Fireborne is the best kind of fantasy: transportive, entertaining, complex, and it has dragons. Told in dual POVs, Annie and Lee are two orphans from opposite sites of a brutal civil war, who grew up together as friends, but come from opposite sides, who compete in the new regime's meritocratic system of training to become leaders of the dragon army. Fireborne has so many elements and tropes I love in fantasy, but with sophisticated twists:

1. Dragons - that are wild, independent, yet telepathically bond with chosen humans
2. A rebellion against a corrupt order - except this is the aftermath of the rebellion when the new victors struggle to set up a government that threatens to repeat the errors of the past
3. A childhood friends to enemies to lovers story - except it's more complicated, as Annie and Lee both struggle over loyalties to their origins and their new found families and less complicated loves, who are both lifelong friends and fierce competitors
4. A school story with new friends, bullies, and allies - yet all of the characters are multi-dimensional
5. Did I mention dragons? with amazing aerial dragon fight scenes.

A 5-star read!

I received an e-ARC of Fireborne in exchange for an honest review from Netgalley.

In the wake of dragonlords being put to death, a new regime is created. Two children must defy the odds as orphans to make the Fourth Order and consequently become Firstrider. All while a new revolution is brewing to overthrow the regime.

I genuinely did enjoy this book. While I haven't read many dragon books before, this one would be up there. It started out slow but really picked up toward the end. I really liked all of the world-building and background story that was created in this novel. My favorite characters in Fireborne had to be Cor and Crissa because they were the ones always there for Lee and Annie when they needed the help the most. Plus, I really liked the character development between Crissa and Lee's relationship.

I'm very excited to read more of the Aurelian Cycle books when they come out. I want to know what happens next. If Rosaria Munda were to write novels outside the Aurelian Cycle in the future, I would definitely check them out as I really do enjoy her writing style.

The Quick Cut: Two teens are given the opportunity of a lifetime: to test their way into becoming a dragonrider. Drama ensues when their unique pasts provide drama and angst for their chances.

A Real Review:
Thank you to G.P. Putnam for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Your reputation can sometimes feel like it's not your own. Not only is it influenced by social media and your choices, but it is also majorly influenced by your family ties and history. So if your family came with a dark past, what would you do in order to escape that looming cloud and earn glory for the name once again? That is the story for Lee and Annie.

Lee and Annie have pasts that are vibrantly different that ended up in the same destination. Annie's family was executed during the revolution, leaving her an orphan while Lee's family used to be aristocratic before the Revolutionaries killed his parents. Now, his family is no longer considered highborn and his status is lowborn like the rest. Except now the Revolution has changed the rulers for dragonriders and lowborns are now allowed to test for the opportunity. A championship is the final test to select who becomes one of them when everything is thrown out of balance when old regimes come back and war comes knocking again. Can Lee and Annie get what they want or will the price be too high?

I had some excitement going into this one. Between the description and the understated but brillant cover design, it seemed like this one was destined for greatness. However, this debut novel left me feeling disappointed. I love dragons as much as the next YA bibliophile, but when I read a tale I want a spice. Something that adds a twist of flavor to make you see things from a new perspective and smile at the endless angles. The world built here felt too much like pieces of successful stories put together.

Another issue I had is that the characters who narrate the book (Lee and Annie) have very similar styles. So in different moments, it was hard to differentiate between the two and ended up blending the two as one in my mind. These didn't feel like complex characters with their own idiosyncrasies. More in depth work should've been done to make their voices unique and something to root for.

With blending voices and similar storylines, there is not much that stands out as unique in this debut book.

My rating: 2 out of 5

DNF 21% - I don't feel like the story has started in the right place. It simultaneously feels like the reader's been dropped into the very middle of an existing story while also about 100 pages before any real action is going to happen. I haven't read much in the last few days because of how unentusiastic I've felt to read this book.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and G.P Putman’s Sons Book For Younger Readers for giving me the opportunity to read Fireborne early! I hadn’t really heard too much about it, but when I saw it was a read now book for 24 hours, I had to jump on it. It’s pitch as Game of Thrones meets Red Rising and I love both of those, so i was really excited to read it!

Fireborne 4/5 stars

Summary from Goodreads:
Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world, giving everyone—even the lowborn—a chance to test into the governing class of dragonriders.

Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn’t be more different. Annie’s lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee’s aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.

But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.

With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he’s come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.

This book was really interesting. The premise was great and I enjoyed most of the execution. I was not a fan of the flashbacks at the beginning of each chapter- they were just a little confusing to me, but I could see some people loving them. Annie and Lee were interesting characters and I loved the dynamic between the two of them. I feel like the actual dragon part wasn’t explained enough/didn’t get enough screen time (but that’s probably just because I really wanted all the dragons). I loved our supporting characters and the way that the world was built was amazing as well.

Overall, Fireborne was a very solid book and I think lots of people will enjoy it. It comes out on October 15th, so make sure you check it out then!

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda is the first book in her new The Aurelian Cycle series. When I decided to read this new YA fantasy novel, I wasn’t sure what to expect as it was a new author for me. I am happy to say I loved Fireborne and cannot wait to read more from Rosaria Munda.

The POV’s are from Lee, our hero, and Annie, our heroine. We do get flash backs to the earlier days, when both were orphans, with Lee looking out for Annie. Both lost their family to the revolution that changed the world; each having the perspective from a different side, such as Lee, secretly coming from royalty and Annie being lowborn. They left the orphanage together to train with the new regime as dragon riders and 8 years later they both become elite riders. Yes there are Dragons, and I loved how Munda made them emotionally bonded to their assigned rider, with some telepathic between them. Great part of story.

The story begins with a competition to become a Firstrider, the person who will lead the Dragon army reporting to the leader of Callipolis, with both Lee and Annie rivaling each other, as well as other elite dragonriders. We learn more secrets about Lee, who is the lone survivor of the Stormscourge, all slaughtered in the revolution; only Annie knows the truth about who Lee really is. Annie is also a lone survivor, as her family was executed for not following the Lord’s orders. Their friendship was a major part of this story, with both of them knowing the past that brought them together, but neither acknowledging their past different lives. In today’s world they are together, but things are changing that could destroy their friendship and their lives.
As the Firstrider competition continues; Lee is contacted by a survivor of the past, who are determined to bring back the old regime with a new revolution. Lee has to fight his feelings about the truth about the things his father did as the Lord, and decide which side he belongs with. Annie is loyal to the current regime, and begins to worry that Lee might betray Callipolis. War is coming. Will Lee turn on Annie and their friends? Will Annie, despite her love for Lee, alert the leader of Lee’s possible betrayal?

I will not tell too much more, as there are many political elements from the past and present, which you need to read from start to finish to follow this story. I loved Lee and Annie, and the group of friends that we got to know, as well as the emotional bond between them. Munda did a fantastic job creating these wonderful characters, and giving us an amazing new world.

Fireborne was an exciting, emotional, intense, political, and at times a dark story that held our attention from the start. The friendship between the dragon rider group was wonderful. I loved the Dragons, and their bond to their riders; it was a sensational element to the story. The climax was fantastic, with so many twists and turns the kept me on the edge of my seat. I cannot wait for the next book in this series. Rosaria Munda is now a new author I will need to keep reading. I suggest you read this start of a fun exciting new series.

Nothing gladdens my heart more than picking up an ardently anticipated new release with the stammering gaiety of stepping off the edge of a cliff in the tremulous faith that you’ll sprout wings halfway down, and for all your expectations to be met, the inexpressible sweetness of finding yourself hovering above the ground with rills of current flowing off the tips of your winged arms.

Crier’s War colored everything, like the afterglow of a dream, and for the space of a few hundred page-turns, there wasn’t room for anything else in my head.

Fireborn is ambitiously structured as a ping-ponging narrative, beautifully contained and as taut as piano wire. The result is a dynamic novel that remains solidly rooted in a propulsive, suspenseful plot that builds towards a series of impeccably-timed revelations as dazzling as the finale of a fireworks show. Following a young woman and a young man who come from opposite social classes who end up training as Dragonriders together.

It isn't the most original setup for the first book of a fantasy series, but the author wraps it up in a package so absorbing I was drawn on like a compass arrow. The balance Munda strikes between introducing knowledge to the reader and moving at a brisk pace towards the next plot objective is very well executed, but the stakes feel higher because the author crafts a full-fledged fantasy realm worth getting lost in. The novel opens with an intricately laid-out timeline of the complex history between kingdoms and rebellions. The broad backdrop of political unrest is arresting, with numerous heartrending moments that made my heart zing and slam itself around like a bee inside a jar.

Fireborne is a sturdy, solid book that lays the groundwork for very interesting future developments.

Fireborne is filled with political scheming, complicated relationships, and dragons. We mostly follow two POVS, Lee and Annie, as they fight to become their county's highest ranking dragon riding military protectors, to protect their city from the war brewing between the fragile new "democratic" rulers and the old monarchical rulers who were killed and exiled a decade ago.

I found Fireborne pretty tough to get into at first - it opens by throwing you right into the action and has flashbacks of the two main character's lives throughout. The world wasn't established quickly, and one of my main complaints is probably that I still don't understand this world very well. However, toward the end of the book I was able to engage with the characters and I liked some of the political scheming and twists that happen towards the end of the book. I didn't especially love or feel connected to any of the characters, and some of their relationships were overly confusing. I really didn't care for the relationship between the two MCs, it was really nebulous and well, weird.

Overall, I would have liked to understand more about all of the characters and their world, and the dragons! But there were high points with the political aspects and some of the twists were fun.

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda shares with us the story of Annie and Lee. We are introduced to a country where there was a coup against the ruling class because of abuses of power. Unknown to the other cadets in the military academy is Lee's background. Lee is the son of one of the most powerful Dragon Lords, who was supposed to have been executed during the revolution. Annie was born to highland farm clan, her family was executed by Lee's father. The two find each other in an orphanage while they were very young. Lee's abilities come to him innately. Annie's desire for recognition and answers helps drive her to succeed. A tournament has been established to crown the First Rider, commander of the fleet. Who will take command? Lee who was born for command? or Annie who seeks acceptance as a low-born? There is plenty of intrigue as things get complicated for Lee, a long lost relative makes contact. Who will rule? Check it out and see.

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda is such an amazing book! I loved everything about it, the characters and the story are so so so good!!!

There is a delicate balance between too much and not enough when it comes to books, and for me this one was too much. The world building was great, but It was a lot. I know I am always complaining about there not being enough world building, well this one had enough and then some, and given the option I will choose too much, but there were times when I was reading and thinking okay can we get on with the story?

The plot as great, I loved having both Lee and Annie’s points of views even with Lee’s POV I was never really sure where he would land. Lee and Annie’s relationships was delightfully complicated and I cannot wait for that to carry over into the next book.

I love a good dragon and this reminded me a little how to train your dragon, but with much more complicated relationships. There is a lot of good lore in this, and I do think it is extremely original. I just hope that the next book focuses more on the plot.

With comp titles like Red Rising and Game of Thrones, how could you not want to read this book?  I didn't even care about the rest of the description once I saw those comps.  And let me tell you - they're spot on.  

Conflict always makes for an exciting reading experience, and this book is loaded with it.  The tension is nearly palpable.  My emotions were torn in every direction, and I'm not sure how I'll last until the next book to find out what happens.  Magnificent world-building with brewing war, clashing views, political intrigue, and dragons psychically bonded to their riders.  Right and wrong aren't clearly outlined in this world - something I always enjoy.

Lee and Annie are fascinating characters with complicated backgrounds, secrets, and a strong bond forged at a young age when they meet at an orphanage.  Their backstories are devastating and, as dragonriders, they shoulder an enormous amount of responsibility and are required to make incredibly hard decisions that hurt not only themselves, but those they care about.

This book doesn't underestimate the intelligence of its readers, and is easily a crossover to an adult audience.  Harsh, brutal, thrilling, heartwarming, compelling - all are apt descriptions for Fireborne.  Add this to your TBR today.  You won't regret it.

I received a complimentary copy of this book from the publisher through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I really enjoyed fireborne.
It was a great story full of dragons and I can't wait to read the sequel.
I was pleasently surprise by the ending!

I really enjoyed Annie as a character, she was really great and complex. It took me a little more time to liked Lee but at the end I ended up liking him.
I liked the other characters too and I want to read more about Power.

Overall I recommended this book especially if you love dragons, politcal plot and aventure.
It was great to see it took place after a revolution, it was a nice change from others books.

The characters were hard for me to engage with at first, but as they developed I really started to appreciate them and their different struggles. I love how the author explored many political themes along with the main plot of the book to blur the line between right and wrong, and to add further tension to the plot. The book is not particularly romance-heavy, but the romance was slow and subtle up until the final pages. Overall, I enjoyed reading Fireborne and will eagerly await the next book!

Book: Fireborne
Author: Rosaria Munda
Rating: 5 Out of 5 Stars

I would like to thank Netgalley and the publisher, G.P Putman’s Sons Book For Younger Readers (Penguin), for providing me with this ARC.

Um, excuse me, but aren’t more people talking about this? It’s dragons and has been compared to Game of Thrones. I just don’t get how so many books manage to slip under the radar. I loved the characters, the world, and the plot. To me, this was end of your seat fantasy. I love the bonds the characters have and just how dark the world is. This isn’t your normal high fantasy. We have a country where the royal family of sorts has been overthrown and now the country is trying to rebuild itself. There are a lot more aspects to this book though.

Whenever I got this ARC, I knew nothing about it. I’m not even sure actually how I ended up with it. I got an email, I think, asking if I would read this. I don’t know…Anyway, sometimes it is good to go into books not knowing what you are getting into. I knew this was fantasy, but I didn’t know what it was about. I was very surprised and think this should be one of the top books of 2019.

Rosaria has a way of writing that will pull you in. Now, I know it took me a little while to read this book, but there is a reason. I wanted to be able to sit down and enjoy this book without any interruptions. You guys know that life makes it difficult to do so. She is excellent at world building and giving you the right amount of information at the right time. She weaves in the backstories and everything that we need to know so cleverly that you aren’t even aware of it. I mean you are, but it just doesn’t feel like you are getting all of this information thrown at you.

The suspense and tension will leave you wanting more and more. Like the characters, you, as a reader, don’t know what is going on. Unlike some many fantasy books, you only get to see one side of the events. You have no idea who the enemy is or just where they are going to strike. You get to see how bad things get through the eyes of the characters and get to experience the hard stuff with them. you get to see the pain, the joy, and everything firsthand. It’s just remarkable how well this is done and how you are left guessing tight until the end. This alone is enough to have you reaching for the second book-which I have no idea when that comes out. It’s just, wow, guys.

Now all on top of that we have characters who will find a way into your heart. We do have a rather large cast of characters, all of who have rather complex backstories, which all ties into their personalities. They all come from different backgrounds, which plays a huge role in how they view each other. This book has a class system, so this comes into play a good bit. The main characters are dragonriders, which is usually for the wealthy. Now, throw in some peasants and you know there is going to be lots of drama. I also like the mix of the old and new. It was a nice little add in. Again, it also explains why things are the way they are and why the characters act a certain way.

There’s just a lot of good stuff in here. I really do wish that more people were talking about this book. They could be like me and are not aware that this is coming out. It’s so good and is bound to get you out of any reading slump.

So, if you like dragons, great characters, world building, and a messy government, then pick this up. It comes out in less than a month, so you don’t have to wait long.

Fireborne will be released on October 15, 2019.

Youtube Video: https://youtu.be/SSQ2-9YLiPQ

Interesting ya fantasy featuring political intrigue and fighting dragons. A bit heavier politically than I usually go for but I liked it. The characters are relatable and I hope the romance picks up a little in the next book in the series! Fun for a debut novel, well written.

Fireborne didn't blow me away; it scooped me up in its talons and swept me away. Aspects of it reminded me of all my favorite dragon stories (especially How to Train You Dragon movies) while other parts were reminiscent of The Hunger Games. The characters and setting were phenomenal and well-developed, and the plot kept me on the edge of my seat until the last word. And the dragons? The dragons were so awesome! If you love stories about dragons or daring young ladies proving their worth or broody boys struggling between loyalties, read this book.

Emotional turmoil, political intrigue, the horrors of the past and the hopes of future peace may rest on the shoulders of young dragonriders who have trained together and are now faced with heart wrenching decisions. Do they follow their hearts, the stations in life they came from or do they forge into a new future and do what is best for their world?

FIREBORNE by Rosaria Munda is a captivating read, as two young people from divergent backgrounds, their families killed, bonded in the orphanage they were remanded to.
Now, a new battle looms as old tyrants resurface to reclaim control. Are they ready to do battle on their dragons?

Fabulous reading, magnetic scenes, and the turmoil of being a young adult expected to become steely warriors. See the threads of forged bonds fray, mistrust grow and feel the tension of the unknown. Rosaria Munda has created a fantasy that comes to life with clarity as the real world fades away! Highly recommended! This tale stands on its own merit!

I received a complimentary ARC edition from G.P. Putnam's Sons Books for Young Readers. This is my honest and voluntary review.

I feel like this is going to be a big hit with dragon loving young adult readers. The male and female protagonists are very equally weighted and the whole story makes you want to take a deeper look at your beliefs. I really enjoyed it for the most part and will definitely be recommending this one to our YA patrons.

3.5 stars

FIREBORNE is a new YA fantasy that follows two teens, Lee and Anna (Antigone) in alternating points-of-view. Lee and Anna came from the same orphanage but with vastly different histories, and bonded during their time there. Their country is still in turmoil after a revolution to overthrow the previous government of dragonlords created a new structure. The dragonlords and their families subjugated the people with their dragons, which were also supposed to keep the people safe. They and their families were all killed in the revolution- or they were thought to have been.

Leo was a young boy and was almost killed but saved unexpectedly and then forgotten, assuming a different name (Lee) and not speaking about his past. Anna was a peasant who suffered under the old regime and has a bit of a troubled relationship with Lee- he has been there for her, but his father subjected her to a horrible ordeal and left her an orphan. The new government is predicated on everyone having an equal chance to rise, and so they are both now dragonriders and contending for the highest position of Firstrider.

The best part of the book are the philosophical discussions/implications about politics and what makes people good/evil, presenting both sides of a revolution. As Lee begins to choose for himself the future, he must confront his family, the new government and its imperfections. This provides some really interesting and deep thoughts about governments, rebellions, and all the gray areas of politics between black and white.

I have some mixed feelings about the book, because while some things were done really well, I found it difficult to really get into. Some of this was probably because of the repetitiveness of some ideas/discussions. It almost gets a little too deep into Lee and Anna's heads in places, and I like faster paced fantasies, so this may be personal preference. The world-building is really fantastic though, with history, people, and everything being displayed so well- this was a country and people I could certainly imagine.

Overall, this was an intriguing read which provides a platform for some deep thoughts about society and politics/government that make it a strong read. While I would have liked faster pacing, this has a very strongly built world and characters that make it a solid read. I would be interested in continuing with the series. The dragons and history make this quite an intense and thought-provoking read overall.

Please note that I received an ARC. All opinions are my own.