I went into this book without many expectations, and pretty much fell in love with it. Really solid use of pulling together a lot of disparate plot points and using POV jumps for maximum dramatic potential with big moments - felt very cinematic in scope. Delightful cast of character, who albeit fell a little flat on occasion. This was extremely ambitious in scope for a stand alone, even with the world-building boost of (I assume?) being set in the same world as the author's other series (which I have not read), and I think it mostly stuck the landing.

The audiobook narrator did a 10/10 job, which didn't hurt

I've been wanting to read a book by Jenn Lyons for a while, but I was daunted by a lot of what I had heard about her debut series, A Chorus of Dragons. So I was thrilled to have an opportunity to read The Sky on Fire early.

The story follows the character Anahrod who lives in the Deep, but is drawn away to use her particular skills to assist with a heist. Even though I didn't connect as fully to her character as I would have liked to, I loved following her adventures. The world that Lyons has built here, too, is very cool. The Deep is a jungle populated by dragons, there are cities in the sky, and the queer representation in the book was nuanced and handled well. I loved the way that rings were used to denote gender and relationship status, and it's such a relief to read such a wonderfully queer-normative world.

It's important to note that I read The Sky on Fire via audiobook, and Lauren Fortgang's narration was fantastic. Fortgang is a narrator I've listened to before, and her performance is always spectacular. I will definitely be checking out some of Jenn Lyon's backlist after this.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio and to Netgalley for granting me and audio ARC in exchange for an honest review.

This was a fun audiobook to listen to. I loved the quirky characters, dragons & a heist. Perfect story for getting lost in

Anahrod has been in hiding in The Deep, doing her best to mind her own business. Until she finds herself hunted and capture by a group of eclectic people, one of whom she finds unreasonably attractive. The reason they’ve taken her? To steal from a dragon’s hoard. Anahrod finds herself stuck between a rock and a hard place, and begins trying to find a way to free herself before she’s in too deep.

This book moves at a very slow pace for the most part. I made a note that having finished the first 15 percent, I still hadn’t learned anything meaningful about the characters and their motivations and feelings beyond things that came up in conversations. The heist plot was only just getting talked about at around 30 percent through, and it wasn’t until closer to 70 percent through that action relating to that happened. The only part where it didn’t feel slow was near the end with the resolution of everything, where it felt like it moved much too quickly. I think this book would benefit from a heavy editing to tighten up the pace and plot.

The worldbuilding relating to the setting is quite strong at the beginning. This made for a solid backdrop visually, but the worldbuilding relating to everything else was lacking. Unfortunately, the characters were also weak. The character development was extremely light, which made it almost impossible to keep the secondary characters apart. It also made it impossible to really care about the pages and pages of dialogue and interactions.

I did like the dragons and the concept surrounding dragon riders. It was fun to read a fantasy where dragons are powerful and generally rule even the human world, but even this concept wasn’t utilized strongly. This YA fantasy had a few decent aspects but was mostly underwhelming. My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for allowing me to read this work, which will be published July 9. All thoughts and opinions expressed in this review are my own.

2.75

Jenn Lyons' Chorus of Dragons is one of my all time favorite series, so when I learned that her next release would be a standalone heist set in a world run by dragons it immediately became my most anticipated release of 2024. And no one is more disappointed than me that I didn't love this. I'm giving it 3 stars because it physically hurts me to think I would rate it lower but in actuality it's probably a 2.

Listen, this isn't a bad book and maybe my expectations were too high but I struggled through the first 50% of this. I actually listened to the first 20% at least 3 times trying to figure out if I was missing plot elements or if there were actually jumps in the narrative making aspects of the plot feel too rushed. The world is fascinating but I think Lyons suffers from trying to include too much in her work and while that worked for me when she had a 5-book series to flesh out some elements, in a standalone there just wasn't enough time. The world is fascinating and queer normative, including casual trans representation and a burgeoning polycule between three of our main characters. The various cultures and dragon overlords are intriguing.

What is most disappointing to me, however, is how hard I found it to connect to the characters. Khirin, Teraeth, and Janel are some of my favorite fictional characters of all time and while there were hints of the loveable and multidimensional characters I know Lyons can create here, I just never really cared about any of them or what they were doing.

Lauren Fortgang's narration is quite good. Those who have listened to Lyons' other work will recognize her work on the last four Chorus of Dragons audiobooks.

The narrator was enjoyable. The story was fun and I enjoyed the characters. I would have like a bit more world building and fleshing out of the magical connections- dragons vs. sorcerers, etc. but overall it was an enjoyable read that kept my interest.

This book was soo much fun to read. I really love the relationships and twists that unfold between the characters and the sassy temper tantrum throwing dragons. I also really appreciated that this was a stand alone with the possibility of future books in this world. Despite it being a stand alone, Lyons does a great job making you attached to the character while giving world building, which not a lot of authors can do.

5/5 star dragon book if you love Fourth Wing, Eragon, or Dragonfall

I’m always looking for my next dragon fix and this one was close to scratching that itch. I loved the plot, a dragon heist! A unlikely group of people have to come together to complete a mission and there is magic, the main character can talk to animals, and there is spicy tension between three characters. I really liked the first 30% the world building was fantastic and the ring system was super clever (I want rings). I knew there would be a love triangle of sorts from what I’d hear of the book but I didn’t know this would be a why choose book (and I’m not really into those) and I didn’t feel very connected to the main characters. On top of that I was never convinced of their chemistry. We kept being told they were into each other but why, besides looks? Maybe it was supposed to come across as fling-ish and not a strong long term relationship. I also don’t feel like many of them had much character development or growth. That being said it wasn’t a bad book, it just wasn’t what I was hoping, and maybe that’s a me problem.

I have so many books to read and not enough time to do it. So when I'm one fifth into a standalone and have 0 investment -to the point that I forgot I was reading it- then it's time to abandon ship.

The concepts of the rings that reveal your gender/etc is kinda cool, though I think wearing your kinks out in the open is... certainly a weird choice? Not sure how it makes sense in their culture.

First of all - the world-building in this book is incredible, with a unique blend of fantasy and adventure that had me hooked from the start. Lyons’s vivid descriptions of the jungle and the sky cities were absolutely gorgeous.

I also appreciated the LGBT themes woven throughout the story, which added a welcome layer of depth to the narrative. Anahrod’s sexuality is very nuanced. It’s not essential to the plot, but is still an important aspect of her character. This is something I usually champion in fiction - the normalization!

The primary characters are all complex and multidimensional, with Anahrod being a particular standout. Her tough-as-nails exterior hides a deep vulnerability that makes her all the more relatable.

The constant action and adventure were a major draw for me, and Lyons delivers on that front. There’s never a dull moment in this story, with battles, chases, and daring heists keeping me on the edge of my seat. The stakes are high and the tension is palpable, making for a thrilling read.

However, I did find some aspects of the story to be a bit hit-or-miss. At times, the pacing felt a bit uneven, with some sections feeling rushed or disjointed. Additionally, some of the supporting characters felt a bit one-dimensional, which made it hard for me to become fully invested in their stories.

Overall, I’d recommend “The Sky On Fire” to fans of fantasy and adventure who enjoy complex characters and high-stakes action. If you enjoyed Six of Crows or Fourth Wing this may be a good choice for you.

Lyons responds to the newly reawakened dragon craze with her own spin on things. The magic, the mayhem, the plucky band of allies just trying to make it to their next task alive... it was so good! I absolutely loved this, and I am hoping this turns into a long, epic series.

“𝙄’𝙢 𝙣𝙤𝙩 𝙙𝙤𝙣𝙚 𝙮𝙚𝙩,” 𝙨𝙝𝙚 𝙩𝙤𝙡𝙙 𝙝𝙞𝙢. “𝙄 𝙖𝙢 𝙩𝙝𝙚 𝙢𝙤𝙨𝙩 𝙨𝙩𝙪𝙗𝙗𝙤𝙧𝙣 𝙘𝙧𝙚𝙖𝙩𝙪𝙧𝙚, 𝙝𝙪𝙢𝙖𝙣 𝙤𝙧 𝙙𝙧𝙖𝙜𝙤𝙣, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙮𝙤𝙪 𝙝𝙖𝙫𝙚 𝙚𝙫𝙚𝙧 𝙢𝙚𝙩, 𝙖𝙣𝙙 𝙛𝙤𝙧 𝙤𝙣𝙘𝙚 𝙞𝙣 𝙢𝙮 𝙡𝙞𝙛𝙚, 𝙩𝙝𝙖𝙩 𝙞𝙨 𝙜𝙤𝙞𝙣𝙜 𝙩𝙤 𝙬𝙤𝙧𝙠 𝙩𝙤 𝙢𝙮 𝙛𝙖𝙫𝙤𝙧.”

Anahrod was supposed to be put to death 17 years ago at the age of 15, but she’s still alive! And the head dragon is NOT happy about it!

Ok, first of all, I love love love how dragons were used in this story. They don’t serve at the whims of humans, THEY are in charge!

I also really loved this queer normative world. It’s not a main driver of the story by any means, but the way everything is presented was just a fun way of going about it.

There’s romance, sapphic and hetero /“why not both”, but it’s not a main driver of the plot. The plot/heist/action is definitely the main focus here.

It took me a bit to really get into the story, but once I hit ~15% I was in, and was definitely invested from that point onward.

Audiobook notes: Lauren Fortgang!! 🙌 I know her voice well from all the entire 𝘎𝘳𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘢𝘷𝘦𝘳𝘴𝘦 series, and oh I just love her narration. 10/10 here once again.

Thank you to @macmillan.audio for providing me an ALC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

What this book is giving:
✅ Fantasy
✅ Standalone
✅ Dragons
✅ Queer Normative World
✅ FMC in her 30’s! 🙌
✅ Heist
✅ Dragon Battles
✅ Magic

Rating:
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️½ / 5
🌶️½ / 5

It was a good book, but something was missing for me. I’d give it a 3.5 overall.

I was very excited for this read. It's got everything for a fantasy adventure! We love anything with dragons.
It starts really strongly with a fantastic prologue, a diverse cast of characters, but then it felt slow paced for a bit. 

The story was well crafted, and the narrator for the audiobook is amazing. I just couldn't connect to any of the characters because it felt like so many were introduced so fast, so that left me kinda just there for the story instead of feeling like I was in it.

Action-packed story filled with witty banter, heists, and plenty of secrets to keep you on your toes. Did I mention there are dragons?

I really enjoyed this read. At one point in the story I went “oh, so it’s sapphic?” and then a few chapters later I went “OH, so it’s Poly???” and haven’t been able to stop thinking about those characters since.

This was the perfect read for me to finish off Pride month as it explores different parts of the LGBTQIA+ community.

I also really enjoyed the use of rings to denote gender and sexual preference, as well as relationship status. A really fresh (and painfully easy) way to let others know about you without having any uncomfortable conversations.

I don’t know who at MacMillan is casting these narrators, but most books I’ve listened to recently have hit the mark. Tonality, pace, and expression were fantastic at helping build this world.

I want to loosely say that if you’re a fan of Fourth Wing but wish the fantasy elements were more prominent than the romance, you’ll like this book. Plus, I think the characters are more interesting.

Thank you MacMillan Audio for sending me an advanced listening copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

I'm so sad I didn't love this! I really wanted to. I love the premise and the world building but the characters lack so much depth to me. I could not truly discern motivations or truly much about them at all. I thought the narrator was great!

I would like to thank NetGalley for giving me an audio-arc in exchange for an honest review.

I love me some dragons, and there were plenty of them in this book. There was a heist with our diverse group of misfits. There was really cool magic and worldbuilding. There was so much I thoroughly enjoyed about this book -- the plot was interesting and had me zooming through to see what happened. However, I felt myself not connecting to any of the characters, and because of that I found this book to be a little generic/forgettable. I enjoyed it, and I did binge read it, but I don't think I would go back to reread it in the future.

Again, cool world building, awesome dragons and magic, but the characters were all jumbled to me.

Narrated by Lauren Fortgang

Genre: fantasy

Anahrod has been in Exile for 17 years. Now in her 30s, she has lived in the jungle while people have assumed she's dead, and her name is equated with the darkest kind of treachery. But, it's kidnap Anahrod season, and a Dragonrider and random band of people have snagged her as a part of an elaborate heist plan... to raid the dragon lair Anahrod was originally put to death for allegedly robbing 17 years ago.

The Sky on Fire is a standalone fantasy novel with a strong sapphic romantic arc, but the romance isn’t the central plot-driver. The central plot revolves around planning the heist, and the central conflict revolves around the dragon’s protecting their hoard and controlling their riders. Dragons require riders only to maintain their own sanity, their minds balance on the razor thin line between control and the unhinged plunge into uncontrolled rampage and destruction. Nothing is worse than a rampaging dragon who has lost their mind.

For a standalone novel, The Sky on Fire has expansive worldbuilding. Jenn Lyons is a seasoned writer, and she gives us the right amount of detailing for daily life and the backdrop of this world dominated by dragons. She weaves more modern components, such a rings to signify gender and sexual preferences, into a classic-feeling fantasy with mountain and cloud dwellers.

The audiobook is narrated by Lauren Fortgang, and I found the audio to be an engaging way to read The Sky on Fire, immersing myself in the world.

Thank you to Netgally, Tor Publishing Group for the gifted e-book and Macmillan Audio for the gifted audiobook.

This was a great book centered around dragons, magic, a heist and political intrigue. The story follows Anahrod, who has been living in the Deep since she was sent by the dragon-ruled sky cities to be executed. She survived, and now she is being hunted. Until she is rescued by a group of misfits. Little does she know they need her to steal from the dragons, and the ruling dragon thinks she is dead.

The world building was phenomenal. The author created a world where dragons rule over humans. The descriptions of the animals, cities, and people were amazing. The small details like the rings one wears determine their preferences. The school where dragon riders are trained and the details about the training was amazing.

The characters were very well rounded. The FMC was one tough girl. She was smart, funny, and could transport herself into the minds of animals. The dynamics within the group that came together were funny and entertaining. The banter between these characters was engaging. The development of these characters created a realistic story of their determination to steal from the dragons, the character names were developed with so much originality.

I read the book and listened to the audiobook at the same time. This experience made the book come alive for me. The narration was amazing! Lauren Fortgang has such a range of voices that each of these characters came to life and made the story amazing. Her tone and tempo and inflections were spot on. I will definitely be listening to more from Lauren.

The story was well written and I found myself immersed in this wonderful world. The ending felt abrupt, but it was still an amazing book. I highly recommend this book if you love dragons, dragon riders, suspense, and intrigue. It will be published on July 9.

Read the book and loved it! So whenever I can I also try and listen to the audiobook to see about adding it to our library and this was great. Loved the narration and felt it really brought it to life - and as before great exciting story full of dragon fun and interesting characters.

For fans of:
- Eragon
- Stardust
- Six of Crows

This book includes:
- the ultimate heist
- extremely willful dragons, both good and evil
- found family and also finding family
- LGBT and group love
- vengeful and morally gray MCs
- redemption arcs
- a dash of Dragon Rider School

I loved "The Sky on Fire." It's a standalone fantasy with dragon politics and vengeful heists, and I was HOOKED. Anahrod is a dynamic heroine, she has a complex back story and you can really see how her history shaped her into the woman we see in "The Sky on Fire." I also immensely enjoyed all the drama with the dragons. They have their own complex political system and intricate hierarchies, and it adds so much to the story.

If you love spunky characters, casts of misfits, high stakes, messy families, and court machinations you will love this book. It's fast-paced and well-written, and every reader will find a member of the heist crew who they identify with.

I received this audiobook as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jenn Lyons for the opportunity to review this book. This review is also available on my GoodReads - check out my profile https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/62314863