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Riftborn #1
Obsidian Sky
Not yet published
Expected 2 Feb 26⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Obsidian Sky delivers an epic tale of elemental magic, ancient prophecies, and a love that burns brighter than destiny itself.
Thaelyn Marren enters the Asgar Training Academy wanting nothing more than to prove herself amongst the other cadets, where she must endure life-threatening trials in hope of manifesting air, water, fire, or earth magic. Not to mention, a lucky few will pair with dragons who select their riders with ancient instinct, answering only to those whose souls burn bright enough to match their own.
When Thaelyn’s power stirs in ways no instructor can explain, she draws the attention of the crown, particularly Prince Thorne Dareth, a renowned warrior and a dragon rider. Hardened by discipline and haunted by a kingdom he was born to serve, Thorne sees Thaelyn as a danger to the realm and yet is charged with her training. And amidst clashing personalities, an undeniable pull forms between them, potent enough to awaken dark forces that once tore the world apart.
Now rift-born creatures thought to exist only in nightmares are slipping through the cracks of their reality. And as they push the realm toward open war, Thaelyn may be the only one able to stop what’s coming. That is, only if Thorne can choose between loyalty to his crown or the girl whose power could either save their world or bring it to ruin.
Tropes and
Enemies to lovers
Dragon-rider fantasy
Forbidden romance
Love and destruction
High-stakes political intrigue
Destiny
Elemental magic system
Immersive fantasy world-building
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Obsidian Sky wrecked me in the best way. From the moment Thaelyn stepped into the Training Academy, I was hooked. The world is vivid and dangerous, filled with elemental magic, dragons, and secrets that unfold with perfect tension. Jill Aster’s writing is lush and lyrical, the kind that stops you mid-page. Thaelyn and Thorne’s slow burn is explosive, their banter sharp, their chemistry impossible to look away from. The dragons are unforgettable, ancient and powerful, with personalities that leap off the page. If you loved Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass or any other dragon type books, this will be your next obsession. The ending left me breathless.
Thaelyn Marren enters the Asgar Training Academy wanting nothing more than to prove herself amongst the other cadets, where she must endure life-threatening trials in hope of manifesting air, water, fire, or earth magic. Not to mention, a lucky few will pair with dragons who select their riders with ancient instinct, answering only to those whose souls burn bright enough to match their own.
When Thaelyn’s power stirs in ways no instructor can explain, she draws the attention of the crown, particularly Prince Thorne Dareth, a renowned warrior and a dragon rider. Hardened by discipline and haunted by a kingdom he was born to serve, Thorne sees Thaelyn as a danger to the realm and yet is charged with her training. And amidst clashing personalities, an undeniable pull forms between them, potent enough to awaken dark forces that once tore the world apart.
Now rift-born creatures thought to exist only in nightmares are slipping through the cracks of their reality. And as they push the realm toward open war, Thaelyn may be the only one able to stop what’s coming. That is, only if Thorne can choose between loyalty to his crown or the girl whose power could either save their world or bring it to ruin.
Tropes and
Enemies to lovers
Dragon-rider fantasy
Forbidden romance
Love and destruction
High-stakes political intrigue
Destiny
Elemental magic system
Immersive fantasy world-building
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐Obsidian Sky wrecked me in the best way. From the moment Thaelyn stepped into the Training Academy, I was hooked. The world is vivid and dangerous, filled with elemental magic, dragons, and secrets that unfold with perfect tension. Jill Aster’s writing is lush and lyrical, the kind that stops you mid-page. Thaelyn and Thorne’s slow burn is explosive, their banter sharp, their chemistry impossible to look away from. The dragons are unforgettable, ancient and powerful, with personalities that leap off the page. If you loved Fourth Wing, Throne of Glass or any other dragon type books, this will be your next obsession. The ending left me breathless.
517 pages, Kindle Edition
Expected publication February 2, 2026
2 people are currently reading
140 people want to read
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Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews
January 18, 2026
Thank you for the e-arc of Obsidian Sky. This is my honest review
This book has all the great tropes. There were a number of elements I really enjoyed in this book. First, I really enjoyed how you are immediately in action. You jump straight into it. You have dragons right away. The description of the process of the magic and bonding with the dragons really made me feel immersed into the story right away.
The magic system and the process of cadets finding their magic was probably one of my favorite parts of the story. I found myself engaged during the process to determine the elemental magic and selection.
The FMC is witty, driven, and doesn’t start out as a warrior. I like that she has to get there and that she doesn’t back down. I feel like that makes her more of a bad a$$
I struggled with the POV of the book. It is written in third person. The perspective does shift between characters that felt unclear to me which made it hard to stay immersed in story.
Readers who enjoy fast paced stories with dragons and elemental magic may love this book. Unfortunately, the POV confusion kept me from fully connecting with the story.
🐉 enemies to lovers
🐉 elemental magic
🐉 academy setting
🐉 destiny romance
🐉 hidden identity
Good luck to the author on the release!
This book has all the great tropes. There were a number of elements I really enjoyed in this book. First, I really enjoyed how you are immediately in action. You jump straight into it. You have dragons right away. The description of the process of the magic and bonding with the dragons really made me feel immersed into the story right away.
The magic system and the process of cadets finding their magic was probably one of my favorite parts of the story. I found myself engaged during the process to determine the elemental magic and selection.
The FMC is witty, driven, and doesn’t start out as a warrior. I like that she has to get there and that she doesn’t back down. I feel like that makes her more of a bad a$$
I struggled with the POV of the book. It is written in third person. The perspective does shift between characters that felt unclear to me which made it hard to stay immersed in story.
Readers who enjoy fast paced stories with dragons and elemental magic may love this book. Unfortunately, the POV confusion kept me from fully connecting with the story.
🐉 enemies to lovers
🐉 elemental magic
🐉 academy setting
🐉 destiny romance
🐉 hidden identity
Good luck to the author on the release!
January 4, 2026
2⭐️
2🌶️
Thank you to the author for an e-arc of this book.
I really struggled with this one if I’m being honest. The best way to describe it for me is trying to finish a puzzle without all the pieces.
I felt confused most of the book. First, because this is written in third person POV but that POV literally switches from sentence to sentence. I never really knew whose POV I was supposed to be in. It jumped around so much, it was hard to follow.
Secondly, I don’t feel like any context was given throughout the story. Like the world building skipped the whole building part and just assumed the reader understood the background of the story, which you don’t. I’m not even really 100% sure what the true plot was supposed to be.
Finally, so many things were brought up and never addressed again. *spoiler warning* ⚠️ our FMC begins the story flirting and supposedly in a relationship with someone and then it’s just dropped and never addressed again when the MMC becomes more prevalent? Considering the guy is one of the MMCs close friends?
There was no real character development of the main characters or their respective circle of friends.
I hate giving low star reviews and don’t discourage anyone from reading this and making their own opinions. I think there is some solid foundation for a story, but it’s just so jumbled, it made it hard to read. It needed way more in depth dive and development in my opinion.
I wish the author all the luck with the release though!
2🌶️
Thank you to the author for an e-arc of this book.
I really struggled with this one if I’m being honest. The best way to describe it for me is trying to finish a puzzle without all the pieces.
I felt confused most of the book. First, because this is written in third person POV but that POV literally switches from sentence to sentence. I never really knew whose POV I was supposed to be in. It jumped around so much, it was hard to follow.
Secondly, I don’t feel like any context was given throughout the story. Like the world building skipped the whole building part and just assumed the reader understood the background of the story, which you don’t. I’m not even really 100% sure what the true plot was supposed to be.
Finally, so many things were brought up and never addressed again. *spoiler warning* ⚠️ our FMC begins the story flirting and supposedly in a relationship with someone and then it’s just dropped and never addressed again when the MMC becomes more prevalent? Considering the guy is one of the MMCs close friends?
There was no real character development of the main characters or their respective circle of friends.
I hate giving low star reviews and don’t discourage anyone from reading this and making their own opinions. I think there is some solid foundation for a story, but it’s just so jumbled, it made it hard to read. It needed way more in depth dive and development in my opinion.
I wish the author all the luck with the release though!
Review of advance copy received from Author
Thaelyn enters the Asgar Training Academy to become a dragon rider. From day one, Thorne, a prince and second-year student, seems to hate her. However, his feelings are complicated, and so are Thaelyn's. As the students bond with their dragons, an evil force is stirring, and war is coming. A prophecy will determine Thaelyn and Thorne's fates.
Obsidian Sky will inevitably receive many comparisons to Fourth Wing, and there are a lot of similarities in the plot and characters. However, the writing style is entirely different. Obsidian Sky uses a third-person omniscient POV, so two different characters' POVs can appear on the same page. I've only ever read one other book written like this, and it's not my favorite. However, the book has many of my favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, a slight slow-burn, touch her and die vibes, hidden identities, and found family. And, of course, there are the dragons. There are still many unanswered questions and a very dramatic, almost Romeo-and-Juliet cliffhanger ending. There is a lot there to unwrap in book 2. 4 stars!
Obsidian Sky will inevitably receive many comparisons to Fourth Wing, and there are a lot of similarities in the plot and characters. However, the writing style is entirely different. Obsidian Sky uses a third-person omniscient POV, so two different characters' POVs can appear on the same page. I've only ever read one other book written like this, and it's not my favorite. However, the book has many of my favorite tropes: enemies-to-lovers, a slight slow-burn, touch her and die vibes, hidden identities, and found family. And, of course, there are the dragons. There are still many unanswered questions and a very dramatic, almost Romeo-and-Juliet cliffhanger ending. There is a lot there to unwrap in book 2. 4 stars!
Review of advance copy received from Author
All I can say is Wow!🤩 Jill Aster is a Wordsmith! I was blown away with her writing style. It was beautiful and descriptive, but not overly prose heavy. I could literally see in my head the world she was describing, the training, flying on the dragons and the all characters. I thought prior to reading it that it might be similar to Fourth Wing but it is not at all. It has dragons and they are bonded but that’s where the similarities stop. This story was about elemental magic, prophecy, lost identities and it had a unique dark world villains and war elements. The dragons were funny and the banter was great.
Let’s talk about the SLOW burn.🔥 I ate it up. Thorne is my new book boyfriend. He would do anything for Thaelyn. When the spice got going 🔥🔥.
Overall I thought it was a genius of a first novel. It was different and unlike anything out there which I think is why I enjoyed it so much. I’m looking forward to book 2. Thank you for the ARC.
Let’s talk about the SLOW burn.🔥 I ate it up. Thorne is my new book boyfriend. He would do anything for Thaelyn. When the spice got going 🔥🔥.
Overall I thought it was a genius of a first novel. It was different and unlike anything out there which I think is why I enjoyed it so much. I’m looking forward to book 2. Thank you for the ARC.
Review of advance copy received from Author
so.....book 2 is being released when???? 😭😭😭
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Jill Aster and THANK YOU!!!
This book absolutely destroyed me. Thaelyn and Thorne's love story is a SLOW burn but once its lit....be prepared!
He would literally do whatever it takes to make sure she is safe and he is literally just perfection there's no words for this man....trust me just read the book!!
The magic system and political aspects of the book are well written but how she writes about the training Thaelyn goes through with Nyxariel and her sparing were SO good
It was easy to picture everything that was happening in this story and I cannot wait for book 2
if you love dragons, their riders, forbidden magic and a love that literally will make them burn the world for each other add this to your TBR
I was lucky enough to receive an ARC from Jill Aster and THANK YOU!!!
This book absolutely destroyed me. Thaelyn and Thorne's love story is a SLOW burn but once its lit....be prepared!
He would literally do whatever it takes to make sure she is safe and he is literally just perfection there's no words for this man....trust me just read the book!!
The magic system and political aspects of the book are well written but how she writes about the training Thaelyn goes through with Nyxariel and her sparing were SO good
It was easy to picture everything that was happening in this story and I cannot wait for book 2
if you love dragons, their riders, forbidden magic and a love that literally will make them burn the world for each other add this to your TBR
Review of advance copy received from Author
"A Dragon chooses its rider, not the other way around"
This book NEEDS to be on your radar. If you are a fan of dragon rider fantasy, magical academies, trials, elemental magic and a powerful main character, you need to add this to your TBR.
Jill has such a way with words and this is such a strong debut! It's not quite purple prose, but is so beautifully descriptive. The training montages are fantastic, there's a lot of discussion about how she was learning how to fly a dragon, which was so unique.
It is extremely slow burn romance but there is spice in the second half of the book, and it is 🔥🔥🔥
Do not sleep on this one!
This book NEEDS to be on your radar. If you are a fan of dragon rider fantasy, magical academies, trials, elemental magic and a powerful main character, you need to add this to your TBR.
Jill has such a way with words and this is such a strong debut! It's not quite purple prose, but is so beautifully descriptive. The training montages are fantastic, there's a lot of discussion about how she was learning how to fly a dragon, which was so unique.
It is extremely slow burn romance but there is spice in the second half of the book, and it is 🔥🔥🔥
Do not sleep on this one!
Review of advance copy received from Author
I read this book under protest. My girlfriend read it, fell in love with the characters, story and insisted that I read it as well. Normally I wouldn’t read one of her books. However, I was very pleased to discover that it was extremely well written and dudes will get into it too as it vividly describes various scenes and locations. There is battle, extreme training, history of the dragons and witty banter throughout. Get this book for yourself and/or your girlfriend/wife.
Review of advance copy received from Author
Fans of Fourth wing will LOVE this story! To me the storylines were very similar, but I loved it. I was intrigued and I cannot wait for the next book! There was dragons, magic, bonds, ancient rituals, I want more. The world building and characters were easy to follow, some of the names are a little hard to pronounce but as I was reading I just shortened some of the names 🤣
January 22, 2026
Non stop action from page one!! Fourth Wing vibes. Great new characters and vast new world. A little spice, a few surprises makes for a great new dragon series!!
January 23, 2026
The pov was a bit confusing for me however if you love forth wing, I would definitely recommend! Thank you to the author for the arc!
January 4, 2026
5 stars! A Must Read! Romance, Magic, Prophecy, and Dragons
Obsidian Sky completely wrecked me in the best way possible. I was lucky to get it as a beta reader. From the moment Thaelyn stepped into the Training Academy, I was hooked. The world is vivid and dangerous, filled with elemental magic, dragons, and secrets that slowly peel back layer by layer. Jill Aster’s writing is lush and lyrical, but not over the top where I would want to stop reading the book. It’s descriptive and I can picture everything in my head as if I was there. It’s writing that makes you stop and reread lines because they hit hard. This new fantasy world that was built was a huge undertaking for a new writer and she did a phenomenal job!
Thaelyn and Thorne have the kind of slow burn tension that makes you keep turning the page wanting more. He’s dark, guarded, and maddeningly protective; she’s strong, stubborn, and full of fire. Their connection feels fated and every scene between them left me on edge, in the best way. The banter between them is so funny. It is a SLOW burn but when it got there 🔥. It had the right amount of spice 🌶️ that it was believable and felt natural.
The dragons absolutely stole the show. They are so funny. They aren’t just background, they feel alive, with their own voices and emotions woven into the story. Nyxariel and Vornokh are everything I want from dragon lore: ancient, powerful, and deeply bonded to their riders.
If you love books with dragons or dragon riders, this book is going to be your next obsession. Dragon books all have a similar dragon lore vibe, and dragon rider books all have the dragons bond to its rider, which is why we love them. 🐉Obsidian Sky is more than that! It is very different and so is the story. Obsidian Sky is about forbidden magic, political control, prophecy, and a romance so dangerous it threatens the balance of the realm. It’s full of heartbreak, heat, and magic that feels both dangerous and new. I was not prepared for how emotional the ending would be, and now I’m desperate for book two which I heard will be out in 2026 too!
Obsidian Sky completely wrecked me in the best way possible. I was lucky to get it as a beta reader. From the moment Thaelyn stepped into the Training Academy, I was hooked. The world is vivid and dangerous, filled with elemental magic, dragons, and secrets that slowly peel back layer by layer. Jill Aster’s writing is lush and lyrical, but not over the top where I would want to stop reading the book. It’s descriptive and I can picture everything in my head as if I was there. It’s writing that makes you stop and reread lines because they hit hard. This new fantasy world that was built was a huge undertaking for a new writer and she did a phenomenal job!
Thaelyn and Thorne have the kind of slow burn tension that makes you keep turning the page wanting more. He’s dark, guarded, and maddeningly protective; she’s strong, stubborn, and full of fire. Their connection feels fated and every scene between them left me on edge, in the best way. The banter between them is so funny. It is a SLOW burn but when it got there 🔥. It had the right amount of spice 🌶️ that it was believable and felt natural.
The dragons absolutely stole the show. They are so funny. They aren’t just background, they feel alive, with their own voices and emotions woven into the story. Nyxariel and Vornokh are everything I want from dragon lore: ancient, powerful, and deeply bonded to their riders.
If you love books with dragons or dragon riders, this book is going to be your next obsession. Dragon books all have a similar dragon lore vibe, and dragon rider books all have the dragons bond to its rider, which is why we love them. 🐉Obsidian Sky is more than that! It is very different and so is the story. Obsidian Sky is about forbidden magic, political control, prophecy, and a romance so dangerous it threatens the balance of the realm. It’s full of heartbreak, heat, and magic that feels both dangerous and new. I was not prepared for how emotional the ending would be, and now I’m desperate for book two which I heard will be out in 2026 too!
Displaying 1 - 11 of 11 reviews