Firebird by Juliette Cross ~ Review *Spoilers*
FIREBIRD
House of the Dragon meets From Blood and Ash in this epic, scorching dark romantasy.
TABLE OF CONTENTS |
INTRODUCTION
Over the last few months, a lot has been said about Firebird by Juliette Cross. There has been a lot of controversy surrounding the marketing of the book and its contents, and normally, because of all the hoopla, I’d steer clear of reading it. But I couldn’t do that this time.
Naima Simone, an author I love and trust, recommended Firebird on all her socials, and since I trust her judgment and she has never steered me wrong in a book read, I downloaded Firebird in Kindle Unlimited the day it released. A few days after I downloaded the book from KU, I was in Barnes & Noble to browse and ran across the hardcover of Firebird and fell in love with it’s dragon-sprayed pages. I bought it, though I didn’t get the chance to read it for a few days due to other personal commitments and work obligations. But once I picked the book up and started reading it, I kept on reading it, right to the end. Because, for me, it was that good.
Now, let’s dive in and discuss Firebird, shall we?
DETAILS AND INFORMATION
A conqueror captivated… From the moment Roman general and nephew to the emperor Julianus Dakkia laid eyes on Malina, he was enthralled by the Dacian dancer. Years later, the fierce beauty stands before him on a scarred battlefield, her life in danger. He instinctively shifts into his fierce dragon form to save her, an action that may mean his head on the imperial gate. But he and his dragon know one thing: she belongs to them. Malina can’t believe that the centurion who had once bestowed a secret talisman on her is the Roman general of legendary brutality. His prowess as a warrior cannot be denied, yet they don’t reveal the secret he hides. All Malina knows is his protection and gentle touch. And she cannot deny how her soul has always seemed to answer his. As they navigate a world where flying deathriders conquer and burn, their love will ignite a firestorm that can only end in heartbreak or death. Or both.
Firebird by Juliette Cross
Series: The Fire That Binds #1
Published by Bramble on April 8, 2025
Genres: Romantasy
Pages: 369
Format: eBook
Source: Kindle Unlimited
Buy: Amazon | B & N | Bookshop.org | Publisher
Rating: 
Series Rating:
A witch prophesied to save them all…
A world where dragons rule Rome.
FREQENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
Here are some quick answers to a few questions about the Firebird that I’ve come across online:
Is Firebird a darker romantasy read?
Yes. Firebird absolutely is a darker romantasy read, so if you are sensitive to dark themes in books definitely be sure and read the content warnings and triggers for this book.
What are the content and trigger warnings for Firebird?
There are several content and trigger warnings for this book, and all of them are very much warranted though not at all advertised well in some of the reviews I’ve seen of this book. The warnings for Firebird include darker themes: slavery in a reimagined Ancient Rome, elements of a master/slave relationship but with a twist, elements of captured and conqueror, violence reminiscent of the era, incest between non-lead characters, attempted SA between non-lead characters, and dubious consent between non-lead characters.
Does Firebird end on a cliffhanger?
Sort of. As the opening book of larger series, Firebird does end on a bit of a cliffhanger, but it also wraps up the love story of the main characters of this book, Julianus and Malina. So while the story continues in one form, it does have a conclusion to the romance part of this one, if that makes sense.
Is Firebird spicy?
Yes. Firebird is 100% a spicy read. Is it the spiciest I’ve ever read? Not even close. It falls somewhere in the middle on the spice scale, so not completely filthy but also nowhere near tame.
Is Firebird worth the read?
Absolutely! This book is one of my favorite reads of the year. I devoured it the second I started reading it, and despite the controversy surrounding it’s promotion and content, I loved it and fully believe it is worth a read. For the reimagined era it is written around, it is fitting on the violence and content scale . . . and there be dragons during war!
WHY YOU SHOULD READ FIREBIRD
There are several reasons why you should read Firebird, though, ultimately, it comes down to individual reading tastes and what you do and do not like to read in your romance books. If you love spice, darker themes, dragons, witches, and historical romantasy, this is probably a book you should check out. But I do have to admit, it took me a while to talk about Firebird.
Why did it take me so long to talk about Firebird?
Well, a lot of reasons really. Lack of time to write the review. Too many thoughts to properly focus. Day job and personal stressors. An updated website layout and review styling. Other books I read after this one. A host of things, and yet, despite all of that, I still want to go back and talk about this book.
That’s quite telling, isn’t it?
WHAT YOU WILL FIND IN FIREBIRD
Firebird has quite a few tropes in it, though a few of them aren’t quite what they seem on the surface. Enemies to lovers, for example, is featured as a trope and even somewhat appears on the page, but it isn’t on a large scale, and it doesn’t make up the majority of the book.
I do not personally feel Malina and Julianus ever reached true enemy status in this story, because they shared a connection from the start. Yes, they were on opposite sides of the war, and for a time, Malina struggled with that. But despite how things appeared on the surface, they never truly saw each other as an enemy, or even behaved that way toward one another.
Now, there is a bit of a mystery surrounding Julianus and his choices. But if you read closely, you will see there is more to him. His choices clearly do not align with who he is purported to be in the story, and that comes across in his actions toward Malina. Even she doesn’t see him as a true enemy, though part of her thinks that she should.
Forced Proximity
Forced proximity is another trope that features in this book, and it presents in a much stronger concentration than the enemy to lovers trope previously mentioned. Elements of forced proximity appear in conjunction with the master/slave and captor/captive tropes, so you’ll see this trope in the housing situation as well as other situations that arise within the story.
I do want to mention that the master/slave and captor/captive tropes are a bit deceptive, because though the wording is present, there is something much bigger at play and they do not necessarily fit the way some reviewers have stated that they do. If you read the book, you will see what I mean, but they are not as on the nose as some would have you think that they are. Not even close, actually. The power dynamics are surface level at best and do not even remotely attest to the type of relationship that Malina and Julianus form in this story. The tropes are warranted, but there is an array of other things that must be taken into consideration because as I said, these tropes are not what they seem, and neither is Julianus.
If you’ve read the summary for this book, you will know that Julianus is a Roman general and a dragon shifter and that Malina is a Celtic witch who he meets and “enslaves.” Now, there is a lot more going on in this book than a master/slave or captive/captured story and if you read closely, you will see that for yourself. Julianus is so much more than what people have made him out to be, and so is Malina.
Fated Mates
Fated mates is another trope you’ll find in Firebird, though like the others, there are subtle clues to its appearance more than an outright statement of it throughout the book. The connection is there and readers will see it throughout the story as they read, but there is also this overall feeling of it. Malina and Julianus were clearly meant to find one another, at this time and in this place, and the obstacles they must overcome to be together is what romance is all about.
Forbidden Romance
If you’ve visited my site long enough, you’ll have noticed that forbidden romance is one of my all the favorite tropes. I will be pick up a forbidden romance book soo fast, and usually, that is the books I will devour the quickest. I just love it, and that’s pretty much the case with this book.
In Firebird, the romance between Malina and Julianus is one that isn’t supposed to be yet feels as if it’s written in the stars. It is a romance that those in charge have expressly forbidden, which makes Malina and Julianus’s growing connection to one another all the more dangerous for them if they were to give into it, and if someone were to discover it. This aspect of the story goes hand in hand with the political intrigue we will talk about next.
Political Intrigue
Firebird is rife with political context and intrigue. Since it takes place during the Roman Empire, there is an element of history mixed in with the fantasy world that Cross created for the story. Julianus is a Roman general that is seen as a cruel and ruthless conqueror by many, including Malina. However, there is also more to his character than the war he finds himself fighting, and his struggles with that is what makes this book so intriguing to me. And the same can be said of Malina, and the way her past and her powers are utilized in the story. This is politics and war but it is also so much more than that.
Found Family
I loved the found family trope in this book because it isn’t at all what one would expect. Well, it is in a romance, and it is something that was vastly needed to offset some of the other aspects of the story. The violence of war is in sharp contrast with the found family trope and I love that because it adds so much to the story and to the characters. This trope is what truly defines both Malina and Julianus and what readers can take away from the story the most, I think.
Dark Romantasy
As stated a few times, Firebird is a dark romantasy, and that means there are some tropes and themes that may not sit well with some readers. Now, those tropes and themes are not always what they appear on the surface, so how dark you find this book will be as subjective as the tropes it is written around. I didn’t find this as dark as some other books I’ve read, but I’m also not a reader that is sensitive to darker themes in my fiction.
Dual First Person POV
If dual first person point of view is something you are looking for then Firebird has it. As a reader, you will find both Malina and Julianus’s point of views here, which will allow you to get to know them outside of who they appear to be for others, and for each other.
Here are some of my favorite quotes from Firebird, and also why I love them so much.
He smiled. “Does it matter what I do with the information? You are mine, Malina, to do with as I will.”
I scowled, and there was no doubt he could misread the anger burning in my eyes. It only made him smile wider.
“There’s the firebird.”
I love this interaction so much. Julianus’s actions, as well as his words and rebukes, says so much about the way he sees Malina throughout the story. Not as a captive or a slave to do with as he wills, but as a strong female who is capable of so much more than she believes.
Julianus sees more than people get, and he wants to help more than people can know. It’s one of the things I love most about his character. He wants for Malina to hide (to keep her safe!) while also helping her to shine (be brave and fearless), and that’s something that has been lost in some of the reviews I’ve seen for this book.
The male lead isn’t some cruel dragon-master dictator who has no care for the feelings or plight of his slaves. He is the exact opposite actually. He is trying to help, to protect people, the only way he knows how and can right now.
Does he live and work in a time and a society with social classes and cruelty toward others? Yes. Is he perfect? No. Has he done bad things in the service of someone else? Yes. But he has also done good things, too, and he has risked his life for the safety of others more than once. That isn’t the mark of an evil man, but of a hero, one who wants to do what is good and right.
“You are no longer the witch who aided the Celts against the Roman legions,” he said softly.
“Who am I, then?” I asked on a trembling voice.
“In Rome, you are no one. A slave. One of many.”
If a person were to take Julianus’s words in this scene at face value, then on the surface, yes, there is a serious power dynamic involved, but that’s not what this scene is about here, and it is not what this book is about, either.
In this scene, Julianus is trying to show Malina his side of the world without giving away his most closely guarded secret, because to give that away could mean his death (and the death of many, many others). He has a goal he cannot deviate from lest he lose his chance to make a difference in the war for his kingdom, but his feelings and fears for Malina and others complicate things for him.
He wants her safe, you see, and showing her how to blend in within Rome, an emperor controlled city, is the only way he knows to ensure she is protected. So, to him, the more docile and submissive she appears, the safer she becomes . . . until the time arrives when Julianus can do more for her, and for all the others like her. He doesn’t want to clip her wings, so to speak, just keep her safe from the cruelty of his ruthless, dragon-shifting uncle, and all those who spy for him within the city walls.
This is who Julianus Dakkia, Roman general and conqueror, is in this story, which is very different from who so many people have ascribed him to be over the past few months. He is not cruel and he does not mistreat the FMC, either on the surface or otherwise.
MY FINAL THOUGHTS ON FIREBIRD
Firebird is a book that is surrounded in controversy and yet, it is not a controversy that the book deserves. This book and story is so much more than what has been said about it in certain online reviews. On the surface, taken only by the appearance of certain tropes, it might appear to be exactly what those reviewers have said it is, but beneath the cover and on the actual page? Not so much.
I started reading Firebird and I devoured it in a day. It quickly became not just a five star read for me but one of my favorite reads of the year, possibly even the last couple of years. It is one of my all time favorite romantasy books to date, without question. I don’t even have to think about it. I absolutely loved the combination of fantasy and history in this book. Mixing the Roman Empire with dragon shifters and Celtic witches was something I didn’t know I needed until I read this story.
If you’ve ever read up on Robin Hood or King Arthur, I feel like Firebird has a few elements of those stories. Not the big elements, but just an overall feel of someone trying to right a wrong and fix what those in charge have broken. Also the Celtic mythology that appears in those tales. Combining the Celtic elements with the history of the Roman Empire and the fantasy of dragons and witches really worked for me. Probably because it took so many elements of what I love to read about and combined them into one fabulous story.
The writing in Firebird is excellent, as is the characterization and overall storytelling of Cross. In all honesty, I haven’t read a lot of this author’s work over the years, but I loved this story and cannot wait to read the next book in the series. I also highly recommend giving Firebird a shot.
RATING: 
Want more bookish content and interactions?
What did you think of our review?
Let us know in the comment section below.
BOOK RATING