I didn't like this book. There are some redeemable qualities like the lore I guess but otherwise I don't recommend it.

It is very cliché; the MC is "not like other girls" and is the never ending cliché of pretty without knowing it. But the story itself is also cliché (the villains are all green and black and the goods are white and gold).

The writing is bad too in my opinion, the worlduilding is messy (at the begining I couldn't viualize what the world looked like) and the writing style is weak (I noted this sentence to illustrate but the whole thing is weirdly written : "Relief shot through my limbs, but I was still so hot and the light was everywhere.").

It's also very boring until 80% of the book, then at 90% it becomes boring again until like the 98%. And everything just unlocks itself so easily. The queen is defeated in 10 pages. The MC doesn't have a real plan and just hopes for a miracle.

But what disappointed me the most was the unkept promise the this book is "An allegorical exploration of the struggle with anxiety and depression" (citation taken on Netgalley). I was waiting to see when it would talk about depression but that moment never came (near the end I thought maybe it applied to the queen and it would come at the very end but... no). So I tried to see what remotely looked like depression and I think I got it but it's very not obvious (like not obvious enough the be a part of the blurb) and the "solution" to depression seems to be ... drugs ? I may have not understood anythig but I don't see anything else. Like th "solution" is to take some miracle sun and everything is fine (the term "antidote" to anxiety is even used ! -p.263). The parallel with depression is badly done and I wouldn't even know there is one if I wasn't expecting it and looking for it !

So it's not a BAD book but not a good one either I think Near the end I was curious and the action scenes are quite well done. (I seem very heated in this review lol but I'm just very disapointed and should definitely have DNF it)

Ignite the Sun was a fast pace, constant moving book that kept my attention the entire time. I was very pleased with the pace of the story, as there was no stagnant moment. Every page, something new happened, and I enjoyed the combination of information and action was mixed.

For the most part, the characters were interesting. The villain was classic - selfish in her desires and demanding everyone to pay the price of one person's mistake. I did take issue with the main character, Siria. I understand the lack of trust she had after feeling like she was lied to her whole life, but even after learning the truth, she still stubbornly and foolishly held onto the "despair" she felt. It didn't do anything for her character development, and mainly annoyed the heck out of me because of it. Also, her naivety was such that it took over a desire to live. I'm fine with a character being naive, but when it overpowers the desire to live, thats where I call fake. I did end up liking Siria in the end, but the process to get to that point was painful.

There were also some scenes where I felt like the author gave up. Multiple times, a big action scene was prepared, but before anything can happen, Siria gets whisked away and learns what happens in a short 3 sentence explanation. To me, that was the author not wanting to challenge herself with writing an intense action scene and finding away around it. Doing so made it to where the book didn't have any variety in its pacing. It was just walking, and walking, and WALKING. Frodo and Sam made it to Mordor faster than these characters did to their destination. I was disappointed by the continual whisking away of Siria, the continuous walking, and never seeing the other characters in action. The book would be at a higher caliber if Howard just challenged herself and kept Siria there for the fight scenes.

Overall, the story was an interesting take on the Last Survivor and Hero tropes. The world she created and characters she presented was fresh and new than the standard magical people. I wished she worked harder on the scene and gave more substance to Siria. Still, a good read. Definitely 3 stars.

Ignite the Sun has a really interesting premise. On her sixteenth birthday, a girl discovers that she has special powers. She is a sunchild and the only person who can defeat Queen Iyzabel, the evil witch who has shrouded the kingdom in darkness. Syria travels with a trusted group of companions to unite with the rebels, master her powers, plan the witch’s demise, and bring the sun back to their kingdom. Can Siria and the rebels succeed before it’s too late?

Siria is a richly developed protagonist who begins the story as a young woman who blindly follows the dictates of society. She falls prey to the lies of the Queen, just like everyone else. I like how Siria changes and matures after realizing that what she always believed as truth is a lie. She must reflect on what she believes, face her prejudices, and reevaluate what is most important. Early in the story, revealed secrets bring with them a sense of betrayal, and Siria questions feelings, relationships, and basically everything she knows about her life. She struggles to come to terms with these revelations as well as the revelations about her true identity and her powers.

Witnessing the violent death of an innocent man at the hands of the Queen’s guards serves as a catalyst for Siria. It is after this incident that Siria embraces her gift and realizes how much she can help others. This is such a pivotal moment in her maturation, and it is when Siria sees her potential.

The vivid imagery when describing the setting, major characters, and plot adds depth to the story. This dynamic use of figurative language is not as noticeable with the minor characters, however. A bit more development would lend a depth to the minor characters, especially considering there are magical beings like elves, nymphs, banshees, and more. I wanted to know more about their lives and worlds and experiences and felt this was a missed opportunity.

The friends-to-more-than-friends romance that blossoms is a highlight of the story. I’m a sucker for a good romance, and Siria and Linden’s love story is fantastic! Siria and Linden have been friends since childhood, and their developing feelings are sweet and strong. Unsure of the other’s feelings, they are so awkward and insecure. It is clear to the reader that these two love each other (and not in a friend way), but Siria and Linden have several obstacles in their way, including Siria’s fear of physically harming him with her power, that prevent them from addressing their feelings. However, their love for each other is palpable, and I liked watching them evolve from best friends into something more.

The rich mythology was another highlight of the novel. I enjoyed learning about the history of the kingdom, how and why the kingdom changed from light to darkness, and the mythology of the sun children. Lore about the different magical beings and powers, as well as the history of the Queen, is also fascinating.

Ignite the Sun is a quick-paced coming-of-age story with interesting, magical characters and an immersive plot. The ending did feel a little rushed, and I wish it were developed a bit more, especially considering this is a standalone. That being said, the major characters are deftly-developed and interesting, and the story is action-packed.

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Blink for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.

I loved this book! The story was beautiful and original, featuring interesting characters with A+ world building. The themes of light and darkness, are often explored in literature, and it was enjoyable to read a story in which they are literally opposing, in a universe where the sun is a myth. The friendships were exceptional, and the care with which the author explores how her characters connect, relate and sometimes come apart is evident. Additionally, I enjoyed Siria immensely- she is an imperfect character- she's overly inquisitive, and impulsive.. but ultimately she's so human, and brave. I believe this has been published as a standalone, but I would love to see other books published in the same world.

Thank you NetGalley & Blink Publishing!

ARC from NetGalley

3.5 stars

This was a decent read. I liked the light/dark situation, the rest of the magic system was also interesting. The characters were decent, though there wasn't a whole lot of growth aside from Siria. I would give this book a higher rating if it was a bit more engaging. Admittedly, I read it in a day, so obviously I enjoyed reading it, but there were a lot of opportunities to make me feel something, and it fell flat in that regard. It felt a bit formulaic, but I mean, I've read enough fantasy now that a lot of it feels the same. So take that with a grain of salt. No one in this book irritated me aside from Siria in the beginning, but that was obviously a part of the plot, and she got over it. I quite loved Yarrow. Wish we got to dive a bit deeper into him. I wish we could dive a bit deeper into several of the side characters actually. I love it when books do that, but this book doesn't. We get Siria, and that's all we get.

Lovely, typical, YA fantasy. I'm sure a lot of people are going to really like this one. It didn't wow me, but if I had paid for it I wouldn't feel ripped off, if you know what I mean.

When I started reading Ignite the stars by Hanna Howard I was really excited to start reading it but for some reason I just couldn’t get into the story line or connect with the characters, this was through no fault of the author and I believe if I ever tried again to read it ( which I intend to do in the future) that I might actually be able to connect with the story and the characters in this book.

I want to say thanks to the publishers , author and netgalley for allowing me to read this story.

I'll be honest, I was immediately drawn to Ignite the Sun because of the cover, but I'm so glad I was. I really enjoyed the story, and I loved the unique world the characters inhabited. Worlds that are dim or dark have always fascinated me, and I thought it was particularly well done here. The pacing was also excellent. I was pulled right through the book and I found that I never wanted to put it down. I also want to add the author's writing style was lovely, and I really enjoyed it.

Thank you to the publisher and to Netgalley for providing me with an e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Ignite the Sun caught my attention through an amazing concept - a world where the sun was stolen and darkness reigned. It was easy to get lost in the world and the characters and their relationships to one another. Through the whole story there was a clear goal (even if it changed as ‘problems’ arose) and a fight to achieve it. There were never places where the story lagged or felt unnecessary. I will state that the author tends to use long sentences filled with wonderful imagery and while it is a tone I love, others may find it too detailed or complicated. Either way I highly recommend diving into this world!

**I received an ARC for free, in exchange for an honest review.

First of all, the cover is so pretty. That’s what initially drew me in, I love unique looking covers. The premise of the book is also unique, and very interesting - with mythological type undertones, and magic, that’s a winner for me.
I would have liked more info and depth into these different creatures though, especially the witches. The take on witches that we did get was really fresh and interesting.

The world building was very well done, as is the writing style - I was drawn in and didn’t struggle to read the book at all.
Our main character is VERY annoying however. She is so whiny and self centered; arguing repeatedly over answers she’s been given, without taking a moment to think them through. She definitely gets better as the story goes on though.

The romance was a bit forced, as was the pining, but it was 2nd to the story and more subtle than other books, so not too much of a problem.
There were many cliche tropes, such as “pretty girl thinks she’s plain” and so on, as well as being able to get results pretty fast with her new powers.

The pace was a bit strange - moving forward extremely fast, but simultaneously being slow. Each character was different and unique, which is nice, but we don’t really get to know them, which makes certain scenes not have the impact it wanted.

Overall, a fun, interesting read that definitely held my attention!

⁣In this YA Fantasy debut, we enter a world where the sun is considered the root of all evil. It has been banished by a queen who embodies darkness and Siria Nightingale has to hide her fascination with the bright star from all but her childhood friend and his grandpa. But when Siria turns 16, something happens that not not only explains her feelings about the sun, but might just change the course of her world forever.⁣
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This book hits all the points expected in this type of novel. It has an evil queen, an incandescent heroine who is unsure of herself, a motley band of rebels, an epic journey, and a sweet romance.⁣
⁣
As with most tales set in a fantasy realm, world building is a vital part of the story. If done well, the world comes alive in the reader’s imagination and is the perfect backdrop to the drama that unfolds. If done poorly, it feels like a one dimensional stage setting made of cardboard and cheap paint. Luckily, the author here does a great job creating a rich fantasy domain for her characters. And those characters are multi dimensional enough to make them relatable and exciting to read. The story itself follows a predictable and natural progression. There are not really any surprises in this book, but the plot moves well and the world and characters are interesting, and it’s not a mystery novel, so a little predictability in the storyline is fine with me.⁣
⁣
𝙄𝙜𝙣𝙞𝙩𝙚 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙎𝙪𝙣 is a quick and highly enjoyable read, and the author is definitely one to watch for in the future.⁣

2.5

Ignite the Sun isn't a bad book. I just couldn't feel a connection to any of the characters. I couldn't bring myself to care about their plight. Story-wise, it could have been much better than this. I think the biggest issue for me was the villain. Her true motivation and the reason behind it wasn't revealed until the end. I think she could have been more rounded instead of being very cardboardy.

Others will like the book. There's no spark here for me.

Thanks to Netgalley for the eARC!

I really wish I liked this more; I just didnt connect to the characters or story unfortunately. That's not to say its badly written; in fact, I found the world building fairly engaging. I just didnt get anything more than that from this novel.

This book had an shy opening,but suddenly it turns into something very brave . Siria is a very fierce character despite her fight to always please her grandfather. This books reminded me of Red Queen saga and has an amazing cast of characters (and how stunning this cover is ? I was like,omg !) But I think the history turns predictable next to the end. All the praizes for queen lyzabel,I love how spooky she was.

The synopsis was so interesting, so I expected A LOT. Unfortunately the plot was not so well handled and I did not empathize with the protagonist, she was....kind of boring to read. She has a little evolution, but if this had happened earlier it would have been better and would have significantly improved the whole plot.

On the other hand, if you are looking for something to read in a chill afternoon, this is a good option because it is kind of enterteining though and it is not dense.

This book was entertaining and enjoyable, but also kind of predictable and forgettable after I finished it. It’s not bad or anything, but it’s not a book that I see myself ever want to read again.
I did enjoy the magic system though, which is always a plus. Just found certain parts difficult or boring.

The premise for this novel, a world shrouded in darkness and ruled by a witch queen who is in love with the darkness and a revolution to bring back the light, was so original in execution. While the idea was exciting and entertaining on its own, other aspects took away from my enjoyment of this novel.

Let's start with the characters. There was a total disconnect from the main character and I was irritated by Merrall as well as Siria (our MC). The character development is great in the last half of the story but the first half was hard to get through because of how annoying the characters were.

This was a very cliche book that includes the "chosen one" troupe as well as an underdeveloped "friends to lovers" troupe (among others). Due to these underwhelming inclusions, the writing quality and my enjoyment plummeted.

It was honestly incredibly predictable in several aspects and I was excepting a lot more from this. I did manage to finish the book, after struggling through the beginning, and it was enjoyable and entertaining once I got passed the cliches and tried to pretend like I didn't have a clue how it would end. (Some aspects of the ending were a genuine surprise but...not much).

Overall, it was fresh and exciting but the characters didn’t click with me and some troupes could have been left out to preserve the quality of the story..

Thank you Netgalley and the publishers for letting me read this book. This book was great, I was very intrigued when I read the premise of this book and it didn’t disappoint the characters and the plot are well written and I could really get behind the characters, the writing in this book is also great. Definitely recommend this book. 4 stars

While the premise of this book was interesting, the writing was weak and the characters were so bland that it makes it hard for readers to even care about what is going. On top of that, the plot itself was flimsy, predictable, and full of loopholes. In summary, this is a book that had a lot of potential but did not live up to it in the end due to poor execution. I wouldn't recommend this.

*I received an e-arc from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review*

4.5/5

I was intrigued by this book from the beginning and I wanted to keep reading to find out what would happen next! I absolutely enjoyed the world this was set in, and the magic and mythology that was woven in. In this story, the kingdom of Luminor reigned and then was taken over by an evil queen who covered the whole kingdom in darkness. The main character, Siria always hated the darkness and would ask her best friend Linden, and his grandfather Yarrow to tell her the tales about the sun. Her parents never understood her fascination with the sun, but she yearns to please them. So, she heads to the royal city of Terra-Volat, the center of all the darkness, to find a place in Queen Iyzabel’s court. What she discover’s there sends her on a quest with a group of rebels.

Siria joins Linden, Yarrow, a spirited naiad, and a banshee on an epic journey to lead the rebellion as she tries to defeat the darkness and restore the light to the kingdom. It’s all or nothing, because if they fail, Terra-Volat will be sucked into the never ending darkness. I enjoyed getting to know Siria and the whole cast of characters on this magical journey. I love the friendships that Siria makes along the way, and there’s even a dash of romance. We watch as Siria grows from a spoiled girl to a strong young woman. The ending of the book was satisfying, and I can see it being a standalone, but I felt as though there should have been an epilogue to wrap up a few things that I still was left wondering about.

An overall wonderful debut about light vs darkness that I could totally get behind! I hope that we get more from this wonderful world in the future. I would absolutely love a sequel!

This was a lot of fun to read - I've been slowly getting more into young adult fantasy and I really liked the characters and story telling.