A Fate Forged in Fire (Bonded to Beasts #1) by Hazel McBride
- Merissa
- 3 days ago
- 4 min read
@hazelmcbridebusiness
@hazelmcbrideauthor
❤️🔥 BORN TO RULE. BLESSED BY FIRE. BROKEN BY DESIRE... DISCOVER THE NEW ROMANTASY PHENOMENON ❤️🔥
HOW MUCH IS SHE WILLING TO SACRIFICE TO CLAIM HER THRONE?
A powerfully blessed blacksmith must use her wits and fire magic to overthrow the corrupt powers ruling the kingdom, while also fighting her desire for a certain dragon-riding adversary in this sizzling Celtic-inspired romantasy, perfect for fans of House of the Dragon and Fourth Wing.
Once a territory built on matriarchal rule, Tìr Teine has been without a female heir for centuries. Through a long line of corrupt kings, an oppressive anti-magic teaching has infected the land - leading to the tragic decline of the dragons.
Aemyra was born to lead, gifted with fire magic from the Goddess Brigid. For years she has hidden in the shadows, waiting for the king to die so she can bond to his dragon, claim her birthright and protect her people.
When her carefully laid plans are foiled, Aemyra is thrust into a deadly game of politics and plots. Her greatest enemy? Prince Fiorean - the dragon-riding, fire-wielding royal whose icy arrogance and raw power thwart her every step. But as chaos engulfs the court, Aemyra and Prince Fiorean are forced to forge an uneasy alliance to survive. And in the heat of battle, their mutual hatred ignites something neither of them can control.
Behind enemy lines and slowly falling for the only man that stands between her and the throne, Aemyra begins to uncover the true weight of the crown. Will she ignite the flames of change for her people - or will love burn her alive?
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3 out of 5 (good)
A FATE FORGED IN FIRE is the first book in the Bonded to Beasts series, featuring Aemyra as the young queen who wants to claim her throne.
This is a fast-paced story that does come with TWs, so please take note of them. There is a lot of information regarding the world-building at the beginning, which is a lot to take in, but nothing much really about Aemyra and her upbringing/relationship with her family. Basically, in a matriarchal society, she is the first female born in an arm of the family that doesn't hold the throne. So, of course, she's been trained from birth to takeover when the time is right. And that's what this instalment is about.
The two MCs - Aemyra and Fiorean - are married after she goes off to avenge her family and gets caught. I preferred their relationship when they were enemies as it seemed forced when they were 'together.' Aemyra is hard to like as a character. She shows very little empathy for anyone else, even other women in the same situation as she is. She is headstrong with a quick-fire temper and wonders why no one takes her seriously with the plans she made on the hop when full of emotion, which completely fall apart at the seams when it comes to the execution of said plans. Fiorean makes a comment that she has been raised as a puppet and I completely agree. Honestly? At this stage, I'm struggling to find any redeeming qualities in her. She is the most reactive character I've read in a while.
Terrea was the best character, especially with her fondness for Aemyra's twin brother, Adarien. Draeven was a d!ck, no two ways about it. And the others... had their moments.
There were parts of this story that I enjoyed and parts I didn't. I would definitely read the next book in this series as I am hopeful for character redemption and would love to see Aemyra mature. Plus, more Terrea! I think this book will be loved by some and not by others. For me, I'm on the fence and waiting for the next one.
** same worded review will appear elsewhere **
* A copy of this book was provided to me with no requirements for a review. I voluntarily read this book; the comments here are my honest opinion. *
Merissa
Archaeolibrarian - I Dig Good Books!
Hazel McBride grew up in Scotland, gaining her BSc in Psychology at the University of Glasgow, before moving to the Dominican Republic. Switching the laid-back Caribbean for the sun-drenched Canary Islands a year later, she then moved to the chic South of France and is now fluent in three languages.
As a former animal trainer, Hazel loves writing about magical and fantastical creatures while exploring their connections with her characters. As a bisexual author with anxiety, she focuses on writing queer characters and exploring topics such as mental illness within her work.
Now settled in the Netherlands with her Dutch husband, most of her work draws heavy inspiration from her Celtic heritage and Scottish folklore. After writing her first novel aged seventeen, she stopped believing it was just a hobby aged twenty seven and began writing freelance for publications like The Independent, What’s On, and lifestyle blogs.
Her fantasy fiction has gained a popular fan base across social media and she is currently working on a high fantasy romance series with Gaelic roots – oh, and dragons.
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