A Queen Crowned in Flames - Vom Feuer erwählt: Vom Feuer erwählt

Bonded to Beasts #2

by Hazel McBride, Nina Detzner (Narrator), Nina Restemeier - Translator - translator

Forged in Flame. Fuelled by Fury. Freed by Destiny.

Aemyra Daercathian ist auf der Flucht. Sie hat ihre Feuermagie verloren, und der Mann, dem sie wider Willen ihr Herz geöffnet hat, hat sich als Verräter erwiesen. Gefangen zwischen Liebe und Hass bleibt ihr ein Rachedurst, der heißer brennt als jede Flamme, die Aemyra je beherrschte. Aus der Asche will sie sich zu einer neuen Königin erheben – selbst wenn sie dafür eine Allianz eingehen muss, die alles verändert. Doch wird Aemyra die Morgendämmerung sein, die ihr Volk erlöst, oder das Feuer, das die Welt endgültig in Flammen aufgehen lässt?

Das sehnlichst erwartete Finale der epischen Der Kampf ums Matriarchat geht weiter

Genres: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dragons, Romance, Enemies To Lovers, Adult, Fantasy Romance

Audible Audio

First published May 26, 2026

About the author

Hazel McBride is a Scottish author currently living in The Netherlands.

Book one in her upcoming adult fantasy romance duology, A FATE FORGED IN FIRE is being published in early 2025 by Renegade books UK and Dell US with pre-empt deals with Aufbau in German and NeoN Libri in Italian

After gaining her BSc in Psychology at the University of Glasgow, she moved to the Dominican Republic. Switching the laid-back Caribbean for the sun-drenched Canary Islands a year later, she then moved to the South of France and is now fluent in three languages. As a bisexual author, having queer characters feature prominently in her novels, alongside her Scottish heritage is hugely important to her.

Reviews

[Liana Gold · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️ 4 ⭐️ Hazel McBride poured her heart into this story! I didn't expect this novel to have a heavy emphasis on mental health, specifically guilt and grief. Aemyras' mental struggles were felt through every page, every word. I feel like many people would relate to the trauma and healing in this book. The character growth was incredible--every triumph and setback felt so well earned. All the betrayals and political/court scheming began to make sense and it was so worth the initial slow pace of the novel. It's a stunning conclusion to the duology.

THIS WILL HAVE SOME SPOILERS, PLEASE DON'T READ AHEAD!

We pick up right where we left off--with Fiorean's betrayal. Aemyra is broken and bruised; she is mentally struggling with the weight of everything. Her heart is full of anguish and heartache, duty and desire.. and a lot of vengeance. She is stripped of her fire magic and is forced to retreat. She keeps this secret only to herself because she believes this would destroy the morale and make her vulnerable. She seeks new (marriage) political alliance and is determined to be a kind ruler. Meanwhile, the oppressive religion continues to escalate the tensions and war is on the rise. The dragons essentially become VERY central to the plot!

This novel started off very slow and remained slow until about half way point. For a good 45%, the novel predominantly focused on Aemyra and her personal & mental struggles. I always appreciate an accurate portrayal of grief but I felt that it was unnecessary long and dragged on for a while. It felt like I was reading passage after passage about her internal struggles without any resolution in sight. Aside the mental health issues, the first half was very heavy in diplomacy and political intrigue/court play. I am someone who enjoys that more on TV vs my books so those were some of my least favorite parts of the book. Through all of it, Aemyra obviously shined as a strong FMC, trying to rely more on her earned loyalty and built alliances. She came off as a very likable ruler and worthy of her title.

THE LOVE TRIANGLE drove me nuts.
We are introduced to Thear--oh boy that had me really intrigued! The marriage alliance in the making--is going to give you palpitations. He grew on me and I REALLY was rooting for them. I am usually 50-50 with all love triangles but Thear was such a good guy! They had a spark and sexual tension and he was so patient with her! But for Aemyra, there was constant push and pull between rage, love, duty, I really didn't know where this novel was heading until about 60% in.

One of the books biggest mysteries was the Fiorean's betrayal. I really didn't know what to think of the first books ending except that I had many questions and it left my jaw on the floor. Trust me, you won't be disappointed--just ride it out & the reveal is really good!

Overall, it didn't land as much as the first book did, but I really enjoyed the conclusion...I just wanted Fiorean to grovel more!



Many thanks to NetGalley, Ballantine/Delacorte Press and the author, Hazel McBride for the early eARC!

Publication date: May 26, 2026

[Salma [inactive]]

Sooo...funny story, I want to be an ARC reader, and I just applied for a bunch of ARCs, while certain I'll never get them.

Guess what? I got the ARC for this, and I didn't even read book 1 😭

[naz · Rating 4 out of 5]

“𝑫𝒐𝒏’𝒕 𝒎𝒂𝒌𝒆 𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒚𝒐𝒖, 𝑨𝒆𝒎𝒚𝒓𝒂,” 𝑭𝒊𝒐𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒏 𝒘𝒂𝒓𝒏𝒆𝒅. 𝑺𝒉𝒆 𝒍𝒂𝒖𝒈𝒉𝒆𝒅 𝒂𝒈𝒂𝒊𝒏, 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒅𝒈𝒆 𝒐𝒇 𝒉𝒚𝒔𝒕𝒆𝒓𝒊𝒂 𝒊𝒏 𝒉𝒆𝒓 𝒗𝒐𝒊𝒄𝒆. “𝒀𝒐𝒖 𝒄𝒐𝒖𝒍𝒅𝒏’𝒕 𝒑𝒐𝒔𝒔𝒊𝒃𝒍𝒚 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒂𝒏𝒚 𝒎𝒐𝒓𝒆 𝒕𝒉𝒂𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒂𝒍𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒅𝒚 𝒉𝒂𝒗𝒆.”

ENEMIES TO LOVERS TO ENEMIES TO THEN LOVERS heheh I ATE IT UPPP 😮‍💨🔥 I can say with confidence that the constant flip between enemies vs. lovers I devoured it. And not only that, but the feminine rage in this duology for our rightful queen Aemyra to have her throne was STRONG, and I loved every second of it.

I won’t go into spoilers about how the first book ended, but let’s just say this book is a slow burn in both storyline and romance from what we got at the end of book 1. So by the time you get hit with MULTIPLE plot twists, you start to cheer… or read faster… just to get ahead of what’s coming 😭 Then by 80%, you’re already screaming like AHH GIMME THE HAPPINESS, THE CALM, THE CONCLUSION because you just keep getting hit over and over again.

“𝑻𝒉𝒆 𝒑𝒓𝒊𝒄𝒆 𝒇𝒐𝒓 𝒍𝒐𝒗𝒊𝒏𝒈 𝒅𝒆𝒆𝒑𝒍𝒚 𝒊𝒔 𝒂𝒏 𝒆𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒈𝒓𝒆𝒂𝒕𝒆𝒓 𝒉𝒖𝒓𝒕 𝒘𝒉𝒆𝒏 𝒚𝒐𝒖 𝒍𝒐𝒔𝒆 𝒊𝒕.”

I loved the conclusion of this duology. I do believe I could easily keep reading about this world. I loved our main characters how intertwined their rage and love for one another was in the first book, and then how it evolves into something even more in this series. YES TO ALLLLLL ✨

tropes
🔥 enemies to lovers
🔥 my wife
🔥 dragon bonds
🔥 full on war


⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.⋆. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁. ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁˖ . ݁⋆.
𝗽𝗿𝗲-𝗿𝗲𝗮𝗱 ꪆৎ ˚⋅ book 1 ended in cliffhanger, now I got the arc to see what happens (thank the lord for duologies)!!!!! if you want to read my review of A Fate Forged in Fire<-- here you go.

[Luce · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️ if you love game of thrones or house of the dragon and you want a series that’s gonna feel like that in the form of a duology then this is for you.

love the dragons, love the plot twists (craaaaaazy ones) and love the emotional depth and layers too. yes yes yes 👏🏼

[Elizabeth · Rating 4 out of 5]

A Queen Crowned in Flames (Bonded to Beasts #2) by Hazel McBride
Book Blurb: The rightful queen and her fire-breathing dragon must fight against corruption and overcome the betrayal of the man she loved in the searing conclusion to the Celtic-inspired fantasy romance duology that began with A Fate Forged in Fire.

Rating: ****
Feels: Adventure, Engaged, Worried, Satisfied.
Style: Fantasy, Romantasy, Dragons, Adult, Fantasy Romance, Romance, Enemies To Lovers
First published May 26, 2026: 480 pages

The duology was high stakes with a lot of action , surprises and fantasy lore. Book two continues Aemyra fighting for her country and her crown. New faces are introduced which I adored and all the old faces came around to wreck havoc. We get to dive more into the lore of the land and briefly into its magic as well. Aemyra continues to travel the length and breathe of her land looking for allies. We get to see if the land will be healed and if followers of the goddess and followers of the savior can ever live in peace. Oh we also get to see a lot more of the dragons. Best part. I really do love the way the humans and beasts bond and each bond is a bit different. The magic system and how it influences politics, the way magic users and non magic users interact, those with bonds are treated in the political climate, makes for a volatile political landscape as you would expect with all the wars going on. Aemyra grows, matures and really comes to shine in this landscape. I really enjoyed her as an FMC.


This book has:
Enemies to Lovers
Animal bonds
Magic system
Stabby FMC
Morally Grey MMC
Forbidden Love
Hidden Identity
Touch her and Die
Forced Proximity
Rebellion
Political Intrigue
One Bed
Dragons, Griffins, and more
Open Door Spice
** Check Trigger Warnings

[Billie's Not So Secret Diary · Rating 3 out of 5]

A Queen Crowned in Flames
by Hazel McBride
Bonded to Beasts #2
Fantasy
NetGalley eARC
Pub Date: May 26, 2026
Ballantine/Delacorte Press
Ages: 18+

After her husband, Fiorean, betrayed her, Aemyra is on the run, but as the rightful queen of Aird Lasair, her followers grow, but so do those who follow 'the True Religion'; the priests using their oppression and religious beliefs to create fear of believers of any other religion, and especially of magic and its wielders.

With her sacred promise to kill Fiorean, Aemyra and her army seek new allies, and she is willing to pledge to marry once again to build her forces. But she questions herself because she still loves Fiorean, and she fears she is no longer goddess-blessed, and if her followers find out... All might be lost.


Book two, the final in the duology, picks up after the first, but the recap of the first book is lacking. Sure, by the end of the book, I remembered most, but trying to remember as I read took some of the enjoyment away.

It was a good story and built up to a great ending of the series with a well developed story line and characters, but if a couple of deaths, one in particular, had more emotion to it, it would have made a better impact. As is, I didn't feel as if the characters, let alone the author, cared about the death of the character(s). It was almost as if the author felt the need to brush over all deaths to make it less 'triggering'. (No, I want my heart ripped out!)

Yes, there is violence, but sadly, it's not descriptive; it is the adult content that makes this story not suitable for readers under eighteen. Take that out (of this and the first book), and I would recommend it and the series to the YA audience. But as is: No!

3 Stars



This eARC was granted by Ballantine/Delacorte Press through NetGalley (Thank You) in exchange for my honest review.

[Maaike · Rating 2 out of 5]

After really enjoying book 1, I was so excited to read the end of this duology. There were a few things that I really wanted to see improved in the second book, but I was mostly just so curious about what would happen next.

It sadly became very clear that my issues would continue in this book. My main issue is how Aemyra doesn’t seem to have any growth. She thinks she knows a whole lot but she keeps judging situations wrongly and going into things so impulsively. Even with all this dialogue about how she doesn’t want to create more pain for her people, she still doesn’t take the time to think things through.

There are also so many new characters added and girl I was lost. I couldn’t keep track of who anyone was and what part they had played in the plot so far. But because so much was going on with so many new locations and characters, nothing was really explored well. The only times where I was actually invested was when people from book 1 were involved. Thear was the only exception but that didn’t really feel completed either.

Then a few issues I’ll try to go through quickly:
- the issue of her losing her powers was mentioned so many damn times and then also didn’t really affect anything happening in the book and it was solved in the most infuriating way
- the goddamn promise mark was mentioned over 40 times for absolutely no reason at all
- all the twists were so predictable but also just didn’t impact that much. The book moves on so quickly that even Aemyra forgets to care about it
- the whole plot line surrounding Sorcha was ridiculous. Aemyra was acting jealous when she had absolutely no right to be. She constantly dismissed her thoughts and then was upset when Sorcha acted on her feelings
- all the spicy scenes pulled me out of the book completely but especially the one on top of a damn dragon. A dragon that they were bonded to and later they hint that their hormones are linked when bonded and just absolutely not. That was unhinged and not in a good way

I could keep going lol but there’s one more thing I want to talk about. This book is presented as a feminist book. Love that, always fun. But the execution of it was so weird in this book. There were quite a few comments that really rubbed me the wrong way (Aemyra making comments about their sex to tease her ex while with someone new, Aemyra commenting that her dad would need to be tied up, gagged and blindfolded before a specific woman had a chance of hitting him). Aemyra has some women in her council but they’re not mentioned or talked with much. She suddenly is very desperate to save the princesses even though she didn’t seem to care that much about them in book 1 but now it’s her number 1 priority. Men are very regularly getting into fights about her. I just think it could’ve been explored so much more and in a better way and instead it was so half assed.

I really do think this duology had a lot of potential, but you can just feel how much she struggled with book 2. It sadly was a miss for me.

Thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for the arc in exchange for an honest review.

[Angela | nerdslovebooks · Rating 4 out of 5]

Overall, I'd give this book 4.25 stars. This was a fantastic ending to this duology. It was filled with dragons, political tension, family drama, betrayals, yearning, hope, and so much more. I really enjoyed Aemyra's journey throughout this book, from recovering from the betrayal, to forging new alliances, to finding herself, and to winning back her kingdom. The new (or maybe not new) characters, sorry, it's been a bit since I read book one, and I didn't do a reread before this, were fun to get to know, especially Riya and Thear. I just really loved this duology and how it was centered around Aemyra wanting to unite and protect instead of seeking to destroy so she could rule. SOOOO fucking happy that Fiorean wasn't actually the bad guy. What a relief. I absolutely love their relationship and how they lift each other up.

*Political tension
*Elemental magic vs. religion
*Family drama
*Love and betrayal
*Sacrifice
*Dragons
*Matriarch

Format: ebook

Thank you to NetGalley, Hazel McBride, and Ballantine for the ARC!

[Stephanie · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book 🥹 ok, this duology, but especially this book. It's one of my absolute favorites so far this year.
I went through the entire emotional spectrum reading it, and I cried so many times.

I loved the worldbuilding, especially how close the religion and magic were connected to nature and the seasons. Some of the plot twists straight up took me out. The character development was so well done, for both main and secondary characters. And can I just say, it was refreshing to read a book where the cost of war was a focal point.

I loved the queer representation. I loved the non-toxic men. I loved the female rage and the feminism. And obviously, I loved the dragons. Who knew I'd be tearing up over the actions of a dragon.

[Tai · Rating 4 out of 5]

SUCH a satisfying conclusion to this duology for me.

This continued to deliver on basically all the things I loved in the first book:
- dragons
- elemental magic
- political tension
- morally gray decisions
- messy family dynamics
- fierce female rage
- bonds and destiny
- Scottish/Gaelic inspired worldbuilding
- romance wrapped in equal parts yearning and violence

Aemyra remained THAT girl from beginning to end.

What I loved
Aemyra’s arc was probably my favorite part of the entire series. She starts this book shattered, betrayed, traumatized, disconnected from her magic, drowning under the weight of leadership…but watching her slowly reclaim herself was incredibly satisfying.

The emotional themes throughout this one hit hard: grief, guilt, fear, healing, forgiveness, learning how to lead while still being human (the struggle is real). I also REALLY appreciated that healing wasn’t magically instant.

The romance drama??? Incredible.
The Fiorean storyline had me STRESSED. Because once the truth starts unraveling about what actually happened and why he made the choices he did… OOF. The angst in this book absolutely delivered.

And while I did enjoy Thear a LOT (seriously, what a green-flag king), Fiorean and Aemyra just had that chaotic soulmate energy that was impossible for me not to root for.

Thear was honestly one of my favorite parts though. Protective, funny, loyal, emotionally intelligent, and somehow handling this entire love triangle situation with more maturity than basically everyone else. I loved the dynamic between Fiorean and Thear way more than I expected to.

The Scottish/Gaelic influence continued to be one of the strongest aspects of this series for me.

That said… I definitely struggled a little more in this book keeping track of: names, terminology, clans, magical lore, locations, etc. Especially once the political and magical plotlines started expanding.

I don’t necessarily think that’s a bad thing because the world felt very authentic and fully realized, but there were definitely moments where my brain had to work overtime trying to keep up.

The ending wrapped up this story in a really satisfying way while still leaving enough room for future stories in this world and I am absolutely crossing my fingers we get them someday.

Because there are SO many characters I’d happily read more about.

**Thank you to NetGalley, the Publisher, and Author for the gifted eARC in exchange for my honest review and early access to dive back into this world.

[Romy · Rating 4 out of 5]

*3.5 stars

A huge thank you to the amazing author herself, Hazel McBride, for gifting me an ARC of A Queen Crowned in Flames!! I really enjoyed this book! I wasn’t sure which direction the story would go in after the devastating cliffhanger from book one, but I was pleasantly surprised! I won’t give anything away, but I love when a book can subvert my expectations/predictions! I will also always love a world inspired by Scotland, although I wouldn’t have minded a little more! More world building, more from the side characters, and more from the dragons/dragon bonds! I know there will be more books in this universe, so here’s to hoping we will go even deeper into the lore of Erisocia and its people!

[Caitlin · Rating 4 out of 5]

First off, thank you NetGalley and Delacorte Press for providing me with this ARC!! I was so excited to read this sequel, after absolutely loving the first one. I still really enjoyed this one, and am excited to see where a certain characters plot progression and romance storyline goes… but I can’t really say much about this sequel without spoiling a lot. So go read it it won’t disappoint!! But I felt more connected to the first book, and felt that the magic system and story was so unique, that this one felt a little cliche romantasy to me. But I did enjoy the banter, and the challenges our FMC faces being the new Queen. I cannot wait to see what’s next in this world!! And yes you do get closure in this sequel, she doesn’t really leave us hanging so thank you Hazel 😂 4 stars ⭐️

[Sierra · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really wanted to like this book as much as the first one, but it suffered from the same (very) slow start among a number of additional new issues. Overall, I still mostly enjoyed it, but I wouldn't really recommend it.

A Queen Crowned in Flames centers on Queen Aemrya's struggle to regain her kingdom from Alfred and her husband, Fiorean, who recently betrayed her. The main struggle (beyond just endless battles) is that Alfred has created a chemical that blocks the magic of the magic-wielders in Aemrya's army. A major subplot follows Aemrya and her twin's struggle to create an antidote. The second major subplot is focused on Aemrya agreeing to marry the son of one of the other lords in exchange for his allegiance and support in her war.

Aemrya herself doesn't do very much in this book. The antidote is mostly her twin's project and she mostly serves as a vessel for the deus ex machina that makes it work. While she participates in the battles, her actions have very little effect on the outcome of the battles. She spends most of the book caught up in her own head about her magic, while suddenly throwing her trust at the one new character instead of all of her friends and companions from the previous book.

And on top of that, all of the plot suffers from being hugely predictable. The antidote doesn't work until it suddenly does. And of course you can guess what happens with Aemyra and Fioren, given that we know what sort of romance book this is. (Sorry Thear, I did think you were great).

The pacing is also not quite right. The beginning was incredibly slow, and worsened by the fact that there was no recap of the previous book or any attempt to remind you who some of these characters are or why they are important. While the book does get faster after this point, the pacing is still all over the place. It jumps from high energy drawn out battle scenes to sudden time skips where apparently nothing happens to random rituals which don't really progress the plot.

This book does set up a really interesting dichotomy between the 'normal' or non-duileach and the magic-wielding, animal-bonded duileach. There is real growth in recognizing that the non-duileach have a justified reason to be angry at being powerless and looked-down upon. Aemrya's journey to understanding her people was actually very interesting and satisfying to see.

A few other random thoughts:
- There's a lot of causal anti-men sentiment, just lots of 'fucking men' and repeated allusions to men being stubborn and unreasonable. I would normally ignore this, but there was just so much of it that it did make me slightly uncomfortable.
- The battles are won and lost for reasons outside of Aemyra's control, which weakens the plot and her purpose in the story.
- The secret to good mental health is apparently drug induced hallucinations
- The super cool dragons mostly seem like a combination of inanimate vehicles, an excuse for mind magic, and status symbols. Other than causing problems, the dragon bonds don't actually do? anything? I would've loved to see a deeper connection between Aemyra's and Terrea that actually amounted to something more.

Overall, this book is fine. It's got a healthy amount of spice and the writing itself is generally pretty good. However, it has a few too many plot holes and just-so moments for me to give it 5 stars.

Thank you to Random House Publishing Group and Netgalley for providing me with an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

[Chasing Silhouettes · Rating 5 out of 5]

“I will haunt your nightmares like your own personal shade until you are gone from this world.” (Ch 13)

Celtic-inspired Romantasy | Dragons and Other Ride-able Beasts | Magic | Political Conflict

Book 1 left me raw and broken, I was eager to drag my pieces back into the inferno that was the Bonded to Beasts duology. Forewarning, this is not a standalone, so skip this review if you haven't read book 1.

'No one is born knowing how to rule….' (Ch 2)

Aemyra struggles to rule with authority with the war wearing at her. She also struggles to move past the trauma and betrayal, and the absence of her magic. Anxiety holding onto her like a vice, dangerously interfering and distracting her. And her ability to trust and accept help is just short of lost. But she needs to forge beneficial alliances.

'She desperately needed a light in the darkness and this warrior gleamed like her own personal sun.' (Ch 17)

I like Thear. My first impression of him is that he is a brawny warrior on the outside, like a lion, but perhaps a little too kittenish and gentle on the inside when it comes to Aemyra. He has a carefree, boyish kind of charm, though, and that, paired with patience, kind of infiltrates the toughest armor and grows on you.

'“Not easily impressed, are you?” he asked.
She shrugged. “I’ve seen bigger.”
Thear tilted his head to one side. “It’s all about how you use it.”' (Ch 17)

Aemyra is as fierce as ever, maybe even more so after everything she went through. Her dragon is Aemyra's match in temperment and ferocity. And the battles are just as fierce, epic! They did not disappoint! Then there were the shocking revelations... such a crushing blow.

'Even a broken sword could be mended.' (Ch 17)

I found myself in a state of confliction over the turn of events, wanting one thing, but also wanting another. But alas, I have no say in the direction of the narrative 😂. Despite that, this book was just as captivating as the 1st! With some added devastation!

eARC courtesy of NetGalley | Delacorte Press / Penguin Ramdom House

[Amy | romantasy.myromanempire · Rating 5 out of 5]

5 ⭐️ 2.5 🌶️

I looooved this conclusion to this duology! It was action packed and I couldn’t put it down once I got started! A Queen Crowned in Flames literally picked up right where book one ended so you’re instantly thrust into the action. On the cusp of a huge betrayal, Aemrya is struggling to find her place as Queen. I really loved the mental health rep in this sequel. I related to the anxiety representation and the emotional healing arc was incredibly well executed and gave me all the feels. Aemyra’s character development from book one was excellent, she’s grown a lot and is less brash than she was in book one. I loved seeing her growth!

This book was a roller coaster of emotions. With all of the war and battle there’s the expected loss. The stakes are certainly high and not all of the characters make it to the end. It’s gritty and real and Aemrya faces all of it like a true queen.

I also loved the found family vibes and the friendships formed. Thear was an absolute delight and definitely a new favorite character of mine! I also adored the unexpected friendship made with Katherine — or at least mutual respect. Elizabeth was also an unexpected ally.

As for the romance, I just absolutely loved the bond between Aemyra and Fiorean. They are truly a power couple and after so much grief they deserve a HEA. Their dragons are pretty cool too 😉

The conclusion was satisfying but I feel like there were little hints left open ended and could see the author writing other stories in the same world — I would love some character appearances if so!

Thank you Delecorte press for the gifted arc to read and review!

[Sarah Walters · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️

What an absolute banger of a book! After the crazy ending that was book one, I honestly had no clue how the plot was going to go and I didn’t see this!

I laughed, I cried, I fell in love with new characters (Thear anyone 😍), and I enjoyed it just as much as I did book one.

Even more so House of the Dragon vibes with this one, with lots of war plotting and battles and dragons.

Hazel ended the duology perfectly and I can’t wait to hopefully head back into this world soon 👀

[she.readseverything · Rating 5 out of 5]

love. amazing. SO GOOD. Seriously really enjoyed this story & the female rage is SO FRICKEN GOOD. I love an author who can write a powerful female that doesn’t need a man, but still uses the romance elements to their advantage. I would HIGHLY recommend this one!!!

[Chyntia Brown · Rating 3 out of 5]

Did I enjoy this? Well yes... the audiobook was great! But the FMC is sooooo infuriating in so many ways, you just want to shake her everyother page. Which made me enjoy the second book less then the first. It was also all a little to predictable to be honest. Do I love the world and the magic system, yes, will I be reading the next duology in this series? Also yes!

[Rianna · Rating 3 out of 5]

First of all, thank you to NetGalley, the publisher Dialogue Books & author Hazel McBride for allowing me to read this early!

You know that feeling when a sequel is one of your most anticipated reads of the year because the first book absolutely wrecked you emotionally… and then halfway through you realize the vibes are just… not vibing? Yeah. That was me with A Queen Crowned in Flames.

This sequel picks up immediately after that brutal betrayal at the end of book one, with Aemyra on the run and consumed by rage, grief, and vengeance. On paper? Incredible. Female rage, dragons, political alliances, war for the throne? Sign me UP. Unfortunately, somewhere along the way, this story started feeling very different from the one I originally fell in love with.

My first struggle was the sudden introduction of a secondary MMC: Thear. I actually really really liked him as a character, but after everything that happened between Aemyra and Fiorean in book one, I just couldn’t emotionally invest in this new romantic setup.

I also saw most of the plot twists coming from miles away, which is saying something because I’m usually terrible at predicting anything. Instead of feeling shocked, I spent a lot of the book waiting for reveals I’d already guessed.

The biggest issue for me, though, was the emotional core of the story. A large part of the plot revolves around saving the princesses, but it felt disconnected from the Aemyra we knew in book one. Previously, she never seemed especially invested in them, so centering them emotionally here felt off.

I did really like the idea of Aemyra losing access to her powers and having to navigate that vulnerability, because it added an interesting layer to her character. But the resolution felt very sudden to me. She seemed to overcome the block and regain her powers without enough emotional growth or development to fully make that payoff land for me.

And speaking of emotional arcs that didn’t work for me… Aemyra’s father getting a slight redemption arc? Absolutely not, your honor. That man did not earn forgiveness in my book.

That being said, Hazel’s writing is still incredibly cinematic. The dragons remain the undisputed stars of the show, the world still feels vivid and atmospheric, and there are moments where the intensity genuinely gripped me. Aemyra herself continues to be compelling because even though she frustrates me deeply, simultaneously she feels messy and human in her grief. But where the first book had me obsessed with every betrayal and interaction, this one never fully clicked into place for me. The pacing felt uneven, the emotional beats didn’t always land, and by the end I walked away feeling more disappointed than devastated.

Final verdict? A Queen Crowned in Flames wasn’t a bad book by any means, but it sadly never recaptured the magic that made the first installment such an obsession for me. I’m still very curious about the next duology set in this world tho!!

[Emma · Rating 2 out of 5]

2.5⭐️ / unfortunately this really dragged for me, worse than book 1 did. I found the FMC overly abrasive and frustrating. the plot was predictable but everything was, at the same time, so incredibly confusing. it had been a while since I read book 1, but honestly so much of the terminology was confusing and seemed like it was just dropped in with very little context. same with characters. the conflict, while it could have felt nuanced, mostly seemed all over the place. (also tell me why they had to fuck on dragonback and she had to grind her clit on his scales????? while both human mates were telepathically connected with the also-mated dragons?? it was fine for me in Fourth Wing when the humans and dragons were fuckin separately but when they're all involved somehow is when ya lose me.)

anyway prob not one i'll be rushing to recommend.

thank you to the publisher and netgalley for the eARC!

[louise ʚଓ · Rating 4 out of 5]

| rating: 4 stars

I am so glad that I decided to continue this story. A Queen Crowned in Flames is leagues above A Fate Forged in Fire in terms of writing, world building and character work. In this sequel, McBride expands on her incredibly ambitious world of Dùileachs, elemental wielders who bond to their respective clans’ magical beasts, and gives depth to the world that she introduced in A Fate Forged in Fire. It’s not a perfect book by any means, but it’s a vast improvement from the first book.

Aemyra has fled from Aird Lasair following Fiorean’s betrayal and is now working with her father and her council of supporters to take back her throne and win the war against the Convenanters—followers of the True Religion who believe that all Dùileach (elemental wielders who have a bond with their respective clans’ magical beasts) should be eradicated. On top of war planning, Aemyra and her twin brother Adarian are desperate to find a cure against the binding agent that the Convenanters use to suppress Dùileach abilities in battle.

I enjoyed learning more about the clans and their respective lairds. I loved learning more about how the magic in this world works and how each clan has their own superstitions/rituals, despite worshipping the same goddesses. We also learn a little more about the bond between fire Dùileach and their dragons. Linking Terrea’s fertility to Aemyra’s was perhaps my favorite expansion and it really emphasizes the importance of Aemyra as the first female dragon-rider and queen to have lived in centuries.

Aemyra has come a long way from the naive but strong-willed princess that she was in the first book. Her grief from the death of Orlagh, Padrig, and Lachlann plus Fiorean’s betrayal has shaped her into a scared and jaded queen. It was a pleasure to see her grow and deal with her grief and shape it into something that made her strong.

I did think the pacing was a little off. There was a lot of nothing going on in the beginning and then everything happened all at once. The plot was predictable and there was nothing really revolutionary about this book, but it was fun and I had a good amount of attachment to the characters.

Overall, I was satisfied with this book and I am interested in reading more from this universe! A Thear and Eilidh book perhaps?

Thank you to NetGalley and Delacorte Press/Penguin Random House for the e-ARC!

[Davi M · Rating 4 out of 5]

Rating: 4.5⭐️

I was so happy to be an ARC reader for this book!

A Fate Forged in Fire was one of my 5-star reads of 2025, and this sequel is a fantastic follow-up. A Queen Crowned in Flames was one of my most anticipated releases of the year, and I will definitely be buying a physical copy. If you read and enjoyed book one, this second installment is well worth your time.

This story is a direct continuation of the first book and picks up shortly after the previous conclusion. The plot follows Aemyra as she processes the trauma she endured in book one and explores how those experiences have shaped her outlook on the war and her relationships with her allies. Religious oppression and the weight of making sacrifices for loved ones are two major themes throughout the story. New characters are introduced, old ones are fleshed out more, and the world building is expanded upon significantly.

My only qualm, and the reason I deducted 0.5 stars, was the pacing. While book one was consistently fast-paced and impossible to put down, the momentum in this book felt like it dropped off during the second quarter. However, many of my lingering questions from the first book were finally answered, and the battle sequences were easily some of my favorite scenes. All in all, this is a satisfying conclusion to the duology.

[Hecate’s Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️4 🌶️2

🔥Religious trauma
🐉Single POV
🔥Dragon bonds
🐉Enemies to lovers

“In order to rule, you have to become what they fear most, and by the Goddess, you will fear me.”

Thank you NetGalley, the publisher, and Hazel McBride for an ARC of this sequel.

This book picks up right after the cliff hanger at the end of book 1. SO much happened in this book, and I’m torn about a few of them. I also saw both big plot twists coming unfortunately, it was very obvious to me exactly what would happen. I can’t help but be disappointed by how little Aemyra had to do with the trajectory of everything that happened.

Probably very nit picky of me, but the following things did really bug me. There is a good chance they will be fixed for final publication though. Why is the pronunciation guide not in alphabetical order 😢 and some character names are in the world building section? And why are half the places mentioned not on the map??? I looked like a fool zooming in on the map searching for places that I don’t think existed.

small maybe spoilers:
-my man Thear deserved better. If the next spin off in this world isn’t his story I’ll be legit angry.
-new ick unlocked with one of the scenes with the dragon, I won’t give more away

[Loz✨ · Rating 5 out of 5]

After the cliffhanger we were left on after book one i have been absolutely desperate to get into this book. ‘A Fate Forged in Fire’ by Hazel McBride was one of my favourite reads of last year and we’re back with a sequel which is somehow even better!?

Aemyra is the perfect fantasy fmc for me. She is fierce, strong, intelligent and brave but she is also messy, flawed, scared and loves so deeply. Her healing journey throughout this book was beautiful and the way Hazel explores grief and the marks it leaves on us I found so special and relatable.

The world building feels much more expansive as we get into book two but none of it feels overwhelming or hard to follow. Getting to know the rest of Tìr Tiene and peeks at the wider lands of Erisocia were wonderful and I am so excited for further books set in this world.

I could go on and on about how talented a writer Hazel is but it is so clear in the way she has managed to beautifully explore the importance of equality for all people - to quote the book, “regardless of religion, background, or culture” - within a perfectly balanced plot. We get so much action, moments of reflection and political commentary throughout and each moment within this book feels important and pushes the characters, the plot, or the reader.

A Queen Crowned in Flames is out in May, completing this duology and is perfect for fans of Outlander, House of the Dragon and the Kindred’s Curse books ❤️‍🔥

✨Some of my favourite quotes:

“Grief is the price we pay for the blessing of having people to love”

“If the Dùileach weren’t so separated, perhaps they would join their elements and be strong enough to fix it”

“The women of Tìr Tiene will never shrink themselves to be more palatable to men”

🫶🏼 Thank you so much to Dialogue and Netgalley for this arc and of course to Hazel for such an incredible, inspiring story 🧡

[Leanna Streeter · Rating 4 out of 5]

OH I had SUCH a good time with this one. A Queen Crowned in Flames had me fully into it from start to finish. Aemyra goes THROUGH IT in this book, and watching her pick herself back up, wrestle with heartbreak, rage, duty, and everything being thrown at her? I was so here for it.

The character growth in this one was so satisfying. I loved seeing Aemyra step into her power and her queenhood while still feeling so deeply human in all her grief, anger, and impossible choices. And the emotional conflict?? It was EXQUISITE. Because tell me why I was simultaneously rooting for revenge and emotionally conflicted about everything. It was such a good time!!!

The twists kept me hooked, the action absolutely delivered, and the dragon content was, of course, perfection. I do think the pacing moved a little quickly at times but overall a fantastic read.

Overall, such a satisfying conclusion to this duology, and yes, I was absolutely kicking my feet while reading this one.

[Lucy Neil · Rating 5 out of 5]

I read a fate forged in fire (book1) again recently to prepare for this book and I loved how it immediately picked up where the first 1 ended!! It delved straight into the warfare, politics, and aftermath of betrayals and battles which I absolutely loved. Aemeyra really goes through a lot in this book and I loved her newfound vulnerability and growth when she comes to terms with what it really means to be queen. She is so multi faceted in terms of she wears her heart on her sleeve for the people she loves and trusts but she can be so fierce and strong that you do not want to cross her which is so beautiful to read. It’s got everything: battles, dragons, magic, love, friendship, betrayal, so would highly recommend to everyone when this comes out!!

[Julie · Rating 3 out of 5]

Thank you Netgalley, and the publisher for an arc of this book.

A nice ending to this duology. I never got completely hooked on this story, but it was still a good and enjoyable read. I really enjoyed that this book begins right where the first book ends, so we are right back into the story. I feel that if you enjoyed the first book, you will enjoy this one too.

[Stacey Markle · Rating 5 out of 5]

My rating 4.5
A great end to the Duology.   i love the main characters and the feminine rage. I felt sorry for Thear though,  he's such a gold retriever. 
Fuck men! Lol

[Sam · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.25 ⭐️

Great conclusion to duology that addressed nearly all my issues from first book.

First thank you to Ballantine, Delacorte Press, NetGalley, and Hazel McBride for the eARC, all opinions my own.

This book picks up exactly where A Fate Forged in Fire left off with Aemyra fleeing for her (and her army’s) lives following defeat in battle for Tir Tiene. Aemyra must fight her grief and betrayal (and the loss of her fire magic) to rally allies to fight and take her rightful place as Queen.

I really enjoyed this one and while I do have some issues it was fun, emotional ride. Aemyra’s battle against her anger, grief, confusion, love, and how to be a just ruler, is center stage here and I really enjoyed the overall arc it took. In book 1 I had gotten annoyed with Aemyra’s lack of foresight/impulsivity but after reading this book it does good job working that into how she has changed since her betrayal/defeat.

I also had been frustrated in book 1 that many of the side characters felt one dimensional and that was remedied here. New characters like Thear and Riya add depth to Aemyra’s arc and returning ones like Maeve, Sorcha, and even the dragons played larger, and moving, roles in the story. Adarian was still fairly one note but that was ok. The bonds between magic wielders, their magic, and their beasts continued to play large role and was really great.

If I had to complain one thing would be that I think this could have actually been a trilogy instead of duology (or maybe just slightly longer book). I think some of the lore/events could have done with bit more room to breathe and then might seem little less convenient. Similarly the final large battle against Alfred’s forces happens mainly off page. However, overall I think it’s not huge issue.

Also (and I stress that this might just be an eARC issue so please disregard if changed in final version) if places are going to be referenced so frequently they need to be labeled on the map. I spent lot of time looking for places mentioned only to find them missing. But still that’s minor issue.

Overall very enjoyable duology that leaves open lot of potential exploration within the world that I would be very excited to return to.

[Christa · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is one of the best duologies I've ever read. I am so obsessed with this world and this set of characters. I loved each of these books and I cannot wait for more books in this world, omg.

The feminine rage, pieces of religion and rebellion, and the plot is so fully immersive, I am still thinking about this duology to this day. Loved it so so so much and I cannot wait for more from Hazel!!!