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    The Burning Sky
    The Burning Sky
    The Burning Sky
    Audiobook11 hours

    The Burning Sky

    Written by Sherry Thomas

    Narrated by Philip Battley

    4/5

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    About this audiobook

    Magic, romance, and intrigue combine in this extraordinary novel—the first in the Elemental Trilogy—for fans of Cinda Williams Chima and Kristin Cashore. Publishers Weekly called it ""a wonderfully satisfying magical saga"" in a starred review, and Kirkus Reviews said it ""bids fair to be the next big epic fantasy success.""

    Iolanthe Seabourne is the greatest elemental mage of her generation—or so she's been told. The one prophesied for years to be the savior of the Realm. It is her duty and destiny to face and defeat the Bane, the most powerful tyrant and mage the world has ever known. This would be a suicide task for anyone, let alone a reluctant sixteen-year-old girl with no training.

    Guided by his mother's visions and committed to avenging his family, Prince Titus has sworn to protect Iolanthe even as he prepares her for their battle with the Bane. But he makes the terrifying mistake of falling in love with the girl who should have been only a means to an end. Now, with the servants of the tyrant closing in, Titus must choose between his mission—and her life.

    Editor's Note

    Masterfully crafted...

    In her first foray into the fantasy and YA genres, Thomas (of historical romance fame) makes her mark with a masterfully crafted world. This tale of defying destiny, saving the world & falling in love is sure to enchant.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherHarperCollins
    Release dateSep 24, 2013
    ISBN9780062295385
    Author

    Sherry Thomas

    Sherry Thomas is the author of The Burning Sky and The Perilous Sea, the first two books in the Elemental Trilogy. Sherry immigrated to the United States from China when she was thirteen and taught herself English in part by devouring science fiction and romance novels. She is the author of several acclaimed romance novels and is the recipient of two RITA Awards. Sherry lives with her family in Austin, Texas.

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    Reviews for The Burning Sky

    4/5

    59 ratings25 reviews

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    • 3/5
      Started out pretty slow and took me until 1/2 way through to get into it. The last 1/4 was where I felt the book excelled. The intrigue is the only thing that kept me listening.
    • 4/5
      I could come at this review in two ways: as a fan of Sherry Thomas' historical romances, or as a fan of excellent YA fantasy.

      As a fan of Sherry Thomas, I feel pretty satisfied. THE BURNING SKY doesn't have quite the aching lyricism of my favorite book of hers, NOT QUITE A HUSBAND, but the characters and conflicts are so identifiably hers: our hero and heroine are overachieving perfectionists who make their own hearts bleed while pursuing goals with single-minded focus. They trap themselves, they trap one another, they snarl and thrash their way to love. If Sherry Thomas stopped writing romance to focus entirely on YA fantasy, I'd be content. This was good.

      As a fan of excellent YA fantasy...I'm a little disappointed. I think Sherry Thomas is just about the best that the romance genre has to offer, and I was hoping she'd prove just as top-notch in the new genre. In the end, however, I felt that she hit too many romance beats and that the story suffered for it. I wanted less lusting, a slower build to the relationship. Some of the twists and turns didn't have the element of surprise that I crave, probably because THE BURNING SKY features two separate sources of prophecy/precognition. When Titus and Iolanthe run into trouble, quite often the best way out of the jam is to do what the future-teller (either the seer or the oracle) says. The instructions are cryptic, but the pleasure of having clever, talented, focused protagonists is watching them figure things out on their own, not lean on a crutch.

      I really loved the first half or so. Seeing Iolanthe realize her power, watching Titus scheme, the truly dire peril both find themselves in. They're surrounded by enemies, but there's a fun caper feel to it all--Iolanthe ends up posing as a boy at Eton & they're alternately fearing for their lives and arguing about homework, training to battle dragons and playing cricket. It's hard not to think of Harry Potter, though oddly reversed--Titus and Iolanthe are mages, and it's the non-magical world that feels like Hogwarts to them, sparkling with wonder and strangeness.

      But at some point, every next step in the plot is directed, foretold, mapped out. The oracle said this, the seer explained that...there's a prophecy that Titus will die, and the prophecies seem pretty accurate so that's going to be an issue sooner or later, but I didn't really worry that he'd die during the first book of the trilogy. Even the truly interesting revelations at the end--discovering why Iolanthe looks so familiar to Titus when he first meets her, for example--couldn't defeat the connect-the-dots feel of the final chapters.

      Anyway. I'm quibbling, and the real problem lies in my outsized expectations. I really enjoyed THE BURNING SKY. It's better than most in the genre, and I'll keep reading.



    • 3/5
      Magic and alternate worlds are fun. Good narration. I enjoyed Sherry Thomas' Charlotte Holmes books more but still am entertaining listen.
    • 4/5
      I happened upon this book by accident, browsing the small shelf of English books at the branch of the local library I frequent with my children. Since it was in the YA section I was quite surprised that I liked it so much.
      It has magic, fantasy, 'different worlds', suspension and a blooming romance. A nice read for a weekend that I had to spend on the couch recovering from an illness.
      off to read the second book in the series.
    • 4/5
      I really could have used more info on who this Bane guy is (and a lot of the world building) and for someone who has to save the world, she actually spent a lot of time lollygagging about. BUT. This is actually a hallmark amongst super high fantasy books, cause series.

      Enjoyable, haven't read into a world like this in a long (overdue) time, and can't wait for book 2. Hurrah!
    • 4/5
      The narrator choice for this one seems a bit odd since an older English gentleman gives it a different tone than I think a YA fantasy is really going for, but the different voices were still well done. You will definitely be confused starting this one, but I love that kind of thing and caught on pretty quick to all the different worlds and am excited to learn more about them. The magic was cool, the characters complicated, the romance even more complicated ;-). I'll be reading the next one physically to see how that changes my reading experience without the narrator's odd tone.
    • 4/5
      This is a nice new fantasy that takes place in a world where a few special people called mages have power over the elements. What makes the main character Iolanthe extra special is that she also has power over lightning. She is befriended by Prince Titus the under age heir to the throne. There are dark forces out to get them and so the book has an "us against the world" theme as the two must cooperate to fend off their enemies. It is a nice fantasy for young adults and the first in a promising series.
    • 4/5
      this book was recommended to me my a friend and I am very glad of it! This was the kind of book where you just keep flipping pages, curious to see what comes next.“The Burning Sky” is the first in a trilogy of a young woman mage named Iolanthe and the prince who is fated to protect her as they fight to free their land from colonizers. It is well written and Thomas’s magical world is unique and interesting. I can’t wait to read the next one!
    • 5/5
      Since the cover to this book is flippin awesome, I knew it be an adventure.Plot: Confession, I never read the Harry Potter books. (Ducks from flying objects) I’ve started the first book and never finished. Through the blogosphere, I heard of a lot of comparison to this book. Since I did not read the HP books, I went in with a fresh mind. Now that I’ve read the book I honestly don’t think its nothing like HP. Yes, it has magic but its different. For me, it was darker yet intriguing. It pulled me into a world filled of magic and power. One that will play in my mind forever. Each chapter went from action, to lies to betrayals.Love: There was a love interest that I saw from the beginning. It grew significantly well, just the way I wanted it to. No insta-love (THANK YOU) Just two people fighting against a destiny coming at them fast. I’m happy to report that this romance is one I want to see develop more. So much is going against them right now, that I’m anxious to see what will happen in the next book.Deception: The biggest part of the book is the lie that is being told. A girl pretending to be guy, hiding her magic from others. I really loved the way it played out. She didn’t realize how powerful she was. How much she out people she loved in danger. How much others wanted to kill her for her power. And just how much sacrifice she is going to have to make.A fast-taking story that will capture you, The Burning Sky is not something you want to miss. Painting a portrait of darkness and magic, this story is an easily devouring book. A worthy tale that will take your breath away, The Burning Sky is excellent.
    • 4/5
      The Burning Sky got off to and not that gripping beginning but I had heard that from other reviewers that have similar taste, so I plodded through. Soon enough it did pick up. There were some themes that seemed to be borrow from other fantasy novels, but it is mostly ones that are rather universal, so I can't discredit that. I really came to care for Iolanthe, even though even in my head I have no idea how to say it. She is strong and smart, and trusting. Her interactions with Titus kept everything moving, especially when she has to pose as a boy in order to remain safe. They go on an epic adventure the ultimate quest, and at its heart, Titus seems to want the best for the kingdom, and he will lay down his life for Iolanthe even while they are both at risk because of the mission. The world is complex but I really got into it and understood everything. The writing is vivid and it is almost like I am there with them. There is also a surprising amount of character growth and emotion. The romance is an undertone that builds but there is the threat of death and this seemingly insurmountable task before them. It is in 3rd person, but it never bothered me, and everything flowed naturally. Sometimes with that point of view, I feel detached, but that never happened here, and Bottom Line: Good start with a strong main character.
    • 5/5
      Sherry Thomas was already known to me as author of several historical romance novels. I heard a lot of praise from my romance-loving friends and I planned to check out her work some day. Then I heard about The Burning Sky. Adult romance author writing a young adult fantasy novel? To say I didn't think the switch will work out would be an understatement. That’s why I haven’t read eARC of The Burning Sky, although I had it on my Kindle since March. Well, you can not imagine how sorry I am now because this book was awesome. It had all the elements of good ya fantasy novel I like and hit all the right feelings.Iolanthe Seabourne is mage who can control the elements (fire, water, earth). When she tries to purify the potion-gone-wrong by hitting it with lightning (and pulls it off), Iolanthe reveals that she wields amount of elemental magic that only heroes from long-gone-times had. And, that’s how Iolanthe becomes ‘a girl who would never again be safe anywhere’…Warned not to trust anyone, Iolanthe finds an unwanted ally in a young prince Titus. Together they run through their homeland, 19th century England and The Crucible (magical playground). Prepare yourself for flying horses; carpets; elemental, mind and other kinds of magic; dragons and a lot of action.Iolanthe is the kind of heroine I wish all young adult novels have: smart, resourceful, with good decisions and set of values. Even when she is disguised as a boy in 19th century Eton, she’s not shy. She radiates charm, cockiness and confidence. Her playful banter with prince Titus often made me smile.“If I hadn't interfered earlier, you’d be a drooling imbecile by now. So shut up and let me make my own decisions.”He almost smiled. “That doesn't sound right. I am the brains of the operation. You are only supposed to provide the muscle.”She wanted to touch his cheek, but did no such thing. “When there is enough muscle, it develops a mind of its own.”And, as the quote above hints, there is an ongoing attraction between Titus and Iolanthe that slowly builds and makes them from enemies to… something more. Sherry Thomas used her previous experience in writing romance novels in the best way possible. The love story in The Burning Sky is not the theme in the book. It’s subtle, but it’s always there in small glances, touches and thoughts that will make you sigh and smile and swoon and get all misty-eyed.The only negative thing that I can say about The Burning Sky is that it needed more world building. There are a lot of holes that are left to be explained in sequels and although most of the times these things can really irritate me, The Burning Sky had me in tight grip with action and romance so this didn't bother me at all. I can't wait for September 2014 and the sequel!IN THE END…It feels like Sherry Thomas took a list of my favorite elements in young adult fantasy novels and wrote The Burning Sky. It has a lot of action, strong complex characters, awesome magic contraptions, heroine masquerading as a boy, slow-building romance without any hint of love triangle and it even has dragons! And if you are my friend be prepared that I will recommend it to you soon. ;)Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for a honest review.
    • 5/5
      Absolutely loved the levels of intricacy. The characters are complex, realistic, and wonderful!
    • 5/5
      In my experience, YA novels written by romance novelists generally go one of two ways: awesomely or atrociously. Now, this may not be the case for most, but, personally, I go to a romance novel and a YA novel for totally different reasons, and I don't want a romance novel from my YA; romance can (perhaps should) be a part of that, but there should be more going on than that. Thankfully, Sherry Thomas has written an absolutely amazing YA novel, bursting with fabulous characters, action, delightful writing, and a swoon-worthy romance.

      Where do I even begin with what I loved when there is so much? Okay, let's start at the beginning, where we meet our stubborn, hard-working, thoughtful heroine Iolanthe. She's practicing hard to do the lighting at a wedding ceremony with her elemental magic, all to protect the job of her guardian, though he's done little to deserve it. Then in he comes, ranting and raving and reminding me of Haymitch (his name is Haywood - coincidence?). He tells her not to perform at the wedding and ruins her light elixir. Consulting a magic text, she learns a thunderbolt (or more accurately lighting bolt) can save her elixir, so she discovers some powers she never knew she had just like that. No big deal. This alerts everyone, both good and bad, to the fact that she is a seriously kick butt elemental mage, and they all want her for something.

      Enter Titus: spoiled Prince or hope of the Domain. Because of a prophecy, he knows that he needs this elemental mage to help him save everyone from the tyrannical, apparently immortal ruler of Antlantis. Titus believes in the prophecy and will risk everything, including both of their lives to fulfill it. Though he's very goal-oriented, I took to Titus immediately with his spell-casting and his weird hobby of reading ladies' magazines because he finds them comforting.

      Now we're getting to the really good part, namely the one where one of my favorite tropes comes in, and this really isn't a spoiler I promise, since you will guess it in the tiny prologue. Basically, to hide out from the super terrifying bad guy, Iolanthe has to go undercover at a boys' school, because Titus, misguided, assumed the mage of prophecy would be a guy, so he had a male's disguise ready. Oops. Lucky for him, Iolanthe is brilliant and totally rocks at gender bending. Why do I love this so much? Because reasons. That may have to do with the fact that there's always an adorable lgbt subtext. Like, yeah, Titus is straight, but he's totally not bothered by all the rumors that he and his friend Fairfax are actually gay lovers, which is a quality I find charming in a guy. Also, it means the heroine isn't super gorgeous all the time or fretting over her looks, and he likes her none the less for that.

      Okay, so, obviously, there's a romance here, and obviously I love it. They have a total hate to love thing going, which is my favorite. They also, true to that romantic arc at it's best, excel at bantering with one another. Thomas really makes you feel the chemistry between them, and I was essentially trying to reach into the book and make them kiss all the way through. Even better, the romance doesn't follow traditional lines, Iolanthe generally being the aggressor physically and Titus the more emotionally committed. In fact, Titus totally spends a lot of time daydreaming and doing the fantasy novel equivalent of doodling her name on his notebooks, and my goodness but it's precious. Oh, and, even better, he doesn't mind letting her save him sometimes.

      Leaving the romance behind, I also want to praise Sherry Thomas for how powerful women are in The Burning Sky. On both the side of good and of evil, in the past and in the present, women have achieved both high rank and high power. So often, it's just the heroine who really takes a strong female role, the better to stand out, but the Inquisitor, Helgira, and even Lady Callista are certainly to be feared and admired, in their ways. For once, this is a fantasy world in which everything isn't intensely patriarchal, even more rare in a historically-based fantasy.

      My only quibbles lie in the world building, which is a bit of a pop culture hodge-podge. While this didn't detract from my enjoyment one bit, it's a bit to process and might annoy other readers with similarities to other works. For example, I was strongly reminded of Avatar: The Last Airbender, Howl's Moving Castle, and Stardust (one of the cutest scenes of that movie - and maybe book, but I don't remember - gender swapped). On top of that, I found the interweaving of our culture's fairy tales into this fantasy world rather puzzling. I guess this must be an alternate universe then? I'm not quite sure, which is sort of my point. There's a lot happening and it's all fun, but I'm left feeling a bit shaky.

      The Burning Sky kept me on the edge of my seat from start to finish. If you enjoy the fantasy works of Maria V. Snyder or Kristin Cashore, odds are you will appreciate Sherry Thomas' YA debut. The sequel cannot come quickly enough. In fact, I loved the romance and themes in here so much, I may even try her romance novels.
    • 3/5
      I quite liked this, the characters were interesting and the story was interesting. not sold on the notes section though.
    • 4/5
      Lively fantasy with interesting characters. Interestingly woven fairy tales as challenges in simulation as well as in reality.
    • 5/5
      I got an advanced reading copy of this book to review through the Amazon Vine program. This is the first book in the Elemental Trilogy. It was an absolutely fantastic young adult fantasy read. I enjoyed the characters, the world, and the magic.Iolanthe Seabourne is supposedly the greatest Elemental Mage of the realm and she has been told that it is her destiny to save the realm from the leader of Atlantis, the Bane. Prince Titus of Elberon has prepared his whole life to meet the next great Elemental Mage in hopes of using this mage to overthrow Atlantis in an effort to claim his power and revenge his family. Except, Titus wasn’t expecting the Elemental Mage to be a girl and Iolanthe wasn’t expecting to be a savior of the realm. When Iolanthe is forced to flee Atlantis’s agents, Titus comes to her aid. Iolanthe ends up hiding in an all boys school outside the magic realm….which is no small feat when you are a girl and you have never been in the non-magical world.This was a fantastic read, it is a really interesting world with lots of awesome magic. The book is fast-paced and the characters were very engaging.Iolanthe is a very reluctant heroine. She doesn’t believe that she has the Elemental strength to do what Titus wants, she wants to live her own life and not be coerced into helping Titus save the realm. However, Iolanthe continually surprises those around her with her humor, resourcefulness, and strength.Titus has been driven by one purpose and one purpose only his whole life….to defeat the Bane and overthrow Atlantis’s rule. He is a puppet on his own throne and sees Iolanthe as the ticket to freedom for his realm. Neither of them expected to fall in love with the other. Neither of them expected the visions and prophecies surrounding them to turn out so very different than they were supposed to. The romance is very well done; our character fall in love gradually over shared experiences and beliefs. There are a lot of obstacles for them to overcome in their relationship and they do so admirably.The Inquisitor is an excellent villain as well. She uses mind magic and is truly terrifying for such a beautifully petite woman. There are some other interesting side characters as well, but the story is very focused on Iolanthe and Titus.The time spent at the all boy’s school is incredibly amusing. Many times Iolanthe fits in better with the other boys than Titus, this makes for a number of funny scenes and the humor adds a lot to the story. This is a fascinating world full of complicated magic and politics. However, it never gets too complicated. There is a lot of terminology thrown around; such as vaulting and you are quickly introduced to Elemental magic and small magics too. While not everything is explicitly explained, the context makes it fairly easy to figure out what is what. There is some very neat magic in here. The vaulting (ability to travel quickly through long distances) is very cool. As are some of the little magics like portals and the ability to travel through a magic book. There are also some awesome magics; like the ability to call tornados, firestorms, and hurricanes.The plot is well done and has a couple good twists and turns. The book is well written and easy to read. I enjoyed how the story wrapped up very nicely and then threw in a little surprise that will carry on to future books.Overall an absolutely wonderful fantasy read. This book has it all; a complex world, interesting magic, an excellent plot, and characters that are likable and engaging. There is action, adventure, danger, and romance as well. Everything is very well balanced and the book was incredibly hard to put down...I really enjoyed reading it. I will definitely be reading future installments in this series and can’t wait to see what the next book holds for our magical characters.
    • 3/5
      The Burning Sky is a beautifully written novel, told in what I feel is a slightly more formal tone than most young adult novels. The main plot itself -- about a girl who discovers she is the greatest elemental mage of her generation and who now must avoid being taken by enemies that want her power -- is actually quite straightforward, but the classical style adds on multiple layers to this fantasy story.I have to say the description of the book doesn't do it much justice; for one, it does not mention that most of it is set in Victorian England, which for me was one of this story's main selling points. This is where Iolanthe Seabourne escapes after calling down a bolt of lightnight and unwittingly exposing herself as an elemental mage in her own world. With the help of Prince Titus of The Realm, she goes into hiding at the prestigious Eton College, where she masquerades as a male student.Iolanthe thus spends much of the novel as her alter ego Archer Fairfax. At Eton, Titus tells her of his ultimate plans to bring down an evil magician named Bane, the tyrant who holds both their lands in his grip. Iolanthe, of course, is reluctant to be a part of it. Incidentally, this leads to one of my favorite scenes, in which Iolanthe tells the Prince, "Better cowardly than dead," after throwing a minor fit and accusing him of using her to his own ends. And you know what? Instead of thinking less of her, I actually agree with her. When you read as much fantasy as I do, after a while you get so used to reading about valiant characters eager to step up and be the hero. So when someone comes along with a strong sense of self-preservation and admits she's afraid to die, it's actually quite refreshing. And who could blame her? Iolanthe is a just a teenager; even a lot of adults would have reacted similiarly. Anyway, I was surprised at how this one little quote of honestly led me to feel closer to her. Of all the characters, I think Iolanthe was the most well written and realistic.I wish I could say the same about the story's pacing, but the truth is the book lost some of its momentum in the middle, after a relatively strong start. It comes down to a matter of taste, really. I've read reviews from readers who absolutely adored the romanntic subplot, while others weren't so taken with it. I'm of the latter camp, but only because I feel the classic, formal quality of the writing, while very nice, just isn't that well suited for a Young Adult love story. Personally, I didn't sense much chemistry between Titus and Iolanthe, and so the romance fell a bit flat for me. And since so much of the book is given to fleshing out and growing their relationship, I probably wasn't as engaged as I ought to be. Yet in spite of this, I have to say there are some great tension-building scenes spread through the novel, including a very exciting climax and ending. The concept behind the book is also pretty incredible, so much so that I wish Sherry Thomas had given us even more background and information about the world. We know what Iolanthe has to stay one step ahead of the Alantean Inquisitor and Titus has had his own run-ins with the Inquisition as well, but exactly how Atlantis fits into all this is still unclear to me. Also a part of this puzzle is Titus' Crucible, and his own journey to understand the mysteries his late mother left behind. There's so much going on here, and while the book gives you enough to understand, there's a lot more I wouldn't mind knowing.That's where the next book will come in, I'm sure. I'll most likely continue this series, as I'm willing to give the romance another chance to win me over, plus more importantly, I'm looking forward to getting some answers.
    • 4/5
      The Burning Sky stands out from the crowd of young adult fantasy novels primarily for its worldbuilding. I love that the author throws readers into the deep end without stopping to explain every detail of the complex universe she’s created. Instead of dumping information on you and slowing down the momentum of the story, footnotes are scattered throughout the text, offering insight into magic, history, culture, and other subjects that reveal more about the world. There are still a few things I’m slightly confused about, but overall I really enjoyed the story's swift pace, the exciting plot, and the way the setting slowly comes into clearer focus over the course of the book.The romance is predictable, but Titus and Iolanthe are both such interesting characters that watching them navigate their relationship is actually pretty entertaining. All in all, this book has everything I wanted: creepy villains, spies, conspiracy, mystery, prophecies, magic, and mayhem. The Burning Sky exceeded my expectations, and I look forward to reading the second book in the trilogy.
    • 5/5
      Review courtesy of Dark Faerie Tales.Quick & Dirty: Great story filled with witty banter, engaging characters, sweet romance, and magic. This is a must read for all fans of YA Fantasy.Opening Sentence: JUST BEFORE THE START OF Summer Half, in April 1883, a very minor event took place at Eton College, that venerable and illustrious English public school for boys.The Review: Iolanthe Seabourne is an elemental mage, which means she can perform magic. She has the power to control water, fire, and earth. She has lived with her adoptive father ever since she was a little girl. He has always been over protective of her and she never understood why until one day she summoned a bolt of lightning and her life changed forever. Turns out she is some epic hero that is supposed to defeat the great Bane; a treacherous leader of the kingdom Atlantis. Iolanthe doesn’t believe that she is capable of such a feat, but she really has no other choice. She still has much to learn, and after the lightening mistake she has put herself in her enemy’s sight. Now she must disguise herself as a boy so she can learn more about her powers, and try to stay hidden.Titus is the prince of Elberon and he has spent his whole life trying to avenge his family. It has been prophesied that he will one day find the great elemental mage and help train him. He has been preparing for this day a long time, but to his surprise instead of being a boy, the mage is a girl. It doesn’t help that she is a very attractive girl either. As he tries to keep his feelings at bay, Titus must make a decision on what is more important: saving the girl he loves or saving the kingdom he has fought his whole life to protect?Iolanthe is the perfect heroine. She is sassy and classy at the same time. She can take care of herself, but she is also willing to accept help if she needs it. She is funny and cocky when she is playing the part of a boy, but that is just a front. Underneath that façade she is vulnerable yet strong. She is also very caring and sweet when she wants to be. She has been given an impossible situation, but even though she is scared, she faces her problems and tries to do what she can. She always has a comeback and the witty banter between her and the prince is very entertaining. I loved everything about Iolanthe, she was easy to connect with and even easier to like.I instantly fell in love with Titus. First off, he is gorgeous, funny, and a prince. His whole life he has tried to live up to his destiny and because of that he has had to put up a front for everyone. He has pretended to be an arrogant stuck up prince that doesn’t know anything. He has had to push everyone away so they don’t get tangled in his twisted life. Iolanthe was supposed to be his salvation, his comrade, not an attractive infuriating girl. Titus is ruthless, bitter, and impossible to get along with. But he is also very sweet, loyal, and caring. He is an amazing hero and I can’t wait to read more of his story.This book was amazing. It is set in London in the 1800’s but it has a whole fantasy world added to it. I enjoyed the setting but there were times it became a little confusing. The magical elements are unique and add a fascinating twist to the story. The characters were so engaging and I got so attached to them that they made up for any the flaws the book may have had. The romance was so cute and made my heart just melt. The plot was full of surprises and kept me interested the whole way through. This is the first book in the trilogy and I am eagerly awaiting the release of the sequel. I would highly recommend this book to anyone that enjoys a good YA Fantasy, it will not disappoint.Notable Scene:Come on, Fairfax, he implored under his breath. But he knew it. It was too much. She was going to drop the valise and bolt. All hell would break loose, eight years of work would circle the drain, and his mother would have died for nothing.She cleared her throat and beamed, a smug, lopsided grin. “It’s good to see all your ugly faces again.”Her voice. Lurching from one emergency to another, he had paid no mind. Now he truly heard it for the first time: rich, low-pitched, and slightly gravelly.But it was her grin, rather than her voice, that steadied his heartbeat. There was no mistaking the cockiness of that grin, absolutely the expression of a sixteen-year-old boy who had never known the taste of defeat.Wintervale bounced down the rest of the steps and shook her hand. “You haven’t changed a bit, Fairfax, as charming as His Highness here. No wonder you two were always thick as thieves.”Her brow lifted at the way Wintervale addressed Titus. Wintervale knew who Titus was, but to the rest of the school, Titus was a minor Continental prince.“Do not encourage him, Wintervale,” said Titus. “Fairfax is insufferable enough as it is.”She looked askance at him. “Takes one to know one.”Wintervale whistled and slapped her on the arm. “How’s the leg, Fairfax?”One of Wintervale’s thwacks could snap a young tree. She managed not to topple over. “Good as new.”“And is your Latin still as terrible as your bowling?”The boys snickered good-naturedly.“My Latin is fine. It’s my Greek that’s as ghastly as your lovemaking,” she retorted. The boys howled, including Titus, who laughed out of sheer shock—and relief.She was good.Brilliant, in fact.FTC Advisory: Balzer+Bray/Harper Collins provided me with a copy of The Burning Sky. No goody bags, sponsorships, “material connections,” or bribes were exchanged for my review.
    • 5/5
      First in the series.
    • 5/5
      Good book
    • 5/5
      Are you ready for a magical adventure of epic proportion? If so, The Burning Sky (The Elemental Trilogy, #1) by Sherry Thomas is for you! The Burning Sky is chalk full of daring excitement, ancient magic, hidden identities, vast landscapes, unrealized talent, and a resistant but inevitable destiny. Thomas really brings readers an original, fast-paced and enthralling series that has HUGE potential! Do not miss out on this spell-binding series debut! First off, let me start by saying that I took this book on a trip with me and I could not put it down! From the moment I cracked open the book in the terminal waiting for my flight until that evening I was hooked! Thomas really does an amazing job building the story from the ground up with a solid foundation, her elaborately vivid world building and truly fantastic character development! I absolutely fell in love with our heroine, Iloanthe. She is everything a protagonist should be! She is brave, she is volatile, she has purpose, she definitely has something to lose (skin in the game) and has the ability to affect change. Of course, she is not without flaw and deeply wounded, but Iloanthe embraces the curveballs thrown her way with an admirable grace and flexibility. Prince Titus is also worthy of notice and transforms before your eyes in this novel from a rather pompous, entitled and spoiled princeling to a rather admirable and brave champion. Can we also mention the FEELS?! Titus and Iloanthe have some seriously swoon worthy moments that bring on the FEELS! The tension and relationship between the two flex and bends to create a perfect climate for intense waves of FEELS!I cannot say enough good things about this book. You all really need to go out and add this to your readers, shelves and TBR lists! Soooo good/amazing/wonderful/(pick your adjective)! You will NOT be disappointed. Brace yourself for intense action, some emotional FEELS and an epic journey!
    • 5/5
      I love this book. Both Titus and Iolanthe are delightful, and all of the magical/fantastical aspects were innovative and engaging. To me, one of the best judges of world development is to ask: would I go live there?

      Answer: YES!

      Truthfully, I was uncertain whether this impulse buy would be worth the Barnes and Noble gift card money, but it has become one of my favorite modern fantasies.

      I don't like to give out spoilers, so sorry if this is a bit vague.

      But trust me, read this book and you won't regret it. Okay, you might regret waiting in anticipation for the sequels, but...
    • 4/5
      Title: The Burning SkyAuthor: Sherry ThomasSeries: The Elemental Trilogy – Book 1Release Date: September 17, 2013Publisher: Balzer + BraySource: Edelweiss DRCGenre(s): YA Fiction, YA Fantasy, Historical FantasyRating: ★★★★☆Review Spoilers: MildSometimes I have a hard time getting into fantasy novels. It’s just a fact of being me. I don’t know why it can be so hard for me. I think it’s mostly because I just have a very high standard for fantasy world building and the like. And, unfortunately, a lot of fantasy stories seem to fail to live up to those expectations. So when a fantasy novel wins me over, it’s kind of a big deal.The Burning Sky won me over pretty early on.The story is set between two worlds – our world back in the 1800s – and the world of Iolanthe Seabourne. Born an elemental mage and orphan, she has spent her entire life living with and training under her mentor Haywood. She’s fairly powerful as she can control three of the four elements which in her world is impressive. Most elemental mages control just a couple and none ever control all four. And yet there is something about her that seems destined for greatness.While she goes about her simple, parochial life the prince of her conquered kingdom, Prince Titus, waits for a sign – that of a great mage harnessing the power of lightning. His mother was a great seer and she made a prophecy that someday Titus would find a great elemental mage who could harness all the elements and he would become known to him by a flash of lightning that Titus would see from his balcony on a specific day. And that mage would help Titus defeat the powerful and seemingly unkillable Bane and the Atlanteans and free his kingdom.He’s also always known that this freedom would come with a cost – his life. But for his people, his kingdom, and fate itself he knows he cannot deviate from that future. So he’s prepared for the arrival of this mage and created a new identity for him at his boarding school in our world – Eton. The problem is that this male figure he’s always known was there in his mother’s visions crying over his death isn’t this elemental mage. He was never prepared for Iolanthe and Iolanthe – who has lived an inconsequential life with her once great (and now just alcoholic) mentor – was never prepared to find herself thrown into any sort of battle.I really enjoyed the way that both Iolanthe and Titus were developed as characters. Iolanthe is a great, strong female character that I think a lot of people could relate to and Titus is an equally strong though at times manipulative character hellbent on accomplishing the seemingly impossible. Iolanthe really rose to the challenge and proved that she was the great mage that was prophesied even if she didn’t really believe it. I loved how she fit in at Eton and embraced her Archer Fairfax persona – a fake identity that the prince established for her at the school back when he thought that ‘Fairfax’ would be a boy. She makes friends, makes a name for herself in her house, and becomes quite the accomplished cricketer if nothing else.I also really enjoyed seeing things from Titus’s perspective. I know that Iolanthe is billed as the more important leading character – or at least that’s the vibe you get – but I really liked Titus. I mean, I felt for Iolanthe when he sort of forced her to go along with all this craziness but the fact of the matter is that this is a guy whose always known his life was forfeit in the grander scheme of things and freeing his kingdom. While his entire family seems to conspire with the Atlanteans, the Bane’s representatives – particularly the High Inquisitor, and anyone else they can collaborate with he’s stood strong and trusted his mother’s recorded prophecies. He knows that sometimes success means sacrifice… and yet he also has a conscience. He also knows what he’s doing sometimes is wrong and he really does at times labor over his choices.Both characters are really well established and fleshed out. I think I would have like to see some of the tertiary characters – particularly the boys at Eton – getting a bit more screen time. Kashkari is a great character who reminds people of the English history of imperialism and Wintervale I think will have a much larger part to play in the future when he ultimately learns the truth. (He, too, is from the magical world and knows that Titus is the prince of his homeland so ultimately I’m sure he’ll find out the truth about ‘Fairfax’ and become a major player.) But I suppose we have two more books for all of that.Now, is it a perfect book? No, what book is perfect? But I do have to say that for a YA book this one reads better than most. The author does force the whole romance aspect on people and I think that we could have gone this entire book without kissing or anything like that. I think that the second book would have been a great time for them to explore those feelings. Instead all that seems rushed and almost a bit out of place. But that’s true of pretty much all YA stories so I don’t hold it against the Burning Sky at all.Sometimes the world building was a bit off and I didn’t really understand some things. I had a hard time following some of the magic, too, but that’ might just be me. As I said, fantasy isn’t my usual thing.Honestly, I think we’re looking at what’s probably going to be one of the genuinely best YA fantasy releases of this year, folks.When it comes out in September you really ought to look it up.
    • 4/5
      The Burning Sky is an enjoyable fantasy with an emphasis on the relationship between the two main characters: Iolanthe and Titus. Those who expect their fantasy to be more fast-paced may be disappointed, but if you don't mind pages dedicated to the building of a relationship with occasional boarding school hijinks this novel's for you. I enjoyed as it hit on many things I love: political machinations in a fantasy world, a cross-dressing heroine, elemental powers (think Avatar:The Last Airbender), and a developed romance. Sherry Thomas was a romance writer prior to her YA debut and I felt that experience was reflected in the tension-filled relationship between Titus and Iolanthe as they find themselves attracted to each other, experience conflict, lose trust, then find a common cause. As far as the characters as individuals: Titus is one of my favorite heroes to date. I enjoy self-sacrificing protagonists, especially if they are pragmatic schemers working toward larger goals. The political maneuvering he is forced to do to preserve his secrets is right up my alley. I liked Iolanthe as well, but I didn't get as clear a sense of who she was, likely because Titus is the character driving the action. However she is allowed to shine when it comes to heroics, and does a great impression of an English school boy. As far as world-building, we are given just enough to get a sense of how this universe works. While it's a plus to not be bogged down in exposition I would have liked more detail on the conquering New Atlantis, how it affected life in the Domain, the relationship between magic/non-magic lands etc. Also the rules of the magic system could have been more clearly delineated, for the most part it seemed that abilities were dependent on the situation. The overuse of the archaic word "foodstuffs" also irritated me, but these are nitpicks. The Burning Sky is a fun read.Recommended for: People who enjoy magical adventures, romance, Evil Empires, boarding school stories, prophecies, the Graceling Trilogy or Throne of Glass.