, their savior and protector. And yet she had become the Blood Queen. The Kingsbane. The Lady of Death.”

➽ Rielle Dardenne – A girl that has been forced to hide who she is her entire life. In this world, it is rare to have a magical power, but completely unheard of to be able to wield all seven, well, except in a prophecy. After a life or death situation, her kingdom finds out, and then she is forced to complete seven magical trials or be executed.

“We live in a world where good kings die and those foolish enough to hope for something better are killed where they stand.”

➽ Eliana Ferracora – A bounty hunter that is forced to work for the Empire, who put every rebel they find to death. In this world, this is the only way to survive, until Eliana’s family gets broken apart, and she is forced to truly see the world in a different light.

And one of the best prologues that I’ve ever read, shows the starts of how these two women are connected, despite their stories taking place one-thousand-years apart. We are also introduced to a prophecy about two queens, who will change the world and leave it impacted forever.

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

My favorite part of this entire book was seeing the juxtaposition between Rielle and Eliana constantly. This story is told entirely in alternating chapters/points of view of the two girls. They would be doing such similar things, a millennium apart, but we’d get to see the different reactions, choices, and actions they decided upon.

And we have a full cast of side characters who also have completely stolen my heart:
➽ Ludivine – My second favorite character, and an amazing representation of found family and the unconditional love we have for friends. And like, give me all the wonderful girl friendships!
➽ Audric – Rielle’s love interest, and the king in waiting. Also, a sweet cinnamon roll and powerful light bringer.
➽ Corien – I could write at least one page on this character alone. But he’s wonderfully crafted, and I can’t wait for you all to meet him.
➽ Remy – Eliana’s little brother, who is in love with stories and is just adorable in general.
➽ Navi – Princess from another country that truly stole my heart. Also, more friendship goals.
➽ Simon – Oh boy, I don’t even know how to talk about him. Simon ended up being my favorite character, but I can’t say much without spoiling things. He’s amazing, he’s caring, he’s selfless, and he’s a wonderful leader.

Next, I love you all, and these next two paragraphs aren’t directed at any one person. I’m only even writing them, because I’ve seen many reviews talking about both of the things I’m about to talk about. And both of these paragraphs are also going to be very personal to me, so please be respectful, and try not to hate me. Thanks.

I see a lot of people talking about how they feel the bi rep is bad because those characters think and talk about sex a lot, but I honestly think that’s such a dangerous way to think. Bi people/characters should be able to be promiscuous without the world yelling that it’s bad rep/bad actions. You all that do this set queer people back every time you do this. And you only help to reinforce that stereotype. Hi, my name is Melanie, and I identify as pansexual, and you know what I like to have? A lot of sex. So, whenever people say things like this, it actually hurts me and makes me feel bad about myself. People should be able to have sex, a lot of sex, sex with one partner, sex with many partners, sex with themselves, and they shouldn’t be shamed for it. Literature, our society, and the damn world need more sex positivity. And you’ll never catch me shaming anyone or any book for having too much of it, as long as it’s healthy and consensual.

I also see a lot of people saying that there isn’t bi rep in this. Just because a bisexual ends up with the opposite gender, and only has sex on the page with the opposite gender, that doesn’t make them not (or less) bisexual. Both main characters, who both identify as female, state attraction to women, a few times, and that’s enough. Am I going to say this is the best rep in the world and I see myself so much on the pages? No. But am I going to discredit female bisexuals who are with men or who have never even been with a woman? Hell no. This is also super harmful thinking. Hi, my name is Melanie, and I identify as female pansexual, and you know what I’ve been in? A lot of monogamous relationships with partners that identify as male. People shouldn’t make bi/pan people only feel valid if their representation means they end up with the opposite sex/people who identify as nonbinary. Miss me with that gross line of thinking, please. Bisexuality is about attraction, not action, you don’t have to perform any action, sexual or not, to prove your bisexuality. And both these characters say they are attracted to women, one of them many times, despite her also performing sex work with females, which many are acting like that’s the only time she’s expressed attraction to women. Also, I’m not going to write a third paragraph about how we shouldn’t shame sex work, you all should just know better in 2018.

Okay, so moving on, the next thing I want to talk about is the portrayal of grief. I really appreciated the portrayal of grief and how real and constant it felt. And it is focused on by both of the leading protagonists throughout this novel. And even though this book is at least borderline New Adult, I still think YA and NA need so many more normalized stories of grief, and how it’s something you might always struggle with, with good days and bad.

And let me emphasize more, that this is a dark book that has constant dark actions and dark themes. When I said above that this reads like an Adult high fantasy, I truly mean it, even though I would consider this book New Adult, and even though it is marketed as Young Adult. Trigger/Content Warnings: Abuse, child abuse, death, gore, violence, abduction, kidnapping, animal cruelty, loss of a parent, loss of a loved one, sexual content, slavery, and torture.

Also, I’d like to touch on the animal abuse scene a bit more, because animal cruelty is one of two triggers that I personally have. Was the scene hard to read for me? Yeah, a bit. Do I think it was done in a malicious manner? No, not at all. Did the character feel really awful afterwards and remark on it a few times after the event took place? Yeah. And lastly, do I think it’s extremely believable that someone who doesn’t understand their powers would not think about harming an animal consequentially while using them to save the human being you love most in this world? Yes, 100% yes.

Okay, moving on to the romance. I was much more invested in Rielle’s romance than Eliana’s, which is maybe not the general consensus either. After reading the prologue, and knowing what happens between Rielle and Aurdric, I just became so invested to see the events that took place to make the events come to fruition. Like, I became obsessed. And I will read book two alone so that I can hopefully find out more. Also, yeah, there is sex in this book, but it’s tastefully done and for sure not anywhere close to the worst sex scene I’ve ever read. It was just a normal sex scene to me; nothing over the top and nothing bad. But it did heavily emphasize consent and making sure this was something that the woman wanted to do throughout the act. I loved that, and please give me more books like this.

“I don’t know how to both love you and be the person who sends you to war.”

But I really enjoyed this one, and I can’t wait to see where Claire Legrand takes these two interwoven tales next, especially with how both points of view leave off. I thought this was fun, and filled with action, and hard to put down each night. Also, give me all the *Breaking Benjamin voice* evil angelssssss! But I am excited to see how everyone feels upon release, since this does seem like a very polarizing book thus far.

You know who I really think would enjoy this book? Fans of The Queen of the Tearling by Erika Johansen! Now, I know that that series is super polarizing, and I was such a strange reader and gave the entire trilogy three stars, but I truly kept thinking how much Furyborn reminded me of that series. But, dare I say? Better. It reads and feels better. Yet, if you liked The Queen of the Tearling, I would 100% recommend this to you still.

Overall, reading is subjective. And something that one person loves, another could just as easily hate. And one ownvoices reviewer can think the rep is bad in a book, where another could really appreciate and love it. As long as someone isn’t personally coming into my house and bothering me or my loved ones, I’m not going to fight someone over a book. Let people enjoy the things they love, and let people dislike the things they hate. But remember, telling a person their feelings aren’t valid is never a good look.

I received this ARC from my Fairyloot supscription, super awesome !! And then.. I also git it as a granted wish from NetGally, which makes it even more awesome !!

Lately there have been a lot of new YA Fantasy novels that are just not good enough. Not original enough, too predictable, too boring...

But this one, this one is better.

Yes it is not perfect, there are some things that are still predictable and over-used. But I really enjoyed this one. It felt very refreshing and new, I really appreciated the world-building, it was very interesting how it all came together and I feel it has a good plot, a strong plot for the beginning of a trilogy.

I also liked both main characters, and found it very interesting to read both their stories, even though they do not happen at the same time, and we already know how Rielle's story will end. Normally one is much more interesting then the other (at least in my experience), but this time I enjoyed them equally and had no preference. Maybe... Eliana a little bit more because we do not know what will happen to her ? But I found it also very interesting to read about Rielle and am curious what else will happen to her, to make her turn on her own people.

This is most definitely a series I will continue and am very curious how it will progress.. Downside ?? I have to wait very long for the next one haha XD

ARC provided by Sourcebooks via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book simply because the timeline of events from the synopsis had me wondering just how exactly our two female protagonists were going to be connected.

Furyborn is told in dual alternating POV’s: Rielle’s in the past, and Eliana’s 1000 years later. Right off the bat I knew we were in for a wild ride. The prologue was beautiful chaos. From the beginning I was in awe and left with so many questions.

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

Rielle is fighting for her life as she must face seven trials in order to determine if she is the true Sun Queen. Not only does she have to save the world from angels, but she’s also faced with personal issues between her family, friends, and the person she’s in love with.

One thousand years later, we follow Eliana, who is an assassin trying to protect her family. She faces “trials” of her own when her mother, and other women, are kidnapped. Then she meets a stranger and her world suddenly becomes so much more complicated.

Now lets dive into the good and the bad:

The Good:

• Legrand did such a fantastic job weaving the two POV’s together. You will pick up so many parallels between Rielle and Eliana’s chapters. It was like searching for Easter eggs — I loved it.
• Sexual positivity, racial diversity, and bi-rep. There was consent. There was birth control. Yes! We need more of this in books!
• A complex magical system. Don’t forget to check the chart in the back of the book!
• Remy (Eliana’s brother) was such a breath of fresh air. He’s so smart and sweet. I loved how much he fiercely loves his sister.
• Ludivine (Rielle’s friend) is the ultimate bff/wing woman/bae for life.
• The seven trials portrayed in the book gave me Goblet of Fire/Hunger Games vibes. I don’t mean this in a bad way at all. They were epic scenes that had my heart racing!
• Strong females characters! Lets just embrace the fact that all the females are badass. Some may have found Eliana’s “badassery” a bit too annoying, but I applaud her for being human. She is so morally conflicted. That to me makes for a great character arc.

The Bad (but not really):

• I wish we got more background info on a few other main characters. There’s still mystery surrounding them, which I hope will be addressed in the next book.
• Without spoiling anything, I found a few minor flaws with the progression of the story, and a few things were predictable. This ultimately made it a 4-star read for me.

Guys, overall this was such a fun book. War, magic, lore, lust, love, and lots of twists. That’s what you’ll get out of Furyborn. I hope you pick up a copy on May 22, 2018!

I really had such hopes for this book. Such a beautiful cover but, we all know what they say about books and their covers. I thought about giving this book two stars but I am willing to read the next book in this trilogy so I figure that should bump things up to 3- stars in reality it's probably closer to 2.50. The problem with this book was cohesion. There was a lot of potential floating around but nothing really brought it together. There were just so many pieces to this story.We start out with a prologue thing that takes place at the end of one timeline seeing everything through the eyes of a young boy named Simon. There is an evil "blood queen" giving birth and some kind of evil and omnipotent angel coming for her baby. There is a lot of info thrown at reader right away and it's quite confusing. We get the gist that angels are bad and nothing like most people's idea of angels. Apparently this queen somehow helped the angels and killed are adored husband but then again this Corien angel dude is coming for her baby so clearly there some points of contention between the angels and this Blood Queen. I digress, so back to the birth-giving queen attempts to give her baby daughter to Simon's father (the two of them being part angel and part human) so he can whisk her away to safety before that can happen fate works against them all and it ends up being Simon who has to rescue the baby. Angel/humans have the ability "travel" hundred of miles via magic threads we don't exactly know why since neither angels nor humans have this ability The queen then shatters into a bunch of light beams (still not sure what that's about) and Simon finds out the hard way that Marques (angel/humans) actually have the ability to "travel" through space AND time if they don't really know what they're doing.

From this point on the story is split up into 2 timelines one that begins two years prior to the prologue bit of writing and the second timeline takes place 1018 years afterward. Honestly ai don't know what all would be considered spoilers so I'm just going to leave off from the plotline from here on out but basically we have these two timelines both of which you can tell are suppose to be action packed but are somehow seem to be boring. There some very ACOTAResque trials that go down and a very deadly female assassin. Familiar sounding right? Then there are angels and saints thrown into the mix and that just ends up being more confusing than anything else because they are nothing like any idea of angels or saints I've ever heard of so it really serves no purpose to give them those titles other than to confuse us. I mean people have pretty sturdy ideas of what angels and saints are and they all typically connect to some idea of a God but there is no God like being in this book so it just gets annoying. Also there's a prophecy thrown into the mix and at the end there's the most ridiculous romantic plot that literally comes from out of nowhere. Let me tell you I'm a big romance fan, typically speaking I am always down for some romance but some foreshadowing a little lead up , something to make it understandable is required. In any enemies to lovers storyline the "to" is required also. So anyway as bitchtastic as this review may seem I would be willing to read the next installment in this trilogy in the hopes that maybe the author and the editors could get things rolling a little more smoothly because I do believe this story has some decent potential. It just started out pretty rocky and slow.

Let's be honest, the big highlight of this book is its universe. He is sincerely well built, but above all very rich. You have a magic system around 7 elements, a belief around divinities, prophecies and of course a kingdom. I love reading fantasy and what I like so much is to see the imagination of an author turned into a universe, because let's be honest in fantasy the author can do everything he wants and Claire Legrand really knew how to build her own universe that I absolutely liked.

In this book, we follow Rielle and Eliana, they are both related and we understand very quickly their link. Personally, knowing their link from the start did not bother me at all. Rielle and Eliana are quite different, Rielle has great power she was forced to hide all her life, until of course she is discovered. She is looking for recognition and that's what will motivate her, she's a complex character that is not always pleasant or loveable, but she is intriguing. Eliana has only one motto, to survive, and to protect her family she will have to act not always in a positive way, yes she is sometimes the bad guys. I had more facilities to appreciate her, she is more human in her construction.

For the plot part, the novel actually contains two stories, and even if our two heroines are connected, their two stories do not linked with each other in this first book, maybe for the sequel? Both stories are both involved, and although we know the end of Rielle's, discovering how it happened is exciting and having the mystery of Eliana's works just as well. In short, it's a novel that I loved, I found the universe rich, the characters touching and I have the true desire to read the sequel.

I remembered two chapters in to this book, that I’d read a previous book by Legrand (Winterspell) and not really connected with her narrative style, so I was sceptical that I would do much better this time. By chapter six I was hooked. Legrand has come a long way as an author in the last few years. That’s not to say Furyborn was flawless by any stretch but on the whole it was an unbelievably ambitious story (or first third of a story since this is a trilogy) told with fearlessness and flare.



I found the world building sufficiently detailed enough to support the scope of the story – which was utterly huge. The narrative switches between equal dual POVs – Rielle, a young court noble and best friend of the crown prince of Celdaria, hiding a frightening secret – and Eliana – a blade for hire in Ventera, whose prime motive is to survive the totalitarian regime of the Empire. The two young women are connected in a profound way, which the reader discovers as the overarching plot progresses. What struck me most was the many parallels between the two POVs. It’s basically the same plot for each of them and yet the two POVs are very different with different character journeys, both internal and external, whilst still mirroring each other. I found that an extremely accomplished way of telling and deepening the story, however readers who prefer (even without realising it) a more simple 3 or 5 act structure with neater conclusions and narrative peaks and troughs, may find this very irritating. It’s one of the reasons I think this book has been so polarising. Personally I think if you want fantasy where you are asked to think and not spoon-fed everything and babied along, you will really enjoy this but you need to allow six to eight chapters to bed in.



The author also plays with our sympathies as regards which MC we’re most invested in. One moment we might be more interested in Rielle, and the next it’ll be Eliana. In dual narrative books I am often keener to get to one character than another but in a strange twist I was just as invested in each. There are definitely influences from other books here – notably The Hunger Games, Harry Potter (at a stretch) and Queen of the Tearling – but there was nothing exploitative in those influences. You didn’t feel that plot points had simply been ripped off from other books (*cough* Red Queen *cough cough*) I liked both characters immensely, although Simon was far and away my favourite character, and one I sincerely hope we get more back story on and face time with, in the next book. Other noteworthy characters include Ludevine, Remy, Audric and Corlian. I do have a slight niggle with the characterisation and that’s that the secondary and tertiary characters don’t have a lot of external agency other than the main plot and MCs. My personal preference is that every character is just as real and has a back story (most of which we will never hear because it’s irrelevant to the story but I want to know that the author knows these things…). That way when they come into conflict with the MC it feels very organic and helps drive the plot. There were times where it felt like the author forced a character to go in a certain direction which led to a few moments of wobbly characterisation, a few inexplicable actions and some fairly flat dialogue. This is me being super picky because I could see more could’ve been done with the supporting cast.



My other main niggle is that the action scenes often felt incomplete. I mean you can tell me that character A swings a sword and character B’s head flies off and I will make that connection since I’m not totally devoid of intelligence, but this was more as if in a six step action sequence step three and step five were missing, possibly in an effort to make them fast paced, which made them seem rushed instead. Another super picky point.



A word on diversity: I’ve seen people complaining that this isn’t good Bi rep. Personally I don’t agree. It may not be the Bi story you want to read because the characters’ sexualities really aren’t the driving force of the story; they are an important aspect of the character but it just so happens that there isn’t much gay romance in this book. While I’m on this subject, a Bi character who happens to end up in a hetero relationship is still Bi. Their sexuality isn’t subsumed by the relationship. I get that it’s disappointing if a books marketing has led you to expect something that the book then doesn’t deliver. And I do understand the perspective that having female bisexuals always end up with a male love interest unintentionally continues to foster the misapprehension that ‘you only need to meet the write man and you’re cured’. And yes that is a pernicious and abhorrent mindset that should be killed with fire. Believe me I understand Bi erasure and I don’t condone it at all. The flipside however is that being Bi means you might equally end up in a hetero as a homosexual relationship. Hating on a book when that happens isn’t helpful and actually hurts bisexuals who are in hetero relationships. This is a fantasy story first and foremost. It actually doesn’t have any obligation to explore issues of sexuality if they are not a fundamental part of the story, whether we want it to or not. And isn’t it nice to see Bi characters in a book without their sexuality being presented as the most important part of them? Y’know, almost as if they were real people who were more than the sum of their parts ;p



In conclusion, if you like epic fantasy with a sweeping, huge scale storyline presented in a slightly different way, I can’t guarantee you will like this but you should certainly give it a go. If I’d been rating from enjoyment alone, I would have given it 5*s, but a few of my pet narrative peeves showed up so 4*s it is. I’m already looking forward to book 2.

I received this book for review from Netgalley.com. This book was perfection. I took my time reading it in order to get engrossed in the world. I loved reading about this two women and how even though they live a thousand years apart, they have a connection. The characters were great, but I do have to admit I like Eliana's chapters more than Rielle's chapter. The plot was so addicting and I just needed to know how everything turned out. It makes me so sad that I am going to have to wait over a year till the next book in the series comes out. I highly recommend that you pick this up when it comes out in May!

**5 stars ** ARC kindly received in exchange for an honest review.
I absolutely loved this book. It's amazing since the fist page. I really liked that there are two female lead characters that are completely unique and each have their own story. I highly recommend this bok!

Guys, guys! I kid you not, I loved this book so damn much! Was it absolute flawless perfection? Nah. There were some character decisions, some writing issues and pacing hangups (for me personally). There were plot twists that the buddy readers and myself saw coming immediately upon the start of the read, however, that didn't dull the enjoyment of the book, at all.

It's one of those situations where I can see a few teeny tiny flaws but still rate 5 stars because of the enjoyment of the way this book was crafted and how engrossed in the story I became. I will never be one of the most eloquent and well thought out book reviewers but I'm going to do my best here...hang with me.

We follow duel storylines in this book, set a thousand years apart with the same foe and a world in chaos in each. We follow Rielle, who is undergoing trials in her quest to become the Sun Queen and save the world she knows from the fall of the Gate and the return of the angels (who are NOT nice). There's love, lust, friendship, intrigue, magic, and a fucking magical "pet" to top all others.

The storyline also follows Eliana who knows Queen Rielle only as a fairytale, a story told to children in a hopeless world where she's been trained as an assassin and will do anything to keep her family safe. She's being hunted, a tool in a war that she wants no part in but cannot escape.

These two women are fierce, strong, and altogether badass. They have flaws, they have weaknesses, but their spirit is enduring. Holy crap guys, they're fantastic. Two storylines a thousand years apart, that weave together fantastically in a novel crafted so seamlessly I was left in awe.

Plus, can we get a hell yeah for sex, cursing, contraception, consent, the female orgasm, masturbation, feminist vibes for days, no girl hate, and low slung linen pants (you'll get it when you read it!). This book legit has it all, magic, heartbreak, passion, friendship, sexual and racial diversity, legends, living legends, dangerously sexy and mysterious unknowns, an evil that is very real, and a prophecy that will come to pass no matter what...but who is who?

I really loved the experience of reading this book, am thankful to NetGalley for the eARC and my new bookish friends for the buddy read. I'll be ordering my finished copy ASAP and impatiently waiting for the next book in this series, cause guys, this is a GOOD one.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

It is with great pleasure that I present you the best release of 2018.

(Actually it’s a tie between Furyborn and Sky in the Deep. Please don’t make me choose, I love them both.)

Once upon a time, the angels roamed the world, burning it to cinders. But the Seven Saints rose and defeated them, and locked them away in a dark, dark prison, and thus ensuring the future of mankind. But their exile shall not last. As foretold by angel Aryava, the Gate separating them from humans will fall, and they will return, seething with rage and hatred, seeking to dominate the land of Aritas. That is when two human Queen will rise, two Queens carrying the power of the Seven combined. A Queen made of blood, and a Queen made of light.
One of them will save the world.
The other will destroy it.

A few years ago I read Claire Legrand’s Winterspell. It was a truly unique novel, and Claire’s writing was sparkling with magic, but I was left a little unsatisfied. Wanting something more, something that would enchant me and make my skin tingle with anticipation and my heart flatter in my chest. And now, four years later, she delivered what I craved. She made me bow to her exquisite pen and boundless creativity. Because Furyborn bloody brilliant. Featuring elemental magic, prophecy, angels, trials, war, politics, fierce and diverse characters and sweeping romance, it bedazzled me to the point all I could feel and breathe was Claire’s words. With her dual PoV, alternating between Rielle and Eliana’s time, she managed to fill a 1,020 years gap and make you equally invested in their stories, which were intertwined in the most satisfying way. She mixed fairydust and blood, and she created a stunning saga that filled your veins and your cells, that took you to a rich and dangerous world that made your body hum with energy like a living wire, and filled your mind with images and senses you could not erase.

Deeply sensual and lush, Furyborn was brimming with intriguing and three dimensional characters. Rielle was a rather controversial one, a girl banished from the world, a woman who could not quench her insatiable hunger for attention, for admiration, for power and love.
Eliana, the Dread of Ornline, was a bounty hunter who silenced her conscience and committed terrible crimes in order to protect her family.
Always present, a shadow working as a puppeteer, was Corien, a villain that gave you goosebumps and was too alluring for your own good.
But every story needs a knight in his shining armor, a ray of sunlight between the looming shadows, and Furyborn was no exception. Prince Audric Lightbringer, the powerful sunspinner and soft marshmallow extraordinaire warmed your insides and made you want to cuddle him and keep him safe at all costs.
And then there was Simon, connecting the past with the present, a tortured soul devoted to the frantic request of a dying mother.

Furyborn was an intense novel. The most astounding thing about it was that you knew the majority of the important events that would take place since the first chapter. And due to this fact, you tried to guard your heart, to not get attached to characters you knew would perish or give in to the darkness, but it was a lost cause. You struggled and fought, but they crawled into your soul and tore it to shreds nonetheless.

All in all, Furyborn is a beautiful, dark and seductive masterpiece that will haunt me for a while. There’s nothing more I can say except READ IT PEOPLE.

Wow Great beginning to a new series, with a prologue packed with action and intensity.The story starts strong and continues really good with many things happening! The premise of the book is fantastic!I loved the idea of having 2 leading ladies each fulfilling a role in a prophecy - one being the savior and the other the destroyer.There are also some “side” characters that I’m very curious to explore more in the next book.Overall, it was a great read and now I'm excited for the next book!

Furyborn grabbed me from the first page and never let go. It was a wild ride of an adventure that I was thrilled to go on. Everything about it was fun and exciting and more than a little dark at times. And, there were angels!

The writing was strong, the world well developed and the characters were well defined with wonderfully evil bad guys. It was just such a fun story to read. My one complaint would be the wait between books. This is not a story you want to put down and wait a year for the next installment. Also, I was surprised at the sexual content of the book. It was more graphic than I have previously seen in a YA book. Just a heads up.

My thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.