I absolutely adored this middle grade book which actually dealt with a lot of tough topics.

The main character twelve doesn’t actually want to train to be a hunter after her whole village and little sister were killed by a raid by another tribe. As such she just holds hatred towards this tribe. When you join the hunters you give up your name and tribe but she just plans to use the training so she can do whatever she wants.
Things don’t go to plan when the lodge is attacked her mentor is killed and one of the girls everyone picks on is kidnapped. So obviously twelve decided she should save her if no one else will. And the giant magic stone dog with her doesn’t have a choice but to let her go as well.

It does include some side characters who join them who are well fleshed out, and a talking stone magic dog. There’s an lgbt side character who is kind of outer by accident but it’s not malicious.

Overall I loved this and it did a lot of brave stuff for a MG novel

Overall

I’m not gonna lie: on a scale from 1 to stunning, the cover for Fireborn is drop-dead gorgeous, okay? I’m not ashamed to admit I 100% was attracted to this book because of that fierce cover. I mean, just look at it. It promises magic and fierceness and stone animals (I know that sounds weird, but bear with me) and FIRE, which is always a good time. Well, usually. In this case, the story definitely delivers on the promise the cover makes.

Fireborn is a coming-of-age adventure filled with magic, danger, and secrets, with not one but TWO animal sidekicks and a banter-filled enemies-to-friends character arc that will utterly steal your heart.

This book was everything I hoped it would be and then some! I’m already dying to read the next book. It took me a minute to get into it (especially since it was hard to empathize with Twelve’s attitude early on, though it doesn’t take long to understand her). Once I was into it, though, I was absolutely hooked and couldn’t put it down. I’d call this one a must-read for anyone who loves middle grade fantasy.

My Thoughts

- Fowler sweeps the reader into a world filled with magic and danger and all sorts of creatures, both delightful and dark. A little bit like Avatar the Last Airbender (but not really), the world is divided into clans. The balance between the clans is rather tenuous, as you might imagine. So the world has the Hunters, which keep the balance and act as a neutral intermediary between them. Well, that’s how it’s supposed to work. Cue our main characters, who are youth at the Hunters Lodge with an impressive amount of baggage and no real clue yet how to actually be real Hunters.

This adventure takes our protagonists far from the safety of the world they’ve known and thrusts them into the “real world,” where they learn the hard way that being a Hunter isn’t always easy. I mean, there are all sorts of dangerous creatures out there in the wilds and, oh my gosh, I just loved them! Some will definitely give readers goosebumps. Some are a little more straightforward but not any less dangerous. I absolutely loved exploring this world, and I can’t wait to see more of it in the next book!

- There is not one but two animal sidekicks in this . . . though I’m not sure Dog really counts as a “sidekick” so much as “older, wiser guardian who is currently questioning his existence and what he did that was so horrible that he’s now stuck with these children.” In other words, Dog is obviously my spirit animal. I mean, haven’t we all been there? Dog’s attitude and personality absolutely crack me up, and I was immediately taken with him. He obviously cares and isn’t a bad person . . . but human children are frustrating and ridiculously exhausting and definitely don’t listen to a thing you tell them.

As if that’s not enough (and let’s be honest, it definitely is), there’s a second animal sidekick: a squirrel named Widge. And Widge isn’t just there for show, either. Widge may not talk like Dog does, but it’s got a definite personality and plays a significant role in the story. Plus, it’s just so stinking cuuuuute!

- The main character, Twelve, is a fun protagonist—not without her faults, of course, but witty and sarcastic and with a backstory that will make you want to just squeeze the stuffing out of her. I mean, she’s still a kid, and kids can be frustrating, and I wouldn’t expect anything less. Still, all the things Twelve has been through and where she’s ended up are amazing, just for her resiliency and strength. Middle grade books isn’t generally where one might think of finding badass female characters, yet here we are. She’s a character that young girls could easily look up to, flaws and everything, especially with the growth she makes in this book.

- Two of my favorite tropes are enemies forced to work together and squads, and Fireborn takes these tropes and makes them its own. To be fair, our little squad of characters aren’t supposed to be enemies. They’re supposed to be working together as Hunters for the betterment of the world and in fairness to all. Buuuut … well, they’re kids. Kids who happen to have tragic backstories, no less. Nemeses will be declared and enemies will be made and that’s just how things are sometimes.

Forcing this particular group into working together, though, is just *chef’s kiss*. I definitely felt bad for poor Dog, who had to deal with them all and be the adult of the group. The banter between them is sarcastic and hilarious, but there’s also a rather delicious tension between them, too. Which is what makes enemies working together so fun. You never know when one of them is bound to snap, and what disastrous circumstances might befall the group then, hmm?

The most satisfying thing about enemies forced to work together in this case (for me, at least) is the fact that they do, against all odds, manage to create a squad vibe. Mostly unintentionally. Definitely against their wishes. But it’s there and I live for it and I want more of it.

This book is propulsive, hugely imaginative, and intense from start to finish. The world-building is exquisite - there are so many scary monsters, and so many aspects of this world feel really well thought-through and fleshed out. Twelve's backstory adds real emotional depth to this book and stops it from becoming 'just' a Quest narrative/action-packed book (although these elements are here in spades too!). I really enjoyed Dog in particular - I thought his quips every so often were really sweet - and also really enjoyed the extra dimension that Five and Six gave.

Can book 2 be out now please??? I'm ready. This was such a whirlwind of a read, it took a while for the story to get going, but when it did - it set off at a pace. I've had loads of young readers come to our shop and when I give them the synopsis they take it home with them - its such a good fantasy - and even a good one for people that don't normally gravitate towards the goblins, trolls, side of magic. Which is me - but I found this SUPER accessible and found myself loving it, and mainly Twelve, because female heroines in magic books are AWESOME!

Thank you to The Write Reads for organizing and inviting me to participate in this blog tour. Thank you, Harper Collins and Net Galley for providing me with an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Fireborn is a middle-grade fantasy book, full of amazing characters, animal companions, magical creatures, and epic adventure that you need to add to your TBR right away.

My favourite part of this book was the main character, Twelve. Twelve is the kind of character that you can’t help but fall in love with. As soon as you meet her, you know she’s going to go on an adventure, both the kind that brings her from point A to point B, and the kind that makes her grow as a person. She’s the kind of character who is stubborn, not afraid to say the first thing that comes to her mind, brave, and talented. If these characteristics aren’t enough to make you fall in love with her, she also has a squirrel companion named Widge, who is super cute!

Another thing that I liked about this book was all of the dangerous creatures that were introduced. While Twelve is on her quest, she and her travelling companions encounter a lot of frightening beasts. I found a lot of these creatures to be quite terrifying while also being pretty cool, which is always a great thing for a fantasy novel.

I also enjoyed the quest that Twelve and her travelling companions went on. It was a quest that I could get behind, and I was rooting for them to be successful while they travelled. There were moments during their quest that had me on the edge of my seat, and these moments made the book incredibly difficult to put down.

I loved all of the twists and turns in this book. It might be because I was quite tired while reading, but I didn’t see most of the twists coming. These surprise twists and turns made the book incredibly enjoyable to read.

The last thing I want to mention is the character development. Twelve goes through a lot in this book, and at the end, she comes out as a better person. Five, Six, and Seven also go through some development, and I enjoyed watching the characters grow as the story went on.

If you’re looking for a new middle grade series to fall in love with, you need to add this to your TBR right away.

Fireborn was such a treat to read, one of those children’s novels that fills you with such emotion and an absolute longing for more of this Fantasy world.

The story starts within the Hunter’s Lodge our main character, Twelve, now resides training to become a Huntling along other children who have forsaken their past lives and learning to protect the various clans from threats outside of it.

Twelve isn’t the easiest kid to get along with others because unlike the others who believe in their duty, to ‘never lower their weapon in the face of darkness, nor allow tyranny to rise.’ she doesn’t believe in that. They believe in protecting the seven clans, that when they join the Hunters are their family and this concept is so fascinating, it is very similar to the Mandalorians. Training to become one, to be part of a unit, the face of a team, and it brings out such unique subtleties between those who conform to that style and those who don’t like Twelve.

She doesn’t want to be a Hunter, she wants to train and take revenge on the clan that killed her family and she is snarky, she is full of retorts and not kind to others, and she is quite ostracised amongst her peers which she doesn’t care about, she’s not here to make friends, but does take pity however reluctantly to Seven, a small girl who isn’t as great at fighting as the others but the only one willing to partner with her.

Then soon enough, the Hunter’s Lodge is under attacked by goblins and ogres (YES THERE IS MAGICAL CREATURES!), and Seven is taken towards the Frozen Forest and for some strange reason, Twelve goes after her.

She is soon joined by the Lodge’s guardian, a stone dog, named Dog (Love the simplicity of this), and a few other kids to find Seven and bring her back where she belongs. This is partly a travelling novel, but done in such a brilliant way because so much happens and it is all shocking like soap opera levels of drama!

The group itself is a very ragtag band of characters, with Twelve gunning down everybody, Dog being the grumpy old person who is looking after the others, another not standing for her nonsense, and the other kid being kind and curious. There is fighting and bickering amongst them and they’re working together, but at what cost? They’re so easy to love because they feel so real!

But the thing I enjoyed most about this, is that it’s a fantasy novel full of danger and adventure, but the characters are what shines, especially in Twelve because she’s only a child, a child who has seen and done too much for her years. Trying to hide the trauma and not get close to others, she is such a visceral and painful character that has such a brilliant character arc.

The way she interacts with her self and her past, connecting it with current events, but also in how she interacts with others on this dangerous mission really give a sense of hope for her character. That there is softness and forgiveness, that life is not as black and white as it seems, and maybe she could build something better for her and the Hunters future.

When Twelve arrived at the hunting lodge she gave up her name and her past to become a Hunter. Sworn to forsake all rivalries in order to protect. But Twelve has a dark past, one which has left her brimming with thoughts of revenge. But when her new home is attacked, and her only friend taken, she must put her own thoughts aside in order to save her. With only a stone guardian dog and her rival huntlings for company, can Twelve find Seven before it's too late?

This was really dark for a children's book, and covers some intense topics including grief, murder and loss. Twelve is a complicated character. At the start of the book she's experienced the worst moments anyone could ever imagine, and it's made her hard and full of rage. She has no friends at the lodge, she feels as though she has no need for them as her mind is too full of hurt and violence to accept anyone else into her life. It makes her sharp, and sometimes even cruel to her fellow huntlings. The only one who seems to get through this barrier is Seven. A girl who seems just as isolated, and bullied by her companions. She has a certain affinity with Twelve. When Seven is taken, Twelve feels it is her duty to find her in order to help make up for what she perceives are her past mistakes.

Joining Twelve is the stone guardian of the lodge. A resolute and surly dog who often despairs are being lumbered with children who hinder his progress, he's also the voice of reason and calm. There's also Five and Six, Twelve's fellow huntlings and her rivals. Five on the face of it is a bully, taunting Twelve and making her feel worse for every mistake she makes. However, looking deeper he's a deeply vulnerable boy who's just looking for love and affection. It just so happens that he tends to speak before he thinks. Six is more an enigma, the quiet and kind one. The brave one. But his past is just as murky as Twelve's. They're all richly developed and interesting characters, and I thought they all worked together well. The same could be said for all the smaller secondary characters we meet too. I found all of them interesting and multi faceted and integra to the plot.

Speaking of plot, I found this fast paced and highly engaging. It's got a intense adventure quest feel to it, as we travel with this small band of characters through various dangerous locations. These are locations that again are well described and detailed to the point where I could richly imagine the mountains and atmospheric forest with all its dangers. If anything I would have liked a bit more information regarding the politics of the world and the influence of the witches that are spoken about, as this played into the plot later on, however overall I thought the world building was really well done. I also did not expect that character plot twist, and visibly gasped as I found myself so deeply involved in these characters and this world.

Epic fantasy adventure, brimming with magic, friendship and a richly imagined world. I cannot wait to see where this goes.

Twelve is a Huntling; she has given up her name and her family ties in order to become a monster fighter and keep the peace between the tribes. She has to train and train and train in order to earn her new name. But during training, Twelve becomes frustrated and ends up locked up for the night as a punishment. During the night, the Hunting Lodge’s walls are breached and a little girl huntling is taken. Twelve seems to be the only one who wants to find her! She teams up with the guardian of the lodge, Dog, and her squirrel Widge on an adventure that will change her life.

Fireborn was absolutely gorgeous. This is a tremendous debut and I cannot wait for more. The magical world is so beautifully realised and I love it. The concept of the tribes and the lodge itself is interesting and I’m looking forward to more world building to come in the next book. The monsters are fearsome and fully believable with fantastic descriptions that help the reader to picture them. Once I was into the story, I could not put it down at all! I know that Year 6 up will adore this book, in the same vein as Amari and Nevermoor (high praise as these are some of my favourites).

The cast of characters are all excellent with some top notch development throughout. Twelve goes on a real journey of learning who she is and discovering how to trust the others around her. There is a real slow burn of the dynamic between her and the other characters which feels so natural. My particular favourite characters are Dog, Widge and the fire creatures. I think most children will want their very own squirrel friend, or dog guardian to take care of them!

A triumphant fantasy debut! Must read for anyone and everyone. 5 out of 5 stars.

I grew up reading some marvelous fantasy series that had been completed long before I found them. The Hobbit/Lord of the Rings followed me home from the library when I was in about third or fourth grade. By that time the books were decades old, though clearly timeless as they moved gracefully into the movies this century. The Chronicles of Narnia and The Wizard of Oz also were venerated classics long before I began reading. OK, long before I was born.



That was part of the excitement that accompanied the releases of the later Harry Potter books. We recognized that a classic of children’s literature was being created in real time, as we waited, and Harry and Hermione and Ron and Ginny grew up along with our own children (those of us who are of a certain age).



There is no way to know this sort of thing before it happens, but Fireborn: Twelve and the Frozen Forest has the feel of a possible classic. Aisling Fowler has created some brilliant characters and populated a magical new world with monsters and villains worthy of her protagonists.



Twelve is a young woman who has become a “Huntling.” She is in training with a cohort of others around her age who have left their families, their clans, their old names in order to train to become Hunters, people who are apart from any one clan to fight monsters and maintain order. Twelve is extraordinarily gifted in weapons and fighting. She is extraordinarily bad at connecting with others. The one person who tries to be her friend is another girl, Seven, who is as absurdly bad at fighting as Twelve is good.



Twelve, though, has a secret. She does not want to become a Hunter. She wants to exact revenge against the people who killed her family. The Hunters are the best warriors in the land, so she hopes to take the skills she learns and use them to kill the clan that fought hers. Hunters are supposed to be independent of any clan and willing to help any in need. Twelve has no intention of fulfilling that role.



When Goblins overrun the academy where Twelve is studying, they capture Seven and kill the senior instructor. Twelve decides to pursue and rescue the closest thing she has to a friend. The journey leads to finding unexpected allies, facing incredible dangers, and ultimately finding Seven in a most unexpected place. Along the way, Twelve also has to confront her past and her present, revisiting her intentions and her choices, acknowledging her guilt and her bitterness.



This is a book intended for younger readers, so older readers will see some of the plot lines developing. Honestly, though, some of the joy of this novel is seeing how well those expectations get met. Fowler delivers at every turn.

Actual rating 3.5/5 stars. This is the first instalment in the Fireborn series.

Twelve was once a little girl belonging to another name. Now she is just a number in a sea of children training to hunt the monsters of Embers. What differs her from the others around her is her reason for being there. Heroic visions fill the thoughts of others but ones of revenge dominate hers.

This was such a fun and adventurous MG story with a great moral ending. Darkness seemed determined to dog our protagonist throughout these pages but she proved she had a plucky personality and a brave heart by overcoming all, even, eventually, her own demons.

I loved the trials she overcame, both physical and emotional, and the supporting cast around her, whose personalities were slowly revealed as Twelve just as steadily opened herself to them. I'm very eager to discover what the second series instalment has in store for her.

Fireborn is a magical debut novel.

The author has an incredible world-building talent. The story mesmerized and entertained from the opening pages.

Twelve is a complex character that creates instant sympathy and a great connection with the reader. Her desire for revenge is the key behind her warrior training to defend the work of Ember. How many more obstacles will fate throw in her way?

I received a copy of the book from NetGalley for a Write Reads blog tour. This review is my honest, unbiased opinion.

'Fireborn: Twelve and The Frozen Forest' by Aisling Fowler is a fantasy novel aimed at middle grade children but let me tell you I was away with Twelve as soon as I delved into this amazing story
Ember is full of monsters. Twelve gave up her name and identity to train in the art of hunting them–so she says. The truth is much more deadly: she trains to take revenge on those who took her family from her.
But when Twelve’s new home is attacked, she’ll find herself on an unexpected journey, where her hidden past is inescapably intertwined with her destiny–and the very fate of her world.
A story that overflows with monsters, secrets and off course adventure. Ember is a world like no other and I was immersed and enthralled with this and the varied and vivid characters Aisling Fowler brings to life.
Fireborn throws the action at you almost as soon as you settle into it. Then it racks it up so you are forever wanting to know more and more. Not always a light read it brings shades of darkness also but gives a glimmer of light, almost like hope shining through. The story has its twists which do bring unexpected results and had me feeling quite emotional too.
Twelve is a girl who we first see as if anger was bubbling over and her fiestiness was there plain to see. As we discover her back story she becomes so much more understandable and relatable. The friendships we witness developing as the story unfolds seem to become positive influences for her along with her squirrel, Widge. Here we see her vulnerable side and it throws a whole new light on this sad, angry girl who is ready to fight the world. I found her an interesting character whose development was slowly unfurling as I made my way through the book. Her trust of other people did begin to grow with Five and Six and that was lovely to see...specially with the task ahead of them as well.
A sparkly, magical fantasy adventure tale that I am lucky enough to be able to say I have read. The plot is a fast paced one which I just soaked up, almost like osmosis! The characters are all magnificently created, each with their own unique voices that play their part in this wondrous tale. I felt like I had been whisked away for the time it took me to read it...and it ended way too soon for me! Really looking forward to Twelve's next chapter!
A massive thank you to @TheWriteReads and Aisling Fowler for my gorgeous copy of this fantastical book and my place on the #UltimateBlogTour.

Best epic children's fantasy since Podkin!

An angry heroine journeys through an icy world, battling demons within and without. Beautifully told story of courage in the face of monsters & harrowing personal histories. Full of fighting, hurting & healing. ❄⚔
#NetGalley #Fireborn https://t.co/yRt35jElRC

Oh this was such a sweet middle grade book! ok not exactly sweet because there was a fair bit of fighting and violence, drama and chaos, but all in a very children friendly way!

I loved the characters and the plot. For the age group, i found it was very layered and dramatic!

The cover is also beautiful, its what drew me into reading this in the first place

This is exactly the kind of book I would have changed my life as a kid – the main character is grumpy and doesn’t care about whether or not people like her, but she’s loyal and will do the right thing when it matters. I love a character that’s bold enough to not care about being liked, knowing that their actions define them and not the opinions of others, especially when that character is a teenager.

Throughout the story, Twelve learns that she needs to make an effort with the people whose opinions do matter – she’s thrown into an adventure with other young Hunters and fighting side by side teaches her the value of teamwork.

Even better, there’s no insta-love between any of the characters – they’re all very different personalities, not yet sure who they’re going to be as adults, and not entirely keen on one another. They all have their sharp edges which mean that making friends is never going to be easy, rather than an instant easy companionship their relationships take time to develop and that’s one of the hooks of this story, you can’t make any assumptions about how things are going to turn out. Even better, all of them have their own gifts and strengths to contribute to the story, this isn’t The Chosen One and her merry band of sidekicks.

Like every great YA fantasy novel, there are magical animal companions: Dog the guardian who is in some ways more mature than the children and helps to protect and guide them, while also being their peer. His bond with Twelve definitely makes me feel all warm inside!

Through a lens of fantasy violence and adventure, complete with betrayals and terrifying monsters, this book is a coming-of-age story with really valuable lessons like ‘you don’t have to act on your emotions just because you have them’ and ‘base your opinions on what you see, not what other people tell you’. I would happily recommend this book to readers 10+, with plenty for all ages to take from the story.

I can't wait to read the next instalment as it's an epic and gripping saga.
Twelve is an intriguing character, full of rage and strong. She's the girl I would have liked to meet when i started reading fantasy.
The author is a good storyteller, world building and character development are excellent.
Highly recommended.
Many thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for this ARC, all opinions are mine

GOOD NIGHT TO READ REVIEW

This action packed fantasy takes the reader on a non stop thrill ride as the audacious Twelve begins a perilous quest. Tragedy has led her to the Hunting Lodge where warriors are trained to pledge their lives to serve the clans.

I pledge my life to the Hunting Lodge.

I vow to serve all seven clans as my own,

to protect them from what lies beyond.

I forsake all blood ties and blood feuds,

to offer up my name and my past.

The Hunters are my family now and always.

I swear before them that I will never lower my weapons

in the face of darkness

nor allow tyranny to rise.”

Fowler expertly builds the believable tribal world of Ember, intercut with revealing flashbacks to Twelve’s raison d’etre. Her narrative resonates with vivid imagery, nail biting cliff-hanger moments, rounded character arcs, exhilarating set pieces and plot twists. The reader is encouraged to explore and hungrily devour the next chapter.

Atmospheric and sensory writing reveals protagonists as loyal as Sam Gamgee, as conflicted as Katniss and as complex as Lyra. Throughout there is a sense of unease as obstacles grow more dangerous,

But Twelve knew they weren’t alone. She could feel it in the way her skin crawled and in the soft rustling that seemed to be all around them at once.”

Who can be trusted? Will Twelve, her plucky squirrel companion Widge, magical stone Guardian Dog, Five and Six succeed in their mission? What are they hiding? What are their deepest desires? Will the eerie and sinister Frozen Forest keep them captive?

With a cast full of creepy creatures akin to your worst nightmares, including a malevolent tree spirit who is the opposite of an Ent and the horrifying Ygrex, Twelve and her companions have treacherous traps to navigate. Haunted by terrifying dreams and guilt, she is in danger of disappearing,

“She felt on a precipice, fury and desperation propelling her towards a dark edge.”

Can she be pulled back before it’s too late?

Fowler’s evocative writing sets the pace for an explosive denouement as destructive secrets and lies threaten to implode. With scope for a sequel, where readers will learn more about this immersive world, Twelve’s adventures will absorb fans of The Lord of the Rings, The Northern Lights, Harry Potter, and readers who appreciate epic fantasy fiction with emotional depth.

Rating- 4 Chocolate Libraries

Many thanks to #Net Galley for making an ARC available and @The_WriteReads @WriteReadsTours @HarperCollinsCh @fowler_aisling for including Good Night To Read on their #UltimateBlogTour for #Fireborn #AislingFowler #TheWriteReads.

I took part in the blog tour for this book and my, was it a good one!

The Fireborn book blog tour is here and I cannot wait to share this great read with you all! A huge thank you to The Write Reads and Aisling Fowler for hosting this tour and letting me get involved!

Firstly, what a beautiful read. In Fireborn, the world building is in so much depth and really makes you feel completely absorbed within the story as if you are there yourselves.

We follow our lead character Twelve, who is one of several hunters in training. They all have numbers as their names until they become fully fledged hunters. The characters in this story, although set in a fantasy world, they are very relatable with all of the troubles they have been through and what they will also go through too. They set foot on a mission where they will grow as people and hunters.

There is a lot of self discovery in this book, which I love! I thoroughly enjoyed going on this life journey with all of the training hunters and really felt a connection with the characters and the world around them.

Twelve, our main character, has spoken the vow that made her a huntling. She had to give up her name and forget about her past in order to learn how to fight against the monsters of Ember and protect all the clans from evil (not just her own). Twelve, for her young age, comes with quite a lot of emotional baggage, but it is only slowly revealed bit by bit what happened to her and her family in the past. By speaking the vow, she and the other students in the lodge are forbidden from speaking of their past. But whatever it is that’s happened, it made Twelve hard. And a bit cold, at least on the outside. She is brave, she is determined, she is strong, and she has a plan – one we find out about only later in the novel. I have to admit, she isn’t amazingly likeable at first, even though through her hard outer shell I could see some light, some softness, though well hidden at first.

Most of the other students in the lodge dislike Twelve. Not so Seven, a shy, kind, clumsy girl that annoys Twelve. Or so she acts, but you could tell from the start that deep inside, Twelve cares about Seven, too. And then, suddenly, their camp gets attacked by a group of creepy goblins and stinking ogres. And they take Seven. A hunt begins… and of course, Twelve isn’t leaving the search for Seven to others… Will she find her before it’s too late?

I loved how the world building is done in this book. It is very detailed without being too ‘info-dump-y’, and I could see everything very clearly in front of me. Set in a cold, dark, bleak world, there is not much to smile about in the lodge. However, Seven made it a much better place in my opinion. I was feeling sad for her – nobody seemed to recognise or appreciate her kind spirit. I also loved Widge, Twelve’s pet squirrel. I loved that she was given Widge by Seven who thought Twelve would be better at taking care of the little munchkin than herself. Seven has many weaknesses, all of which make her an easy target and a liability in the lodge. Nobody really knows why she is there – she is clumsy, she can’t hold a weapon, and worst of all, she can’t fight. On top of that, she also has a stutter. She made me feel protective of her the second we met her character.

We meet some other characters early on, too. Five and Six, two boys who seem to be best friends but are very different from one another. Five is strong and mean and comes across like a bully. Six is understanding and kind. Of course, Five doesn’t like Twelve – she is the best fighter in the camp, even the weaponmaster says so. So when the three of them have to fight as an unlikely team, it makes for a very interesting situation. Will they get over their differences in order to find Seven, or will they rip each other’s heads off first?

I really liked that Twelve had to go on the journey with Five. We learn early on that she is not a team player, but we don’t know why. Five, of course, isn’t in any way up for teamwork with her either. The cold, dark landscape they have to travel, where prying eyes and dark monsters could be behind every tree, hiding behind every bush, the coldness and the ice make for an interesting backdrop. I liked the detailed description of the weapons, the lodge, the fighting classes, and later the journey. It made me feel like I’m part of the story!

I have read a LOT of middle grade in the past couple of years and there were some rather spooky and also some darker ones amongst them, and with Fireborn I had the feeling it might be rather for older children, teens or adults. I can’t pinpoint exactly what made me think that, I think it’s just the overall themes and the setting all in all. But older kids or adult readers and fans of fantasy will definitely race through this book just like I did. For myself I just wish we had some more bits like Seven and Widge that would have given the book a bit more lightness and taken away from the sometimes rather heavy feeling, but that is just personal preference.

I was a bit confused about so many of the names being numbers in the beginning, but then again every single one of the students is so distinct, so unique, that keeping them apart is not really a problem at all. Some of the monsters we encounter are harder to fight than others, and some of them were really horrible! Twelve remembers what she learned about them in class upon meeting them, and so they come with a number of how aggressive they are out of ten and how hard it is to fight and incapacitate them. If anyone has ever tried Ringfit Adventures on the Switch – it reminded me a bit of that lol.

4.5 stars from me for this captivating high fantasy adventure!

If a book is inspired by Buffy the Vampire Slayer, then I want to read it!! And it's been a total blast of a reading experience and I'm eagerly awaiting more of the series if they're all going to be like this!

At the heart of the story is Twelve, an inspiring female character who is full of rage and anger, but uses that to fight monsters and to right the wrongs of the world she finds herself living in. She's a bit of an outsider, seen as a weirdo by some of her classmates, but she just doesn't care! With her pet squirrel, Widge, by her side, she soon finds herself setting off to save a friend. I really got the Lyra (His Dark Materials) vibes about her as a character - she's determined, loyal and very stubborn!

This story has a good mix of the dark and light, it does sometimes get a bit bleak but that really gets you on side with Twelve and understands why she is doing what she's doing. Her journey is mixed with flashbacks to happier times with her family, and you wonder what messages she is meant to take from these dreams she keeps getting.

It's a story of magic and monsters, adventure and adversity, battles and betrayals and I loved it! Bring on the next installment!!