I had high hopes for this book. It contained all the elements I typically adore in a five-star read: dragons, fantasy, romance, found family, a heist, and a diverse group of characters uniting. While the concept is intriguing, it didn't quite capture my heart. Personally, I struggled with the writing style the most. I want to clarify that I don't view it as poor writing, just not my preferred style.

I found the concept of this book intriguing. I enjoyed the world building tremendously and felt like the action was engaging and fun. I love that the lgbt+ representation in this, but I think the romance/relationships felt forced and a little silly. I also will express that I was expecting one thing for the romance (as stated in the description) and it was totally different than actual book.

The Sky on Fire was my first Jenn Lyons book and it immediately sucked me in. As soon as I finished, I ran to the library and picked up Ruin of Kings because I was ready for more.

Synopsis: The cloud cities are ruled by dragons, from which Anahrod was *literally* ejected 17 years before. She now lives only for survival in the warm jungles of the Deep with her titan drake. A misfit group of saviors (not so) accidentally rescue Anahrod from capture by the local warlord, Sicaryon. She is immediately thrust on an epic adventure as she learns that her rescue was very intentional and her past has come to call, as her saviors require her help stealing from a dragon's hoard for revenge, and to hopefully save future dragon riders.

Lyons' world building of the sky cities and the Deep was exceptional and immediately drew me in, I loved the social structure and the use of ring wearing to denote things like careers, gender, sexual preferences, and bedroom activities. The characters were diverse in their sexuality, love interests, and gender expression and it was such a run, daring, and exciting read as we transverse through the world and far into the sky with Anahrod and her misfit saviors. Lyons built a lovely dynamic between the characters that spanned ages, gender, motives, skills, identity, etc. and created a really fun group of characters, and ultimately a very fun and engrossing read. This book is touted as a standalone, but I hope we get to join Anahrod and her friends as they transverse their changing world together.

Thank you to Netgalley for the e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was a 3.5 - for some I think it'll be much higher. This one is confounding me when it comes to a review because it had everything that makes books five stars for me - dragons, fantasy, romance, found family, a ragtag group on a heist. The premise was good, the language flowed, and I enjoyed the characters. Mostly, I felt the plot lacked urgency. I wasn't dying to pick it up and read it every second of the day. I enjoyed it, but it took me a while to get through because I wasn't obsessed. Overall, would I recommend it. To fantasy reader, yes - and hopefully they'll find the spark that I was missing.

"The Sky on Fire" by Jenn Lyons is a thrilling fantasy heist adventure that will leave readers captivated. Set in a richly imagined world with dragonriding and dangerous jungles, the story follows the strong-willed protagonist Anahrod and her drake companion as they navigate a daring heist that threatens to shake an empire.

Along with Anahrod, Lyons excels at crafting an engaging ensemble of characters who are quirky, distinct, and unapologetically bold. The diverse cast, varying in age, skills, and identities, creates a dynamic that's both entertaining and compelling. These misfits form a strong bond as they navigate the challenges of their audacious heist. Found Family is one of my favorite tropes, and audiences with similar taste will appreciate Lyon's cast here!

With endearing characters, loveable moments, and a satisfying conclusion, this book is a "soaringly" (:P) good read. Jenn Lyons masterfully blends fantasy and heist elements, creating a story that will keep readers engaged and wanting more, though as of right now I don't believe this is the first in a series.

Thank you to Jenn Lyons, Tor Books, and NetGalley for sending me the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Oh yeah, I loved reading this book! I was a bit nervous when I started, because I really loved the Chorus of Dragons series, and this is unconnected, but oh, it was such a fantastic read! I've never read Anne McCaffrey's Dragonriders of Pern, but I saw another review that said this book was in conversation with it, so I might have to check it out!

This world of dragons, and being superior to humans, I've never read it to this extent before. Usually, it it's leaning that way, it's more of a partnership. But here, the dragon can take over the human's body, any time they wanted, without offering their own body. So very much a system that needed to be taken down.

Watching this group come together, and execute this heist, was so thrilling! Anahrod has reasons to want to stay away, given that they tried to kill her, but it's also an excellent reason to go along with the heist. And some mixed feelings about some members of the group that complicated matters.

I had no idea where the book was going to go, things had happened, but there was still like a quarter left of the book to go. I had to know what was going to happen next, and oh, it was so thrilling! The way things wrapped up was so excellent!

This was a fantastic read and I can't wait to read more by Jenn Lyons!

Fans of Rebecca Yarros and the Empyrean Series (Fourth Wing, Iron Flame, etc) will enjoy this story. I’m always looking for a standalone fantasy and this one fit the bill.

There was quite a bit of world building. At times the pacing of the story is slow and other times it is rushed. However, I did enjoy the story overall. I think it could’ve easily been a duology.

Looking forward to seeing what else this author publishes in the future!

This fantastic fantasy novel will thrill fans of Rebecca Yarros's Fourth Wing. This novel offers a complicated, page-turning plot with excellent characters and awesome dragons. Unique world building and societies make the story even better. Witty banter and a mildly spicy scene make this a highly recommended read for adults and mature new adults. This book gets five stars and two thumbs up from me. (Age 17+)

I honestly wanted to love this book. The setting, the dragons, and basically everything around this book seemed too interesting and something I would have loved.

However, I struggled way too much with the writing style. I am not saying, nor implying, that it was bad cause it wasn't. It simply wasn't my cup of tea, I found it too pretentious and too unnecessarily elaborated (in a way that instead of being whimsically elaborated, it leaned more towards being boring elaborated for me) so it was really a struggle to get hooked into it.

I truly loved everything else, from the relationships that are formed, to the dragons and worldbuilding, and also the pacing of the story, but I simply couldn't stand the writing style (which, again, it wasn't bad, only not my cup of tea).

I've never read Jenn Lyons before and I'm so excited to read more of their stuff. This is a really solid book. Enjoyed it a lot.

DNF @ 11%.

I've picked up this ARC a couple of times since being approved, but I am not able to get any further. I wanted to like The Sky on Fire based on the premise but for whatever reason I couldn't get into the story enough to continue.

I loved the way the prologue was set up - giving us a little insight into the world and our main character Anahrod. But once the story got started, I didn't find it easy to like or connect with any of the characters. The story is written well and I enjoyed the way the setting was described.

I think this will end up being at least a 4 star read for the correct audience.

Thank you to the publisher and Netgalley for the ARC ebook.

gorgeous gorgeous cover. would hang it on the wall fr. however. the length is incompatible with how much story is in the book. it moves very slowly and unevenly. i liked the characters as much as i could given the circumstances

A stand-alone fantasy book is rare and I enjoyed this one!

I struggled in the beginning with the world building as a lot happens so quickly. I did struggle with connecting to some of the characters and I felt like I didn’t really know/understand them. However, the action, twists & turns will keep you engaged and not wanting to stop. By the end of the book I feel like I really had a good grasp on the world building and was ready to keep reading about the crew and what comes next.

If you love dragons & heists I’d recommend this book !

4.5 stars

Heist with dragons? Say no more. The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons is that and so much more, and needless to say, a must read for the fantasy fans out there. Particularly those fond of phenomenal world building and unique worlds and magic systems.

The relationship between dragon and rider was so interesting and unique to me. Firstly, as might seem more likely for a dragon, many of these majestic creatures have very little regard for humans. They are essentially merely servants to be used for their every whim. That isn’t to say they feel no trust or loyalty for their human, but they also view themselves as far above them and use them accordingly (particularly dragons who really do think any and all humans are beneath them). Which brings me to the second connected point; they can use their riders body at will. As in they can fully possess them and the human has little to know will to fight against this. This was a very cool aspect of the dragon and rider bond in my eyes and I loved seeing how this played out. It’s something I haven’t seen used in other stories of dragons and it seemed like such a fitting part of their bond. On that note, though far rarer, even more cool and incredible was the fact that if the dragon allowed it, riders could actually possess their body as well. Bad. Ass. And definitely not the norm as far as dragons are concerned, because again, there are those who would never lower themselves so far as to allow a human on their body. Besides which, essentially the other background aspects of dragons (and why they even need riders considering their low opinion of them oftentimes) had me hooked and made for such a compelling story.

The world building was so incredible, frankly just as I expected from Jenn Lyons having read her previous series. There were so many intricate details to the world that just made it so believable and incredible. From bogs that could erupt into an all consuming fire at just a spark, to harvesting precious stones from flying creatures at the extreme risk of death for great riches. The world was so immersive and had me so hooked from the very beginning, desperately wanting more and just loving the world completely.

I loved Ris. She was such a flirty, yet badass Dragonrider and I couldn’t get enough of her character. She comes across as easygoing and lacking in seriousness on the surface but when the situation dictates it she immediately rises to the occasion and you see her for what she truly is, adapt at what she does and a fighter that can rival the toughest foe. I also loved Sicaryon immediately, the charming bastard.

The Sky on Fire was the kind of book that my love increased the more I read it. That’s not to say it starts weak by any means, it’s just that the more the story progressed, and the more in depth the world and the story itself became, the harder it was to stop reading. I just became more invested in both the story and the characters and I could not get enough of it. All that to say, it starts off strong, but godDAMN does the book ever pick it up and get even better as it goes.

I want more. The Sky on Fire is a standalone but I’m so wholly obsessed with this new world Jenn Lyons has created that I absolutely want more books that take place in this world. Even if it ends up following new characters (part of me was kind of wondering if a certain character might end up getting there own book eventually) I just want to see and explore more of this world in future books. Fingers crossed there will be more because I feel like there is still so much potential, and I mean, who doesn’t want more dragons?

I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book and I'm so glad I did!

Starting off with the main character, Anahrod, I instantly fell in love with her and her entire journey through coming to grips with her past as well as her power. The way the author managed to incorporate so many elements of world building alongside plot building was amazing, as I felt like I got to know this world incredibly quickly.

As for the approach to relationships I loved the way the author introduced a plethora of relationships of all genders into this book as well. However, I did slightly feel as though the book was lacking a little angst and depth into the relationships but you cannot expect to have an exceptional build up in a stand alone so I would still highly recommend this book!

Overall, this was such a fun read and I tore through the pages incredibly quickly!

I really enjoyed this book! The world building was spectactular! This book is definately for all fans of Brandon Sanderson, Robert Jordan, and Epic Fantasy in general. There are so many bad a$$ females (and males) that can kick butt and ride dragons and strange swamp creatures. My only complaint is that the ending dragged a little bit. There is a LOT of action/battle sequences and that doesn't always hold my attention. Which is a personal thing, and not necessarily a mark against the book.

Anah has been living in the Deep since she was 15 years old when she was cast out of her family home for an apparent treason against the lead dragon. When she was cast out, she was literally thrown from a sky ship, and everyone assumed she didn't survive the fall. She's been surviving as best she can since then. A young group of people including a couple dragon riders come to find her in the deep to bring her back to the Dragon Rider College and help them overthrow the dictator of a Dragon Leader.

There are a few spicy scenes, but they all faded to black before it got truly spicy. However! The main relationship is a trio!

ARC Review: The Sky on Fire by Jenn Lyons

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️💫

First of all, thank you, #NetGalley and @torbooks, for this e-ARC in return for an honest review.

Where do I start with this story? It never slows down, action-packed right out of the gate. We open with Anahrod, a woman surviving, and end with Anahrod, a woman thriving. Her wrongs have been righted, the family she thought she never had is suddenly found, and she finally gets closure she didn’t know she was chasing.

Anahrod is not the only complex character. We’re introduced to an entire cast of memorable and unique characters with their own ambitions and challenges. Ris, whose bond with her dragon is unlike anything Anahrod has ever seen, is instantly someone who appeals to her—and their relationships eventually blossoms into something more.

But Anahrod also has a complex relationship with Sicaryon, her sword-sworn brother, and we get to see the three of them navigate a complicated and fun relationship that really emphasizes the queer normative aspects of this world.

The character development in this book is exceptional. The rapid-fire banter and the relentless pace of the story are a perfect match. The plot never lets up, each moment propelling the reader forward without a pause for breath.

It’s a fleshed-out world with a highly annoying (and well-done) set of villains, some good old-fashioned betrayal, plot twists you’re not expecting, and a heroine who gets to call the shots at the end of the day and save herself.

A masterpiece. This is my first book by Jenn Lyons, but I don't think it'll be my last.

While this book had potential, it didn't quite capture my heart. The beginning was strong and the worldbuilding was impressive. I especially enjoyed the descriptions of the dragons and the magic systems they possessed. However, the characters themselves lacked depth and I found myself skipping ahead, unengaged with their journey. The romantic relationships were rushed and underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more. Despite these drawbacks, I would love to read another book set in this imaginative world.

Well this was a lot of fun. It felt liked it jumped around a bit in places but I forgive it because the characters are just so fun!

I felt like this book had everything to be a hit, sadly, if wasn't for me (but it will be for many I'm sure). It has dragons, I mean, what else do you need to be convince? I know I didn't need more.
The pace, sadly, wasn't enough to woo me. I'm coming back from an heavy reading and I think the timing wasn't read neither.
I loved the writing tho, it was my first Jenn Lyons's read and I'm curious about her work now!