Allyson S. Barkley

An exceptionally-skilled thief, Ari lives deep in the forest with no one but her bobcat Jagger for company. She is determined to keep to herself as civil war drags on around her, but when a mysterious stranger appears with an unexpected job offer, she has no choice but to leave her quiet life behind. Unwillingly paired with chatty, optimistic magician Ely, Ari finds her patience, wits, and skill tested when the journey quickly proves to be far from what either of them bargained for. Ari must face one of the greatest tests of her thieving career - and come to terms with the many secrets she has been hiding. With an exciting heroine and a diverse cast of characters, A Memory of Light is the first title in the fantasy series Until the Stars Are Dead, which follows Ari and Ely's adventures navigating the dangers of their complicated, quickly-changing world.

A Memory of Light: Book 1 of the Until the Stars Are Dead Series

Abigail | 

A Memory of Light is a beautifully written YA that thrives with lovely imagery and characters that will catch your heart. 

It centers of thievery and quests and magic, and once I got into the story I didn't want to stop. (A great YA can really scratch your brain the right way, when you're in the mood for it). I think this book would be particularly perfect for lovers of the Grishaverse. It's the start to a new series (Until the Stars are Dead) and I can't wait to see where it goes. I also want to say thank you so much to the author for sending me a copy!

Chiara Vitale Zelaia

Actual rating: 4.5/5 stars

A MEMORY OF LIGHT is a little gem in the world of YA fantasy, and one I’m grateful to have crossed paths with. What’s this story about, you ask? Well, the story follows Ari and Ely. The former is a thief with many secrets who lives in the forest with her faithful anima (aka her bobcat. who is the love of my life), Jagger. The latter is a sorcerer—a little awkward when it comes to his magic, but with far better people skills than Ari and a complete cinnamon roll. This unlikely pairing must work together in the search for an artifact that is perhaps Ari’s hardest job yet, and one that may force her to face the many secrets of her past. Want to know more? You’ll have to read the book!

The frame for A Memory of Light is a civil war, which is something I thoroughly enjoy in a fantasy because it allows to expand a lot on the human aspects of world-building. The one in this book didn’t disappoint in the slightest! We got great background on the political situation, but it never overshadowed the main plot or weighed down the narration. If anything, it only fed my curiosity because I have a feeling it will play a much bigger role in the future books.

A Memory of Light adopts many elements common in a YA fantasy: an unlikely duo, civil unrest, a heroine who prefers knives to pretty dresses, but the author makes them completely her own. The writing was descriptive without ever overdoing it, and it was so easy to just lose myself in the narration and the rich world. A special mention goes to the bond between Ari and Jagger. I loved the concept of the anima! Animal companions are one of my favorite elements of any book, and the deep union of souls between Jagger and his girl was a joy to read.

As always, the characters are a large reason why I enjoy a book, and I admit to having fallen completely in love with Ari and Ely. Though Ari has many mysteries, I never felt like the author was holding back in letting the reader get to know her. Her strengths, her beliefs, her insecurities shine throughout the story and make her a character that is easy to connect and relate to. 
Ely was a wonderful surprise! I’m used to having the broad-shouldered, broody/sassy heartthrob in my fantasy, but Ely was the sort of sweet, supportive, headstrong cinnamon roll that I’d love to meet in real life. Please world, give us more Ely’s!

Though romance wasn’t very present in this installment, I do not lose hope for the future. I have many theories and many hopes for the next installments, and I cannot wait for the next book. Which only leaves one more question: when is the sequel releasing? *she asked, knowing the first book only just released*

Thank you to the author for sending me a copy! All opinions are my own.

Maria Elena Vitale Zelaia

Actual Rating: 4.5 stars.

This book is a beautiful fantasy gem.

The first time I read this book’s synopsis, I was hit with Throne of Glass vibes and I felt that I would love this book. I wasn’t wrong, and I’m very happy about it. Thieves, magical creatures, adventure. This book had everything I like in my fantasy reads!

A Memory of Light follows Ari, an expert thief who keeps to herself if not for her bobcat companion, Jagger. Ari makes it her prerogative that nobody knows who she is and where to find her, but suddenly a mysterious employer reaches out for a job that apparently only she can do. Ari doesn’t want to accept, but refusing this job could put her at an even greater risk than sitting it out. She’s forced to work with Ely, a young man and secret magician who is the opposite of Ari. Where she’s mysterious and broody, he’s all sunshine and positivity. An odd pair forced together on a journey that proves more dangerous by the moment. On this note, I found it very refreshing to have the female protagonist be the brooding one and the male to be the sweeter one. 

As I mentioned above, I love adventurous stories set in magical worlds. Ari, Jagger and Ely made for a fun team to follow through this world divided by two warring factions. The worldbuilding was very interesting, in regards to both the politics and the magic. I especially appreciated the concept of anima, which is an animal companion bonded with a human on a soul-deep level. I loved it!

I found the plot to be engaging, with the right amount of mystery and action. There was a small part of the story where things seemed to slow down a little, but that’s completely normal for a fantasy and overall the pacing was great. 

Lovers of fantasy will surely enjoy this, especially if you like stories with an adventure plot like Throne of Glass and A Darker Shade of Magic.
 
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy. Opinions are my own.

A Memory of Light: Book 1 of the Until the Stars Are Dead Series

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