Unfortunately, this was a DNF for me.

I was excited by the description and premise but sadly i wasn’t gripped by the plot early on and didn’t feel a strong sense of storyline or character.

There was a lot of assuming the reader could keep up with a lot of characters being introduced alongside backstory, familial connections and world building. This was all within the first 10%.

While i love being gripped from the start and a fast paced plot, i do think there needs to be a slower introduction to some parts if you are going for a big fantasy political plot with multiple pov’s.

After my last disappointing arc I really hoped Fireborne would spark a desire in me and boy, did it.

I was hooked from page one and in one day I had surpassed the page I DNF'd on my last read, which was around 120 pages, something that took me 4 days to achieve with the last book. When a book has me gripped me like that I know I'm going to love it.

I loved the battle system they had and the bond with their dragons. Even though the dragons couldn't communicate verbally they did so through emotion. They felt what their riders felt be it happiness, anger or grief.

Annie and Lee were annoying at times especially with their feelings for each other. It was painfully obvious that they lobed each other but they still pursued other people while giving each other doe eyes and holding hands where no one else could see. I felt like screaming at them to stop leading their friends on and to just get together.

Lee's backstory was great. I loved how we saw the turmoil and conflict he has when Julia appears on the scene and Annie's backstory was painful. Reading about what happened to her family left me feeling heartbroken for her.

I don't like Atreus, even before finding out more about him I just didn't trust him. I didn't understand how he never realised who Lee was, but it all makes sense towards the end.

I can't wait to read the next one.

DNF @ 25%
While Fireborne has an interesting concept, it doesn’t seem to be holding my attention, so sadly it’s a DNF.

The prologue definitely piqued my interest, and from what I’ve read I can tell the author took care to make the world building rich and intricate.

There are two alternating POVs, Lee and Annie, which are written in first person. While I don’t mind alternating POVs, I do think it would’ve been stronger to have the chapters dedicated to one character’s voice at a time. I think the sudden switch between POVs mid chapters jarring, and that I wasn’t connecting with either character.

Although it doesn’t seem to be clicking for me, I can see Fireborne’s potential. I think readers who enjoy dragons and political intrigue may enjoy what this book has to offer.

Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read this arc.

A gripping YA book that was easy to read but was a thrilling tale. The twists and turns had me wanting more I could barely put it down. It had me feeling hope, love, pain and sorrow for the characters. Dragons are so popular at the moment and this book truly did not disappoint. I'm so excited and can't wait to find out what happens with Lee and Annie in the next book. Thanks for the opportunity ity to read this I loved it.

I've seen this book being likened to Fourth Wing, and that does it a disservice. If anything, it's more House of the Dragon. Hugely classic inspired, with hints to Plato, this is a fantastic YA story about politics, classism and war (but with dragons).

The story doesn't spell out the actual villain until the last few pages, and the way it does it is superb. I cannot wait to read more.

Don't kid yourself into thinking this is a Romantsy, this is closer to an epic. The romance is not the story, it is barely a thing. There's no yearning, no steam, no spice. It's refreshing actually.

The only small issue I have with this book is the characters age. The things these Dragon Riders are being put through would break people my age, yet these are children. I think that this genre uses trauma to make them grow up too fast, but they are only 16/17.

All in all, an extremely well written novel.

I feel as though the Aurelian Cycle is a perfect introduction to fantasy. The world was easy to understand and the story drew me in from the beginning.
Our main characters were born on opposite sides of the kingdom’s hierarchy and grew up together in the face of a new regime. Chosen by dragons together. Now that new regime is compromised and they have to work together to fix it and the underlying problems they never saw before now.
Tension, rivals, best friends and a threatened revolution come together to create a great fantasy people can use to get into or rediscover their love for the fantasy genre.

Overall an enjoyable read. I liked the story and the characters and in general liked the authors writing style. I do have a few negatives - the pacing was a bit off for me and I NEEDED more dragons. Hopefully this is sorted in the next book of the series.

Fireborne starts off with a compelling foundation and the concept is rich, and the thematic groundwork is undeniably solid.

That said, the pacing didn’t work for me. It was very slow to get into unfortunately, and though the momentum built toward the end, it felt like a long wait to get there so I couldn’t rate higher. The action sequences didn’t always deliver the impact I was hoping for. It has potential and I was intrigued so I may continue the series but this book left me wanting something more.

I like dragon rider stories and I was intrigued by the idea that this was inspired by WWII dogfights over London. I couldn’t help but be reminded a bit of A Language of Dragons in terms of tone, but this was its own story. I loved the premise for this but the execution didn’t entirely work for me. I can’t quite put my finger on why. Overall though I had a good time with this book.

3.5 I’ve had my eye on this book for a long time, so I’m glad it’s finally being published in the UK! This book had a lot; political intrigue, commentary on societal & class restructure, dragons, strong friendships, family ties. Overall, I had a good time reading it.

What I struggled with was the lack of consistent pacing, at times it felt quite slow. I wanted a bit more from the plot and more information about the dragons. I also didn’t like Annie for a lot of the book, I found her quite self-centred, but she was redeemed towards the end. I’d like to carry on with the rest of the series when it comes out too.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy.

Inspired by a combination of classics such as Plato and also by dog fights above England during world war 2 the author imagines what it would be like if dragons fought in the air. It’s a crazy combination that works as the story she tells is about the aftermath of a revolution that leaves the victors and indeed the dispossessed struggling in their new utopia but have they truly created a paradise with freedom and prosperity for all or is it an illusion that can come crashing down ?
Our hero is Lee who hides the fact that he is the son of a much reviled and now dead Dragon Lord. He’s fought his way up through the ranks and now his goal of becoming First rider is within sight but first there’s the little matter of actually winning the trials. One of his rivals is Annie who is probably the person he is closest to but even she doesn’t know his secrets.
This story takes these characters and indeed the reader on a moral journey where it’s difficult to categorically state what is black and what is white. The political machinations are muddied with the author showing shockingly that even the heroes of this world have feet of clay . Do not expect a straight forward romance either because even then these characters make decisions that feel uncomfortable.
This is incredibly hard to rate because as much as I applauded the ending at times it did feel a little slow. Plus I know that we are all influenced by something and it’s almost impossible to have a completely new idea but the set up for these characters reminded me of another famous series.
Lee the young hero who is orphaned.
Annie the best friend who is undoubtedly brilliant but looked down upon by elitist snobs .
School/ academy setting.
Vile fellow student who is frequently rude and nasty to Annie.
The old guard determined to bring back dark times.
Yes I know it’s a completely different story but sadly all of the above plus a couple of other things did take me out of the story at times. I think overall given that it’s a book about squadrons of Dragons taking to the skies and fighting what really let this down was a distinct lack of action as even at the end when a much anticipated showdown occurs it just seemed to happen so very quickly. This isn’t a bad book because I did enjoy this story and I hope the sequel allows the Dragons and their riders to really show what they can do !
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested and my thoughts and comments are honest

I thoroughly enjoyed Fireborne, political manoeuvring, class wars, angst, dragons, concealed identities, found family, did I mention dragons? Annie is orphaned when her family is killed by the ruling dragon lords. Lee is orphaned when his family is killed during the revolution. Drawn together despite their differences, they become each others support system until they are forced to compete against each other to become the leader of the dragonriders.

I loved the depth Rosaria brought to Annie and Lee, and the way she made my heart ache for them both. I can’t wait to continue their story.

Thank you to NetGalley for gifting me this eARC. My review is wholly my own personal thoughts.

Fireborne kicks off with a solid premise-dragonriders, political upheaval, and class conflict. Told through multiple points of view, the story follows two orphans from opposite backgrounds navigating a post-revolution society where merit determines your place, not bloodline. It's an intriguing setup, and the ideas at play are strong.
Unfortunately, the pacing held the story back for me. It felt slow to get going, and while the action does ramp up in the final chapters, it takes too long to get there. I also found the POV transitions a bit clunky at times, and I think the action scenes could've used more punch. The world is interesting, but I would've liked a deeper dive into how the dragons and riders connect-especially since the title and cover promise a dragon-centric tale. It's not a bad start, but I was left wishing for a bit more substance throughout.

Unfortunately, this book was a DNF for me at around 21%.

I was drawn to the description, the concept and the cover from the outset but when it came down to it I've struggled to be drawn into the story.

While there are dual POV's, something which I'm a huge fan of, I found I couldn't connect to either character in their POV. There was a disconnect that meant while they had backstories I *should* have found intriguing and gripping, I was just forcing myself to get to the next chapter while being confused about everyone's motives and viewpoints.

In all, I can see the promise here and I know some readers will love this story, but for me I just can't get past my disconnect from the characters.

Thank you NetGalley for this ARC!

I’m not typically drawn to YA fiction, but this book turned out to be a surprisingly enjoyable read. What stood out to me most was how it leaned into themes like politics, power dynamics, and leadership, all set against a backdrop of intricate world-building. The setting feels vivid and immersive, with enough detail to draw you in without overwhelming the plot.

The story is told through the alternating perspectives of Annie and Lee, both of whom are training to become dragon riders. Their relationship starts off tense - they have a complicated history and a clear dislike for one another - but over time, that animosity evolves into a reluctant respect, and eventually something deeper. The way their dynamic shifts feels believable and adds emotional depth to the narrative.

Although YA isn’t usually my genre of choice, I appreciated the way the book balanced action, character development, and world-building. It delivers on what it sets out to do, creating an engaging and well-paced story that kept me interested from beginning to end.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7477208516

So really this is a (much) less raunchy version of Fourth Wing. I enjoyed it a lot but maybe I've read too many of these dragon based romantasys lately as nothing about it felt particularly new or different (possibly slightly unfair as it was published quite a few years back and may have been ahead of the trend). I'd say that if you enjoyed Fourth Wing etc., it's fairly nailed on that you'll like this too.

Thanks to the author, publisher and NetGalley for the ARC.

annie and lee grew up in the ashes of a revolution - one born to break the old ways and give even the lowborn a shot at power. she lost her family to dragonfire. his was slaughtered by the revolution. years later, they’ve trained side by side to become top dragonriders in this new world. but when the past starts clawing its way back, bringing survivors who want to restore the old regime, they’re both forced to question loyalty, love, and what it really means to lead

fireborne is a quiet kind of fantasy - more focused on politics, power, and the personal cost of leadership than action or romance. and while i really appreciated the themes it explored, i kept wishing i felt more connected. the setup is powerful: two childhood friends shaped by tragedy, trying to navigate the cracks in the new world they were raised to believe in. but the emotional tension that could’ve made this story soar just never fully landed for me

annie and lee’s dynamic has its moments - especially in the flashbacks, which gave glimpses of vulnerability i wish we saw more of in the present timeline. their bond is complicated, and i liked how the story never simplifies their choices. but at times, the pacing dragged and the narrative felt distant, like i was observing rather than feeling the stakes unfold

that said, i respect how thoughtful this debut is. it asks big questions about justice, memory, and who gets to shape history - and doesn’t offer easy answers. it’s not a book that roars; it simmers. and while i wanted more fire in the relationships, more urgency in the conflict, i can see the bones of something epic here. i’m curious to see where the rest of the trilogy goes

Fireborne is a YA fantasy novel with great world-building and a cast of interesting characters set against a backdrop of social and political turmoil following a revolution which seems to have been more of a blood-filled coup.
Main characters Lee and Annie met whilst they lived in an orphanage. Following the testing process, they are each paired with a dragon and join other teenagers who are training to be Dragonriders who are guardians of the city. Rivalry between the riders intensifies as selection for the coveted position of Firstrider begins but some of the families who survived the revolution are determined to regain control and it seems that the looming threat of war is more important than who is the best rider.
This is a story of courage, loyalty and making the decision to stand up for what you believe is right. I liked that there isn’t really much of a romance thread in the story; the emphasis is on politics and working out if the new regime is any better than the old. The ending sets us up for the next book in this trilogy.

Fireborne is a book I've had on my TBR since it was first announced, so when it popped up on my NG (thank you UK publisher), I couldn't resist requesting... And I got so much more than I bargained for.

The story is told from the POV's of Annie & Lee. Pre-revolution, these two characters were at opposite ends of the pecking order: Lee the son of a Dragonlord, wanted for nothing and has his life planned out for him. Annie, the daughter of a farmer whose land was ruled over by Lee's father. But now, post-revolution, they're both orphans, both seen as lesser, until the time comes to test them and they become Dragon riders, a position once feared and revered in equal measure. Annie and Lee are both determined to be different than the riders that came before them, but this need to effect change is what both pulls them apart and pushes them together.

They're wondrously complicated, in fact all of Munda's characters are, but it's in Lee and Annie that she shows the real struggle to effect change, to become better than the people before you. Lee struggles with a need for revenge against those who slaughtered his family, against realising that his family tortured and killed those they deemed as lesser. He spends a good portion of the book torn between these two beliefs, and there are certainly times when his morality wavers a little and he does start to wonder what form his revenge may take. Then we have Annie, someone who knew what it felt like to be under the boot of the old regime, and while she knows the new government aren't perfect, they have to be better than what came before, or else what is she fighting for. Munda has a knack for making you empathise with these characters, even when you don't necessarily agree with them, and it's these that really make this book what it is.

And it's not just the characters that are complex. Munda's world building is tight knit, but this means what we do get is brilliantly developed, but what I loved the most was how the 'after' of the rebellion was portrayed. It's been almost 10 years between the rebellion at the start of this book, and Munda shows perfectly that change doesn't occur overnight, that even people with the best of intentions can fail in so many ways. So many times through this book we get asked the question of 'what is the right thing to do.' So many times we see characters warring with decisions they have to make, actions they have to take part in, and bit by bit we start to see the true underbelly of the current government, how despite their hatred for the old ruling class, they are more than happy to use their techniques when the time suits. It's just a brilliant display of politics in general, showing that there's really no such thing as 'good guys', just people who will do whatever it takes to survive, stay in power.

Now for the Dragons - because who doesn't love Dragon's in a book. Munda's Dragons may play a smaller part, but when they made an appearance I just couldn't put the book down. It's not the most action packed of stories, but Munda breaks up the politics and scheming with some beautifully described bits of training, competition and even a couple of battles. These scenes were so well described, they almost played like a movie in my head, and I got so excited every time we got to spend time with our characters and their Dragons. And these parts were needed because Fireborne is a slow burner in so many ways. I never once felt bored, or wanted to put the book down, but you can just tell it's building to something, and let me tell you that ending was 100% worth it all.

The story wasn't the only thing that was on a slow burner, the romance in this was torturous. Our two characters clearly love one another, but there are so many things in the way of their happy ending. Lee's father murdering Annie's family just one. They fight their feelings, as well as with each other for a good portion of the book, and they each get their own separate love interests for a while, but I just knew (hoped) where it was heading, and a certain scene towards the end made all of the angst and tension pay off. Munda doesn't make it an easy road, and it shouldn't be with all the things that separate them, but they are almost the perfect mirrors to one another, the perfect pairing, and I can't wait to see where there story goes in the second book.

I'm absolutely annoyed at myself for not picking this up sooner. It ended up becoming a new favorite, and my first 5* review of the year. If you like your fantasy's complicated & political, with dragons and complex characters, slow burn romance and a plot that draws you in from the first page I can't recommend this enough, and I can't wait to carry on with the series.

I really enjoyed the premise of this book, at its core it is a book about overthrowing a regime and questioning whether the new regime is any better, rebellion, family, trauma, revolution and change. Oh. And Dragons!

I enjoyed the opposing views of the two MC and their trauma bond relationship, which at the beginning reads to be awkward and strained. I would suggest they are not even friends, just within the same group. As the story progresses you understand why they are the way they are around each other, and understand they have a bond but why they also kind of dislike each other, or what each other represents etc (trying not to give away spoilers). I really enjoyed understanding and peeling back the layers to them both and the journey they go on. This I believe is very well written.

There is a lot of lore and world building in the first 10% of the book which can be a struggle, however once you get past this, the story is beautifully written.

Sadly I did not enjoy the romance aspect and the decisions made by the MMC, which has reflected in my review.