Phoenix Unbound by Grace Draven

Phoenix Unbound (The Fallen Empire, #1)

by Grace Draven

In this USA Today bestselling novel, a woman with power over fire and illusion and the enslaved son of a chieftain battle a corrupt empire in this powerful and deeply emotional romantic fantasy.

Every year, each village is required to send a young woman to the Empire's capital--her fate to be burned alive for the entertainment of the masses. For the last five years, one small village's tithe has been the same woman. Gilene's sacrifice protects all the other young women of her village, and her secret to staying alive lies with the magic only she possesses.

But this year is different.

Azarion, the Empire's most famous gladiator, has somehow seen through her illusion--and is set on blackmailing Gilene into using her abilities to help him escape his life of slavery. Unknown to Gilene, he also wants to reclaim the birthright of his clan.

To protect her family and village, she will abandon everything to return to the Empire--and burn once more.

Reviewed by Ashley on

2 of 5 stars

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Hugely disappointed in this. :( Don't even know why I finished it. Curiosity, I guess.

I liked the first few pages and thought there was a lot of promise in the story and the characters. But after that, it just got dull. It was travelling and running, with not much else happening. This lasted a while.

Then there were a bunch of time jumps that contributed to a lacklustre romance. I didn't see the chemistry between the two at all. I kind of wanted an epic, all encompassing fantasy love story, and don't feel like that delivered. I never really cared about either of the characters, or them together.

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Reading updates

  • 15 November, 2022: Started reading
  • 15 November, 2022: on page 0 out of 400 0%
  • 20 November, 2022: Finished reading
  • 20 November, 2022: Reviewed