I adored this book. There is a beautiful moment in life when you can make the choice to be good or evil and Legrand just writes so wonderfully that I found myself pondering my own life choices along with her characters!

I really wanted to get into this book. I guess I found it hard to connect with the characters because we started with a kinda-prologue from one point of vuew, then switched to a main character that was semi-hard to relate to, and by the time I was tarting to warm up to her, we switched to another character 1000yrs in the future. I found that a little jarring. Thus, I wasn't able to connect or feel very invested in continuing to read. Perhaps I am getting tired of the assassin/killer teenage girl and it is my own issue, not the books. It was well-written, I just didn't bond with the characters.

A page turner for sure! I couldn't put it down not just because from the very beginning of the prologue you are right into the bloody story, but because at the end of every chapter is a cliffhanger. I enjoyed the switching of POV for each chapters more than I thought I would. This book is designed like a two for one story that works together and probably apart just as well. I'm so ready for the sequel it is such a fun read and every characters are written with a purpose and to perfection the story could be told from any pov.

It's a beautiful hauntingly tale of a mother and daughter divide by time and fate. Both so alike and yet so different they are each other yin and yang. Rielle is such a tragic heroine not by her own making, but by circumstance that she is such a Shakespeare or mythology type character who is just doomed for a reader to love. Eliana on the other hand is the opposite of her mother she is a stronger heroine due to her circumstance who you just hope become something that was promised. The only thing these two characters share beside the same fate is Simon, who is a mystery character that shares history between Rielle and Eliana. Simon is awesome in his own secretive way that he is so intriguing I'm looking foreword to more about his story. Rielle and Eliana are both such flawed and broken characters trying to survive their destiny by burning their world to become a light of hope.

Well, what can I say.... WOW! This book was amazing!

I was drawn in from the very first chapter, and couldn't put this book down.

The story is told in alternating POV, and is centred around two main characters. This is done extremely well, as both characters maintain their own voice, and have believable story arc's and character development.

I'm dying to get my hands on the second book now!

5 epic stars!

✦ 4.5 stars ✦

What an ARC this was. I was uncertain initially, but by the end of the book I was 100% fury-sworn!

Awful puns aside, let's get down to the nitty and gritty of this.

This book has brilliant chapter openings. I noticed it consistently, that Legrand really hooks you in with great one-liners. Simple, but dramatic! The prologue is literally explosive, and really sets the tone for the rest of the series. We immediately rewind two years to view Rielle Dardenne, an impetuous Commander's daughter who is ensconced in a temple to hide her dangerous powers from the world. Warning, time gets kinda screwy in this book so I'm not going to try and break it down too much.

The book is a dual POV novel which alternates between the perspective of Rielle and Eliana. Eliana Ferracora, Dread of Orline, exists 1020 years after Rielle – and we learn that Rielle's time is seen as one of near-myth and rumour. The dramatic shift within the world state takes you from a neo-classical fantasy setting, to a gritty dystopian world – where the connections between the two only grow as the novel continues. Eliana is a bounty-hunter, who works for the Empire hunting rebels, to save hers and her family's skin.

They called her the Dread, not knowing that beneath the mask and cloak and painted-on smile, she as simply a girl. A girl with a heart that burned for blood.

Initially both Rielle and Eliana got under my skin a bit. They seemed rather typical heroines with Rielle as the over-powered, feisty snowflake, and Eliana as the merciless-with-a-conscience, unbeatable shadow in the night. I liked that Legrand admitted that they were both beautiful. That was the first step in undermining my expectation of these characters.

Every time she had dared to show herself in such a garment, she had sensed hungry gazes upon her and felt her own secret hunger rear up inside her belly, hot and eager.

When we delve deeper, these characters are given the chance to grow and reveal more of themselves. Eliana has more personal development than Rielle, where we simply learn more about Rielle – uncovering layers. Rielle harbours a dark hunger inside her – a rage and desire we saw in flashes, that I really enjoyed. I also enjoyed, however, that she clings to doing the right thing and is truly trying to be a good person.

I want... I want. I crave. I hunger.

"I want so many things," she whispered, "and none of them are very good."

The true note that honestly broke my heart for Rielle was her loneliness. She is immensely lonely. It stems from being isolated and without familial affection, and lays the seeds for her eventual demise. The villain, Corien, uses this loneliness to his advantage. He is an insidious villain, creeping his way first into Rielle's head, and then into her world. He – I honestly believe – cares about her in some fashion, and it helps to paint him as a multifaceted antagonist.

Rielle's love interest Audric is nice enough (view spoiler), but I don't care all that much about him as a character. It is truly tragic – like reading a classic again – to know a character's end before they get to it. It's probably why I find it difficult to care about Audric, but he also just seems so typically golden and wholesome. Good for him. (view spoiler) Her reaction to killing someone who loves her so fully is what is truly going to slay me. 🙁

I also found that, personally, I enjoyed Eliana's story more than Rielle's. I may be more drawn to it because its ending is yet unwritten, and there is such possibility to it. Eliana is also, extremely active and moves the plot forward on her own initiative a lot. I'm not sure exactly what it is, but I liked hers more. I think I just like her character more, particularly her growth through the book. She is the product of a hard world, and didn't come out in all the right ways. Through the book she learns to connect with her humanity again, and I'm eager to see her further development. I predominantly think I like it, because I care more for the secondary characters in this timeline, and more about Eliana's interactions with them than Rielle's with hers.

"We are all of us dark creatures," Navi said, "but if we linger in those shadows, we'll be lost. Instead we must seek the light when we can, and that's just what you're doing. I see it happening."

Something that I think Legrand knocked out of the park in this book were the female friendships. Rielle and Lu, and Eliana with Navi and Zahra. I love Zahra! She's so cute. Some of my most highlighted passages in this book were the conversations and moments between Eliana and Navi. These friendships weren't just surface level, or plot driven, but truly meaningful and it's obvious that Legrand has taken care with them.

"I'm not good at having friends."

"I've rather fallen out of practice too. Shall we try to remember how it goes, together?"

This book definitely meets the Bechdel test! Rielle and Lu also have a great relationship, which comes out more near the end – with a final great twist. Navi and Lu are really cool characters as well, with really matter-of-fact, accurate portrayals. I don't know if I'm describing it correctly, but I really liked their observations and their weight in the story.

This war has claimed the lives and bodies of too many women.

It was also just slipped in there, but Eliana is bi (I'm 97% sure) and I really love that. The diversity was also stellar. I'm really over typical fantasy creators denying diversity for 'accuracy' reasons (lol it's fantasy, and there are dragons). If any fantasy writers need tips on how to do it, read this book!

Simon, I have to say, really stole my heart near the end. I was already extremely intrigued by him with his entrance, and by the end of the book I was reading and re-reading extra slow just to soak up his and Eliana's sweetness and desperation. An odd combo, but it works so well. Eliana's little brother, Remy, is also an adorable addition to the book – and I like the idea of him as a dreamer and chronicler of this new legend.

The language in this book is incredibly rich. Legrand paints pictures so vividly , that it was very easy for me to imagine. At the beginning I found it could lean into purple prose a bit, and get a bit heavy, but found the balance acceptable when I really got into the book. The worldbuilding, as well, is great. It strikes just the right balance, for me, between too much and too little. It may lean a little towards the sparser side – as a lot of the characters in Eliana's timeline have absolutely no idea about the world they live in – but I found the epistolary fragments at the beginning of each chapter really lean into giving the book a richer, more nuanced world . Not only do they provide a hint at the chapter direction, but they really had me thinking about the messaging systems for some reason, and how important letter writing seemed to be!

Admittedly most of the plot points were reasonably predictable, yet they were set up/interconnected well. There were a few nice surprises (view spoiler) My main qualms about this novel were resolved as the book continued. I would have liked to have known exactly what the Empire was from the beginning, but obviously it was meant to be a reveal as the characters learned about it. Incredibly frustrating though. The main issue isn't so much an issue, and more just something I found. The dual perspective was a cool and committed way to run the book, and was an interesting and new thing to get my head around. Each chapter could be so individually exciting, that I often wanted to skip ahead a chapter to see where everything continued in one character's plotline. This meant that I was occasionally finding it quite difficult to become immersed in the book, and part of the reason it may have taken me a while to get into it.

I've talked a lot about my heart in this review, and that might just be because it's early and I need better metaphors, but honestly this book was GREAT. Such a strong series opener , and one of the most stand-out YA fantasies I've read recently. I am eagerly at the edge of my seat, jumping up and down, for the sequel.

ARC provided in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to the publisher for the opportunity to review! ♥

I received this ARC for a honest review.

I am so impressed with this book. I loved the intertwining of two character's stories and then connecting them. I can't wait to see where the second book takes us and how Rielle's story continues.

The book wasn't too violent or dark which I appreciated. It isn't for all ages but it didn't have moments where I cringed like some of them I do. Definitely recommend giving it a try!

This book engaged me from the very beginning. Once I started I couldn't stop. Rielle and Eliana are connected by a prophecy. The story goes back and forth between the two weaving a tale that encompasses both of them together and apart. Tons of action. I want to read more about what Simon went through! Book ends wide open ready for the next one which I can't wait for. I received an ARC at no charge for which I voluntarily provided an honest review.

I don't even know if I have the words to describe how much I loved this book! It was one of my most anticipated reads of 2018, and when I got the notification from NetGalley that I was approved to read an arc I was over the moon and immediately stopped what I was doing to start reading!

This book started off with a bang in the prologue, which shows Queen Rielle giving birth, sending her child away to protect her, and then fighting an angel. From there, we go three years into her past to see the events that lead up to that intense scene, and let me just say that it was basically heart stopping action from beginning to end! I don't know the last time I actually yelled at a book before, but I was screaming and my hear was pounding throughout the entire book!

We switch perspectives between Rielle and a badass assassin/thief named Eliana. Based on the synopsis for the book, you know that one of them is the Sun Queen and one is the Blood Queen, but you don't know how the two characters relate to each other until closer to the end of the book.

The characters were amazing and both women were strong and independent, and really didn't take crap from anyone. If I had to choose a favorite perspective, I would go with Rielle, mainly because from her perspective we can see how the world became the way it is.

I cannot wait to read the second one to see what happens to both characters! Definitely one of my favorite reads of the year, and I can't wait to get my hands on a physical copy so I can reread it over and over again!

Review also posted on: www.meltingpages.wordpress.com

the description of this book had me hooked...two girls...a thousand years apart and yet connected....how? why? I had to find out. I like that the author went back and forth for each chapter between these 2 girls and gave subtle hints as to their connection. I love that each woman have different abilities and that they learn more about them as the book progresses. I cant wait to read the next book in this series.

If there ever was an amazing book that you wanted everyone to know about - it would be this one. The writing style, the action, the adventure, the mystery, the romance .... EVERYTHING is perfect. It flows perfectly with the element of anticipation looming over every single chapter. I can NOT wait for more from this author and I will put this in the hands of every single YA reader that comes in to my library!

It was a bit hard to get through, but the changes of narration helped. I was excited for a BI main character and more fantasy. Some of the backstories were complicated for me. I found myself backtracking, trying to understand who was who or what had happened. That's a high fantasy problem in itself. I would recommend this. It's nicely written and very adventurous.

I was so excited to read this from NetGalley, and unfortunately I was way let down while reading. The prologue seemed to have nothing to do with the description of the book I had just read, and I had to check repeatedly that I was reading the right title. I was immediately thrown into a world I knew nothing about and was constantly confused as to what was going on. Then I realized I actually didn't care. The chapters alternate perspectives between Rielle and Eliana, and I found neither one of their characters sympathetic or compelling. I was frequently disgusted by their choices and behavior and found very little to like in either one of them, which ultimately killed any desire I had to continue reading their stories.

4.5 stars

This was an interesting book, with complex characters and a clearly intricate world.

However, a lot of the world building was left murky to promote the mystery aspect of the story.

Also the rigid back and forth between viewpoints and timelines made it a bit difficult to immerse oneself in the story. It was a bit like reading 2 books a once, a chapter of one followed by a chapter of the other.

I am definitely curious to see where the author is going with this and will likely read the sequels.

Cautiously recommended to those who like intricate storylines and morally ambiguous "heroines."

I received an advance copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Yay, this book was so fun! It follows two girls, Rielle (side note, I kept seeing John Edwards' mistress when I read her name) and Eliana, in two different times and worlds. What they have in common is the legends of the Sun Queen and the Blood Queen, and enemies waiting for them. Rielle is the classic YA tempestuous heroine, with a secret love and too much power/magic to make those around her feel comfortable. Eliana is the Dread of Orline, a paid thief and assassin who learned her skills from her mother. Rielle's country tells horror stories of the angels before they were beaten and kept behind a Gate, and Eliana's city is one in the Empire, an unstoppable force with mind-controlled soldiers.

This book kept me up late, and I had a fantastic time losing sleep. While Rielle and Eliana are a little bit cliche (this is YA fantasy after all), the plot and the world-building is original, and the surrounding cast of characters (for the most part) are well-fleshed-out and people I cared about. Definitely would recommend this to fans of Sarah J. Maas and Sabaa Tahir.

Claire Legrand has created a magical world full of danger, excitement, and redemption in "Furyborn (The Empirium Trilogy)". When I first started reading, I could not help but compare it to other similar worlds and characters created by Leigh Bardugo, Victoria Aveyard, and Kendare Blake; however, after a few chapters I became thoroughly engrossed in the entwined fates of Rielle and Eliana. Legrand has managed to describe a world that is unique and can stand on its own besides these other great books. The writing style is perfect for the story, filled with exact details that enhance and scaffold the character development and their relationships. The alternating chapters, switching between Rielle and Eliana, make this book impossible to put down. You cannot simply "stop at the next chapter" since each chapter ends in suspense and you have to at least read the next page. Anyone who is a fan of strong female characters, accompanied by handsome and loyal partners, determined to change their fate as they fight against an overpowering evil in a magical kingdom, will find in "Furyborn" a new favorite. I cannot wait to read what happens next in the trilogy!

If you’re a fan of Sarah J Maas, you will be a fan of Furyborn too. This book was two amazing stories in one. I loved the Two strong, independent women that were the main characters of the story.

Two women come to terms with their destinies in this young adult epic fantasy novel. Review time!

So Claire Legrand’s Furyborn completely blew me away. I devoured this book in a 24 hour period. It’s about two powerful young women, Rielle and Eliana, coming to terms with themselves and their circumstances. Each chapter seamlessly alternates between their very different perspectives. Honestly, it should be a hot mess – the constant hopping between time periods, characters, and mythology. And yet, the novel’s charm is the ability to immerse yourself into each story equally. If you enjoy magic, bad ass women, and political intrigue, you will most likely enjoy this story.

The preface took away some of my enjoyment as it reveals the connection between Rielle and Eliana. My hope is the preface is deleted from the final copy. Context clues within the story provides ample foreshadowing to their connection. Additionally, the antagonists needed more development. Despite those minor issues, I just fell in love with the characters and setting. I’m dying to get my hands on the next book in the series!

tl;dr An action-packed epic fantasy with two tenacious female characters.

I absolutely LOVED Furyborn. Being the first book in the trilogy we had to learn the world and meet the amazing cast of characters.
I really loved two timelines. One, the story never got boring because it kept switching from Rielle to Eliana and back. I did like Eliana and her story more then Rielle. Eliana is a strong character who made a life out of what she got.
I felt like Rielle didn't think about what she was doing most of the time and that what brought so much trouble in to her life.
Simon is my defiantly second favorite after Eliana. He is broken and strong at the same time. He cares the world on his shoulders but still stays strong for the people he cares about.
Overall, this book was amazing and I NEED TO KNOW where the story will take us.
I can't believe I have to wait over a year for the next one!

It has been a while since I came across a powerfully imaginative and intense fantasy story, and Furyborn surely delivered. From the first chapter, I found myself captivated and desperate for answers to all the questions that came to mind as I wove through page after page. Legrand truly does an amazing job in this riveting novel and I was extremely grateful to have had the chance to enjoy this book.

This book was unexpected. I read it in one day because it needed to be read. I was surprised at all turns. A truly unique book, with stories within stories.
Must read.

after my reread:
The book still holds up. The ending is delicious and unexpected and I can’t wait for the movie.