Ignite (Volume 1) (The Phoenix Flame)

"No matter what happens, we're all just ash in the end... Living is the hard part." This eagerly anticipated book was so worth the wait. If you fell in love with Heirs of Neverland, Kara Swanson will wow you again with this incredible tale of a young woman finding herself and her purpose in a frozen world where phoenixes and humans coexist. If you've never read a Kara Swanson book, you definitely need to read this one. Told mostly in Mara's first person perspective, the plot moves briskly to paint a desolate and dying world where Mara is tasked with protecting her people but learns more than she bargained for when she ventures out into the world. Mara is full of loyalty, grit, and compassion but also suffocating under grief, loss, and anger. She is easy to love and root for as she navigates truth versus lies in her existence. And Eli is the perfect hero. His actions and words attest to a humble, loyal, compassionate, and tender man who wants to do good no matter the sacrifice. I loved the weaving of faith thread into this fantasy world and am (again) eagerly anticipating the follow up book in the series. I received a complimentary copy courtesy of Enclave Publishing via Celebrate Lit Tours and was under no obligation to post a positive comment. All opinions are my own.