I consider this a very good book in my opinion. And while I am easily impressed by books, that does not take away from the way that it was very interesting.

The first 20% of the book was very straightforward, and very typical of a fantasy book. I found the beginning slightly boring but it had an air about it that made me keep reading it. I could see from the beginning where a large plot of the book was going.

Up until about 60% of the way through, there were no surprises for me. Until I got to a point in the book that did actually surprise me. While certain themes I did expect, the main “plot twist” actually did surprise me.

After learning of the surprising plot, the ending did not surprise me as I feel that I went alongside another theory I had from the beginning.

Since the book ended on a cliffhanger, I don’t know what is going to happen next, but I am definitely curious to see.

I received A Fire in the Sky as an ARC in exchange for an honest review. These are my honest opinions. Thank you to the publisher for both an eARC and a physical ARC.

This book is marketed as a romantasy, but it is definitely a romance novel with splashes of action and fantasy added and not an actual romantasy. More than half of the book really doesn't have any fantasy or action. Dragons are talked about as having existed, but there's really nothing involving dragons or magic for the majority of the book. This book is pretty much a damsel in distress with two men fighting over her despite their being no chemistry in either relationship. I get that she and Fell turn out to be dragons (the most obvious spoilers from the onset), so it seems like they're supposed to be a mated pair but it is a poorly written and poorly developed concept. At least have them banter more to make it seem like they could be falling for each other during the "forced proximity."

Repetitive. There are so many repetitive phrases and descriptions. The bulk of the book is repetition. This aspect made the book annoying to read. On top of that, the description made this book seem like she was going to be brave, smart and powerful. She wasn't and I'm so tired of authors writing stubbornness for a damsel as this amazing attribute to prove how tough they are. The blisters on the thighs scene as an entry point for a sexual encounter...*eye roll* Don't get me wrong, I'm all for a good spicy scene but it has to make sense. Also, having Stig so quickly be ready to kill Tamsyn because she's a dragon made no sense either. At least have a lot background and dialogue to create a narrative that he hates or wants to kill dragons. This was sort of done with Fell, but then he ended up not really having an issue with dragons other than thinking one had killed Tamsyn. Again, the storyline and character development didn't make any sense.

I think the cover is pretty. I received a physical ARC that has cute images in the right corner of Tamsyn running and changing from a servant into a dragon. That was a very cute addition. I liked the love triangle though, as previously said, it could have been better developed. This book is a 2.5 for me.

**ARC REVIEW**
Thank you to Avon and Harper Voyager

When i say I devoured this book I’m not joking. I started at 6 pm and finished at midnight.
This new series has everything fantasy you could want(I.e, dragons, witches etc.) The story follows a girl named Tamsyn who grew up with/in the royal family and gets betrothed to a ruthless barbarian (fell) to save her other sisters.
This series is so dang intriguing and I can’t wait for the 2nd one to come out.
Friends, betrayal, enemies to lovers.

Thank you NetGalley for the chance to read this ARC- I had such a good time reading this story!

I went into this book only knowing it was a dragon romantasy- nothing else.

We're told off the jump that dragons are extinct, but being that this is advertised as a dragon book, I knew we were going to find them somewhere. I was genuinely surprised when we did find those dragons (I had some suspicions that weren't confirmed until so late I began to doubt myself).

The writing was easy to follow and the world was simple enough to understand while still being interesting. It was on the shorter side for my usual fantasy reads, but it really just felt like most of the fluff was cut. I was never skimming and waiting for the next thing to happen.

Loved our strong main female character, loved the kind passionate men present in her life, and found her story to be more unique and interesting than a lot of books I've read recently.
Ultimately, I felt immersed and connected to the characters.

Those last two pages had me kicking my feet and screaming (in a good way).

My biggest complaint is that it was too short- the ending was so climactic and I so badly want to dive deeper into this world.

A FIRE IN THE SKY by Sophie Jordan was a fun and easy read. I enjoyed the authored story telling however I wish there was more world building and development of the characters. The relationship between the characters felt forced as well as choppy. Aside from that I did enjoy the second half of the book as there was more action and suspense that I wash was present throughout the book. Because of the ending and how it ends with which a cliffhanger I am intrigued to see what will happen in the second book.

If you are interested in the following you should pick up this book:
-betrayal
-dragons
-multiple POV’s
-he falls first
-arrange marriage/marriage of convenience

I unfortunately do not think I was the right reader for this. It is marketed as romantasy, but it read more like a mass market paperback romance novel. I know the author does write a lot of those, but I had read her Firelight series when I was in high school and thought it would be a more adult version of that. Maybe I’m just too used to reading more fantasy focused novels.

I definitely enjoyed seeing the multiple perspectives throughout, this kept my interest a little bit. The romance was surprisingly what turned me away the most and I think that could be because I don’t really enjoy romance only novels. This felt more like a romance with touches of fantasy.

The writing was good, but it just couldn’t hold my interest and I skimmed through a majority of it. There is a big cliffhanger, plot twist ending that really surprised me.

I do know not all books are for every reader, I am looking forward to seeing what other readers think of this and hearing their thoughts as I know many people will love it.

I did not think I was going to like this as much as I did and actually found myself devouring it up toward the end! It certainly was not what I expected, but I actually loved what it turned into. Will totally read the sequel whenever that happens.
I love a good book with magic and dragons.
The end is quite a cliffhanger so fair warning to all future readers!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I've been a Sophie Jordan fan since her Firelight series and I was so excited to have the privilege to read A Fire in the Sky early! Just like with her previous dragon series, Sophie writes dragons well. This book was fast paced and well written in her usual style. One thing that was a bit lacking for me was the relationship development between Tamsyn and Fell. I would've really liked to have seen them getting closer together, especially while they were traveling, so that when he does go after her, it's more believable in that sense. I understand that it was probably fated mates aspect, but since that's used as a reveal at the end of the book, it would've been nice to see more of them together. I'm curious to see where book two takes the story!

I love me a good adult romantasy series with dragons! This was right up my alley and did not disappoint. So much fun, I loved the arranged marriage and touch her and die tropes. Can’t wait for the next book in this series!

A Fire in the Sky by Sophie Jordan

I'm honestly surprised that this was written by Sophie Jordan. I've read many of her books and have always really liked them, so I have no idea what's happened here. A Fire in the Sky was one of my most anticipated releases of 2024. Her YA dragon series is what made me fall in love with dragon books! The writing in this one, though, is cumbersome and repetitive. There's a lot of inner monologues from different characters, all recounting the same events with no additional information. Many passages are overly dramatic, with short, blunt sentences that I'm sure were written to try and add emphasis and drama, but they all came across as annoying "mic-drop" moments where the characters keep trying to illicit a gasp from the reader. Examples:

"It was a good day for a whipping. I'd had my share. Too many to count. But today was special. Today the border lords arrived."

"Ever since we were little girls, we had done everything together. Played together. Ate together. Took lessons together. There was no distinction between us. We were sisters. No difference except one. A very important distinction. I was the only one to bear any punishment."

"I shook my head. It was not even a request. Not even a proposition. It was a statement of fact. A forgone conclusion."

"He had taught me to fight. He had taught me the meaning of honor. That you bled for the things that mattered. Your homeland. Your people. A worthless and feeble king. I inhaled."

"I let my words hang in the air. Not a threat. Precisely."

"My boyhood was gone. The time for childish things was over. I had things to do. Important things. Adult things. And yet there was something about her. Something that had me lingering over her."

"She was going to be free. Free to be. Free to choose."

"When I was ten years old, I learned that there would be no grand state wedding for me. No multitude of guests. No weeklong festivities. No royal hunts for the wedding party. No lavish feast with all manner of entertainment. No bells tolling throughout the land. No marriage rites..."

"Especially not at ten. Not yet. I was a little girl. I didn't worry about such things. I lived in the moment."

"I spent my mornings learning with tutors and our governess. In music lessons. Dance. Art. Comportment."

This is not all of them, and this is only up to 16%. Is the author's period key broken on her keyboard? What happened to commas and flowing sentences? Reading this is like driving on a bumpy road. Unfortunately, I had to abandon ship early and decided not to finish. It breaks my heart, but I am so grateful for the opportunity to read this book early. I'm sorry it didn't work out for me.

I have not read this authors YA series that is set in this same world.. This is supposedly a prequel series according the acknowledgments at the back of the book. Now when this is done…or if i get antsy enough sooner I am going to have to go back and read the FIrelight Trilogy because I am now going to have to read everything this author has written. This is the origin story of how the Dragons came to be from what the acknowledgments states.
In this we find that our FMC is a princess of the realm…but she really isn’t. She was taken in by the king and queen when she was found and was used as the royal “whipping girl for the actual princesses as they all grew up together. This was a custom throughout their kingdom. Anyone could tell by looking at her that she didn’t belong as she has red hair and golden in coloring and they are more fair in coloring.
Our MMC was also found and taken in by the boarder king. He has now come to see if he can claim a princess as a prize and to try to get more of a voice for the boarder lands. But instead he is tricked by the king and get Tamsyn.
Now in this world dragons have been basically exterminated to extinction so have witches. They were hunted down over a long period of time and very agressively. We find that our MMC very much has dislikes them as he was found basically in a dragons lair by his adoptive father when he stained the last dragon.
Overall I loved this story. I loved the spice level that the author put into this. You can tell that this is defiantly on the adult level and not YA part so if you were into this authors last book and expect to go into it thinking that a preteen could read it I highly suggest rethinking that. I loved the writing style and found it very easy to read an breezed through it so fast that in the blink of the eye the book was over and I am desperate for the next one. Whenever it is announced it will be highly anticipated!

I truly wanted to love this book so much, but it was just flat for me. I found it repetitive, predictable, and the romance was not romancing for me.

This. Was. So. Fun.

I really loved A Fire in the Sky, between the amazing tropes, the blistering tension between the leads, and the really fun fantasy elements that were smartly deployed, this was just a super entertaining book that was insanely hard to put down. Tamsyn is a royal whipping girl for her kingdom, which means that she was raised alongside the princesses as one of their own but was forced to submit to all punishments for their bad actions. Meanwhile, Fell is known as the Beast of the Borderlands because of his fearsome reputation for keeping the kingdom safe. Fell visits the palace and demands marriage to one of the princesses, and the king and queen conspire to trick him while technically fulfilling their promise by marrying him to Tamsyn. What no one could have counted on was the chemistry between the two or their points of commonality that make them see a future in this "trick" of a marriage.

Tamsyn and Fell are both great characters whose journeys happen slowly and aren't without stumbling blocks. Tamsyn has to learn to stand up for herself but her entire life taught her to just let things happen to her rather than take the reins in her own life, while Fell yearns for a true family but has to move past the trickery of their beginning in order to realize that Tamsyn could be the family he is looking for. I loved them both, and the only times I was upset during this book was when it took me out of their POVs.

This is a great start to a series and I can't wait to see where it goes from here.

ARC provided by Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I really enjoyed this story overall. The FMC was strong and interesting. I loved her motivations and her position within the royal family. THe MMC was great, loved the touch her and die vibes!
I think we could have done without the 3rd POV. He seemed pretty pointless IMO. Also, there was a ton of recap and exposition in the midst of a conversation that really slowed down the pacing.
Overall I enjoyed this book and would definitely read the next, assuming there is one based on the ending.

A Fire in the Sky is a breathtaking plunge into a richly woven world where allegiances are tested, secrets abound, and the scars of a dragon-ravaged past linger in the air. At the center of this enthralling tale is Tamsyn, a young woman caught between royal privilege and servitude, who finds herself navigating a treacherous landscape of power, betrayal, and unexpected passion. From the outset, Jordan masterfully crafts a vivid setting in the kingdom of Penterra, where the lavish palace contrasts sharply with the palpable tension surrounding Tamsyn’s existence. Raised as both a member of the court and an expendable servant, Tamsyn embodies the struggle for identity and belonging that many readers can relate to. Her background confers a unique perspective that enriches the narrative, as she bears the weight of the princesses' misdeeds while longing for a life where she is cherished rather than discarded.
The dynamics between Tamsyn, Fell—the fierce Beast of the Borderlands—and Stig, the noble Captain of the Guard, add profound layers to the plot. Stig’s lingering affection for Tamsyn is palpable, producing a bittersweet tension that resonates throughout the story. Meanwhile, Fell, initially perceived as a brutish opponent, unveils unexpected depths that challenge Tamsyn’s preconceptions and lead to a story fraught with emotional complexity. Their interactions evolve from adversarial to intimate, igniting unexpected passion that elevates the stakes when Tamsyn's masquerade begins to unravel. The pacing of A Fire in the Sky is skillfully calibrated, maintaining an engaging rhythm that propels the reader through the twists and turns of Tamsyn’s predicament. Jordan's lyrical prose and vivid imagery bring Penterra to life, making the setting feel as much a character in its own right as Tamsyn and her companions. The sense of jeopardy is ever-present, as is the suggestion of magic waiting to be awakened—a perfect metaphor for Tamsyn’s discovery of her own strengths. I highly recommend this book, Tamsyn’s journey from the palace halls to the heart of the Borderlands is a testament to the resilience of the human spirit, and her story will resonate with anyone who has ever felt out of place or underestimated.

4⭐️
Tropes and themes: Dragons, Mates, Forced marriage

Likes: I enjoyed this read and would recommend to other fantasy readers. I felt that the pacing of the book worked really well. I enjoyed that the magic system was unique compared to other stories I’ve read this year that involved dragons and mates. The story felt like a quick read and I am intrigued enough to read a second book when released.

Growth areas: I wish we had a bit more character development. Especially from the FMC at time she felt too naive. Especially towards the end of the book I found myself wanting her to have grown / taken off her blinders a bit more. On that same note I wish we had a bit more details from other supporting characters.

What an ending!! This book took me by surprise in the best way and I could not put it down. I loved the slow reveals as the story begins with Tamsyn. She is immediately sympathetic as the crown’s whipping girl but the author immediately pivots to a sense of mystery that shows us there is much more to her. I was immediately hooked. The story is quick paced with various urgent and dangerous twists and so many surprises. I have never heard of this author before and I am so glad I took a chance on this. I strongly suggest diving in without reading too many reviews who might spoil the fun of the story unfolding for you.

Apparently this author had written YA novels but be warned this is very explicit and very much not YA.

I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

I ATE THIS UP AND AM CRAVING MORE.
This was a unique concept to me as the reader becasue I have never read any of Sophie Jordan's previous work or read any kind of dragon shifter fantasy. I would definitely categorize it as upper YA or NA, consdering it had low explicit language and low spice, but can see book 2 being more!
The slow burn was delicious and I felt like it was still not quite where I wanted, which is why I am sooooo excited for book 2 already! I NEED MORE TAMSYN AND FELL ASAP!!!!

It's a 5 stars for me, hands down, BUT the only asepct I did not enjoy was the heavyyyyyy internal monologue. Very few conversations and hardly any banter. It was very similar to From Blood and Ash in this regard. Tamsyn is innocent and super sheltered. She has alot to figure out and is plunged into a whole new world when Fell comes into her life, so there is alot of internal struggle and reflection. Overall, I loved Tamsyn and feel like she is just getting started! I have high hopes for book 2!

OK, what did they put in this one? Because I was ADDICTED and couldn’t put it down. This book had me captivated from the first chapter and the story will live rent free in my head until I get the rest of the story.

The story opens in a world where magic is dead: dragons have been driven to extinction and witches are in hiding. Now the humans have no one left to fight but each other. Fell, the lord of the borderlands is a feared brute and he demands the hand of one of the princesses in return for his loyalty to the king. But instead of a princess he gets Tamsyn, the royal whipping girl, for a bride. Tamsyn and Fell have to now navigate the politics of their new marriage as well as some pretty deep secrets about their pasts.

Our FMC Tamsyn quickly became a new favorite for me. She’s fiercely loyal to her family, especially her sisters, and her kingdom. She’s intelligent and intuitive, thinking with both her head and her heart. I loved her POV chapters—she’s not a frivolous FMC that lets the events of the story happen to her. But equally as much, I loved Fell’s POV. This man has layers!! He’s brooding but with good reason—he has a great deal of responsibility on those well-chiseled shoulders. So if you like your FMCs and MMCs with some substance, this is the book for you.

The twists and turns were fun and exciting and I was on the edge of my seat during the action scenes. I thought I had it all figured out and then it caught me by surprise—I love the panicking feeling when you get to the last 90% and you find out how wrong you were.

Bottom line: if you like dragons, witches, marriage of convenience trope, and interesting main characters, this is the one for you!

Deepest gratitude and thanks to NetGalley and the publishers Avon and Harper Voyager for the opportunity to read and review this ARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author Sophie Jordan for an ARC copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

⭐️ 3/5

We dive into this book meeting Tamsyn (our FMC), the royal whipping girl who lives in the palace with her “sisters” and “parents”. I enjoyed the bit of character growth we’d received from her, between her fierce and fiery self, I appreciated how strong willed she was. I did struggle a bit on understanding her protectiveness for certain people, which in-turn led me to stray from connecting with her as a character. We also got to meet Stig, our side character. I thoroughly enjoyed being able to dive into his POV and I hope we get to see more of him in the next book. Shortly after, Tamsyn is then set up for an arranged marriage between Fell (our MMC), otherwise known as “The Beast”. I did feel like the relationship between our main characters was a bit choppy, I struggled to feel the emotions the two felt towards each other. There was also a tad bit of repetitiveness that I felt occur more often than not in the inner dialogue. I did end up thoroughly enjoying the last portion of the book, we got a bit more action and some moments that had me on the end of my seat. I will be picking up the second book for sure in-hopes of finding out more!

Definitely recommend reading if you enjoy the following:
✨ Arranged Marriage/Marriage of Convenience
✨ Dragons
✨ Multi POV
✨ Hidden Identity
✨ Betrayal
✨ Touch her and die
✨ He Falls First