The sun's rays have been blotted from the sky for more than a generation, but young Siria Nightingale longs for the light. She doesn't want anything to do with Queen Iyzabel, the shady witch who tells the people that the light is dangerous, and they are safer in the dark. Yet, her family sends her off to see the queen on the off chance their daughter can earn a coveted place at court. The darkness closes in on Siria when she arrives, so she escapes in a bid to find any way possible to bring back the light. How do you clear the skies and defeat darkness itself? Does Siria have what it takes to undo Iyzabel's spell over the kingdom?

I liked that Hanna Howard brought in many disparate parts of magic and mythology to build her world, and while the overarching theme is heavily focused on light and dark, there is still nuance to it that is engaging. Linden is a great supporter and friend to Siria, and I like how they grow together through the book. I did feel like things worked out pretty darn conveniently for Siria at times, and I wish that she'd struggled a bit more and had to use her brain, rather than sheer dumb luck at times, to solve her problems. That said, the world and characters remained interesting enough that I could look past some of the conveniences as Siria uncovered the mysteries behind the darkness shrouding her land, and the secrets she also carried without realizing. Ignite the Sun is a reasonably strong debut novel, and I hope Hanna Howard keeps brewing up interesting stories and worlds like this to help the sun shine through.

If I could give 1/2 star ratings, I would give this book 3.5 stars.

This is the type of fantasy novel where the journey is the story - all of the trials, obstacles, and roadblocks to the final destination are what changes the characters. Looking at it through this lens, it is a very good book. There is fantastic world-building, the supporting characters are loyal and determined, there is a central quest to try to save the world from darkness, and the main characters grows and comes into her own.

Siria is a teenager who grew up with courtier parents who cared more about their status than their daughter. She is deeply concerned with how people perceive her and with winning the approval of others, so much so that she basically ignores her childhood friend because he is a lower class than her. Her life changes in an instant when she is presented to the Queen, an honor she has been waiting for her whole life. Unbeknownst to her, the Queen wants her dead and everything she's ever known has been a lie. She sets off on a journey to find family, friend, and the Sun.

This book is very heavily told through Siria's thoughts. As the story progresses, her thoughts become stronger, more assured, and more confident - this happens with each obstacle and each fight. I know there are some reviewers that find her to be whiney, but I tried to remember that the character is 16 years old, has been sheltered her whole life, has to live with the truth of who is is and the responsibility that carries, and has been lied to by everyone around her. There is a great deal of growth with this character and that's one of the strongest points of this book.

However, because this book is so heavy on exposition, there isn't that much action. And what action there is doesn't have that urgency, that sense of high stakes that you expect in a fantasy novel. This is the reason for a 3.5 star review vs. a 4 star review.

Ultimately, this is a good book and I enjoyed the audiobook narration. However, there are so many excellent books in this genre that you really need to hit on all levels to stand out.

I really enjoyed this book but there are parts that a little confusing at times. It does feel like this should be a series. Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for my gifted copy.

This story moves at a breathtaking pace, plunging you into a world without the sun. I was swept away by the idea of a world in darkness and one girl’s struggle to bring back the sun.

A well crafted story that has been well- narrated.

Love this book! Great story, compelling audiobook reader! his is the kind of fantasy novel I love, one that takes me into a long journey into the wilds. I also love a story that shows the slow transformation of the ingenue main character into something powerful.The characters are diverse and flawed and each has their own motivations; and the main character's change is believable and true coming of age story. . Themes of family, belonging, discerning truth, self-doubt, standing up for what's right, and personal responsibility are all dealt with well with meaning and sensitively.

Love the idea that the protagonist is a redhead girl with freckles. Siria has always lived in a world without a sun, surrounded by darkness, but she feels like there is something wrong. As she tries to fit in and tries to accept the darkness that surrounds her she discovers that she can be the only one to change it. She can bring the sun and light back to her world and has to go on an adventure to discover her destiny and at the same time to discover herself. Thank you to NetGalley for the opportunity to hear this story. #IgnitetheSun #NetGalley

I received Ignite the Sun as an ARC from Net Galley for my review. I enjoyed this book! I thought it was fast paced and exciting. I thought the city/kingdom being cast into dark and lightness being "outlawed" was interesting. I thought the characters were likable and had interesting powers. I listened to the audio-book and enjoyed the narrator. I recommend this book to fantasy lovers.

I loved the premise of the story, the world was AMAZING, though living without the sun sounds horrible to me LOL.
I loved the relationships between the characters in this book, they all grew throughout the story and it was amazing to see.
I liked it a lot, but I felt like there was something missing for me to really love it.
I felt like there was not a lot happening for the first half of the book, though it wasn't boring at all, I just wish they'd gotten to the rebel camps earlier in the story.
And then I felt like the ending was a bit rushed and it kind of disappointed me.

But, overall I really liked this book and would totally recommend it!

This book is exactly perfect. All the traditional elements I needed in a story at just the right pace and resolution. Every time I started to get frustrated a panicky, the conflict resolved and a larger one took center stage. "Ignite the Sun" is the story of a sun nymph who comes into her power by surprise in the midst of a reign of darkness. She must come to terms with who she is and save her kingdom and her friends. It's a beautiful fantasy story of self-acceptance, power, and determination to do what right, one step at a time.

Once I began "Ignite the Sun," I couldn't put it down. Howard quenched that classic fantasy adventure structure I'm always thirsty for, but can never seem to find. This story checks all the boxes, including: a mid journey joyful scene around the campfire, training to control powers, a slow burn romance, characters who are not what they seem, along with a myriad of magical creatures that support Siria on her journey to overcome the evil queen and being the light back to power.

The audiobook provides a thrilling listening experience with dramatic voices for every character. This book kept me hooked from the beginning anticipation the catalyst "Choosing Ball," through the characters' travels to join the rebels up north, all the way to the climatic battle back in the castle where it all began. This debut sparkled.

I love a good fantasy book and I also enjoy those fantasy books being YA. There is just something magical about a coming of age story that involves finding out you have powers. Hanna Howard’s newest book Ignite the Sun, falls right into this category, with main character Siria discovering her powers on her 16th birthday.

I really enjoyed the darkness vs. the sun in this book and how Howard pits the to together. Overall, I thought the story was unquie and enjoyed the different aspects of magic involved within the book. I listened to this via audio so it was a little hard for me to keep track of the different types of magical characters, but I think that’s just because I focus more when I read instead of listen to a book.

I utlimately gave this book 3.5 stars, as it was highly enjoyable and a great coming of age story. However, I had a few issues with the pacing of the story, as it felt that alot happened within the first and last few chapters, and not as much action in the middle of the book. Siria is also a bit whiney but she does grow quite a bit throughout the book, so this did not bother me quite as much.

I wanted a little more from this book. Maybe if it was a series it could have been great. I just felt that the single plot line with little to no supporting plot lines hinder the book overall. Still highly enjoyable and would recommend for YA lovers. .

I hope you enjoyed my thoughts on Ignite the Sun. If you liked this review please let me know either by commenting below or by visiting my instagram @speakingof_books. Huge Thank you to Blink & Netgalley for my advanced audio copy. For more of my reviews head to: SPEAKINGOF.ORG

Unfortunately I was not able to download this book successfully to my NetGalley shelf app, even after trying for weeks and contacting NetGalley. I look forward to accessing a published copy elsewhere!

I received this and as an audio galley to listen to for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Blink for giving me access.

This book caught my attention from the very beginning! So much so that I binged the audio in one day. The world building is fantastic and wasn't at all what I was expecting. Maybe I should have reread the synopsis before listening.

Secrets and the past are revealed in this epic fantasy about living in darkness,

This is really more of a 3.5⭐ for me. I really enjoyed the premise of this book. The world was unique but not fully fleshed out. The magic system was intriguing but not fully explained. The pacing was an issue for me as well. I was also NOT a fan of the narrator and enjoyed it much more when I got a physical copy of the book.

I did, however, love the characters. I felt Siria was a more realistic heroine than most. She responded as a pampered 16 year old girl would. Linden was adorable. Yarrow was gruff but you wanted to hug him. I loved Marell's sass (she took no shit). Elegy was my favorite. This little band was fun to follow.

Had there been a bit more background given this could have been a favorite for me. I would recommend it if you'd like a fun, fast-paced adventure with likeable characters.

Thank you to NetGalley for this free audiobook.

The idea of this book drew me in, I haven’t read many books where dark and light is more than just a way of saying who’s good and who’s not. The evil witch, Queen Iyzavel, who rules the kingdom of Umbarza, is wanting to destroy the last sunchild; a sunchild is someone who can draw powers from the sun. See, light and darkness are literally fighting each other.
The main character is Siria who is livings live one two sides in this world. She could at times be a little annoying, like any character but I felt that it was who she was, just questioning everything. But it didn't bother me that much. I really found her a good character. For me I found that the side character, the rebels, were the funniest to read about; like any good royal books the rebels sometimes steal the spotlight. And these characters make this book amazing!
The only thing I didn't care for was I wanted more of the queen, I want more of who she was and the path the lead to who she became.
I love the world. I liked the kingdom descriptions, I like the bite we got about the magic system. The mythology is woven thought it made it whimsical. I like Terra-Volat was painted as the heart of the darkness. The way the author plots this book was good, I only found a few parts slow, but I felt that it worked with the few actions and battle scenes. I love the magic and how it works.
I enjoyed the narrator, the tones and flow really brought this story to life. If enjoyed the voices done for each character and how the voice sounds light.
As far as I know, this is standalone. It wraps up well, but I would enjoy more books set in the world. I was pulled right in by the world and how things work, would like more. If you like YA fantasy, you might like this one. If your look for a classic dark vs light read, then dive into this one.

The magic system and the concepts were well written! I enjoyed the journey style of this story and would love to learn more about the characters

What if we lived in a world of darkness? Siria Nightingale's entire life has been lived that way. What she soon discovers is that she holds the key to creating a world where the sun can shine!

My favorite element in this book was the characters! They were well developed with backstories and histories that made me settle into the story. I loved every new character introduction and what they brought to the table. The magic that they hold was fascinating. I loved learning about the things that each person could do! Siria's magic was new to her, so we got to learn along with her throughout the story.

Overall, I felt like this book had a fun story that kept me interested in what would happen next. It's definitely a YA novel. The characters are young, and overall everything felt a little softened (the fighting, magical system, etc). It's a good story, and I look forward to more from this author!

I was provided a gifted copy of this book for free. I am leaving my review voluntarily.

I could not put this book down. From the very start we get action from the Queen trying to kill Siria ;our main character. Which sends her on a journey to awaken her true power that will either save her kingdom from darkness or destroy herself and everyone she loves.

My biggest complaint is the romance. Like .... I guess young marriage in this time frame is acceptable...but she was brought up a lady, but still ends up sitting in this boys lap? I get "you love him" "we might die" but.... Her being a 16 year old I did not care for all that.

But the narrator was amazing aside from in a few chapters there was a little nasally whistle when she breathed that I couldn't ignore

If I’m going to read YA, this is the YA I read. Ignite the Sun brought be back to my early years of reading books like Inkheart, Magyk, and Artemis Fowl. While not earth-shattering (moments of tension seem to resolve themselves conveniently) and filled with some common YA tropes (The Chosen One, Light v Dark), I enjoyed the journey and felt as though this was a good palate cleanser for me.

☀️ 2.5 stars ☀️

"Once upon a time, there was something called the sun..."

WARNING: THIS REVIEW CONTAINS SPOILERS!

Siria Nightingale has always hated the darkness and wanted to see the sun, which she had never seen before, only heard stories of. But since she lived in a kingdom where it is told by Queen Iyzabel that the light is dangerous, all of the kingdom is kept in darkness.

When Siria attends the Choosing Ball, for a chance at a place in Queen Iyzabel's court, something happens that changes her life for good. She now must go on a quest with a group of rebels, in hopes of bringing back the light.

Since I'll be ranting about this book, first I'll mention what I enjoyed while reading, then rant about what I didn't like at all.

Things that I enjoyed in this book:

1. The Worldbuilding- I found the world to be very fascinating, from the royal city to the rebel camps. It felt realistic, and very well fleshed out.

2. The Magic System- I loved that it wasn't tied to a bloodline, but to the circumstances of ones birth. And that we got so many interesting magical creatures like: wood elves, mages, witches, sunchildren, etc. I especially liked how sunchildren are born and how witches get their powers. I never would have guessed that Iyzabel got her magic by eating a heart of a sunchild. And I loved that. It was a fun twist.

3. The first 30% of the book- I flew through the pages. This book was so gripping that I was sure it would end up being one of my favorite reads of this year. That didn't happen though.

4. The Audiobook- The narrator, McKenzie Fetters, did a wonderful job on this book. And their voice fit perfectly with the story and the characters. I recommend picking up the audiobook, it really adds to the atmosphere of the story.

Here's what I didn't like about this book (and the beginning of a rant) :

1. Mary Sue MC- Siria just got her powers, and she somehow mastered it all in two months. Btw, there aren't any more sunchildren to show her what she needs to learn and how, so she learns on her own and has a little help from a mage. But I guess she's a natural. So I went with it. There was something that annoyed me so much more. She took down a Queen who murdered all the sunchildren on her own, sixteen years ago. And those sunchildren had more time to practice their magic than Siria for sure (There were sunchildren of all ages), and I'm sure were more powerful than her. Yet they were all slaughtered, and Siria, who knew she had magic for only two months, took her down like it was nothing. I mean, make it make sense. This just didn't sit well with me at all.

2. The cartoony villain- Queen Iyzabel was an evil witch because she wanted to keep the kingdom in darkness, and because she doesn't want anyone to have magic other than herself. And that's it. She's evil because we were told she's evil. She doesn't really do anything in this book other than scream some orders and maybe attack with her knife. She doesn't even use her magic much, and she's supposed to be really powerful! I mean, at least we did kind of get why she became evil, but it wasn't explained all that well. She just didn't seem like a threat. And the way they took her down was awful. A complete disappointment.

3. Too many coincidences- There were just too many. I was rolling my eyes at most of them. THEY. WERE. SO. BAD. Example: Oh, the MC and a side character are plummeting down a cliff to certain death? No worries, because Siria can fly now. Problem solved.

4. Final battle- It was too short. The Queen was too weak. Siria had too much luck. There was no tension. It was obvious Siria would win. And it was obvious who would die (Apart from the Queen).

Thank you NetGalley and Blink for the Audiobook in exchange for an honest review.