What I Loved
Fireborn is an epic fantasy tale that just amazed me with its scope and depth. Children with no place else to go can come to the Hunting Lodge, let go of the past, and train to be part of a new family that protects all their world's seven clans. By its very nature, the Hunting Lodge trains heroes. The great world-building brought to life a land very different from our own that is full of dangerous and magical creatures but also has familiar and cute animals like Widget, the main character's pet squirrel.

The theme of friendship brings about an epic journey to find the kidnapped Seven, a young girl who is not very good with weapons but has something that the evil goblins want. Five, Six, and Twelve, the main character, set off with the stone guardian Dog and learn about teamwork, sacrifice, and the importance of the vows that govern their lives in the Lodge. Their path's many life and death dangers keep the pace very quick and the pages turning faster and faster. There is barely time to catch your breath before the rescue team faces a new creature or obstacle.

An omniscient narrator works very well in this story. It allows the world to be described in intricate detail that is necessary to understand and visualize it. The characters are so well-detailed that you feel their pain as they each grapple with the past tragedies that brought them to the Lodge. And the creatures are described in enough detail so that I did not have any trouble imagining them and the danger they presented.

Characters

Twelve is the main character. A thirteen-year-old girl who is physically strong, has a large chip on her shoulder, and pushes everybody away swiftly and surely. Despite that, I couldn't help feeling compelled by her pain to root for her successes. I love how she consciously learns from her mistakes, determined not to repeat them, and how her determination continues until she is to the point of recklessness. Her relationship with Widge, her pet squirrel, humanizes her to the point that, at times, she is even likable. I also enjoyed her numbered teammates – Five, Six, and Seven and loved watching them learn to work together, protect each other, and show love and compassion even when faced with peril. And Dog deserves mention too. The steadfast guardian easily won my heart as he went against his instincts and helped the huntlings on their journey.

Reminds Me Of
I am at a loss for what this story reminds me of. It is a story that basks in originality.

What I Wish
I don't have any technical wishes, as this book is spot on in all categories. My only wish, then, is that Twelve continues to let her heart grow and build to nurture those connections she made in this story.

Trigger Warnings


To Read or Not to Read
This is a fantasy tale intended for the middle grades reader, but the scope and depth are so epic that they should easily appeal to older readers. I am blown away by this story and believe you should join me and the characters on this epic journey.

This was a book that I was super excited to read! And I was not disappointed.

Fireborn is a fantasy debut that is coming out on Septemer 30th 2021 and I would highly recommend getting your hands on a copy when it comes out. It’s a middle-grade fantasy filled with adventure, action, a quest, a ragtag group of heroes, and plenty of twists and turns to keep you on your toes.

I loved the story and the characters in this book. Some of them I found I took a while to like but they slowly grew on me. I liked Twelve from the start but Six and Five took a while for me to like. Mainly because Five started off as being mean and a bit of a bully towards the main character Twelve and also to Seven, who was a nice girl but a little odd, neither of them quite fit in so where often out-casted by the other children.

If you’re wonder why they have numbers for names it’s because when they come to the Hunting Lodge they cut all times from before; their names, their family, everything from the past is left behind and they start anew. They only get to chose a new name when they pass their final test in the Blooding after years of training.

This story starts with Twelve and the others training, nice and normal everyday life. But that soon turns on it’s head and everything turns into chaos.

There was a lot to discover in about this world and I can easily see how this could become an expansive series. I loved the world that was created in this book and I would love to get to explore more.

Overall, I think that this was a really good story. With a great world, magic system, and intriguing characters. The pacing was good, although a little slow at times and then a bit too fast at others. I do have some questions and would like some more detail about some things, but hopefully they will be explored in another book. I’m unsure if this is the first book in a series or not but I definitely hope there is more to come from this world and these characters.

If you like middle-grade fantasy with a unique world and plot, characters that grow and develop, magic, magical creatures, with lots of plots twists then you should definitely give this book a try!

Fireborn is the first in a new fantasy series for tweens. Based on the writing here, I hope the series runs for a long time.

Twelve is part of a group of young teens training to be Hunters, protectors of the scattered clans loosely allied together against their savage world. Relationships between the clans are starting to break down, and attacks are becoming far more common, but the trainees are safe inside their unbreachable compound.

Until they aren't.

I'm sorry to tell you this, but my favourite character is not Twelve (although she is awesome) or Five (although he grew on me after a while) or even Six and Seven (both cool in their own ways.) Widge is pretty great too, but it's still not him. No; like a lot of other people, my favourite character is Dog, and he became so after a certain scene in a certain forest with some certain other characters. (Trying so hard not to spoil anyone!)

There are some fabulous, really imaginative sequences here. Aisling isn't relying on the usual cliches of this kind of fiction, and both the action scenes and the quieter, character scenes are fantastic. They work together to build the story and every single scene adds to the larger arc.

I can't wait to see what new adventures there are - going by this one, there are some wonderful adventures in store. This one's going to be great.

First of all I want to let it known that I actually was dreaming about this book last night. I can't say exactly what I was dreaming about as it's a spoiler and yes my reviews tend to have some spoilers in them I'm not going to give away the major events. So let's just say that I will be keeping my eyes peeled for the next book, I'm assuming there is going to be a book two.

Twelve is at the Hunters Lodge, her family, her village have been all murdered and destroyed. So having no where else to go she ends up there. At the Hunters Lodge you are trained form young huntlings to full on hunters, who help all the clans in fighting monsters and other creatures. The catch with the this group is that you are to leave your past behind, who you were, your family, your feuds, your name. And after you finally have your blooding you become a full hunter and chose your own name.

Twelve doesn't want to make any friends, even when timid Seven tries so very hard to be kind to her. She doesn't want to connect with anyone. Hope is something she wants nothing of. She's not there to be a hunter, she wants the skills to get revenge on the cave clan who murdered her family.

After getting in to a fight with Five, her enemy in the lodge both are to spend a night in the dungeons and that is when it all starts to happens. She wakes to commotion and goblins coming up through the tunnels. Lucky for her she has her best friend, Widge, a tiny squirrel to help get her the keys to get out.

This was a fanatic book, a tad slow in the start but once we got into the tick of it, it nonstop action. A kid has been taken from the lodge during the attack, the hunters don't seem to be doing anything Twelve takes it upon herself to go out and find them. Two other huntlings have the same idea, and together they disgruntling work together facing monsters, and each other, to find the student who has been kidnapped.


Fireborn is well written and exciting. Middle graders will enjoy this and well so will adults (I'm one).

There was one twist that I did not see coming, involving a character that I was liking and boy was I wrong. I was so happy to see talking trees, but then I wasn't can't tell you why because it's a spoiler.

There is one overall main lesson in this story and that's, it's never too late to be the person you want to become. Fully grown adults like myself can learn from that too.

So if you like animal companions, rivals having to work together, monsters, talking trees, characters that grow and find themselves then be sure to pick up your own copy of Fireborn.


Thank you The Write Reads and Harper Collins for the chance to read and review this book.

This is definitely going to be a series for lovers of worldbuilding. The worldbuilding is what really stood out to me. I feel we only got a glimpse at some of the fun and interesting areas this book could go. From the complex clan system, the function of the hunters, the lore of all the beasts and the forest that they live in, the various magic systems there was just so much detail. I feel we barely got to scratch the surface on all of these aspects and I really wanted to learn more and more about each element. They really painted a picture of an interesting and magical world that also seemed dark and dangerous yet full of adventure. The worldbuilding alone definitely has me wanting more stories from this world.

I enjoyed the characters too. Twelve was an interesting main character, angry, hurt, resilient and strong but also humble. I do wish we had got a little more insight into the boys, Five and Six, as a feel the conflicts and friendships between the huntlings were not fully explained. I am however always a sucker for animal companions, especially sassy ones and this book treated us to two. Dog was great. The authority and care, acting as guide and protector as well as our Huntling’s access to the Lore of the land they were exploring was such a fun character. While Widge had an almost classic Disney-esque quality as a non-verbal animal companion ( I know he was a squirrel but I could help imagining a chipmunk like Chip ‘n’ Dale) .

The Plot had a few ups and downs for me. I loved the sense of adventure and the twist at the end was fantastic, but there were a few slower moments that just seemed a little out of place. There was a scene with a giant spider that was reminiscent of the hobbit but lacked the drama for me. It seemed very obvious a way to shoehorn in a character so that major changes could be made in a very very short space of time in order for the twist to happen. I almost wonder if a lot of the journey/adventure was cut out to get the book down to size as the pace change was very abrupt to me.

I have some mixed feelings about the writing style. I loved that it didn’t shy away for the anger Twelve felt over the lose of her family. We got to experience her survivors guilt, her grief and her anger in very subtle ways. These were done really well. However, there were also moments when I felt the narration talked down to the reader a little and read more like the classic middle grades than more modern stories where the authors don’t shy away from putting more complex language and themes in front of their middle grade readers. It made it read a little younger than the 8-12 age range this is aimed at which was a little disappointing, However these moments were few and far between and didn’t distract too much from how fun the plot was and how strong the worldbuilding is. And again that twist in the end was one I just couldn’t see coming so was a great surprise.

Overall I enjoyed this book. It was a fun read and is sure to be a fun series. However, the blurb does make some strong claims and Twelve just wasn’t quite a Lyra or a Lucy for me personally but I can see someone loving her just as much. It was fun and interesting and I really liked the way it resolved so overall I think it is a good read.

I had heard quite a bit of hype heading into Fireborn by Aisling Fowler, and I can confidently say that it is justified. I loved the plot, and all of the characters worked so well together; I can't wait to see where the rest of the series will go.

The characters in Fireborn are so well thought out, and they work incredibly well as individuals and as a group. I love our main character Twelve and can't wait to see more of her. I think she is a brilliant main character as she possesses great strength and goes on a personal journey throughout the book and learns that while she can be strong, it is okay to let other people in. I also love the friends she eventually gains along the story and how they all come together after going through such hardships, which I think is really important for children to see. A special mention does have to go to Dog and Widge, who I think are brilliant animal companions, and I now just want my own pet squirrel.

The plot of Fireborn is not that complex, but that doesn't detract from what Aisling Fowler has achieved. She has packed in a lot in a small number of pages which I really appreciated as it means that there is never a dull moment where my interest was dropping. I was constantly wondering what would happen next to the group, and the ending really surprised me, which is not easy to do. I think this is because she creates such a great atmosphere through her world building, which you don't even notice is being done. Fireborn is definitely on the darker, more scary side of fantasy middle grades that I have read, but I actually appreciated that because it fits with the setting and helped move the story along.

While Fireborn is a fantasy book, there are still some really important messages within the book, which I think will resonate with the intended age group. I really appreciated this as Aisling Fowler very much masked them within the plot, but they stood out as important learning moments for all of the characters as well as the wider audience.

I can't wait to get my hands on the sequel to Fireborn, as I think Aisling Fowler has set up a lot for the next books in the series, and I can't wait to see what direction they are going to take. If you love atmospheric fantasy books, I highly recommend checking out Fireborn because I think any age of fantasy reader will fall in love with it.

Before I gush about how much I loved this book let me give you a little teaser. Children from different clans decide to join the Hunter's lodge for different reasons. Some because they are not wanted by their families or their clans or they are seeking the power that the Lodge offers, but every child in the Lodge is there for a reason. In this book, we follow four of those children. Children who have given up their names, and clan identities to serve as a single body at the Lodge. Now named, Five, Six, Seven and Twelve. After a fight in the yard, Five and Twelve are sent to the dungeons as punishment but they got more than a sleepless night.

The Hunter's Lodge train fighter and people who honour their sacred pledge to serving all seven clans equally, to protect the people of said clans from the darkness and tyranny of the wild (mostly magical creatures that are rising again after the dark war - as always humans are the most terrifying of the creatures). The clans are known to fight each other but the hunters ensure that everyone remains at peace.

So at night when the enemy breaks through the impenetrable walls of the Lodge and kidnaps a student (Seven), everyone is at their wits end. Twelve who seems to have finally found a 'friend' in Seven decides to go after the Goblins and get her friend back. This takes her on an adventure of friendship, family, self-realization, danger and most importantly self-love! Twelve learns that no man is an island and she cannot do everything by herself.

I mean I could go on and on but I think the most important part of this book is both self-forgiveness and friendship. Twelve has always in some way hated herself for the death of her sister and her whole village. The poor girl had to dig holes to bury the bodies, you can understand that she is broken and that it would shape itself into anger and vengeance. But when she finds out that the clan she has hated for so long as produced people she now calls her friends, she is immediately disgusted and angry. I am happy that she realized that it was not their fault.

Five was such a fascinating character. I wished he was explored a bit more. One thing we do know is that he is queer, he likes Six and he is a very witty person. The Oakhammer really did them dirty with letting him spill his feelings for Six. I thought it was sad but it was cute to see how they related to each other later. I was happy that Six did not have any internalized homophobia or anything like that. I just wished they had a conversation about it. Hopefully in the next book.

I read this book as part of the blog tour hosted by The Write Reads. Special thanks to Harper Collins Children UK for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review. 4.5 stars!

I've come to really enjoy middle-grade fantasy in the past year and Fireborn has everything I love about the genre! This is a story with found family vibes, heartwarming friendships, realistic characters, funny (animal and magical) sidekicks, vivid world-building, and plenty of fast-paced action! Had I not had a busy work week, I would've devoured this in one sitting but it's the kind of story that once you put it down, you can't wait to pick it back up (at least it was for me). It was silly of me to think that I knew what was going to happen because there were also some twisty turns that really surprised me! While I do wish that the reasoning behind some of those twists had been better explained, I know this is just the beginning and I have no doubt we're going to find out much more in the book(s) to come and I can't wait!

The world-building is naturally woven into the plot and it was done very well, plus the writing was very atmospheric and really made the story come alive. I will say that it is a fairly bleak atmosphere at times—this is probably one of the more grim MG fantasies I've read in a while—but it fit the story perfectly. What I really enjoyed was how we learn about some of the monsters/creatures encountered in the quest through 'A Magical Beastiary'. This book gives us brief snippets about the creature plus stats (on a scale of 10) on aggression, the danger posed, and difficulty to disable, and it reminded me of video games where we have the same type of monster index that gets filled in after each battle. Some of the monstrous creatures in this were really horrifying, like the Ygrex and Cavecrawllers (omg, those things were nasty!), but we also had some mischievous firesprites, malevolent tree spirits, and the adorable and magical moxie, Foxpaw.

"We fought each other cruelly and loved each other completely. We were sisters. You must know that?"

There are strong themes of grief and loss in this story and it's especially prevalent in Twelve's arc. That said, all of the characters in this story are intriguing and complex—they are flawed and they feel real. While on the surface it might seem they have no commonality except for giving up their lives and identities to become Hunters, they all have dark pasts that see them having to overcome loss and grief, and it comes out in each character in very different ways. In Twelve, it manifests as bitter anger and I have to admit that there were moments where I had a hard time liking her character because some of the things she'd say were sharp and hurtful, making it hard to look past that despite her tragic past. She also carries a lot of guilt at the loss of her family, especially of her sister Poppy, but as she dives into her quest to save Seven, and reluctantly gets to know Five and Six, the more she has to reckon with her past in order to ensure her future will be different (and better).

"Forgiveness is not the same as indifference. There is always a choice..."

Aside from Twelve, we get to know more about Five and Six, who join her in the rescue mission. There's a lot of antagonistic vibes between Twelve and Five and those two were pretty nasty to each other. Despite really disliking a lot of what Five said and did at the beginning, it wasn't very hard to see who he really is underneath. I was surprised by how he grew on me! In contrast to Five's somewhat obnoxious personality, Six is more like a quiet defender. He's loyal, especially to Five, but he also speaks up when something is wrong and I admired that about his character. It was nice to see him open up more as the story progressed but I do wish that we learned more about his history and the complicated relationship he has with one of the characters. Accompanying these three are Widge, Twelve's adorable sidekick and squirrel companion, as well as Dog, Glorious Guardian of the Hunting Lodge. There's nothing I love more than cheeky and loveable secondary characters, and these two fit that bill to perfection! I loved them so much and I can't wait to get more of them! 😍 I also have to mention that although I hated the villain, obvs, they were very interesting and complex! I'm very curious to learn more about them in future books and seeing what exactly led them to choose this dark and destructive path.

Overall, I'm so glad that this was put on my radar and I'm so very eagerly anticipating the next book in this series!

Fireborn was a fun and action packed novel that I simply couldn't put down. At the Hunters Lodge you have to forsake your name and clan if you are to become one of the elite Hunters, something Twelve could do easily if it gets her closer to carrying out her revenge plan on the people who killed her family. But when the lodge is attacked, and another trainee hunter kidnapped, Twelve finds herself on a journey with the unlikeliest of suspects. Friendships are formed and secrets from her past are brought into the light, secrets that could change not just Twelve, but the world itself.

Twelve was such a fantastic character. She is resilient, strong but also lonely. Loosing her family, and her revenge plot has taken over her life. Though she would never admit it, the loss of her family makes her unwilling and scared to let anyone get close to her and I loved seeing her character growth through this book. She went from thinking that working alone was always better to realising that having friends, being part of a team makes you stronger, and I loved seeing her form bonds with other characters.

Though the story is told soley from Twelves POV we are introduced to a multitude of other characters, from Six, Five and Seven her fellow trainees to the Guardian of the lodge, a talking stone dog who I loved! Every single character has a part to play in Twelves story and character growth, and I defy you to not fall a little in love with every single one of them.

The world Fowler creates for this book is just so magical. Filled with a wide range of creatures, some friendly and some definitely not, she manages to take us on a journey through her world that is filled with emotion, danger and some epic battle scenes. One thing I loved was Twelve coming to the realisation that not all creatures were 'evil' and I'm hoping this is something that will be focused if this becomes a series. Fowlers descriptive writing absolutely brings her world to life and makes sure you are on the edge of your seat for the slightly more life fearing scenes... and there are plenty of them. She adds little intermissions from the 'beastiary' which give us an insight into the creatures that roam the world, and she also gives us little tit bits about the different clans that really help bring her world to life.

Relationships play a large part in this story, and I did love seeing Twelve open herself up to friendship with her fellow hunters. Fowler really showed how shutting yourself off can be more dangerous than working as a team, and I enjoyed seeing Twelves barriers being slowly brought down page by page. We also get some Queer rep which is so rare in MG novels.

If you love a good coming of age story filled with twists and turns, with a beautifully rendered world and some brilliantly written characters then look no further. I'm seriously hoping that this becomes a series because I would LOVE to travel to the different clans and learn a little more about their beliefs/cultures. Fireborn was a fun and adventurous read for fans of all ages.

I’m sure I speak for many people when I say that I saw the cover for Fireborn and it was love at first sight. Yes, you can’t judge a book by its cover – but you can judge a cover, and Fireborn has a stunning cover that promises magic and adventure.

Fireborn more than delivers on that promise.

The world-building was absolutely fantastic, and Fowler draws you into her world right from the very beginning of the book. This is a world that lives and breathes just as surely as the characters that grace the pages of these books, and what a world – there is darkness and danger, which the Lodge and the Hunters stand against as a beacon of light. It was so easy to envisage this world, because the descriptions were so vivid and believable, from life in the Lodge to the environment that the group travel through, to the weird, scary and downright dangerous creatures that inhabit this world. These creatures are the dominant focus of the world-building, with some familiar, and some truly unique creations, and I love how Fowler gives us information about them through descriptions taken from the bestiary used by our main character Twelve. The extracts were fascinating, and I enjoyed how the creaturs were ranked in terms of danger, difficulty and aggression and it was an ingenious way to get the information across without lengthy info-dumps that would take away from the thrill and risk of the encounters with such creatures.

As much as I loved the world – it was the characters that stole the show, especially our protagonist Twelve. I loved her from the beginning, even when her attitude and interactions with others made her difficult to lack. She had steel in her that appealed to me, and as we got to know more about her and what she had lost and sacrificed she continued to grow on me and is absolutely my favourite. We get to see Twelve learn and grow so much throughout Fireborn, both in terms of herself and who she is beneath the prickly exterior she shows the world, but also in her relationships with those around her. What, I especially liked is that for all that she does and faces, and her skill with her axes, she is very much still a child and growing up, with the impulsivity and general attitude that comes with that age.

Twelve was my favourite, but she doesn’t steal the show. Fowling has created a wonderful cast of characters, from the teachers and Elders at the Lodge, to those who join Twelve on her adventure. Plus there are two animal companions who have such wonderfully different personalities and add so much to the story and the group but in very different ways. Widge the squirrel is adorable, and might not be able to communicate in the same way as Dog does, but still manages to get his point across and help in his own way. Dog is fantastic, and you can’t help but feel for him as the ‘designated adult’ trying to ride herd on a group of children, especially one that struggles to get along. Some of the things that he said in response to them had me cracking up, and his personality and attitude bleed through every moment (and I would argue that there are times when he comes close to stealing the show). The other companions, Five and Six, also add interesting dynamics to the group – although Five took a while for me to warm to, because of his attitude and behaviour towards the beginning, but this group and the story would have missed out without him – and I ended up loving both of them.

Fireborn is a middle-grade story with a heart and soul that will appeal to readers of all ages because its themes are those that will resonate regardless of your age. This is a story of friendship and found families – and I loved how that was dealt with here, and honestly putting this particular group together as a family was ingenious and it takes work, but it is all the stronger for that. It also deals with heavier topics including bullying and prejudice, as well as dealing with grief and adversity, and it does them well, without losing the magic of being a fantastical adventure and that takes skill.

Fireborn is a fantastic read, exciting and gripping from start to finish, and I would recommend it to everyone regardless of their age. I know my younger self would have found solace in this story, while I loved it and enjoyed every single part of this story, and I think Fireborn would be an excellent stepping stone for anyone wanting to step into fantasy.

I read this book for a blog tour, so thank you so much to the blog tour organiser, the author, publisher and NetGalley for giving me the opportunity to read this book. All opinions are my own.

Trigger warnings: grief, dead parents, dead siblings, violence, mention of war, kidnap, blood, injuries, death, poison, nightmares, fire.

Fireborn by Aisling Fowler is a middle-grade fantasy story that has an epic quest, a ragtag group of youngsters, and some great twists and turns.

I loved the world that was created for this book, and I feel like there is still so much to discover, I can see this becoming a really expansive series, which I’m very glad of. I could completely imagine the world, the places, the feelings and the atmosphere, so I think it was really well-plotted and imagined.

Twelve was a character I liked from the start of this book, and while I wasn’t a fan of Five to start off with, or Seven for some reason, as the story went on, I got a better insight into them, and other characters and liked them more. At the end, I found that all the characters had come a long way, so I liked seeing their development. My favourite character, besides Twelve, was Dog because he was so intriguing, and I just liked him from the get-go, don’t really know why though ahah.

Overall, I think this whole world, the magic system and the characters were really great, and it was definitely a great start to a new middle-grade fantasy series that I will be reading the next book of!

The pacing was good, a bit slow at some points, and a bit too fast at others, but it is the first book in a series (well, I think it is… right?), so it doesn’t bother me as I think it will even out in the next book! I did like the writing style though, I thought it flowed nicely, and I definitely enjoyed my time reading this book.

I gave Fireborn 4 stars and I enjoyed reading this one. I found it really unique, but I definitely need more information about so many things, which I’m hoping to get in the next instalment in this series.

If you like middle-grade fantasy with a unique setting and plot, characters that develop and grow, magic, magical creatures and lots of plot twists and the trigger warnings don’t bother you, then I highly recommend, and I think you would love it!

Fireborn is a middle grade fantasy that revolves around a flawed and friendless young girl, Twelve, who happens to be quite good with a pair of axes. In fact she is so good with them that no one wants to get too close to her, except unpopular Seven and her pet squirrel, Widge.

She is constantly in trouble and she gets a fair amount of stick from the others in the Hunting Lodge, a home for a group of fighters, called Hunters, that protect the land from the evils amd monsters that plague it. The main culprit for having a go at Twelve is too big for his boots, Five and his partner in crime, Six.

One evening, after hearing Five remonstrating that she is a bad apple, she pushes a crate of things near to Five that leads to changing her life forever.

I have to say that I really enjoyed Fireborn immensely and am so glad that I got the opportunity to read this charming and delightful book by Aisling Fowler.

I always point out when I am reading middle grade fantasy that whilst not being the target audience, the sign of a good book is that despite the fact that I am not the target audience, it is relatable to whoever is reading it. And in all honesty, my demands from a good book are exactly the same as what they were when I was a kid. In fact they haven’t changed at all. I want a well written story, with characters that have depth and are believable and a plot that is going to keep me reading until the very end.

And Fireborn has this in spades!

Aisling Fowler’s debut is a cracking book and meets all those demands that I have up there.. It’s full of magic, has endearing relationships and bags of action.

There were loads of things that I liked about this book. Aisling Fowler’s writing is fantastic. Her writing style is really easy to read and she maintains the pace all the way through the book.

Twelve is a fantastic character, and I really enjoyed her character arc. Twelve is complex, flawed,sometimes cruel, has aggressive outbursts and is completely socially incompetent, due to the fact that she cuts off those around her.

There are reasons that she behaves the way that she does and throughout the book we get some insight into the tragedy that she has experienced and has brought her to the Hunting Lodge.

On top of that. The side characters of Five, Six, and Seven are amazing too. Especially Five! I have to say that I liked him loads. He is annoying, he is a loud mouth and is insensitive to most things around him, but I did enjoy his arc.

Aisling Fowler mixes in some of my favorite fantasy tropes that I can’t help be drawn to. We have animal companions, in the form of ‘Dog’ the stone guardian of the Hunting Lodge who is let loose as events happen in the book. He is the parent in the story, always being the light of reason and keeping the party in line. And then there is Widge the Squirrel, who is cute as anything, despite my aversion to squirrels.

And just to make things that little bit better, there is the old found family trope, which I’m sorry, I can’t help but loving. I also like that the relationships are a little rocky and we get to see them develop, even though Twelve does make it rather difficult for the others to like her at times.

The plot revolves around a quest/mystery premise which works well, and I have to say. I didn’t guess what was coming at all. I am not going to go into the plot too much as I don’t wasnt to spoil the joy of discovering it for yourself.

The world building is solid, and we see the environment as the gang travel through it, although the story does centre on the monsters at times and there were some questions that I wanted answering.

I would definitely recommend this book to anyone to read, adults or children and is a perfect starting point to anyone wanting to get into the fantasy genre.

A massive thank you to the publisher, Netgalley and the Write Reads for this review copy!

If you are a fan of Harry Potter then this one is for you. It gave me all those magical vibes that I loved when reading HP, but in a totally different way!

The world building in this book is so good. I really felt as if I was right there with Twelve and her little companion squirrel!

The main thing I loved about this book was the creatures. Spiders, ogres, grims, goblins, and so many more! I really would like to see a compendium of all the creatures and beasts, just like the book that Twelve refers to!

Overall, it was a really fun read with lots of drama and battles. I sincerely hope there is a second book. I think the book ended in a way that there could be.

My Thoughts: this was incredible, it was fast paced yet incredibly easy to follow and really set my imaginative juices flowing! – the world building was incredible and left me with incredibly vivid images!

This gave me serious Harry Potter vibes in the best way possible, there were so many similarities but yet the story was completely different 😂

The children are referred to as numbers until they complete their training and become hunters, the story revolves around 5, 6 and 12. – 12 being the main character and I can’t tell you how thrilled I was to have a female main character who on the surface seems badass and fearless, not afraid to stand up for what she wants or believes in! (We so soon learn that even 12 has insecurities and certain things she relies on to help her through)

Anyway…. Back to 5,6 and 12, they’re on a mission to find 7 who was kidnapped when goblins broke into the school, she was the only one to be taken and no one knows why!

Throw in a stone guardian known as dog and other fantastic creatures alone the way one of them being a giant spider 😳🕷 then what you have is an adventure story that is so easy to get lost in, I finished the book in a couple of hours because I just couldn’t put it down and needed to know what was going to happen next!

The story wasn’t left on a cliffhanger as such, but felt partly ‘unfinished’ which I’m hoping means it has been left open for a sequel? I will be keeping my fingers crossed because I need more, I need to know what happens next 😂🤞🏼

🐧❤️

This book is a book that both felt like a children’s classic and also like something I had never read before when I dived between its pages.

First of all… the world. This is a book set in a fantasy world and within the confines of the walls of a place that trains people (children) to be warriors that protect the realm. These children comes from lots of different clans, but they are known by numbers, not their names. The idea is that once they are a part of this warrior community they no longer have affiliations with their previous clan because their loyalty is to all clans and the protection of all clans. I really liked how the confines of this setting at first helped the story to be contained but also allowed for a lot of detailed world building.

Twelve is our protagonist. She is one of the children training to be a warrior. She’s kind of an outsider with the other trainees at the beginning of the story. What I really loved about this book was how much we get to see Twelve’s character grow. She matures, she learns to work with others and to rely on them for help. She learns about trust and loyalty and what they truly mean. She learns that being a warrior isn’t simply about being physically strong. I really enjoyed reading this story from her point of view.

The story itself is a classic children’s adventure fantasy. Outsider protagonist, something happens that turns their world upside-down, protagonist goes on an adventure/quest and secrets are revealed. Despite it following a really classic storyline, it didn’t feel cliche. I enjoyed the story from the moment I opened the book until I finally closed it again. It really captured my attention and I really want to see what happens to Twelve and the gang in the future.

There is also something classic about the kind of magic that we see in this story. A lot of it is based around nature: set in forests and snow. We also see a lot of classic types of magical creatures such as goblins. I really loved how classic this story felt whilst also carrying a sense of originality that made me want to keep reading because I had no idea what was going to happen next.

WHY IT WAS A 4-STAR READ FOR ME:

For me it came down to pacing. The first third and the last third of the book were super pacy and really gripped me, so much so that I couldn’t put the book down. Parts of the story in the middle, during the quest, felt a little… lost. It ran on a bit for me, but without a doubt, the whole book was a crazy adventure with really loveable characters and a very exciting premise that makes me want to read even more books by Aisling Fowler!

The Characters:
I loved the cast of characters we meet in this book. Twelve is determined and driven by love, and anger. She is solitary but as the story progresses, she begins to trust others and work with them in order to help a fellow Huntling. When the lodge is attacked, Twelve teams up with Dog, the lodge’s stone guardian, to find a missing girl. Dog is an excellent character. Being a stone dog, Dog doesn’t feel pain or fear, but he ends up on a journey with Twelve and some other Huntlings reluctantly (Dog would much rather they turn around and go back to the lodge while he carries on). On their adventure, Twelve and Dog come across two other Huntlings on the same mission: Five and Six. Twelve and Five have never really got along, but for the good of the mission, and the team, they put some of their differences behind them and slowly start to work together. I love the dynamic of this small team as they all have their strengths and reasons for being there. The Huntlings aren’t allowed to keep anything from their past once they join the lodge, so names, stories, possessions, everything are taken from them, and they are given numbered names until their earn their new names. I loved reading the developments of all of the characters and seeing how much they changed from the beginning of the story.

As this is a fantasy book, there are a lot of magical creatures that are encountered throughout the book. I loved how many of these creatures we meet throughout this book, and how each of them are different to each other and in the way that their magic, or lack of, work. I love stories with magic in it, so having some fairly magical creatures in this book was great! I think my favourite creature in this book though has to be Widge, Twelve’s squirrel, who chews on her hair when he gets nervous. Widge is a sweet companion who looks out for Twelve all the way through this book. I loved reading about how he tried to help in certain situations and how he spotted danger before anyone else did. I love an animal companion in books, so having one in this book was just excellent!

The Story:
I absolutely loved the story in this book. It was so magical and had so many elements I love: magic, friendship, a quest of sorts, an adorable animal companion. This book is pretty action-packed from the beginning which I enjoyed. The chapters were quite short (my favourite!!) which, combined with the action, made this quite a fast read. I loved all of the twists and turns in this book and never guessed what was going to happen next. I never found this book to be too slow and I think that the pacing of this book was perfect. I already can’t wait to reread it and for my pre-order copy to arrive.

Overall:
Overall I gave this book 5/5 stars. I absolutely loved the experience of reading this book. It had everything I love about a book and I’m excited for more books from Aisling Fowler.

I am a huge fan of a quest book which I expected from reading the blurb on this book but what I didn't expect was how much more it would be! The sense of adventure was there right from the get go and there are plenty of magical creatures and battles and burgeoning friendships to immerse yourself in.

Character wise I adored Twelve, she was so headstrong and determined. I also love how she came to understand herself more throughout the story and how it was really integral to the plot too. The side characters were also wonderful and I love how we slowly come to understand them all and their backstories are part of the narrative. All of the characters involved truly do grow and change which is amazing to see and we, the reader, are swept up along with them. The plot was really clever and had a few surprises along the way, which I usually see coming in a middle grade story so I appeciated this a lot. A really strong first book in my opinion, I am already a fan of this author, the writing was so easy to get on with and pulled you into the story.

Overall a solid 4.5 stars and I really hope there are more books to come.

Fireborn is an exciting new middle grade fantasy that is well written with a fast paced and engaging plot that kept me wanting more.

What really liked was the unique way the characters are written. The main  characters in the book have no names instead they are known by numbers. I liked how that was done as it meant I didn’t have to remember names and also it made it easier to follower the characters throughout the book.

Also loved the plot twists that truly surprised me as I had no idea they were coming.

As for the characters well, I liked them all, each of them have their  flaws but they are uniquely different to one another. They are also very well created and developed along with the storyline. Twelve the main protagonist was definitely my favourite character. At the start she comes off as quite rude and angry and you do get frustrated with her attitude and actions but as the book progresses you learn more of her backstory and you begin to understand why she behaves the way she does. She is one of the characters you really see change and grow throughout the book the most.  I also feel in love with Widge. Widge is Twelve’s pet squirrel he was so cute, he was always ready to comfort Twelve and although he didn’t have any magical powers he was always ready to help out Twelve where ever he could.

So, the ending was good and is left open so really hoping there will be a second book coming soon as I would love to see what adventures are still to come for Twelve and her friends.

Overall this was a fun, and easy read, and look forward to continuing the series would happily recommend this to anyone looking for a quick middle grade fantasy read.

The world of Ember is wracked with Monsters, and a group of Hunters must fight them. Twelve gave up her name, identity and home to train in the art of hunting these monsters, well that’s what she wants you to think. She trains to seek vengeance on those who took her beloved family away from her. When her new home is attacked, Twelve finds herself on an unforeseen journey where her past seems to be interlaced with her true fate, and the destiny of this new world she’s found herself in.

Fireborn has been marketed as the Middle-Grade fantasy debut of the decade, and because of this, I knew I had to get my hands on a copy and read it asap. Middle-grade fantasy is a sub-genre that I adore, and to say I was intrigued by this new selection to the genre would be an understatement. With anticipated reads, you can be left feeling underwhelmed at times, but this wasn’t the case with Fireborn! I was instantly sucked into this incredible world, full of monsters, adventure and secrets.

As soon as I turned the first page I was captivated by this story. Everything about it had me absorbed and wanting to know more and more about this unique, fantastical world that Fowler had created. Granted, it took me a little while to figure out the workings of the world of Ember, but with any fantasy, even middle grade I feel that you won’t understand the workings of the world immediately. However, once I’d got my head around this, I was in it for the long haul, and honestly didn’t want to put this book down.

Plotwise, it kicks off almost instantly, and you are flung into the action not even 50 pages into the book, and this, I think was one of the reasons why I was so absorbed in the story. The rapidly accelerating plot does keep you on your toes, thus keeping you engaged and dying to know what happens next to this band of characters. One thing I must say is that Fireborn is quite dark in places, and you do start to wonder if some light will come out of this darkness. It’s a little bleaker than some other middle-grade fantasies I have read, but come to the end of the story you are left with hope, and that does change the tone somewhat. I also want to mention how the story doesn’t go the way you would expect, and the twists within it will leave you shaken. For one part I honestly couldn’t believe what had happened and it took me a few moments to compose myself with what I’d just read. This is a book that will have you wondering what will happen next with each chapter.

Twelve was such a fascinating heroine, that I know will inspire many young readers! At first, we see her as this feisty, angry type, and I know I for one was slightly worried if I was going to like her or not. Nevertheless, the more I discovered about her past, the more I felt for her and started to understand her. With what she went through in her past, there’s no wonder she had all this rage building up inside of her. Her love for her squirrel, Widge, was just beautiful. I’m a sucker for a good human/animal bond and I feel that Widge brought out that softer side of her, and helped calm her. Likewise, her slow-burning friendship with Five and Six was something that I felt helped Twelve, not only with the fight they had ahead of them but with discovering that she can open up and trust people, which was heartwarming. Come to the end of the book, she had developed massively and grown into herself, and I can’t wait to see how she grows in the next instalment.

Fireborn was an exciting, magical read packed full of adventure. Everything from the fast-paced plot to the incredible character development was done perfectly. For a debut, I was gobsmacked and I cannot wait to read the next part in Twelve’s story.

I received Fireborn by Aisling Fowler for free in exchange for an honest review as part of a blog tour organised by The Write Reads and Harper Collins Children's Books. Thank you so much for having me on the tour, this review is also available on Book, Blog & Candle!

I don't even know where to begin to describe how much I LOVED this book! It is definitely one of my favourites of the year and has even found it's place amongst my all-time favourites list!

The characters were all so interesting and I loved how we got little snippets of their backstories throughout the book! I thought Twelve was a really good protagonist and I enjoyed how fierce and brave she was. Even though she claimed to be a lone wolf she still fought for the others and I enjoyed seeing how they all came to care for each other in their own unique ways. Everyone knows how much I love the found family trope and Aisling Fowler has done it to absolute PERFECTION! Unlikely friends who band together to form a family melts my heart every time and the fact that there was also some fantastic LGBTQIA+ representation in the story made me so happy!

Another favourite element that I love to see in stories is worldbuilding and WOW the worldbuilding in Fireborn was INCREDIBLE! From the clans to the forest with heart-racing action throughout, I was instantly captivated and I couldn't put it down! Like my treasured Percy Jackson series this is a book that I will be rereading again and again for years to come! I felt fully immersed in the world and wanted to explore even more of it!

Amazing characters, fantastic writing, a brilliant concept and phenomenal worldbuilding is a recipe for instant success and Fireborn has exceeded all of these. It is an extraordinarily outstanding debut that I am 100% obsessed with and I hope there is even more to come because I can't wait to see what happens next! Twelve is the new hero of a generation!

Fireborn is a story of adventure, courage and friendship that is impossible to put down! Every page was full of magic and I didn't want it to end!

Thank you so much for having me on this tour!