It’s a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.
Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.
Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?
Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.
I love my sci-fi, and given the success Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner have had in other series, I was really excited to see what the Starbound Trilogy would deliver.
I do like a bit of military sci-fi, lots of action, high stakes, and explosions… and ‘These Broken Stars’ certainly delivered on that. Though his is more of a romance story than hard sci-fi. I enjoyed the change in pace, the questions and themes it explores, but I wasn’t completely sold on the story as a whole. I was satisfied, but not blown away upon completing the first book of this trilogy.
Though it doesn’t end on a cliff-hanger, ‘These Broken Stars’ does pose a lot of unanswered questions to continue sleuthing out in the remainder of the series. There is great character development from our two love-struck protagonists, with the narrative following dual perspectives in alternating chapters between Tarver and Lilac.
The mythology and class system seems to be the main obstacle between Lilac and Tarver. Lilac being an aristocrat, her father owning a large conglomerate of companies dominating the galaxy… but the possessiveness and adamancy of her not socialising with others was a little difficult to swallow without proper motivation. Isolating her character without provocation did not feel necessary or realistic. I was waiting for a twist reveal at the end which would justify her father’s behaviour, but just being painted as a baddie left me wanting more. So too was her stubbornness – I can understand some of it, but the extreme lengths she exhibited felt like overkill. Chants : *more diversity in character traits!*
Tarver was a more realistic character – out with something to prove. Compassionate, yet regimental. I found myself warming to his character very quickly. The Caste system made more sense with him coming from a poor sector and having to fight for his place in the military. The premise of Tarver and Lilac being media stars could have been executed better.
I really enjoyed the world building, pacing and character development. Kaufman and Spooner’s writing style is easy to read, direct, without too much embellishment to keep the story moving forward without losing the richness of the world and cast.
I will say this pair of authors managed to deliver a few surprises along the way which were a delight, but the plot could have been a little more intricate, but that is hard when most of the story only has two characters in it.
In December 2013 Eric Balfour and some others optioned this for a television series, but there has been no news since this announcement – it is in production limbo. I’m uncertain if it has been shelved, dropped, or put on hold. But I can see the potential of the Starbound trilogy as a tv series and think with the right treatment this story could be easily elevated for the small screen. I think the biggest hurdle in the current economic climate is that this series would have to rely heavily on special effects making it an expensive show to produce. I’ll keep my ear to the ground for any upadates.
A fun easy read, but not one that I would shout from the rooftops. I think the thing that drew me to the series other than name recognition of the authors was the gorgeous cover art of couples floating in space – I’m a sucker for that type of thing. This book is perfect for the young adult market not necessarily into hard science fiction.
When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying’s advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.
For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study … as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don’t loot everything first.
Mia and Jules’ different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance. In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race’s secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race …
A family-friendly sci-fi adventure where teens have to sleuth out puzzles and booby traps to save the planet with alien technology… this has everything I want in a novel.
I think the biggest thing for me is that I guessed the series plot twist in the first two chapters of the debut novel… so ‘Undying’ didn’t feel so ground breaking for me.
When Mia and Jules aren’t under the pressure of a countdown, or the threat of death, I found their characters to be a little plain. And I mentioned in the first novel of this series that the pacing felt a little slow because there are so many little unnecessary scenes bogging up the road. This happened even ore in ‘Undying,’ I found myself putting the book down frequently because I was frustrated with the narrative. Sometimes you just want the characters to get on with things if you know what I mean. I don’t need to hear about their lamenting, or remembering things from the past that have little bearing on the plot, or their repeated thoughts of what is really going on. Maybe this wouldn’t have been such an issue for me if I hadn’t worked out the duologies plot so early on. It kind of left me with no surprises, other than some of the characters actions.
I enjoyed the concept of the technology, but still found parts of this story (overall) to be on shaky ground. It was a little implausible in my opinion. Even the characters in ‘Undying’ say so. It does feel a bit silly or unnecessary.
I did have a fun time reading – the adventure side of this series is amazing. Kaufman and Spooner can really craft tension and pacing in the action scenes – it was all the other stuff that was a bit of a dog’s breakfast.
This is more for the younger end of the YA demographic. Like a science fiction version of the ‘Goonies.’
A great sci-fi comedy series with a POC protagonist. This book has me not only looking up Spanish-to-English translations, but researching astronomy as well!
Who has been loving the ‘Shadow and Bone’ television series? I’ve yet to read this duology, and have to get to it before season three comes out… just in case there are spoilers. Plus, King Nikolai is my favourite character from the franchise.
When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying’s advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.
For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study … as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don’t loot everything first.
Mia and Jules’ different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance. In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race’s secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race …
Space archaeology and scavenging for alien technology – sounds like a fantastic adventure to me! That’s exactly what ‘Unearthed’ is, an action packed quest with highly motivated teen protagonists.
There is so much to love about ‘Unearthed,’ it delighted the child inside me, and reads like any movie sci-fi adventure. The action picks up in the first chapter and does not let up until the last word. With alternating chapters between our protagonists; Jules, daring to travel to an alien planet and prove his father’s life’s work is not the makings of a crazy zealot… and in the process save all life on Earth; and then there’s the witty Mia, a scavver (scavenger) who’s grown up in the slums and had to fight and work hard for everything she’s got. And she’s snuck her way onto the alien planet in hopes to strike it rich with finding some alien technology to sell and rescue her (illegal) sister from a nefarious work contract. They both are compelling characters and clash repeatedly bringing joy and interest to me as a reader. In the first chapter Mia saves Jules from other scavvers with her sassy attitude and street smarts, and it just gets better from there.
The pacing is steady all the way through, and I did not want to put the book down, but I do feel the pacing could have been a touch faster – especially for YA sci-fi – because we get a lot of detail, some flashbacks that could have been more succinct to really drive the plot forward at a cracking pace. But that is just me being a nit-picker, ‘Unearthed’ was such a compelling read.
The plot felt predictable, I guessed the twist at the end in chapter two. I think there were too many obvious conversations between Jules and Mia that gave it away far too early on. Besides that, the pair are always scrambling, running, desperate to get out of danger… which had me investing in their plight, because they were not always entirely successful.
I loved the writing style of Kaufman and Spooner. It’s embellished enough to create tone and ambience without being pretentious or moving ‘Unearthed’ away from its target demographic. Reading this book was effortless. But that is no surprise to those who have followed my reviews – I’ve felt the same from any other novels I’ve read penned by these authors.
This is a great family-friendly space adventure with high stakes that I would happily recommend to those searching for a light-hearted romp on an alien planet. Hardcore sci-fi fans may find this a little simplistic, but this is YA, so you need to take ‘Unearthed’ in the context in which it is written. For me this is a winner!
Have your tastes changed? Have you abandoned once-favoured authors? Are you reading more widely?
They say with age comes experience. Does that hold up with our reading habits? Well, I say kind-of. Granted my tastes for novels have shifted slightly since I was a teen. I read less fantasy and more non-fiction these days by comparison. But my love for science fiction has always remained paramount.
Contemporary novels when I was younger were more marketed towards housewives; these days the genre has expanded (with many subgenres) to target a wider market. And we’ve also seen the invention of new genres and the popularity of books grow – especially in the last 10-15 years.
YA was not a category when I was in high school. There were very little books with representation: queer, people of colour, able-bodied protagonists, multicultural, or books with characters who suffered mental illness – and if they were represented they were usually villainized or used for comedic value. Same with the representation of strong female characters who aren’t in the story just as a prop or sexual object.
So my reading habits have changed in that respect – the availability of novels with more representation and better portrayal of characters adds so much more fun and colour in my reading. I make a concerted effort not to get stuck in one genre for too long and pick novels out of my comfort zone now and then. Sometimes the surprises are delightful, sometimes it’s a real struggle to reach the end of the book. But each time I gain an important perspective that not only broadens my mind and builds a worldly view, but also adds tools in my belt to help me as a writer (if I read critically.)
As lame as it sounds to some, I still get a kick out of reading the occasional textbook. It educates me or refreshes something I learnt in the past and leaves me feeling independent and knowledgeable.
In high school I primarily read science fiction and fantasy books; then in the university years (thanks to required reading) I got a plethora of texts and novels and found while I enjoyed the classics of literature for discussion, they weren’t necessarily my favourite type of book. I liked novels more along the lines of speculative fiction or those that pushed the bounds of popular opinion. The ‘thought experiment’ types. I think growing up feeling like an outsider I gravitated to books with protagonists or themes that embraced their otherness.
When I entered the workforce the first ten years I wasn’t reading as much and tended to stick to auto-buy authors in the science fiction, horror, and action/adventure genres. Mainly because my reading was more about relaxing and escaping for an hour or two rather than educating.
Since then it’s been about variety. I have my comfort reads, but like to get in a plethora of different type of reads as much as I can. And I definitely read a lot more these days. Work isn’t as demanding and I’ve gotten into a groove with my day. I also think I read faster. It’s no problem for me to knock off a book in one or two days. (Depending of the writing style and length of a book.) Plus, I’ve gotten out of the habit of watching television and movies – because I’m at my computer all day, I tend to shy away from screen time in my leisure hours.
Availability (the types of books published today) has definitely been the strongest influence in my reading habits. As well as time and having the finances to buy books: I’m not out partying and socialising like I was in my 20’s and 30’s and prefer snuggling down at home with my furbabies and getting lost in a good book.
What about you? Has the inclusion of better representation and experience influenced your reading?
So many upcoming releases in May! There are two mystery/thrillers I’m definitely wanting to purchase. The rest of the list I’m still considering. Might wait until I’ve heard back from a few of my peers/friends before I add them to my wish list. But I’m still on a book buying ban, and trying to make my purchases count by completing series that I already own some books for. It’s all about #BeatTheBacklist and whittling down my TBR shelf! I really feel like I’m missing out this month L
Drowning – T.J. Newman (Thriller/Mystery)
Flight attendant turned New York Times bestselling author T. J. Newman—whose first book Falling was an instant #1 national bestseller and the biggest thriller debut of 2021—returns for her second book, an edge-of-your-seat thriller about a commercial jetliner that crashes into the ocean, and sinks to the bottom with passengers trapped inside, and the extraordinary rescue operation to save them.
Six minutes after takeoff, Flight 1421 crashes into the Pacific Ocean. During the evacuation, an engine explodes and the plane is flooded. Those still alive are forced to close the doors—but it’s too late. The plane sinks to the bottom with twelve passengers trapped inside.
More than two hundred feet below the surface, engineer Will Kent and his eleven-year-old daughter Shannon are waist-deep in water and fighting for their lives.
Their only chance at survival is an elite rescue team on the surface led by professional diver Chris Kent—Shannon’s mother and Will’s soon-to-be ex-wife—who must work together with Will to find a way to save their daughter and rescue the passengers from the sealed airplane, which is now teetering on the edge of an undersea cliff.
There’s not much time.
There’s even less air.
With devastating emotional power and heart-stopping suspense, Drowning is an unforgettable thriller about a family’s desperate fight to save themselves and the people trapped with them—against impossible odds.
This is the Way the World Ends – Jen Wilde (YA, Mystery/Thriller, Queer)
Fans of One of Us Is Lying and The Hazel Wood are cordially invited to spend one fateful night surviving an elite private school’s epic masquerade ball in Jen Wilde’s debut thriller, This Is the Way the World Ends.
As an autistic scholarship student at the prestigious Webber Academy in New York City, Waverly is used to masking to fit in—in more ways than one. While her classmates are the children of the one percent, Waverly is getting by on tutoring gigs and the generosity of the school’s charming and enigmatic dean. So when her tutoring student and resident “it girl” asks Waverly to attend the school’s annual fundraising Masquerade disguised as her, Waverly jumps at the chance—especially once she finds out that Ash, the dean’s daughter and her secret ex-girlfriend, will be there.
The Masquerade is everything Waverly dreamed of, complete with extravagant gowns, wealthy parents writing checks, and flowing champagne. Most importantly, there’s Ash. All Waverly wants to do is shed her mask and be with her, but the evening takes a sinister turn when Waverly stumbles into a secret meeting between the dean and the school’s top donors—and witnesses a brutal murder. This gala is harboring far more malevolent plots than just opening parents’ pocketbooks. Before she can escape or contact the authorities, a mysterious global blackout puts the entire party on lockdown. Waverly’s fairy tale has turned into a nightmare, and she, Ash, and her friends must navigate through a dizzying maze of freight elevators, secret passageways, and back rooms if they’re going to survive the night.
And even if they manage to escape the Masquerade, with technology wiped out all over the planet, what kind of world will they find waiting for them beyond the doors?
…and the following 10 novels I’m still undecided about:
The Book That Wouldn’t Burn – Mark Lawrence (Fantasy)
A boy has lived his whole life trapped within a vast library, older than empires and larger than cities.
A girl has spent hers in a tiny settlement out on the Dust where nightmares stalk and no one goes.
The world has never even noticed them. That’s about to change.
Their stories spiral around each other, across worlds and time. This is a tale of truth and lies and hearts, and the blurring of one into another. A journey on which knowledge erodes certainty, and on which, though the pen may be mightier than the sword, blood will be spilled and cities burned.
With humor and insight, #1 New York Times bestseller Becky Albertalli explores the nuances of sexuality, identity, and friendship.
Imogen Scott may be hopelessly heterosexual, but she’s got the World’s Greatest Ally title locked down.
She’s never missed a Pride Alliance meeting. She knows more about queer media discourse than her very queer little sister. She even has two queer best friends. There’s Gretchen, a fellow high school senior, who helps keep Imogen’s biases in check. And then there’s Lili—newly out and newly thriving with a cool new squad of queer college friends.
Imogen’s thrilled for Lili. Any ally would be. And now that she’s finally visiting Lili on campus, she’s bringing her ally A game. Any support Lili needs, Imogen’s all in.
Even if that means bending the truth, just a little.
Like when Lili drops a tiny queer bombshell: she’s told all her college friends that Imogen and Lili used to date. And none of them know that Imogen is a raging hetero—not even Lili’s best friend, Tessa.
Of course, the more time Imogen spends with chaotic, freckle-faced Tessa, the more she starts to wonder if her truth was ever all that straight to begin with. . .
Lying in the Deep – Diana Urban (Mystery/Thriller)
A juicy mystery of jealousy, love, and betrayal set on a Semester at Sea-inspired cruise ship, with a diverse cast of delightfully suspicious characters who’ll leave you guessing with every jaw-dropping twist.
After being jilted by her ex-boyfriend and best friend, Jade couldn’t be more ready to embark on the adventure of a lifetime—11 countries in 4 months, all from the luxurious Campus on Board ship—and to wedge an entire globe between her and the people who broke her heart.
But when Jade discovers the backstabbing couple are also setting sail, her obsession with them grows and festers, leading to a shocking murder. And as their friends begin to drop like flies, Jade and her new crush must race to clear her name and find the killer they’re trapped at sea with….before anyone else winds up in body bags.
They Hate Each Other – Amanda Woody (Queer Contemporary)
Jonah and Dylan get along like oil and water. Until a fake dating ploy gives them new perspective, and they realize that “falling for your enemy” isn’t as impossible as it seems.
There are plenty of words Jonah Collins could use to describe Dylan Ramírez. “Arrogant,” “spoiled,” and “golden boy” to name a few. Likewise, Dylan thinks he has Jonah accurately labeled as an attention-seeking asshat who never shuts his filthy mouth. Their friends are convinced Jonah’s and Dylan’s disdain for one another is just thinly veiled lust—a rumor that surges like wildfire when the two wake up in one bed after homecoming. Mutually horrified, Dylan and Jonah agree to use the faux pas to their advantage by fake dating. If they can stay convincing long enough to end their “relationship” in a massive staged fight, they can prove their incompatibility to their friends once and for all. But the more time they spend together, the more their plan begins to fall apart—and the closer they come to seeing each other clearly for the first time.
Fractal Noise – Christopher Paolini (Science Fiction)
July 25th, 2234: The crew of the Adamura discovers the Anomaly.
On the seemingly uninhabited planet Talos VII:a circular pit, 50 kilometers wide.
Its curve not of nature, but design.
Now, a small team must land and journey on foot across the surface to learn who built the hole and why.
But they all carry the burdens of lives carved out on disparate colonies in the cruel cold of space.
For some the mission is the dream of the lifetime, for others a risk not worth taking, and for one it is a desperate attempt to find meaning in an uncaring universe.
Each step they take toward the mysterious abyss is more punishing than the last.
And the ghosts of their past follow.
Planes, Trains, and all the Feels – Livy Hart (Contemporary)
Fans of Christina Lauren and Tessa Bailey will adore this witty and unforgettable rom-com about skyways, highways, and all the perfectly wrong ways to fall in love.
As the black sheep of the family, choreographer Cassidy Bliss vowed she’d do anything to get home in time to help with her sister’s wedding and avoid family disappointment…again. She just never expected “anything” would involve sharing the last rental car with the jerk who cut her off in line at the airport this morning. But horrible times apparently call for here-goes-nothing measures.
Driving across the country with Luke “life can be solved with a spreadsheet” Carlisle must be a penance for some crime she committed. Because the second he opens his mouth, it’s all she can do to not maim him with her carry-on. But somewhere between his surprisingly thoughtful snack sharing and his uncanny ability to see straight to the core of her, her feelings go unchecked.
Suddenly, their crackling chemistry is just one more thing they have to navigate—and it couldn’t come at a worse time. But after a lifetime of letting the expectations and needs of others drive her life, Cassidy must decide if she’s ready to take the wheel once and for all.
Best Men – Sidney Karger (Queer Contemporary)
When two best men in a wedding party fall for each other, they realize love isn’t a piece of cake in this hilarious and heartfelt romantic comedy debut by screenwriter Sidney Karger.
Max Moody thought he had everything figured out. He’s trying to live his best life in New York City and has the best friend a gay guy could ask for: Paige. She and Max grew up next door to each other in the suburbs of Chicago. She can light up any party. She finishes his sentences. She’s always a reliable splunch (they don’t like to use the word brunch) partner. But then Max’s whole world is turned upside down when Paige suddenly announces some huge news: she’s engaged and wants Max to be her man of honor. Max was always the romantic one who imagined he would get married before the unpredictable Paige and is shocked to hear she’s ready to settle down. But it turns out there’s not just one new man in Paige’s life–there are two.
There’s the groom, Austin, who’s a perfectly nice guy. Then there’s his charming, fun and ridiculously handsome gay younger brother, Chasten, who is Austin’s best man. As Paige’s wedding draws closer, Max, the introverted Midwesterner, and Chasten, the social butterfly East Coaster, realize they’re like oil and water. Yet they still have to figure out how to coexist in Paige’s life while not making her wedding festivities all about them. But can the tiny romantic spark between these two very different guys transform their best man supporting roles into the leading best men in each other’s lives?
The Last One to Fall – Gabriella Lepore (YA, Mystery, Queer)
Six friends. Five suspects. One murder.
Savana Caruso and Jesse Melo have known each other since they were kids, so when Jesse texts Savana in the middle of the night and asks her to meet him at Cray’s Warehouse, she doesn’t hesitate. But before Savana can find Jesse, she bears witness to a horrifying murder, standing helpless on the ground as a mysterious figure is pushed out of the fourth floor of the warehouse.
Six teens were there that night, and five of them are now potential suspects. With the police circling, Savana knows what will happen if the wrong person is charged, particularly once she starts getting threatening anonymous text messages.
As she attempts to uncover the truth, Savana learns that everyone is keeping secrets—and someone is willing to do whatever it takes to keep those secrets from coming to light.
Summer Reading – Jenn McKinlay (Contemporary)
When a woman who’d rather do anything than read meets a swoon-worthy bookworm, sparks fly, making for one hot-summer fling in New York Times bestselling author Jenn McKinlay’s new rom-com.
For Samantha Gale, a summer on Martha’s Vineyard at her family’s tiny cottage was supposed to be about resurrecting her career as a chef, until she’s tasked with chaperoning her half-brother, Tyler. The teenage brainiac is spending his summer at the local library in a robotics competition, and there’s no place Sam, who’s dyslexic, likes less than the library. And because the universe hates her, the library’s interim director turns out to be the hot-reader guy whose book she accidentally destroyed on the ferry ride to the island.
Bennett Reynolds is on a quest to find his father, whose identity he’s never known. He’s taken the temporary job on the island to research the summer his mother spent there when she got pregnant with him. Ben tells himself he isn’t interested in a relationship right now. Yet as soon as Sam knocks his book into the ocean, he can’t stop thinking about her.
An irresistible attraction blossoms when Ben inspires Sam to create the cookbook she’s always dreamed about and she jumps all in on helping him find his father, and soon they realize their summer fling may heat up into a happily ever after.
Lose You to Find Me – Erik J. Brown (YA, Queer Contemporary)
A romantic, heartfelt, and hilarious queer coming-of-age story from All That’s Left in the World author Erik J. Brown, perfect for fans of What If It’s Us and If This Gets Out.
Tommy Dees is in the weeds—restaurant speak for beyond overwhelmed. He’s been working as a server at Sunset Estates retirement community to get the experience he needs to attend one of the best culinary schools in the world. And to make his application shine, he also needs a letter of recommendation from his sadistic manager. But in exchange for the letter, Tommy has to meet three conditions—including training the new hire.
What he doesn’t expect is for the newbie to be an old crush: Gabe, with the dimples and kind heart, who Tommy fell for during summer camp at age ten and then never saw again. Unfortunately, Gabe doesn’t remember Tommy at all. The training proves distracting as old feelings resurface, and the universe seems to be conspiring against them.
With the application deadline looming and Gabe on his mind, Tommy is determined to keep it all together—but what if life isn’t meant to follow a recipe?
A massive list – are there any May releases that you to add? Let me know in the comments.
When Princess Cassia Rose fled her home world of Eturia to escape an arranged marriage, she had no idea her sudden departure would spark a war. Now after two years hiding as a ship hand, she is finally returning to her beloved home, but not in the way she imagined. Shackled by bounty hunters, she is violently dragged back to account for her crimes. Her only solace is that the Banshee crew managed to evade capture, including Kane Arric, her best friend…with occasional benefits.
Meanwhile, Kane and the rest of the crew of the Banshee plan a desperate rescue mission. But when they arrive on Eturia, Cassia isn’t exactly in need of heroics—she’s claimed her birthright as Eturia’s queen, but has inherited a war-torn planet simmering with rebellion. Cassia must make alliances, and Kane, the bastard son of a merchant, isn’t a choice that will earn her any friends. Kane knows he will never find someone to replace Cassia—and is certain she returns his feelings—but how can he throw away his own promising future waiting on a queen?
When the outer realm is threatened by the dangerous Zhang mafia, Cassia, Kane and the rest of the Banshee crew uncover a horrifying conspiracy that endangers the entire universe. In the face of unspeakable evil, Cassia must confront her own family’s complicated legacy on Eturia and decide once and for all who her real family is.
A space opera with princesses and pirates, with a group of rabble-rousing rebels, kidnappings, poisoning, fight clubs, and factions vying for control over a part of the galaxy, ‘Starfall’ has elements of Star Wars and Firefly jumbled in a fly-by-the-seat-of-your-pants space adventure. In this instalment we follow another pair of the Banshee crew: Cassia and Kane told in alternating perspectives.
I didn’t enjoy this as much as ‘Starflight,’ there seemed to be a lot of flapping about in the middle – going here and there – trying to sleuth out the political machinations and uncover the culprit poisoning the folks on the planet Eturia. As Cassia is the Princess of the planet, and has a claim to rule, her compassion for the people lead the crew of the Banshee looking for a cure.
I feel ‘Starfall’ could have been half its length with much of the middle part happening off-page to keep the pace going and not get bogged down in the minutiae. My eyes glazed over a number of times, this sequel really lacked the pace and punch of ‘Starflight.’
Where the debut had roadblocks thrown at our protagonists nearly every other chapter, ‘Starfall’ sees either of our protagonists kidnapped or transported to another planet in an almost comedic pass-the-parcel across the solar system. The tone of this novel also feel a bit more mature as we deal with themes of drug addiction, murder, violence, and casual sexual intimacy.
I don’t think I was as invested in the Cassia/Kane pairing. There wasn’t the emotional intensity I enjoy in a romance. Plus, they spent just about all of the novel apart or acting as friends with benefits. It didn’t really pull on my heartstrings.
The pirate angle was so fun to read, but it felt like this book got a bit messy with so many plot devices/story elements introduced in addition to the characters jumping from place to place. Like we spend a lot of time world-building and then the characters go somewhere else… felt like a lot of wasted exposition. That was the crux of what slowed the pace in this story. We get a precedent set in ‘Starflight’ of action and dastardly deeds; and then here we get planet-hopping and political manoeuvrings. I wasn’t hooked as much.
The characters are fun and we get a little more on Solara and Doran from the first book – see them in their lovey-dovey bliss. And the found family of the Banshee remains strong.
I won’t say that ‘Starfall’ is all that predictable, I was kept guessing much of the time: but then again, I wasn’t as engaged in the story. You can’t read ‘Starfall’ without reading ‘Starflight’ because there is too many plot points established in the debut so this novel is more for die-hard fans of the first book in the series. Otherwise I would say you could give this one a miss. It didn’t add a lot to the universe.
‘Firefly’ meets ‘Overboard’ in this found family romp across space.
Genre: Y/A, Science Fiction, Adventure
No. of pages: 362
Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She’s so desperate to reach the realm that she’s willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.
When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he’s been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world—and each other—the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe…
‘Starflight’ gripped me from the start to the finish. Brilliant pacing. There was always a twist, and obstacle to overcome for our protagonist Solara ‘Lara’ a convicted criminal trying to get to the outer rims where she can start a new life for herself away from ridicule and judgement.
Told entirely from Solara’s perspective ‘Starflight’ sees a hate to love relationship grow with an old entitled classmate Doran. He takes pompous and stuck-up to new heights. But when Doran threatens to maroon Solara she injects him with a serum that causes him to lose his memory. With security breathing down her neck she is forced to board another ship pretending to be someone else and Doran as her indentured slave. Little did she know that would start a chain of events that would bring even more trouble.
‘Starflight’ was a delightful read – literally everything gets thrown at the crew of the spaceship ‘Banshee’ which Solara thought to be her ticket out of a tight spot. This story has the perfect balance of plot, pacing, and character development.
I would’ve liked to see the crew of ‘Banshee’ take a more prominent role in the story – it felt like their backstories were more for plot points (even though the reveals were magic.) That and with so many obstacles for our protagonist to overcome, at times with so much thrown at her, I felt the hand of the author having fun dramatizing the challenges. This really feels like a kids action adventure movie set in space. With that in mind, for the tone is solidly in the YA bracket, there are some adult themes like mention of sexual relationships, and some of the violence that pops up could be a little confronting or graphic for some… but it was also comical in parts and helped raise the stakes in others. I think it is more a case of judging the reading level/maturity of the reader in tackling these themes.
This book gave me a lot of surprises kept me engaged throughout and had endearing characters. Plus I’m a sucker for enemies to lovers and found family tropes. Melissa Landers is also great with her world building but I would have liked to get a touch more maturity in the tone of the narrative given the themes and topics tackled in ‘Starflight.’
Definitely a strong recommendation from me – and there’s a sequel! ‘Starfall’ so keep an eye out for a review coming soon.
Two teen rebels that have everything that they are tested…
Genre: Y/A, Dystopia, Science Fiction
No. of pages: 371
June and Day arrive in Vegas just as the unthinkable happens: the Elector Primo dies, and his son Anden takes his place. With the Republic edging closer to chaos, the two join a group of Patriot rebels eager to help Day rescue his brother and offer passage to the Colonies. They have only one request—June and Day must assassinate the new Elector. It’s their chance to change the nation, to give voice to a people silenced for too long.
But as June realizes this Elector is nothing like his father, she’s haunted by the choice ahead. What if Anden is a new beginning? What if revolution must be more than loss and vengeance, anger and blood—what if the Patriots are wrong?
‘Prodigy’ is told in alternating perspectives and tests our protagonists (June and Day) deductive reasoning. With the rebel group becoming more prominent in their lives, and a new leader in government, each has a truth and wants change… but whose change is right for the Republic? Who has the best intentions?
There was a lot of politics involved, but not too much. I liked the plot – we have intelligent protagonists who can make their own decisions. And I really liked their character development. We find not only do circumstances challenge June and Day, but also the psychological landscape where everyone is scheming, manipulating, and manoeuvring.
With a mission to assassinate the new Elector Anden, June researches the facts and challenges what she is told before she takes action. With a plague threatening to overwhelm the population and Day searching for his brother both protagonist are put through the ringer.
The pacing was fairly pumped throughout, but there were some chapters where I felt too much detail slowed it down a touch. I have to admit Marie Lu can craft an action scene – I loved those parts and was glued to the page. She definitely has such an easy-to-read writing style where facts are reported and then the story moves forward. Spending just the right amount of time on world building, setting the scene and then moving on. I enjoyed this instalment more than the debut – there is definitely no middle book slump here!
We get an ending on a double-tap of a cliff hanger and I am really excited to see how the story eventuates in the next sequel ‘Champion.’ I can’t believe how long these book have been sitting on my TBR shelf – they have been definitely worth the wait.
Casey Carlisle 