Ignited (Donovan Circus #4) by Liz Long Review

Hey readers! Ethan here with yet another review for you guys. This time, I am reviewing the fourth installment to one of my absolute all-time favorite series. I have been raving about this series for well over a year now so I know you guys have heard all about it. I'm so ridiculously pumped to be sharing my thoughts on this one with you all today. On the chopping block? Ignited, the fourth novel in the acclaimed Donovan Circus series by the amazing Liz Long. Before we get to my thoughts, here's a bit about the novel about our author:

"Maybe I had to accept that the Donovan Circus no longer felt like home."

 Lucy might've beaten Alex the Chameleon, but the cost of his defeat was too much to bear. After losing a beloved member, Sheffield Donovan temporarily disbands the show. Abandoned by the ringmaster and her friends, Lucy is left to pick up the pieces of their ruined circus - and defend it against those waiting for the opportunity to strike. During one of these attempts, Lucy learns of Augustus Rivers, the leader of his so-called gifted mafia. 

When Lucy is offered a chance to infiltrate the Rivers' household, she jumps at the opportunity to seek vengeance on the mastermind. Augustus instead surprises everyone by proposing that the powerful female Firestarter work for him. It's everything the Donovan Circus isn't, an offer Lucy finds more enticing than she ever expected. 

With the Donovan Circus in shambles and the gifted world on the cusp of war, can Lucy Sullivan figure out who she's meant to be? Or will her fire destroy everything they've built?

          

About the Author:

Liz Long is a ridiculously proud graduate of Longwood University with a BA in English. Her inspiration comes from action and thriller genres and she spends entirely too much time watching superhero movies. Her fabulous day job as a social media editor includes writing for a publishing company in Roanoke, VA.

Her first book, Gifted, is the first book in the Donovan Circus series, where superpowers meets the circus. Burned is the second adventure. Her standalone book Witch Hearts, is a story about a serial killer hunting witches for their powers. Her newest book A Reaper Made is an NA Paranormal tale of a Reaper using magic to save her family from demons. All titles are available at Amazon on Kindle and paperback, Barnes & Noble for Nook, and iBooks.

Find Liz Online

Website  I  Facebook  I  Twitter  I  Amazon Author Page

*****

My Thoughts:

It isn’t often in the life of a bibliophile that we come across an author who forever changes our lives. Sure we may read 5 books a week and rave about them every waking moment, but how often do we as readers come across a novel or series that resonates with us deeply that it forever changes your bookish life? Not often. Last summer, I was whisked about to the Donovan Circus, I entered the center ring, and to this day I have never looked back. Four incredible novels later, I am so excited to still share the excitement that I felt on that fateful day I read Liz Long’s opening lines.

With so much Donovan Circus under her belt, could Ignited really live up to the hype?

Yes. So much yes.

I’ll just go ahead and say that Ignited has well surpassed the others and has rooted itself as the strongest novel in the series. Long’s writing has definitely improved with each passing installment.

When it comes to the plot of Ignited, I was a little leery, but it really panned out in a huge way. Lucy is once again thrown into the line of fire when she joins forces with Gifted-Mobster Augustus Rivers, but in her attempt to play the dangerous double agent, Lucy discovers the dark side may not be all she feared. In this incredible installment of the series, Lucy must decide where her true alliances lie. Has Sheffield and his rag-tag bunch of ‘freaks’ been completely honest with Lucy, or is there a flipside to the impending war she’s fought so hard to control? Friendships will be tested, alliances will wane, and Lucy will truly have to come into her own if she’s going to make it out of this journey alive.

I’m going to stay away from talking too much about the plot as with intricacies Liz has created with this one, massive spoilers would be abound. I will say that I’ve deemed Donovan Circus book four as ‘The Dark Lucy Saga’ as we truly get to discover an entirely new side of Lucy in this novel. A side that I’ve been hoping for since we first met her in book one. As anyone who has read the series will well know, Lucy has undergone extreme change and emotional distress since joining with Donovan and the gang. Ignited finally sees Lucy coming to terms with the events of the past and her journey to overcome the darkness is truly an emotional tale.

I think my favorite part about this entire series is the complete ensemble cast. Long has done an incredible job of introducing a cast of dozens of characters while making them memorable, but not overbearing. Each character plays an important role to the series, but never steals the spotlight away from the mail conflict. Ignited introduces us to a handful of new characters that really come into their own in this story and will be of vital important throughout the remainder of the series. Donovan Circus fans rest assured that our favorites are still in tow with a lot of story to tell in Ignited. We also see the much anticipated return of Gabriel and a huge shift in the personal love lives of Lucy and Keegan. The cards have been dealt, and Donovan Circus will never be the same as they pick up the pieces in the aftermath of Hunted.

As I mentioned previously, Ignited is by-far the most emotional installment of Donovan Circus so far, Long really pulled out all the stops. Long hits on a plethora of important themes such as life and death, forgiveness, struggling with truth, trust, love, loss, and trusting your instincts in a constant battle for Lucy to decipher the difference between right and wrong in a life that’s been completely unfair to her at times. Any reader will thoroughly enjoy to this installment and can easily related to the hardships faced by Lucy on multiple levels.

One of the most important things about this series has always been the setting. Long took strides in this installment to bring the story back to its’ circus roots. The excitement, the light hearted fun, and the thrill of the traveling show are gone. Replaced by darkness, mourning, fear, and tension. It’s not the same circus we entered four novels ago, but the setting is back and better than ever. If I had to describe Ignited to someone who had never read the series, I’d much relate it to a 70's spy film with a modern day 'James-Bond-Meets-the-X-Men' feel. I think readers will be pleasantly surprised by the direction Long has taken with this fourth installment.

An electrifying original read, Liz Long has crafted her most enthralling and spectacular novel yet, Ignited is not to be missed!

With all of this being said, it should come as absolutely no surprise to any reader that I am granting Ignited by Liz Long a near-perfect 5-star review. I couldn’t be any more proud to call myself a fan of this series if I tried. Huge kudos to Long for knocking this fourth installment out of the park! I highly recommend this series to any fans of urban fantasy, paranormal, and upper YA/New Adult readers. Don’t miss your chance to add this series to your TBR today!

*****

Click the covers below to see my 5-star reviews 

for the rest of the Donovan Circus series

          

Alright readers, that's all I have for you today on the topic of Ignited by the incredible Liz Long. As you guys all well know by now, this is one of my hands-down all-time favorite series and I am so excited to share my love of this one. It's been an incredible journey and I absolutely cannot wait to see what Liz does with book five. With war on the horizon, we may be seeing the close of this series soon and I, for one, am not ready to say goodbye! Stick close for all Donovan Circus-related news. Special thanks to Liz for providing me a copy in exchange for an honest review. Until next time, Happy Reading!

-Ethan