Thank you Netgalley for the ARC!  

I will explain my choice in stars at the end, but for starters, this story has a gorgeous cover and I'll admit it was the first thing to catch my attention when I started browsing for something to read. I was hooked on the idea from the first time I set my eyes on the summary. This is a fairy tale-esque story about good versus evil, a darkness covered world, and stars our protagonist, Siria, who discovers she's stronger and more different than she appears. 

Fairy tales, good versus evil, a darkness covered world? All elements of what could be a fascinating story to me, and the author did well in introducing the world to us in her prologue. I have a lot of fondness for the possible tropes I'll encounter in this story and I was enjoying the ones I did see. 

Without spoiling things, the prologue of the story launched us straight into the thick of the magic and I enjoyed things immensely. The following chapters? I was less fond of them and the build up to what was a bit of a predictable reveal followed by an outrageously long explanation on everything we learned and the introduction of various important characters. I didn't mind the revelation or the intensity of the moments to follow, but I did feel like there was never a proper moment to rest for myself or the characters while I reading. It felt as though we moved fifty pages without pausing for breath - and it read that way for the characters, too, because poor Siria didn't seem to have a moment to breath. 

The author shined with their characters! I absolutely adored all of them, they were so different from each other and their dynamics together were intriguing. The only thing I did dislike was the way most of the female characters in the beginning of the story disliked Siria for seemingly no reason - something that seemed extreme in the case of Merrall given the circumstances of their meeting. It lessened overtime with the introduction of others (like sweet Elegy who I adore), but it was still something that rocked me in the beginning given the lack of female characters from the start. 

I won't spoil anything of the romance, but I will say this: it was expected, but no less sweet, cute, or touching. I adored watching Siria and her love interest open up to each other and fall for each other.

I give this three stars because the story is a beautiful, unique idea and the author puts an incredible effort and love into the story. However, the pace feels off, especially in the beginning of the story where I was meant to be getting hooked into the world and I wasn't a huge fan of the girls-hating-girls cliche that was sprinkled in it. I give bonus points for Siria's change in thoughts, I was so proud of her perspective on beauty towards the end.

The kingdom of Umbraz is ruled by an evil witch who fears and despises the sun. She has deemed the sun and all magical beings as evil, and has set out to destroy them, including Siria, the last sunchild - a nymph who can harness the powers of the sun and who might be the key to bringing the sun back to the kingdom. 

On a whole I enjoyed the story, particularly the many magical beings and the fascinating lore surrounding them. I only wish that was explored further, I would have loved to know more about the mythology of this world. 

I felt the characters lacked depth and weren't properly sketched out. I could not connect to and relate to any of the characters, especially the MC. Another thing that ticked me off was how the MC always conveniently fainted whenever some tension arises. This takes away from the adrenaline rush these type of scenes generally bring.

I have received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Not going to lie, I couldn't put Ignite the Sun down. It was just so interesting and entertaining from the very first page. In it, you will meet Siria. She is sort of living a double life and doesn't know what is fact or fiction until people basically tell her. Even after finding out the truth of who she really is, and who her family actually is, still takes forever for her to believe it.

The amount of times she questions everyone close to her did end up annoying me in the beginning. I get it, they lied.. but they didn't know who to trust. Plus the whole magic thing about being forbidden to talk about it made it a smidge hard as well. Details though.

Besides that, this book also has a reunion or two, betrayal, magic, and a little battle. Her entire journey to the rebels and then her home was okay. Yes, it did have it's boring parts but the pacing and action were what kept me going. Oh, and the little romance that wiggled it's way into my heart. Yes, I had a ship and no I won't give anything away.

In the end, I am so happy that I got the chance to dive into this.

This was . . . an odd one. As an ARC for a debut, it's really not that bad but also. . . it felt like I've read this before and the writing didn't really help it. I also had some issues with the format and the font chosen but that's not a gripe against the author or her writing.

"Everyone's afraid of things. It's how you react that makes you a coward." 
Ignite the Sun's premise drew me in right away and piqued my interest in it. The magical world being built up in the book is something I would like to see explored more and expanded upon. The mythos being created is something that drove me to finish the story. I wanted to learn more about nymphs, pixies, and witches. The aspect of the witches and how they gain their abilities was the most intriguing part of all; I've never read of another thing like it. The pacing of the book was well done and brought the reader through the highs and lows they were supposed to experience throughout Ignite the Sun. The ending was sweet and the battle scene was well plotted out. I appreciated the more open ending. I believe that one book is all that is needed to tell Siria's story, though perhaps over a longer period of time there could have been more character growth. Ignite the Sun has a little bit of everything: magic, a new world, romance, the dualistic dance between evil and good, a BEAUTIFUL COVER, and tight ending.

The writing style, in the beginning, was too dry for me; it was flat out boring. Siria reminded me of the trope "I'm not like other girls" and that annoyed the hell out of me. However, throughout the book, she began to grow on me and I enjoyed her character more. All of the other characters were nice, but that's all they were. They lacked depth and I could not connect with them in the way I wanted too. I could see Howard tried to make them as real as they could be but they did not add anything more to the story. When they were in the story I enjoyed it and when they weren't in the story I still enjoyed it. They needed to add something to it with their characters, not just build up Siria's character. I wished we could have gotten more background on Queen Iyzabel, maybe a few POV from her would have given the story more depth. Ignite the Sun seemed too plotted out and stereotypical at times which I did not like but other aspects of the book helped me to overcome these feelings to give Ignite the Sun a three-star rating.

In a world dominated by darkness, where its inhabitants almost forgot about the sun and learnt to fear it while living completely with no lights, lives Siria Nightingale, whose purpose in life is to please her parents and become one of the loyal servants of the Queen Iyzabel. However, she quickly discovers she is the lost sunchild with the power to bring back the sun and defeat the evil queen of darkness. She is of course in complete denial about the reality she is facing, but she will embark on a journey to learn the truth about her powers, her world and herself.

It is very clear from the beginning where the story is going and for the rest of the book, this is a story with a very simple plot and predictable situations. However, I have to admit I actually enjoyed this debut novel. If I consider this story not from an YA-addicted adult’s point of view, but from a teen’s point of view, this is actually not bad.

There were a few things that made me cringe a little bit, though. Sometimes characters do or say things that are so over dramatic, which made me laugh. For example, the association of black hair with darkness and blond/copper hair with sun was a tad childish, or freckles being considered a clear sign of being a sunchild, it was too simple an association. I am just concerned it may send the wrong signal. The “banished banshee” called Elegy was the most simplistic character, and the writer could have come up with another name or function for this character, maybe? Yet, this gives a nice fairy tale touch to the overall story.

In conclusion, it has a solid structure and world building, it’s well written, fast paced, and overall entertaining. I liked it because of its simplicity – and of course the cover is stunning, it’s worth it just for that.

How do you ignite the sun in a world teeming with darkness? Howard explores the answer in this lyrical fairytale that feels at once familiar and fresh. Her innovative world is filled with fascinating characters that will stick in your heart long after you turn the final page. A vivid story, beautifully told.

The main thing this book lacked was exposition - the disruption occurred so immediately at the beginning of the book that we never got a chance to establish the normality and build the world, instead this was done through rushed info-dumping after main conflict had be revealed. As a result of this, the characters didn’t offer enough sense of determination because the constant action left no room for them to develop into dynamic people.
The antagonist of the novel receives very little dialogue which seems counterintuitive for such a significant role. It’s a shame that elements of fantasy such as nymphs don’t get the most coverage within the genre. 
This being said, I didn't particularly dislike any elements of the book - the writing style had several lovely passages, it was just the structural pacing which was detrimental to my cohesive understanding of the plot.
Overall, the book seems like the second half of a complete novel which has been put in fast-forward to squeeze into 336 pages.

2,5 stars. The book was nice and it had potential but I didn't“t like it as much as I thought. I liked the world building and the growth of the main character who went from spoiled brat afraid of her powers to confident and brave heroine. On the other hand the other characters sadly didn't‘ have the same depth and the villain in particular needed way more page time, she was more like a device to move the plot forward instead of a real character. A lot of the events of the story felt too convenient which took away any kind of suspence, I never actually feared for the characters‘ safety. I was not interested in the romance because if felt unnecessary and I personally prefer to see the romance bloom and evolve instead of having people whose feelings were born off page before the beginning of the book. Overall, I think most the problem I had with the book were a result of this being the author‘s first novel so I‘m still curious to see what she will write next!

Fifteen year-old Siria Nightingale lives in a world shrouded in Darkness; an outcast at the Gildenbrook school for Girls with her unusual red hair, who longs for affection from her emotionally distant parents. If she can just leave behind her childish fascination with the mythical sunchildren, and ignore her growing fear of the Darkness she knows she could be chosen to serve the Witch Queen Iyzabel. She would finally fit in. Even if it would mean leaving behind her only friend, the gardener’s grandson, Linden. 

I’ve always been fascinated with magical beings so to have not only mages and witches, but water naiads, wood nymphs and even a banshee was what truly drew me to this book. Sadly, there’s not nearly enough about these characters and their interesting quirks. This fairytale is all about Siria. It made certain revelations and plot points inconsequential because they weren’t given enough build up. The same could be said of the world she inhabits. Early on, Siria sees “emerald-paned street lamps” in the misty green Royal City of Umbraz, a description which filled me with exuberant delight, to then be quashed without any further exploration. I would have loved to see more depth.

That aside, this book has its heart in the right place; the messages of acceptance, belonging, courage in action and the true meaning of family, are wrapped up in a cute fairytale with a classic good-versus-evil and chosen heroine storyline topped with a sweet first-love romance. I would have enjoyed this as a teen, and benefited from its positive message. Hanna Howard’s debut novel is a wholesome and interesting take on the fairytale story.

Full review at https://www.goodreads.com/review/edit/48999856-ignite-the-sun

Ignite the Sun was a very enjoyable read. I loved the characters. I liked that the main character had some flaws to work on and ACTUALLY worked on them. Her development was great. The romance was adorable.

Ignite the Sun is a book about a world covered in darkness. There hasn't been a single moment of sunlight in 15 years, ever since the kingdom overthrow that ended up with many magical beings dead and the sun gone.

We learn about the way the people live through Siria, the heroine, as she goes through the feelings of wanting to make her parents proud, wanting the attention of the (evil) queen, learning about her powers, learning the truth about her country and her own history.

At first I wasn't expecting much, honestly, especially not when it seemed this would be a ~chosen one~ thing, with Siria being the oh so special sunchild. But really, I love Kingdom Hearts and the whole light/darkness theme, so is anyone surprised I enjoyed this so much after all?

The writing flows so well and for the first time in a while I didn't want to put a book down! I hope this cured me from that awful reading slump, really.

I enjoyed how Siria took a while to get used to the idea of having powers and using them. And the fact she had to practice them too, instead of being ~the best~ at using her magic after 16 years thinking she was normal and it was ~evil~. It felt a lot more realistic and relatable to see such a young girl go through her fear and anxiety regarding her own powers, the path she was put on, and even if she could be with the boy she loved or not, in fear of hurting him.

The romance wasn't a huge part of it, I feel like this mostly focused on Siria and her own development, which was actually nice despite me being a sucker for romance all the time. Linden was adorable, and their romance was so sweet and felt like a genuine friends to lovers (though I do think we could've gotten more scenes of them interacting before jumping to the confession and all that).

All the ally characters are also really cool and I've adopted Elegy in my heart together with Siria!!! She's a baby!!!

So yes I enjoyed this quite a lot!!!!! (also the cover is just so pretty I love it)

Ignite the sun is a fun and creative sci-fi fantasy book. It tells the story of Siria Nightingale who had never seen the sun. On her quest to bring back the sun, and to save the kingdom from Queen Izybel’s darkness, Siria travels to the far edge of the kingdom and discovers secrets about herself, her friends, and family.  
Overall, I thought that this book was a fun read. It had a complex character who I was able to relate too. I liked how Siria started off feeling weak and afraid but was able to find the strength and courage inside of her. Although there was not much growth in certain side characters like Linden and Yarrow, the story was still fast paced and exciting. 
My main complaint about the book is that during 2 of the main fight scenes in the book, Siria gets knocked out at the end which therefore limits her fighting in the book and takes away from part of the reading experience. Although the first time it was interesting and made sense in the story, by the second time Siria got knocked out, it did not add to the storyline at all and just took away from the book as Siria missed out on a very climactic fight and had to find out what happened to Yarrow, Lindon, and Eamon secondhand. 
Other than that, this book was a fun light read and explored an interesting and unique concept which I have never thought of before. I enjoyed this debut and cannot wait to see what else Hanna C. Howard writes.

#IgnitetheSun
#NetGalley
Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the E-arc copy of this novel. It has a great story. A lot of detail in one book though.

This book is about as blah as you could get really. 

“Ignite the Sun” follows Siria as she works to gain the Queen’s favor only to learn that she is the lost princess whose death would allow darkness to reign forever and with the help of her friends she escape north to bring back the Sun. 

The characters in this book are so one note that it seemed like cardboard cutouts slowly moving along a road to get from point A to point B and I’ve never been so bored. There were so many components here that if they were given the proper time and care to fully flesh them out this might have been a better read but instead we get brief instances of characterization only to fall back to this one dimensional view to the point that every triumph or downfall came across to me as a simple shrug. 

To be fair near the ends I glossed over a lot because beach time I got excited thinking we were going to get something interesting it would get pushed aside for pages upon pages of nothing and I wanted to dnf so bad. We have someone who is brand new to the mythology and history of her people and yet I’m to believe she figures it out by herself right before it’s needed to take on the most powerful witch of all time? I don’t think so. 

It’s clear the author was trying to breathe life into the idea that to defeat darkness one most be able to find the light and it’s even quoted here something along those lines but sadly the one holding the match in this book is someone so lifeless that it’s a wonder she ever managed a spark. 

**special thanks to the publishers and netgalley for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**

"Tell me about the way things used to be," I pleaded. "Tell me about how the sun would light up the whole world, and about the trees being green and leafy, and about grass, and blue sky, and sunlight, and birds, and magic"

Thank you to Netgalley and Blink Publishing from whom I received this e-ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5/5 STARS

Lightness versus Darkness. An inherent dualism and classic metaphor of opposing forces that shapes the nature of Good and Evil in many works of fantastical literature. In Ignite the Sun, this juxtaposition is a literal foundation upon which rulers rule and magical beings yield their powers; it is a tale of nostalgia for the light-filled days of old before the kingdom of Luminor buckled beneath suffocating darkness that now shrouds Terra-Volat. Such whimsical legends and fanciful lore that sixteen-year-old Siria Nightingale begs from her beloved best friend, Linden, and his grandfather, Yarrow, are tantamount to rebellion since the wake of Queen Iyzabel's reign. Nevertheless, at the turn of Siria's sixteenth birthday, the dangerous ideologies associated with the sun's ascent quickly dissolve as the reason behind her years of curiosity and natural fear of the dark come to light...

And what a thrilling adventure and spellbinding journey of resistance ensues! Siria, Linden and Yarrow set out along with the aide of a feisty water naiad and tearful young banshee to lead the rebellion and restore light to the kingdom. The stakes are high and the narrative tension is palpable throughout, for should they fail, Terra-Volat shall be subsumed eternally under Iyzabel's undulating cloak of Darkness.

The original and well-thought out construction of the fantasy world in which Ignite the Sun is set, it's rich history and very graspable politics, means that the novel settles comfortably into the young adult genre. I would have no hesitation in recommending this to anyone inexperienced in reading fantasy or hoping to fall in love with the genre. It is a beautiful universe that will gather you up in it's arms and escort you through the fast-paced, action-packed narrative alongside Siria and her entourage of rebels. I was utterly enthralled and lost to this world!

An aspect of the novel that I found particularly endearing was the myriad of fantastical and magical creatures extrapolated from ancient Greek folklore and mythology, and who were made impressively accessible by Howard's guiding hand. We become acquainted with the mentoring influence and damaging powers of a mage, the instincts of nymphs and naiads that can manipulate the landscape's natural elements and, not least, the heralding wailing of a banshee to signify an imminent death. Whilst my only criticism would be that the narrative didn't swivel it's lens to consider in more depth some of the rival followers of Iyzabel and the Darkness, it was a complete delight to savour the fairytale-esque backgrounds that aligned the paths of these magical beings as they fought to restore Luminor's beacon of hope and prosperity.

On a more intimate note, the novel renders a heartfelt portrayal of friendship, the desire to belong and, indeed, ventures in many ways into the 'coming of age' bracket for the protagonist, Siria. Although the plot nurtured some predictable outcomes, I thoroughly enjoyed seeing the progression of Siria as a character; a girl that grappled tentatively with the reigns of womanhood before learning the qualities of valiant leadership and courage, succumbing to love and demonstrating bravery in the face of adversity. All those kinds of fun stuff that we love to see from a fantasy novel!

As we edge closer to summertime here in the UK - or dream of the golden hour elsewhere in the world - this is a wonderful novel to appreciate soaking up those rays of vitamin D all the more.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for letting me read this book. 
I have to say I didn’t really enjoy this book as much as I thought I would but that seems to be a theme with me lately. 
Let’s start with what I did like. I loved the mythology and the creatures involved in the book. I really enjoyed the take on witches. I would have also liked to see more about the villains and maybe get their perspective. I found the overall plot to be okay but not memorable. The writing was okay but things seemed too convenient at times and I think the author has potential. 
The characters didn’t have much development and I couldn’t connect with them. The main character is the typical chosen one and I found her to be annoying. The villain didn’t have that much page time and I wish there was more. The romance I didn’t like and it felt forced. I also didn’t think it was needed and I’ll be honest the focus on looks annoyed me.

I was pretty let down at myself but, I had to stop reading this around the halfway point.
I was very intrigued at the beginning and the world building was pretty great. 
The plot itself had the potential to draw me in, but it all felt very predictable. Evil Queen, Chosen one. You get the idea. 
I will say that I appreciated the writing.  I was able to follow along nicely. But I just felt that, unfortunately, I wasn't able to connect with any of the characters on a deep enough level to continue.

What a spectacular ride! Ignite the Sun follows Siria, as she discovers things about herself and her past beyond what she could have ever dreamed. Comraderie, acts of heroism, tolerance, and love work their way through this brilliantly told story.

Ignite the Sun! What a great title and gorgeous cover!
Siria Nightingale (great name) is about to turn 16 in a world where darkness rules and the sun is a myth. Her friends Yarrow and Linden (great names) have helped to guide her education, and unknown to her are part of the resistance. They have all been looking for someone who was born at dawn 16 years ago who will transform on their birthday into a fabled sunchild.

And adventure and a quest ensues!
This was a wonderful fun, fast read, in the vein of the Hobbit/LOTR but very YA appropriate.
Loved the mythology and the characters.
There is danger, lessons learned, bravery, sacrifice, young love, and all of that fun stuff.
It was just what I needed to read right now.
I hope to see more from this author.
Thanks to NetGalley for ARC of this wonderful book. My opinions are my own.