This is a solid science fiction adventure that was a lot of fun to read. You really need to suspend disbelief that whole premise of a 17 year old being the dreaded notorious outlaw Ia Cocha, and that once she is caught she is sent to a military academy as her punishment, you are in for a really good story with some great female characters and a light romance.

The story starts off with Ia’s capture and even though there is some slight surprise that she is a seventeen year old girl, there is not a lot of comment or discussion about it. Then the next thing we know she is off to the military academy as her punishment. Hmm, not sure if that works for me, but if I can disregard that premise, it is a very good story. I ended up really liking Ia. She is smart, but can also hold her own in a fight. She is also compassionate and passionate about her cause. She doesn’t want to make friends with anyone at the academy, she doesn’t think she will be there long enough, but she does, and she comes to their aid when it is needed. The tentative friendship she develops with Brinn is very sweet.

I liked Brinn a lot more than Ia. She has a secret, which we know from the start, but she doesn’t want others to know. She is very bright, genius level even, and believes that her government is right and the rebels are wrong. Her story arc is the more interesting one. Learning the truth and changing her opinions about what she always thought was true was far more interesting. She also has compassion for others and has a slight crush on another student.

Knives, ok what is up with that name! It is not a nick name, but there is no other explanation for it. Maybe the next book. Knives is also a likable character. He is the youngest teacher at the academy, and he has a distrustful relationship with the military and refuses to fight for them, even though he is one of their best pilots. The slow burn relationship between him and Ia is also good. They both keep trying to deny their feelings, but you know how those things go.

Except for the shaky premise and the overly quick beginning and set up of the main plot, it is a really good story. It is fast paced for the most part, and there are some plot twists that kept things interesting. The space academy sounds like a cool place to go to school, and some of the more scientific things are kept simple enough to understand, but still complex enough to sound genuine. Lots of political intrigue towards the end, and probably that will continue into the next book.

This is a very well done book by this debut author. I would recommend this book to sci-fi fans and to those who want to expand into the science fiction genre.

I have mixed feelings for this novel. When I first read the summary of it, I was thinking a Throne of Glass in space. At times it I did feel that pull; however, this story is told through three POVs and that changed the way I saw the book come to life. I liked 2 out of the 3 POVs, I felt that one of the characters was lacking in depth and at times I felt the author get sloppy with the writing for that person. The ending of this book left me feeling that I missed something when it came to Ia’s personality; however, it was a nice twist regardless. Overall, I did like the book.

I enjoyed this book. It had good pacing and was a nice quick read. It did take a little bit to get the whole plot of the book going, but once it did, things happened really quickly. I also enjoyed the fact we get to see some semblance of current real life issues. On Brinn's planet, there are a lot of refugees, that end up under fire because of being caught helping Ia Cocha. The refugees end up being retaliated against just because they aren't actual citizens and are being fought against to be removed after Ia's capture. Brinn is part of one of those races, so she has to hide that fact about herself and the telltale marks of it to avoid being retaliated against as well, despite actually being a citizen because of her father. It kinda makes you think of how that happens in today's culture.

Our book and characters revolve around Ia Cocha. She is one of our main characters, but also plays a huge part in our two others as well. As her actions directly affects them. Ia is pretty much one of the Commonwealth's most wanted criminals and she gets captured. She's given two choices, the better of those two to go to the Commonwealth's military academy and fight for them. Ia is not thrilled with this, but it's better than the alternative. Our two other characters, Knives and Brinn end up getting caught up in everything Ia due to being the two who inadvertently end up the closest to her.

Despite the fact that Ia is a criminal, I understand her motives. The reason she does some of what she's done is because she's trying to protect people. She thinks the Commonwealth is wrong in the way they take over star systems. So she fights back against them. She even tried to save a number of refugees from slavers who also are over taking a number of systems and colonies. She's not overly bad, she's just trying to fight for what she thinks is right. Ia tries incredibly hard to keep her distance from anyone so she doesn't form any bonds. But she inevitably does form a friendship with Brinn (her roommate) after discovering her secret about her heritage and Knives after showing him how to make his jet go faster. I thought her friendships were incredibly important to Ia's growth in the book. We see them transform her from a cold hearted criminal, to a warmer, better version of herself who sees the good in helping those she cares about. She also finds out her bonds of friendship mean more to her than her bond with her brother after its revealed he's made her just an expendable body.

I thought the plot twists in this book were incredibly interesting. Everything in the first half of the book is mainly about Ia trying to escape and give her brother the info to do so. But in the second half the plot thickens. We see Knives going into a system with his father that was thought to be a myth. And they encounter the slavers and Ia's brother rooting around in there trying to find something. It's no longer about Ia escaping as much as it's about her coming back from her escape to try and save people from the slavers. And even more so, her brother and the slavers aren't even looking for her when they come. They are looking for Brinn because she's got knowledge to help them build something they stole from the Headmaster. Ia just gets blindsided by her brothers betrayal and what he tries to do to her. Despite her being a criminal in the beginning, you really end up feeling for her at the end.

From the ending, it sounds like this book will have a sequel or companion to go with it. I'll definitely be looking forward to picking it up and reading more of this story!

Ia Cocha is an outlaw feared by the Olympus Commonwealth, lionzed by those outside (like the Tawneys), and when Ia is captured, it's cause for celebration. Turns out Ia isn't a man, but a young woman, and when she's sentenced to the Commonwealth's elite equivalent of Starfleet's Academy, it's clear that won't go well. Friendships, betrayals, romance, characters surprising you by being something/someone different than presented - you name it, it's here. Of course this isn't a stand-alone, and the alternating POVs caused a loss of points. Still, it's great that this isn't a dystopia or fantasy but real SF.

eARC provided by publisher.

Ignite the Stars was a fast paced and addicting space adventure. I found it extremely easy to read and really enjoyed all the characters. I was hooked from the beginning and didn't put it down. The story and world development was fantastic, I could really see myself in the world and experiencing things as they characters were.

We start off with a famous outlaw, Ia (pronounced Eye-yah) and we follow her arrest and subsequent imprisonment at the Commonwealths training academy. She makes new friends and enemies, including a very handsome Flight Master, called Knives. I really enjoyed this book. The one issue I had though was that the characters were slightly superficial and could have used more development/depth. However, the story flowed smoothly and I felt that with the world development we had a clear picture of a universe at war. Things weren't always what I expected and I really enjoyed the fact that this book surprised me. There was one twist I did not expect and its so good when that happens in books, that you actually feel the shock. The romance didn't overpower the main storyline and we get to experience so many emotions throughout this book, which is really enjoyable. I also really loved how much awesome tech was described and used in this book.

I read this book in one sitting it was so addictive. I had to know what happened next. Things were unfolding at a great pace and the ending left me wanting more and more. All in all, a fantastic debut YA Sci-fi that will keep you on the edge of your seat wanting more. I really hope we get more books in this series!

I would highly recommend this book!

Ignite the Stars Review

I received a copy Ignite the Stars from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. This one is longer than some of my other reviews, but this book, with its strengths and flaws, is important and needs more words.

When I looked at the other reviews on Goodreads, one of the first ones quoted someone saying “Think Throne of Glass in Space,” but that reviewer didn’t see it as a positive comp. I enjoyed Throne of Glass, and I can see the parallels: violent teenage assassin is “forced” to work for the enemy, but I think Poison Study would be a better comp. Ignite the Stars has more in common with Poison Study’s slow build and quiet depth than with the fast paced cycle training, gowns, and violence that was Throne of Glass.

I’m on the fence about whether to give Ignite the Stars four or fives stars, but I’m rounding up, because if I’m not allowed to give halves, that’s what I do.

Ia Cocha, an allegedly feared outlaw, is captured in the first chapter, and everyone is shocked she is a teenage girl. I didn’t get why Ia’s gender was a big deal, especially in a future world were men and women seemed to stand on almost equal footing. And as a frequent reader of YA fantasy where almost every badass is a 17-year-old girl, I really couldn’t suspend disbelief and believe it surprised people.

Gender thing aside, the opening still wasn’t my favorite. The writer tried, but even with Ia hiding out on a ship full of refugees, I wasn’t invested. I almost thought she was just taking advantages of the “refs” though I think the author wanted me to believe her intentions were good.

The first three chapters, each from a different character’s point of view, were slow in their own way, painting characters as tropes more than individuals: teen assassin who may or may not have a heart, inteligent minority girl pretending to be average, and damaged flyboy son of a general doing everything but what his father wants.

Thankfully, the characters grew out of their tropes as the story builds. Ia studies in the Starfleet academy and starts to see her enemies as people, even friends. The reader gets to see behind her violent, arrogant facade. Brinn lets the reader through her tightly held mask, and Knives’ past and family history wasn’t as cliche as I expected. It was almost like the narration started distant, but as the characters started to open up to each other, the narration got closer and the characters also opened up to the reader.

When the book picked up, it wasn’t because the action picked up but because I got to know the characters better. Most of the story happens in the flight academy, and is more about the characters than space battles and fist fights.

Readers have to wait until the last 20% or so of the book for the big battles, but they are definitely worth the wait. The plot-twist’s reveal is well set up and worth the wait too, though there were a few missing pieces that made it hard to believe the new enemy’s motive. I can’t comment more on this without spoilers.

To me, the most important aspect of this book wasn’t necessarily how well executed the plot of characters were, but how on top of everything else, it delves into social justice with a timely exploration of colonialism, refugees, and prejudice.

Throughout most of the book, Brinn died her hair to hide the fact that her mother was Tawney, a group of displaced people who were hated by those in the places they tried to settle. Sometimes, I felt like I was being told too much about Brinn’s efforts to fit in and wanted to see them in action a little more, but the overt, heavy handed telling did ensure that I got the point.

The political events around the refugee issues maybe have been in the background, but they were loud, and later, revealed to be more significant to the plot than I originally expected.

At times, I felt like I was being shouted at. The book was saying “this is what happens when people are prejudice, this is what happens when governments colonize, this is what it feels like to be the victim of it.” I got a little annoyed at times, but I think that was a sign it was working. Because in the real world, there are refugees displaced by wars that are the product of foreign intervention. There are people blinded by privilege (sometimes completely unaware of their privilege) who hate those refugees and want them gone. Sometimes, people like me, crappy allies at best, silently complicit at worst, forget that even if we make a few social media posts speaking out against the hate, but don’t get off our butts and do something, we are part of the problem. We’re part of a system that oppresses.

My annoyance wasn’t because the message was too heavy handed or poorly executed. It was because it reminded me of my own guilt.

When this book comes out, buy it and read it. Good science fiction doesn’t explore technological advances and outer space. It examines social issues and how they evolve in the future. Ignite the Stars is good science fiction.

Ignite the Stars had the potential to be a great book but some things should have been developed better. The writing style was good and the story was enjoyable, but what lacked was the characters depth. When I read about them and their relationships and actions I wondered "Yes, but why they do that? What they feel? And how they bonded with each other?" All of this wasn't developed enough. For example, one chapter Ia and Brinn (the two MC) were enemies, and the next they became friends... Um, did I miss something? You author didn't show me the evolution of their relationship, and in doing so it didn't seem believable. Plus, the revelation about the real enemy was quite predictable. All in all, it wasn't a bad book but it didn't stand out either.

I loved this book. It caught me right in the correct mood and I was hooked on page 2. Not many books can do that. The writing style went rather unnoticed so I don't feel like I can judge it properly .... the whole book just flew by and my mind was so caught up in the story that I did not notice I was reading it anymore.

I loved the strong female characters and the development of all characters. I really enjoyed that no character was set in stone, they all were strong in very different ways and they all went through a development, which in most cases was really believable (only Angie felt a little forced). I enjoyed the world with all its complexity and I feel like this universe has so many more stories that could be told! I am honestly surprised how flawless the worldbuilding just happened without me noticing. I am usually the type of reader that, in non-earth-settings, has to fight through several pages of confusion until the world comes together - not in this case. And by the end I was surprised how much I was shown from this world and its history in so little pages.
I even enjoyed the love interest and how they all struggled with heart vs head. I don't often ship, but these two I totally did.

The ending killed me - I should have seen it coming but I did not. And it was tearing at my heart.

Overall I truly had fun reading this book. Any book that I am able to forget everything around me and are completely in that story deserves a 5 star from me although I am quite aware that this is no literary masterpiece.

I believe people who might enjoy Throne of Glass and Enders Game should give this one a try.

Disclaimer: Copy provided by the publisher and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review

As someone who doesn't normally enjoy YA books, this was better than most. Good solid writing and a unique storyline. I recommend this one to those who enjoy YA Science Fiction and Fantasy.

This books has a diverse cast, POC main characters and takes place in space! Do I need to go on?

The plot was very fast paced and had some twists and turns. One of the overarching themes is war and prejudice, and how it not only affects those displaced by war, but the reactions of citizens of the countries the refugees are fleeing to. One scene also touches upon how war affects both sides, those who survive battles and their loved ones. While I really liked this book, I am looking forward to book 2 to see how everything plays out!

The story is told from 3 points of view, which was unexpected but all views had a different tone. I wish the world building was fleshed out a little more. I got the general gist of the politics and locations but could have used some more description on the difference between the Commonwealth and Dark Space.

I recommend for people who like Throne of Glass (relating to how Celaena and Ia are similar in their methods - they have a sense justice though how it is meted out falls well into a gray area), The Lunar Chronicles, Illumine series, books set in space.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for a free arc of this book in exchange for a review. This does not affect my opinion.

THAT “no one realizes that notorious outlaw … is a seventeen-year-old girl.” GOT ME, OKAY?!

Lately I have been automatically picking up female pirates and females in space. So I was instantly DOWN for this tough female lead sci-fi, and man, I was not disappointed. It was very easy to get into this story! Ignite The Stars is centered around our three protagonists (who are also our three narrators). Ia is an awesome, tough heroine, Knives is the slow-burn love interest who probably has the most character development, and then there is Brinn who has a big secret! The character development was all very complex, and the plot was action packed and fun to read! The evil, manipulative government system gave me Hunger Games vibes, but I loved the sci-fi spin to it!! Definitely looking forward to the sequel!!

I was blown away by how easy it was to get into the story. Usually with sci-fi it takes me a few chapters to understand the world or the story itself, but with this particular book I found it extremely easy to understand everything that was going on. The information given to us at the beginning about the world building and the society wasn't confusing or boring, and I as kept reading the story things became better and better.

I would say, that though it had a nice and interesting plot, it was more a character driven type of story, because the book was more focused on the relationships and interactions between the characters and their overall development, which was pretty well done in my opinion. I adored the cast of characters and their evolution throughout the story, so I didn't mind a weaker plot.

Like I was saying, the characters were the strongest part of the novel. Our main character Ia was such a great and badass protagonist, and I absolutely adored her even from the beginning. The relationship she had with her roommate was so well written, and I actually really enjoyed the dynamics and interactions they had going on during the book, and how her friendship evolved and became a much stronger one at the end of the novel.

Though I feel the romance was a bit to rushed, I was glad to see that it wasn't the main focus of Ignite the Stars whatsoever. I liked the relationship between these two characters, and how the grew and changed as I kept reading the story, and mostly that it was a nice addition to everything that was going on in the book.

There were a few twists and turns from the middle to the end of the book, and though there were some that I was shocked and pretty surprised to read, I admit there were others that were a bit more predictable, but nonetheless it was still a very fast paced story with lots of action packed scenes.

Ignite the Stars is a strong YA science fiction novel that will have readers hooked from start to finish. There is plenty of action, adventure, political intrigue, and even a bit of romance that only enhances the plot. The relationships feel authentic, while the characters feel real and flawed. I'd have to agree with the Throne of Glass in space comparisons. Highly recommend to those who enjoy The Lunar Chronicles.

Ignite the Stars is a fast-paced sci-fi adventure with strong female characters. If you can get past the idea that a 17-year-old girl has been the most wanted criminal and rebel in the universe for several years, then this book is a fun and quick read.

The best part of this book is the way it handles the treatment of refugees and people from minority ethnic backgrounds. It feels very relevant to the world today and comes with a strong message of accepting who you are and being proud of your heritage, even when people around you are hateful. This is another great reason to read this story.

I really enjoyed reading this book and think it’s worth picking up. I would like to thank NetGalley for the opportunity to review this book for Professor Owl’s readers.

Loooove the cover. That's about where my love for this book ends. I honestly didn't even finish it and I like futuristic books set in space. I just got so many different vibes and felt like I was reading a couple different books. The most annoying being every time I read Commonwealth I thought of Cinder. I just could not get into it. Like a couple said it reminded them of Throne of Glass and well that didn't end well for me either...

After reading a lot of fantasy, I needed a change and nothing better than a bit of SF.

A universe colonized by a government that continues to want to acquire new planets, peoples who are bullied after an old war that killed thousands of people, injustices ... Here is the universe of this book that mixes genres. Because yes, the starting point is clearly science fiction, planets, ships and everything I like in the genre. The fun part is the elements that the author integrates as the injustice toward a specific kind of people which gives a novel a bit of dystopia vibes and a message deeper than could be expected.

The book is narrated by three characters, we have our criminal space Ia, she is a well-built heroine, but a little classic, she lost everything because of the government and wants revenge, her evolution is well done, but a little predictable. We have next, Knives who is in charge of keeping her well-behaved in the academy, he is the most interesting character of the three, he has lost faith in his government and he is built with more layers and of course the romance between the two characters are super well done and slow burning and I'm waiting to see what will happen in the sequel. Brinn is a character who hides a secret, her mother belongs to the people that everyone hates, she refuses this heritage and her story will allow the author to talk about racism, identity and other stuffs. It's a pretty interesting character that will reserve us surprises in the sequel.

For the story of the novel, a lot of action, a lot of character development and a first tome that I find very successful. After, in all honesty, I think this novel remains in the things we could expect in a SF+YA book, the final revelations are promising, but still a little predictable, this is my only downside.This being said, this book is still very catchy and distracting and I hope that the sequel will be a little more suprising.

The mark of a good, entertaining read is how much I think about it once I've closed the cover. Fast paced, entertaining, and looking forward to the sequel!

I am a huge sci-fi nut, but this book fell a little flat for me.
I can appreciate the female lead and her being a woman, beng a secret and all the connotations that provides us with in todays world. But the plot itself felt overpowered by the underlying tale of her being a woman..

Ia shocks the universe when her true identity is revealed. She is the infamous rebel, criminal mastermind, and fierce pilot the Olympus Commonwealth has feared and pursued. With no other choice, she is sentenced to be enrolled in the empire’s most elite military academy. Here she meets Brinn, her roommate with a secret, and Knives, the handsome flight instructor with a past. Ia deserves to be a treasured sci fi icon. She is fierce, smart, and resolute.

Ia is a rebel, a soldier, the protector of the disenfranchised. She's out to save the world from the corrupt Commonwealth. Her world is very black and white; what she believes to be the right way, and everything else is evil. And she is willing to do whatever it takes to bring down those who go against her.



And then she is captured. Her punishment? To train with the Royal Star Force, the very entity that she has been fighting all these years. And while she attends classes with other students, her world becomes more shades of gray.



Ignite the Stars is a masterful tale of justice, friendship and courage. One of the subplots is that Ia's roommate isn't what she claims to be. She is hiding a secret about her identity that threatens to destroy everything that she has worked so hard to achieve. I think students will connect Brinn's situation with what is currently happening in our own country, and that will lead to some great discussions!



I loved Ignite the Stars, and I think it will appeal to a variety of readers! There is just enough romance to satisfy romance readers. All the girls are kick-ass, which will appeal to readers who like strong girl characters. And there are detailed descriptions of jet fighters and epic battles to appeal to readers of action and adventure! I am definitely purchasing this title for the library, and I think my readers are going to keep it off the shelves!