Before She Ignites

“A fully realized fantasy world complete with dragons, treachery, and flawed characters discovering their courage. I couldn’t put it down!” —C. J. Redwine, New York Times bestselling author of The Shadow Queen

From the New York Times bestselling co-author of My Plain Jane comes a smoldering new fantasy trilogy perfect for fans of Victoria Aveyard and Kristin Cashore about a girl condemned for defending dragons and the inner fire that may be her only chance of escape.

Mira has always been a symbol of hope for the Fallen Isles, perfect and beautiful—or at least that’s how she’s forced to appear. But when she uncovers a dangerous secret, Mira is betrayed by those closest to her and sentenced to the deadliest prison in the Fallen Isles.

Except Mira is over being a pawn. Fighting to survive against outer threats and inner demons of mental illness, Mira must find her inner fire and the scorching truth about her own endangered magic—before her very world collapses.

And that’s all before she ignites. 

• A Political Fantasy Fueled by Betrayal: As the Hopebearer, Mira was a political pawn. But when she uncovers a conspiracy that threatens the realm’s dragons, the council she serves betrays her, sentencing her to a brutal island prison.
• A Heroine Struggling with Inner Demons: Mira’s fight for survival is not just against guards and prisoners. She battles her own anxiety and panic attacks, a raw and honest portrayal of mental health in a high-fantasy world.
• Endangered Dragons and Secret Magic: The fate of the Fallen Isles’ last dragons rests on Mira’s shoulders, but her greatest weapon might be the scorching, endangered magic she never knew she possessed.
• High-Stakes Prison Survival: In the deadly prison known as the Pit, Mira must forge unlikely alliances to stay alive, all while searching for the truth that landed her there.