First of all, I think the narrator did a really great job. Her voice, tone, tempo, and accents were very well done. Fantasy has some challenging names and places and it can be challenging to switch between the characters. The narrator did this seamlessly. I listened between 1.75x and 2x and that was great.

As for the book itself - I think it has a lot of potential, and maybe should have been broken down into at least a duology. There are a lot of nuances to the world and I think some of the detail was pushed aside to make room for more action. As a consequence, I found myself forgetting who the characters were and what their roles/relationships were. There are a lot of people to keep track of (on audio this becomes especially challenging).

I love the fact that the dragons hold the power over the riders. For me this was a very unique take on dragons and riders in the fantasy world. There is of course a bond between the dragons and the riders, but this book introduced some new concepts about the relationship and power dynamic.

There is basically a band of ....friends? allies maybe? who are working toward a common goal. It wanted to be found family, but without a lot of background on each character it was a little bit of a miss for me.

There are some hints at romantic themes, some queer love, but no true romance (which is fine - but don't go in expecting it).

I would definitely read more by this author - especially if it is a series. I think with a little slower world building and character development, I would really enjoy her books. It is definitely challenging to stuff world building, romance, action, and a unique plot into one book in the fantasy world.

4.75/5 stars

Wow, wow, wow! I loved this book and was longing for an epic fantasy with dragons. Lyons' world-building is top-notch, and even with numerous places and large map, I could still picture every location with an accuracy that positively added to my read. I enjoyed the history-building, jumping between the past and present to help the reader understand the plot more deeply. I also enjoyed the diverse cast of characters and the banter between them as they came together. The lore behind the dragons was interesting, pointing at a theme that stories can morph more than fiction as they're cemented into lore. The audiobook narrator did a wonderful job at differentiating such a large cast of characters and made this read thoroughly enjoyable in the listening form. My only challenge with this book was the pacing - it was a tad slow to begin with then REALLY ramped up toward the end. However, it did allow for time regarding character growth and a good background explanation before jumping into the meat of the story. Well done!

Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Audio, and Jen Lyons for allowing me early access to this audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 stars! This. was. phenomenal. Top to bottom, this book drew me in with incredible characters and lush worldbuilding, which is always my favourite combination. There is nothing like reading an actually satisfying, concise story that is well thought out and executed well by the author as well. I read this in tandem with the ebook, and it was the best experience i've had reading a book lately.
The audiobook itself was really well done. The narrator was incredibly engaging and I absolutely loved their performance bringing this world and characters to life. I often have many opinions about the way audiobooks are narrated, but this one was perfectly done.
I really enjoyed the way this unfurled bit by bit as a (mostly) single POV story told from Anahrod's perspective, but occasionally peppered in with important folks to the storyline to give the other angles that were needed to carry the story forward if Anah was stuck somewhere or doing something. From the moment we arrive in the Deep to the Leviathan farming up in the skies, every ounce of this world is well drawn and beautifully executed - and the characters that play within it are some of my favourites of 2024. I loved how immediately we are introduced to their individual quirks and personalities, and the way they all shine off the page was exceptional. ALSO - It was SO FANTASTICALLY QUEER! I loved loved loved this. Bring on more sapphics with dragons!!!!

I really hope Jenn Lyons writes more in this world, because this was truly a treat.

Thank you, NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for this advanced reader's audiobook. This was a super fun fantasy book for those who are jonesing for some dragons while waiting for the next Iron Flame book to be released. There are dragon riders, dragon-bonding, dragon school, magic, power hungry dragon, rider trying to steal a dragon's horde so expect LOTS of dragon fighting, a little bit of everything. Fast paced and lots of details.

All it all, I really enjoyed it and will definitely need to read it again to grasp the world building.

This book was just plain fun. Loved the heist. Loved the magic system. Loved the dragons.

The book does toss you into the world-building without much explanation. It felt a lot like stepping into a completely different culture and having to sink or swim. I kind of dog paddled, ha ha. The names are complex, so I recommend nabbing a print copy or ebook if you’re listening to the audiobook like I did. It was hard for me to keep everyone distinct without that.

I also thought that characters wearing rings to state their sexual preferences was an interesting choice, and one I haven’t seen before.

Per most dragon books, the dragons were my favorite part of this story. I loved their complex history and relationships with humans. I also really loved that this book was a standalone!

Epic fantasy standalone, that has dragons and is under 500 pages? Say less! We need more of these. This was an interesting story with found family. I highly enjoyed. The authors previous series has been on my TBR for a long time. I absolutely have moved it up now.

This book is so fast paced and unexpectedly good. It’s hard to write more than what the synopsis reveals without spoiling anything but I will speak volumes on this one.

This was a fun story to listen to! I really enjoyed following along on the adventures Anahrod has to not only pull off the big heist of stealing from Neveranimus’s hoard but also overthrowing the regime of a tyrant dragon ( conveniently it also happens to be Neveranimus). It is a case of killing two birds with one stone. That sayings is particularly apt as it all boils down to being a rock that solves all the problems and reveals a great secret. This was a fun world with the dragons and those loving with them high up in the mountains, as well as those who live way down in the tropical jungle of the Deeps. It was also a nicely diverse cast of characters and I grew to love the other crew members who had joined up with Anahrod ( even if their initial meeting was a staged kidnapping of Anahrod!)

I enjoyed reading Jenn Alyson’s previous series, the Chorus of Dragons, and was very happy to get the chance to listen to the audiobook version of this tale. The narrator was good and made the story come alive. Yes, this is a standalone fantasy with a complete ending but I would not mind diving back into that world, especially to find out more about the creator of the dragons and where she came from.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher of this book for an audiobook version of this book to listen to and review!

A couple of kidnappings, a power hungry dragon, sky cities, the Deep, spells, enchantments, and a high-stakes heist will keep you turning the pages of The Sky on Fire.

Strap in for the adventure and world-building; stay for the found family and the romance.

I especially enjoyed the bonds shared between some dragons and their riders as well as Anahrod’s gift with animals.

Note: while this one is technically closed door, the actions behind that door are implied and there is graphic dirty talk in one of the scenes.

I enjoyed Lauren Fortgang’s audiobook narration. This one has a vast cast of character’s, and I enjoyed her vocal choices for them, especially her portrayal of the flirtatious banter between some of those characters. With all of the world-building involved and the level of detail in the book, I did find myself having to focus more on this audiobook and having to rewind to make sure I caught everything. The audiobook is done well, but due to the content, some parts do not lend themselves well to listening while multitasking.

I received an advance copy of the audiobook from Macmillan Audio and NetGalley. All review opinions are my own.

Rep: queer, poly, mental health (anxiety, PTSD, grief)

I loved the heist! It was fun watching things develop for our characters and how they overcame the dangers and obstacles they faced! Superb world-building but it does just throw you in with a sink or swim attitude so be prepared for that. I also don't recommend this as an audio because of that fact - it took me a while to get used to this new world and I got confused a lot more often than I wanted to. I literally got lost in this but not in a good way.

Audiobook
This book had good potential, but it missed the mark I had set for it sadly. But still not a bad book!
A book consisting of secrets, found family and a heist with magic and dragons.

Ill Start with what I enjoyed:
I really enjoyed the action scenes, they were written and narrated so well and it was a nice pace and great explanation. This was probably my favorite part of the book.
And the narrator did a great job! She added such passion and emotion and it was easy to tell characters apart. Loved her!

Now for what I didn't enjoy:
I'll start with saying this book probably would've been a lot more enjoyable and feel more like a complete story if it was just in first person and multiple POVs. I wasn't the biggest fan of 3rd person following 1 character but then being like "...Anahrod was told it went like this..." and that wasn't even consistent either, sometimes we just got another third person POV.
Next, it might just be me, but, there felt like some plot points were weak or so little explanation that I felt like i wasn't getting the whole story. It felt like a second book in a series and a lot of the world building was already done so they didn't need to dive as deep in this one. But I love world building, I would rather a book over explain than under explain. For how long the audiobook was, I don't feel like a lot was given to me regarding the story.
And lastly, I found it hard to care about the characters, they didn't feel deep enough. Very surface level reactions and you don't hear much about them to care. What you do hear is so quickly moved on or not explained which was sad to me. You don't dive into characters or why they have these relationships or how they formed to where they don't feel as real to want to care.

Thank you NetGally and Macmillan Audio for the arc opportunity to listen to The Sky on Fire.

I was excited to read this book because it is recommended for fans of Fourth Wing, however this did not meet expectations. The only thing in common is dragons that can communicate with their riders. There is no romance or extensive world building.

The Sky on Fire is considered an adult high fantasy, but I found it lacking in its world building and adult themes when compared to other adult high fantasy books I've read. Other than its out of nowhere sexual reference randomly given 75% into the book, I'd say this is more YA. The story had a rough beginning and I wasn't connected to the story until I was already 25% in. I was tempted to DNF, but wanted to give this book a chance. Considering I prefer fast past and high adventure books, this one was a struggle because it felt slow and I wasn't connected to any characters. I cringed at a lot of the names too. Parts of the world I enjoyed were the regent dragon and how the dragons used riders as a way to curb their rampaging. It was an interesting take on the dragon rider connection and I liked how that connection was explored. I liked how the FMC, Anahrod, was an outcast and brought into a heist to steal from the regent dragon. I appreciated having the heist in the middle of the book and exploring more of what happens afterwards.

As for romance, there wasn't any. People in the world wear special rings that tell what their sexual preference/kink is. I liked that idea, but it didn't grow into anything. What little romance was given felt forced and not romantic.

Overall, I was disappointed. It wasn't exactly my kind of read, but would be perfect for readers that like more story than romance when compared to Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing.

First of all, I cannot say enough good things about how well this audiobook is done. I love the narration and the overall pacing of the story via audio. It kept me very interested and I found myself wanting to keep listening.

I love dragons, I love books that feature dragons, I especially love when dragons are main characters! The Sky of Fire features a world in which Dragons rule and humans are inferior and exist essentially to stop the dragons from succumbing to their magic. I loved the dynamic and twist of dragons being in control of their rider and humans in general. The FMC, Anahrod, is tough and smart but is dealing with some intense trauma. Her ability to communicate with animals is incredible and was one of my favorite parts of her story.

Besides the dragons, I enjoyed the world-building in this book. It is rare that I have to re-listen to parts of books because I really need to absorb the dynamics of the world but it happened to me a few times during this book (which I love!). The imagery is so well done (especially the bog and crystal spire). There is a large cast of characters in this book and I found the development of the characters perfect. There are betrayals and surprises that come from all the characters. The FMC was my favorite character and I found her quirks and attitude believable and relatable. Also, the banter between characters was top notch and there is definitely a found family aspect.

The only thing I did not really enjoy was at times the book felt like there was too much going on. Between the dragons, the cast of characters, and the heist, some parts of the book did not flow as well as they could have. Overall a great listen though!

Thank you to MacMillian Audio, Tor, and Netgalley for this book!

Thank you NetGalley for the audio ARC in exchange for an honest review

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
🌶️
4⭐️ Narrator

First of all I want to say that the cover art of this book is absolutely amazing. I’m definitely going to be buying a hardcover just so I can look at it on my bookshelf.

I would classify this book as a fantasy romance but with much more emphasis on the fantasy than the romance. The romance is definitely there, but it’s a subplot rather than the main focus of the story. That being said, I love the romance that is there and both of the love interests. Also love the bisexual representation.

The world building is really well done. The magic system is super interesting as is the world in general. You get to see different parts of the world, different governments, and different races all of which are unique and well written.

All of the side characters are really well fleshed out and interesting, especially the dragons. I liked that the main villain was a dragon and not a human which I felt was unique in the genre. The human characters are all believably flawed and there’s some really good twists and betrayals.

The narrator is great! Her male voices are believable and the dragon voices are spot on. The sound quality is good and consistent.

Overall I loved the book and would read more from the author in the future. The book was well done as a standalone while still leaving room at the end for more books in the same world and I hope there will be more!

What a fun book! I had a blast reading this! Everything from politics to heists, add in some awesome dragons. So great!

I do think that this book was more fun than anything. No real deep dives into characters or twisty plots. Just great entertainment!

DNF at 32% of Audiobook.

I liked some of the ideas behind this, but I just didn’t care about any of the characters enough to be invested in their story. They felt a bit like characters who just slotted into a trope. A bit too surface for me to invest into, even at 30% of the book.
The garden rings that tell you someone’s romantic status and class idea was really cool, but from what I gathered so far it doesn’t actually play an integral role in the plot at all. Just a little plot device to hang the romantic tension on.

A motley group of weirdos on a heist mission to steal back a dragon’s hoard. I’ve seen it before I guess. However, the beginning of this book was a banger! to give credit where it is due.

This had a lot of elements I look for in a fantasy, engaging world building and fun characters to follow - I was hooked from the opening chapter!

We are introduced to a societal hierarchy world where dragons are all but gods, ruling the Skylands and humans alike. Anahrod has been in hiding for seventeen years. Executed for betrayal and presumed dead, only to be found in the jungles of the Deep by a rag tag team of characters wanting to steal a dragon’s horde.

Heists and dragons, this was a fun and chill fantasy, I really liked Anahrod and all the various characters we meet like Ris, Claw, and Sicaryon - they had an entertaining camaraderie throughout. The world building aspects had me eating up the story, everything flowed effortlessly from the magical system to the fluidity of relationships and sexuality. It was very refreshing in that regard. While this isn’t a full blown romance, I think it worked very well within the story and I made an emotional connection to these characters and their battles.

Slow burning to a larger climax towards the end felt a little rushed but I still enjoyed the ride! Performed by my favorite narrator Lauren Fortgang, the voice changes she achieves are always top tier, from the feminine characters to the gruff and rumbling dragons, playing out the story like a movie in my head, amazing! 4.5⭐️

Thank you Macmillan Audio for the listening copy to review.

This high fantasy adventure (can be a standalone) takes readers to a world where dragons are in charge. There is intense world building - the audiobook saved me. Every name is complicated. The characters move quickly from location to location (dragons will do that). I’m not a strong phonetic reader for new vocabulary. I’m not sure I would have been able to follow the story eyeball reading for this one. Lauren Fortgang was brilliant thought their performance.

Anahrod is a big mystery throughout this book. She assembles a quirky, diverse group to aid her in completing the most risky heist anyone in their land has ever dared to attempt. This character cast is so fun with a darling crass sense of humor providing loads of great banter. I wouldn’t call this book spicy - there is some kissing and closed door situations - but it does deliver a queer slow burn romance (not a primary plot driver) that evolves into a polyamorous relationship.

Thank you NetGalley, Jenn Lyons, and Macmillan Audio for a copy of this audiobook ARC.

This audiobook started out really strong with an intriguing prologue and a narrator who was very good at talking at a reasonable pace that was clear to follow. However as the story is told further down the line it is very hard to keep up, and at times becomes too laborious. This story is great however for young middle grade to YA readers looking for an intermediate fantasy book. Especially those with attention deficit, dyslexia, or those who are a bit too intimidated to sit down and physically flip through a book.

Thank you @torbooks @macmillan.audio #partner #macaudio2024 for the gifted copies of this book!

Calling all Dragon lovers! This is a heist book mixed with dragons ruling the world! Yes please. 😅 The group of characters in this book were fun to follow. They are strong willed, can communicate with animals (what?!), unique in their own way, daring and bold! I have to admit I did grab this one as it said it was for the likes of Fourth Wing lovers (that’s me! 🙋‍♀️) but I don’t know that I would actually put it quite in that category. It was more of a slow burn for me but still a satisfying read. This book has a great mix of eccentric and nonconformist characters, romance, a heist, a vivid world perfectly built and dragons. 🐉 This was a first for me by this author and I would most certainly grab more by her! The audio was done well and really made me feel immersed into this adventure.