Iron Widow by Xiran Jay Zhao (Iron Widow book 1)

 

“The boys of Huaxia dream of pairing up with girls to pilot Chrysalises, giant transforming robots that can battle the mecha aliens that lurk beyond the Great Wall. It doesn't matter that the girls often die from the mental strain.

When 18-year-old Zetian offers herself up as a concubine-pilot, it's to assassinate the ace male pilot responsible for her sister's death. But she gets her vengeance in a way nobody expected—she kills him through the psychic link between pilots and emerges from the cockpit unscathed. She is labeled an Iron Widow, a much-feared and much-silenced kind of female pilot who can sacrifice boys to power up Chrysalises instead.​

To tame her unnerving yet invaluable mental strength, she is paired up with Li Shimin, the strongest and most controversial male pilot in Huaxia​. But now that Zetian has had a taste of power, she will not cower so easily. She will miss no opportunity to leverage their combined might and infamy to survive attempt after attempt on her life, until she can figure out exactly why the pilot system works in its misogynist way—and stop more girls from being sacrificed.” - taken from Goodreads.

This is a unique twist on Chinese history through a science fiction lens. Zetain is the ultimate feminist anti-hero who will continue to rebel against society’s constraints against women to the end. Soon caught between the boy she knew before joining the military and the boy she is ultimately paired with, Zetian is determined to live her own life. With that shocking reveal at the end, readers will be ready to conclude Zetian’s story with the next book. 

The story concludes with Heavenly Tyrant, out now.

Visit Xiran Jay Zhao’s website.

Sunrise on the Reaping by Suzanne Collins (A Hunger Games novel)

 

SPOILER ALERT! This book is a prequel to The Hunger Games and is a continuation of the story.

“When you’ve been set up to lose everything you love, what is there left to fight for?

As the day dawns on the fiftieth annual Hunger Games, fear grips the districts of Panem. This year, in honor of the Quarter Quell, twice as many tributes will be taken from their homes.

Back in District 12, Haymitch Abernathy is trying not to think too hard about his chances. All he cares about is making it through the day and being with the girl he loves.

When Haymitch’s name is called, he can feel all his dreams break. He’s torn from his family and his love, shuttled to the Capitol with the three other District 12 tributes: a young friend who’s nearly a sister to him, a compulsive oddsmaker, and the most stuck-up girl in town. As the Games begin, Haymitch understands he’s been set up to fail. But there’s something in him that wants to fight . . . and have that fight reverberate far beyond the deadly arena.” - taken from Goodreads.

The story of Haymitch Abernathy and the absolute horrors he suffered during his time in the Hunger Games. Seeing life in District 12 before Katniss and Peeta were born and how events from The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes fit together was incredible. I also loved seeing some previous victors that we met in Catching Fire. It was insightful. I cannot wait to see what story Ms. Collins will tell next.

Visit Suzanne Collins’ website.

The Ballad of Songbirds & Snakes by Suzanne Collins (Hunger Games book #0)

 

SPOILER ALERT! This book is a prequel to The Hunger Games and is a continuation of the story.

“Ambition will fuel him.

Competition will drive him.

But power has its price.

It is the morning of the reaping that will kick off the tenth annual Hunger Games. In the Capitol, eighteen-year-old Coriolanus Snow is preparing for his one shot at glory as a mentor in the Games. The once-mighty house of Snow has fallen on hard times, its fate hanging on the slender chance that Coriolanus will be able to outcharm, outwit, and outmaneuver his fellow students to mentor the winning tribute.

The odds are against him. He's been given the humiliating assignment of mentoring the female tribute from District 12, the lowest of the low. Their fates are now completely intertwined -- every choice Coriolanus makes could lead to favor or failure, triumph or ruin. Inside the arena, it will be a fight to the death. Outside the arena, Coriolanus starts to feel for his doomed tribute... and must weigh his need to follow the rules against his desire to survive no matter what it takes.” - taken from Goodreads.

I cannot believe I waited so long to read this book. I loved seeing inside the inner workings of Coriolanus Snow and what it took to make him the ultimate villain that we loved to hate in The Hunger Games.

Visit Suzanne Collins’ website.

Fable for the End of the World by Ava Reid

 

“By encouraging massive accumulations of debt from its underclass, a single corporation, Caerus, controls all aspects of society.

Inesa lives with her brother in a half-sunken town where they scrape by running a taxidermy shop. Unbeknownst to Inesa, their cruel and indolent mother has accrued an enormous debt—enough to qualify one of her children for Caerus’s livestreamed assassination spectacle: the Lamb’s Gauntlet.

Melinoë is a Caerus assassin, trained to track and kill the sacrificial Lambs. The product of neural reconditioning and physiological alteration, she is a living weapon, known for her cold brutality and deadly beauty. She has never failed to assassinate one of her marks.

When Inesa learns that her mother has offered her as a sacrifice, at first she despairs—the Gauntlet is always a bloodbath for the impoverished debtors. But she’s had years of practice surviving in the apocalyptic wastes, and with the help of her hunter brother, she might stand a chance of staying alive.

For Melinoë, this is a game she can’t afford to lose. Despite her reputation for mercilessness, she is haunted by painful flashbacks. After her last Gauntlet, where she broke down on livestream, she desperately needs redemption.

As Mel pursues Inesa across the wasteland, both girls begin to question everything: Inesa wonders if there’s more to life than survival, while Mel wonders if she’s capable of more than killing.

And both wonder if, against all odds, they might be falling in love.” - taken from Goodreads.

A haunting twist on The Hunger Games that kept me turning the pages until the end.

Visit Ava Reid’s website.

Gleanings: Stories from the Arc of the Scythe (Arc of the Scythe book 3.5)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first three books in the series, Stop! This collection of short stories may not make sense.

“There are still countless tales of the Scythedom to tell. Centuries passed between the Thunderhead cradling humanity and Scythe Goddard trying to turn it upside down. For years humans lived in a world without hunger, disease, or death with Scythes as the living instruments of population control.

Neal Shusterman—along with collaborators David Yoon, Jarrod Shusterman, Sofía Lapuente, Michael H. Payne, Michelle Knowlden, and Joelle Shusterman—returns to the world throughout the timeline of the Arc of a Scythe series. Discover secrets and histories of characters you’ve followed for three volumes and meet new heroes, new foes, and some figures in between.” - taken from Goodreads.

First swing / Joelle Shusterman -- Formidable -- Never work with animals / co-authored with Michael H. Payne -- Death of many colors -- Unsavory row -- Martian minute -- The Mortal canvas / co-authored with David Yoon -- Cirri -- Anastasia's shadow -- Persistence of memory / co-authored with Jarrod Shusterman and Sofía Lapuente -- Meet Cute and Die -- Perchance to Glean / co-authored with Michelle Knowlden -- A Dark Curtain Rises.

Martian Minute was by far my favorite story of this collection. Underscythe Xenocrates made a spectacular appearance. The ending was a true bomb drop and spectacular in its delivery. Anastasia’s shadow takes place between the second and third books and deals with Citra’s brother Ben. Meet Cute and Die was hilarious and an enjoyable read.                                     

A great return to the Scythe world for fans of the series. 

Visit Neal Shusterman’s website.

Victories Greater Than Death by Charlie Jane Anders (Unstoppable book 1)

 

“Outsmart Your Enemies. Outrun the Galaxy.

Tina never worries about being ‘ordinary’—she doesn’t have to, since she’s known practically forever that she’s not just Tina Mains, average teenager and beloved daughter. She’s also the keeper of an interplanetary rescue beacon, and one day soon, it’s going to activate, and then her dreams of saving all the worlds and adventuring among the stars will finally be possible. Tina’s legacy, after all, is intergalactic—she is the hidden clone of a famed alien hero, left on Earth disguised as a human to give the universe another chance to defeat a terrible evil.

But when the beacon activates, it turns out that Tina’s destiny isn’t quite what she expected. Things are far more dangerous than she ever assumed. Luckily, Tina is surrounded by a crew she can trust, and her best friend Rachael, and she is still determined to save all the worlds. But first she’ll have to save herself.” - taken from Goodreads.

The story continues with book two, Dreams Bigger Than Heartbreak.

Visit Charlie Jane Anders’ website.

Aurora’s End by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (The Aurora Cycle book 3)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Aurora Rising and Aurora Burning, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Please visit the Book Series Recaps if you need a refresher of the first book.

“Is this the end?

What happens when you ask a bunch of losers, discipline cases, and misfits to save the galaxy from an ancient evil? The ancient evil wins, of course.

Wait. . . . Not. So. Fast.

When we last saw Squad 312, they working together seamlessly (aka, freaking out) as an intergalactic battle raged and an ancient superweapon threatened to obliterate Earth. Everything went horribly wrong, naturally.

But as it turns out, not all endings are endings, and the te4am has one last chance to rewrite theirs. Maybe two. It's complicated.

Cue Zila, Fin, and Scarlett (and MAGELLAN!): making friends, making enemies, and making history? Sure, no problem

Cue Tyler, Kal, and Auri: uniting with two of the galaxy’s most hated villains? Um, okay. That, too.

Actually saving the galaxy, though?

Now that will take a miracle.” - taken from Goodreads.com

For me, too much time had passed between the publication of the second and third books in this trilogy. The beginning of this book seemed to take a while for the storylines to converge onto one path. Our characters are literally scattered throughout time and space but once I saw where the story was going, I was hooked. Definitely a satisfying conclusion to his trilogy. 

Visit Amie Kaufman’s website.

Visit Jay Kristoff’s website.

Steelstriker by Marie Lu (Skyhunter book 2)

 

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Skyhunter, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“As a Striker, Talin was taught loyalty is life. Loyalty to the Shield who watches your back, to the Strikers who risk their lives on the battlefield, and most of all, to Mara, which was once the last nation free from the Karensa Federation’s tyranny.

But Mara has fallen. And its destruction has unleashed Talin’s worst nightmare.

With her friends scattered by combat and her mother held captive by the Premier, Talin is forced to betray her fellow Strikers and her adopted homeland. She has no choice but to become the Federation’s most deadly war machine as their newest Skyhunter.

Red is no stranger to the cruelty of the Federation or the torture within its Skyhunter labs, but he knows this isn’t the end for Mara – or Talin. The link between them may be weak, but it could be Talin and Red's only hope to salvage their past and safeguard their future.

While the fate of a broken world hangs in the balance, Talin and Red must reunite the Strikers and find their way back to each other.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Picking up six months after the ending of Skyhunter, Talin’s transformation into a Skyhunter is now almost complete. She tries to resist the impulse to willingly comply with the Premier’s demands. With Red and her Striker friends, can they free everyone from the Premier’s dictatorship?

Definitely, a dark tale for our current times that fans of the previous book will want to see how the story concludes.

Visit Marie Lu’s website.

The Great Destroyers by Caroline Tung Richmond

“The Hunger Games meets Pacific Rim, set in the 1960s Cold War.

Jo Linden grew up in a world where wars are won with the use of giant mechanical soldiers and the nuclear bomb was never invented. Yet the Cold War still rages. Only now international rivalries between democracy and communism play out at the Pax Games, an Olympic-style competition that pits young pilots of mecha soldiers against each other. The USSR's beaten the US in every game since its inception, and in the 1963 games, the US is desperate for a win. Because it's more than just the Games at stake here. Premier Khrushchev will be attending, and after he and President Kennedy are slated to sign a peace accord stabilizing the war in Vietnam-and their relationship.

Raised in her father's mecha repair shop, Jo knows more than anyone about the awesome machines and piloting. She's also the most unlikely pick for Team USA since she's a virtually unknown fighter. So when Jo is invited at the last minute to compete, she jumps at it. This could be the last chance to save her family's home from debt collectors. When Jo arrives in DC for the Games, all eyes on her. But she's got secrets of her own. Secrets that could get her kicked out the Games-and cost her family everything-if anyone found out. As competitors start dying in the arena, it's suddenly clear that it's more than the usual Pax Games, and Jo finds herself drawn into a deadly political plot with the very stake of freedom at its center.

In a global chess match between superpowers, playing out in violent games that only humanity could create, comes a terrifying story of clashing titans, deadly competition, patriotism, and the girl caught in the middle of it all.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Welcome to 1963 where World War II was won with mecha (giant robots controlled by humans) and the atomic bomb wasn't invented. The Cold War still rages and Communism and Democracy are at odds. Every four years, countries enter their best and brightest mecha drivers into the Pax Games. With the games being held in the U.S. and a possible peace agreement between Kennedy and Khrushchev, the U.S. is desperate to best the Soviets in the games.

When Jo Linden, a relatively unknown mecha pilot is tapped to replace an injured competitor, her world is turned upside down when she arrives on the international stage in a sport where few females compete. Up against the best in the world, Jo and finds herself in the middle of a political storm where someone is trying to frame her for poisoning her rivals. Can Jo uncover the culprit before war breaks out?

This is the perfect read for fans of Ryan Graudin’s Wolf By Wolf.

Visit Caroline Tung Richmond’s website.

 

Skyhunter by Marie Lu (Skyhunter book 1)

 

“A broken world.

An overwhelming evil.

A team of warriors ready to strike back.

Talin is a Striker, a member of an elite fighting force that stands as the last defense for the only free nation in the world: Mara.

A refugee, Talin knows firsthand the horrors of the Federation, a world-dominating war machine responsible for destroying nation after nation with its terrifying army of mutant beasts known only as Ghosts.

But when a mysterious prisoner is brought from the front to Mara's capital, Talin senses there’s more to him than meets the eye. Is he a spy from the Federation? What secrets is he hiding?

Only one thing is clear: Talin is ready to fight to the death alongside her fellow Strikers for the only homeland she has left... with or without the boy who might just be the weapon to save—or destroy—them all.

Loyalty is life.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I absolutely adore Marie Lu. she writes the best closings/epilogues to her books that no other writer can dream to come close to. I was so excited to pick up the start of her newest series. As I started reading, my first thought was that this was going to be a redo of her Legend trilogy and some readers may see it that way. Please don't stop reading but continue on. I love Talin’s character and she definitely has not lived a sheltered life. And the way she risked her life for Red time and time again shows the true strength of her character. Talin’s friend circle is supportive and has a family feel to it. I cannot wait to see what happens in the next book. 

Book two is expected in 2021.

Visit Marie Lu’s website.

Aurora Burning by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff (The Aurora Cycle book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Aurora Rising, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Please visit the Book Series Recaps if you need a refresher of the first book.

“Our heroes are back… kind of. 

First, the bad news: an ancient evil—you know, your standard consume-all-life-in-the-galaxy deal—is about to be unleashed. The good news? Squad 312 is standing by to save the day. They’ve just got to take care of a few small distractions first.

Like the clan of gremps who’d like to rearrange their favorite faces.

And the cadre of illegit GIA agents with creepy flowers where their eyes used to be, who’ll stop at nothing to get their hands on Auri.

Then there’s Kal’s long-lost sister, who’s not exactly happy to see her baby brother, and has a Syldrathi army at her back. With half the known galaxy on their tails, Squad 312 has never felt so wanted.

When they learn the Hadfield has been found, it’s time to come out of hiding. Two centuries ago, the colony ship vanished, leaving Auri as its sole survivor. Now, its black box might be what saves them. But time is short, and if Auri can’t learn to master her powers as a Trigger, the squad and all their admirers are going to be deader than the Great Ultrasaur of Abraaxis IV.

Shocking revelations, bank heists, mysterious gifts, inappropriately tight bodysuits, and an epic firefight will determine the fate of the Aurora Legion’s most unforgettable heroes—and maybe the rest of the galaxy as well. - taken from Goodreads.com

I don't know what to say. All kinds of bombs were dropped throughout the book but I never saw coming. And the heartbreak. The authors pull no punches here as everyone was fair game. But that ending! I'll be gripping the edges of that steep cliff until a still yet unnamed third book comes out.

Visit Amie Kaufman’s website.

Visit Jay Kristoff’s website.

For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund (For Darkness Shows the Stars book 1)

“It's been several generations since a genetic experiment gone wrong caused the Reduction, decimating humanity and giving rise to a Luddite nobility who outlawed most technology.

Elliot North has always known her place in this world. Four years ago Elliot refused to run away with her childhood sweetheart, the servant Kai, choosing duty to her family's estate over love. Since then the world has changed: a new class of Post-Reductionists is jumpstarting the wheel of progress, and Elliot's estate is foundering, forcing her to rent land to the mysterious Cloud Fleet, a group of shipbuilders that includes renowned explorer Captain Malakai Wentforth--an almost unrecognizable Kai. And while Elliot wonders if this could be their second chance, Kai seems determined to show Elliot exactly what she gave up when she let him go.

But Elliot soon discovers her old friend carries a secret--one that could change their society . . . or bring it to its knees. And again, she's faced with a choice: cling to what she's been raised to believe, or cast her lot with the only boy she's ever loved, even if she's lost him forever.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Here is another book that I've had on my TBR pile for well over seven years. I've never read any books by Jane Austen, so I wasn't really familiar with her novel Persuasion, which this book is based upon. I am glad that I finally picked up this book about star-crossed lovers. Elliot's life of privilege isn't easy as she is the responsible while her father and older sister live for pleasure. When Elliot's lifelong friend/love shows up unexpectedly as a wealthy man and no longer the enslaved farm hand, she is thrown for a loop. I thoroughly enjoyed the story and cannot wait to read the companion book. 

Visit Diana Peterfreund’s website.

Imagine Me by Tahereh Mafi (Shatter Me book 6)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first five books in the Shatter Me series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite series for you.

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first four books in the series.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher of the first five books in the series.

“Hello, World. You Won’t Forget Me.”

"Juliette Ferrars.

Ella Sommers.

Which is the truth and which is the lie?

Now that Ella knows who Juliette is and what she was created for, things have only become more complicated. As she struggles to understand the past that haunts her and looks to a future more uncertain than ever, the lines between right and wrong—between Ella and Juliette—blur. And with old enemies looming, her destiny may not be her own to control.

The day of reckoning for the Reestablishment is coming. But she may not get to choose what side she fights on."- taken from Goodreads.com

Wow! When an end to what was originally built as a trilogy but continued the story of Juliet Farrar’s over six books. I was a fan from the beginning and I enjoyed seeing where her story took her. after the cliffhanger ending from book five, this final installment is told from Juliet / Ella and Kenji. Action-packed throughout the book, long time fans will be eager to see how the story ends. 

Visit Tahereh Mafi’s website.

Internment by Samira Ahmed

“Rebellions are built on hope.

Set in a horrifying near-future United States, seventeen-year-old Layla Amin and her parents are forced into an internment camp for Muslim American citizens.

With the help of newly made friends also trapped within the internment camp, her boyfriend on the outside, and an unexpected alliance, Layla begins a journey to fight for freedom, leading a revolution against the camp's Director and his guards.” - taken from Goodreads.com

Not sure what to say about this book. The content is super timely and could realistically happen. The beginning had me sucked in but the middle sort of fell flat for me. I found a few things that I thought seems a little far-fetched. I did push through to finish to see how the story ended but it felt a bit rushed to me without any real closure. 

Visit Samira Ahmed’s website.

Supernova by Marissa Meyer (Renegades book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Renegades and Archenemies, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first two books.

“All's fair in love and anarchy...

Nova and Adrian are struggling to keep their secret identities concealed while the battle rages on between their alter egos, their allies, and their greatest fears come to life. Secrets, lies, and betrayals are revealed as anarchy once again threatens to reclaim Gatlon City.” - taken from Goodreads.com

This was an EPIC conclusion to this trilogy! Secret identities are revealed and long-standing mysteries are solved, to several shocking plot twists. By the end, Nova learns what it is to be a hero and a villain. But that epilogue! Come see me when you have this book because we need to talk. 

Visit Marissa Meyer’s website.

The Toll by Neal Shusterman (Arc of a Scythe book 3)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first two books in the series, Scythe and Thunderhead, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

Check out Book Series Recaps for a refresher of the first two books.

Please visit the Recaptains blog if you need a refresher of the first book.

“It’s been three years since Rowan and Citra disappeared; since Scythe Goddard came into power; since the Thunderhead closed itself off to everyone but Grayson Tolliver.

In this pulse-pounding conclusion to New York Times bestselling author Neal Shusterman’s Arc of a Scythe trilogy, constitutions are tested and old friends are brought back from the dead.” - taken from Goodreads.com

WOW! That is all I can say without giving any of the wonderful details and conclusion of this story away. I hate to leave the world of the Scythedom behind but was satisfied with the ending of the story.

Visit Neal Shusterman’s website.

Four Dead Queens by Astrid Scholte

“One big lie. Two forbidden romances. Three days to catch a killer.”

“Seventeen-year-old Keralie Corrington may seem harmless, but in fact, she's one of Quadara's most skilled thieves and a liar. Varin, on the other hand, is an honest, upstanding citizen of Quadara's most enlightened region, Eonia. Varin runs afoul of Keralie when she steals a package from him, putting his life in danger. When Varin attempts to retrieve the package, he and Keralie find themselves entangled in a conspiracy that leaves all four of Quadara's queens dead.

With no other choices and on the run from Keralie's former employer, the two decide to join forces, endeavoring to discover who has killed the queens and save their own lives in the process. When their reluctant partnership blooms into a tenuous romance, they must overcome their own dark secrets in hopes of a future together that seemed impossible just days before. But first they have to stay alive and untangle the secrets behind the nation's four dead queens.” - taken from Goodreads.com 

This book has it all!! Royalty, lies, forbidden love with splashes of fantasy and science fiction into the mix. But what I enjoyed most about the story was the incredible mystery of who was assassinating the queens and why. I definitely didn’t see the plot twist coming and was completely shocked. This book an incredible read. 

Visit Astrid Scholte’s website.

Rebel by Marie Lu (Legend book 4)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first three books in this series, Stop! I don’t want to ruin one of my favorite stories for you.

“Respect the Legend. Idolize the Prodigy. Celebrate the Champion. But never underestimate the Rebel.

With unmatched suspense and her signature cinematic storytelling, #1 New York Times–bestselling author Marie Lu plunges readers back into the unforgettable world of Legend for a truly grand finale.

Eden Wing has been living in his brother’s shadow for years. Even though he’s a top student at his academy in Ross City, Antarctica, and a brilliant inventor, most people know him only as Daniel Wing’s little brother.

A decade ago, Daniel was known as Day, the boy from the streets who led a revolution that saved the Republic of America. But Day is no longer the same young man who was once a national hero. These days he’d rather hide out from the world and leave his past behind. All that matters to him now is keeping Eden safe―even if that also means giving up June, the great love of Daniel’s life.

As the two brothers struggle to accept who they’ve each become since their time in the Republic, a new danger creeps into the distance that’s grown between them. Eden soon finds himself drawn so far into Ross City’s dark side, even his legendary brother can’t save him. At least not on his own . . .” - taken from Goodreads.com

I loved the first three books in the Legend series even though Champion broke my heart. That book still has the best ending I think I will ever read. Needless to say, I was ecstatic to get my hands on this unexpected gift of a fourth book that takes place roughly one month after the epilogue from Champion.

Without going into too much detail, this book centers around the Wing brothers and their lives in Ross City. Eden is now a young man who is seeing the injustice around him and Daniel who no longer knows how to relate to his brother. And yes, June does play an integral role in the story. Once again, Marie Lu spends a fantastic ending for fans.

Visit Marie Lu’s website.

Eclipse the Skies by Maura Milan (Ignite the Stars book 2)

SPOILER ALERT! If you haven’t read the first book in the series, Ignite the Stars, Stop! I don’t want to ruin the story for you.

“Ia Cōcha never thought she’d be working for the Olympus Commonwealth. But that was before she found out her trusted brother Einn was trying to tear apart the universe. Now, Ia, the Blood Wolf of the Skies, has agreed to help the Royal Star Force on one condition: when she finds him, she gets to kill Einn herself.

Brinn Tarver has just come to terms with her Tawny identity when the public lashes out against her people, crushing her family. At her breaking point, she starts to question everything she believes in—including Ia.

After the death of his mentor, Knives Adams is doing his best to live up to a role he didn’t ask for as Aphelion’s new headmaster. Still, with each new step deeper into war, he feels torn between his duties and the pull of Ia’s radical—sometimes criminal—ideas.

As they fight to keep darkness from eclipsing the skies, their unpredictable choices launch this breathtaking sequel to explosive new heights.” - taken from Goodreads.com

I loved the first book in this duology so much that I couldn't wait to get my hands on the second one. I don't know what it is about the subgenre, but I have really enjoyed reading “Space Opera” books. After seeing some of the reviews for this title on Goodreads, I was leery to finish the story because of the possible ending that had been foretold. I even did something I usually don't do and read the last three chapters to see if my fears were true. Fortunately, this book was the perfect conclusion to the story. Our characters really grew throughout the course of this final book. My only regret is that my time with these characters was so short. I cannot wait to see what this author writes next. 

Visit Maura Milan’s website.