All sixteen-year-old Siria has ever known is darkness. Years ago, the esteemed Queen Iyzabel veiled the kingdom of Terra-Volat in it because the light was too dangerous, becoming a hero to the people. Black hair and pale skin became the popular fashion, and even a slight curiosity in the old days of light is illegal. But Siria, with her flaming red hair and fascination with the sun, has always been considered an oddity, much to the dismay of her parents. To make them proud, she attends the Choosing Ball, a chance to win a spot in the Queen’s court, but there she discovers something horrifying: the Choosing Ball is nothing more than the Queen’s way of killing off the last sunchild, the only chance to bring back Light from the Queen’s kingdom of Darkness, and she, Siria Nightingale, is the sunchild.
This standalone is the perfect choice if you’re in the mood for a relatively short, feel-good, and unique fantasy novel. It’s definitely a lighthearted read, and despite parts that can leave you wondering, “How are they going to move forward?”, it won’t leave you with much angst or sadness. One thing I really appreciated was that each of the protagonists (Siria plus a motley group of rebels) are unique in their own, special way—which is probably what makes them such a motley group. With a touch of romance and a kingdom to restore, Ignite the Sun is a novel you won’t regret reading!