Romantasy has blown up in popularity, and dystopian romance is back on the rise… it’s time for sci-fi romance to have its due. Give me yearning in space.

By the Light of the Stars is a good entrypoint for romantasy readers looking to dip their toes into science fiction. The world isn’t overly complex, and there aren’t any aliens (yet?). Instead, you have more of a political uprising plotpoint, with the haves vs. the havenots, and two main characters who grew up on completely opposite sides of that spectrum.

Lyrii is the sheltered, scarred FMC suffering from PTSD. Kade is the scoundrel smuggler who helps rescue her from a dangerous situation and shows her a whole new world. It is not a slow-burn romance; expect something closer to instalove as those two fall fast in a short period of time.

The book can feel YA in some ways. The writing style is simple, the spice is glossed over, and the main characters act like those you’d find in YA sci-fi romance. However, what stands out is the violence - it was nice to see the book not shy away, and there are some brutal twists.

One thing I enjoyed in particular was the culture and setting of certain planets. Chinov, with its inhabitants embracing shaved heads, shapeless clothing, and lukewarm, bland food, in a sort of act of piety, made for an intriguing (scary) world.

I’m curious as to where book 2 goes next.

Under the Iron Sky, one of this year’s most anticipated dark fantasy books, is intriguing. It’s not without faults, but there are enough interesting aspects to draw me to read the next book in the trilogy.

Disclaimer: this is based upon a Dramione fanfic, a fact I was unaware of until after I finished the book. I’m not a part of that fandom, so I came into the story fresh and can’t make any comparisons to the original fanfiction.

Soraya, the FMC, is a scrappy engineering genius and a bad*** on the battlefield. She’s relentless and fierce; I picture Emily Blunt’s character in Edge of Tomorrow. Ikarus is more identifiably a Draco Malfoy-type with the same dark, brooding stoicism and unusual hair color. There is a slow-burn romance between Soraya and Ikarus - we’re talking slow-slow, so don’t expect spice here - but it still seems somewhat rushed considering they are mortal enemies and there’s torture involved.

There’s brutal violence, and I like the gritty wartime setting. At the beginning, I thought it was going to lean sci-fi/dystopian, but no, it’s fantasy with faeries, a dragon, and spider people. There’s a whole lot going on with the world, though it’s also weirdly surface level, something I also found with other fanfic adaptations like Alchemised and Rose in Chains.

Ikarus’s circle of friends are all fantasy book archetypes, like they were pulled from a Sarah J. Maas book (there’s a Mor, there’s an Azriel, etc.), but not everything is familiar. The twist at the climax of the book sparked my desire to keep reading the series.

A moving piece of contemporary fiction that calls to mind the 2023 Maui wildfire.

This is a romantic saga between two local kids; one who remains in Hilo, the other who stays away from her hometown to block out the trauma. It's an interesting look at the different responses people can have in the aftermath of disaster and great personal loss.

These characters, much like real people, aren't perfect, and I could see some readers becoming annoyed with impulsive decisions or repeated bouts of withholding information, but this feels true to the characters.

I loved the detailed descriptions of Hilo, the food, and the culture, and the writing is beautiful but easy to read.

This sequel is slow to start (a recap at the beginning would be nice), but it hits its stride in due time. The series is perfect for readers of portal fantasy or epic fantasy who like an ensemble and snarky humor.

Marius and Eric are standout characters, with Eric being the true hero at the center of this series. I wish we got even more than the Marius/Eric breadcrumbs we were given in this book.

Rae and Key’s storyline, while much anticipated and interesting, doesn't go the way I had hoped. While Rae is experiencing some personal growth, I wish she would make smarter decisions (like being honest) and grovel more. She needs to treat people like people rather than pawns.

I like Emer, but her POV chapters didn’t add much to the plot. Her and Lia are essentially just treading water and pop up into the main story at the very end.

New to this book are POVs from Pio, the prime minister, and Caracalla, Marius’s little sister, and while they may be accessories to the plot at most, their chapters are deeply amusing.

There’s a massive cliffhanger (literally), so I hope we see book #3 soon and get a satisfying conclusion.

A cute short story perfect for summer. It left me wishing it was a fully developed novel instead.

I love Pandora, and her banter with Gabriel is top-notch. This is such a fun read.

Not as great as I Wish You Would, the author's last book, but it is just as enjoyable, even for adults who don't usually pick up YA books these days.

This book has a Gossip Girl-type plot with some great emotional moments and reveals.