Most authors tend to shy away from the real consequences of political turmoil and upheaval I. Fantasy books - choosing to make a few references here and there whilst focusing on their developing storyline. However, the author certainly did not do this! There was a real portrayal of the consequences for those involved - ensuring that these experiences were incorporated into their motives and decisions.

I thoroughly enjoyed the darker nature to the portrayal, and was hooked from the first chapter. It was a complex storyline with excellent character development. .

Fireborne is high-stakes, tense and political. The world-building is done brilliantly, as we switch seamlessly through the timelines diving at opportune moments into the past before returning to the now.
The characterisation is amazing, I loved the development and connections. If you like a found family then look no further. The contrasting FMC and MMC are brought to us through a dual POV approach that sings! We really get into both of their heads, exploring their thoughts, feelings and morals. How important themes are portrayed in such depth for a YA is a joy to read. Trauma and grief in particular are well presented and felt true to life.
I haven’t even mentioned the dragons yet, I would love for more of them and how they bond, communicate and interact with the humans. We mainly see them through training and conflict scenes, all of which are nail-biting. I was so enthralled with the plot and rest of the cast that the dragons not being centre stage is really not that big of a deal.
This is just the start to what I know is going to be one of my favourite YA series. Highly recommend!
Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC. This is a voluntary review of my own thoughts.

Fireborne is book one in The Aurelian Cycle by Rosaria Munda and has made them a go-to author in the fantasy genre because this book was absolutely incredible and had me hooked from the first page due to incredible world-building that has you drawn in, along with the social dynamics of characters both those in the forefront of the story along with secondary ones.

Set in the years after a revolution that had the aristocracy brought to their knees , our protagonists Annie and Lee have grown from orphans and allies in the bid to survive among the many struggling children, to competitors in the bid to be a dragonrider and add their name to those of legend. Their journey to this point is written with thought and careful moments that provide insight into how far the two have come and offer the reader the opportunity to walk alongside them and show us how similar and yet, vastly different the two are.  Giving us insight into their worst moments, of the tragedies the two have experienced ensures that we see how these tragedies have shaped the two into becoming the fierce young adults they have become at this point.

What I really liked is how Munda doesn’t shy away from what a revolution can look like for those involved whether indirectly or directly as the case maybe. To bring about change, things can and often will be bloody, and decisions are often made in haste that leave situations unresolved. She shows how no matter who is in power, there are always victims and sacrifices to be made and also how sometimes, in the years after bringing down one power - for the majority nothing has really changed and this is really shown in FIreborne.

The original dragonriders may well be gone, but discontent is brewing and it’s not so quiet and growing fast.

Lee and Annie’s stories have moments where they cross over, or clash at times and when truths come out? You see the two forced to see what life is like without the other there and how trust can be as fragile and the lack of it is as fractured ice on a fast paced river - dangerous at best, deadly at worst. Munda has woven together their story in a wonderful manner, giving us a more insular insight on what is happening around them, and whilst succeeding as Dragonriders may well provide them with the opportunity to succeed and fight back against those in power?

Survival might well be more important, and not just in the contests they’re about to face.

This is a wonderful beginning to a series of three books, filled with political machinations made by the most slippery of people - Munda writes a perfect set of characters who are true villains because so many of them, given the opportunity, would tell you with a straight face that they’re anything but bad.. Our heroes are many, and they are far from infallible, forced to make decisions that go against their own values because they’re facing a rock and a very hard place. Plus… dragons who are wonderful and add just a little magic to the chaos Annie, Lee and their friends and foes are in.

I loved book one, and then swiftly devoured the other two and was left with a book hangover and wanting more from this wonderfully insightful, talented author.

UPDATED FINAL REVIEW:
*I provided an initial review (see below) - now updated on finishing the book*

📚 Book Review: Fireborne by Rosaría Munda
✨ Genre: Sci Fi & Fantasy, Young Adult (YA)

📖 Page Count: 464

📅 Date Finished: 19 April

📝 Synopsis (No Spoilers!)

"Fireborne" begins immediately after a revolution which overthrows a tyrannical aristocracy in the island nation of Callipolis. The story follows Annie and Lee, childhood friends from starkly different backgrounds—Annie is the daughter of murdered serfs, while Lee is secretly the son of the deposed ruling family. Both have risen through the ranks to become elite dragonriders in the new regime's guardian force. As political tensions grow around the question of succession and a threat from overseas, their friendship comes under pressure as they grapple with the consequences of their very different early childhoods.

💭 First Impressions

See below for my initial impressions review - this was an Advanced Reader Copy (ARC) from NetGalley ahead of re-publication of the series.

👥 Characters

So many of the characters stood out. Annie was a favourite - her tough upbringing as a serf under the old regime has left her with imposter syndrome and (despite the new regime seemingly being about greater equality between people), she is still ever-conscious of the class dynamics that still exist in the new republic. But overall, the building of lots of characters - including minor characters - is really excellent. Notable mentions: Duck, Power, Julia. The depth of their backstories and how different it makes each character is v special. To create Lee, Munda intersperses flashbacks among the current day to slowly build a picture of Lee and how he changed so vastly over time. To the reader, each character is compelling, but flawed. I do however think Julia could’ve been developed a little more in this book, which would increase the tension of the final section of the book even more.

🌍 World-Building / Setting

To me, the best bit about the world-building wasn’t the geography, but the politics. It’s such an interesting juxtaposition of a tyrannical aristocracy with a supposedly egalitarian republic, but you are shown how each system has flaws. The metal-based class system after the revolution is reminiscent of “The Wind Singer” by William Nicholson, with a key difference that individuals - rather than families - are categorised. And this can lead to families being separated. The dragons, of course, are great - with a relatively simple system of three different types of dragon.

✍️ Writing Style

The author’s voice is pacey. Every word serves a purpose. And this builds a sense of momentum moving through the story. It is very easy to read lots in one go.

🔥 Favourite Moments / Quotes

Lee and Julia’s last meeting in this book.

📚 Overall Thoughts

Overall, I’d 100% recommend this book. For fans of “Shatter Me” and “The Hunger Games”, readers will find this book posing similar questions about political systems and the morality of the characters acting within them. Otherwise, fans of dragons, competitions/trials, friends-to-lovers (ish) will enjoy this book.

⭐ Rating: 5/5 stars

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INITIAL FEEDBACK
I’ve decided to give a quick reaction as soon as I started reading the book. This means I can give initial reflections on the opening before I’m too deep in the story. I will come back and update this once I have read more.

INITIAL IMPRESSIONS: Reading the prologue for Fireborne is what gave me the idea to do an initial impression review - essentially because it was so good. The first page puts you right into the middle of the action, but not in a confusing or artificial way. The writing is sharp - every word serves a purpose - and this means there is forward momentum towards the next page. I think this comes from a strong Editor and great writer/Editor relationship - so kudos to the Editor as well! Lastly - I’m getting a little bit of background to learn about the world (there are dragons, there is a rebellion) but not so much that I feel bogged down in it and confused.

DOES THE BEGINNING DRAW YOU IN? 100% (see above) and most importantly, the prologue ends with a bit of a mystery so I’m instantly thinking, “What happened with that?”

WHAT KIND OF READER MIGHT LIKE THIS? Given the dragons, I think it’ll appeal to fans on “Fourth Wing” and “When the Moon Hatched”. But it seems like there also might be some politics and an exploration about how rebellions against unjust rulers are often also flawed - those are themes I felt strongly in Kristen Cicarrelli’s “The Crimson Moth” and of course, “The Hunger Games”. But let’s see where it goes next.

AM I EXCITED TO READ MORE? Yes absolutely.

A wonderfully rich story of political upheaval and struggling to survive. That makes the book sound heavy and dry but nothing could be further from the truth. An exciting first episode with dragons, more please ........

I really enjoyed this book. The writing was really good and I enjoyed the plot and felt the story flowed together nicely. Would definitely recommend.

Loved loved loved, didn't really feel YA - will definitely be reading the next one and loved the little spoiler

I enjoyed this story about Annie and Lee who were survivors of a massacre ten years ago. Loved the dragons but the challenge and practice scenese are a bit repetitive (hence the loss of a star). Excellent pacing, plot and descriptions for a YA novel. I am way older than the target audience but I thought it was a very good story. I understand it has been published in America already and has been very well received. I hope it does well in the UK too. I would love to know where the author found the place name Isca as I live in the city that was Isca after the Romans arrived in the 1st century AD.

Quite a complex read. Lots to unpack in a world evolving after a revolution and wars still waiting to break out. There are relationships to explore and dragons to learn about.
Beautifully described and the relationships are well done.

Just as good as the first time I read and so happy to see this finally being published in the UK. It's so overdue and will definitely fix the dragon shaped hole we are all suffering at the moment.

I think this book has the potential to become one of my favourites. The world building is excellent, and who doesn't love dragons? I found the political side of it fascinating and would love to have explored that more, but as it was I couldn't put Fireborne down and will be picking up the sequel immediately.

I received a copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review

Unfortunately this was a DNF for me.

I really struggled to get into the book but this is just a personal writing style preference. I really love the concept of the book and I would recommend fantasy fans give it a go!

Fireborne is a really cool mix of politics, dragons, and complicated friendships. It’s set in a world recovering from a revolution, and you follow two main characters—Annie and Lee—who are both dragonriders with very different pasts. Their relationship is messy in the best way, and the tension between them keeps things interesting.

The story dives into some heavier stuff like loyalty, power, and what happens after a big political change, but it never feels boring. The action scenes are awesome, especially anything with dragons (obviously), and the emotional moments hit pretty hard too.

If you're into fantasy that feels a little deeper but still totally readable, Fireborne is a great pick.

• I was excited to get this because there was a tìme on BookTube where this series was making the rounds and everyone was singing its praises, the hype got me.
• Sadly, it didn't live up to the hype. If it wasn't for the fact that this was an arc I would have quit 20% in. The characters are flat, the pacing is glacial and the purported politics that I was sold on where adequate.
• We all love the trope of a competition centered book but in order to pull that off and draw my interest the characters need to be compelling. I cannot invest in the outcome of a tournament if I don't think any of the people involved matter. Not a single one of these characters had me. They were boring, basic and bland including the main duo. No one here could carry this story in any meaningful way.
• By far the worst element introduced here was the romance. I didn't get a whiff of chemistry let alone the romantic tension that was constantly referenced. It felt like a bad childhood crush without any substance. I didn't get tension, angst or longing so where exactly did we pull all of that from?
• The one ingredient needed to bring life to this story was heart, there was none here.  where was the emotional impact? 
• And the the final battle happened in 2 seconds. The thing we were leading up to. The big confrontation. After all that talking that is what I got? It was very unserious.

A compelling and emotionally rich fantasy that blends political intrigue, deep friendships, and dragons with precision and heart. Slow-burning but rewarding, it’s a powerful start to a promising series! i cant wait for book 2!

Good, clear world-building with an excellent political plot. An interesting cast of characters which doesn't rely on the seemingly obligatory love story but shows deep, solid friendship and support for each other. My only complaint is there's not enough about the dragons but I have high hopes for the rest of the series. It's fairly slow-moving but emotionally strong and has enough twists and turns to make it completely absorbing.

This was such an interesting read, I absolutely loved how from the prologue it captures your attention and leaves you wanting to know how the story will progress. The writing was so easy to understand and I found myself unable to put it down once i started, such an engaging world and plot. Will definitely be looking forward to reading the rest of the series, highly recommend!

Fireborne by Rosaria Munda is a gripping fantasy with dragons, dragon riders, and political intrigue. The characters are well-developed, and the trials they face are intense and engaging. The flashbacks are well-done, providing crucial backstory without being overwhelming. The bond between the riders and their dragons is a standout, adding emotional depth to the story.

However, I did wish the world-building had been more detailed. While the political plot and dragon-riding elements are central, I felt the broader world could have been fleshed out more. Overall, it’s a fantastic read for fans of action, character-driven stories, and political drama, though there’s room for deeper exploration of the world. Looking forward to the next book!

This was a really good read.

The best part was definitely the characters. I really felt invested in knowing what was going to happen to Annie and Lee. They were both so entwined in each other's lives from before they even met. They had so much pain that they had to overcome together. It was brutal and heartbreaking but a friendship was forged that was fierce and unrelenting.

The political machinations in this were interesting. Even Power became an interesting character and not just a token bad guy, which was really well done.

I loved the preview chapter for the next book at the end, as well, giving a different perspective of life in New Pythos.

I can't wait to read more.

4.5 stars

I have previously read this title but just HAD to reread it and review it now it’s being published in the UK!

peasant and a high lord thrown together in a new regime where they must face their pasts and decide their futures.
Two people from very different economic backgrounds, but the same suffering, are thrown together throughout their childhoods and now fight for the top spot as Dragon riders. *Chaos* ensues.

There are so many different tropes that come from this book, and the obvious lure of dragons is why I was originally drawn to this book (especially with so many other well known titles herding in a definite Dragon era).
But you also become so attached to the characters and their own demons, the battles they have with themselves and eachother. This was one of my 5 star reads back when I read it originally, and I can say nothing will have changed in that time.