Ignite

By Kara Swanson

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?

My Thoughts: The ice of Mara’s home is like the hostile environment she grew up in. I truly had no idea at the beginning whether Mara’s father was good or bad. When she met Eli, it was like a warm fireplace. This is a story of healing.

I’d already read two of Kara’s books, Dust and Shadow, by the time my mom got me Ignite as a gift. I was thrilled. I had been on Kara’s street team for Ignite, and I could finally read it!

It took me a minute to become fully invested in the plot, but after the ball got rolling, so to speak, it was good. I was kept in suspense, unsure of who was the good guy and who was the bad guy. I had no idea who to trust until the end. This is a well-written masterpiece!

I have never been in a situation like Mara’s, but even though I didn’t relate, I felt satisfied by the ending. While I look forward to the next book, I didn’t feel like I was left in complete suspense, thankfully! I’m so glad I was given the opportunity to be one of Kara’s Fiery Souls for Ignite. Can’t wait to see where this next book will take the story!

★ ★ ★ ★(Story: 4/5)

★ ★ ★ ★(Worldview: 4/5)