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Ignite
Can Mara survive in a world where the fire in her veins is worth killing for?
In a frozen wasteland suffocating beneath a dying sun, Mara is a young phoenix raised by her father to explode at his command. He’s the only one who can help her control her fire, and Mara desperately follows his orders to protect their phoenix family from relentless human hunters.
Her sheltered existence is shattered when her family mysteriously vanishes, thrusting Mara into a perilous quest to find them. Along the way, she unravels a devastating her people may not be the innocent victims she's been taught to believe.
When she comes face-to-face with the kindhearted Eli, she begins to wonder if the humans aren’t the monsters she's always feared. What if the greatest danger doesn’t lie in the icy world outside—but in the truth of who Mara really is?
Fire and ice collide in this thrilling tale of a phoenix girl born with the power of a dying sun.
In a frozen wasteland suffocating beneath a dying sun, Mara is a young phoenix raised by her father to explode at his command. He’s the only one who can help her control her fire, and Mara desperately follows his orders to protect their phoenix family from relentless human hunters.
Her sheltered existence is shattered when her family mysteriously vanishes, thrusting Mara into a perilous quest to find them. Along the way, she unravels a devastating her people may not be the innocent victims she's been taught to believe.
When she comes face-to-face with the kindhearted Eli, she begins to wonder if the humans aren’t the monsters she's always feared. What if the greatest danger doesn’t lie in the icy world outside—but in the truth of who Mara really is?
Fire and ice collide in this thrilling tale of a phoenix girl born with the power of a dying sun.
368 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 20, 2024
31 people are currently reading
1279 people want to read
About the author
Kara Swanson
9 books1,161 followersHi there! I’m Kara.
I write stories about fairytales and fiery souls. I spent my childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired my award-winning Peter Pan retellings, DUST and SHADOW.
I’m also the co-founder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where I have the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.
You’ll find me with my toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with my delightfully-nerdy husband, or chatting about my love of magic and mayhem on Instagram at @karaswansonauthor.
I write stories about fairytales and fiery souls. I spent my childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired my award-winning Peter Pan retellings, DUST and SHADOW.
I’m also the co-founder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where I have the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.
You’ll find me with my toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with my delightfully-nerdy husband, or chatting about my love of magic and mayhem on Instagram at @karaswansonauthor.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 267 reviews
July 7, 2024
Beautiful cover.
Real characters, with fears, strengths, love, and struggles.
As we neared the ending, I had no idea what would happen next. So many ideas and questions ran through my head!
The world building was fantastic! The creatures the author created, their plants, the lava, their sun, the people- how they lived, the religion, the pheonixes themselves, the whole world. It's fascinating.
The ending was satisfying, but left me wanting to know so much more. (*cough* The coming second book. ☺️)
I'll definitely be sharing this with friends who love fantasy!
Real characters, with fears, strengths, love, and struggles.
As we neared the ending, I had no idea what would happen next. So many ideas and questions ran through my head!
The world building was fantastic! The creatures the author created, their plants, the lava, their sun, the people- how they lived, the religion, the pheonixes themselves, the whole world. It's fascinating.
The ending was satisfying, but left me wanting to know so much more. (*cough* The coming second book. ☺️)
I'll definitely be sharing this with friends who love fantasy!
July 2, 2024
I can't 🤧
This book left me with tears and a deeper sense of what it means to live. I can't recommend it enough.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
⊹₊🔥 I'll be honest, when I saw that Kara was writing a new book it was an immediate need for me. If you've read Dust or Shadow you know how amazing this author is, but if you don't here's just a little explanation of her writing:
Kara Swanson has a powerful pen. She crafts these amazingly bittersweet and triumphal stories that are realistic and broken, but full of incredible hope, truth, and light. This book was no exception.
𓆩⟡𓆪 This story follows a young Phoenix named Mara. She's had a tough life, and this story is her coming of age, of who she is and who others are. Her story is one of love, betrayal, untrust, and growth. It's full of profound words that bring so much meaning to life, and ones I've already shared with others because they really are so powerful and applicable. I loved the family aspect, and the topic of mental health.
⊹₊🔥 But I think something that blew me away was how much this book is truly needed even if I didn't know it at first. This book brought so much light into the lives of hurting people, in this book and I believe it will in the real world too. It's relevant and inspiring because this book is an anthem for life. It's an anthem for living the life you were created to live and living it to the fullest even among the mess and brokenness that comes with our world. Yes this is fantasy, but it's so much more. This book is ultimately a story that exposes the beauty and pain that comes with the voices of those who shape us.
𓆩⟡𓆪 I read this book in only two days, but the impact will last so much longer. I won't soon forget this book, and I can't wait to see what the rest of Mara's story holds. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you get your hands on a copy (and as a plus, if still available the author has some amazing pre-order goodies).
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
I'd like to thank the author and publisher for my first ever ARC <33 It was stunning.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I was not required to leave a positive review.
This book left me with tears and a deeper sense of what it means to live. I can't recommend it enough.
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
⊹₊🔥 I'll be honest, when I saw that Kara was writing a new book it was an immediate need for me. If you've read Dust or Shadow you know how amazing this author is, but if you don't here's just a little explanation of her writing:
Kara Swanson has a powerful pen. She crafts these amazingly bittersweet and triumphal stories that are realistic and broken, but full of incredible hope, truth, and light. This book was no exception.
𓆩⟡𓆪 This story follows a young Phoenix named Mara. She's had a tough life, and this story is her coming of age, of who she is and who others are. Her story is one of love, betrayal, untrust, and growth. It's full of profound words that bring so much meaning to life, and ones I've already shared with others because they really are so powerful and applicable. I loved the family aspect, and the topic of mental health.
⊹₊🔥 But I think something that blew me away was how much this book is truly needed even if I didn't know it at first. This book brought so much light into the lives of hurting people, in this book and I believe it will in the real world too. It's relevant and inspiring because this book is an anthem for life. It's an anthem for living the life you were created to live and living it to the fullest even among the mess and brokenness that comes with our world. Yes this is fantasy, but it's so much more. This book is ultimately a story that exposes the beauty and pain that comes with the voices of those who shape us.
𓆩⟡𓆪 I read this book in only two days, but the impact will last so much longer. I won't soon forget this book, and I can't wait to see what the rest of Mara's story holds. If you haven't already, I highly recommend you get your hands on a copy (and as a plus, if still available the author has some amazing pre-order goodies).
─── ⋆⋅☆⋅⋆ ──
I'd like to thank the author and publisher for my first ever ARC <33 It was stunning.
All thoughts and opinions are my own, and I was not required to leave a positive review.
August 27, 2025
4 stars! This is such beautiful story. With deep themes of overcoming trauma and becoming your own person. Mara and Eli are each such interesting characters, with incredibly developed internal conflicts. The first third of this book was slow and Mara was the only character we were with for a while. But I really enjoyed the second half. I really look forward to the next book after that cliffhanger!
June 22, 2025
I have mixed feelings about this read... On the one hand, I loved the characters, especially Eli and Jude! On the other hand, I finished the book with more questions than answers.
Characters:
Mara is a broken character, and I felt so bad for her and the lies she lived in... but also, her growth as a character was interesting...slow, but interesting.
Eli was so sweet and so giving! I loved him and how selfless he was!
Jude was great! I loved how much he loved and cared for Eli! Best big brother!
Haven was cool!
Hana was so sweet!
And the rest of the characters...wow, I don't know what to think of them.
Themes:
Refuting the lies you've been told and knowing your own worth. There was something about this book I couldn't put my finger on until I read another review...and then I realized what it was...it was the fact that the message almost seems to be that if we block out the negative and dig into who we 'truly' are then we'll be safe and have saved ourselves in a manner. There was no God...at least that I could see other than Sol...but I'm not sure if he was supposed to the God of the Bible and maker of the world if just a god of the sun and that bothered me.
Language:
N/A
Romance:
Very light beginnings of one.
Violence/Gore:
Humans hunt the Phoenix to drain their blood, but morbid. Traps are described. Wounds are described as well as burns. Mara talks about cutting her own wings off and how much it hurts. Mentions of blood flowing and pouring from a wound. One character has brutal scars from past torture.
Content Warnings:
Humans that are part phoenix are called godborn... not a fan of that term. Nor of the fact that a mountain is referred to as the Mountain of the gods... but the G is capitalized.
Mentions of human and child sacrifices being made...and again, the hunting of the phoenixes didn't sit right with me.
Also, it almost seemed that hunting the phoenixes or killing humans was justified because "we were all doing what we had to do to survive."
Overall:
The concept, the world, all really cool! it did feel repetitive at times, and I wanted more answers than what I got. The ending made me mad because I didn't understand all that was going on...I'll probably read book 2 in the hopes of getting some answers.
Overall, I recommend age 16+ and to be read with discretion.
Characters:
Mara is a broken character, and I felt so bad for her and the lies she lived in... but also, her growth as a character was interesting...slow, but interesting.
Eli was so sweet and so giving! I loved him and how selfless he was!
Jude was great! I loved how much he loved and cared for Eli! Best big brother!
Haven was cool!
Hana was so sweet!
And the rest of the characters...wow, I don't know what to think of them.
Themes:
Refuting the lies you've been told and knowing your own worth. There was something about this book I couldn't put my finger on until I read another review...and then I realized what it was...it was the fact that the message almost seems to be that if we block out the negative and dig into who we 'truly' are then we'll be safe and have saved ourselves in a manner. There was no God...at least that I could see other than Sol...but I'm not sure if he was supposed to the God of the Bible and maker of the world if just a god of the sun and that bothered me.
Language:
N/A
Romance:
Very light beginnings of one.
Violence/Gore:
Humans hunt the Phoenix to drain their blood, but morbid. Traps are described. Wounds are described as well as burns. Mara talks about cutting her own wings off and how much it hurts. Mentions of blood flowing and pouring from a wound. One character has brutal scars from past torture.
Content Warnings:
Humans that are part phoenix are called godborn... not a fan of that term. Nor of the fact that a mountain is referred to as the Mountain of the gods... but the G is capitalized.
Mentions of human and child sacrifices being made...and again, the hunting of the phoenixes didn't sit right with me.
Also, it almost seemed that hunting the phoenixes or killing humans was justified because "we were all doing what we had to do to survive."
Overall:
The concept, the world, all really cool! it did feel repetitive at times, and I wanted more answers than what I got. The ending made me mad because I didn't understand all that was going on...I'll probably read book 2 in the hopes of getting some answers.
Overall, I recommend age 16+ and to be read with discretion.
July 25, 2024
I—felt this story so deeply. Kara’s signature visceral style shines through here, from the descriptions of the icy wasteland with its dying sun to the literal and emotional fire consuming Mara. There were points during reading where it was literally hard for me to breathe because I felt Mara’s own inability to breathe, to stay afloat when her world was being overturned.
This book isn’t an easy read. There’s no putting it down or forgetting it easily. You’ll become deeply invested in Mara’s journey, and her hurts, in some way, will be felt by you too. But the hope, too, will be felt. In Mara herself, a beautifully vulnerable, sympathetic character you can’t help but root for as she heals and reassesses her views of herself and of those around her. In Eli’s gentleness and Haven’s wisdom and Jude’s banter. In the discovery that while the world can be an unforgiving wasteland, it can also be a place of growth and abundance. Fire can destroy, but it can also mend wounds and spark life.
And Kara pulled her signature cliffhanger move with that ending, because now I cannot wait for the next book.
“All will be right in the end. As Sol shines, so the world will be reborn. And every tear will turn to steam.”
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
This book isn’t an easy read. There’s no putting it down or forgetting it easily. You’ll become deeply invested in Mara’s journey, and her hurts, in some way, will be felt by you too. But the hope, too, will be felt. In Mara herself, a beautifully vulnerable, sympathetic character you can’t help but root for as she heals and reassesses her views of herself and of those around her. In Eli’s gentleness and Haven’s wisdom and Jude’s banter. In the discovery that while the world can be an unforgiving wasteland, it can also be a place of growth and abundance. Fire can destroy, but it can also mend wounds and spark life.
And Kara pulled her signature cliffhanger move with that ending, because now I cannot wait for the next book.
“All will be right in the end. As Sol shines, so the world will be reborn. And every tear will turn to steam.”
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
March 24, 2025
Playlist: https://open.spotify.com/playlist/63r...+
DISCLAIMER: I received a free ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Pre-review: GUYS, I LITERALLY CAN'T WAIT! AND IT'S THE FIRST BOOK IN A SERIES WHICH IS EVEN BETTER!
Review: This was a wild ride, and I LOVED it! Kara Swanson managed to enthrall me with Dust and Shadow, but I think she's outdone herself.
Mara, despite being a phoenix, is relatable, with very human hopes and fears. She is a flawed--but strong--female character, and I'm proud to say that she is one of my favorite characters.
Eli was so sweet! His protectiveness over Mara made me melt inside. #whymustallthebestguysbeficitional?
The plot was addictive, hooking me from page 1. There were multiple times I had to set down my Kindle and go, “Hold up, WHAT?!” The final cliffhanger, though! Now, THAT was brutal.
In conclusion, I think I've found a new favorite book. 5 stars, hands down!
DISCLAIMER: I received a free ARC from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions expressed are my own.
Pre-review: GUYS, I LITERALLY CAN'T WAIT! AND IT'S THE FIRST BOOK IN A SERIES WHICH IS EVEN BETTER!
Review: This was a wild ride, and I LOVED it! Kara Swanson managed to enthrall me with Dust and Shadow, but I think she's outdone herself.
Mara, despite being a phoenix, is relatable, with very human hopes and fears. She is a flawed--but strong--female character, and I'm proud to say that she is one of my favorite characters.
Eli was so sweet! His protectiveness over Mara made me melt inside. #whymustallthebestguysbeficitional?
The plot was addictive, hooking me from page 1. There were multiple times I had to set down my Kindle and go, “Hold up, WHAT?!” The final cliffhanger, though! Now, THAT was brutal.
In conclusion, I think I've found a new favorite book. 5 stars, hands down!
October 3, 2024
This shattered me & put me back together. 😭💔 My soul desperately needed this book. I know I’ll be returning again & again. ❤️🔥
* Thank you to the author and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
* Thank you to the author and the publisher for the complimentary copy of this book. I was not required to write a positive review. These are my honest thoughts and opinions.
September 14, 2024
Mara, a young phoenix, is dangerous. Her fire is uncontrollable, bursting out at the worst moments, burning and destroying everything in her path. Her father, Darkholm, is the only one who can keep it in check. The only one able to keep her safe from the burning flame inside of her. Mara is supposed to protect her flock, but when they vanish, she goes on a desperate quest to find them, and in the process, she discovers dark truths about her people…and her father.
Let me begin by saying that Swanson is an expert at world building. In both the Heirs of Neverland series and this, she created worlds that were so lifelike and so fascinating that they keep you enthralled as you read. She does a wonderful job of placing the reader in the story and immersing us in the various scenes.
I loved so many of the characters. I wasn’t particularly fond of Mara herself, for reasons that I will address below. But I loved Eli (and Jude is adorable). Eli is such a sweet, strong man. So wracked with guilt, but so willing to give all of himself and to stay with Mara when she was the most broken. He is very endearing.
I loved Hannah. Her softness and warmth were a gleam of sun in a dying world. Haven was very interesting, and almost a mirror of Hannah – or her of him.
The cliff hanger at the end was excellent as well! *claps*
Now for the things that I found problematic…I’ll preface this by saying that I’m no longer the target audience for this book. I mainly read classics, so I don’t necessarily enjoy modern books that are built completely around emotions. Take my review with that grain of salt, lol.
I really struggled to connect with Mara, especially in the beginning. Another reviewer said that Mara was almost completely made of her trauma. I agree. For most of the book, she had no personality beyond her pain.
I appreciate that Swanson tackled hard topics like abuse, trauma, manipulation, and lies. We need to be talking about those. But Mara was nothing but explosions, fire, and pain for so much of the book. I liked how Swanson delt with that topic in Dust – how Claire learned to control the dust that was a gift but caused destruction. But in Ignite, it is just a lot of repetition.
Mara is fine.
Something reminds Mara of her trauma – a word, a breath, a sound, a smell.
Mara starts to burn.
Mara causes destruction.
This pattern repeated over and over and over again. The story was ¾ Mara exploding and burning, and ¼ other things happening.
While I’m on the subject of repetition…the number of times that Jude’s silver studs glint in the sunlight. My goodness. It’s a little thing, but do we really need to hear about it every time he’s in a chapter? I wish Swanson had been a bit more creative in that area, instead of reusing the same thing so many times. Similarly, we have the scars on Mara’s back. We get it. Her wings have been cut. She’s hurt. She’s wounded. We can remember that without being reminded every three pages.
The story was quite slow in the beginning. I enjoyed getting to know the world and seeing the peril of the flock, but it took a while for the action to really begin. It was mostly internal dialogue – doubts and questions and fears.
There was a time when I would have held onto this book as a lifeline. When I believed that I was broken beyond repair, that I could never rise from the ashes of my life. I am no longer that person.
You see, Mara only begins to heal when she blocks out the voices that have been controlling her all her life. She only heals when she begins to trust herself. How can she trust herself when she has never been taught what is right and wrong? When she has lived in a twisted, manipulated world? How does she know the truth? I get that Eli was there to walk with her and guide her, but she had only known him for a short time. Could his influence really undo what she had been taught for hundreds of years?
I fully support getting out of abusive and manipulative situations. No one should have their every thought controlled, their every movement criticized. The problem I have with this book is that it promotes the idea that we can heal ourselves. That when we block out the negative voices in our lives, when we dig into our hearts and find our true selves, we will be whole. We will be who we are meant to be.
This is a very modern view and goes against what the Bible teaches. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"
In and of ourselves, we are nothing. Our own hearts are full of darkness. It is only when we look outward and upward that we find true healing. I found this in my own life. When I quit focusing on myself and listening to my own voice, I truly came alive.
This isn’t an explicitly Christian book, but I have always had great respect for the author and her Christian values. This book means so much to so many broken, bleeding, raw people, and I wish that Swanson had pointed the way to true healing – not inside, but towards our Savior, the true light of the world.
There were some other little things I was bothered by. The whole situation with her father was rather cliché and you could see it from the beginning, but I can’t say much without spoilers.
I did love how Swanson tackled the question of truth. In the world today, we are bombarded with so many different people telling us that this or that is the truth. It is so hard to know who to believe. Swanson did an excellent job exploring that. How often I’ve felt Mara’s confusion!
There is much to learn from this book. I just wish that the core of the story had pointed to true hope instead of to self.
Let me begin by saying that Swanson is an expert at world building. In both the Heirs of Neverland series and this, she created worlds that were so lifelike and so fascinating that they keep you enthralled as you read. She does a wonderful job of placing the reader in the story and immersing us in the various scenes.
I loved so many of the characters. I wasn’t particularly fond of Mara herself, for reasons that I will address below. But I loved Eli (and Jude is adorable). Eli is such a sweet, strong man. So wracked with guilt, but so willing to give all of himself and to stay with Mara when she was the most broken. He is very endearing.
I loved Hannah. Her softness and warmth were a gleam of sun in a dying world. Haven was very interesting, and almost a mirror of Hannah – or her of him.
The cliff hanger at the end was excellent as well! *claps*
Now for the things that I found problematic…I’ll preface this by saying that I’m no longer the target audience for this book. I mainly read classics, so I don’t necessarily enjoy modern books that are built completely around emotions. Take my review with that grain of salt, lol.
I really struggled to connect with Mara, especially in the beginning. Another reviewer said that Mara was almost completely made of her trauma. I agree. For most of the book, she had no personality beyond her pain.
I appreciate that Swanson tackled hard topics like abuse, trauma, manipulation, and lies. We need to be talking about those. But Mara was nothing but explosions, fire, and pain for so much of the book. I liked how Swanson delt with that topic in Dust – how Claire learned to control the dust that was a gift but caused destruction. But in Ignite, it is just a lot of repetition.
Mara is fine.
Something reminds Mara of her trauma – a word, a breath, a sound, a smell.
Mara starts to burn.
Mara causes destruction.
This pattern repeated over and over and over again. The story was ¾ Mara exploding and burning, and ¼ other things happening.
While I’m on the subject of repetition…the number of times that Jude’s silver studs glint in the sunlight. My goodness. It’s a little thing, but do we really need to hear about it every time he’s in a chapter? I wish Swanson had been a bit more creative in that area, instead of reusing the same thing so many times. Similarly, we have the scars on Mara’s back. We get it. Her wings have been cut. She’s hurt. She’s wounded. We can remember that without being reminded every three pages.
The story was quite slow in the beginning. I enjoyed getting to know the world and seeing the peril of the flock, but it took a while for the action to really begin. It was mostly internal dialogue – doubts and questions and fears.
There was a time when I would have held onto this book as a lifeline. When I believed that I was broken beyond repair, that I could never rise from the ashes of my life. I am no longer that person.
You see, Mara only begins to heal when she blocks out the voices that have been controlling her all her life. She only heals when she begins to trust herself. How can she trust herself when she has never been taught what is right and wrong? When she has lived in a twisted, manipulated world? How does she know the truth? I get that Eli was there to walk with her and guide her, but she had only known him for a short time. Could his influence really undo what she had been taught for hundreds of years?
I fully support getting out of abusive and manipulative situations. No one should have their every thought controlled, their every movement criticized. The problem I have with this book is that it promotes the idea that we can heal ourselves. That when we block out the negative voices in our lives, when we dig into our hearts and find our true selves, we will be whole. We will be who we are meant to be.
This is a very modern view and goes against what the Bible teaches. Jeremiah 17:9 says, "The heart is deceitful above all things, and desperately wicked; who can know it?"
In and of ourselves, we are nothing. Our own hearts are full of darkness. It is only when we look outward and upward that we find true healing. I found this in my own life. When I quit focusing on myself and listening to my own voice, I truly came alive.
This isn’t an explicitly Christian book, but I have always had great respect for the author and her Christian values. This book means so much to so many broken, bleeding, raw people, and I wish that Swanson had pointed the way to true healing – not inside, but towards our Savior, the true light of the world.
There were some other little things I was bothered by. The whole situation with her father was rather cliché and you could see it from the beginning, but I can’t say much without spoilers.
I did love how Swanson tackled the question of truth. In the world today, we are bombarded with so many different people telling us that this or that is the truth. It is so hard to know who to believe. Swanson did an excellent job exploring that. How often I’ve felt Mara’s confusion!
There is much to learn from this book. I just wish that the core of the story had pointed to true hope instead of to self.
August 9, 2024
One of the few books I have recently finished is an ARC of Kara Swanson’s Ignite. Mostly because I needed something that would keep my attention and make me think on a plane, but also because I love Kara, and though this is not my normal genre, I wanted to try something new. And I am so glad I got to read this story! It’s tragic, it’s devastating, it makes you think and hurts your heart for poor Mara, and it is both fast-paced/attention-keeping and written with a rich and vibrant prose that helps you sink into the story.
Ignite is one of those stories that is more than a story. I mean, it is a great story set in a compelling dystopian-inspired fantasy world with a lost heroine just trying to find her place in the world, compelling side characters, and ... the villain? Villains? I don’t know, but all the I’m-not-sure-who-is-good-and-bad people really fascinated me. The worldbuilding was also so interesting! But even if you strip all the away, you’re still left with a story that at every point creatively and naturally brings up patterns and issues that remind you of very real-world things.
Maybe it’s because, as a semi-outsider-but-not-really to this world, I enjoy learning the controlling unhealthy patterns in certain circles. This story does a good job subtly and gently, without any preaching or obvious pointing fingers, of bringing light to the heart of a young girl emotionally manipulated by authority figures. You kind of have to look for it, but I had it in mind, so I really enjoyed seeing Mara’s story unfold ... and let me tell you, I was SO indignant on her behalf throughout the story! I’m just sad certain people are fictional so I can’t attack them.
AND THE ENDING. GAH.
Book 2 can’t come fast enough for me.
CWs: lots of violence and action, emotional abuse/manipulation, fantasy elements, generally intense-ness for those who are sensitive
Ignite is one of those stories that is more than a story. I mean, it is a great story set in a compelling dystopian-inspired fantasy world with a lost heroine just trying to find her place in the world, compelling side characters, and ... the villain? Villains? I don’t know, but all the I’m-not-sure-who-is-good-and-bad people really fascinated me. The worldbuilding was also so interesting! But even if you strip all the away, you’re still left with a story that at every point creatively and naturally brings up patterns and issues that remind you of very real-world things.
Maybe it’s because, as a semi-outsider-but-not-really to this world, I enjoy learning the controlling unhealthy patterns in certain circles. This story does a good job subtly and gently, without any preaching or obvious pointing fingers, of bringing light to the heart of a young girl emotionally manipulated by authority figures. You kind of have to look for it, but I had it in mind, so I really enjoyed seeing Mara’s story unfold ... and let me tell you, I was SO indignant on her behalf throughout the story! I’m just sad certain people are fictional so I can’t attack them.
AND THE ENDING. GAH.
Book 2 can’t come fast enough for me.
CWs: lots of violence and action, emotional abuse/manipulation, fantasy elements, generally intense-ness for those who are sensitive
December 11, 2025
4.5⭐️
Wow!🤩 That was good! I got confused here and there, but all in all, it was very good.
Cliffhanger ending! When’s the next book coming out??👀🤯😱👀
Wow!🤩 That was good! I got confused here and there, but all in all, it was very good.
Cliffhanger ending! When’s the next book coming out??👀🤯😱👀
June 22, 2024
Kara writes from a place of deep understanding of loss and pain, but also hope for the beauty that can be found in gentle, gradual healing. This was evident in Dust and Shadow, but it's even more obvious in this book.
Despite knowing the general plot of Ignite, I hadn't expected how emotional the stakes were. In many ways, yes, it's about a phoenix girl discovering her capacity to bring warmth and healing into a frozen world, but in others, it's about a girl learning to occupy her own mind and fight the lies that have made her a prisoner of those she's always believed to be trustworthy.
There are so many threads interwoven into Mara's journey, written with complexity and grace in a way that can offer hope to those dealing with similar struggles. It's clear from the very first page that this is a message Kara means to convey, beyond simply a fast-paced and adventurous YA novel in an unfamiliar but intriguing world. And despite the fact that I didn't love the YA staples (like the sudden appearance of the male love interest, quick loyalty/attraction, and some more telling parts of the writing), I loved seeing those themes shine through so clearly.
And that ENDING. It gave me whiplash, but I'm invested. I can't wait to read the next one!
(Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review from the author/publisher. All thoughts are honest and 100% my own)
Despite knowing the general plot of Ignite, I hadn't expected how emotional the stakes were. In many ways, yes, it's about a phoenix girl discovering her capacity to bring warmth and healing into a frozen world, but in others, it's about a girl learning to occupy her own mind and fight the lies that have made her a prisoner of those she's always believed to be trustworthy.
There are so many threads interwoven into Mara's journey, written with complexity and grace in a way that can offer hope to those dealing with similar struggles. It's clear from the very first page that this is a message Kara means to convey, beyond simply a fast-paced and adventurous YA novel in an unfamiliar but intriguing world. And despite the fact that I didn't love the YA staples (like the sudden appearance of the male love interest, quick loyalty/attraction, and some more telling parts of the writing), I loved seeing those themes shine through so clearly.
And that ENDING. It gave me whiplash, but I'm invested. I can't wait to read the next one!
(Disclaimer: I received an advance reader copy in exchange for an honest review from the author/publisher. All thoughts are honest and 100% my own)
August 12, 2024
“I can’t fight through this for you, but I can hold you up.”
Ignite is such a unique storyline, and reminds me a lot of Nadine Brandes’ books! I remember
the author talk to me in person about Ignite and giving me an overview of the story, and I knew I absolutely wanted to read this book.
I love the themes; they really added a lot of depth to the storyline, and the MC’s (Mara) character development was really well done.
The cliffhanger ending…ugh, I’m mad because I need book 2 but also very pleased because it was so good, haha.
The pacing of the first 1/4 of the book was pretty slow for me, and there weren’t many characters (the MC was on her own for a while, so there was mostly internal dialogue), so it took me a bit to get invested in the story, which is why I’m giving Ignite 4/5.
Thank you to Enclave and the author for an eARC of Ignite. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts are expressly my own.
Ignite is such a unique storyline, and reminds me a lot of Nadine Brandes’ books! I remember
the author talk to me in person about Ignite and giving me an overview of the story, and I knew I absolutely wanted to read this book.
I love the themes; they really added a lot of depth to the storyline, and the MC’s (Mara) character development was really well done.
The cliffhanger ending…ugh, I’m mad because I need book 2 but also very pleased because it was so good, haha.
The pacing of the first 1/4 of the book was pretty slow for me, and there weren’t many characters (the MC was on her own for a while, so there was mostly internal dialogue), so it took me a bit to get invested in the story, which is why I’m giving Ignite 4/5.
Thank you to Enclave and the author for an eARC of Ignite. A positive review was not required, only my honest opinion. All thoughts are expressly my own.
December 16, 2025
As a member of the street team and a major fan of Heirs of Neverland, I had waited for this book for MONTHS excited to see what Kara would bring to a new series. So when I got an e-ARC to review the book, I opened up the web page as fast as I could and began reading.
...
Not gonna lie... I was kind of disappointed.
Now, as a disclaimer, there was a section that hit me harder than expected and I had to put away the book for a few days because of that. So keep that in mind as you read this review.
First of all, this book is beautifully written, and the concept is absolutely amazing. Phoenixes and frozen worlds... yes. Yes please.
But... I never really connected with Mara. I second what many of the reviews say-- we dug so deep into her trauma that most of the story JUST felt like trauma. My interest really came on with Eli and Jude and Haven. I'm a sucker for strong male characters and Eli is a perfect cinnamon roll, loved his POVs.
I understand that the author was trying to show the depth of the pain... but as someone who's undergone painful situations somewhat similar to Mara's (at least, in a traumatic family betrayal sense, for I am not a phoenix hiding from the world XDXD),and knows people like me, most people who have undergone trauma like that generally try to forget about it right afterwards. It's a survival mechanism because our brain cannot process what just happened. We try to forget and move on (which is why therapy is so important in healing from trauma) The human brain wants to avoid pain, and memories bring pain.
Now, that's the story of me and most of the people I know. How everyone processes trauma is different, and I'm not saying that Swanson was necessarily wrong to reflect Mara this way. But it did disconnect me from her as a reader.
I also was a little uncomfortable with the theology structure. I know Kara is a Christian author and maybeee there was some sort of parallel between God and Sol? But considering how long people have worshipped the sun in other cultures it just prickled some of my personal convictions on theology in books. The whole thing about phoenixes being gods also didn't set well with me, but maybe it will all be remedied in book 2.
Then there was the resolution. I felt like there was some plot holes with Haven. If Haven KNEW what the phoenixes would do to Mara, why not tell her the ENTIRE truth and keep her from getting captured? Especially since he KNEW that her father was the one who tore his wings. Like, Haven, you're a dad, be a good "dad" figure for Mara and tell her the whole truth!
The whole resolution with Mara's trust arc was her trusting herself. And then suddenly it's like "oh! my trauma is gone!"
HAH. Child, that's what you THINK.
Because the truth is? You can't heal yourself from something like this. I see it over, and over, and OVER again in books, and I hate because it adds to a stigma against actually getting professional help. You start to think "oh I can fix this myself" when no, you can't. As someone else said, it's a worldly message, "just trust in yourself", "believe in yourself" and it doesn't work because we are not enough, never WILL be enough without Jesus.
Again, maybe it will be resolved in book two. I certainly hope so. But... I had higher expectations.
Edit December 2025: lowering this to two stars, as my rating system has adjusted and I realize that after much reflection, I am unlikely to recommend this book to others (3 stars and above are my recommendation levels). It's nothing personal I just... yeah. I get continuously more frustrated with how the trauma in this book was dealt with as time goes on)
Content Warnings: Self-harm (character cuts himself to sell his fireblood to innocent freezing humans, Mara is forced to slice off her own wings), physical, verbal, and emotional abuse (all shown in actual scenes), potentially gruesome descriptions of injuries. There is also a scene where Mara's father basically takes over her body and mind to make her explode-- may be triggering for sexual abuse survivors.
...
Not gonna lie... I was kind of disappointed.
Now, as a disclaimer, there was a section that hit me harder than expected and I had to put away the book for a few days because of that. So keep that in mind as you read this review.
First of all, this book is beautifully written, and the concept is absolutely amazing. Phoenixes and frozen worlds... yes. Yes please.
But... I never really connected with Mara. I second what many of the reviews say-- we dug so deep into her trauma that most of the story JUST felt like trauma. My interest really came on with Eli and Jude and Haven. I'm a sucker for strong male characters and Eli is a perfect cinnamon roll, loved his POVs.
I understand that the author was trying to show the depth of the pain... but as someone who's undergone painful situations somewhat similar to Mara's (at least, in a traumatic family betrayal sense, for I am not a phoenix hiding from the world XDXD),and knows people like me, most people who have undergone trauma like that generally try to forget about it right afterwards. It's a survival mechanism because our brain cannot process what just happened. We try to forget and move on (which is why therapy is so important in healing from trauma) The human brain wants to avoid pain, and memories bring pain.
Now, that's the story of me and most of the people I know. How everyone processes trauma is different, and I'm not saying that Swanson was necessarily wrong to reflect Mara this way. But it did disconnect me from her as a reader.
I also was a little uncomfortable with the theology structure. I know Kara is a Christian author and maybeee there was some sort of parallel between God and Sol? But considering how long people have worshipped the sun in other cultures it just prickled some of my personal convictions on theology in books. The whole thing about phoenixes being gods also didn't set well with me, but maybe it will all be remedied in book 2.
Then there was the resolution. I felt like there was some plot holes with Haven. If Haven KNEW what the phoenixes would do to Mara, why not tell her the ENTIRE truth and keep her from getting captured? Especially since he KNEW that her father was the one who tore his wings. Like, Haven, you're a dad, be a good "dad" figure for Mara and tell her the whole truth!
The whole resolution with Mara's trust arc was her trusting herself. And then suddenly it's like "oh! my trauma is gone!"
HAH. Child, that's what you THINK.
Because the truth is? You can't heal yourself from something like this. I see it over, and over, and OVER again in books, and I hate because it adds to a stigma against actually getting professional help. You start to think "oh I can fix this myself" when no, you can't. As someone else said, it's a worldly message, "just trust in yourself", "believe in yourself" and it doesn't work because we are not enough, never WILL be enough without Jesus.
Again, maybe it will be resolved in book two. I certainly hope so. But... I had higher expectations.
Edit December 2025: lowering this to two stars, as my rating system has adjusted and I realize that after much reflection, I am unlikely to recommend this book to others (3 stars and above are my recommendation levels). It's nothing personal I just... yeah. I get continuously more frustrated with how the trauma in this book was dealt with as time goes on)
Content Warnings: Self-harm (character cuts himself to sell his fireblood to innocent freezing humans, Mara is forced to slice off her own wings), physical, verbal, and emotional abuse (all shown in actual scenes), potentially gruesome descriptions of injuries. There is also a scene where Mara's father basically takes over her body and mind to make her explode-- may be triggering for sexual abuse survivors.
Want to read
February 5, 2024oh i'm sooooooooooo excited <3
February 18, 2025
A powerful, emotional story about healing from trauma and breaking free from abuse. Relatively violent with a lot of descriptions of flesh burning, bones and muscles poking out from melted skin, etc, but despite me being a squeamish person, I was generally unbothered by that. I really liked the way the relationship between Mara and her adopted father was portrayed. There was a poignant part of the villain’s ideology where they saw others as enemies to be defeated instead of people to be helped and that felt very fitting for current times.
August 20, 2024
Wow.
If I could give this more stars, I would.
Mara is a brilliant character, soft and gentle in a harsh world; strong in all the right ways. Her struggle becomes her strength, and watching her adventure unfold is glorious.
Eli, tender and compassionate and sacrificial, recognizing beauty and giving grace where others can’t, quickly had my heart.
So many of the themes in this book left me feeling raw and aching for the same hope Mara sought, for the peace and strength to rise from the ashes as many times as it takes.
Stunning characters.
Clear and compelling writing.
So different from anything I’ve read before. Absolutely beautiful book.
Notes:
themes of manipulation, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, and physical abuse appear throughout.
No foul language or spice.
If I could give this more stars, I would.
Mara is a brilliant character, soft and gentle in a harsh world; strong in all the right ways. Her struggle becomes her strength, and watching her adventure unfold is glorious.
Eli, tender and compassionate and sacrificial, recognizing beauty and giving grace where others can’t, quickly had my heart.
So many of the themes in this book left me feeling raw and aching for the same hope Mara sought, for the peace and strength to rise from the ashes as many times as it takes.
Stunning characters.
Clear and compelling writing.
So different from anything I’ve read before. Absolutely beautiful book.
Notes:
themes of manipulation, emotional abuse, verbal abuse, and physical abuse appear throughout.
No foul language or spice.
December 24, 2024
3.5 ⭐️A mythical world caught between the frost and the fire. The spirit of the phoenix rises again. I really enjoyed magical elements of phoenix, sacred races and detailed landscape of adventure and lore. Overall, this was a good time. If you enjoy fantasy without getting lost in the worldbuilding and fantastical details, you will enjoy this. The story is fun and fast paced without all the expansiveness of a high/epic fantasy. I am unsure if I will read the next one in the series. However, I had a good time.
July 30, 2024
I now regret getting an eARC copy. Now not only do I have to wait to get the next book but I have to wait to get a physical copy of this book. A cliff hanger like this is actually cruel! WHY?!? WHY KARA WHY?!?!?
*Sigh* there were a handful of things that were confusing with the story or just unnecessary, but nothing that will take away a star in this review. I have loved every book by this author and 10/10 recommend this story.
*Sigh* there were a handful of things that were confusing with the story or just unnecessary, but nothing that will take away a star in this review. I have loved every book by this author and 10/10 recommend this story.
Want to read
July 30, 2024I’m trying so hard to find the arc because I love this authorrrrrr 💕🤭
June 27, 2024
This is truly one of the most healing and beautiful books I've ever read. My most anticipated book of 2024, and somehow it still managed to surpass all of my expectations. If I could rate it a hundred stars, I would! I cannot wait to own a physical copy for my bookshelves.
It's very rare for me to find a book that speaks to me as deeply as Ignite did. I saw so much of myself in Mara, and the themes of healing and learning to trust both yourself and others were like a balm to my heart. It made me cry- but in the best way possible.
The characters, the world building, the themes... even the dedication and acknowledgements just made me smile. This book made me feel so seen at every single page, and I am so grateful.
Now I'm just gonna go twiddle my thumbs and wait for the sequel... and probably reread this book over and over again.
(Longer review to come when I have sufficiently squealed to myself 😂)
Note: I recieved an e-arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacts my rating or thoughts.
It's very rare for me to find a book that speaks to me as deeply as Ignite did. I saw so much of myself in Mara, and the themes of healing and learning to trust both yourself and others were like a balm to my heart. It made me cry- but in the best way possible.
The characters, the world building, the themes... even the dedication and acknowledgements just made me smile. This book made me feel so seen at every single page, and I am so grateful.
Now I'm just gonna go twiddle my thumbs and wait for the sequel... and probably reread this book over and over again.
(Longer review to come when I have sufficiently squealed to myself 😂)
Note: I recieved an e-arc from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. This in no way impacts my rating or thoughts.
January 13, 2025
3.5 Stars ✨
Clean YA Fantasy
Kara Swanson is a fabulous writer. I have really enjoyed some of her previous books. I was excited to try this one out. The world building was excellent and took up a good bit of the beginning of the book- so it does start a bit slow. It picks up around the halfway point and ended up being an enjoyable, unique read. I thought the idea was fresh, new and interesting. There were a couple of things that could have been fleshed out a little more, but that’s my only complaint. I also liked the faith elements, they were woven throughout the story effortlessly. There’s a slow burn romance but not at all the focal point. Would recommend and look forward to the next in the series.
Clean YA Fantasy
Kara Swanson is a fabulous writer. I have really enjoyed some of her previous books. I was excited to try this one out. The world building was excellent and took up a good bit of the beginning of the book- so it does start a bit slow. It picks up around the halfway point and ended up being an enjoyable, unique read. I thought the idea was fresh, new and interesting. There were a couple of things that could have been fleshed out a little more, but that’s my only complaint. I also liked the faith elements, they were woven throughout the story effortlessly. There’s a slow burn romance but not at all the focal point. Would recommend and look forward to the next in the series.
August 7, 2024
ˋ°•*⁀➷ "If cutting out parts of yourself is what it takes to protect others in this world, something is very, very wrong."
💥mara: to protect others i must hide myself away
💥eli: to protect others i must give myself away
💥jude: he's my brother, she's my friend, don't touch them
ˋ°•*⁀➷review:
Kara Swanson explores a new world of fire and ice in her best novel yet. 𝑰𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆 was both powerful and heartbreaking, and brilliantly written. It left me wondering in parts what characters I could trust, and came to an explosive finale. I can't wait for book two, and I'm so excited to read whatever Kara has next!
ˋ°•*⁀➷content:
Trauma/PTSD.
Emotional abuse.
Violence.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ages 15+
a/n: i received an arc and was not required to leave a positive review
💥mara: to protect others i must hide myself away
💥eli: to protect others i must give myself away
💥jude: he's my brother, she's my friend, don't touch them
ˋ°•*⁀➷review:
Kara Swanson explores a new world of fire and ice in her best novel yet. 𝑰𝒈𝒏𝒊𝒕𝒆 was both powerful and heartbreaking, and brilliantly written. It left me wondering in parts what characters I could trust, and came to an explosive finale. I can't wait for book two, and I'm so excited to read whatever Kara has next!
ˋ°•*⁀➷content:
Trauma/PTSD.
Emotional abuse.
Violence.
ˋ°•*⁀➷ages 15+
a/n: i received an arc and was not required to leave a positive review
October 16, 2025
Finally read this one! So good, couldn't stop reading that climax. Full review to come!
I have officially preordered the hardcover copy, ahhhh! First book I've ever done that with, and the first book I've ever claimed preorder goodies for.
The cover reveal for this book is out and IT IS GORGEOUS!! You can see it and read the blurb in my blog post: https://abbyswriting.wixsite.com/abby...
I have officially preordered the hardcover copy, ahhhh! First book I've ever done that with, and the first book I've ever claimed preorder goodies for.
The cover reveal for this book is out and IT IS GORGEOUS!! You can see it and read the blurb in my blog post: https://abbyswriting.wixsite.com/abby...
June 29, 2024
FTC Disclosure: I received a free copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. I was not required to leave a positive review. All thoughts and opinions expressed herein are entirely my own.
I didn’t know quite what to expect from this book. I loved Kara Swanson’s Heirs of Neverland series, so I knew this would be another great story with riveting characters and deep themes. I also anticipated the plot would be intense.
The story ended up being majorly character-driven, with much more emphasis on Mara’s personal growth than any external plot. Which is fine; I just wasn’t expecting that. And it took me a little while to adjust to that.
Characters: Mara is a hurting, broken character who pulls at your heart and gently demands you listen to her story. It’s easy to get sucked into her world, to feel what she feels and grieve with her. She’s so well-written!
Eli is equally good; I enjoyed the couple of times we got to read from his POV. He’s a really good guy who feels so human.
As for the villains… Well. It’s hard to pinpoint who exactly the villains are, which is rather the point of the story. Nothing’s black and white, and that makes for an intriguing plotline.
Content: Phoenixes can be quite violent, harming others in brutal ways. One character has been horribly scarred from violence done against him. Another is forced to mutilate herself on multiple occasions (this happened in the past, but it’s a key part of the story).
A romance seems to be budding, but they’re just friends right now. There are only sparks of attraction (cheesy pun intended).
Writing: I expected good writing, and that’s what I got! The story pulls you in and keeps you interested to the end. Writing such depth of character as Mara presents requires talent, and Swanson pulls it off amazingly well. As aforesaid, I wasn’t expecting such an introspective narrative, but it works well for the story.
Summary: So then, why only three stars? I can’t quite explain, but it felt like something was missing. Obviously this is the first book of a duology, so the story’s only half complete, but so much of this book was setup that it’s hard to feel like it’s a story in its own right. That being said, though, it’s a great setup, and I’m excited to read the next book! Talk about a cliffhanger ending…
I didn’t know quite what to expect from this book. I loved Kara Swanson’s Heirs of Neverland series, so I knew this would be another great story with riveting characters and deep themes. I also anticipated the plot would be intense.
The story ended up being majorly character-driven, with much more emphasis on Mara’s personal growth than any external plot. Which is fine; I just wasn’t expecting that. And it took me a little while to adjust to that.
Characters: Mara is a hurting, broken character who pulls at your heart and gently demands you listen to her story. It’s easy to get sucked into her world, to feel what she feels and grieve with her. She’s so well-written!
Eli is equally good; I enjoyed the couple of times we got to read from his POV. He’s a really good guy who feels so human.
As for the villains… Well. It’s hard to pinpoint who exactly the villains are, which is rather the point of the story. Nothing’s black and white, and that makes for an intriguing plotline.
Content: Phoenixes can be quite violent, harming others in brutal ways. One character has been horribly scarred from violence done against him. Another is forced to mutilate herself on multiple occasions (this happened in the past, but it’s a key part of the story).
A romance seems to be budding, but they’re just friends right now. There are only sparks of attraction (cheesy pun intended).
Writing: I expected good writing, and that’s what I got! The story pulls you in and keeps you interested to the end. Writing such depth of character as Mara presents requires talent, and Swanson pulls it off amazingly well. As aforesaid, I wasn’t expecting such an introspective narrative, but it works well for the story.
Summary: So then, why only three stars? I can’t quite explain, but it felt like something was missing. Obviously this is the first book of a duology, so the story’s only half complete, but so much of this book was setup that it’s hard to feel like it’s a story in its own right. That being said, though, it’s a great setup, and I’m excited to read the next book! Talk about a cliffhanger ending…
September 10, 2024
Um....um. *thinks*
Well, first off, that cover looked way dark and intense, so I was sure going into this book if it'd really be for me. But turns out it's reaaallly not exactly like the cover. It's tender. It's full of grief and untangling and fighting the good fight. And yeah, it's definitely full fantasy but it's not creepy like the cover almost looked, I guess?
And aaaaauuughk. It made me so proud. I didn't expect it to make me so proud...or teary-eyed. Or want to hug her tight. It resonated with life, real life, where people don't literally combust into flame and all that and literal survival and aliveness isn't always quite what's on the line, but where figuring out all the lies and betrayal and getting past the pain is very very real. It was beautiful inside. I rweally wike it. It was sooo sweet. I was kinda actually breathless in some parts. That was surprisingly good. I think it was a book that reminded you of just how incredible people as people are inside, or how much intricacy and beauty and courage God made us to reflect.
Also that was totally not fair. I...ack. 😤 Mean authors, mean authors, mean authors, why don't you just giiiiiiiive me next bookie nooooww if you going to dooo that...
I'm kinda balancing on a 4-4.5stars. I feel like if I gave it 5 stars now, it would be a 4 star on reread, or after reading the next, so I'm just sticking with 4 until I make up my mind.
Well, first off, that cover looked way dark and intense, so I was sure going into this book if it'd really be for me. But turns out it's reaaallly not exactly like the cover. It's tender. It's full of grief and untangling and fighting the good fight. And yeah, it's definitely full fantasy but it's not creepy like the cover almost looked, I guess?
And aaaaauuughk. It made me so proud. I didn't expect it to make me so proud...or teary-eyed. Or want to hug her tight. It resonated with life, real life, where people don't literally combust into flame and all that and literal survival and aliveness isn't always quite what's on the line, but where figuring out all the lies and betrayal and getting past the pain is very very real. It was beautiful inside. I rweally wike it. It was sooo sweet. I was kinda actually breathless in some parts. That was surprisingly good. I think it was a book that reminded you of just how incredible people as people are inside, or how much intricacy and beauty and courage God made us to reflect.
Also that was totally not fair. I...ack. 😤 Mean authors, mean authors, mean authors, why don't you just giiiiiiiive me next bookie nooooww if you going to dooo that...
I'm kinda balancing on a 4-4.5stars. I feel like if I gave it 5 stars now, it would be a 4 star on reread, or after reading the next, so I'm just sticking with 4 until I make up my mind.
August 19, 2024
I absolutely loved this book. I could not put it down. Kara Swanson is one of my favorite authors and I would suggest her to basically anyone.
(I received a free arc for my honest review)
(I received a free arc for my honest review)
September 1, 2024
I loved this book. The world's concept was so cool: a society that depends on lava and phoenix blood to survive. A unique and refreshing story.
August 5, 2024
(I should probably say that I received an ARC from the author and didn't have to leave a positive review- all of this is my honest opinion.)
I'm just going to start by saying this is one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read. I'm a HUGE fan of Kara's series the Heirs of Neverland, and was honestly wondering if Ignite would be as good as they are... I had no reason to worry. XD
From the very first chapter I was so emotionally hooked. Mara is one of the dearest characters I've ever read, and Eli, Jude, Haven, Hana, and all the rest are wonderful. (And Eli and Mara's relationship is so sweet by the end.) I related to Mara SO MUCH, even though I'm definitely not a phoenix. XD Seeing her come into her own, discover her wings, separate herself from her father... I loved every bit of it.
I also have to mention the amazing worldbuilding- the magic system, the types of beings, the different cultures, even the wasteland itself- I loved it all so much, and felt like I was right there with Mara the entire time. The world perfectly reflected Mara's character arc and just- agh I loved it so much.
I can't recommend this book enough. By the end of this story I was nearly in tears... it was just so beautiful, so touching, so vibrant. I won't say I like it better than the Heirs of Neverland, because Claire is still very close to my heart, but it is DEFINITELY on the same level.
I'm just going to start by saying this is one of the most beautiful stories I've ever read. I'm a HUGE fan of Kara's series the Heirs of Neverland, and was honestly wondering if Ignite would be as good as they are... I had no reason to worry. XD
From the very first chapter I was so emotionally hooked. Mara is one of the dearest characters I've ever read, and Eli, Jude, Haven, Hana, and all the rest are wonderful. (And Eli and Mara's relationship is so sweet by the end.) I related to Mara SO MUCH, even though I'm definitely not a phoenix. XD Seeing her come into her own, discover her wings, separate herself from her father... I loved every bit of it.
I also have to mention the amazing worldbuilding- the magic system, the types of beings, the different cultures, even the wasteland itself- I loved it all so much, and felt like I was right there with Mara the entire time. The world perfectly reflected Mara's character arc and just- agh I loved it so much.
I can't recommend this book enough. By the end of this story I was nearly in tears... it was just so beautiful, so touching, so vibrant. I won't say I like it better than the Heirs of Neverland, because Claire is still very close to my heart, but it is DEFINITELY on the same level.
August 19, 2024
Ignite was one of my most anticipated reads of the year, and my goodness. I knew it was going to be amazing, but I didn’t realize that it would become one of the few books that speaks to me on such a deep, personal level and one that sparks light in my soul. It’s a book that I now hold near and dear to my heart and that will resonate with me for a long time.
There are many rich themes in Ignite, but the ones of healing, trust, and being brave stood out to me and are incredibly powerful.
It’s rare for me to deeply feel for and connect with characters in the way I did with Mara. My heart ached for Mara as she struggled with knowing who to trust and believe. The conflict she faced was so heartbreaking yet so beautiful as it helped her blossom into the fiery, courageous woman she needed to be. Overall, she’s just such a well-written female protagonist and has some of the best character development I’ve read in a long time.
The imagery and worldbuilding were phenomenal and whisked me away to an intriguing world of fire and ice. The prose was lovely. And the plot (especially in the second half) had twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.
And that ending??! I need Book 2 immediately!
(I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.)
There are many rich themes in Ignite, but the ones of healing, trust, and being brave stood out to me and are incredibly powerful.
It’s rare for me to deeply feel for and connect with characters in the way I did with Mara. My heart ached for Mara as she struggled with knowing who to trust and believe. The conflict she faced was so heartbreaking yet so beautiful as it helped her blossom into the fiery, courageous woman she needed to be. Overall, she’s just such a well-written female protagonist and has some of the best character development I’ve read in a long time.
The imagery and worldbuilding were phenomenal and whisked me away to an intriguing world of fire and ice. The prose was lovely. And the plot (especially in the second half) had twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.
And that ending??! I need Book 2 immediately!
(I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts expressed are my own.)
July 8, 2024
*4.25*
I finished this book a few days ago. After thinking on it, I’m going to review it.
I loved the phoenix aspect. Obviously, that’s the point, but I love the way it’s done. It makes it seem real and beautiful! I cannot wait for the next book!
I enjoyed the hints at the romance to come, but it wasn’t the main point.
Mara’s development was stunning. It was so interesting yet healing.
I loved the themes of healing and some of the allegorical ideas in this book.
The cliffhanger.
Content: phoenix-y things, minor violence, many mentions of blood (it makes sense when you read it)
I finished this book a few days ago. After thinking on it, I’m going to review it.
I loved the phoenix aspect. Obviously, that’s the point, but I love the way it’s done. It makes it seem real and beautiful! I cannot wait for the next book!
I enjoyed the hints at the romance to come, but it wasn’t the main point.
Mara’s development was stunning. It was so interesting yet healing.
I loved the themes of healing and some of the allegorical ideas in this book.
The cliffhanger.
Content: phoenix-y things, minor violence, many mentions of blood (it makes sense when you read it)
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