The marketing for this book is perfection. The cover is great and the sprayed edge ALONE makes me want to buy this book. Incredible work. Whomever designed it needs to make more stat. I was very very excited to read a dragon shifter fantasy romance and the opening pages retelling Medusa’s tale were wonderful and promising. Unfortunately, regardless of all the given attributes that recommend this book, this was not for me. The writing is underdeveloped and reads more like a YA but with smut. The smut itself is done well enough but these two aspects put together is jarring. If it didn’t have smut, I’d say this was an extremely promising YA.

I was really intrigued by the premise of this work, but I was turned off from the story pretty early on. Starting with a fairly graphic rape scene is certainly a choice and not one that encouraged me to read this book or recommend it to others.

firstly, thank you to the publisher for an arc.

ehh, i had a feeling i’d either love or hate this book, and unfortunately, i did not love it. the writing/world-building was not the best; i think the most interesting aspect of the world-building was in the prologue.

of course, this book as all of the themes/tropes popular nowadays so i don’t doubt that it will find its audience, but it’s certainly not me.

fortunately, this is an easy fl romantasy skip for me as well, although i’m sure their edition will be stunning

Roman Empire meets house of the dragon, but instead of riding dragons, they shift into them 👀

this book had so many elements that had the potential to come together to create the perfect romantasy, but in a lot of ways i was left wanting.

⚠️ general spoilers ahead (no plot spoilers)- proceed with caution!!⚠️




things i loved:
-the setting- the roman empire is fr my roman empire
-dragon shifters- shifters never get old
-broody, possessive, touch her you die mmc- enough said
-magic- the prologue starts with the myth of medusa which is used to introduce some of the mystical elements to the magic system- LOVE
-fmc Malina- she’s a baddie that for the most part makes logical decisions, says it like it is, isn’t afraid to go against the mmc, and holds her own

things i wanted more from:
-lore/mythology- we learn early on that the roman gods were dragons, but don’t really get much more of that. it could’ve been so cool!
-political conflict- we have lots of war and talk of politics (heLLO ancient rome??) but it all feels very surface level
-the emotional connection/ romance- when the characters finally get together, it felt like a switch had been flipped. 0 to 100 on the confession when i didn’t feel like a lot of development had happened between the two of them to warrant it
-the side characters had such potential to be amazing assets to the emotional connection and i wish they had been drawn on more!

things i wasn’t a fan of:
-why on EARTH are we using the word “cunny”. is that a real term and im living under a rock?? either way, i absolutely hate it and it made me cringe every time i had to read it


that said, i do think i’ll read the next book to see how things progress, but really hoping more development is put into the world overall!

While this was an amazing dragon fantasy romance, it definitely did not have House of the Dragon or From Blood and Ash vibes. I really liked it though! Malina was a bad-a heroine with fascinating magic. Julius was a sexy, mysterious MMC. The pacing was great and it ended in a great spot that gave you enough resolution while still making you long for a sequel. The side characters were cool and I hope that we get to see more of them in the sequel. The history and the worldbuilding were fascinating. Ancient Rome is a cool setting and the elements made by Juliette Cross to make it a fantasy world fit very well with the actual history. I loved this and can't wait for book 2!

-Thank you so much Tor, Bramble, and Netgalley for the ARC!

DNF @ 60%

too much insta love AND it’s a master x slave dynamic? sure it’s Ancient Rome but the power dynamics were uncomfy, the insta love was too instant and the one liners were too cringey.

The politics of dragons in Ancient Rome were great and I would have loved more of that but I couldn’t hang with the romance. I really liked Malina at first but boy she folded real quick.

thanks to the publisher for the advanced copy! this one is out in April!

In a fantastical Rome with dragons, Firebird inititally promised me dragons and rebellion. And while the beginning wasn't an instant hook, once the elements of Caeser and the rebellion brewing started to simmer, I was back into it. But here's where I was on the fence because there's this almost gratuitous violence (and often sexual in nature) which was pretty off putting. I know that House of the Dragon is one of the comps and I'd agree with that. However, to me at least in the first book, it lacks the complexity and nuance to handle this?

And secondly, the romance. So while I'm not a fan of fated mates or instant love in that sense - of which I could suspend m disbelief - I couldn't get behind this enslaved and owner dynamic their relationship has by nature. I wasn't sure before reading how it was going to be handled and this was another element where I was missing depth and nuance to how their relationship proceeds and develops. The dragon mate thing perhaps complicates the dynamics as well, so in general it was just hard for me to parse apart my reservations.

It has dragons, a somewhat historical fantasy idea to it, and I did enjoy Malina's character arc, but I wish it had more depth in certain areas.

Firebird is a must read!! This unique story had me enthralled from the first chapter!! Lore, gods, romans, war, dragons!!!

I love this specific world building the author did. She made it easy to follow while still being in depth enough to create a whole world to submerge yourself in!

The MMC is 🔥🔥🔥🔥 I adore him!! He is morally grey but a cinnamon roll just for her! The perfect combo💕


The ending was unique and has me dying for the next book! Which is unfortunate because this one isn’t even released yet! I can’t say much without spoiling the ending, but I just love the way she ended it! Yes there is a bit of a cliffhanger but not as bad as most books!

This was a fast paced, action packed fantasy read that I highly recommend!!

A dark romance with two rivals. Dragons rule Rome and take humans as slaves in this war setting. Malina, once a dancer for her community, is now forced to be a slave for the Roman General Julian Dakkia. Ever since Julian first saw her dancing (before she lost everything) he and his dragon were set on her. Malina had experienced great loss due to the on going war, in which Rome wishes to conquer all. She has powers of her own, that make her valuable in these war times. I was very entertained by this story!! The forbidden love, the touch her and you die, and forced proximity were top tier!!! I couldn’t put this down once I started. I just had to know what will happen next. I love that Malina and Julian were forced to interact so much!!! He was not as he seemed to be in all the best ways! He’s only soft for her (ahhhh love) There was so much suspense and heart racing parts that I just couldn’t get enough!!! Ultimate romantasy! please check the trigger warnings as always.

“hush you need your strength”
“you are my strength”

“I care not what they say, for what I feel is all my own. Not forced or given to me by the fates or anyone else. It comes from my own soul”

Thank you NetGalley for approving me to read this e-arc and write an honest review.

Let me start by saying, I’ve read quite a few books by Juliette Cross. I absolutely loved her Stay a Spell series, so when I saw she had a new book coming out, I had to get my hands on it.

Now, having finished it, honestly, I’m so disappointed. I wish I could explain why this book just didn’t work for me, but it just sort of didn’t. There are plenty of tropes that many romantasy readers will love, don’t get me wrong. But it just didn’t work to me. Maybe it is because I’ve read the Stay a Spell series, and this was just not the same caliber to what I’ve become accustomed to from this author. Her voice didn’t seem to come out like it did in other books.

The love story felt very forced and fast, it was hard to ever get invested. The concept of the story and a setting in Ancient Rome (but with dragons) was certainly something that interested me from the description, but I don’t feel as though that was as much of the book as I would have liked. There was just so much potential for a really interesting story here and unfortunately it really fell flat for me. I don’t believe I will be continuing this series.

Interesting and engaging I really enjoyed reading this story. I will be looking to read more from this writer.

"Firebird" is a fast-paced romantasy with a Roman Empire-inspired setting. The story follows Malina, a Dacian dancer who captivates Julianus, a Roman Centurion, with her performance. Years later, they meet again on a Celtic battlefield, where Julianus is now a general. His dragon recognizes Malina, reigniting their connection.

As a fan of Juliette Cross's work, particularly the "Stay a Spell" series, I was eager to read "Firebird." It delivers a compelling blend of plot and romance within a dragon shifter world. While the world-building is somewhat lighter, the Roman Empire inspiration provided a familiar backdrop, lessening any concerns I might have had about a completely new fantasy setting. The book offers a quicker, more accessible read than I anticipated. Although the story unfolds in a potentially dark world, the most intense or disturbing events generally occur off-page, and Malina's magical abilities, combined with Julianus's dragon shifter nature and Patrician status, offer a degree of protection for the main characters and their loved ones.

While I enjoyed the book overall, certain tropes, specifically insta-love/lust and a master-slave dynamic, prevented me from rating it higher. These are simply personal preferences, and the tropes were handled well enough within the story. Despite this, I remained engaged throughout. If the sequel explores different tropes, I'll definitely be reading it!

Dragon shifters in ancient Rome! This was such a solid romantic fantasy coming from somebody who does not like Insta love if you are going to do it. This is how it’s done. There were such a good balance of political, intrigue, plot, and romance. I can’t wait for Book 2

full review on my socials

4.5/5 rounded up
I loved the Stay A Spell Series by this author so when I heard she was writing a fantasy book I got so excited. And then I found out there's dragons?? Even better. I will always read a book with dragons.
This book was very easy to read but not in a way that made it any less enjoyable. I loved the way Roman mythology and dragons were combined, and how they were integrated into Roman society. I also loved how concerned Julianus was for Malina at every turn and every moment.

Absolutely loved this! After recently watching Gladiator II, this was giving very much the same, but with dragons. A lot more political intrigue than I expected as well, which was fantastic. Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the advance copy.

Thank you Netgaley for the advnaced copy of the book, however it was not my cup of tea. This romantsy is set in the roman empire but with dragons.

Dragons running ancient Rome— what could go wrong?! Juliette Cross brings dragon shifters to Caesar’s Greece in FIREBIRD, a dark, steamy, underdog story of magic-wielder Malina and dragon shifter Julian. Fans of Carissa Broadbent and Jennifer Armentrout will eat this one right up— just watch out you don’t get burned!

Thank you to Bramble for the early copy!

DNF at around 75%, I couldn’t take it anymore!!

I won’t be super surprised if Firebird becomes a massive hit once it publishes, but it didn’t do much for me. I think the fantasy world and magic was super unique - however, the whole slave master x slave dynamic just felt too wrong. Especially since they begin having sexual relations while the MMC still has a gross level of power over the FMC. The entire book feels like the author pleading with the reader that the MMC iSn’T lIkE oThEr SlAvE oWnErS. Sure, he’s wanting to overthrow the current emperor and doesn’t treat his slaves awfully/saved multiple of them BUT he still has them work around his home as slaves under the supposed guise he must fit in. If it’s in the privacy of his home, couldn’t his slaves act more as family rather than, idk…still slaves if he’s so against it??

There were also several points the writing made me cringe, specifically with the word use of “cunny”. I don’t CARE if only the villains use it, the word should be banned!!! Another big complaint I have is just the sheer volume of things and subplots going on. I felt like this book was like 1,000 pages since so much is stuffed into it. I enjoy a fast moving plot, but I think the author really needed to pick and choose what to include in this book and just expand in a sequel if she had so many things she wanted to happen.

Overall, Firebird was not for me, but I definitely predict that it will blow up on social media. Definitely check trigger warnings before diving in if you’re sensitive to any topics, especially slavery related ones.

Thanks to Bramble, NetGalley, and the author for sending me an early copy!

Romantasy has taken over my life and Firebird by Juliette Cross is a great new addition to the genre. It’s fiery and fast-paced with compelling characters and intense chemistry. This one will keep you hooked from start to finish!

This is the 2nd book I’ve read from Juliette Cross, and sadly I think she’s just not the author for me. While I didn’t love this, I know plenty of other people will! The premise of this book sounded interesting, a witch with the power to control emotions is captured by a general in a Roman inspired world. But for me the world building and politics were not complex enough for what I was expecting

In the end, I didn’t love the master/slave romance. The power balance didn’t feel close to equal and left me feeling uncomfortable.