One words "dragons" Bright Star had me at dragons I love them even if they are not the focus to a story at all. Bright Star has a dragon but its lack of dragons as the main plot or story is not the reason I didn't enjoy the book i knew it wasn't going to be the main anyways. Bright Star for me felt like another typical oppressed MC who learns to stand up for herself etc.. It just didn't feel original to me. Bright Star felt like your average fantasy teen read. It wasn't a bad read and Im sure plenty of people are going to enjoy it but for this reviewer I just wanted something more. .

Overall I found Bright Star to be a mediocre story with nothing truly unique to set it apart from other YA Fantasy books

I try to read every book with fresh eyes and an open heart, but I knew the measure of this book as soon as I read there was a super rare purple dragon and that neither human nor elf had bonded such a creature since the first generation of dragon riders.

Andra, a young half-elven woman, is an indentured servant with years of bondage left. She works in the hall of the dragon riders, a plum position her mother won her by agreeing to more years of servitude for herself. When Andra accidentally disrupts a dragon bonding ceremony, she's sent back to her prior abusive assignment as punishment. There, she's impulsively kidnapped by rebels during a raid and sets out on a path to become a master magician, fighter, strategist, and dragon rider.

I always want to say something nice, so here it is. S.R. Ranganathan formulated 5 rules that have become the guiding principles of library systems. One of the rules is "Every person his or her book." This means that libraries should acquire a variety of materials for a wide range of needs and not judge patrons on what they choose to read. I also interpret it to mean that a book, despite how much I dislike it, may be exactly what someone else needs at a critical time in their life. I sincerely hope that someone who reads this book, perhaps with a past or present filled with abuse, is comforted by Andra's journey from powerless wretch to awesomeness. I certainly don't judge anyone harshly who does enjoy this.

I personally struggled a lot. I appreciate when terrible things happen to book characters because it's usually a sign that the character isn't a Mary Sue. Like real people, they can suffer, and that suffering changes them. Unfortunately, despite a lot of abuse, that isn't what happens here. Kirkus Reviews very accurately described Andra's off-screen rape and on-screen torture as superficial, and it truly is. We don't see a fully-fleshed woman who's gone through years of abuse recover from that and grow stronger-- we see a character told by a brawny male love interest to defend herself, and that's most of what she needed. This would have been a much more compelling read if we had seen Andra slowly work through her experiences and grow into her abilities bit by bit. Instead, we see her go from a defenseless young woman to the strongest magic user to a rider of (view spoiler) with minimal reflection. Such a progression with no true character development doesn't do justice to topics of rape and abuse.

The problem is exacerbated by the quick pace. I deeply appreciate what appears to be a standalone fantasy novel (not everything has to be a trilogy!), but there is way too much happening here with too little substance. If Andra's emotional, physical, and magical development had been spread across multiple volumes, it would have felt more natural. It would have also left more space to flesh out the dragon, elven, and dwarven peoples, who are all otherwise pretty homogeneous.

I want to call out one particular event in the book that I found deeply troubling. After being kidnapped by the rebels and taken to their home base, Andra is approached by a male dragon rider. He assaults her in public, and the dragon rider remains in a position of prominence within the rebel camp after receiving only superficial injuries. I think it would have been really cool if this organization fighting for freedom would have severely punished this man for the kind of abuse regularly inflicted on oppressed people. It would have also been interesting if it had been used as an opportunity for Andra to realize that the rebellion is also imperfect, and perhaps she needed to take matters into her own hands and assume a leadership role. Instead, it's just an isolated and superficial event in a book full of such events.

For those looking for books with similar themes that do it better, I suggest Dragonriders of Pern by Anne McCaffrey and The Hero and the Crown or The Blue Sword by Robin McKinley.

"Speaking has consequences. It can bring you pain. It can cause death. Sometimes, it’s better to remain silent."

In her debut novel and first instalment of the Sky Riders series, Erin Swan takes you into a world in which dragons exists and the bond between a dragon and its rider is sacred. For decades the Riders kept the peace in Paerolia and once a year, dragons and men are chosen to become partners. The mental match between the two is destined. Once bonded together, they are one.

Andra is not allowed to witness this ceremony and when she is caught, she is sent away to become a servant in the Chief Judge’s manor. After a traumatic event, she does not speak anymore and sees no hope to break out of her misery. That is, until one day, a group of assassins breaks into the manor and the leader, Kael, decides to take her with them. Andra discovers that their main goal is to overthrow the current system and replace the corrupt Government to make sure that that everyone can live equally.

This book is so extremely good. Well written, catchy, plot-twists, and just pure awesome. It is Hunger Games meets Eragon and Xena in a world that is Game of Thrones like. Plus, I love books which have a deeper message and this one has many of them!

After disturbing the pairing, Andra was sent away to be a servant at one of the Chief Judge’s manor and soon after she arrives, she dared to call out the Judge’s son as being a pig after he implied that she would soon end up in his bed. Andra, then not only has to witness how her mother gets murdered in front of her, but is sexually abused for months too.

Swan takes this delicate topic and does something I wish more authors would do. She does not go all the way into these horrible moments, but she gives the reader enough information that it cannot be misunderstood.

As the story continues, there are some romantic scenes and beautiful words, but there is no sex scene in the whole book. It is refreshing for me that an author left that out completely. I sometimes think, that there is an unknown rule that every book nowadays, even if it’s YA, has to have something more. This is proof that you can write a perfect scene without writing about every little detail of a romantic encounter.

“You told me once that my old life was behind me, that I have a new life, one where I can fight back. And you were right. But I’ve also been fighting to hold on to something, fighting to keep a part of that old life with me. That part of my life felt safer, more certain than this one, so I clung to it. But . . . I don’t want to hold on to it anymore. I want my old life behind me— every part of it. Because I want every part of this new life, no matter how uncertain it may be.”

Then you have dragons but only men are allowed to become a Rider. This is turned upside down when the young dragon Tiri finds Andra and tells her, that she was not able to pair with one of the candidates, because her mind connected with Andra’s. The bond between a Rider and his dragon reminds me of the connection between a human and their daemon from His Dark Materials, which is a beautiful bond.

Not soon after, she discovers the magic which lies within her and she starts to train. She learns how to become a Rider, how to use her magic, and also how to fight.

This may sound like another Cinderella story, but it is so much more grown up. We follow Andra in different situations and this girl does not have it easy. After everything she went through, it is not easy for her to trust people nor herself. Everything she knew about herself and the world turns out to be different and it overwhelms her. I do not think that she is the fearless leader the rebellion thinks she is at the end of the book. She still has a lot to learn and conquer, but this makes her so relatable and easy to identify with.

Last but not least, there is a rebellion against corrupted leaders. The world building reminds me of our current political situation around the world. The wish to get rid of politicians who leave you paralysed with their decisions and opinions. We are the strongest together to change things.

Bright Star was a surprising read and now a favourite read of mine. It has different and important aspects and you cannot help but fall in love with the idea of having beautiful dragons around which can talk. The book moves on too fast at the beginning, and jumps from one scene to the next, but after you find your way into the story, you get rewarded with a strong female protagonist. Plus you’ll also find your next favourite book crush, Kael, who is the leader of the rebellion and a Rider himself with his dragon Eithne by his side. He’s also different to many male love interests as he is kind, patient, and genuine.

I requested this book several months ago. Since then, fellow reviewers have reported being tracked down by the author on social media after giving the book a negative review. For this reason, I have chosen not to share a full review here. I try and give honest reviews for all of the books I read, and that includes negative ones when I feel that it is earned. That said, I don't want to wade into a situation where the author is engaging with negative reviews in this way, and I feel the biggest dissuader for this type of behavior it not to review a book at all.

With thanks to Netgalley and the publisher for my ARC.

I consider myself extremely lucky to get the opportunity to read and review this gem of a first novel.

With well written characters and detailed world building plus a strong storyline this novel was reminiscent of Eragon by Christopher Paolini; as an inferior force must gain support to fight against a despotic ruler.

Full of adventure, some heartbreak, loyal friends and dragons of whom you wish you were the rider!

Thank you to Macmillan-Tor for the E-arc copy of this novel.
#BrightStar is a fast-paced, action packed novel from beginning to end. I enjoyed the main character, Andra, she is strong lead in this story. Her combined with all the world building details make this a must read for young adult fantasy lovers. It does have some romance, but it entwines into the story seamlessly. It doesn't feel force as an extra into the story.

I love the poetic story telling, the world building, the characters, and was so pleased to receive an ARC. This is an action-packed fantasy tale with a strong heroine lead. Add dragons and magic to that and it just keeps getting better!

Really enjoyed this book. Reminded me a little of Pern dragons. An excellent read and would be interested in more from this world.