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Starlight's Shadow #2
Eclipse the Moon
Kee Ildez has been many things: hacker, soldier, bounty hunter. She never expected to be a hero, but when a shadowy group of traitors starts trying to goad the galaxy’s two superpowers into instigating an interstellar war, Kee throws herself into the search to find out who is responsible—and stop them.
Digging up hidden information is her job, so hunting traitors should be a piece of cake, but the primary suspect spent years in the military, and someone powerful is still covering his tracks. Disrupting their plans will require the help of her entire team, including Varro Runkow, a Valovian weapons expert who makes her pulse race.
Quiet, grumpy, and incredibly handsome, Varro watches her with hot eyes but ignores all of her flirting, so Kee silently vows to keep her feelings strictly platonic. But that vow will be put to the test when she and Varro are forced to leave the safety of their ship and venture into enemy territory alone.
Cut off from the rest of their team, they must figure out how to work together—and fast—because a single misstep will cost thousands of lives.
Digging up hidden information is her job, so hunting traitors should be a piece of cake, but the primary suspect spent years in the military, and someone powerful is still covering his tracks. Disrupting their plans will require the help of her entire team, including Varro Runkow, a Valovian weapons expert who makes her pulse race.
Quiet, grumpy, and incredibly handsome, Varro watches her with hot eyes but ignores all of her flirting, so Kee silently vows to keep her feelings strictly platonic. But that vow will be put to the test when she and Varro are forced to leave the safety of their ship and venture into enemy territory alone.
Cut off from the rest of their team, they must figure out how to work together—and fast—because a single misstep will cost thousands of lives.
435 pages, Paperback
First published July 12, 2022
About the author
Jessie Mihalik
11 books1,934 followersJessie Mihalik has a degree in Computer Science and a love of all things geeky. A software engineer by trade, Jessie now writes full time from her home in Texas. When she’s not writing, she can be found playing co-op video games with her husband, trying out new board games, or reading books pulled from her overflowing bookshelves.
Sample chapters of all of my books are available on my website!
The Consortium Rebellion trilogy: Polaris Rising, Aurora Blazing, Chaos Reigning.
The Rogue Queen novellas: The Queen's Gambit, The Queen's Advantage, The Queen's Triumph.
Sample chapters of all of my books are available on my website!
The Consortium Rebellion trilogy: Polaris Rising, Aurora Blazing, Chaos Reigning.
The Rogue Queen novellas: The Queen's Gambit, The Queen's Advantage, The Queen's Triumph.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 608 reviews
September 27, 2022
3.75 stars
Kee Ildez wants to do research to find a group of traitors trying to start an intergalactic war that have also been causing trouble for her and her entire crew. She decides to separate from her ship and stay in a station to get her research done. Varro, a Valovian solider also on the ship, decides to be Kee’s protector on the station. When something goes terribly wrong they must work together to find out who is behind the wrongdoing, and try not to get blamed for it themselves.
If there’s one thing I can’t stand in a romance novel, it’s when there’s so much indecisiveness between the main couple throughout the book. And by that I mean one or both parties acts like they want in and then they back out, it’s a huge pet peeve of mine. And this book was rife with that. I loved the first book in the series, it was a five star read for me. This book was excellent but because Varro kept hedging it took away from my enjoyment of the book overall hence a 3.75 rating (and I am being nice).
While the romance was lacking the rest of the plot was great. One of my favorite aspects of these books is the scifi world building and the political intrigue it’s all so well done. I love going on adventures with these characters and when I read them I feel like I am completely immersed in their world and stories. I love all the side characters and I want all of their stories. Kee I really liked as a heroine, she was strong but emotional, driven but needed to set her own work boundaries. This book could technically be a grumpy sunshine trope, Varro was just more reserved than grumpy.
Kee Ildez wants to do research to find a group of traitors trying to start an intergalactic war that have also been causing trouble for her and her entire crew. She decides to separate from her ship and stay in a station to get her research done. Varro, a Valovian solider also on the ship, decides to be Kee’s protector on the station. When something goes terribly wrong they must work together to find out who is behind the wrongdoing, and try not to get blamed for it themselves.
If there’s one thing I can’t stand in a romance novel, it’s when there’s so much indecisiveness between the main couple throughout the book. And by that I mean one or both parties acts like they want in and then they back out, it’s a huge pet peeve of mine. And this book was rife with that. I loved the first book in the series, it was a five star read for me. This book was excellent but because Varro kept hedging it took away from my enjoyment of the book overall hence a 3.75 rating (and I am being nice).
While the romance was lacking the rest of the plot was great. One of my favorite aspects of these books is the scifi world building and the political intrigue it’s all so well done. I love going on adventures with these characters and when I read them I feel like I am completely immersed in their world and stories. I love all the side characters and I want all of their stories. Kee I really liked as a heroine, she was strong but emotional, driven but needed to set her own work boundaries. This book could technically be a grumpy sunshine trope, Varro was just more reserved than grumpy.
July 22, 2022
If I could sacrifice a kidney for the found family trope in this series- I’d be dead, but happy.
Rating: ✨✨✨✨ 4.2
You know when you’re a teen with parents that asked what you read, finding a New Adult book that doesn’t make you want to cleanse thy mental space with copious amounts of venemous fluid and/or makes you slam the book shut whenever people enter your close vicinity (I did not shut it in time and it STOOD there, RIGHT BESIDE A FAMILY MEMBER ONCE. THE SCREEN- IT HAD WORDS-) and well, traumatize every passerby that just so happens to stumble upon my screeching self- you end up LOVING the book.
Or maybe that was me and this particular series, but let’s pretend things up there **motions dramatically toward scalp** function normally for the sake of this review and uh… people that read this? Let’s go with that.
See, the first book of this possible saga, was my soulmate. Still is, actually. And maybe I loved it more than this one because the MC of that one didn’t have amazing hacking skills I had to strive to comprehend- I’m sorry, I have limited intelligence I only use when specifically needed and while reading, I tend to close off that version of me in a cage with padlocks.
So first book? Amazing, show stopping- fabulous, delicious-
This book? Amazing, show stopping- fabulous, delicious- and incredibly difficult to understand at times.
YET, I ENDED UP LOVING IT. My self-torture tendencies tend to shine in books that make me feel just as mediocre and useless as a bug in a windshield. Swipe, swipe, swipe that ish-
Did I just try to make a rhyming thing and failed spectacularly? **gasp** How dare you make that connection-
Okay, fine, I did.
But what’s fun without a little failure?
**me**
Anyway, back to the book in hand! I’m sure you’ve already gotten hydrated enough for the sort of fangirlnism that will take part in this… thingy magingy.
**Side eye**
Drink water and then come back, porfavor and thank you.
Beginning with the things that got me like ‘IT’S A CRRUEEEEELL SUMMMERRRRR- WITH YOUUUU-’ aka, the things that I really enjoyed. (if you got that reference- ayyyyyyy)
The plot
Although it was complicated and made me want to smash something against someone’s head (really my anger issues talking, but okay), I was so INVESTED in it, I simply couldn’t look away! This is a continuation of the previous book from a different character’s POV and at first, I thought that I wouldn’t like it just because the main character in Hunt The Stars was a queen of the highest DEGREE, but I grew to adore the MC in this one too. The pace was quick, and addictive, though at times got a little too info dump-y on me, if I’m being honest. I love when I get information about a new world, but not in an avalanche type of way, you know? I like it like I like my hot chocolate, in various sips so I don’t run out of it too quickly.
The characters
I would die for these characters. Periodddddd. I would kill for them, too! The dynamics, the relatability, the diversity, the friendships, the FOUND FAMILY. I shall never stop proclaiming how much I absolutely love that trope and everything added to it. Throughout the story I felt their love for each other, the caring nature they all developed and then grew into a more romantic state of matters. The COMMUNICATION evident between all parties made my inner, outer, sideways fangirling self to combust in sparkles because it made her that happy.
I felt like they were real people, not just letters organized for the convenience of the MC. They called her out, they helped her, they cried and suffered and would’ve perished for HER. And the main character felt the same exact way about them! There are way too many characters to properly mention, but just know that if you get into this series, expect your heart to be completely stolen by this cast of beings that are as perfect as they’re beautiful. Inside and out.
The tropes
Annoyance to lovers???? Grumpy- stoic- would sacrifice the world for everyone he cares for love interest and a wild- life loving- hacker- sunshine in a rainbow bucket main character? Found family? Everyoneishot? Love interest cooks for the MC when she’s too busy hacking to pay attention to if she has eaten or not?
LOVE INTEREST STOOD OUTSIDE AND WOULDN’T COME IN UNTIL THE MC WAS COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE WITH HIM HELPING HER- BUT SHE DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS THERE BECAUSE HE’S A TELEPATH AND HE STOOD OUTSIDE ALL NIGHT PROTECTING HER-
My standards have risen to unhealthy levels.
If that doesn’t make you want to read this book, I really don’t know what will.
And did I mention that he’s a weapon specialist who looks like a viking?
Hold me as I jump off a five-foot building with a spoon in hand, please- The spoon is for the dramatics.
The romance
Yes, I did fangirl a little in the ‘Trope’ section of this review, but I cannot contain the amount of enchantment I feel for the romance!
Literally, perfection.
If you thought you knew perfect- nope- THIS is perfect right here. The tension, the sizzling dialogue, the straying glances full of conflict, the CONVERSATIONS THEY HAD- THE FREAKING BANTER- On top of being the freaking cutest banter, they were also so mature and responsible and beautiful and ugh- I want to cry.
But I won’t, you know why?
The love interest
THIS MAN RIGHT HERE IS THE REASON I’M NOT SOBBING RIGHT NOW. Men written by women should be illegal and jailed for mental corruption of the species because I must now create a form for potential suitors to fill, since this MAN right here, he destroyed any possibility of me having a romance anytime soon.
He was selfless and mysterious and kind and strong and gorgeous and cared for people more than himself- HE COOKED AND BAKED COOKIES FOR THE MC-
I’ll go lie down in the highway with an umbrella as it rains, thank you very much.
On a closing note, this book right here is the reason why my reading life has taken a turn for the worst- after I finished this story?? DOWNHILL Y’ALL. DOWN-FREAKING-HILL. Forget about reading slump, this put me in a life slump. The storyline was action packed, compelling and riveting. The characters were enthralling and so so magnificent and the romance??
….
Yeah **intensely holding back tears**
Yeah.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
..................
Forced proximity y’all, omgggg.
Also, *takes deep breath* why does it say it’ll be published this year when in the first book it says next year 🙂🔪
Rating: ✨✨✨✨ 4.2
You know when you’re a teen with parents that asked what you read, finding a New Adult book that doesn’t make you want to cleanse thy mental space with copious amounts of venemous fluid and/or makes you slam the book shut whenever people enter your close vicinity (I did not shut it in time and it STOOD there, RIGHT BESIDE A FAMILY MEMBER ONCE. THE SCREEN- IT HAD WORDS-) and well, traumatize every passerby that just so happens to stumble upon my screeching self- you end up LOVING the book.
Or maybe that was me and this particular series, but let’s pretend things up there **motions dramatically toward scalp** function normally for the sake of this review and uh… people that read this? Let’s go with that.
See, the first book of this possible saga, was my soulmate. Still is, actually. And maybe I loved it more than this one because the MC of that one didn’t have amazing hacking skills I had to strive to comprehend- I’m sorry, I have limited intelligence I only use when specifically needed and while reading, I tend to close off that version of me in a cage with padlocks.
So first book? Amazing, show stopping- fabulous, delicious-
This book? Amazing, show stopping- fabulous, delicious- and incredibly difficult to understand at times.
YET, I ENDED UP LOVING IT. My self-torture tendencies tend to shine in books that make me feel just as mediocre and useless as a bug in a windshield. Swipe, swipe, swipe that ish-
Did I just try to make a rhyming thing and failed spectacularly? **gasp** How dare you make that connection-
Okay, fine, I did.
But what’s fun without a little failure?
**me**
Anyway, back to the book in hand! I’m sure you’ve already gotten hydrated enough for the sort of fangirlnism that will take part in this… thingy magingy.
**Side eye**
Drink water and then come back, porfavor and thank you.
Beginning with the things that got me like ‘IT’S A CRRUEEEEELL SUMMMERRRRR- WITH YOUUUU-’ aka, the things that I really enjoyed. (if you got that reference- ayyyyyyy)
The plot
Although it was complicated and made me want to smash something against someone’s head (really my anger issues talking, but okay), I was so INVESTED in it, I simply couldn’t look away! This is a continuation of the previous book from a different character’s POV and at first, I thought that I wouldn’t like it just because the main character in Hunt The Stars was a queen of the highest DEGREE, but I grew to adore the MC in this one too. The pace was quick, and addictive, though at times got a little too info dump-y on me, if I’m being honest. I love when I get information about a new world, but not in an avalanche type of way, you know? I like it like I like my hot chocolate, in various sips so I don’t run out of it too quickly.
The characters
I would die for these characters. Periodddddd. I would kill for them, too! The dynamics, the relatability, the diversity, the friendships, the FOUND FAMILY. I shall never stop proclaiming how much I absolutely love that trope and everything added to it. Throughout the story I felt their love for each other, the caring nature they all developed and then grew into a more romantic state of matters. The COMMUNICATION evident between all parties made my inner, outer, sideways fangirling self to combust in sparkles because it made her that happy.
I felt like they were real people, not just letters organized for the convenience of the MC. They called her out, they helped her, they cried and suffered and would’ve perished for HER. And the main character felt the same exact way about them! There are way too many characters to properly mention, but just know that if you get into this series, expect your heart to be completely stolen by this cast of beings that are as perfect as they’re beautiful. Inside and out.
The tropes
Annoyance to lovers???? Grumpy- stoic- would sacrifice the world for everyone he cares for love interest and a wild- life loving- hacker- sunshine in a rainbow bucket main character? Found family? Everyoneishot? Love interest cooks for the MC when she’s too busy hacking to pay attention to if she has eaten or not?
LOVE INTEREST STOOD OUTSIDE AND WOULDN’T COME IN UNTIL THE MC WAS COMPLETELY COMFORTABLE WITH HIM HELPING HER- BUT SHE DIDN’T KNOW HE WAS THERE BECAUSE HE’S A TELEPATH AND HE STOOD OUTSIDE ALL NIGHT PROTECTING HER-
My standards have risen to unhealthy levels.
If that doesn’t make you want to read this book, I really don’t know what will.
And did I mention that he’s a weapon specialist who looks like a viking?
Hold me as I jump off a five-foot building with a spoon in hand, please- The spoon is for the dramatics.
The romance
Yes, I did fangirl a little in the ‘Trope’ section of this review, but I cannot contain the amount of enchantment I feel for the romance!
Literally, perfection.
If you thought you knew perfect- nope- THIS is perfect right here. The tension, the sizzling dialogue, the straying glances full of conflict, the CONVERSATIONS THEY HAD- THE FREAKING BANTER- On top of being the freaking cutest banter, they were also so mature and responsible and beautiful and ugh- I want to cry.
But I won’t, you know why?
The love interest
THIS MAN RIGHT HERE IS THE REASON I’M NOT SOBBING RIGHT NOW. Men written by women should be illegal and jailed for mental corruption of the species because I must now create a form for potential suitors to fill, since this MAN right here, he destroyed any possibility of me having a romance anytime soon.
He was selfless and mysterious and kind and strong and gorgeous and cared for people more than himself- HE COOKED AND BAKED COOKIES FOR THE MC-
I’ll go lie down in the highway with an umbrella as it rains, thank you very much.
On a closing note, this book right here is the reason why my reading life has taken a turn for the worst- after I finished this story?? DOWNHILL Y’ALL. DOWN-FREAKING-HILL. Forget about reading slump, this put me in a life slump. The storyline was action packed, compelling and riveting. The characters were enthralling and so so magnificent and the romance??
….
Yeah **intensely holding back tears**
Yeah.
Thank you Netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!
..................
Forced proximity y’all, omgggg.
Also, *takes deep breath* why does it say it’ll be published this year when in the first book it says next year 🙂🔪
July 13, 2022
3.3 stars
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I'd wanted Varro from the moment I'd laid eyes on him, and that instant, fierce attraction had only grown into deeper affection the more I'd gotten to know him.
Falling in love in a space opera is never really a good idea but lucky for us readers, Kee can't help herself as soon as she gets a look at Varro. Eclipse the Moon is second in the Starlight's Shadow series and you're going to want to read the first, Hunt the Stars, before you embark on this journey. Kee is the Starlight's resident hacker, tiny but fierce, not afraid to let out a good cry, and, sometimes, dangerously optimistic. When the war between the Federated Human Planets (FHP) and Valovians managed to come to a tentative peace three years ago, Kee joined the crew of the Starlight, which consists of her found family of Captain Tavi (Hunt the Stars), Eli, newcomer Anja, and sometimes Lexi. In the first book, all the introductions are made and we see the Starlight's human crew get joined by a crew of Valovians, Chira, Havil, Varro, and General Torran. Tavi and Torran fall in love and, oh yeah, they save the Valovian Empress' heir while uncovering a tangled weave of possible traitors, treason, and warmongers who seem to be lead by an FHP Commodore Morten with maybe help from a Valovian Sun Guardian. I liked how the author didn't info dump what happened last book but interwoven some key details that happened in the first but it's a subtle recap that wouldn't work for a new reader.
“I didn't know,” he said, his voice rough.
I nodded, glad, at least, that my feelings hadn't been so obvious. “That was the point.”
“No,” he said, something fierce and dark in his tone, “I didn't know.”
This starts off pretty soon after the first ended and the Starlight's crew and newly joined Valovians have decided to try and ferret out Morten to expose and stop any possible plans he has for reigniting the war. As the computer expert, Kee has been trying to search for Morten online and with her feeling her attraction towards Varro isn't reciprocated, she makes plans to be dropped off a space station that is having a first of it's kind collaboration fashion show between humans and Valoffs because her instincts are telling her it could be a cover for something else. Of course, Varro ends up on the space station with her and we get a one bedroom (but bunkbeds!) forced proximity couple weeks of them together. This is told in first person pov all from Kee, so you know what I'm going to say, I missed reading Varro's thoughts. There was some delicious tension in the beginning, especially since Kee and Varro are pretty much alone together, so the story gets to really focus on them but every time they start to get closer, Kee comes right out and tells Varro she like likes him at 20%, something has Varro pulling away. Look, since this is romance, it's obvious Varro wants Kee but I want to experience, feel it in a way that most often comes from reading a character's thoughts and emotions, not solely mannerisms and actions. Getting his thoughts and emotions would have also helped with his characterization immensely, too. I never felt like I had a good look at his character, I needed more on his background and why his powers were stronger than the other Valoffs. So, while we definitely get a good amount of our leads together, the instant attraction that started in the first book, gets repeated here and I missed getting more depth between them and from Varro.
Hope fizzed through my veins. Was it possible that we'd both thought we were being obvious, and we'd both been oblivious? My fingertips tingled with a combination of nerves and excitement, and I couldn't help the smile blooming on my lips. “We have got to work on our communication.”
Varro's gaze moved over my face with the kind of intent focus that made the butterflies take flight again. “Agreed,” he murmured, his voice a soothing rumble.
While I enjoyed the first half with Kee and Varro getting to spend some together, there was too much explanation and story given to Kee searching computer systems for Morten, especially since I don't think it's ever given a payoff, in the end she doesn't find Morten that way, so it made all that computer talk feel pretty pointless and dragged the pace down. The Starlight's crew that we got to know and care about from the first also takes a backseat in the first half as Kee and Varro meet and make new friends. When the fashion show gets attacked, Kee, Varro, and now the Starlight crew comes back into the picture, are suddenly on a mission to rescue the two lead fashion designers, one of the fashion designers security, and Liang, one of the Empress' sons who made a surprise appearance at the show. The second half gives us more of that space political drama and the crew is back to rescuing, trying to figure out if it's humans or Valoffs working to spark the war back up, and Morten and the telekinetic Sun Guardian pop back up.
Varro cupped my jaw and tipped my head up until he could meet my eyes. “Cho wubr chil tavoz,” he murmured.
My life for yours.
The last 30% was a lot of action with the romance getting left in the dust more but the last 15 pages gave us a bedroom scene between Kee and Varro that felt a bit jolting because of the previous 400 pages of, mostly, there was two scenes of heaving making out, kisses. Varro also drops one or two lines of dirty talk that nicely had my eyes widen but mostly I was wondering where in the world did it come from; that whole missing a lot of Varro's characterization. I liked the thought of Kee and Varro together and they delivered on some moments but their relationship development wasn't deep enough for me and had one too many stop and go moments.
Eli winced. “You know I don't love the status quo.”
“But are you willing to do anything about it?” I demanded softly.
The crew manages to survive this battle but with some known and unknown villains still in the wind, their work isn't done but this time, they'll have an FHP Admiral in the wings. I was a little disappointed that Lexi and Nilo, we get to know them a little bit in the first, didn't show up here at all and the next in the series looks to star them. The author managed to grow this fun space opera world nicely and from what I remember, Lexi and Nilo had some eye-catching unresolved tension between them, so I'll be looking forward to the third book, hoping Morten gets his due and finding out more about a certain Sun Guardian.
I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.
I'd wanted Varro from the moment I'd laid eyes on him, and that instant, fierce attraction had only grown into deeper affection the more I'd gotten to know him.
Falling in love in a space opera is never really a good idea but lucky for us readers, Kee can't help herself as soon as she gets a look at Varro. Eclipse the Moon is second in the Starlight's Shadow series and you're going to want to read the first, Hunt the Stars, before you embark on this journey. Kee is the Starlight's resident hacker, tiny but fierce, not afraid to let out a good cry, and, sometimes, dangerously optimistic. When the war between the Federated Human Planets (FHP) and Valovians managed to come to a tentative peace three years ago, Kee joined the crew of the Starlight, which consists of her found family of Captain Tavi (Hunt the Stars), Eli, newcomer Anja, and sometimes Lexi. In the first book, all the introductions are made and we see the Starlight's human crew get joined by a crew of Valovians, Chira, Havil, Varro, and General Torran. Tavi and Torran fall in love and, oh yeah, they save the Valovian Empress' heir while uncovering a tangled weave of possible traitors, treason, and warmongers who seem to be lead by an FHP Commodore Morten with maybe help from a Valovian Sun Guardian. I liked how the author didn't info dump what happened last book but interwoven some key details that happened in the first but it's a subtle recap that wouldn't work for a new reader.
“I didn't know,” he said, his voice rough.
I nodded, glad, at least, that my feelings hadn't been so obvious. “That was the point.”
“No,” he said, something fierce and dark in his tone, “I didn't know.”
This starts off pretty soon after the first ended and the Starlight's crew and newly joined Valovians have decided to try and ferret out Morten to expose and stop any possible plans he has for reigniting the war. As the computer expert, Kee has been trying to search for Morten online and with her feeling her attraction towards Varro isn't reciprocated, she makes plans to be dropped off a space station that is having a first of it's kind collaboration fashion show between humans and Valoffs because her instincts are telling her it could be a cover for something else. Of course, Varro ends up on the space station with her and we get a one bedroom (but bunkbeds!) forced proximity couple weeks of them together. This is told in first person pov all from Kee, so you know what I'm going to say, I missed reading Varro's thoughts. There was some delicious tension in the beginning, especially since Kee and Varro are pretty much alone together, so the story gets to really focus on them but every time they start to get closer, Kee comes right out and tells Varro she like likes him at 20%, something has Varro pulling away. Look, since this is romance, it's obvious Varro wants Kee but I want to experience, feel it in a way that most often comes from reading a character's thoughts and emotions, not solely mannerisms and actions. Getting his thoughts and emotions would have also helped with his characterization immensely, too. I never felt like I had a good look at his character, I needed more on his background and why his powers were stronger than the other Valoffs. So, while we definitely get a good amount of our leads together, the instant attraction that started in the first book, gets repeated here and I missed getting more depth between them and from Varro.
Hope fizzed through my veins. Was it possible that we'd both thought we were being obvious, and we'd both been oblivious? My fingertips tingled with a combination of nerves and excitement, and I couldn't help the smile blooming on my lips. “We have got to work on our communication.”
Varro's gaze moved over my face with the kind of intent focus that made the butterflies take flight again. “Agreed,” he murmured, his voice a soothing rumble.
While I enjoyed the first half with Kee and Varro getting to spend some together, there was too much explanation and story given to Kee searching computer systems for Morten, especially since I don't think it's ever given a payoff, in the end she doesn't find Morten that way, so it made all that computer talk feel pretty pointless and dragged the pace down. The Starlight's crew that we got to know and care about from the first also takes a backseat in the first half as Kee and Varro meet and make new friends. When the fashion show gets attacked, Kee, Varro, and now the Starlight crew comes back into the picture, are suddenly on a mission to rescue the two lead fashion designers, one of the fashion designers security, and Liang, one of the Empress' sons who made a surprise appearance at the show. The second half gives us more of that space political drama and the crew is back to rescuing, trying to figure out if it's humans or Valoffs working to spark the war back up, and Morten and the telekinetic Sun Guardian pop back up.
Varro cupped my jaw and tipped my head up until he could meet my eyes. “Cho wubr chil tavoz,” he murmured.
My life for yours.
The last 30% was a lot of action with the romance getting left in the dust more but the last 15 pages gave us a bedroom scene between Kee and Varro that felt a bit jolting because of the previous 400 pages of, mostly, there was two scenes of heaving making out, kisses. Varro also drops one or two lines of dirty talk that nicely had my eyes widen but mostly I was wondering where in the world did it come from; that whole missing a lot of Varro's characterization. I liked the thought of Kee and Varro together and they delivered on some moments but their relationship development wasn't deep enough for me and had one too many stop and go moments.
Eli winced. “You know I don't love the status quo.”
“But are you willing to do anything about it?” I demanded softly.
The crew manages to survive this battle but with some known and unknown villains still in the wind, their work isn't done but this time, they'll have an FHP Admiral in the wings. I was a little disappointed that Lexi and Nilo, we get to know them a little bit in the first, didn't show up here at all and the next in the series looks to star them. The author managed to grow this fun space opera world nicely and from what I remember, Lexi and Nilo had some eye-catching unresolved tension between them, so I'll be looking forward to the third book, hoping Morten gets his due and finding out more about a certain Sun Guardian.
January 28, 2024
This book came available at the library much sooner than I thought it might. This event was both good and bad. I'm trying to clear the decks before a book bingo game and instead I am unwilling to return this book and get it again later. Nope! It's bad enough that I will have to wait until next year to read the third book in this series. So, I was excited to get my paws on it, but it's messing with my deck-clearing mission.
So my complaint about book one was the rapid pace of the romance in it. But Torran and Tavi took their time compared to Kee and Varro. As the novel opens, Kee is trying to find a way to get some physical distance from Varro, convinced that he finds her annoying rather than attractive. She explains her desire to stay on the space station Bastion to Tavi, giving three motivations: get her emotions regarding Varro under control, do some indepth research, and to hang around the fringes of a prestigious fashion show. But it turns out that Varro feels the need to protect her and insists on getting to stay on the station too. Of course she finds him lurking and a lot of the book revolves around their struggle to figure out what their relationship actually is.
But it's not all about the romance. We also meet a snooty fashion designer, one of her security staff, and a Valovian royal, all at the fashion event. Kee gets recruited by the designer to model one of her dresses at a party and things really get going from there! There are evil traitors (human and Valovian), shadowy military bases, unforeseen technology, and complicated capers galore.
This fictional universe is really growing on me, yet another reason that I would like the romances to stretch out a bit. More books. Please, Ms. Mihalik, more books.
So my complaint about book one was the rapid pace of the romance in it. But Torran and Tavi took their time compared to Kee and Varro. As the novel opens, Kee is trying to find a way to get some physical distance from Varro, convinced that he finds her annoying rather than attractive. She explains her desire to stay on the space station Bastion to Tavi, giving three motivations: get her emotions regarding Varro under control, do some indepth research, and to hang around the fringes of a prestigious fashion show. But it turns out that Varro feels the need to protect her and insists on getting to stay on the station too. Of course she finds him lurking and a lot of the book revolves around their struggle to figure out what their relationship actually is.
But it's not all about the romance. We also meet a snooty fashion designer, one of her security staff, and a Valovian royal, all at the fashion event. Kee gets recruited by the designer to model one of her dresses at a party and things really get going from there! There are evil traitors (human and Valovian), shadowy military bases, unforeseen technology, and complicated capers galore.
This fictional universe is really growing on me, yet another reason that I would like the romances to stretch out a bit. More books. Please, Ms. Mihalik, more books.
August 31, 2022
This is second in a sci-fi romance series and events and characters carry over from the first. I recommend reading in order.
This was exactly what I expected in the broad strokes. Lots of action/adventure. Lots of getting to know each other and finding their compatibilities. Kee and Varro had a lot of communication issues/misreads to work through and it took them a long time to do it. And that was a little frustrating. Their respect for one-another held me through, though, as it was clear from the start that they each held the other in the highest esteem.
And I liked the pairing of a high-level telepath and the top-tier hacker. They're natural compliments and seeing them work together was fun.
I don't have a lot more to say than that, I suppose. The plot was okay. I'm a bit tired of the over-arching plot and forever chasing after the two bad guys who have thwarted them twice, now. It's a tired pattern and I can't tell you how much I hope that doesn't reprise yet again in the next. I'm going give this 4½ stars and I'm torn on rounding up or down. The longer I think about it, the less impressed I find things. Like, the empathic feedback was all upside because neither ever got grumpy at the other or exasperated or any of those normal emotions that make it really good that your spouse isn't in your head all the time. So let's call it a strong four stars on rounding?
A note about Steamy: There's enough to amount to two explicit sex scenes putting this in the middle of my steam tolerance. Seriously, though, I skimmed more than not. It was completely gratuitous and felt more than a little tacked on.
This was exactly what I expected in the broad strokes. Lots of action/adventure. Lots of getting to know each other and finding their compatibilities. Kee and Varro had a lot of communication issues/misreads to work through and it took them a long time to do it. And that was a little frustrating. Their respect for one-another held me through, though, as it was clear from the start that they each held the other in the highest esteem.
And I liked the pairing of a high-level telepath and the top-tier hacker. They're natural compliments and seeing them work together was fun.
I don't have a lot more to say than that, I suppose. The plot was okay. I'm a bit tired of the over-arching plot and forever chasing after the two bad guys who have thwarted them twice, now. It's a tired pattern and I can't tell you how much I hope that doesn't reprise yet again in the next. I'm going give this 4½ stars and I'm torn on rounding up or down. The longer I think about it, the less impressed I find things. Like, the empathic feedback was all upside because neither ever got grumpy at the other or exasperated or any of those normal emotions that make it really good that your spouse isn't in your head all the time. So let's call it a strong four stars on rounding?
A note about Steamy: There's enough to amount to two explicit sex scenes putting this in the middle of my steam tolerance. Seriously, though, I skimmed more than not. It was completely gratuitous and felt more than a little tacked on.
August 8, 2022
I LOVED Hunt the Stars so I bought this one straight away and started listening, ASSUMING I was going to adore this one also. But I actually didn't like it much at all!
The second installment of Starlight's Shadow focuses on Kee and Varro. Sure we thought this may happen because there were heaps of sparks flying between them in Hunt the Stars, and with some unrequited feelings Kee heads off to a space station to do some investigative hacking work.. ALONE. So surprise surprise when she realises that she has company.
Oh man this book was bad compared to the first one. Kee, the damsal in distress. Yes she is a hacker, but do I want to hear about hacking through the whole book? No. She has made Kee into this silly character that cries ALL THE TIME for no reason, sure I love a character to be 'emotional', but come on.
The relationship between them was unbelievable and silly. It was not sexy at all. And what on earth was with the cookies?
Unfortunately, this one did not hit the mark for me at all.
The second installment of Starlight's Shadow focuses on Kee and Varro. Sure we thought this may happen because there were heaps of sparks flying between them in Hunt the Stars, and with some unrequited feelings Kee heads off to a space station to do some investigative hacking work.. ALONE. So surprise surprise when she realises that she has company.
Oh man this book was bad compared to the first one. Kee, the damsal in distress. Yes she is a hacker, but do I want to hear about hacking through the whole book? No. She has made Kee into this silly character that cries ALL THE TIME for no reason, sure I love a character to be 'emotional', but come on.
The relationship between them was unbelievable and silly. It was not sexy at all. And what on earth was with the cookies?
Unfortunately, this one did not hit the mark for me at all.
December 7, 2022
I love the characters in this space opera series and I could definitely read more than 3 books with them. That being said I was particularly excited for Kee’s book - you have to love the sunny charismatic one. I liked the relationship with Varro (grump with sunny is a great trope). Kee has decided she needs to stay on station to really delve into her hacking so they can find Morten and truly stop the war from restarting. She also figures this will be good space from her unrequited crush on Varro. Imagine her surprise when Varro tracks her down and refuses to allow her to remain unprotected and hello forced proximity! I can’t wait for the next book in this series, such a great world to escape to!
March 2, 2022
I received an ARC from Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Hunt the Stars is one of my favourite books I've read this year. The delicious scenes between Kee and Varro made me so excited for Eclipse the Moon. And oh man, I am SO SAD that I didn't vibe with this book 😭
The overarching plot from Hunt the Stars continues in Eclipse the Moon. I recommend reading this series in order. The build up for Kee and Varro is SO GOOD in Hunt the Stars, but that build up is missing in Eclipse the Moon. A flashback of Kee and Varro's first meeting and subsequent misunderstanding as some sort of prologue would have been a good addition. I needed to read about it from Kee's POV. Reading it from Tavi's POV in Hunt the Stars simply wasn't enough for me.
That being said, there was still some tension and lots of mutual pining between Varro and Kee during the first act of Eclipse the Moon. I love the arc where Varro and Kee are forced to stay in the same room and share the same bunkbed. The tension was really well-written, even if there were some missed forced proximity opportunities that the author could (and should) have taken advantage of.
The first act is really well-written: the plot and romance were both moving along at a steady pace. But then chaos ensues and the romance between Kee and Varro takes a backseat. The romance is sorely lacking in pacing and development, especially when compared to Hunt the Stars, where the romance and the plot worked in tandem with each other. Varro was also too stubborn for my liking. I don't want to keep comparing Eclipse the Moon with Hunt the Stars, but the conflict between Torran and Tavi was a lot more tangible and their motivation made a lot more sense to me. I understand the Valovian cultural importance of "a vow to protect a life." But Varro's stubbornness and his lack of motivation to come up with alternate ways to fix things is not a good enough conflict. It felt like Kee was the only one putting in all the work in their relationship. The "it's my fault" and "I broke my vow" and "I don't deserve you" aspects of the romantic conflict are all extremely frustrating and repetitive.
Furthermore, there are too many detailed chapters dedicated to Kee doing her technical work. I did not need all these technical details to understand that Kee was hacking her way into various databases. The plot is also complicated, repetitive, and goes around in circles. The plot gets further bogged down by the introduction of a bunch of new characters. This series already has a big cast of characters. Adding a whole new set of supporting characters is completely unnecessary. Why not work with the characters we already have? These new characters take so much space in the story that there is barely any space left for the romance to develop in a meaningful way. I wish the story was a lot more focused on the romance and the characters we already know. I feel like I only know Kee and Varro on a superficial level. We only get the smallest hints here and there about their respective pasts and the heavy plotline in this book doesn't allow the reader to establish a deeper connection with the main leads.
Jessie Mihalik is really good at writing romance and she can most definitely write books with the perfect balance of plot and romance. Unfortunately, this book has an unequal balance of romance and plot. Despite my numerous complaints, the romance is not a lost cause because Kee and Varro do share some sweet and romantic moments at the very end. Plus, Varro has a pretty epic romantic hero moment during the climax, which I LOVED.
I think the next book will be about Lexi and Nilo. And it looks like we'll be getting a change of scenery. I hope the next book is as good as Hunt the Stars.
Hunt the Stars is one of my favourite books I've read this year. The delicious scenes between Kee and Varro made me so excited for Eclipse the Moon. And oh man, I am SO SAD that I didn't vibe with this book 😭
The overarching plot from Hunt the Stars continues in Eclipse the Moon. I recommend reading this series in order. The build up for Kee and Varro is SO GOOD in Hunt the Stars, but that build up is missing in Eclipse the Moon. A flashback of Kee and Varro's first meeting and subsequent misunderstanding as some sort of prologue would have been a good addition. I needed to read about it from Kee's POV. Reading it from Tavi's POV in Hunt the Stars simply wasn't enough for me.
That being said, there was still some tension and lots of mutual pining between Varro and Kee during the first act of Eclipse the Moon. I love the arc where Varro and Kee are forced to stay in the same room and share the same bunkbed. The tension was really well-written, even if there were some missed forced proximity opportunities that the author could (and should) have taken advantage of.
The first act is really well-written: the plot and romance were both moving along at a steady pace. But then chaos ensues and the romance between Kee and Varro takes a backseat. The romance is sorely lacking in pacing and development, especially when compared to Hunt the Stars, where the romance and the plot worked in tandem with each other. Varro was also too stubborn for my liking. I don't want to keep comparing Eclipse the Moon with Hunt the Stars, but the conflict between Torran and Tavi was a lot more tangible and their motivation made a lot more sense to me. I understand the Valovian cultural importance of "a vow to protect a life." But Varro's stubbornness and his lack of motivation to come up with alternate ways to fix things is not a good enough conflict. It felt like Kee was the only one putting in all the work in their relationship. The "it's my fault" and "I broke my vow" and "I don't deserve you" aspects of the romantic conflict are all extremely frustrating and repetitive.
Furthermore, there are too many detailed chapters dedicated to Kee doing her technical work. I did not need all these technical details to understand that Kee was hacking her way into various databases. The plot is also complicated, repetitive, and goes around in circles. The plot gets further bogged down by the introduction of a bunch of new characters. This series already has a big cast of characters. Adding a whole new set of supporting characters is completely unnecessary. Why not work with the characters we already have? These new characters take so much space in the story that there is barely any space left for the romance to develop in a meaningful way. I wish the story was a lot more focused on the romance and the characters we already know. I feel like I only know Kee and Varro on a superficial level. We only get the smallest hints here and there about their respective pasts and the heavy plotline in this book doesn't allow the reader to establish a deeper connection with the main leads.
Jessie Mihalik is really good at writing romance and she can most definitely write books with the perfect balance of plot and romance. Unfortunately, this book has an unequal balance of romance and plot. Despite my numerous complaints, the romance is not a lost cause because Kee and Varro do share some sweet and romantic moments at the very end. Plus, Varro has a pretty epic romantic hero moment during the climax, which I LOVED.
I think the next book will be about Lexi and Nilo. And it looks like we'll be getting a change of scenery. I hope the next book is as good as Hunt the Stars.
July 6, 2022
I was excited to read Kee and Varro’s story after their explosive chemistry in Hunt the Stars. They have that grumpy/sunshine dynamic that always makes for a fun romance, and their high-stakes journey is a wild ride.
Kee is such a fantastic protagonist. She is so smart and a super talented hacker, and she is an enormous asset to her team, though she doesn’t realize it. She goes through a lot over the course of the story, and I like that she starts to see herself differently. Kee is a crier, but that doesn’t mean she’s weak. She feels deeply, and that isn’t a liability. I love that Kee starts to see that these qualities she always thought were faults are actually some of her best strengths.
Varro is the grumpy to Kee’s sunshine personality. Opposite to Kee in many ways. Varro rarely shows his emotions. He has a powerful ability that forces him to keep a tight leash on his feelings so that he doesn’t impose on other people’s will. Because of this, he is difficult to read, as Kee learns throughout the story.
Kee and Varro have a great romance. They have so much chemistry, and their feelings for each other are intense. I love the forced proximity scenes when the couple shares a very confined room. The tension is off the charts! Plus, the little ways that Varro shows Kee he cares are so sweet, and his nickname for her is lovely. Personally, I think everyone deserves a sexy alien who bakes delicious cookies. However, some of their conversations felt repetitive, and I wanted to shake Varro and make him explain things to Kee. They both struggle to communicate their feelings, and they rehash the same argument several times with little change, which is frustrating. That being said, their sexy scenes overall love story more than made up for it.
The story also has a ton of action, epic space adventure, and a lot of nail-biting intensity, which I loved. Set in a place that is tentatively at peace after decades of war, there is a lot at stake, and it’s clear that there are some who want to break the hard-fought truce. The Starlight crew is determined to help maintain peace and root out the people intent on destroying it. Espionage, kidnappings, daring and dangerous rescue missions, and more had me eagerly turning the pages to find out where Kee and Varro and the rest of the crew’s journey would lead. Speaking of the crew, I adore the Starlight members and the found family vibes. They are an amazing unit, and I love that we learn more about them and how they are meshing as a team.
Overall, I thought this was a great addition to the Starlight’s Shadow series, and I can’t wait to read the next book. There are several potential love stories that I would love to see, and I can’t get enough of the characters and intriguing space politics and intrigue. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
Kee is such a fantastic protagonist. She is so smart and a super talented hacker, and she is an enormous asset to her team, though she doesn’t realize it. She goes through a lot over the course of the story, and I like that she starts to see herself differently. Kee is a crier, but that doesn’t mean she’s weak. She feels deeply, and that isn’t a liability. I love that Kee starts to see that these qualities she always thought were faults are actually some of her best strengths.
Varro is the grumpy to Kee’s sunshine personality. Opposite to Kee in many ways. Varro rarely shows his emotions. He has a powerful ability that forces him to keep a tight leash on his feelings so that he doesn’t impose on other people’s will. Because of this, he is difficult to read, as Kee learns throughout the story.
Kee and Varro have a great romance. They have so much chemistry, and their feelings for each other are intense. I love the forced proximity scenes when the couple shares a very confined room. The tension is off the charts! Plus, the little ways that Varro shows Kee he cares are so sweet, and his nickname for her is lovely. Personally, I think everyone deserves a sexy alien who bakes delicious cookies. However, some of their conversations felt repetitive, and I wanted to shake Varro and make him explain things to Kee. They both struggle to communicate their feelings, and they rehash the same argument several times with little change, which is frustrating. That being said, their sexy scenes overall love story more than made up for it.
The story also has a ton of action, epic space adventure, and a lot of nail-biting intensity, which I loved. Set in a place that is tentatively at peace after decades of war, there is a lot at stake, and it’s clear that there are some who want to break the hard-fought truce. The Starlight crew is determined to help maintain peace and root out the people intent on destroying it. Espionage, kidnappings, daring and dangerous rescue missions, and more had me eagerly turning the pages to find out where Kee and Varro and the rest of the crew’s journey would lead. Speaking of the crew, I adore the Starlight members and the found family vibes. They are an amazing unit, and I love that we learn more about them and how they are meshing as a team.
Overall, I thought this was a great addition to the Starlight’s Shadow series, and I can’t wait to read the next book. There are several potential love stories that I would love to see, and I can’t get enough of the characters and intriguing space politics and intrigue. Thanks to NetGalley and Harper Voyager for providing me with a copy of the book. All thoughts are my own.
July 9, 2022
I was really looking forward to Kee and Varro's story, but unfortunately this one didn't quite hit the mark for me. The story started off strong and I liked the set up and initial forced proximity, but as the story progressed, it shifted more towards the sci-fi side and less towards romance. The amount of technical detail in the novel was overwhelming. So much page time was devoted to describing what Kee was doing to hack into the systems or the different technology she was using/encountering. It made the pacing of the book very slow and I found myself eventually skimming these sections.
The chemistry between grumpy Varro and sunshine Kee never really took off and I found the romance overall really lacking. I enjoyed the "protect you at any cost" drama at first, but I grew tired of the repeated push away. The romance just didn't flow naturally for me. I was happy to finally have some spicy scenes at the end, but it took so long to get there that they felt almost like they were thrown in so that the romance box could be checked.
I both read the ebook and listened to the audiobook and Frankie Corzo did a great job with the narration. I did have a little trouble distinguishing between Tavi and Kee as well as Torran and Varro at times, but overall it was an enjoyable listening experience. The book doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but there is a plotline that continues from book 1. I really wanted to love this one, but sadly it ended up being just OK.
Audiobook Review
Overall 3.5 stars
Performance 4 stars
Story 3 stars
CW: mentions/descriptions of: fighting, death, kidnapping, torture, explosions, computer hacking, healing from extensive injuries, war/the threat of war, etc.
*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*
The chemistry between grumpy Varro and sunshine Kee never really took off and I found the romance overall really lacking. I enjoyed the "protect you at any cost" drama at first, but I grew tired of the repeated push away. The romance just didn't flow naturally for me. I was happy to finally have some spicy scenes at the end, but it took so long to get there that they felt almost like they were thrown in so that the romance box could be checked.
I both read the ebook and listened to the audiobook and Frankie Corzo did a great job with the narration. I did have a little trouble distinguishing between Tavi and Kee as well as Torran and Varro at times, but overall it was an enjoyable listening experience. The book doesn't end on a cliffhanger, but there is a plotline that continues from book 1. I really wanted to love this one, but sadly it ended up being just OK.
Audiobook Review
Overall 3.5 stars
Performance 4 stars
Story 3 stars
CW: mentions/descriptions of: fighting, death, kidnapping, torture, explosions, computer hacking, healing from extensive injuries, war/the threat of war, etc.
*I voluntarily read and listened to a review copy of this book*
June 30, 2022
This second installment of the series gives us space adventures galore but I was underwhelmed by the romance.
The romance conflict hinges on the heroine lusting after hero but thinking he is avoiding her while he is avoiding her because her is attracted to her but feels he can't protect her the way he has too. It is messy and based on a very antiquated sense of chivalry and obligation which was difficult for me to reconcile with the hyper modern space world the story is set in.
I feel the Valovians with all there psychic powers and paranormal abilities are similar to Nalini Singh's psys which I don't mind in principle but the similarity did stand out to me.
I liked Varro for the most part though his sense of guilt and failure over impossible tasks he set to himself became too much. It made sense initially but then it became annoying as it happened over and over again.
Kee was nice enough, a bit your stereotypical hacker girl - a bit wild, a bit loner, smart but not as physically strong as her teammates which made her insecure. In her personal relationship she felt she was too much to her lover - too forward, too emotional (things she has been told by previous partners) and that made her guarded and worried that it would be the same for him.
They kept getting to try to be together only to be pulled apart either by cuircustmace (they are amid a wild chase with the bad guys in space) or by their own feelings of guilt / sense of obligation.
While I enjoyed and was fully invested in the suspense and adventure elements of the story, I felt the romantic arc was unevenly paced. It is not closed door romance but the sex scene (explicit) only happens after 90% mark. I would not describe it as slow burn but rather as a kind of delayed gratification and didn't work for me. Out of the blue we get some domination/submission dynamic thrown in - it honestly felt like Kee and Varro became different people, not the characters I have followed along in the story so far. The romance didn't flow smoothly for me, too many elements in it didn't fit with each other. Of course, this is all subjective interpretation but it's how I read it and why I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.
I have come to realize that Jessie Mihalik's book are more about the space adventures than the romance but when I find the romance unevenly paced and not convincing, I don't know if I will continue with this series. Depends on the MCs, I still might give the next book a go.
CWL: violence, injuries, abduction,
The romance conflict hinges on the heroine lusting after hero but thinking he is avoiding her while he is avoiding her because her is attracted to her but feels he can't protect her the way he has too. It is messy and based on a very antiquated sense of chivalry and obligation which was difficult for me to reconcile with the hyper modern space world the story is set in.
I feel the Valovians with all there psychic powers and paranormal abilities are similar to Nalini Singh's psys which I don't mind in principle but the similarity did stand out to me.
I liked Varro for the most part though his sense of guilt and failure over impossible tasks he set to himself became too much. It made sense initially but then it became annoying as it happened over and over again.
Kee was nice enough, a bit your stereotypical hacker girl - a bit wild, a bit loner, smart but not as physically strong as her teammates which made her insecure. In her personal relationship she felt she was too much to her lover - too forward, too emotional (things she has been told by previous partners) and that made her guarded and worried that it would be the same for him.
They kept getting to try to be together only to be pulled apart either by cuircustmace (they are amid a wild chase with the bad guys in space) or by their own feelings of guilt / sense of obligation.
While I enjoyed and was fully invested in the suspense and adventure elements of the story, I felt the romantic arc was unevenly paced. It is not closed door romance but the sex scene (explicit) only happens after 90% mark. I would not describe it as slow burn but rather as a kind of delayed gratification and didn't work for me. Out of the blue we get some domination/submission dynamic thrown in - it honestly felt like Kee and Varro became different people, not the characters I have followed along in the story so far. The romance didn't flow smoothly for me, too many elements in it didn't fit with each other. Of course, this is all subjective interpretation but it's how I read it and why I didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.
I have come to realize that Jessie Mihalik's book are more about the space adventures than the romance but when I find the romance unevenly paced and not convincing, I don't know if I will continue with this series. Depends on the MCs, I still might give the next book a go.
CWL: violence, injuries, abduction,
September 6, 2023
3.5/5.0
For anyone who loves believable science fiction with a great blend of romance, this is absolutely the book to choose! And, although it is the second in a series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone (although it would be a shame because the first book is just as exciting and sets-up much of the backstory).
Kee is the spark that lights this story. Her optimistic and open attitude is the refreshing counter-balance to both the heavy story-line and the closed personality of Varro. Together, however, these two are magic! Varro does not express himself at all and holds his emotions strictly tied down. Kee cries easily, loves hard and opens herself to those around her. Neither understand the other but both desperately want to. It's a dance that is a delight to experience. There are times that the non-communication gets frustrating, as each assumes rather than speaks, to the point of redundancy. But as the story progresses, the layers unfold and readers are gifted with a love that is not only claimed but deeply understood.
The Sci-Fi action and intrigue is no less engaging, as well! The worlds are believable, the intrigues and danger is nail-biting and the action is edge of your seat! There are rescues gone awry, traitors at every turn and above all, loyalty and family among devoted and determined friends that overcome all adversity. With only a few small glitches, this is truly a story not to miss!
*Copy provided by the publisher but does not in anyway affect my opinion*
For anyone who loves believable science fiction with a great blend of romance, this is absolutely the book to choose! And, although it is the second in a series, it can easily be read as a stand-alone (although it would be a shame because the first book is just as exciting and sets-up much of the backstory).
Kee is the spark that lights this story. Her optimistic and open attitude is the refreshing counter-balance to both the heavy story-line and the closed personality of Varro. Together, however, these two are magic! Varro does not express himself at all and holds his emotions strictly tied down. Kee cries easily, loves hard and opens herself to those around her. Neither understand the other but both desperately want to. It's a dance that is a delight to experience. There are times that the non-communication gets frustrating, as each assumes rather than speaks, to the point of redundancy. But as the story progresses, the layers unfold and readers are gifted with a love that is not only claimed but deeply understood.
The Sci-Fi action and intrigue is no less engaging, as well! The worlds are believable, the intrigues and danger is nail-biting and the action is edge of your seat! There are rescues gone awry, traitors at every turn and above all, loyalty and family among devoted and determined friends that overcome all adversity. With only a few small glitches, this is truly a story not to miss!
*Copy provided by the publisher but does not in anyway affect my opinion*
July 11, 2022
This is a sci-fi adventure that just doesn't stop. Kee is a petite pixie/hacker genius who always manages to look on the bright side. Varro is a giant psychic alien (Valoff) with a protective streak. As the book begins, they have both resigned themselves to being "just friends" with the other. But then they get stuck in a tiny room on a space station together, forcing them to reveal previously-hidden secrets.
The book is almost non-stop action, even considering that Kee gets so lost in her virtual research that she forgets to eat and sleep. The only thing we would have changed is that it takes nearly until the very end of the book for the relationship to progress beyond the "will they, won't they" phase. Since the book is written entirely from Kee's 1st-person perspective, it also gets a little frustrating that she's constantly misinterpreting Varro's motivations. That said there's so much going on that when they do give in physically you wonder how they're going to find the time to fit it in to their schedules!
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
The book is almost non-stop action, even considering that Kee gets so lost in her virtual research that she forgets to eat and sleep. The only thing we would have changed is that it takes nearly until the very end of the book for the relationship to progress beyond the "will they, won't they" phase. Since the book is written entirely from Kee's 1st-person perspective, it also gets a little frustrating that she's constantly misinterpreting Varro's motivations. That said there's so much going on that when they do give in physically you wonder how they're going to find the time to fit it in to their schedules!
This objective review is based on a complimentary copy of the novel.
August 17, 2023
A very romance-heavy sci-fi espionage book. The main couple is endearing and cute. The love interest is protective without being overbearing. The protagonist is emotionally open without being melodramatic, and a capable hacker.
Here is my video review: https://youtu.be/bqJ33eMl384?t=789
This is a book 2, but it still makes sense without reading book 1. Book 1 follows a different protagonist, so this story stands on its own quite nicely.
My favorite thing about this book was that our main character, Kee, felt unique. She doesn’t neatly fit into one stereotype box. She’s her own complicated self. She is emotionally strong (in that she doesn’t freak out over every little thing, and is emotionally mature), and yet she also tears up at the drop of a hat (and kind of hates her eyes for it). She bombastically dies her hair rainbow colors, and is outgoing and sassy. And yet she is also a HYPER FOCUSED hacker who takes her tech job very seriously. She is resourceful and good under pressure, and yet bad in a physical fight.
In short, it was a joy to follow her in this book.
The only thing that I would critique about this book is that I wish that there was more drama. Both the action-plot and the romance-plot didn’t feel pressing enough for me. This book is fast paced, and yet relatively low-angst.
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
Here is my video review: https://youtu.be/bqJ33eMl384?t=789
This is a book 2, but it still makes sense without reading book 1. Book 1 follows a different protagonist, so this story stands on its own quite nicely.
My favorite thing about this book was that our main character, Kee, felt unique. She doesn’t neatly fit into one stereotype box. She’s her own complicated self. She is emotionally strong (in that she doesn’t freak out over every little thing, and is emotionally mature), and yet she also tears up at the drop of a hat (and kind of hates her eyes for it). She bombastically dies her hair rainbow colors, and is outgoing and sassy. And yet she is also a HYPER FOCUSED hacker who takes her tech job very seriously. She is resourceful and good under pressure, and yet bad in a physical fight.
In short, it was a joy to follow her in this book.
The only thing that I would critique about this book is that I wish that there was more drama. Both the action-plot and the romance-plot didn’t feel pressing enough for me. This book is fast paced, and yet relatively low-angst.
Thanks to Avon and Harper Voyager and Netgalley for a copy of this book to review. All opinions are my own.
September 6, 2023
So... I didn't really like this one, giving it 2.5 stars, but rounding up for overall story.
The problem I had with it was the central couple - Kee and Varro had the emotional maturity of 14 year olds. So much constant drama and angst and bullshit, easily solved if either of them opened their damn mouths and communicated like the grown-ass adults they are supposed to be.
I can give them a little room for miscommunication due to cultural differences, but even with that, this was childish crap.
And that wasn't even my biggest problem with the book. My biggest problem is that Kee is TSTL.
She's a brilliant member of the team from a tech standpoint, but she is an absolute fucking moron in the field. To the point where Tavi and Torran look inept for even putting her in the field. She fails across the board in all field encounters, from shockingly stupid stuff like getting blindsided in an alley by 4 petty muggers (yes, seriously) to getting distracted by how hot Varro is and spacing out literally mid-op as they're breaking into the bad guy location (again, yes seriously). Sometimes she's written as if she has ADHD, but then a couple pages later she's deep into hacking and doesn't realize that 12 hours have gone by and she hasn't eaten since the previous day. It's super inconsistent.
At one point, I laughed because she's all mad that her team doesn't want her to lead the op on the moon base, and she's thinking that they should trust her after she did so awesome on Bastion. Bitch, you did NOT do awesome on Bastion. You blundered into the bad guy attack face-first. You had no idea what was going on until it was happening, and you went to this event despite being explicitly ordered not to because it wasn't safe. And even worse, you gave your real name when you signed up for the event ... despite the last book revolving around a plot to pin the disaster on you and your crew. And lo and behold, minutes after they attack on Bastion, they're pinning it all on you because they knew you were there, since you literally advertised your presence like a jackass. (She used her real name to work as a model for the super famous fashion designer. Yes, I'm counting that as advertising her presence.)
The only thing that salvaged the situation was plot armor.
And so it made zero sense that Tavi let her go on the moon base op. But she did, and it also became an epic shit show.
Thank goodness for plot armor.
I don't think I'm going to read the next one, because I just don't care about Lexi and Nilo. And they're not even on the ship with the team - the blurb makes it seem like the book happens with them on planet, trying to get to the team on the ship - so I won't even get to see lots of the other characters. And I ... just don't care about the plot. Both sides are evil - human military bosses and alien empress - so I don't care if the crew stops the war. Those assheads are welcome to kill each other - the universe will only be improved by it. Given how much all our characters have been fucked over by leadership on both sides, I don't understand why they're engaging at all. They should just take all the info they have - and they have a shitload - and make it public on both sides. Let the evil leaders get mobbed out of office, while you go live your best lives. Better than trying to stop the two bad guys you've gone up against and failed against two books in a row now.
The problem I had with it was the central couple - Kee and Varro had the emotional maturity of 14 year olds. So much constant drama and angst and bullshit, easily solved if either of them opened their damn mouths and communicated like the grown-ass adults they are supposed to be.
I can give them a little room for miscommunication due to cultural differences, but even with that, this was childish crap.
And that wasn't even my biggest problem with the book. My biggest problem is that Kee is TSTL.
She's a brilliant member of the team from a tech standpoint, but she is an absolute fucking moron in the field. To the point where Tavi and Torran look inept for even putting her in the field. She fails across the board in all field encounters, from shockingly stupid stuff like getting blindsided in an alley by 4 petty muggers (yes, seriously) to getting distracted by how hot Varro is and spacing out literally mid-op as they're breaking into the bad guy location (again, yes seriously). Sometimes she's written as if she has ADHD, but then a couple pages later she's deep into hacking and doesn't realize that 12 hours have gone by and she hasn't eaten since the previous day. It's super inconsistent.
At one point, I laughed because she's all mad that her team doesn't want her to lead the op on the moon base, and she's thinking that they should trust her after she did so awesome on Bastion. Bitch, you did NOT do awesome on Bastion. You blundered into the bad guy attack face-first. You had no idea what was going on until it was happening, and you went to this event despite being explicitly ordered not to because it wasn't safe. And even worse, you gave your real name when you signed up for the event ... despite the last book revolving around a plot to pin the disaster on you and your crew. And lo and behold, minutes after they attack on Bastion, they're pinning it all on you because they knew you were there, since you literally advertised your presence like a jackass. (She used her real name to work as a model for the super famous fashion designer. Yes, I'm counting that as advertising her presence.)
The only thing that salvaged the situation was plot armor.
And so it made zero sense that Tavi let her go on the moon base op. But she did, and it also became an epic shit show.
Thank goodness for plot armor.
I don't think I'm going to read the next one, because I just don't care about Lexi and Nilo. And they're not even on the ship with the team - the blurb makes it seem like the book happens with them on planet, trying to get to the team on the ship - so I won't even get to see lots of the other characters. And I ... just don't care about the plot. Both sides are evil - human military bosses and alien empress - so I don't care if the crew stops the war. Those assheads are welcome to kill each other - the universe will only be improved by it. Given how much all our characters have been fucked over by leadership on both sides, I don't understand why they're engaging at all. They should just take all the info they have - and they have a shitload - and make it public on both sides. Let the evil leaders get mobbed out of office, while you go live your best lives. Better than trying to stop the two bad guys you've gone up against and failed against two books in a row now.
July 26, 2022
I adore this series. While this wasn't quite as perfect as the second book it sets up the macro plot in an interesting direction. I continue to love the focus of consent and on cooking for the love interests.
July 25, 2022
Hmm, I enjoyed this, but less than the first one. It felt like the romance took more of a backseat and I'm not sure I understand all of the politics involved! Did enjoy the new characters introduced and the romance miscommunications seemed so real/not annoying.
July 18, 2022
Jessie Mihalik wastes no time in getting straight to the heart of the story here: world-building set-up done and dusted in the first book, so there’s the expectation that you do know what has gone on before (whether you’re a new reader or one who’s trying to dust off the cobwebs of the last few months) as we settle into an uneasy time of political shenanigans and so-called peace between several factions.
Having a crew of humans and Valovians makes for pretty interesting reading and like the first book, ‘Eclipse the Moon’ narrows it down considerably to the pairing of Kee Ildez and Varro Runkow—both had an uneasy tension in the first book—and their rocky journey takes a number of twists and turns, and a whole lot of push-pull up until pretty much the end of the whole book.
There’re several good tension-building bits between Varro/Kee and moments when they admit they do want each other but are restrained by something else or other for reasons I thought unnecessary since they felt like moments deliberately drawn out just for the sake of it.
I also got lost quite a few times however, due to the technicality of the writing and consequently skimmed the whole load of computer things that Kee did (and over-explained in the story), which certainly wasn’t helped by the entire story written only in her POV. Unfortunately, Varro remained quite the mysterious figure, with his motivations and emotions seemingly overridden behind Kee’s own assumptions and feelings; it was perhaps this that made ‘Eclipse the Moon’ a little too lopsided for my liking when there was so much of Kee upclose and so much of Varro only from a narrative distance.
‘Eclipse the Moon’ was one that I’d looked forward to a fair bit honestly and that it didn’t quite live up to expectations was a bit of a deflating experience. I’m a little leery of the next one in the series after this one however; it’d be interesting to see where it goes but I’m probably just crossing my fingers for now.
Having a crew of humans and Valovians makes for pretty interesting reading and like the first book, ‘Eclipse the Moon’ narrows it down considerably to the pairing of Kee Ildez and Varro Runkow—both had an uneasy tension in the first book—and their rocky journey takes a number of twists and turns, and a whole lot of push-pull up until pretty much the end of the whole book.
There’re several good tension-building bits between Varro/Kee and moments when they admit they do want each other but are restrained by something else or other for reasons I thought unnecessary since they felt like moments deliberately drawn out just for the sake of it.
I also got lost quite a few times however, due to the technicality of the writing and consequently skimmed the whole load of computer things that Kee did (and over-explained in the story), which certainly wasn’t helped by the entire story written only in her POV. Unfortunately, Varro remained quite the mysterious figure, with his motivations and emotions seemingly overridden behind Kee’s own assumptions and feelings; it was perhaps this that made ‘Eclipse the Moon’ a little too lopsided for my liking when there was so much of Kee upclose and so much of Varro only from a narrative distance.
‘Eclipse the Moon’ was one that I’d looked forward to a fair bit honestly and that it didn’t quite live up to expectations was a bit of a deflating experience. I’m a little leery of the next one in the series after this one however; it’d be interesting to see where it goes but I’m probably just crossing my fingers for now.
July 31, 2022
This wasn't a bad book, but I felt that it rehashed a lot of things in the first book but with less charm.
My issues:
- Kee and Tavi's narrative voice sound basically exactly the same but the author makes up for that by having Kee be someone who cries extremely easily and is super into cookies.
-The relationship had the types of interactions I like but there wasn't really any buildup, chemistry, or ust. I think part of it is that they met in the previous book and you didn't really get a description of their meeting or what happened after that from Kee's perspective.
-I felt like the setup was good but Kee removes herself from the others early on so we miss out on a lot of the found family charm and cute Luna scenes of the first book. I'm also admittedly not really into poly relationships in the books I read but while the onboard poly relationship was hinted at in the first book it seemed like it was mentioned a LOT more in this one, to the point where I feel like that was a lot of the interaction we did get. But it was so wink wink nudge nudge that at some point I was just like "okay can the other just SAY whether they are or not instead of the characters hinting at it and other characters observing and guessing all the time?"
I just didn't really care about the general plot or the romance and then at some point the focus became more about the plot.
My issues:
- Kee and Tavi's narrative voice sound basically exactly the same but the author makes up for that by having Kee be someone who cries extremely easily and is super into cookies.
-The relationship had the types of interactions I like but there wasn't really any buildup, chemistry, or ust. I think part of it is that they met in the previous book and you didn't really get a description of their meeting or what happened after that from Kee's perspective.
-I felt like the setup was good but Kee removes herself from the others early on so we miss out on a lot of the found family charm and cute Luna scenes of the first book. I'm also admittedly not really into poly relationships in the books I read but while the onboard poly relationship was hinted at in the first book it seemed like it was mentioned a LOT more in this one, to the point where I feel like that was a lot of the interaction we did get. But it was so wink wink nudge nudge that at some point I was just like "okay can the other just SAY whether they are or not instead of the characters hinting at it and other characters observing and guessing all the time?"
I just didn't really care about the general plot or the romance and then at some point the focus became more about the plot.
July 18, 2022
Perfect for fans of Dianne Duvall’s Aldebarian Alliance or Ilona Andrews’ Kinsmen series. Mihalik has several series set in space and I love them! I absolutely loved her Consortium Rebellion series.
Eclipse the Moon takes us back aboard the Starlight Shadow and picks up where Hunt the Stars left off. After saving the heir to the Valovian Empire, the crew is now hunting for Commodore Frank Morten.
Kee Ildez is a hacker, bounty hunter and former soldier. She is magic with gadgets and finding information. While doing research, she stumbles upon a plot to start a war between the Valorians and their government. She may also have a slight addiction to cookies.
Varro Runkow is a Valorian weapons expert who came aboard in the previous installment. Kee and Varro had this interesting snarky, snippy, confused dynamic that I was excited about exploring romantically. Varro has a unique gift that has kept him from having a relationship.
The tale takes place mostly aboard the space station where Kee has secured a room. Varro follows to protect her and the tale that unfolds has lots of action, danger and intrigue with delightful moments of romance. Varro is the grumpy, silent type and Kee has this cute crush on him. The two struggle to express their feelings and I loved all the awkward moments.
As always, Mihalik pulled me into the story and while each book has its own romance and storyline, I recommend you listen to them in the order of their release because of the overall series arc and character development. Kee and Verro’s dance truly began in Hunt for the Stars.
We see very little of the rest of the crew, but when they are present, things get intense as the danger and suspense increased. I felt the romance was served as a side to the main course, but it was delicious and spicy. I’ve truly got no complaints. These two worked well as a team. We saw character growth, trust and plenty of tender, swoon-worthy moments that made my heart flutter.
Frankie Corzo narrates the series and has done a stellar job of capture both the characters and tone of the series. Both her male and female voices are authentic from character personalities to emotions.
Fans of space opera will love this grumpy sunshine romance while sci-fi fantasy fans will love the suspenseful fast-paced tale. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
Eclipse the Moon takes us back aboard the Starlight Shadow and picks up where Hunt the Stars left off. After saving the heir to the Valovian Empire, the crew is now hunting for Commodore Frank Morten.
Kee Ildez is a hacker, bounty hunter and former soldier. She is magic with gadgets and finding information. While doing research, she stumbles upon a plot to start a war between the Valorians and their government. She may also have a slight addiction to cookies.
Varro Runkow is a Valorian weapons expert who came aboard in the previous installment. Kee and Varro had this interesting snarky, snippy, confused dynamic that I was excited about exploring romantically. Varro has a unique gift that has kept him from having a relationship.
The tale takes place mostly aboard the space station where Kee has secured a room. Varro follows to protect her and the tale that unfolds has lots of action, danger and intrigue with delightful moments of romance. Varro is the grumpy, silent type and Kee has this cute crush on him. The two struggle to express their feelings and I loved all the awkward moments.
As always, Mihalik pulled me into the story and while each book has its own romance and storyline, I recommend you listen to them in the order of their release because of the overall series arc and character development. Kee and Verro’s dance truly began in Hunt for the Stars.
We see very little of the rest of the crew, but when they are present, things get intense as the danger and suspense increased. I felt the romance was served as a side to the main course, but it was delicious and spicy. I’ve truly got no complaints. These two worked well as a team. We saw character growth, trust and plenty of tender, swoon-worthy moments that made my heart flutter.
Frankie Corzo narrates the series and has done a stellar job of capture both the characters and tone of the series. Both her male and female voices are authentic from character personalities to emotions.
Fans of space opera will love this grumpy sunshine romance while sci-fi fantasy fans will love the suspenseful fast-paced tale. This review was originally posted at Caffeinated Reviewer
July 29, 2022
Okay so this is really a 4.5 rating, but given that I basically read it in one sitting, and stayed up till nearly 1 am I think that deserves recognition. This had a lot more plot and action than the first one (which meant the romance was a smaller plot) but I really enjoy the world Mihalik has built here.
And god but I'm a sucker for
And god but I'm a sucker for
April 30, 2023
Eclipse the Moon is the second installment in the "Starlight's Shadow" series. It was fun getting back to the crew and get to this pairing. I will say that you might want to read the first book, just to get the background information on this couple first, it will just help with the flow of the story. I did a combo read of this one alternating between the audiobook and the ebook. I highly recommend both.
I found this one so interesting. I really adored Kee and Varro. I am so fascinated by the Valvo culture and most especially in these life protecting bonds of the males. Its so wonderful. There is such a great focus on consent, so this will appeal to reads that are a stickler for this and those that aren't. I loved how attentive Kee and Varro are for each other and how aware they are of each other. There is such a level of awareness of their physical and mental well being that was so endearing. This also has unrequited love from both parties. So both the hero and heroine are pining for each other, and its the type of pining that is more of a cultural barrier than anything else. Yes they could be communicating better in the beginning, but honestly their relationship is so new so it doesn't shock me that they don't and its not really a communication issue that is common in most romances. I did find it quite refreshing in how this is impemented fully.
The plot of the story is guaranteed to keep you on your toes. I do recommend reading this in the form that will allow you to pay attention to the details. If you for example listen fast to audiobooks SLOW IT THE F DOWN, you really will miss out on so much if you read fast on this. This is the type of story you really want to take your time with and not just rush through as there are many plot elements that are essential to truly enjoying this. This one definitely will keep you on the edge of your seat and I really loved how this author brought such balance from romance to plot in this story. It could have used more steam though, its a bit of a slow burn haha they do some kissing throughout the book, but there is no smexy times till the end of the story. I am intrigued to see what couple is up next (I do have the ARC for that one, so will be reading it probably next week) I do love the style in which this author writes and love seeing humans having adventures in outer space, we need more of this for sure.
Overall I found Eclipse the Moon to be a stellar rockin' romance that is guaranteed to keep you on the tip of your toes and will engage you from beginning to end! UTTERLY THRILLING OF A READ!
I found this one so interesting. I really adored Kee and Varro. I am so fascinated by the Valvo culture and most especially in these life protecting bonds of the males. Its so wonderful. There is such a great focus on consent, so this will appeal to reads that are a stickler for this and those that aren't. I loved how attentive Kee and Varro are for each other and how aware they are of each other. There is such a level of awareness of their physical and mental well being that was so endearing. This also has unrequited love from both parties. So both the hero and heroine are pining for each other, and its the type of pining that is more of a cultural barrier than anything else. Yes they could be communicating better in the beginning, but honestly their relationship is so new so it doesn't shock me that they don't and its not really a communication issue that is common in most romances. I did find it quite refreshing in how this is impemented fully.
The plot of the story is guaranteed to keep you on your toes. I do recommend reading this in the form that will allow you to pay attention to the details. If you for example listen fast to audiobooks SLOW IT THE F DOWN, you really will miss out on so much if you read fast on this. This is the type of story you really want to take your time with and not just rush through as there are many plot elements that are essential to truly enjoying this. This one definitely will keep you on the edge of your seat and I really loved how this author brought such balance from romance to plot in this story. It could have used more steam though, its a bit of a slow burn haha they do some kissing throughout the book, but there is no smexy times till the end of the story. I am intrigued to see what couple is up next (I do have the ARC for that one, so will be reading it probably next week) I do love the style in which this author writes and love seeing humans having adventures in outer space, we need more of this for sure.
Overall I found Eclipse the Moon to be a stellar rockin' romance that is guaranteed to keep you on the tip of your toes and will engage you from beginning to end! UTTERLY THRILLING OF A READ!
June 13, 2022
I love the humanism of the domestic that Jessie Mihalik brings to her sci-fi romance adventures. Can it be cozy sci-fi if there are shootouts, kidnappings, and chases? Maybe cozy sci-fi is the wrong term, it certainly falls within soft sci-fi. In addition to the romance at the center of this sci-fi adventure, there is care taking, affection, and a badass woman who cries when she is overwhelmed, but still gets the job done. The crew of Starlight’s Shadow cook real food, eat together, and watch videos together. Finding the food that makes people happy is my love language and I’m so happy to see it in space.
Eclipse the Moon is the second book in the series, and not a standalone. The now combined Human and Valovian crew are quietly investigating the plot to reignite war, not certain if it’s officially sanctioned by either or both governments. When Starlight’s Shadow docks at a major human space station, Kee wants to stay on the station to look for information and also to give herself some time away from Varro, the Valoff for whom she has unreciprocated feelings. Varro very clearly does reciprocate and Mihalik is making good use of the Idiots in Love trope. Kee thinks she is on her own until she walks into a trap and Varro saves her. When Kee realizes Varro isn’t going to leave her unprotected, she finds herself sharing a very small space with the man she was trying to get some distance from. Oops.
Kee and Varro are good, honorable people who want to take care of and support each other. The conflict between them is their cultural understandings of honor and care. They revisit the same conflict a few times before they hit the balance of compromise. But even when they aren’t fully understanding each other, the trust between them is unquestioned.
There are multiple scenes in which cookies play a role and frankly I’m glad to know that snickerdoodles and peanut butter cookies will go forth into the universe. To me the cookies mean home, kindness, generosity, and acceptance. When Kee has cookies she shares, and when their are people around her, she builds connections. It’s pretty clear that on the space station, cookies (and kindness) are a luxury, but rather than hoard them, she offers them freely. Because she is generous with what ever she has, she brings out the best in the people around her. When she is faced with a dangerous situation, she goes past her physical and emotional abilities to protect the people she has drawn into her circle.
That generosity plays out in the romance too. For his own reasons, Varro is drawn to and befuddled by Kee’s inclusivity and warmth. He will set himself an fire (not quite literally) to protect her even she he has no idea she loves him.
As the world gets harder, I want to read more science fiction/fantasy/romance that centers kindness. I also plan to make snickerdoodles later today.
CW: kidnapping, terrorist attack, torture, beating, shooting, stabbing and betrayal.
I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley. My opinions are freely and honestly given.
Eclipse the Moon is the second book in the series, and not a standalone. The now combined Human and Valovian crew are quietly investigating the plot to reignite war, not certain if it’s officially sanctioned by either or both governments. When Starlight’s Shadow docks at a major human space station, Kee wants to stay on the station to look for information and also to give herself some time away from Varro, the Valoff for whom she has unreciprocated feelings. Varro very clearly does reciprocate and Mihalik is making good use of the Idiots in Love trope. Kee thinks she is on her own until she walks into a trap and Varro saves her. When Kee realizes Varro isn’t going to leave her unprotected, she finds herself sharing a very small space with the man she was trying to get some distance from. Oops.
Kee and Varro are good, honorable people who want to take care of and support each other. The conflict between them is their cultural understandings of honor and care. They revisit the same conflict a few times before they hit the balance of compromise. But even when they aren’t fully understanding each other, the trust between them is unquestioned.
There are multiple scenes in which cookies play a role and frankly I’m glad to know that snickerdoodles and peanut butter cookies will go forth into the universe. To me the cookies mean home, kindness, generosity, and acceptance. When Kee has cookies she shares, and when their are people around her, she builds connections. It’s pretty clear that on the space station, cookies (and kindness) are a luxury, but rather than hoard them, she offers them freely. Because she is generous with what ever she has, she brings out the best in the people around her. When she is faced with a dangerous situation, she goes past her physical and emotional abilities to protect the people she has drawn into her circle.
That generosity plays out in the romance too. For his own reasons, Varro is drawn to and befuddled by Kee’s inclusivity and warmth. He will set himself an fire (not quite literally) to protect her even she he has no idea she loves him.
As the world gets harder, I want to read more science fiction/fantasy/romance that centers kindness. I also plan to make snickerdoodles later today.
CW: kidnapping, terrorist attack, torture, beating, shooting, stabbing and betrayal.
I received this as an advance reader copy from NetGalley. My opinions are freely and honestly given.
July 15, 2022
This review can also be found at https://carolesrandomlife.com/
I had a great time with this book! This is the second book in the Starlight’s Shadow series which I would recommend reading in order if at all possible since there is some continuation of the story from the first book. Kee and Varro take the spotlight in this book and I loved getting to know them better. This book was incredibly entertaining from beginning to end.
Kee wants to do some research to find a traitor that has been trouble for the crew so she decides to stay on a space station for a bit to focus on her mission. She ends up with some help in the form of Varro who has a few very special abilities that may help her with her tasks. Kee has feelings for Varro but doesn’t feel like they are reciprocated. They work very well as a team which is a good thing since they soon find themselves in a heap of trouble that will take some work to get out of.
I really liked the characters in this book. Kee and Varro were wonderful together and I thought that the chemistry between them was amazing. It took a lot of work for each of them to try to understand each other and I loved that they were both willing to put in that extra effort. The whole group of characters on the spaceships were all great and made an incredible team. This book was very exciting with quite a bit of action which kept me glued to the pages.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a great read with characters that were easy to fall for and a complex mission. I cannot wait to read more of this wonderful series!
I received a review copy of this book from Harper Voyager.
I had a great time with this book! This is the second book in the Starlight’s Shadow series which I would recommend reading in order if at all possible since there is some continuation of the story from the first book. Kee and Varro take the spotlight in this book and I loved getting to know them better. This book was incredibly entertaining from beginning to end.
Kee wants to do some research to find a traitor that has been trouble for the crew so she decides to stay on a space station for a bit to focus on her mission. She ends up with some help in the form of Varro who has a few very special abilities that may help her with her tasks. Kee has feelings for Varro but doesn’t feel like they are reciprocated. They work very well as a team which is a good thing since they soon find themselves in a heap of trouble that will take some work to get out of.
I really liked the characters in this book. Kee and Varro were wonderful together and I thought that the chemistry between them was amazing. It took a lot of work for each of them to try to understand each other and I loved that they were both willing to put in that extra effort. The whole group of characters on the spaceships were all great and made an incredible team. This book was very exciting with quite a bit of action which kept me glued to the pages.
I would recommend this book to others. I thought that this was a great read with characters that were easy to fall for and a complex mission. I cannot wait to read more of this wonderful series!
I received a review copy of this book from Harper Voyager.
July 10, 2022
Another solid sci-fi romance from Mihalik. Eclipse the Moon is book two in her Starlight's Shadow series and I'm really so glad that Mihalik has continued in this vein. I love having a series plot with romance standalones, if that makes any sense. I am so impressed by her world-building and the way she's created pretty high stakes for the overall plot, but has carefully advanced us toward there with a complete plot arc and the set up for the next step to come in book three, which is, I think, the romance I'm most excited about. Eclipse the Moon is Varro and Kee's romance, which has a unique romance pace that really worked for me. The way this book starts is with Kee essentially saying, "I need space," so she goes planet side to run this mission and she's adamant she wants to do it solo. Of course, Varro can't let that stand. So, I was worried Kee and Varro were going to come together too quickly in this one, but Mihalik managed to hold onto the tension for quite some time. And additionally, the plot REALLY kicked in at some point and I was just holding on for dear life through the ride. I definitely recommend it, just make sure you've read book one first!
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!
Thanks so much to Netgalley and Harper Voyager for the ARC!
March 27, 2022
I've definitely missed reading books set in space and now I need more. As soon as possible.
Varro feels so near and dear to my heart, he reminds me so much of Bellamy from the 100, in all the best ways possible and Kee was such a cool person to meet. Forced proximity, undying loyalty, intense connection, delicious.
Eclipse of the Moon reads like a movie, face-paced, and dramatic in the best ways possible. I need more.
Varro feels so near and dear to my heart, he reminds me so much of Bellamy from the 100, in all the best ways possible and Kee was such a cool person to meet. Forced proximity, undying loyalty, intense connection, delicious.
Eclipse of the Moon reads like a movie, face-paced, and dramatic in the best ways possible. I need more.
August 18, 2022
The worldbuilding in this series is the best thing about the whole thing. It's not very complicated and traversing through wormholes is overdone, but it gets the job done.
I also like Starlight's Shadow as a ship, the sustainability of it makes sense and the need to port on a station to refuel and restock makes sense. It also makes sense that this group of people - human and Valoff, who had suffered so much and fought what they discovered to be a pointless war, would do everything they can to prevent another one. It's a great choice that both the FHP (humans) and the Empress of the Valoffs are essentially their enemies, because both want to reignite the war.
So, the world and the premise is good.
But.
The rest is just so... juvenile.
In the first book, we met both Kee and Varro, and there was some tension between them because Varro apparently misjudged her and insulted her. So, I expected angst and unresolved issues; what we got instead was a teenager-level of miscommunication, and both of them acted very juvenile.
Sure, I could've set aside my own expectations and focused on the characters we did get, but as I keep saying, they were juvenile.
The whole novel is juvenile. It reads like it was written by a teenager or a very young adult. The dialogue at times is very convoluted and sappy, the saccharine sweetness can be too much at times, and the prose is worse than the prose in a fanfiction story.
No, seriously, the level of "tell, don't show" in the writing is insane.
I really, really hate it when we're told how a character is. Kee was waxing poetically about Tavi's big soft heart so many times, it got boring even in the first mention. It was evident that though it was Kee's story, the author still had a lot of love for Tavi and wanted to demonstrate it fully whenever Kee mentioned her.
I am all for women supporting women, so I did not mind that Kee loved Tavi so much, I just did not like the "tell, not show" type of writing that was used to convey this.
Varro was basically without any characterization. So was Kee for that matter. We learn almost nothing of their childhoods, except maybe that Varro was a little ostracized for being so powerful, and Kee had a loving hacker family who taught her all she knew. Oh, and she is a huge cry-baby because her eyes "misted with tears" about a 100 times in the novel, if not more. It was tiring and made me want to smack her and explain to her that at 30, you don't really cry that much anymore. And honestly, I don't understand what Varro actually saw in her, because she was viable to cry at simply anything. God forbid you hit your toe and make a loud noise with Kee in the same room. She is bound to start crying because you raised your voice.
And she is meant to be 30.
Now, the plot. All plots need a logical progression of events that make sense. There was little of it here. Kee decides to get away from the ship to get away from Varro because she likes him too much and fears is making him uncomfortable (though they spent most of book 1 in low-level angst, this was apparently resolved from her end way before this book started). Varro, of course, follows her to protect her.
We have some back and forth between them on Bastion, where Kee is trying to investigate an event - a joined fashion show between a human and a Valoff fashion designers, which was good. It would have been even better if Kee had gone on Bastion for it in the first place. Instead, it was a sort of an afterthought. Kee goes to Bastion, digs in the network, discovers nothing, stumbles upon the human designer, who for some inexplicable reason, wants this relatively short, nearly 30-year-old woman, to model for her. And the designer truly has no other intentions, she just hires Kee cause she be pretty. Shit hits the fan at the fashion show (of course!), and then Kee and Varro end up trying to save the fashion designers and the Valoff Prince (who is a childhood friend of the Valoff designer). They discover that the same villains from the previous book are behind this, and both are loosely supported by the FHP and the Empress, but it's very loosely. Bastion's systems are crashed by a hacker attack, Kee hacks the hackers right back and gets the encryption key. Since she and the Valoff Prince are framed for the attack on the station and there is a bounty on their heads, she uses the encryption key to buy her freedom back, and then the crew collectively decide to go after the bad guy in Valovian space, and that is the end. Oh, and the Prince joins the crew.
It reads like a debut author's first attempt at stringing the plot in a novel, and that's ridiculous cause the author has 2 other series. And I honestly saw better plotting in the other 2.
I had the same issue in this book that I had with the first one in this series - it just fizzles out by the end. The final chapters are again Kee and Varro having sex (it was Tavi and Torran in the other one), and the book ends with Tavi convincing the crew to go stop a war. Again.
The fight between Kee and Eli was so juvenile, they might as well have been 15-year-olds.
That is what I don't buy in this whole thing. These guys are supposed to be veterans and mercenaries. Instead, they act like teenagers and most of the interactions between the crew are flirty and who-will-hook-up-with-whom, because they are all "kind of bisexual" (but end up dating the opposite sex anyway).
Hear me out.
I don't remember specifically about Tavi and Torran, so we'll ignore them.
But we have Kee mentioning that if it had not been for Varro, she might have dated Anja and/or Cirra. And at one point, Kee says how Anja, Cirra, Eli and Havil are flirting shamelessly among one another (and mentions the abovementioned who-will-date-whom). Anja is the only one who is specifically mentioned to have been dating a woman before.
My point is, it feels like that whole thing is nothing but queer-baiting or trying to avoid a bad label for not being inclusive enough, so she went with "Okay, she can be sort of bisexual or pansexual but still date a man/male." I think that speaks more about the kind of society we've created recently (what with the pressure to really include literally everyone and represent each unique person/group), than about the author herself, but I still get the feeling that she is not really interested in writing any kind of LGBTQ+ characters and is only mentioning those things to be "inclusive."
If she actually follows through and pairs Eli with Havil (though I know he will be paired with Cirra), I would love it. Otherwise, I wish she'd just lay off the weak attempts at LGBTQ+ inclusion.
Additionally, how am I supposed to take this crew seriously and believe that they do some specific jobs on the ship when besides flirting with one another, I haven't seen anyone but Anja and Havil actually working (though Kee spent some time in the hydroponic gardens). Even Tavi sounds less like a captain of a ship and more like the captain of a sports club in high school.
It would have been better if:
-Kee went to Bastion to hack the network (not to escape from Varro!)
-Kee discovered the fashion show and the prince's appearance beforehand
-Kee discovered the planned attack also
-Kee hacked the human designer's assistant's account
-Kee snuck in the show as a model and Varro as the hired bodyguard, so they could protect the prince and the designers
In other words, it would've been better if Kee had any actual agency. The way it's written now, Kee was sort of stumbling from one thing to another by luck and chance, especially her inclusion in the fashion show event.
So, yeah. Very juvenile and since this is not the author's first novel, I expected better.
And, if I had read that Kee's eyes misted with tears ONE MORE TIME, I would've bought the paperback just so I could burn it (I'm glad I was able to restrain my anger and prevent myself from throwing my Kindle at the wall).
So, rounded up - 2.5 stars. Great premise, very poor execution.
I also like Starlight's Shadow as a ship, the sustainability of it makes sense and the need to port on a station to refuel and restock makes sense. It also makes sense that this group of people - human and Valoff, who had suffered so much and fought what they discovered to be a pointless war, would do everything they can to prevent another one. It's a great choice that both the FHP (humans) and the Empress of the Valoffs are essentially their enemies, because both want to reignite the war.
So, the world and the premise is good.
But.
The rest is just so... juvenile.
In the first book, we met both Kee and Varro, and there was some tension between them because Varro apparently misjudged her and insulted her. So, I expected angst and unresolved issues; what we got instead was a teenager-level of miscommunication, and both of them acted very juvenile.
Sure, I could've set aside my own expectations and focused on the characters we did get, but as I keep saying, they were juvenile.
The whole novel is juvenile. It reads like it was written by a teenager or a very young adult. The dialogue at times is very convoluted and sappy, the saccharine sweetness can be too much at times, and the prose is worse than the prose in a fanfiction story.
No, seriously, the level of "tell, don't show" in the writing is insane.
I really, really hate it when we're told how a character is. Kee was waxing poetically about Tavi's big soft heart so many times, it got boring even in the first mention. It was evident that though it was Kee's story, the author still had a lot of love for Tavi and wanted to demonstrate it fully whenever Kee mentioned her.
I am all for women supporting women, so I did not mind that Kee loved Tavi so much, I just did not like the "tell, not show" type of writing that was used to convey this.
Varro was basically without any characterization. So was Kee for that matter. We learn almost nothing of their childhoods, except maybe that Varro was a little ostracized for being so powerful, and Kee had a loving hacker family who taught her all she knew. Oh, and she is a huge cry-baby because her eyes "misted with tears" about a 100 times in the novel, if not more. It was tiring and made me want to smack her and explain to her that at 30, you don't really cry that much anymore. And honestly, I don't understand what Varro actually saw in her, because she was viable to cry at simply anything. God forbid you hit your toe and make a loud noise with Kee in the same room. She is bound to start crying because you raised your voice.
And she is meant to be 30.
Now, the plot. All plots need a logical progression of events that make sense. There was little of it here. Kee decides to get away from the ship to get away from Varro because she likes him too much and fears is making him uncomfortable (though they spent most of book 1 in low-level angst, this was apparently resolved from her end way before this book started). Varro, of course, follows her to protect her.
We have some back and forth between them on Bastion, where Kee is trying to investigate an event - a joined fashion show between a human and a Valoff fashion designers, which was good. It would have been even better if Kee had gone on Bastion for it in the first place. Instead, it was a sort of an afterthought. Kee goes to Bastion, digs in the network, discovers nothing, stumbles upon the human designer, who for some inexplicable reason, wants this relatively short, nearly 30-year-old woman, to model for her. And the designer truly has no other intentions, she just hires Kee cause she be pretty. Shit hits the fan at the fashion show (of course!), and then Kee and Varro end up trying to save the fashion designers and the Valoff Prince (who is a childhood friend of the Valoff designer). They discover that the same villains from the previous book are behind this, and both are loosely supported by the FHP and the Empress, but it's very loosely. Bastion's systems are crashed by a hacker attack, Kee hacks the hackers right back and gets the encryption key. Since she and the Valoff Prince are framed for the attack on the station and there is a bounty on their heads, she uses the encryption key to buy her freedom back, and then the crew collectively decide to go after the bad guy in Valovian space, and that is the end. Oh, and the Prince joins the crew.
It reads like a debut author's first attempt at stringing the plot in a novel, and that's ridiculous cause the author has 2 other series. And I honestly saw better plotting in the other 2.
I had the same issue in this book that I had with the first one in this series - it just fizzles out by the end. The final chapters are again Kee and Varro having sex (it was Tavi and Torran in the other one), and the book ends with Tavi convincing the crew to go stop a war. Again.
The fight between Kee and Eli was so juvenile, they might as well have been 15-year-olds.
That is what I don't buy in this whole thing. These guys are supposed to be veterans and mercenaries. Instead, they act like teenagers and most of the interactions between the crew are flirty and who-will-hook-up-with-whom, because they are all "kind of bisexual" (but end up dating the opposite sex anyway).
Hear me out.
I don't remember specifically about Tavi and Torran, so we'll ignore them.
But we have Kee mentioning that if it had not been for Varro, she might have dated Anja and/or Cirra. And at one point, Kee says how Anja, Cirra, Eli and Havil are flirting shamelessly among one another (and mentions the abovementioned who-will-date-whom). Anja is the only one who is specifically mentioned to have been dating a woman before.
My point is, it feels like that whole thing is nothing but queer-baiting or trying to avoid a bad label for not being inclusive enough, so she went with "Okay, she can be sort of bisexual or pansexual but still date a man/male." I think that speaks more about the kind of society we've created recently (what with the pressure to really include literally everyone and represent each unique person/group), than about the author herself, but I still get the feeling that she is not really interested in writing any kind of LGBTQ+ characters and is only mentioning those things to be "inclusive."
If she actually follows through and pairs Eli with Havil (though I know he will be paired with Cirra), I would love it. Otherwise, I wish she'd just lay off the weak attempts at LGBTQ+ inclusion.
Additionally, how am I supposed to take this crew seriously and believe that they do some specific jobs on the ship when besides flirting with one another, I haven't seen anyone but Anja and Havil actually working (though Kee spent some time in the hydroponic gardens). Even Tavi sounds less like a captain of a ship and more like the captain of a sports club in high school.
It would have been better if:
-Kee went to Bastion to hack the network (not to escape from Varro!)
-Kee discovered the fashion show and the prince's appearance beforehand
-Kee discovered the planned attack also
-Kee hacked the human designer's assistant's account
-Kee snuck in the show as a model and Varro as the hired bodyguard, so they could protect the prince and the designers
In other words, it would've been better if Kee had any actual agency. The way it's written now, Kee was sort of stumbling from one thing to another by luck and chance, especially her inclusion in the fashion show event.
So, yeah. Very juvenile and since this is not the author's first novel, I expected better.
And, if I had read that Kee's eyes misted with tears ONE MORE TIME, I would've bought the paperback just so I could burn it (I'm glad I was able to restrain my anger and prevent myself from throwing my Kindle at the wall).
So, rounded up - 2.5 stars. Great premise, very poor execution.
September 10, 2023
I enjoy grumpy/sunshine as much as the next person but loyal/sneaky has my whole heart. Therefore I was bound to love everything about Kee and Varro’s dynamic! Kee is a hacker with an emotional heart of gold and a quick mind that comes up with daring schemes. She can do a lot but she can’t make Varro return her feelings. Varro is a weapons expert who is always making sure she eats and gets enough sleep. He even bakes her favorite cookies! They are both 100% certain the other person is not interested, Kee because Varro never flirts back and Varro because he thinks he’s not good enough. Bless their hearts. When Kee decides to go off ship so she can get over her unrequited crush, of course Varro is going to figure out she left and come after her, just in case she needs protection.
That turns out to come in handy when they get drawn into the middle of a nefarious plot and must unite with their space crew to stop it. All while pining for each other and trying to figure out if they have more than chemistry between them. Add in some dream sex, a bedside vigil, found family, and a wonderful emotional arc for Kee and you’ll understand why I enjoyed this so much. Kee might be a different kind of soldier but she still brings so much value to everyone around her. It’s not stated that she has ADHD but it read to me as if she does and it was cool to see that celebrated as a strength, particularly with Varro there to support her.
Characters: Kee is a 30 year old bisexual hacker, bounty hunter, and ex-soldier who is a vegetarian and has rainbow hair. She likely has ADHD. Varro is a Valovian (alien) weapons expert. The ship has a pet burbu named Luna.
Content notes: probably ADHD (FMC), abduction, drug assault (secondary characters), murder, attempted murder, torture, physical assault, explosion, attempted mugging, military corruption, broken ribs, near fatal laser wound, laceration, oxygen deprivation (space suit hit by debris), past war, secondary character’s mother ordered his murder (he survives), past royal child kidnapping, unsafe sex practices (no condom used without discussion of pregnancy and STI prevention), on page sex, dream sex, gendered pejorative, ableist language
That turns out to come in handy when they get drawn into the middle of a nefarious plot and must unite with their space crew to stop it. All while pining for each other and trying to figure out if they have more than chemistry between them. Add in some dream sex, a bedside vigil, found family, and a wonderful emotional arc for Kee and you’ll understand why I enjoyed this so much. Kee might be a different kind of soldier but she still brings so much value to everyone around her. It’s not stated that she has ADHD but it read to me as if she does and it was cool to see that celebrated as a strength, particularly with Varro there to support her.
Characters: Kee is a 30 year old bisexual hacker, bounty hunter, and ex-soldier who is a vegetarian and has rainbow hair. She likely has ADHD. Varro is a Valovian (alien) weapons expert. The ship has a pet burbu named Luna.
Content notes: probably ADHD (FMC), abduction, drug assault (secondary characters), murder, attempted murder, torture, physical assault, explosion, attempted mugging, military corruption, broken ribs, near fatal laser wound, laceration, oxygen deprivation (space suit hit by debris), past war, secondary character’s mother ordered his murder (he survives), past royal child kidnapping, unsafe sex practices (no condom used without discussion of pregnancy and STI prevention), on page sex, dream sex, gendered pejorative, ableist language
December 1, 2022
Didn’t have as much fun as I did with the first one. I think it was all the “hacking” and computer based stuff. It is hard to write that in an exciting way and I don’t think this was successful. I did a lot of skimming at those bits.
Also there wasn’t as much tension in the relationship as I was hoping. It was pretty slow burn and the tension was still sooooooo low.
Not bad just pretty forgettable
Also there wasn’t as much tension in the relationship as I was hoping. It was pretty slow burn and the tension was still sooooooo low.
Not bad just pretty forgettable
March 3, 2022
Eclipse the Moon picks up directly after the ends of Hunt the Stars and has the same action packed plotting of book one. While I am interested in the connecting conflict of the Starlight's Shadow's crew preventing a war, I will admit that I was hear for the romance. Personally, I thought Tavi and Torran's romance fit the fast-paced nature of this series than Kee and Varro.
Kee is a bubbly hacker and Varro a grumpy weapons expert. These two have sparked since first meeting in book two, and Eclipse the Moon was all about these two getting together. What's keeping these two apart is that Kee thinks Varro doesn't return her affections and Varro is a strong telepath and doesn't believe that Kee would want him in her head. Of course, these two are a perfect match. What was less perfect was the journey there. I felt that Kee and Varro had the same conversation several times about what was preventing them from being together and it started to feel repetitive to me. There was so much potential for more meaningful conversations between these two, but the nonstop action got in the way, meaning that they would circle back to the same conversation again and again. I also prefer dual point of view in a romance, and the lack of Varro's perspective here, left me only seeing Kee's interpretation of Varro and I would have loved to get into his head.
If you like your romances action-packed this one is for you! The plot never stops, and it will be interesting to see what happens next in the series now that the characters are set to head back to the Valoff's home world.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
Kee is a bubbly hacker and Varro a grumpy weapons expert. These two have sparked since first meeting in book two, and Eclipse the Moon was all about these two getting together. What's keeping these two apart is that Kee thinks Varro doesn't return her affections and Varro is a strong telepath and doesn't believe that Kee would want him in her head. Of course, these two are a perfect match. What was less perfect was the journey there. I felt that Kee and Varro had the same conversation several times about what was preventing them from being together and it started to feel repetitive to me. There was so much potential for more meaningful conversations between these two, but the nonstop action got in the way, meaning that they would circle back to the same conversation again and again. I also prefer dual point of view in a romance, and the lack of Varro's perspective here, left me only seeing Kee's interpretation of Varro and I would have loved to get into his head.
If you like your romances action-packed this one is for you! The plot never stops, and it will be interesting to see what happens next in the series now that the characters are set to head back to the Valoff's home world.
*Review copy provided by the publisher via Edelweiss.
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