“A Fire in the Sky” by Sophie Jordan follows Tamsyn, official whipping girl to the pampered princesses of Penterra. Raised as one of the royal family’s own, Tamsyn’s sole purpose is to accept the punishments for the princesses’ misdeeds. When Lord Fell Dryhten, the Beast of the Borderlands, arrives at the castle, demanding payment for his assistance to the kingdom - a princess as his only asking price - Tamsyn is dragged into a deception of the royal kind.
Despite her only friend’s objections (Stig, captain of the guard who’s also secretly/not so secretly in love with her), Tamsyn marries Lord Dryhten and is swept away to the Borderlands.
This book had me hooked from the first chapter! Despite being duty-sworn, Tamsyn feels this innate compulsion to protect her “sisters” - even when it comes at her own cost. When she’s thrust into an arranged marriage with a stranger, Tamsyn puts on a brave face and goes through with it so that her sisters don’t have to. Tamsyn is the quintessential romantasy leading lady - tough, compassionate, pragmatic, imperfect, resolute.
The characters in “A Fire in the Sky” are deftly written. Tamsyn and Fell - both wrapped up in upholding their duty - passionately and unapologetically collide in this story. Their chemistry is palpable from their very first meeting, and their journey is filled with fiery passion, danger, and unexpected twists that kept me on the edge of my seat.
With Jordan’s rich and immersive storytelling, Tamsyn and Fell’s story had me reading this book from cover to cover in one sitting! (I actually read and then re-read the book before writing this review - and it had me biting a clenched fist each time!) Jordan masterfully weaves together romance and fantasy, creating a story that's both heartwarming and thrilling.
And then there's the cliffhanger ending – a brilliant, jaw-dropping twist that left me eagerly anticipating the next installment. It's a testament to Jordan's skill that I'm already counting down the days until I can dive back into this magical world. If you’re looking for a book that has it all - witches, dragons, arranged marriage, secret heritages - you’ll want to add this to your TBR list!
Rating: 5/5 Stars
Posts
No comments