By Kelly Bridgewater
About the Book
Book: Ignite
Author: Kara Swanson
Genre: YA Fantasy
Release Date: August 20, 2024
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 truth: 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.
My
Thoughts:
Ignite
by Kara Swanson is an original, unpredictable tale of phoenixes. As the story
starts, there is really nothing happening. Swanson sets up the setting and
allowing Mara, the heroine, to show her storyworld. But of course, she has to
do something that shoves her out of her comfort zone. She goes an adventure to
find her true self and discover what her family actually is. After the first
twenty percent of the novel, the story becomes interesting, and I wanted to see
Mara succeed. Once Mara hits the climactic moment, it started to remind me of
Satan and his followers and how they choose to leave such a beautiful place
because of his pride. Not an exact re-telling just some hints of the familiar
story. The fight is pretty detailed near the end of the story. Swanson does
leave readers in a cliff-hanger that will leave the readers wanting to know if
there is going to be a second book. Overall, Ignite by Kara Swanson is a unquie tale of discovery. Discovery of
oneself's true identity. Discover of family. Discover of the lies and truths
the characters live in. Plenty of action after the first twenty percent. I hope
there is going to be a second book.
I received a complimentary copy of Ignite by Kara Swanson from Enclave
Publishing through CelebrateLite Tours, but the opinions stated are all my own.
My
Rating: 4 out of 5 stars
Purchase Ignite
About the Author
Kara Swanson writes stories about fairy tales and fiery souls. She spent her childhood a little like a Lost Girl, running barefoot through lush green jungles which inspired her award-winning Peter Pan retellings, Dust and Shadow.
She is also the cofounder of the Author Conservatory (authorconservatory.com) where she has the honor of teaching young writers to craft sustainable author careers.
You’ll find Kara with her toes in California sand as a SoCal resident, belting Broadway show tunes on weekend drives to Disneyland with her delightfully nerdy husband, or chatting about magic and mayhem on Instagram.
More from Kara
This story is one that has lived a hundred lives, a little like the phoenix it’s about —dozens of iterations and nearly eight years discovering Mara’s story. In this icy world beneath a dying sun, I was able to craft a story of a young phoenix girl who was more terrified of her own fire than the dangers of the frozen wasteland outside her underground hideaway. Who has been convinced by the father she loves that her flame is only capable of pain and damage — until suddenly, he disappears. And for the first time, she ventures out of her hideaway to discover that the frozen world outside is actually dying for her flame. And that the parts of herself that she has feared and run from…that there may be beauty, even there. That she can choose to rise from the ash of a world that doesn’t understand her, and use the fire in her veins to bring warmth and healing.
I hope you enjoy the adventure!
Blog Stops
Babbling Becky L’s Book Impressions, September 27
By the Book , September 27
Texas Book-aholic, September 28
Live.Love.Read., September 29
Inspired by Fiction, September 30
The Lofty Pages, September 30
Hannahbandanarama, October 1
Library Lady’s Kid Lit, October 1
Faery Tales Are Real, October 2
Locks, Hooks and Books, October 3
Min Reads and Reviews, October 3
Wishful Endings, October 4
Book Zone Reviews, October 5
Simple Harvest Reads, October 5 (Guest Review from Mindy Houng)
Tell Tale Book Reviews, October 6
Where Faith and Books Meet, October 7
Truth and Grace Homeschool Academy, October 8
Becca Hope: Book Obsessed, October 8
Book Butterfly in Dreamland, October 9
Blogging With Carol, October 10
Giveaway
To celebrate her tour, Kara is giving away the grand prize of a $50 Amazon card and a copy of the book!!
Be sure to comment on the blog stops for nine extra entries into the giveaway! Click the link below to enter.
http://www.rafflecopter.com/rafl/display/00adcf5450/