A review by elliemaiblogs
Fireborn by Aisling Fowler

5.0

Before even reading, I knew this would be a book I would like, but I didn’t expect to love it as much as I did. Everything from the magical world-building and many plot twists to the remarkable adventure these characters embark on filled me with pure excitement. I ended up reading it in one sitting because I was instantly hooked from page one. This is definitely an epic middle-grade fantasy you don’t want to miss!
The adventure that Twelve, Five, Six and the lodge guardian, Dog, go on to save Seven truly is an amazing one. Not only are there plenty of intense battles with frightening magical creatures to keep it exciting but there’s also inspirational moments between the characters that keep you fully invested. It’s hard not to be fascinated by this entire story because the author has created such an interesting and vivid world, that is so easy to imagine. Everything is described in so much detail you can easily get a feel for the sense of community at the Hunters Lodge and how frightening and creepy the monsters are that lurk about.

There are plenty of twists in the book that really shocked me as I didn’t see them coming. The whole story is incredibly well written and fast-paced so it really is impossible to put down until you’ve finished.
The characters were really a huge part of why I loved this book so much. Twelve is such a fierce and brave character, that you can’t help but love her. Her passion to be the best is so contagious and shown in everything she does. Whether that be killing it with her axes or arguing with Five. It was so great to learn so much about her and grow into the person she wants to be. I can’t forget her adorable companion squirrel, Widge. He is just the cutest addition and I love how much he meant to Twelve.
Dog, Five and Six also play a big part in the book and I loved them just as much. Five being the cocky, stubborn one is always butting heads with Twelve. I really didn’t like him at first but he really grew on me as we get to see more of his character and I ended up loving the quirky banter he brought to the team. Six on the other hand I adored from the beginning because of the sweet charm that he carries throughout the book. And Dog, you can tell at first he is just tolerating them all but he is so adamant to protect them. I love how we get to see them overcome all of these deadly challenges as well as bringing humour and meaningful moments about friendship to the story.
Overall, Fireborn is an epic tale full of intense action, gruesome monsters and magic. I loved every minute of this action-packed, adventure and can’t wait to jump back into the magical world of Ember if there is a sequel. There is just so much that happens that I don’t want to spoil, you will just have to read it! If you are a fan of fast-paced middle-grade fantasies this is definitely for you.