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3.39 AVERAGE
3.39 AVERAGE
I received a copy of this book via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
Originally posted on my blog Miranda's Book Blog or follow me on Bloglovin
Aurora's loving adoptive parents die in a tragic car accident, she is then sent to live with her adoptive aunt & uncle. She is unloved by her new guardians, bullied at school and utterly alone in the world. That is until Aurora is whisked away to Redstone Manor on a spur of the moment "family trip" and unexpectedly thrust into the world of Avalonia. An astoundingly beautiful more vibrant world filled with magic. Oh I must mention, there's a map! I LOVE when there are maps in books! I am including the map down below.
Farah weaves together the two worlds beautifully, creating a completely original plot with a diverse cast of characters. Such fantastical world-building! I've been waiting for a book like this! You have characters ranging from basic mundane humans, mages, faeries, shape-shifters and everything in-between! Don't let the humans fool you though, they have plenty up their sleeves!
Oh the romance in this book! I have one word for you: RAFE! He's a very mysterious mage who quickly becomes a very important part of Aurora's life. I know as a reader I like to be surprised as I am reading so please do me a favor and JUST TRUST ME HERE, READ THIS BOOK!
I just loved Aurora's friend Vivienne, she doesn't miss anything! I think her and Erien, Aurora's cousin would make the cutest couple! I wouldn't mind seeing a Novella centering on those two characters!
Above all else my favorite thing about this book is the astounding character development we get to see with Aurora. In the beginning she appears weak. In reality she's not weak, she is grieving and feels utterly alone in the world. This book shows us how important it is to have people in your life who love & support you. Family and friendships make us stronger. Aurora is such an admirable character, her thinking is wonderful, no matter what your race or class everyone deserves to be treated equally. I also like how she's not perfect, she's flawed just like everyone else.
I had a lot of fun reading The Last of the Firedrakes. While reading I thought "Wow I just love the place names in this book!" then a couple of pages over Aurora talks about how she just loves the place names too, I couldn't agree more with you Aurora! I will let you, the reader discover some of them for yourself as you explore the world of Avalonia throughout the novel. One other fun thing I found while reading, the extensive array of foods! Farah's descriptive detail made it to where I could practically taste & smell the dishes!
Favorite Quotes:
"I had to stop running. I had to turn and face my life head on." Aurora Firedrake
Favorite Scene:
Without giving away too much, my favorite scene is a market scene that takes place in the middle of the night. Here's a descriptive quote for you: "We came to a large clearing, and the delightful sight left me spellbound. The forest was alive, radiant and subtly lit by pretty, different-colored lanterns hanging from the towering trees."
Originally posted on my blog Miranda's Book Blog or follow me on Bloglovin
Aurora's loving adoptive parents die in a tragic car accident, she is then sent to live with her adoptive aunt & uncle. She is unloved by her new guardians, bullied at school and utterly alone in the world. That is until Aurora is whisked away to Redstone Manor on a spur of the moment "family trip" and unexpectedly thrust into the world of Avalonia. An astoundingly beautiful more vibrant world filled with magic. Oh I must mention, there's a map! I LOVE when there are maps in books! I am including the map down below.
Farah weaves together the two worlds beautifully, creating a completely original plot with a diverse cast of characters. Such fantastical world-building! I've been waiting for a book like this! You have characters ranging from basic mundane humans, mages, faeries, shape-shifters and everything in-between! Don't let the humans fool you though, they have plenty up their sleeves!
Oh the romance in this book! I have one word for you: RAFE! He's a very mysterious mage who quickly becomes a very important part of Aurora's life. I know as a reader I like to be surprised as I am reading so please do me a favor and JUST TRUST ME HERE, READ THIS BOOK!
I just loved Aurora's friend Vivienne, she doesn't miss anything! I think her and Erien, Aurora's cousin would make the cutest couple! I wouldn't mind seeing a Novella centering on those two characters!
Above all else my favorite thing about this book is the astounding character development we get to see with Aurora. In the beginning she appears weak. In reality she's not weak, she is grieving and feels utterly alone in the world. This book shows us how important it is to have people in your life who love & support you. Family and friendships make us stronger. Aurora is such an admirable character, her thinking is wonderful, no matter what your race or class everyone deserves to be treated equally. I also like how she's not perfect, she's flawed just like everyone else.
I had a lot of fun reading The Last of the Firedrakes. While reading I thought "Wow I just love the place names in this book!" then a couple of pages over Aurora talks about how she just loves the place names too, I couldn't agree more with you Aurora! I will let you, the reader discover some of them for yourself as you explore the world of Avalonia throughout the novel. One other fun thing I found while reading, the extensive array of foods! Farah's descriptive detail made it to where I could practically taste & smell the dishes!
Favorite Quotes:
"I had to stop running. I had to turn and face my life head on." Aurora Firedrake
Favorite Scene:
Without giving away too much, my favorite scene is a market scene that takes place in the middle of the night. Here's a descriptive quote for you: "We came to a large clearing, and the delightful sight left me spellbound. The forest was alive, radiant and subtly lit by pretty, different-colored lanterns hanging from the towering trees."
I’m giving this 4 stars keeping in mind that the primary audience for this book should be 11-15 year olds, in my opinion. It gave me all the Harry Potter vibes and so though I’m above the intended audience age, I appreciated it, if just for nostalgia.
I did like the world Oomerbhoy created. The magic was complicated and creative. The main character was reckless and sometimes annoying but I’ll have to forgive her for being a teenager. LOL.
I listened to this on audiobook, narrated by Fiona Hardingham. She is very talented at speaking in different voices, however for me, some of the voices she chose were kind of grating. I don’t plan to listen to the rest of the book, but hopefully I’ll have a chance to read them!
I did like the world Oomerbhoy created. The magic was complicated and creative. The main character was reckless and sometimes annoying but I’ll have to forgive her for being a teenager. LOL.
I listened to this on audiobook, narrated by Fiona Hardingham. She is very talented at speaking in different voices, however for me, some of the voices she chose were kind of grating. I don’t plan to listen to the rest of the book, but hopefully I’ll have a chance to read them!
The last of the Firedrakes è un buon fantasy che fa delle descrizioni il suo punto di forza.
L'autrice riesce infatti a rendere meravigliosamente il mondo in cui si ritrova catapultata la giovane Aurora, un mondo che non è semplicemente medievale, ma riassume in sé vari aspetti del nostro passato, come il Rinascimento.
E' sicuramente notevole la descrizione del mercato delle fate, così bello che sarei stata felice se tutto il romanzo avesse solo descritto nei più piccoli particolari il luogo, le merci, i venditori.
La storia prende in realtà le mosse nel nostro mondo, in cui la sedicenne Aurora sta vivendo un periodo piuttosto difficile: orfana dei genitori adottivi, è ospitata a malincuore dagli zii, maltrattata dalla cugina e presa di mira a scuola.
Ben presto, però, la vita della ragazza cambia per sempre: complice lo zio, lo spaventoso Lord Oblek la rapisce per consegnarla alla malvagia Morgana, che, sembra, abbia in passato ucciso i suoi genitori e desidererebbe liberarsi anche di Aurora, l'ultima dei Firedrake e l'unica che potrebbe strapparle il trono conquistato con il tradimento e la violenza.
Nella cella in cui è temporaneamente rinchiusa, Aurora incontra Kalen, un ragazzo del popolo delle fate (chiamate Fae nel romanzo) che diventerà suo amico, e sarà salvata dal misterioso Rafe, che diventerà il suo interesse amoroso.
La sua fuga dalla prigione di Oblek ci permetterà di conoscere meglio il mondo parallelo di Avalonia, i regni in cui è diviso, nonché la famiglia di Aurora e la scuola di magia di Evolon, che mi ha ricordato a tratti quella di Harry Potter.
Il romanzo presenta molti elementi tipici del genere: la magia innanzitutto, l'eroe/eroina (in questo caso Aurora) che potrebbe salvare il regno; un malvagio big bad; un potente amuleto; varie prove da superare; un percorso di crescita che porterà infine, si spera, alla maturità e all'amore.
Benché il romanzo mi sia piaciuto molto, non ho empatizzato con l'eroina, che spesso pecca di stupidità e immaturità (il fatto che abbia solo sedici anni non può sempre esserne la scusante). Inoltre viene ripetuto un po' troppo spesso quanto sia a dir poco affascinata da Rafe e, soprattutto, deve sempre essere salvata! Ogni volta che si caccia nei guai, è lì pronto qualcuno per aiutarla; avrei preferito che qualche volta riuscisse a cavarsela da sola, o semplicemente che la storia potesse andare avanti senza che lei facesse delle scelte stupide (come seguire i Blackwater di notte).
Nonostante ciò, la storia è piuttosto piacevole e le descrizioni sono veramente evocative.
Nota: essendo il primo di una trilogia, il romanzo termina con un cliffhanger.
http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.it/2016/05/the-last-of-firedrakes.html
L'autrice riesce infatti a rendere meravigliosamente il mondo in cui si ritrova catapultata la giovane Aurora, un mondo che non è semplicemente medievale, ma riassume in sé vari aspetti del nostro passato, come il Rinascimento.
E' sicuramente notevole la descrizione del mercato delle fate, così bello che sarei stata felice se tutto il romanzo avesse solo descritto nei più piccoli particolari il luogo, le merci, i venditori.
La storia prende in realtà le mosse nel nostro mondo, in cui la sedicenne Aurora sta vivendo un periodo piuttosto difficile: orfana dei genitori adottivi, è ospitata a malincuore dagli zii, maltrattata dalla cugina e presa di mira a scuola.
Ben presto, però, la vita della ragazza cambia per sempre: complice lo zio, lo spaventoso Lord Oblek la rapisce per consegnarla alla malvagia Morgana, che, sembra, abbia in passato ucciso i suoi genitori e desidererebbe liberarsi anche di Aurora, l'ultima dei Firedrake e l'unica che potrebbe strapparle il trono conquistato con il tradimento e la violenza.
Nella cella in cui è temporaneamente rinchiusa, Aurora incontra Kalen, un ragazzo del popolo delle fate (chiamate Fae nel romanzo) che diventerà suo amico, e sarà salvata dal misterioso Rafe, che diventerà il suo interesse amoroso.
La sua fuga dalla prigione di Oblek ci permetterà di conoscere meglio il mondo parallelo di Avalonia, i regni in cui è diviso, nonché la famiglia di Aurora e la scuola di magia di Evolon, che mi ha ricordato a tratti quella di Harry Potter.
Il romanzo presenta molti elementi tipici del genere: la magia innanzitutto, l'eroe/eroina (in questo caso Aurora) che potrebbe salvare il regno; un malvagio big bad; un potente amuleto; varie prove da superare; un percorso di crescita che porterà infine, si spera, alla maturità e all'amore.
Benché il romanzo mi sia piaciuto molto, non ho empatizzato con l'eroina, che spesso pecca di stupidità e immaturità (il fatto che abbia solo sedici anni non può sempre esserne la scusante). Inoltre viene ripetuto un po' troppo spesso quanto sia a dir poco affascinata da Rafe e, soprattutto, deve sempre essere salvata! Ogni volta che si caccia nei guai, è lì pronto qualcuno per aiutarla; avrei preferito che qualche volta riuscisse a cavarsela da sola, o semplicemente che la storia potesse andare avanti senza che lei facesse delle scelte stupide (come seguire i Blackwater di notte).
Nonostante ciò, la storia è piuttosto piacevole e le descrizioni sono veramente evocative.
Nota: essendo il primo di una trilogia, il romanzo termina con un cliffhanger.
http://iltesorodicarta.blogspot.it/2016/05/the-last-of-firedrakes.html
adventurous
emotional
hopeful
mysterious
tense
medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Complicated
Diverse cast of characters:
No
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Complicated
I was sent this book free in exchange for promotion from Booktube Tours. This tour was a LovingDemBooks Booktube Tour.
I enjoyed this book. The world building was amazing and so intricate and I loved having the map in the front so I could really picture where everything was. Also, I really liked the magic system and how their are both Fae and Mage's and that they have similarities and differences with their magic. It was really well done.
Aurora really annoyed me as a main character. She was so childish and was always contradicting what she was saying and her narrative was too much and a lot of things could have been left out. I just found it odd that she wanted to be seen as an adult but she kept making immature decisions and there was even a moment when she actually stomped her foot. She also knew a lot more then she should have. Like she was living in our world before she was taken to Avalonia. She should not have know the correct manners and how to behave or how to do things the old fashion way or all about how the weapons worked. She should have been totally more clueless then she was.
The best character in the book was Rafe. He was an amazing character and I loved him. He is also so complex and his reasons for why he does things are just amazing. Who he is in the end is predictable though.
Overall, the book was good. I will continue on with it when the rest of the trilogy comes out.
I enjoyed this book. The world building was amazing and so intricate and I loved having the map in the front so I could really picture where everything was. Also, I really liked the magic system and how their are both Fae and Mage's and that they have similarities and differences with their magic. It was really well done.
Aurora really annoyed me as a main character. She was so childish and was always contradicting what she was saying and her narrative was too much and a lot of things could have been left out. I just found it odd that she wanted to be seen as an adult but she kept making immature decisions and there was even a moment when she actually stomped her foot. She also knew a lot more then she should have. Like she was living in our world before she was taken to Avalonia. She should not have know the correct manners and how to behave or how to do things the old fashion way or all about how the weapons worked. She should have been totally more clueless then she was.
The best character in the book was Rafe. He was an amazing character and I loved him. He is also so complex and his reasons for why he does things are just amazing. Who he is in the end is predictable though.
Overall, the book was good. I will continue on with it when the rest of the trilogy comes out.
adventurous
challenging
emotional
hopeful
inspiring
mysterious
relaxing
sad
tense
fast-paced
Plot or Character Driven:
A mix
Strong character development:
Yes
Loveable characters:
Yes
Diverse cast of characters:
Complicated
Flaws of characters a main focus:
Yes
I was looking for a nice-n-easy read, you know the kind that is sweet and makes you start believing in people again; I was actually looking for a break, a bit of peace of mind so I wouldn't think. I found The Chronicle of Avalonian and became a young Aurora, fell in love, and can't stop thinking about Rafe!
https://readinglife342128355.wordpress.com/2018/04/14/book-review-the-last-of-the-firedrakes/
Okay so let's set the scene... It's a Friday morning and I'm off work feeling sorry for myself. We were supposed to be going away for a week to visit my parents but weather happened. Snow to be precise. I was sat on the sofa in my PJs grumping at the ever-patient fiancé when there is a THUD downstairs of something coming through the letterbox. Now, I wasn't long awake and hadn't had coffee #1 so anyone that knows me will understand the level of confusion that followed here. I hadn't anything ordered at that point...
I retrieved the package from downstairs. It was very definitely bookshops which got me a raised eyebrow 'I thought you said you didn't have anything due'. Cue the panic of me thinking I had ordered something and forgot again, or won something and I didn't know Opening the parcel revealed a beautiful copy of The Last of The Firedrakes.
I still couldn't work out where the heck it had come from I hunted all over the place - Amazon, GoodReads, Waterstones, BookDepository, Twitter, Instagram- until I got to my email. Turns out it's a book I applied for a review copy of thanks to the amazing readerandthechef on Instagram and I had actually been approved for it! So here we are... The review!
The Last of The Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy is the story of Aurora who is a 16-year-old girl who was orphaned very young and then lost her adoptive parents as well. She lives with her adoptive aunt, uncle and cousin and doesn't have the best of lives. She is bullied at school and at home and she dreams of running away from it all. Her dreams come true when she is kidnapped and whisked away through a portal to Avalonia, a magical world that has Mages, Fae, Pegasus and other magical creatures. WE follow her journey through Avalonia discovering who she is and how Avalonia works with the help of friends she meets along the way
First of all, can I just say, what a fun read! I really enjoyed reading this :) I've had a couple of heavy and difficult reads recently and this was exactly what I needed. It was fun, engaging, quick pace with some fun aspects to it :)
Aurora was an easy character to get along with, she had some moments where I wanted to slap her but she's a 16 year old teenager so it’s not unexpected :) She can be stubborn, selfish and annoying, but again, she's 16 and going through some epic upheaval!
The positives:
The characters - I don't think there was a character that I didn't understand or get or enjoy (even the evil ones). They were for the most part well written and easy to relate to.
Aurora - young, stubborn girl who is thrown into a completely new life. She ends up as a headstrong, confident young woman and I enjoyed her story
Rafe - Where do I start with Rafe?!? OH HELLO! Rafe had a feel of being a love child of Kell from ADSOM and Rhys from ACOTAR
The world - I LOVED Avalonia and how it was described. Seriously, who could hate a world that has Fairy Night Markets?!?!?!? A world with Seven Kingdoms feels like there is so much more to find out about this world. I can't wait to explore some of the other Kingdoms <3
The writing - I felt like I knew the author and where she came from with the writing in it. The one thing I would love to ask her is if she read The Magic Faraway Tree as a child. There were aspects of it that definitely reminded me of certain things in that series - Night markets, people living in trees, having to climb the boughs to get to it, etc
The plot line - The story was fast pacing with interesting aspects (a school for Mages?!) and it kept me hooked!
The Negatives:
There actually isn't a lot of individual things that I can pick out for this, it all relates to the same thing... The depth of the book. I did feel at points that there wasn't a lot of depth to some of the characters and parts of the plotline. It was kinda like 'Hi I'm your Aunt and I haven't ever met you before and you've been gone 16 years but I'm still going to welcome you with open arms and talk to you like we've always had a relationship' There was no exploration of certain aspects. Overall it didn't annoy me and it added to it being a fun and easy read. I would, however, like to see a bit more depth in the next book.
This was a 4* read for me. It was fun, kept me hooked and reading. Book 2 please!
****
Okay so let's set the scene... It's a Friday morning and I'm off work feeling sorry for myself. We were supposed to be going away for a week to visit my parents but weather happened. Snow to be precise. I was sat on the sofa in my PJs grumping at the ever-patient fiancé when there is a THUD downstairs of something coming through the letterbox. Now, I wasn't long awake and hadn't had coffee #1 so anyone that knows me will understand the level of confusion that followed here. I hadn't anything ordered at that point...
I retrieved the package from downstairs. It was very definitely bookshops which got me a raised eyebrow 'I thought you said you didn't have anything due'. Cue the panic of me thinking I had ordered something and forgot again, or won something and I didn't know Opening the parcel revealed a beautiful copy of The Last of The Firedrakes.
I still couldn't work out where the heck it had come from I hunted all over the place - Amazon, GoodReads, Waterstones, BookDepository, Twitter, Instagram- until I got to my email. Turns out it's a book I applied for a review copy of thanks to the amazing readerandthechef on Instagram and I had actually been approved for it! So here we are... The review!
The Last of The Firedrakes by Farah Oomerbhoy is the story of Aurora who is a 16-year-old girl who was orphaned very young and then lost her adoptive parents as well. She lives with her adoptive aunt, uncle and cousin and doesn't have the best of lives. She is bullied at school and at home and she dreams of running away from it all. Her dreams come true when she is kidnapped and whisked away through a portal to Avalonia, a magical world that has Mages, Fae, Pegasus and other magical creatures. WE follow her journey through Avalonia discovering who she is and how Avalonia works with the help of friends she meets along the way
First of all, can I just say, what a fun read! I really enjoyed reading this :) I've had a couple of heavy and difficult reads recently and this was exactly what I needed. It was fun, engaging, quick pace with some fun aspects to it :)
Aurora was an easy character to get along with, she had some moments where I wanted to slap her but she's a 16 year old teenager so it’s not unexpected :) She can be stubborn, selfish and annoying, but again, she's 16 and going through some epic upheaval!
The positives:
The characters - I don't think there was a character that I didn't understand or get or enjoy (even the evil ones). They were for the most part well written and easy to relate to.
Aurora - young, stubborn girl who is thrown into a completely new life. She ends up as a headstrong, confident young woman and I enjoyed her story
Rafe - Where do I start with Rafe?!? OH HELLO! Rafe had a feel of being a love child of Kell from ADSOM and Rhys from ACOTAR
The world - I LOVED Avalonia and how it was described. Seriously, who could hate a world that has Fairy Night Markets?!?!?!? A world with Seven Kingdoms feels like there is so much more to find out about this world. I can't wait to explore some of the other Kingdoms <3
The writing - I felt like I knew the author and where she came from with the writing in it. The one thing I would love to ask her is if she read The Magic Faraway Tree as a child. There were aspects of it that definitely reminded me of certain things in that series - Night markets, people living in trees, having to climb the boughs to get to it, etc
The plot line - The story was fast pacing with interesting aspects (a school for Mages?!) and it kept me hooked!
The Negatives:
There actually isn't a lot of individual things that I can pick out for this, it all relates to the same thing... The depth of the book. I did feel at points that there wasn't a lot of depth to some of the characters and parts of the plotline. It was kinda like 'Hi I'm your Aunt and I haven't ever met you before and you've been gone 16 years but I'm still going to welcome you with open arms and talk to you like we've always had a relationship' There was no exploration of certain aspects. Overall it didn't annoy me and it added to it being a fun and easy read. I would, however, like to see a bit more depth in the next book.
This was a 4* read for me. It was fun, kept me hooked and reading. Book 2 please!
****
I was really excited to pick this book up as I found people constantly saying that this book felt like Harry Potter – rather inspired by that world. After all, every Harry Potter fan is still suffering from the series hangover and wishing for more. But at the same time, I have to admit that I was a bit apprehensive as well. I hear Harry Potter and my expectations go sky high and I have felt let down by few other fantasy series before this because of my own expectations. So, do you want to know whether this book lived up to it or not?
The Last of the Firedrakes introduces us to the fantastical world of Avalonia. Where there are Fae, Mages and mystical beasts. But wait, I am getting ahead of myself here. This is Aurora’s story. She is your average 16 year old girl who was orphaned at a tender age and taken in by her uncle. Mistreated by her adoptive family and bullied at school, she doesn’t have the best life. Yet when she gets kidnapped and taken into a world where everything is new and different only turns things for the worse. However, as Aurora discovers more about Avalonia, she learns more about her heritage, discovers herself and also finds Rafe!
The character development in the book is tremendous. Towards the beginning Aurora did get on my nerves a bit, but then we see her grow throughout the book and by the end of it I kind of started liking her. In her defence though, she didn’t have the best life or people in her life in the beginning. And then to discover the existence of a whole different world – anyone would need time to get back on their feet, let alone to rise to every challenge thrown at them. Then there is Rafe… wouldn’t I like to know all there is to know about that one ;) The world of Avalonia is really beautiful and the author has done a great job of building it up slowly for her readers. I loved the way she has set up everything not only in this book but for the coming books as well. For someone like me, who is always looking for details, this book is ideal as the author has dished out a lot. Her descriptive narration style creates a vivid image of the world and most of the settings in the mind of the readers.
I cannot believe that this is only the author’s debut novel. Her language and narrative is striking and well structured which was another added advantage of the book. And while I did see why people where comparing it to some other epic-fantasies, Last of the Firedrakes has an identity of its own. While I wouldn’t really compare it to Harry Potter myself, I will say that this book is a promising start to the series.
The Last of the Firedrakes introduces us to the fantastical world of Avalonia. Where there are Fae, Mages and mystical beasts. But wait, I am getting ahead of myself here. This is Aurora’s story. She is your average 16 year old girl who was orphaned at a tender age and taken in by her uncle. Mistreated by her adoptive family and bullied at school, she doesn’t have the best life. Yet when she gets kidnapped and taken into a world where everything is new and different only turns things for the worse. However, as Aurora discovers more about Avalonia, she learns more about her heritage, discovers herself and also finds Rafe!
The character development in the book is tremendous. Towards the beginning Aurora did get on my nerves a bit, but then we see her grow throughout the book and by the end of it I kind of started liking her. In her defence though, she didn’t have the best life or people in her life in the beginning. And then to discover the existence of a whole different world – anyone would need time to get back on their feet, let alone to rise to every challenge thrown at them. Then there is Rafe… wouldn’t I like to know all there is to know about that one ;) The world of Avalonia is really beautiful and the author has done a great job of building it up slowly for her readers. I loved the way she has set up everything not only in this book but for the coming books as well. For someone like me, who is always looking for details, this book is ideal as the author has dished out a lot. Her descriptive narration style creates a vivid image of the world and most of the settings in the mind of the readers.
I cannot believe that this is only the author’s debut novel. Her language and narrative is striking and well structured which was another added advantage of the book. And while I did see why people where comparing it to some other epic-fantasies, Last of the Firedrakes has an identity of its own. While I wouldn’t really compare it to Harry Potter myself, I will say that this book is a promising start to the series.