Firebird (The Fire That Binds, #1) by Juliette Cross🎧 Narrated by Blair Dade & Kale Williams

Synopsis (via Goodreads): House of the Dragon meets From Blood and Ash in this epic, scorching dark romantasy.

A conqueror captivated…
A witch prophesied to save them all…
An unforgiving world where dragons rule Rome.

Julian Dakkia, Roman general and nephew to the emperor, has played his role as conqueror well. Yet, the moment he laid eyes on Malina, he was enthralled by the Dacian dancer. Years later, the fierce beauty stands before him, a captive on a scarred battlefield, her life in danger. He instinctively shifts into his fierce dragon form to save her, an action that may mean his head on the imperial gate.

The rules of their world dictate that he is the conqueror and she is the captured. But he and his dragon know one thing: their bond has nothing to do with the laws of mighty Rome. She belongs to them. And they belong to her.

Fierce and powerful, twenty-one-year old Malina has survived the loss of her family and she is determined to fight until her dying breath. Still, she can’t believe that the centurion who had once bestowed a secret talisman on her is the Roman general of legendary brutality…and now holds her life in his hands. Nor can she deny how her soul has always seemed to answer his. Slowly she learns that Julian is caught in his mad uncle’s machinations for domination, and helps him plot the downfall of the empire itself.

As they navigate a world where flying deathriders conquer and burn, their love will ignite a firestorm that can only end in heartbreak or death. Or both.

Firebird is a fantasy with some dark themes, including elements of master/slave relationship, attempted sexual assault (not between MCs), and dubious consent (not between MCs). Readers who may be sensitive to these elements, please take note.

I really enjoyed listening to Firebird. Blair Dade and Kale Williams were amazing! I needed to knock out the first book since I received Bloodsinger - the second one - for review, and I'm happy to report that the audio did not disappoint. A lot happens at the end of the first book, and I'm eager to see how the story progresses from here. The author spiked my anxiety towards the end, but everything ended as well as could be expected. Not quite a HEA, but neither MC is in immediate peril. 

Malina is a fierce female character that doesn't know how to be a submissive slave. She speaks her mind even knowing it will have consequences. Luckily for her, Julian is more than he appears to be, and isn't offended by her brashness or inquisitive personality. She asks questions she has no business asking, and makes statements that would have gotten normal slaves beaten or killed. I loved that she stayed true to herself despite everything she's been through. 

Julian is a very stoic and standoffish main character. He and his dragon - for they seem to be of two separate minds - are intent on protecting what they consider to be their "treasure." (Williams has a wonderfully deep voice that fit perfectly whenever Julian's dragon made an appearance). It's very much touch-her-and-die, but for the sake of his plans, he can't keep Malina with him and that causes problems for them both. 

I thought the world was interesting but wish the author had expanded on it more. We're kept in pretty much the same spot after meeting Malina in the beginning, and it would have been nice to see more of the world or even just the city they were in. A few different aspects were mentioned, but it felt like there could have been more. It was hard to fully visualize, so I didn't always feel immersed in the story's surroundings. 

I also would have enjoyed more fleshed-out secondary characters that stuck around for more than a few pages. I felt like her connection with the rest of Julian's household was rushed and not entirely authentic. Julian also has a friend that played a major role in pivotal points of the story, but he also didn't get much page time or attention. The entire book revolves around Julian and Malina, and it would have been nice to delve deeper into the personalities and characteristics of some of the other people we meet.

All in all, the story was enjoyable and I love both of the main characters. I think a dual POV was perfect for this story, and hopefully we will get more secondary character development and world-building in the next book. I probably won't read it right away since I have a few January ARCs I want to knock out first, but it's already sitting on my desk and patiently waiting its turn. Have you read Firebird? What did you think? (★★★⋆☆)