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Born Prophecy #1
Fireborn
TWO REALMS AT WAR
Thousands of years ago, the twin gods Kiriah and Bellias made a wager as to who could raise the best civilization. Kiriah created the Fireborn, the children of light, who would wield the power of the sun and the blessings of nature. Bellias nurtured the Starborn, the children of the heavens, who would harness the arcane power that rippled across the night sky and flowed through all living things. And so the battle began . . .
THREE FATES ENTWINED
As the war between the Fireborn and Starborn enters the Fourth Age, three unlikely heroes emerge. Allegria is a young priestess who longs to honor the goddess of the sun with her battle skills rather than her prayers . Hallow is an apprentice without a master, eager to explore his power over the stars. And Deo is the chosen one, a child of both worlds who could be the key to bringing peace across the land—or the ultimate weapon in the war to end all wars . . .
ONE PROPHESY FULFILLED
The time has come for these three companions to choose sides—and seal their fates—in the thrilling first novel of the epic Born Prophesy saga by bestselling author Katie MacAlister.
Thousands of years ago, the twin gods Kiriah and Bellias made a wager as to who could raise the best civilization. Kiriah created the Fireborn, the children of light, who would wield the power of the sun and the blessings of nature. Bellias nurtured the Starborn, the children of the heavens, who would harness the arcane power that rippled across the night sky and flowed through all living things. And so the battle began . . .
THREE FATES ENTWINED
As the war between the Fireborn and Starborn enters the Fourth Age, three unlikely heroes emerge. Allegria is a young priestess who longs to honor the goddess of the sun with her battle skills rather than her prayers . Hallow is an apprentice without a master, eager to explore his power over the stars. And Deo is the chosen one, a child of both worlds who could be the key to bringing peace across the land—or the ultimate weapon in the war to end all wars . . .
ONE PROPHESY FULFILLED
The time has come for these three companions to choose sides—and seal their fates—in the thrilling first novel of the epic Born Prophesy saga by bestselling author Katie MacAlister.
298 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 16, 2018
176 people are currently reading
739 people want to read
About the author
Katie MacAlister
121 books5,977 followersFor as long as she can remember, Katie MacAlister has loved reading. Growing up in a family where a weekly visit to the library was a given, Katie spent much of her time with her nose buried in a book. Despite her love for novels, she didn't think of writing them until she was contracted to write a non-fiction book about software. Since her editor refused to allow her to include either witty dialogue or love scenes in the software book, Katie swiftly resolved to switch to fiction, where she could indulge in world building, tormenting characters, and falling madly in love with all her heroes.
Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.
Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.
Two years after she started writing novels, Katie sold her first romance, Noble Intentions. More than thirty books followed during the years after Noble's publication. Her novels have been translated into numerous languages, been recorded as audiobooks, received several awards, and placed on the New York Times, USA Today, and Publishers Weekly bestseller lists. She also writes for the young adult audience as Katie Maxwell, and for the mystery world as Kate Marsh.
Katie lives in the Pacific Northwest with her husband and dogs, and can often be found lurking around online.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 79 reviews
May 29, 2019
I WAS REALLY ROOTING FOR THIS ONE, SADLY, I WAS DISAPPOINTED
I have read a lot of MacAlister's paranormal romance books and I especially loved her Aisling Grey-series. So naturally, I had high hopes for this one. I was expecting more of the humour, the romance and the paranormalcy, but what I got was an awkward, stilted, half-baked fantasy mess.
WHAT I DID LIKE
Deo and the goat: That's it. That's all I liked.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
Shifting narrator: There are three MCs in this book - Allegria, Deo and Hallow. They all three have their own chapters, narrated from their point of view. But here's the twist - Deo and Hallow's chapters are narrated in the 3rd person while Allegria's is narrated in the 1st person. But here's the real kicker - there's absolutely no reason for it! It adds nothing at all to the story, it only served as an irritation for me.
Smut scene: I love a good smut scene if it is well done. Usually MacAlister does them good. But not this time! It was so cringeworthy and awkward I could hardly get through it even if it was only a couple of pages long. Don't believe me, just read the following quote. Warning, you might be tempted to think that it is a joke, but nope, it was serious... Cringe!
Relationships: If you want to do a character driven fantasy novel, the relationships between the characters are of the utmost importance. Sadly, they were completely underdeveloped here. I especially wished that Deo's relationship with his father, Lord Israel, had been explored further. It would have been key to understanding and sympathizing with Deo.
Shallow worldbuilding: When it comes to fantasy so much depends on world building. So when a world is as shallow and undeveloped as this one, it makes the story hard to follow and it becomes hard to sympathize with the characters and understand their motivations.
Timeline: Time and time again the story jumped way ahead in time without any explanation of why or what happened in the meantime. It made the book feel incredibly rushed and garbled.
Plot: There was really so little to the plot, the best words I could use to describe it would be fragmented and incoherent.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
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I have read a lot of MacAlister's paranormal romance books and I especially loved her Aisling Grey-series. So naturally, I had high hopes for this one. I was expecting more of the humour, the romance and the paranormalcy, but what I got was an awkward, stilted, half-baked fantasy mess.
WHAT I DID LIKE
Deo and the goat: That's it. That's all I liked.
WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE
Shifting narrator: There are three MCs in this book - Allegria, Deo and Hallow. They all three have their own chapters, narrated from their point of view. But here's the twist - Deo and Hallow's chapters are narrated in the 3rd person while Allegria's is narrated in the 1st person. But here's the real kicker - there's absolutely no reason for it! It adds nothing at all to the story, it only served as an irritation for me.
Smut scene: I love a good smut scene if it is well done. Usually MacAlister does them good. But not this time! It was so cringeworthy and awkward I could hardly get through it even if it was only a couple of pages long. Don't believe me, just read the following quote. Warning, you might be tempted to think that it is a joke, but nope, it was serious... Cringe!
"You don't have a fever in it [Hallow's penis], do you? Does it need doctoring?"
- Allegria to Hallow
Relationships: If you want to do a character driven fantasy novel, the relationships between the characters are of the utmost importance. Sadly, they were completely underdeveloped here. I especially wished that Deo's relationship with his father, Lord Israel, had been explored further. It would have been key to understanding and sympathizing with Deo.
Shallow worldbuilding: When it comes to fantasy so much depends on world building. So when a world is as shallow and undeveloped as this one, it makes the story hard to follow and it becomes hard to sympathize with the characters and understand their motivations.
Timeline: Time and time again the story jumped way ahead in time without any explanation of why or what happened in the meantime. It made the book feel incredibly rushed and garbled.
Plot: There was really so little to the plot, the best words I could use to describe it would be fragmented and incoherent.
ARC provided by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
FOLLOW MY BLOG FOR MORE BOOK GOODNESS
May 12, 2019
Three and a half
I really wanted to like this book and had high hopes but somehow it just didn't quite wow me. It started with Israel wanting so much for his son and yet because of a ridiculous prophecy he walks away and leaves baby Deo with his mother. We then fast forward and Deo is a teenager who frankly wasn't particularly likeable. I could understand his frustration as he didn't understand why his mother had sent him away but if I'm honest it just felt extremely odd. He encounters Hallow a young man down on his luck and also meets the young Priestess Allegria who certainly makes an impression ! We then fast forward even more and Allegria comes crashing back into Deos life but he's definitely not the same boy she remembers !
It's understood from the beginning that Deos birth is due to a prophecy that will rid the world of a great evil but honestly it felt confused when that all instantly changes. Israel felt warm and caring at that moment but his character later in the story seemed to have taken a completely different turn ! Deo was a struggle for me as I appreciate his dedication and fervour but he just lacked any personality.
Allegria is without doubt the character who shines brightest and the author made her feel human and at times funny. I'd expected any romance to be with Deo but no this goes in a completely different direction which brings me to Hallow. He's an affable character, with wit and charm but once again the author changed her characters personality ! No real spoiler but a violent event occurs which separates Allegria and Hallow and when they are reunited he felt extremely different. Plus the big bad Harboryn just didn't jump off the page for this reader. I don't know truly how to rate this as I enjoyed reading about Allegria but I think it might have been more enjoyable as a YA story without the sex scenes which didn't really add anything to the overall plot. There is a kind of cliff hanger ending which could well lead to Deo being fleshed out in the next book but at this moment I'm undecided whether to read that or not.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
I really wanted to like this book and had high hopes but somehow it just didn't quite wow me. It started with Israel wanting so much for his son and yet because of a ridiculous prophecy he walks away and leaves baby Deo with his mother. We then fast forward and Deo is a teenager who frankly wasn't particularly likeable. I could understand his frustration as he didn't understand why his mother had sent him away but if I'm honest it just felt extremely odd. He encounters Hallow a young man down on his luck and also meets the young Priestess Allegria who certainly makes an impression ! We then fast forward even more and Allegria comes crashing back into Deos life but he's definitely not the same boy she remembers !
It's understood from the beginning that Deos birth is due to a prophecy that will rid the world of a great evil but honestly it felt confused when that all instantly changes. Israel felt warm and caring at that moment but his character later in the story seemed to have taken a completely different turn ! Deo was a struggle for me as I appreciate his dedication and fervour but he just lacked any personality.
Allegria is without doubt the character who shines brightest and the author made her feel human and at times funny. I'd expected any romance to be with Deo but no this goes in a completely different direction which brings me to Hallow. He's an affable character, with wit and charm but once again the author changed her characters personality ! No real spoiler but a violent event occurs which separates Allegria and Hallow and when they are reunited he felt extremely different. Plus the big bad Harboryn just didn't jump off the page for this reader. I don't know truly how to rate this as I enjoyed reading about Allegria but I think it might have been more enjoyable as a YA story without the sex scenes which didn't really add anything to the overall plot. There is a kind of cliff hanger ending which could well lead to Deo being fleshed out in the next book but at this moment I'm undecided whether to read that or not.
This voluntary take is of a copy I requested from Netgalley and my thoughts and comments are honest and I believe fair
April 8, 2019
Book – Fireborn
Author – Katie MacAlister
Series – A Born Prophecy #1
Cliffhanger? - Yes
Publication Date – May 3, 2019
Genre – Romantic Fantasy
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
This is a very lighthearted fantasy with plenty of action and adventure. I specifically loved how Ms. MacAlister wrote Allegria’s character as flakey and humorous. Carefree…that’s the perfect word I am looking for when trying to describe Allegria.
This is the type of book where the fantasy world building is light…the story isn’t complicated and it’s a perfect book to just settle down and immerse yourself in a light story.
The only problem I had with the story was the relationship between Allegria and Hallow and how quickly it developed. I could also have done without all the sex scenes….see, that’s a personal opinion though – I read fantasy to avoid them…so it’s just a personal preference.
Reason for Reading – Requested from NetGalley
Story – 4 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 5 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 3 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Maybe
Recommend To – Readers looking for a light read!
Author – Katie MacAlister
Series – A Born Prophecy #1
Cliffhanger? - Yes
Publication Date – May 3, 2019
Genre – Romantic Fantasy
Rating – 4 out of 5 Stars
Complimentary copy generously provided by the author through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
My Thoughts - Story
This is a very lighthearted fantasy with plenty of action and adventure. I specifically loved how Ms. MacAlister wrote Allegria’s character as flakey and humorous. Carefree…that’s the perfect word I am looking for when trying to describe Allegria.
This is the type of book where the fantasy world building is light…the story isn’t complicated and it’s a perfect book to just settle down and immerse yourself in a light story.
The only problem I had with the story was the relationship between Allegria and Hallow and how quickly it developed. I could also have done without all the sex scenes….see, that’s a personal opinion though – I read fantasy to avoid them…so it’s just a personal preference.
Reason for Reading – Requested from NetGalley
Story – 4 out of 5 Stars
Steam – 5 out of 5 Stars
Angst – 3 out of 5 Stars
Writing – 4 out of 5 Stars
Content Flow – 3.5 out of 5 Stars
Would Read More from Author? Maybe
Recommend To – Readers looking for a light read!
May 24, 2019
Fireborn was a 3.5 star read from me.
I enjoyed the world building but had a difficult time developing a character connection. Overall, Fireborn has a quick evolving, easy reading plot with lots of steamy encounters. There is this plot potential that kept me reading on and ultimately why I found myself liking Fireborn.
It’s a light fantasy, with random bits of comedy, great world building and tons of potential.
I received this ARC copy of Fireborn from Kensington Books - Rebel Base Books. This is my honest and voluntary review. Fireborn is set for publication June 11, 2019.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Written by: Katie MacAlister
Series: A Born Prophesy Novel
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN-10: 1635730740
ISBN-13: 978-1635730746
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fireborn-Proph...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook...
I enjoyed the world building but had a difficult time developing a character connection. Overall, Fireborn has a quick evolving, easy reading plot with lots of steamy encounters. There is this plot potential that kept me reading on and ultimately why I found myself liking Fireborn.
It’s a light fantasy, with random bits of comedy, great world building and tons of potential.
I received this ARC copy of Fireborn from Kensington Books - Rebel Base Books. This is my honest and voluntary review. Fireborn is set for publication June 11, 2019.
My Rating: 3.5 Stars
Written by: Katie MacAlister
Series: A Born Prophesy Novel
Sequence in Series: Book 1
Paperback: 236 pages
Publisher: Kensington Publishing Corporation
Publication Date: June 11, 2019
ISBN-10: 1635730740
ISBN-13: 978-1635730746
Genre: Epic Fantasy
Amazon: https://www.amazon.com/Fireborn-Proph...
Barnes & Noble: https://www.barnesandnoble.com/w/fire...
Itunes: https://itunes.apple.com/us/audiobook...
July 30, 2018
Two kingdoms, tied together by prophecy fighting Chaos and it's soul stealing magic. Three children, find each other later in life to save the world.
Why I started this book: I've enjoy MacAlister's Dark One series and I was interested in her take on fairies and magic kingdoms...
Why I finished it: Her style of talkative/slightly airhead heroines and silent and frustrated heroes didn't transfer that well. I needed more world building and character development... sometimes even magic needs to follow rules to be enjoyable.
Why I started this book: I've enjoy MacAlister's Dark One series and I was interested in her take on fairies and magic kingdoms...
Why I finished it: Her style of talkative/slightly airhead heroines and silent and frustrated heroes didn't transfer that well. I needed more world building and character development... sometimes even magic needs to follow rules to be enjoyable.
May 25, 2019
DNF at 10%
I was really intrigued by the premise and the prologue was definitely one the most well crafted beginnings, but the story was all downhill after. There was no hook for me, nothing to keep me interested in the book. I was contemplating continuing anyway, because this was a review copy, when the main character straight up sexually assaulted this girl and it was pushed aside like it was nothing. That did it for me. I'm sorry, but I don't think this was my cup of tea at all.
e-ARC provided by the publishers through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
I was really intrigued by the premise and the prologue was definitely one the most well crafted beginnings, but the story was all downhill after. There was no hook for me, nothing to keep me interested in the book. I was contemplating continuing anyway, because this was a review copy, when the main character straight up sexually assaulted this girl and it was pushed aside like it was nothing. That did it for me. I'm sorry, but I don't think this was my cup of tea at all.
e-ARC provided by the publishers through Netgalley. All opinions are my own.
Want to read
March 25, 2019Haven’t read Katie in quite a few years. Hopefully this is funny like her precious works. eARC received; review to come closer to publication date.
July 7, 2019
I had this book in my TBR on Hoopla when I saw it come across my NetGalley feed, and realized that Kensington was doing a re-release this past June. That having renewed my interest, I decided it would be a good time to do an audio/print read along, so I snatched this one up. Unfortunately, life and work travel got in the way that prevented me from getting the book read (and reviewed) prior to that re-release date... which seems to be the story of my life this year. But I'm glad I finally got to enjoy the story and meet a new cast of characters from Katie MacAlister.
Because of the aforementioned travel, I actually ended up listening to most of this story in audio rather than switching back and forth with the print version. I liked the narrator's voice and inflection, though I wish she had been able to differentiate between character voices. It was sometimes hard to tell what character's POV we were hearing, as they all sounded the same, and it wasn't always readily apparent who was starting off the chapter - Deo, Hallow or Allegria.
So this story is set up to have three protagonists, the aforementioned Deo, Hallow and Allegria. Deo is the son of two monarchs, and is prophesied to unite realms and bring peace to warring factions. However, that doesn't quite happen and we follow Deo briefly through his life as he encounters Hallow and Allegria, who will play a larger roles as they come of age and the battles against magical invaders converge in the future. Once Allegria and Hallow come into the picture, Deo takes more of a backseat role and I felt like the story was taken over by these two "secondary" characters (for lack of a better term). But I liked Allegria and Hallow, more so than Deo, and I enjoyed following the battle story from their POV. I probably liked Allegria best of the three, and felt like she added a touch of humor to the story, particularly when it came to her thoughts of Hallow. In addition, a budding romantic relationship provided a nice distraction that helped to advance the plot in between battles.
While I did enjoy this story and the action it offered, it seemed that some important events happened off-page which I felt would have been better included in the story. I wasn't quite sure what the motivations of the chaos-magic-wielding invaders were, so I hope that is explained more in the future installments, particularly when it comes to the role being played by Deo's mother. I liked the murky motivations of Deo's father, and the fact that we couldn't quite figure out if he was an antagonist or actually working toward the best interests of our protagonists. But I particularly liked Allegria and Hallow's brands of magic, and Allegria's potential connections to a sun goddess. I do hope we get to see more of them in the future.
June 6, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my open and honest review.
DNF at 40%
I first want to start off saying that I am a longtime lover of Katie Macalister books. She is hands down one of my favorite authors, and thus I jumped at the chance to start reading this book as soon as possible. I tried, I really tried and could not become engaged in the story, narrative, characters, or anything. I am not sure I can specifically point to one thing that was an issue, but more of a combination of things I did not like or it felt unsettling. Firstly, the shifting narration style and POV on the top three characters (Allegria, Deo, and Hallow) was jarring and confusing to follow. The sex scene that I read before DNF was awkward and uncomfortable. The dialog did not flow as her usual character-driven stories do. It all felt forced and unnatural. This is a shame because like I said, I love her books, but this was a hard miss for me.
DNF at 40%
I first want to start off saying that I am a longtime lover of Katie Macalister books. She is hands down one of my favorite authors, and thus I jumped at the chance to start reading this book as soon as possible. I tried, I really tried and could not become engaged in the story, narrative, characters, or anything. I am not sure I can specifically point to one thing that was an issue, but more of a combination of things I did not like or it felt unsettling. Firstly, the shifting narration style and POV on the top three characters (Allegria, Deo, and Hallow) was jarring and confusing to follow. The sex scene that I read before DNF was awkward and uncomfortable. The dialog did not flow as her usual character-driven stories do. It all felt forced and unnatural. This is a shame because like I said, I love her books, but this was a hard miss for me.
dnf
May 11, 2019I got to 30% and couldn't continue. The time line jumped around without warning. The characters had the depth of a card board cut out. The world building was either clumsy or non-existent. Needless to say, I didn't like it.
June 9, 2019
I do love a book with good dialogue, and Fireborn is a perfect example of what I love. The lingo used in the dialogue perfectly enhanced the bantering and flirting.
What do I love about this book? The humor, the eccentric characters, the madness, and most of all I loved Hallow! He was such wonderful, loving and funny character. He was the reason I was up late at night flipping the pages.
I cannot read a Katie MacAlister book without a smile on my face and I hope book 2 comes out soon! I need more Hallow and Deo in my life.
I was provided with a complimentary copy of this book, so I could give an honest review.
May 29, 2019
Dnf 44%
I really wanted to like this book, but after the prologue (in which I thought it was a good intro) I became lost and confused in this story. After a few chapters, I didnt know who was "talking" and it turns out theres 3 povs. I wished authors would note that during each pov change. And it turns out that Deo and Hollow are written in 3rd person and Allegria is in 1st person. I then wonder with the prologue would mention Deo being born, have him as 3rd person and Allegria is 1st. I just don't understand why authors do this. This is the second time in about 1 month I have read a book that changes between 3rd & 1st person, it doesn't translate across the page while reading.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I really wanted to like this book, but after the prologue (in which I thought it was a good intro) I became lost and confused in this story. After a few chapters, I didnt know who was "talking" and it turns out theres 3 povs. I wished authors would note that during each pov change. And it turns out that Deo and Hollow are written in 3rd person and Allegria is in 1st person. I then wonder with the prologue would mention Deo being born, have him as 3rd person and Allegria is 1st. I just don't understand why authors do this. This is the second time in about 1 month I have read a book that changes between 3rd & 1st person, it doesn't translate across the page while reading.
I received this book at my request and have voluntarily left this unbiased review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
April 19, 2019
I Recived this ARC in exhange for a honest review by Kensington Books and Katie Macalister at Netgalley
I found the book somewhat interesting and somewhat boring? 10%in the book and some bits and pieces were interesting. But the rest i didn't like that much.. I didn't get as much invested in the characters as i had hoped. But i think, maybe that is just because of me? I don't know. But some of the characters and the happenings had me bored and/or confused. Plus when they cursed and/or got suprised they used "Kiraiah's nipples" or "Kiraiah's feet" or something and that just threw me off, i just felt awkwarded as heck about it. some parts of the book itself was alright, but it's not something i'd care to read the second installment in the series. It was sad, because i had high hopes for this one, plus the somewhat love triangle kind of 'threw me off' and made my eyes roll, it felt like the main girl went from a guy to another... But, you win some and you loose some, i guess.
I found the book somewhat interesting and somewhat boring? 10%in the book and some bits and pieces were interesting. But the rest i didn't like that much.. I didn't get as much invested in the characters as i had hoped. But i think, maybe that is just because of me? I don't know. But some of the characters and the happenings had me bored and/or confused. Plus when they cursed and/or got suprised they used "Kiraiah's nipples" or "Kiraiah's feet" or something and that just threw me off, i just felt awkwarded as heck about it. some parts of the book itself was alright, but it's not something i'd care to read the second installment in the series. It was sad, because i had high hopes for this one, plus the somewhat love triangle kind of 'threw me off' and made my eyes roll, it felt like the main girl went from a guy to another... But, you win some and you loose some, i guess.
June 5, 2019
Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with a copy of this in exchange for my open and honest review.
DNF at 40%
I first want to start off saying that I am a longtime lover of Katie Macalister books. She is hands down one of my favorite authors, and thus I jumped at the chance to start reading this book as soon as possible. I tried, I really tried and could not become engaged in the story, narrative, characters, or anything. I am not sure I can specifically point to one thing that was an issue, but more of a combination of things I did not like or it felt unsettling. Firstly, the shifting narration style and POV on the top three characters (Allegria, Deo, and Hallow) was jarring and confusing to follow. The sex scene that I read before DNF was awkward and uncomfortable. The dialog did not flow as her usual character-driven stories do. It all felt forced and unnatural. This is a shame because like I said, I love her books, but this was a hard miss for me.
DNF at 40%
I first want to start off saying that I am a longtime lover of Katie Macalister books. She is hands down one of my favorite authors, and thus I jumped at the chance to start reading this book as soon as possible. I tried, I really tried and could not become engaged in the story, narrative, characters, or anything. I am not sure I can specifically point to one thing that was an issue, but more of a combination of things I did not like or it felt unsettling. Firstly, the shifting narration style and POV on the top three characters (Allegria, Deo, and Hallow) was jarring and confusing to follow. The sex scene that I read before DNF was awkward and uncomfortable. The dialog did not flow as her usual character-driven stories do. It all felt forced and unnatural. This is a shame because like I said, I love her books, but this was a hard miss for me.
January 15, 2020
A shaky, quivery 2 stars, mostly because I finished it. There were moments though...
The issue really is that, it being by a romance novelist of the more...modern sort...it was maybe too character-centric and the plot more of an afterthought. Well, that and the characters in question weren't the sort that really invite you to want to read about them. That one is a failing of the author's though.
So let's see...the cast of not many and yet two too many includes...
Deo - self-absorbed rebel without a clue who we meet arguing with his dad for the sake of arguing. Since his dad is the leader of his people, and they're on a mission... You keep your disagreements private; not in front of the troops, dumbass.
Allegria - also self-absorbed. Eowen clone. Since Eowen was not exactly a favorite character in the book, and became downright embarrassing in the movie... yeah no. Whatever Allegria was meant to project came across less as a misfit than well...another rebel without a clue. Bonus, she appears to have been the author's pet as she's the only one in first person and I spent way too much time in her self-absorbed, irritating noggin. Even better, it's a hot-headed noggin incapable of reason at times.
Hallow - the only one who seems to have developed self awareness. He had his rebellion before we met him, and we meet him when he's come to the realization that sometimes earning one's keep is the better part of valor.
side character - Deo's put-upon dad who is trying to figure out how to save everyone, including his idiotic son, all the while having his character assassinated by the h and the brat.
Plot - there's a thing from another dimension trying to take over, but that's not important. Allegria's getting laid is. How do we know this? Oh...the time skips. You practically get minute by minute accountings when she and Hallow are together, and the times they aren't...are skipped.
Problems? Everything. It's supposed to be fantasy but seems to have forgotten(or is oblivious) that fantasy depends heavily on world building and plot, both of which are given token attention. You can get away with that *to a point* if you're set on Earth, and using a known (modern) location. Can't do that when your setting is a whole new world.
Will I read the next book? Maybe if it's free and I'm bored.
The issue really is that, it being by a romance novelist of the more...modern sort...it was maybe too character-centric and the plot more of an afterthought. Well, that and the characters in question weren't the sort that really invite you to want to read about them. That one is a failing of the author's though.
So let's see...the cast of not many and yet two too many includes...
Deo - self-absorbed rebel without a clue who we meet arguing with his dad for the sake of arguing. Since his dad is the leader of his people, and they're on a mission... You keep your disagreements private; not in front of the troops, dumbass.
Allegria - also self-absorbed. Eowen clone. Since Eowen was not exactly a favorite character in the book, and became downright embarrassing in the movie... yeah no. Whatever Allegria was meant to project came across less as a misfit than well...another rebel without a clue. Bonus, she appears to have been the author's pet as she's the only one in first person and I spent way too much time in her self-absorbed, irritating noggin. Even better, it's a hot-headed noggin incapable of reason at times.
Hallow - the only one who seems to have developed self awareness. He had his rebellion before we met him, and we meet him when he's come to the realization that sometimes earning one's keep is the better part of valor.
side character - Deo's put-upon dad who is trying to figure out how to save everyone, including his idiotic son, all the while having his character assassinated by the h and the brat.
Plot - there's a thing from another dimension trying to take over, but that's not important. Allegria's getting laid is. How do we know this? Oh...the time skips. You practically get minute by minute accountings when she and Hallow are together, and the times they aren't...are skipped.
Problems? Everything. It's supposed to be fantasy but seems to have forgotten(or is oblivious) that fantasy depends heavily on world building and plot, both of which are given token attention. You can get away with that *to a point* if you're set on Earth, and using a known (modern) location. Can't do that when your setting is a whole new world.
Will I read the next book? Maybe if it's free and I'm bored.
May 11, 2019
With a host of thoroughly unlikeable characters, this book was difficult to read, at best. All of the characters are selfish, impulsive, and not empathetic in the least. They are difficult to relate to, and, due to this, I found it hard to like any of them.
The shifts in time, characters, points of view, and grammatical person (Deo and Hollow are written in third person while Allegria is written in first person), made this book hard to get through. I swear nearly half of this book was dedicated to talking about the female protagonist’s body.
It seems like this book was trying to cram as much action in as little space as possible. Everything moved far too fast without any backstory or details to back it up.
This could have been an interesting book. The idea is not bad. But the writing and pace of the story ruined it for me.
The shifts in time, characters, points of view, and grammatical person (Deo and Hollow are written in third person while Allegria is written in first person), made this book hard to get through. I swear nearly half of this book was dedicated to talking about the female protagonist’s body.
It seems like this book was trying to cram as much action in as little space as possible. Everything moved far too fast without any backstory or details to back it up.
This could have been an interesting book. The idea is not bad. But the writing and pace of the story ruined it for me.
June 22, 2019
Fireborn was not what I expected. The story felt oddly constructed and the pacing was like an off beat tempo. I didn't particularly like any of the characters. It's a good idea at the core but in need of refinement. I want stories to captivate me, and unfortunately, this one did not. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
December 29, 2019
This author is a new to me author, but she has written a number of other series that are paranomal romances. I was approached about reading her new release in this series, Starborn, and I wasn’t sure that it would work as a standalone so I asked to read the first book in the series first which was this one, Fireborn.
Honestly I didn’t really know what to expect, I just knew that I liked the sound of Starborn and wanted to read it, but knew that in many fantasy books it’s difficult to jump around so I decided to start here.
At just under 300 pages, this one was relatively short for a fantasy novel and I figured I could hammer it out before the year was over. Plus I mean, look at that cover? It’s beautiful and I simply couldn’t pass it up!
This one read a little more like adventure than fantasy for me. It was definitely fantasy light, but that wasn’t all that surprising considering this one was under 300 pages. And honestly I thought it was fine that it was lighter on the fantasy spectrum, die hard fantasy fans might feel a little let down, but for me it was fine to have the fantasy world less front and center.
I think my biggest struggle with this book was the jarring POVs. There are three POVs in this book and while that’s completely fine, two are in the third person and one is in the first person. That was a little disorientating for me. It would have been less jarring if they all followed the same voice perspective. There was also a lot of jumping around in the timeline which also left me scratching my head at times. In the same vein as this, I needed more character development. There was so much potential in the characters but I felt they just meandered for me. Not necessarily in the story, but as I read them I just felt like they were going through the motions and flat rather than exciting and engaging.
So what kept me reading? I felt invested enough in Deo’s character to see what happened. I enjoyed Deo and am excited to see what lies in store in the next book. I also felt committed enough to the plot to see what happened in the end and ultimately I felt like the story wrapped up well and leaves us eager to see where book 2 takes us. That said, I am a little hesitant to read the next book because there were some mechanical issues that I struggled with in this one. In the end I went with a 3 star rating. It was ok, not great, but ok enough that I would read the next book.
See my full review here
Honestly I didn’t really know what to expect, I just knew that I liked the sound of Starborn and wanted to read it, but knew that in many fantasy books it’s difficult to jump around so I decided to start here.
At just under 300 pages, this one was relatively short for a fantasy novel and I figured I could hammer it out before the year was over. Plus I mean, look at that cover? It’s beautiful and I simply couldn’t pass it up!
This one read a little more like adventure than fantasy for me. It was definitely fantasy light, but that wasn’t all that surprising considering this one was under 300 pages. And honestly I thought it was fine that it was lighter on the fantasy spectrum, die hard fantasy fans might feel a little let down, but for me it was fine to have the fantasy world less front and center.
I think my biggest struggle with this book was the jarring POVs. There are three POVs in this book and while that’s completely fine, two are in the third person and one is in the first person. That was a little disorientating for me. It would have been less jarring if they all followed the same voice perspective. There was also a lot of jumping around in the timeline which also left me scratching my head at times. In the same vein as this, I needed more character development. There was so much potential in the characters but I felt they just meandered for me. Not necessarily in the story, but as I read them I just felt like they were going through the motions and flat rather than exciting and engaging.
So what kept me reading? I felt invested enough in Deo’s character to see what happened. I enjoyed Deo and am excited to see what lies in store in the next book. I also felt committed enough to the plot to see what happened in the end and ultimately I felt like the story wrapped up well and leaves us eager to see where book 2 takes us. That said, I am a little hesitant to read the next book because there were some mechanical issues that I struggled with in this one. In the end I went with a 3 star rating. It was ok, not great, but ok enough that I would read the next book.
See my full review here
April 23, 2019
Thank you to Rebel Base Books (Kensington Books) and NetGalley for providing me with an e-copy to read and review.
I had high hopes for this book because it sounded really interesting, but ended up with mixed emotions.
It was hard to get into the story. No character was likable, not even the three main characters who are destined to save the world. It was a dislike in a way that it was hard to distinguish who was good and who was bad (and not in a plot twist kind of way). I was essentially lost and wanted to stop reading but kept going because a part of me felt there was something I may have been missing or hadn’t gotten to yet that would place the story back on track. It was hard trudging.
The world the author has built is great and unique. But the characters we are meant to follow paled in comparison. My opinion of them went back and forth a lot. I did laugh here and there. And there were moments (the few and far in between) that really captured my attention. I loved how the author crafted magic and how it’s used.
Nevertheless, I kept reading because I needed to know how this whole business would conclude. By the end I was satisfied to give this book a higher rating than I first expected. Will I read the next book? Likely not. The reading experience of book one has left me very hesitant.
I had high hopes for this book because it sounded really interesting, but ended up with mixed emotions.
It was hard to get into the story. No character was likable, not even the three main characters who are destined to save the world. It was a dislike in a way that it was hard to distinguish who was good and who was bad (and not in a plot twist kind of way). I was essentially lost and wanted to stop reading but kept going because a part of me felt there was something I may have been missing or hadn’t gotten to yet that would place the story back on track. It was hard trudging.
The world the author has built is great and unique. But the characters we are meant to follow paled in comparison. My opinion of them went back and forth a lot. I did laugh here and there. And there were moments (the few and far in between) that really captured my attention. I loved how the author crafted magic and how it’s used.
Nevertheless, I kept reading because I needed to know how this whole business would conclude. By the end I was satisfied to give this book a higher rating than I first expected. Will I read the next book? Likely not. The reading experience of book one has left me very hesitant.
May 23, 2019
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Fantasy, Romance
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Firstborn, by author Katie MacAlister, is the first installment in the author's Born Prophecy series. As the synopsis indicates, this story alternatives narratives between three key players. Deo, a young lord who has a prophecy that will either save the world, or destroy it; Allegria, a young woman with the power of the sun who was taken in to become a Priestess but wants to prove herself instead as a fighter against the invaders known as Harborym; and Harrow, a boy with a curious past who lost his people to the Harborym
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Fantasy, Romance
*Rating* 3.5
*Thoughts*
Firstborn, by author Katie MacAlister, is the first installment in the author's Born Prophecy series. As the synopsis indicates, this story alternatives narratives between three key players. Deo, a young lord who has a prophecy that will either save the world, or destroy it; Allegria, a young woman with the power of the sun who was taken in to become a Priestess but wants to prove herself instead as a fighter against the invaders known as Harborym; and Harrow, a boy with a curious past who lost his people to the Harborym
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
April 8, 2019
Rated 3.5 Stars
I liked Fireborn especially the world and the abilities of the different factions. However there were some issues, like cohesion. There were jumps within the timeline without any indication. The romance between seemed to come out of left field to me because I expected it to blossom between elsewhere. I'm still looking forward to reading the next in this action packed and adventurous series with the cliffhanger of sorts ending.
Copy provided by publisher through Net Galley
I liked Fireborn especially the world and the abilities of the different factions. However there were some issues, like cohesion. There were jumps within the timeline without any indication. The romance between seemed to come out of left field to me because I expected it to blossom between elsewhere. I'm still looking forward to reading the next in this action packed and adventurous series with the cliffhanger of sorts ending.
Copy provided by publisher through Net Galley
April 23, 2019
I wanted to like this book, I really did. I love reading Katie MacAlister. This one was hard to get into. The world it happens in seems quite interesting, and that is probably the best part about the book. There are a lot of things going on, maybe too much, and it became confusing at times.
It is impossible to tell who are the good guys among the main characters. Nobody really stands out on their own. Deo is about the most interesting character of them all, and looks like he will get more time in a second installment. I did not understand Lord Israel and his motivations at all. He was very vague about everything, especially with his son. His attitude screamed “This is my decision and you don’t need to understand it, just abide by it.”, which works for small children, but not adult ones. I couldn’t get behind the relationship between Allegria and Hallow either, I just didn’t really care that much about them. Like my teenager would say, I wouldn’t have shipped them together.
The dialogue seemed immature at times. There would be a serious situation, and then these random thoughts from the characters would pop out their mouths. Maybe it was supposed to provide a bit of comic relief, but it didn’t quite read that way.
It ended with the promise of more to come, and I’m leaning towards wanting to continue the series.
I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
It is impossible to tell who are the good guys among the main characters. Nobody really stands out on their own. Deo is about the most interesting character of them all, and looks like he will get more time in a second installment. I did not understand Lord Israel and his motivations at all. He was very vague about everything, especially with his son. His attitude screamed “This is my decision and you don’t need to understand it, just abide by it.”, which works for small children, but not adult ones. I couldn’t get behind the relationship between Allegria and Hallow either, I just didn’t really care that much about them. Like my teenager would say, I wouldn’t have shipped them together.
The dialogue seemed immature at times. There would be a serious situation, and then these random thoughts from the characters would pop out their mouths. Maybe it was supposed to provide a bit of comic relief, but it didn’t quite read that way.
It ended with the promise of more to come, and I’m leaning towards wanting to continue the series.
I received an advanced copy of the book from Netgalley to review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
June 11, 2019
This book is bad. I really loved the Aisling Grey books, and liked the books about the other dragons in that universe. But the books I have read outside that world are lacking, this one the most. First, the writing is just not good. This doesn’t read like it was written by an author with over a decade of professional experience under their belt. It reads like a self-published professionally edited book. What I mean is the grammar is correct and there aren’t spelling errors, but the pacing and changing of narration constantly between first and third person was ridiculous.
There are so many time jumps in this book it’s crazy. Growth and development of characters could’ve been explored, instead, we have just skipped ahead. Why? I can’t fathom since this is supposed to be YA. So why not let us see our leads grow up and learn magic. I think that skipping is what kept me feeling connected to the leads. Because truth be told I never really cared about what happened to anybody.
Finally, the world building was awful. It was supposed to be a medieval type world, but there wasn’t enough description. It was too generic and not as clear as a place like Westeros or Middle Earth. Also, the cultural differences and roles weren’t properly explored. Why was a Preist becoming a warrior so crazy? There are plenty of fantasy stories with Warrior Priests. Aside from eye color and borders what made Deo’s parents so different?
Basically, a lot of the book just didn’t make good sense. If it turned out some newbie ghostwriter is really responsible for this and MacAlister just let her name be on the cover for sales I wouldn’t be surprised.
There are so many time jumps in this book it’s crazy. Growth and development of characters could’ve been explored, instead, we have just skipped ahead. Why? I can’t fathom since this is supposed to be YA. So why not let us see our leads grow up and learn magic. I think that skipping is what kept me feeling connected to the leads. Because truth be told I never really cared about what happened to anybody.
Finally, the world building was awful. It was supposed to be a medieval type world, but there wasn’t enough description. It was too generic and not as clear as a place like Westeros or Middle Earth. Also, the cultural differences and roles weren’t properly explored. Why was a Preist becoming a warrior so crazy? There are plenty of fantasy stories with Warrior Priests. Aside from eye color and borders what made Deo’s parents so different?
Basically, a lot of the book just didn’t make good sense. If it turned out some newbie ghostwriter is really responsible for this and MacAlister just let her name be on the cover for sales I wouldn’t be surprised.
July 2, 2019
What an interesting book. It took me a minute to get into the story but once I was in, I enjoyed the story. I did find the shifts in person POV to be a bit confusing as there were no indicators as well as how much time had passed. The chapters just jumped ahead in time so I would have to try and guess how much time had passed. Otherwise, I did enjoy the quick wit banter and the small moments of romance that pops up during adventure stories.
May 4, 2018
A change of pace
I have been a fan of MacAlister after stumbling across her Dark Ones series, so when she said she was trying out a new genre, I might have had a reservation or two. But it was all for naught. While different from her other series, this book still contained the essential voice of MacAlister that shimmers through out her writing. Definitely a great read.
I have been a fan of MacAlister after stumbling across her Dark Ones series, so when she said she was trying out a new genre, I might have had a reservation or two. But it was all for naught. While different from her other series, this book still contained the essential voice of MacAlister that shimmers through out her writing. Definitely a great read.
June 10, 2019
After a slow start Fireborn takes off and keeps you riveted. This isn’t typical light hearted Katie MacAlister this is epic fantasy. This is trudging through the detritus of war. Dealing with the politics of prophecy and gods. It took me awhile to warm up to the characters but by the end I liked them and wanted to see them succeed. Great world building. Cliff hanger.
May 14, 2019
Fireborn, the latest fantasy by bestselling paranormal romance author Katie MacAlister, launches a new series with a theme that diverges a bit from MacAlister’s previous work. To be released on June 11, 2019, the Born Prophesy series is set in a magical realism Middle Ages type era during a time of war between the Fireborn, the children of light created by the goddess Kiriah, and the Starborn, the children of the heavens created by her twin Bellias. While the Fireborn wield magic drawn from sun’s energy and their connection with nature, the Starborn harness arcane magic derived from the night’s starlight which flows through all living things. The kingdoms are forced to face a new power who invade their realm, the Harborym, who draw their power from destructive chaos magic.
Three unlikely heroes form a tentative alliance to confront the Harborym. Allegria is a young priestess of the temple of Kiriah who prefers honing her skills as a warrior and practicing Kiriah’s blessing of light magic than kneeling in silent prayer behind temple walls. Hallow grew up as an orphan and an apprentice in need of a master to learn the skills of arcane magic. Deo was noble born as a child of both sun and stars, expected to be the key to bringing peace between the two warring factions.
I was eager to read this book because I enjoyed MacAlister’s previous work, particularly her dragon novels. Initially, I was drawn in by the premise of this book and the promise of a new world of magic. However, I found the execution a bit disjointed. It started strong with a scene between two characters who come together in the hopes of ushering in the Fourth Age and bringing peace to their two kingdoms through the birth of their son, Deo. However, their motives behind not staying together and why they chose to have the mother raise the son for a bit and then turn him over to his father as he got older, is never explained.
Many intriguing characters were introduced, but their back stories were just slightly lacking, so it was difficult to become strongly emotionally invested in them or to understand where their loyalties fully stood. Though the story was told from the viewpoint of Allegria, I felt more connected to Hallow because his character seemed more substantial. The world built for this story was interesting, with its own set of myths, and each of the characters held a lot of promise.
“If only I’d managed to convince Lord Israel all those years ago to take me into his company. If only Sandor understood that I was better able to serve the temple by use of my bow and swords than the endless prayers to Kiriah. If only I was allowed to use the power that had been given to me at birth…”
MacAlister is able to weave a world with its own legends and rules of magic, deftly and believably, straight from the beginning of the book. True to her signature style, MacAlister included several steamy sex scenes. While incorporating some lighthearted humor, I was hoping for more of the irreverent whimsy she interlaced in her other series that had me unexpectedly laughing out loud on occasion. (Specifically, Jim, the demon Newfoundland dog, in her Guardian series comes to mind as an example.)
Overall, I look forward to seeing where this series will lead us. I hope that in the next book, she delves more deeply into a single character’s perspective and background story. I’d like to learn more about Deo’s motivations and why his parents made the decisions they did. Is he truly the promised one to usher in the Fourth Age, or did he simply spark the catalyst to help bring about the one who would?
I was provided an advance review copy compliments of Kensington Publishing Corporation through NetGalley for the purpose of this impartial review.
This review was first published on the Damian Daily blog.
Three unlikely heroes form a tentative alliance to confront the Harborym. Allegria is a young priestess of the temple of Kiriah who prefers honing her skills as a warrior and practicing Kiriah’s blessing of light magic than kneeling in silent prayer behind temple walls. Hallow grew up as an orphan and an apprentice in need of a master to learn the skills of arcane magic. Deo was noble born as a child of both sun and stars, expected to be the key to bringing peace between the two warring factions.
I was eager to read this book because I enjoyed MacAlister’s previous work, particularly her dragon novels. Initially, I was drawn in by the premise of this book and the promise of a new world of magic. However, I found the execution a bit disjointed. It started strong with a scene between two characters who come together in the hopes of ushering in the Fourth Age and bringing peace to their two kingdoms through the birth of their son, Deo. However, their motives behind not staying together and why they chose to have the mother raise the son for a bit and then turn him over to his father as he got older, is never explained.
Many intriguing characters were introduced, but their back stories were just slightly lacking, so it was difficult to become strongly emotionally invested in them or to understand where their loyalties fully stood. Though the story was told from the viewpoint of Allegria, I felt more connected to Hallow because his character seemed more substantial. The world built for this story was interesting, with its own set of myths, and each of the characters held a lot of promise.
“If only I’d managed to convince Lord Israel all those years ago to take me into his company. If only Sandor understood that I was better able to serve the temple by use of my bow and swords than the endless prayers to Kiriah. If only I was allowed to use the power that had been given to me at birth…”
MacAlister is able to weave a world with its own legends and rules of magic, deftly and believably, straight from the beginning of the book. True to her signature style, MacAlister included several steamy sex scenes. While incorporating some lighthearted humor, I was hoping for more of the irreverent whimsy she interlaced in her other series that had me unexpectedly laughing out loud on occasion. (Specifically, Jim, the demon Newfoundland dog, in her Guardian series comes to mind as an example.)
Overall, I look forward to seeing where this series will lead us. I hope that in the next book, she delves more deeply into a single character’s perspective and background story. I’d like to learn more about Deo’s motivations and why his parents made the decisions they did. Is he truly the promised one to usher in the Fourth Age, or did he simply spark the catalyst to help bring about the one who would?
I was provided an advance review copy compliments of Kensington Publishing Corporation through NetGalley for the purpose of this impartial review.
This review was first published on the Damian Daily blog.
November 28, 2019
I received a copy of Fireborn through NetGalley in exchange for a fair and honest review.
Fireborn is the first novel in a new series by Katie MacAlister, called the Born Prophecy. Obviously, with a title such as that, you just know that this is going to be an epic series. It’s a fantasy series, though a lighthearted one that is full to the brim of action, adventure, and some fighting.
Two ancient races are setting up to do battle – it’s the sort of fight that will ruin or alter the world as we know it. And three young characters are stuck in the middle of it all. Allegria, Hallow, and Deo.
Allegria was raised to devote herself to her goddess. But all she’s ever really wanted in life was a chance for adventure. And to really get to use her powers for something good, rather than being constantly forced to hide it.
Hallow was an apprentice before he lost his master. Now he’s been pulled into this mess alongside everybody else, all thanks to what his master once knew. But he’s a born and bred leader, even if he doesn’t know it.
Deo holds the weight of a prophecy on his shoulders. He’s also the son of two monarchs, which surely just adds to the weight he’s been forced to bear. All things considered, he’s bearing the weight well. But he isn’t exactly following the path expected of him either.
“We will do what we always do. We will prepare. We will defend what is ours. And we will surive.”
Fireborn was not quite the novel I was hoping it would be, if I’m being entirely honest. I had high expectations, because I’ve enjoyed Katie MacAlister’s work in the past. Katie MacAlister has always been known for being able to balance the humor and adventurous elements of her novels. And thus this series immediately became one that I wanted to check out.
There were elements about Fireborn that I enjoyed. Allegra’s character bounced back and forth between intense and humorous, thanks to the combination of her personality and her situation. Hallow was a fascinating character, one I would have happily read more about. I didn’t like Deo all that much, but I’m not entirely sure that I was supposed to, so that’s okay.
One complaint I do have about the three perspectives is that none of the three felt all that distinct. I honestly do enjoy a novel full of multiple POV’s, but this one could have used some work. These three characters are all quite different, and as such it should have been obvious who was thinking at any given moment. But it wasn’t, not all the time, at least.
But ultimately, I feel like this novel went off of the train tracks at some point. It started out strong, but I found myself losing interest around the thirty percent mark. I did end up finishing the book, and I’m glad I did, as there were later parts that were highly entertaining.
I know that I didn’t end up loving Fireborn as much as I was hoping, which is disappointing. I still have hope for the series though, since I’ve enjoyed MacAlister’s work so much in the past. So I think I’m going to go ahead and try the next novel in the series (Starborn), it seems only fair.
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
Fireborn is the first novel in a new series by Katie MacAlister, called the Born Prophecy. Obviously, with a title such as that, you just know that this is going to be an epic series. It’s a fantasy series, though a lighthearted one that is full to the brim of action, adventure, and some fighting.
Two ancient races are setting up to do battle – it’s the sort of fight that will ruin or alter the world as we know it. And three young characters are stuck in the middle of it all. Allegria, Hallow, and Deo.
Allegria was raised to devote herself to her goddess. But all she’s ever really wanted in life was a chance for adventure. And to really get to use her powers for something good, rather than being constantly forced to hide it.
Hallow was an apprentice before he lost his master. Now he’s been pulled into this mess alongside everybody else, all thanks to what his master once knew. But he’s a born and bred leader, even if he doesn’t know it.
Deo holds the weight of a prophecy on his shoulders. He’s also the son of two monarchs, which surely just adds to the weight he’s been forced to bear. All things considered, he’s bearing the weight well. But he isn’t exactly following the path expected of him either.
“We will do what we always do. We will prepare. We will defend what is ours. And we will surive.”
Fireborn was not quite the novel I was hoping it would be, if I’m being entirely honest. I had high expectations, because I’ve enjoyed Katie MacAlister’s work in the past. Katie MacAlister has always been known for being able to balance the humor and adventurous elements of her novels. And thus this series immediately became one that I wanted to check out.
There were elements about Fireborn that I enjoyed. Allegra’s character bounced back and forth between intense and humorous, thanks to the combination of her personality and her situation. Hallow was a fascinating character, one I would have happily read more about. I didn’t like Deo all that much, but I’m not entirely sure that I was supposed to, so that’s okay.
One complaint I do have about the three perspectives is that none of the three felt all that distinct. I honestly do enjoy a novel full of multiple POV’s, but this one could have used some work. These three characters are all quite different, and as such it should have been obvious who was thinking at any given moment. But it wasn’t, not all the time, at least.
But ultimately, I feel like this novel went off of the train tracks at some point. It started out strong, but I found myself losing interest around the thirty percent mark. I did end up finishing the book, and I’m glad I did, as there were later parts that were highly entertaining.
I know that I didn’t end up loving Fireborn as much as I was hoping, which is disappointing. I still have hope for the series though, since I’ve enjoyed MacAlister’s work so much in the past. So I think I’m going to go ahead and try the next novel in the series (Starborn), it seems only fair.
For more reviews check out Quirky Cat's Fat Stacks
May 11, 2019
What if he isn't the saviour? Deo has everything that he wants & needs but his father Lord Israel always wants to keep him away from harm. He wants to be a great warrior like both of his parents but he fears that he will never get the chance to prove that he can be. Deo chooses the wrong side and he becomes everything that his father has ever feared so he had no choice but to banish him to the Isle of Enoch. But Deo won't be bound by his father he will take on the enemy and kill them all.
Allegria doesn't believe all the stories about Deo she met him as a boy and she believed that he was meant for greatness and now he is back and gathering an army to find his mother. She will do anything to be part of it but is she willing to give up everything for him? But when she sees him again she sees how much he has changed and what the chaos magic has done, she still agrees to be by his side. Deo knows that he can't keep the chaos magic under control forever but hopefully he can use it to make his army stronger so that he can save his people and find his mother.
Hallow has been sent on a quest but Lord Israel and things haven't gone to plan but he hs found what he needed. Now he just needs to get back but Allegria has made things difficult and now they are both seeing Lord Israel and now they have both been set free to travel back to Deo. But can Hallow trust this woman?
Where will this journey take them and will Deo survive the chaos magic or is he doomed forever? Will they be able to kill the armies that threaten to destroy their world? A good read. loved the characters. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.
Allegria doesn't believe all the stories about Deo she met him as a boy and she believed that he was meant for greatness and now he is back and gathering an army to find his mother. She will do anything to be part of it but is she willing to give up everything for him? But when she sees him again she sees how much he has changed and what the chaos magic has done, she still agrees to be by his side. Deo knows that he can't keep the chaos magic under control forever but hopefully he can use it to make his army stronger so that he can save his people and find his mother.
Hallow has been sent on a quest but Lord Israel and things haven't gone to plan but he hs found what he needed. Now he just needs to get back but Allegria has made things difficult and now they are both seeing Lord Israel and now they have both been set free to travel back to Deo. But can Hallow trust this woman?
Where will this journey take them and will Deo survive the chaos magic or is he doomed forever? Will they be able to kill the armies that threaten to destroy their world? A good read. loved the characters. I was lucky enough to receive a copy via Netgalley & the publishing house in exchange for my honest review.
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