Ratings32
Average rating4.2
Annie and Lee were just children when a brutal revolution changed their world, giving everyone--even the lowborn--a chance to test into the governing class of dragonriders.
Now they are both rising stars in the new regime, despite backgrounds that couldn't be more different. Annie's lowborn family was executed by dragonfire, while Lee's aristocratic family was murdered by revolutionaries. Growing up in the same orphanage forged their friendship, and seven years of training have made them rivals for the top position in the dragonriding fleet.
But everything changes when survivors from the old regime surface, bent on reclaiming the city.
With war on the horizon and his relationship with Annie changing fast, Lee must choose to kill the only family he has left or to betray everything he's come to believe in. And Annie must decide whether to protect the boy she loves . . . or step up to be the champion her city needs.
Featured Prompt
2,097 booksWhen you think back on every book you've ever read, what are some of your favorites? These can be from any time of your life – books that resonated with you as a kid, ones that shaped your personal...
Featured Series
3 primary booksThe Aurelian Cycle is a 3-book series with 3 primary works first released in 2019 with contributions by Rosaria Munda.
Reviews with the most likes.
I almost never reread books but today I reread this one so I can binge the whole series when the final book comes out in a few days. Been awhile since I read this (almost exactly 3 years) so it was as engaging a read the second time. I love the character work done here because the Lee/Annie relationship is fascinating and what really drives the book for me. The writing has a maturity rarely seen in YA, and it's criminal this never got more popular.
Now to see if the rest of the series holds up!
felt very harry potter-esc but i couldn't get past the fact that the dragons surging was like they were orgasming lol
This book is amazing! I loved it so much.
Nine years ago there was a bloody revolution that left many orphans behind. Two of them grew up together in an orphanage and mourned all they had lost.
Before the revolution, only Dragon Lords (highborn) could be dragon riders. In this new world, any class can test to become a dragon rider. Lee and Annie will never forget the day they lost their families, but becoming dragon riders would allow them to help protect this new world they believe in.
I loved the characters, the dragons, the politics, and everything else about this book. I am very sad that I will have to wait until March for the next one.
If you're like me and love fantasy and aren't a romance fan, this is for you.
Touches on some incredibly thought-provoking and challenging topics. I came into the story with no expectations and ended up crying at the end. When two sides both have their evils, how can you choose which to side with? I loved Lee, cried with him, empathised with him. I didn't love Antigone (and I think Annie is a blasphemous nickname for such a unique name - but I've never liked the name Annie), but I came to respect her and her decisions in the end. The themes the author wanted to explore were well-executed, and incredibly impressive for a first book. I'm not a fan of dual POVs and am still not, but I think in this case, it lend rather than took away from the message the author wanted to convey.
I think the most disappointing thing was that dragons weren't really integral to the story - you could take them away and replace it with any other element and it would continue to read the same. Labelled as a fantasy, but doesn't really take advantage of fantastical elements.
I didn't love the story, but I think I will with re-reads. Fingers crossed that the sequel remains within lines of expectations.