As a typical fantasy book, this one had loads and loads of information dumping. The world building was clump up and shoved down our throats. After we get past that, the story gets quite enjoyable <3

#AFateForgedInFire #Netgalley

So the first half of this book was a bit … all over the place? A lot happened and a lot to keep up with, including all the names and pronunciations. Actually, it would definitely make it easier to have the pronunciation guide at the beginning of the book rather than the end!

But the second half was phenomenal!! Honestly the relationship between Aemyra and Fiorean, their banter and their chemistry, made everything else worth it!

I’m not trusting daddy dearest and Alfred has GOT to go! Can’t wait for the next book 😁

3.5 🌟
As a reader I don't necessarily have to enjoy the whole story to enjoy the story as a whole. That's what I feel here. Until like the 96% point I thought I might like it overall. By 98% I was ready to throw my hands up and be done.
I liked the overall idea of this book, but others just weren't for me. I liked the world building, elemental magics, and animal bonding.
I didn't really care for most of the characters. The FMC was almost too impulsive and angry for me. At some points it felt necessary and fit well, but others it almost felt like a forced emotion for everything. But maybe other readers will relate to her better. I just didn't feel she was ever as humble as she claimed.
I almost wanted to like the MMC at some point. Until it all felt pointless.
Still has potential. Someone will love this, it just wasn't me.

I'd like to thank NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me a chance at reading this book.

This is very much so a teen book disguised as an adult read. I mean, I hope this is billed as young adult, because there is a great steep of a divide between this and Juliet Marillier. I have a ruler / level in which I rate all (everyone) who wants to write about Celtic / Druidaic fantasy.

The problem with this book is you got a female antagonist who does nothing but whine, complain, and rage against the machine (er, monarchy).

In this book, it's a women driven monarchy. Well, it was, until women heirs were hard to come by... and those are who bond with dragons / lead. Our female lead is the daughter of a clan who was ... kicked out? exiled? passed over? in exchange for a new religion that doesn't use magic. Sure the book started out good with her being a blacksmith, using menstrual blood to help her magic, and being outspoken... fearless, even.

But then that bravado started to piss me off. I then realized that she was just a 'insert moody, brash, non-girly girl stereotype'. She had no character or depth to her. She did things just to be the ~special, hidden princess~.

The romance was supposed to be enemies to lovers, but at 60% in the book when she gets wed to him, I felt no feelings for him, and at 70% when they finally start having feelings and they screw... just didn't feel it. Also, her last lay was a female, and she has never bedded a male... there is a line in which he says before they consumate that it'll hurt probs because he is so thick (and she has never been fucked by a man). She says she can take it... then he tells her that she can ride. We're all supposed to laugh because she rode him... yeah, sorry, wasn't really feeling the romance.

Dragons, court politics, not knowing who to trust, and some romance - count me in.

Unfortunately for me, this book was harder for me to become obsessed with. I think the main problem was I didn't love our FMC. I had different expectations for her, and some of her choices felt just like not right? and then when I felt like I was finally getting into it, getting emotional around the 65-75% of the book, the author threw me for a loop with how she ended this book - and not in a like "omg I didn't see this coming" but in an "omg I don't like this".

Moral of the story, well written but maybe not for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Random House Publishing for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I genuinely enjoyed reading this book. The world-building and political history was slightly confusing to grasp at first. The ending, I saw coming from a mile away, but I wanted to be SO WRONG. The overall book was fun, and I would definitely recommend it if you enjoyed Fourth Wing and Game of Thrones.

We have our FMC, Aemyra, who is a hidden and rightful heir of Tir Teine who dreams of one day bonding with her own dragon. She is the embodiment of feminine rage and power! We also have our MMC, Fiorean, who is apart of the current royal family of Tir Teine. Unfortunately (or fortunately?), unexpected events and heat-of-the-moment actions force these two to work as allies rather than enemies.

AND THE ROMANCE??
💘 Knife-to-throat scenes
💘 Witty banter
💘 Touch her and die
💘 He falls first
💘 Slow burn

Thank you NetGalley, Penguin Random House and Hazel McBride for the ARC copy of A Fate Forged in Fire!!

Before you start this book, please save yourself.. go to the back and read through the pronunciation guide!! This book has a ton of Scottish Gaelic words; it helps with names, places, and words frequently used throughout the entire book.

NOW for the review.

Tropes this book had that kept me reading:
- DRAGONS (i mean look at the cover)
- slow burn
- Enemies to lovers
- Touch her and die
- Daddy Issues
- Matriarchy (cause F the patriarchy)
- FMC that takes no BS.


This book is the slowest of slow burns. I realize we have to build a fantasy book, lots of things to place before you can get to the climax.. but, my god, I suffered through this book until I got about 67% of the way through.. then at that point it finally got somewhat good. More or less I wanted to keep reading at that point. However, even the cliffhanger at the end I was like "alright then"...(insert shrug) If we were going to end on a cliffhanger I want to be screaming in rage. I'm really hoping book 2 closes the gap for me and I'm able to love the story.

First off thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the chance to read this as an ARC!

I DEVOURED this book! It has enemies to lovers, crazy tension, excellent world building, political intrigue and a strong FMC.

Aemyra is the long lost heir to Tir Tiene, a matriarchal society, who is goddess blessed with the strongest fire power seen in over a century. The succession once the king dies is far from settled. Aemyra must battle for her birthright from the Princes one of whom she is beginning to have feelings transform from hate to… something else. The princes are not her only opponents. She also has to face the True Society, a religious sect who has seized power during a time when only males have been born into the line of succession. They seek to oppress women and shift the goddess worshipping, strong matriarchal society into something that benefits them and their followers, leaving no room for dissent.

I can’t wait for the rest of y’all to read this book! I have a sneaky feeling it may be a top read for 2025. Hazel McBride does a fantastic job with her world building, it is descriptive but not overwhelming. I don’t know how I’m going to wait what will feel like an eternity for the next book in this series!!

If you love slow burn fantasy romances and enemies to lovers, I highly recommend this one! I had never read a book written by Hazel Mcbride before, and now I really want to dive into her backlist.
A Fate Forged in Fire is as great as its cover is gorgeous. It had so many good tropes and a very well-woven world. I loved every second of it, i can't wait for book two!

I really liked this fantasy book. Kinda reminded me of the Villian's assistant mixed with House of Dragon. Great plot and keeps you captive.

I was easily drawn into this book the moment I started it. I went on to finish it in about 24 hours. I loved the concept of having a female queen in hiding waiting to take her throne and that there has not been one born in 100 years. We learn the path to her throne has not been easy nor will it be to solidify her claim to it. This book has a bit of a swaggering female lead but she never waivers in her beliefs or cause. She has much to learn and mistakes are made. She meets her match in Prince Fiorean and the author shows us quite literally that they are enemies (they fight each other!). As the story progresses and thanks to their forced proximity, we learn there is more to him than meets the surface level. Both are loyal to their families but their dragons actually show us that some middle ground can be found? I can't say much without giving things away other than I loved the interactions between her dragon and his. I also enjoyed the banter between Aemyra and Fiorean. At one point I did laugh out loud and at another I gasped and kicked my feet. There is some religious oppression and a tragic scene in the book. Fiorean cares deeply for Aemyra's wellbeing and I liked how he tended to her in the times she was vulnerable. The book does end on quite a heart wrenching cliffhanger. I anxiously await book 2's release. I love that this will be a duology and am curious to see how the author will wrap up the story. I went to sleep thinking about this book, woke up thinking about it, and re-read the last couple chapters! 4.75 stars because I was a bit unclear about Aemyra and Sorcha. Thank you to Random House and NetGalley for the arc. These are my honest opinions.

Okay, where to start with this book...

A Fate Forged in Fire is an Adult Romantasy novel, following our main character, Aemyra, a female heir to the throne.
Here is what I like about the book:
- The matriarchal society. Once a strong MAtriarchy, the fantasy world in which the story is set is slowly crumbling with the influx of non-magic wielders and wielders alike who are slowly changing faith to the 'true religion' which is more patriarchal and diminished the roles that the women have held. The religion started to rear its head in ti Tiene, where the story is set, which hadn't had a female royal until out dear Aemyra came along.
- I liked the worldbuilding in the story. While it initially confused me, the more I read, the better I understood. There are separate territories for each specific element wielder, and any wielder who had bonded to an animal could not travel these borders. I would love to see some more of the other territories in late books too.
- Aemyra. She is 26 and has trained her whole life to take her rightful place on the throne. the plan falls through and she lands herself in a series of obstacles and betrayals throughout the book. I loved that her character was well-rounded and well-developed - she seemed human, and this was shown through her interactions with characters (she did piss me off at some points of the story, however.

Things that could be improved:
- The romance. I did like Aemyra and Prince Fiorean eventually, but i feel the transition between hate to lovers was far too abrupt. There was some insta-lust after their first few encounters, which seemed out of place when they had done nothing to garner such interest. I did like how it ended up though, with the relationship developing somewhat naturally.
- The royalty system. It is my belief that the royals (who are all apart of the same clan and hence related?) share similar physical traits, the most notable being the fiery red hair). This may be to my own interpretation, but does that insinuate that Prince Fiorean and Aemyra are related??
- The magic. I loved the explanation of the magic system, but i feel as if some more information on how it manifests, how its controlled etc would add more to the story
- The true religion. The followers of the true religion seemed to thawrt Aemyra at every step, form their inces, to ingested powders and more. I think some more depth into there cure all magic repellent would be useful, and make it appear to be more than a convenient plot point

In summary, I really enjoyed this book. My critques are on minor aspects of the storyline, which i think would further improve the story. I like the plot, an the twist at the end. I will definitely be anticipating the next instalment, and all the more to come from HAzel McBride.

3.5/5 stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House publishing for the opportunity to read and review this arc

I'm going to be brutally honest and say that this book just didn't do it for me. I'm so sorry. I would have DNF'd at the midpoint if this wasn't an ARC and I felt obligated to finish.

I really, really liked the premise-- a hidden queen with fire magic and a dragon, rising up to reclaim her throne?! SOLD. Unfortunately, the MC drove me crazy. She continued to make selfish, reckless mistakes time and time again, landing herself in situations that could have been easily avoided. And what's worse is that she never seemed to learn from her mistakes; she did the same thing over and over again. I also didn't buy the romance. It came on way too fast and hinged on an all-too-convenient miscommunication trope where the guy is portrayed as being a bad guy at first but then it turns out it's all just a quickly forgivable misunderstanding.

There was so much potential for this book to be centered around a strong, savvy queen who was the one maneuvering others, rather than being the one being continuously outmaneuvered due to her own thoughtlessness. The worldbuilding is interesting, and there's a ton there for the author to dig into in future books. But while I'm sure there is absolutely an audience for it, but that audience just isn't me.

Perhaps one reason for this is because my impression of the book when I requested was that it was adult fantasy. It reads as YA to me. If I'd known that, I either wouldn't have requested, or I would've adjusted my expectations accordingly. In adult fantasy I expect characters not to thoughtlessly rush into situations time and time again, and that when they do make mistakes, that they learn from them. I didn't see that here in any form and ultimately that was the reason I would have DNFed.

2 stars for an intriguing world and premise, but I knocked off 3 stars because of an MC I couldn't root for and a romance that felt way too convenient and rushed.

This was a strong start to the duology, the world worked well overall and enjoyed the overall feel of this and how it worked in this universe. The concept was everything that I was looking for and had that fantastical element that I was expecting. The characters worked well in this universe and was enjoying the romance element. I’m excited to read more in this world.

This book blew me away with its rich world, complex characters, and captivating romance. The worldbuilding unfolds naturally, allowing us to absorb the political intrigue and magic without feeling overwhelmed. Aemyra’s relationships, especially with her twin Adarian, add warmth and depth that’s often missed in romantasy, and her dynamic with Fiorian is slow-burn perfection for “enemies to lovers” fans. The magic, especially the dragons bonded to their elemental users, feels both fresh and classic. I only wish there was more interaction with the dragons, but their presence still adds weight to the story.

4.5 stars
This was amazing. I really loved the Celtic inspired world that was so rich with history and folklore. There’s rival clans and elemental magic and an inevitable war where the main characters must choose between right and wrong. This is has a ton of world building and a lot of build up but it’s so worth it. Once it gets to the action and romance, you are already so invested that it’s impossible to put it down. This was a truly unique dragon book that stood out from other dragon fantasy books I’ve read. I loved the bonds between the dragons and riders. If you’re looking for a book with your favorite tropes done right, this is the book for you. True enemies to lovers, slow burn, arranged marriage, and lots of knife to throat scenes, the list goes on and on. This had the perfect balance of plot and romance and I will be highly anticipating the sequel.

Thank you so much Netgalley and Penguin random House!

This book is fantastic and so entertaining, so much so that I gave up all other responsibilities to finish this in a day!
This is the perfect blend of Scottish Avatar: the last air bender meets Game of Thrones!

Tension is present right at the start for Aemyra, and all of Tir Teine. A poison has slowly taken over the world in the form of the True Religion, a patriarchal religion that believes that magic is evil, and that women are mothers first and only. Tir Teine is one of the last kingdoms still following the goddesses and the turmoil this causes for the poor citizens suffering within the kingdom is felt from the start.
Aemyra is very arrogant and angry at the beginning of the book. She trained in secret her whole life to be queen and isn’t afraid to fight for what she believes in. Which makes for a lot of entertainment, when she meets equally arrogant Prince Fiorean. The tension between them is present from first interaction and pure perfection!
This book is fast-paced with no real lulls in action!

Between the romantic tension, hidden royalty, mythical beasts and religious cult, there really is something for everyone in this book!
I need the next one already because that ending was devastating!

Let's start this review off with the fact that I have never gotten a book I was soo hyped about regardless if I got an ARC to it or not. As I read it all as an ARC, my opinions are mine and I am soo grateful for the Netgalley and publishers Random House Publishing&Delacorte Press so I could sink my teeth into it already now AND I am definitely also buying it once it comes out as this read is bookcase trophy worthy and I'll reread it for sure before the next one comes out!
I have noting negative to say, and if you read some of my other reviews I can be pretty brutally honest if something bothers me even about books that I like a lot. But the biggest things I enjoyed here was the worldbuilding, magical systems, character and ofc the plot itself. As a person who loved House of the Dragon & Game of Thrones but never got into the books as it was bit too much for me, this hit just the spot with the story and the politics were comparable to what I loved in these shows. I think it gave a really good balance of all the aspects of the story and knowing what was poisoning the world and court from inside out when Aemyra reached it.
The worldbuilding and magic was complex, but it was so well woven into the story and I never felt like it was info dumped onto me, but I only just wanted to see more of this magical world in its entirety. I think focusing on one of the clans at a time was what made grasping the world easier and I also see it with the antagonist for the story how the other clans and elemental courts can become more relevant later on.
The characters, side characters especially, were so well introduced and explained to us readers even though we didn't spend much time with them on-pages, as a reader I got a really great sense of what they mean to Aemyra and also I felt super protective over her twin Adarian and was holding my breath several times during the story as i know from other fantasy books, close relatives are great targets.... When it came to Fiorian, I loved him and Hazel got the morally gray character who is cracking and becoming warm SO RIGHT and i felt like I was there just as Aemyra was leaning into the newness of their dynamics. I love that nothing was rushed between them and that she never lost herself in this and yeah, I dont think she is your normal hero either. She grew up as a weapon for her father who definitely is morally grey character, and I think her father and herself too have so much good in them, but also they are warriors in a war and probably that leads them to tough decisions also in the future. I would have loved if he'd kill the main priest whatnot though....he truly deserved it.

Overall I adored this book, and ofc I took notes during my read that are kinda fun to read once I've finished the book. I'll add to these after publishing as some things in the notes were definitely spoilery
24% We love a bi-fighter, weaponmaster (blacksmith) & hopefully a queen! Also seeing the House of the Dragon vibes, love it!
56% They are like two peas in a pod, but not seeing it themselves 😂 Anyhow i love how similar they are
68% I literally just highlighted most of one page 😂
84% I am as feral for them as they both are

A Fate Forged in Fire follows the story of Aemryn, the true heir to the throne, biding her time before she can unleash herself and take her rightful place as queen.

I thought the concept of the book was wonderfully done. I love that it was Celtic inspired, and that the author (to my knowledge and understanding) used it respectfully in her book. I also absolutely appreciated the pronunciation at the end of the book, and how careful the author was in explaining the difficulty in pronunciation.

Now, onto the book. Personally, I didn’t like the personality of the FMC. I don’t think her behavior was unprecedented, but I also think the arrogance she had was just too much. Because she knew she was the true queen, her ego was entirely too big. However, again, with what her upbringing, it isn’t surprising she’d be like that. It just got too annoying for me at times, like the way she directly put her and her family at risk by insulting the priests or the princes.

I don’t really have any good choice words for the MMC. I thought he was hot, but his sexism/misogyny put me off a lot. On the one hand, he took his duty seriously to protect the FMC, but on the other, he put her down constantly, demeaned her, and looked down on her simply for her gender. And that betrayal at the end? It’s not just the FMC he needs to grovel to, if I have anything to say about it.

Another thing I appreciated about the author were the trigger warnings, particularly for the sexism and misogyny. What happened to Aemryn broke my heart, but I also liked how it wasn’t the universal mindset. The author did a good blend of “this group thinks women should be subservient” and “this group thinks women are better, if not equal”. Aemryn’s feminist qualities were also very well done; she emphasized choice every time she talked about women and why matriarchy was better. I liked how she didn’t look down on women who bore children or were subservient if they wanted to be, but rather emphasized the choice in the matter.

Anyway, I didn’t exactly vibe with the romance. Even though it took its time, I thought its appearance was a bit too abrupt. Also, are we going to pretend this man hadn’t killed your family? Yes, he actually didn’t, but when she was thirsting over him, she didn’t know he truly hadn’t. And then he used that against her. Hmph.

All in all, I give this book a solid 4 stars, and demand I get book two instantly 😔

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for providing me with an ARC in exchange for an honest review. This was one of my most anticipated reads of 2025 and when I tell you I almost screamed when I got approved for the arc!

This gets a strong 4.25 stars for me and is such a promising debut. If you love House of the Dragon, Aemond Targaryen specifically, and the show Reign, I recommend looking into this.

This is a romantasy, but it is a romantasy where the author really tried to build a plot and world too. The first 50% really tried to build the story and a believable enemies to lovers set up, and I appreciate that. I foresee some people struggling with the crumbs of the romance in that half, but I personally liked it as a reader who doesn’t want to romance shoved down my throat from the beginning like I’m stupid. I won’t call the pacing perfect, but for the most part I think she worked with it well.

This has a male lead I loved. Which is to be expected, as I picked it up promised Aemond Targaryen vibes. She delivered.

I can’t wait for my preorder to get here so I can have a beautiful physical copy!