Ignite the Stars is a fast-paced sci-fi adventure with strong female characters. If you can suspend disbelief to get past the idea that a 17-year-old girl has been the most wanted criminal/rebel in the universe for several years, then this book is a fun ride, with a side of social commentary on immigrants and refugees. It's a strong and very bingeable debut.

This is the space adventure I’ve been waiting for! Strong female characters, friendships, slow burn romance and a lots of high stakes missions. YES.

Some of the plot threads took me to places I wished for more info on, but it’s only because I loved it and wanted more.

Characters were okay, but the writing was wayy too choppy, and I felt like a lot of stuff didn’t make sense? This book also had a lot of the annoying Sci-Fi-style cursing. Totally shipped the romance though. 😍

I will not be giving feedback on this book as I couldn’t really get into it but I think others may enjoy it.

“Ignite the Stars” by Maura Milan was compelling. high stakes, with a slow burn romance and amazing friendships, which I adored. An awesome space adventure that left me wanting more! Highly recommend.

The description was great, but I don't think the book lived up to it. I didn't care for the characters, and the plot did not keep my interest.

I really enjoyed this one and can't wait to pick up the sequel. I love the friendship between Ia and Brinn and the fast-paced plot. My only slight complaint is something that is spoilery so I'll just say I think parts of Ia's character development are rushed but I'm excited to see how things continue in the next book.

Set in space during a period of time where the Milky Way galaxy has little to no bearing on this universe, we follow the divergent needs and intrigues plaguing the lives of Ia, Knife, and Brinn. Each character's initial allegiances are challenged as the book continues making for a very interesting convergence of character development making each point of view interesting - even if you may care about some more than others at different points in the story. The plot is well-paced which made reading the story in a single sitting a breeze. I recommend this book for anyone interested in space-based sci-fi about challenging what we think about empires and revolutions that also includes found family and romance as central themes.

Im not big on science fiction, but i enjoyed the characters and the plot! Would recommend to friends!

Y’all know I live for space and I think this was a really good story but the writing style was a little off for me. Also I can’t wait to read the next one because the plot was ittttt

Many thanks to NetGalley and AW Teen for an e-arc! All opinions are my own.

It took me a little while to get to this one. I would start it and then decide to put it down to focus on other books. I'm so glad I decided to pick it up recently as I really enjoyed it. Ia Cōcha is one of the most feared criminals in the galaxy, but then she is captured and brought to the most prestigious military academy.

I really enjoyed learning more about Brinn, Ia, and Knives as the story went on. They were interesting characters. I have to say the growth in Ia throughout the novel is amazing. She seems like the kind of person who doesn't trust anyone and then she has two friends by the time the story ended.

I'm really excited to Eclipse the Skies soon and know how the story ends.

I loved how proactive Ia was! I feel like I've read a lot of books where the main character is supposed to be this great heroine and she sits around sighing at her predicament, but not Ia. I may have seen the twist at the end coming, but that doesn't mean that I didn't enjoy it! I'll definitely pick up the second one.

A very enjoyable read I found its easy to get into and action packed with great plot twists.
I would recommend this book.

An excellent start to a new series for fans of books like Sarah J. Maas’ Throne or Glass. Excellent writing, compelling characters; I couldn’t put it down!

For years, Ia Cocha has been a thorn in the side of the Commonwealth and labeled a terrorist. But to the people of the fringe planets who are considered lesser by the rulers of the Commonwealth, Ia Cocha is their savior, their hope for a better life. Between fear and hope, Ia Cocha fights for the underdogs of the Commonwealth. There are comics portraying Ia Cocha's deeds as a freedom fighter and the best pilot in the known space. A single red feather, Cocha's symbol, turns up here and there to taunt the Commonwealth's military.

Then finally, she was their prisoner. And it was then learned that Cocha, the fierce warrior who'd won so many battles against the Commonwealth's military might for so many years was revealed to be a seventeen-year-old girl. It wasn't what the leaders of the military expected, but it was something they thought they could use. They forced her to join the military academy believing they could use her for propaganda – all while she was planning her escape.

At the academy, Ia found she had to share her quarters with another student – Brinn who had her own secrets to protect. Then there was Flight Master, Knives. Soon Ia began to question her assumptions about members of the Commonwealth. However, she couldn't forget her own struggles and the people she protected.

Ignite the Stars pulls the reader in and there is something happening on just about every page. Some of the action is conversation and interaction between characters. Their philosophical ideals going head to head and while maybe not changing the other person's mind it did, in some cases, open them up to the validity of another opinion. Then there was the fact that Ia would not put up with being told that battles had happened one way when she'd been there and seen the engagement.

Loyalties are tested. Misunderstandings cause heartache and pain. Actions, as usual, speak louder than words. And Ia finds some most unlikely allies.

*I received a free copy of this ebook from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.*

3.5 stars

I wasn’t sure about this book, and it took me a while to begin reading it, but I liked it more than I had anticipated.

The writing is so-so. Some events in the book feel more like plot devices than part of the natural flow of the story. And occasionally there are corny sentences that I’m sure are supposed to be inspiring or something. There are a lot of convenient bits of luck (like all of the pieces of tech Ia has had implanted into or onto herself). But the story itself is pretty good. It’s interesting, and I did like the characters. There’s a good female friendship (two, actually), as well as a couple of budding romances.

My biggest complaint was the made-up slang. I understand it’s way in the future, but a lot of the words felt awkward and cheesy. I don’t like swearing, but I think made-up swear words bother me more. I knew exactly what real words they replaced, and i think it actually drew more attention to them.

I am interested in the sequel, so I’ll have to keep my eyes out for that.

Note: Some swearing, including some made-up swear words.

I really WANT to get into this book, but for some reason it just can't hold my attention. DNF at 20%. I think this would be a great read for anyone who likes The Lunar Chronicles and Throne of Glass. It's like TLC but with a thoroughly badass, very fearsome teenage girl criminal. It must just be an off week for reading, because normally this would be right up my alley. I gotta give it three stars because it's nicely written and the cahracters are good. I just can't seem to commit to it.

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I've had a serious Sci-Fi void in my life since I recently finished Across the Universe by Beth Revis - and this book certainly got me hooked on the genre again. It has everything I love in a sci-fi book: a bad ass heroine, high stakes, representation, and an awesome slow burn romance. Plus, solid friendships between characters. Overall, this was a pretty solid start to the series, but I had to knock a star off for the lack of world building - I'm hoping in the second book there will be a bit more setting definition.

I was really interested in the premise, but I felt the execution wasn’t great. I felt the flow and pacing were sort of jittery. It started and stopped and jumped all over the place. There was also very little background and the Worldbuilding was a bit confusing. I didn’t feel super connected to the characters.
The plot was decent, if a bit predictable. Sadly I won’t be continuing the series. It just was not the book for me.

I felt like there was something missing from this book for me, but I loved the representation and I loved reading a science fiction book in YA. I really don't think there are enough of it.