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? (★★★⋆☆)

A Thousand Pieces of You (Firebird, #1) by Claudia Gray

Narrated by Tavia Gilbert

Synopsis (via Goodreads): Marguerite Caine's physicist parents are known for their groundbreaking achievements. Their most astonishing invention, called the Firebird, allows users to jump into multiple universes—and promises to revolutionize science forever. But then Marguerite's father is murdered, and the killer—her parent's handsome, enigmatic assistant Paul— escapes into another dimension before the law can touch him.

Marguerite refuses to let the man who destroyed her family go free. So she races after Paul through different universes, always leaping into another version of herself. But she also meets alternate versions of the people she knows—including Paul, whose life entangles with hers in increasingly familiar ways. Before long she begins to question Paul's guilt—as well as her own heart. And soon she discovers the truth behind her father's death is far more sinister than she expected. 

“I meant it when I said I didn’t believe in love at first sight. It takes time to really, truly fall for someone. Yet I believe in a moment. A moment when you glimpse the truth within someone, and they glimpse the truth within you. In that moment, you don’t belong to yourself any longer, not completely. Part of you belongs to him; part of him belongs to you. After that, you can’t take it back, no matter how much you want to, no matter how hard you try.”

First, I want to start by saying I didn't know Claudia Gray was a pseudonym. I happened to see that little fact on her Goodreads profile. Am I the only one that didn't know this??

Now, to the book! Well, audiobook. I've learned that during this stage of my life, audiobooks work best for me. There are no paper pages for little fingers to grab. My husband lost a beloved book this way (and why I keep all of mine on the higher shelves). The twins will be one this month, and they are in EVERYTHING.

I was intrigued by the synopsis for this book, so I downloaded the audiobook from my library. It was the first I had heard of it, so I didn't really know what to think when it started. Gray throws us into the story from the first page. Marguerite is in a body that is both hers and not hers, and doing things that make absolutely no sense. It was great! I loved getting knee-deep into the story before getting more background. My interest was piqued, and I was hooked. I needed to know more!

I did hate how easy it was for Marguerite to blindly want to destroy someone with very little evidence, and only half of the facts. I get that she was emotional and hurt, but if you're going after someone with the intention of killing them (or stranding them in another dimension), you had better be a million percent sure you are correct. There's no room for doubt when someone's life hangs in the balance. You also shouldn't try to kill someone else, but what do I know. 

I was slightly annoyed by the love triangle, but I've never really been a fan. I don't like it when the main character's heart is torn in two different directions. Someone always, always gets hurt.

Everything considered, this was a captivating and unique story. The science aspects weren't confusing, but still complex enough to explain travel to other dimensions. I never felt lost, or that concepts were over my head. Marguerite also never jumped somewhere boring. Her blended background allowed for numerous possibilities, and we get to experience a few of them.

A Thousand Pieces of You makes you think about decisions, and whether each one potentially changes the outcome of your future. Is everything fated, or do the small choices we make have a bigger impact than we know?