I thoroughly enjoyed this book. It had everything that I could ask for. There was a really well-built political system which was a heavy focus throughout the book - and will continue to be so throughout the series it seems - and it is shown how this system already has and can affect the main characters. The main characters, Lee and Annie, are wonderfully created. Their backstories are beautifully intertwined and brutal, they are flawed individuals and they have their quirks that you pick up on. Another important thing is that they do not act like your typical ‘whiny’ YA protagonists, they are extremely likeable and you find yourself routing for them both. I was captivated from start to end, despite it being a little slow to start - it had promise and it defintiely delivered.

I love this genre and have read extensively so I always marvel that there are still new details and angles to explore. In this one, I love how the dragons can only breathe fire when fully grown.

Dragon riding families used to rule, but that all changed with the revolution where the meritocracy has taken over. Lee lost his whole family in the purge but in a trick of fate, not only did he survive but he now finds himself a dragon rider. He is competing to lead the squadron and because no one knows his true identity, he is the favourite to win. Until he discovers that part of his family escaped and are intent in claiming what they once had. Lee may need to choose sides - between his friends and his family.

I found this gripping and creative and loved all the little details involved in building this world. The key characters are richly crafted and the politics of this new world explored. Its an exciting, rollercoaster of an adventure.

Absolutely loved this book! From page one I was hooked and couldn’t wait to pick the book back up.

I can’t wait for more from this author!

Thank you NetGalley and publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I’ve read a lot of books about dragons recently. In the grand scheme of things this was not my favourite but it improved throughout, and I did find myself drawn into the story by the end.
Based on Virgil’s Aeneid and Plato’s Republic is a heavy weight to bear in a book about dragons, but the concept of building a new society and how to be better than what came before when there are hard choices to make was well executed. I liked the friendships in this book and enjoyed the battle to be the best between protagonists Lee and Annie (Antigone). I just wish it had started in a less confusing, more coherent way.
Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

A rich boy in hiding, a poor girl by his side, and a revolution in their past that covered them in blood. Plus dragons. Who can resist?

Lee was the son og one of the highest men of their nation, until a revolution slaughtered his entire family, leaving him alone in an orphanage, the boy he was dead and gone. Annie had watched her entire family filled in dragon fire as punishment, leaving her an orphan before the revolution. And together they both were accepted to train to become dragon riders, the elite who would defend their island from those who want to invade it. But as pasts clash with the present, and destinies change before their eyes, Lee and Annie fight for loyalty, friendship and their very existance.

This is a fast paced, action fueled, wonderful story about finding where you belong, and who you belong with. Munda has created a great story, with a rich background and characters that everyone can see themselves as. A fun read.

This was a great read and a well needed dive back into some young adult fantasy to me.

Lee and Annie’s story is one that intrigues you from the start, and grips you as it develops. The duel pov was a great way of showing how the two of them see both the old and new regime differently, but highlights their emotional connection and their already established relationship perfectly. Munda’s writing was well thought out, and the duel pov’s leave you trying to figure out who the bad guys really are, right until the last chapter.

While slow at the start for me, the further into the story we got the more I couldn’t put Fireborne down. The political elements are well thought out, meaning the slower start is worth it to help establish the world we are entering as a reader. I have to say though, I thought the plot itself was a slow start, but it was full of action and battle scenes from very early on.

All I can say is that I’m thrilled to discover this is an indie author getting traditionally published, because I can’t wait to see how Annie and Lee’s story continues

I’m so confused on who is who, and what was even happening. The names of the characters made no sense. I just couldn’t read this and enjoy it.

Annie and Lee are just children at the start of the story in an orphanage, but for this story, they are rising stars in the new regime. The relationship when they were children is important to explain the situation now and how they look out for each other.

Initially, I thought this would be like the fourth wing - but there is much more with a revolution, and politics and debates about whether you can change society with a revolution. But the dragons are a great leveller, bringing excitement to the story.
There is loads of suspense, which is why I am going to read the next book now, as I can't leave the story there.

Unfortunately, I did not seem to get along with this book, the story felt stilted and slow and I could not engage with it as I hoped. It certainly has an interesting premise and I’m sure will be greatly enjoyed by many.

Not going to lie - loooove dragons, so this book is right up my street.

I really enjoyed this, there’s a lot too it. Evil previous regimes, murder, revolution, I suspect a nod to a certain communist country in the not to distant past. Never mind a little bit of love, betrayal, and quite honestly, some unpleasant bits…..you name it, this has it. It’s not a simple story, there are threads to be unraveled and followed.

An excellent start to what I’m pretty sure is going to be a fantastic series. I look forward to reading the new book.

My thanks to Netgalley for the advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publishers for letting me review such a wonderful read

i found the book very atmospheric you could really feel like you are there with the characters the setting was perfect .
the plot is one of those things you think you know what is happening yet you have no idea jaw drop most of the time for me .

i loved the fact the story had DRAGONS the best .

Overall I think the story was fast paced and the writing flowed very well . highly recommend

I am giving the book 4 fire breathing stars

Thank you Netgalley for the ARC.

Fireborn took me a little while to get into, but once it clicked, I was fully invested. The dual POVs of Annie and Lee are brilliantly distinct, with each facing their own inner battles that made them feel layered and real. Annie’s journey especially stood out with her growth and self reflection, these were the powerful moments in the plot and felt genuinely earned.

The political intrigue was a major highlight for me… complex, clever, and just the right amount of messy. I also appreciated that the dragons didn’t take on a massive role. Their smaller scale involvement made things feel more grounded, though I did find myself wishing for a bit more background or history about them.

All in all, a gripping and thoughtful start to the series and I’m keen to dive into the next book.

I really did enjoy reading this book, but at the same time it took me longer to get through it than i expected.
There is a fair bit of worldbuilding in this book which i did appreciate and Rosaria does a wonderful job of describing things without it being too heavy. The characters are varied and each have distinct personalities. There are a lot of characters and it did
take me a little while to remember who each of them were in relation to the story.

I really appreciated the relationship between Lee and Annie as it was conflicted and complicated for so many reasons and this made it all the more compelling.
I am glad it was a multi POV book as i think that gave it much more depth.
I will definitely be reading the next book in the series to see where that takes the characters and what happens to them

4.5 Stars!

Fireborne is a great example of a well written YA Fantasy with a riveting plot. It follows the story of two teens, Lee and Annie, as they become dragonriders for the revolution that overthrew the old dragon lords ten years ago.

The initial world building was a little confusing in places and I needed to reread a few things to help it make sense, but after this, there were no issues. The story and plot really do engage you and there are multiple levels to what's happening, why it is and the wider politics. The book really explores some quite serious themes such as class and impression,in a seamless manner. The pacing of the plot for the majority of the book was steady, perhaps a little slow in places, but definitely ramped up towards the end.

I really enjoyed the character of Lee, and the things he had to grapple with. I felt a lot of empathy for him, and wished this could have been extended a bit more by the FMC earlier in the book! Annie was a little frustrating at times, though her character really does start to develop in the last quarter of the book. There was a sprinkle of a slow burn romance across the book and I'm interested to see where this will develop further.

I found myself looking forward to getting back to reading this book and thinking about it when I wasn't reading. I would definitely recommend it to those who love a satisfying YA Fantasy book.

OK… so I actually think this is one of my favourite books. It sucked me in straight away and I finished it in a couple of days. It’s like Fourth Wing but better and without the smut. The storyline is fab and I can’t wait to find out what happens next. Thank you to the writer, publisher, and NetGalley for allowing me to read this book.

I will start off by saying the first half of the book felt a little slow to me but I still really enjoyed it. I don't mind a bit of a slow burn/long build up sometimes.
The world building is done well and I always love a dual POV. The past chapters were also interesting and i enjoyed the development of Annie and Lee's relationship. Lastly, the dragons! Love the dragons, very Fourth Wing vibes so if you love Fourth Wing then you will like this 😊

I honestly just could not get immersed in this book.
Every time I could feel myself getting drawn in I was thrown back out again by just sheer confusion.

The world building is far too blunt, new words and characters are thrown at you without any explanation as to what or who they are.

There are far too many things going on at one time, giving no focus to any one thing for long enough to understand it.

Won’t be continuing with the series unfortunately.

From the premise, I thought this sounded like a winning formula: politics, friends to lovers, competition and dragons. I was not disappointed.

Fireborne is a fantastic YA romantasy set in a boarding school for dragon riders, so ideal for anyone wanting something to fill the void while they wait for the next part of Fourth Wing! The worldbuilding is done brilliantly, and I could see how much thought Munda put into establishing the politics.

The characters are well-developed and well-rounded, and I absolutely loved the relationship between Lee and Annie and seeing how it changed and shifted over time.

A fantastic read, and I can't wait to see what's next in this world!

I thoroughly enjoyed reading Fireborne, particularly following Annie's character development, and the twists and turns of Annie's and Lee's complex history.
The world and lore is introduced to us well, at a pace that is easy to follow, whilst allowing for some theorising when reading it.
The story caught me off guard in parts, in the best way, and really made me empathise with the characters.
Really looking forward to reading the next in this series!

I loved Fireborne by Rosaria Munda!!

I was hooked from the start. Our characters are so well developed and the growth we see from them as they age up was really well done.
The trials were amazing, I love a book with trials and this really didn't disappoint.
I can't wait for more in this series!