Cover Image: Stars and Smoke

Stars and Smoke

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Member Reviews

To me this took awhile to pick up. I understand you want to make us know and love the characters but it took forever for actual spy things to happen. My favorite part was during their spy mission but the first half of the book took forever to get there. Ultimately I would read more in this world.

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I’m not sure how I feel about this one still. I liked it while I was reading it but I found it very forgettable. I did really like the characters and the story line.

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I have enjoyed most of Marie Lu's books and this one was no different. I can't wait until the second one comes out. I love the enemies to lovers trope and all the sass that happens between the characters. I also am a sucker for pop stars, so that was a plus too.

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I read this book almost a year ago and just realized I never wrote a review for it. So, here it goes.

I thought this book was delightful. It is action-packed and full of cute romance. And despite all the violence and action, I think this may be Marie Lu's most wholesome book yet.

Sydney was a great character, I liked that she was the tough one, the seasoned spy. While Winter was softer and sweeter, but i liked that he could also be tough when the situation demanded it.

The overall plot was fun, it kept me very entertained and on the edge of my seat. Some of the plot twists threw me for a loop, which doesn't happen very often.

Would recommend it if you like action film-like books, spy media, and k-pop.
I can´t wait to read the next one.

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I didn't love this one but I also didn't hate this one. However I'm not sure how I feel about this one.

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I definitely am biased towards anything Marie Lu writes because she’s one of my favourite authors. This one had a great premise and spies? Count me in! it was fun and entertaining and a definite must read!

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Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for granting me free access to the advanced digital copy of this book, as this book has already been published, I will not share my review on Netgalley at this time.

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This was a fun take on the spy genre. The characters were interesting, the premise was fun. Stars & Smoke was a fun debut to a series and I look forward to more from Marie Liu.

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I can definitely see the audience for this, between the boy band references and the spy business. I think it'll booktalk super easily to the kids too, which is nice.

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Winter is a moody pop star who feels a calling to do more than entertain. Sydney has a foster child background who was recruited by the government, and has become an elite spy. As the government continues to try to ensnare billionaire businessman Eli Morrison and prove his shady dealings, they enlist Winter who will be performing at the tycoon's daughter's birthday party. Sydney and Winter do not mesh well at first, but later realize their adverse reaction to each other is hiding much different feelings.

Good YA action/adventure from a gifted author. This book is a great recommendation for library patrons looking for Ally Carter read alikes. Hopefully Marie Lu is intending a sequel; the story left the door open for one, and it would likely be a well followed series.

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Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing this read. All opinions are my own.
Marie Lu is a fan favorite for YA novels. Enemies to lovers mixed with a spy thriller where an international pop sensation has to help take down a crime boss. Realistic? Not hardly. Fun and entertaining? Absolutely! I also liked the trope reversal where a woman is the bodyguard and more competent at espionage.

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Marie Lu is the best! This was such a fun read!!! Thank you to the publisher and to NetGalley for the opportunity to read in exchange for a review!

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This was requested when I first found out about NetGalley and I had requested so many ARCs that I could not get to all of them before they were archived. I really wanted to get to this one, as it seemed interesting. If I can find this somewhere for a reasonable price, I will try to get it! I am giving this book three stars, as I don't want to give it a good or bad rating, since I did not get to it and we have to leave a star rating.

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This is another unsurprising winner from Lu, who does a great job of keeping readers on edges of their seat not only with the slow-burn of the enemies-to-lovers romance but also with the action and adventure of the overall narrative. Lu has excellent pacing in this book and creates well-rounded characters that we feel invested in. I'm definitely looking forward to the next one in the series!

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I enjoyed this read once it got going, but apparently the superstar storyline is not my bread and butter. However, Marie's writing style is still fantastic, so worth the read.

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This was a wild ride. For some reason I went into this book expecting some, and it was very different than I thought but in a good way. Very YA mission impossible. There's a lot of action and turns I wasn't expecting. Overall this was a fun read that I didn't want to put down.

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Stars and Smoke is an interesting cross between an action packed thriller with a Kpop romance. It is compelling in a very different way than Marie Lu’s recent titles. At the end, you are left wanting more!

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I love Marie Lu's books, and this is no exception. I was interested in seeing how she did with a new genre, and I am not disappointed. I felt like the characters were both very compelling in their own ways and that the pace was great for the story. The romance was well done. The only things that keep this from getting a 5 star rating is the gimmick-y nature of the perfect teen pop idol and scrappy street teen dynamics. It made parts of the story seem stereotypical instead of being a fully unique story. I am very much looking forward to the next installment of this series.

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Winter Young: international pop star with a huge following
Sydney Cossette: youngest member of an elite covert ops group, with an ear for languages and lightning quick reflexes

An unlikely pair, but the two end up working together when a major crime boss asks Winter to perform a concert for his daughter's birthday. Using the opportunity to infiltrate by sending in Sydney as a bodyguard, will the pop star and the spy be able to work together and successfully take down the crime syndicate?

I love spy thrillers, but Stars and Smoke was a stretch. Sydney seemed to have more experience than someone twice her age, which really was not possible. The tech used was really cool and definitely advanced (without spoilers, I can only say that the tech was never around when it was needed). Sydney's character flaws did not make much sense, especially considering the fact that she was trained to stay under the radar. Winter's character development was spotty and did not come together for me. Overall, the plot was pretty transparent and the story was not all that interesting.

As a fan of many of Marie Lu's previous works, Stars and Smoke largely fell flat. YA readers might like the characters, as they both have plenty of characteristics that seem similar to those in the author's other novels.

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I flew through this book. I love everything Marie Lu writes, but this was probably one of my favorites. I loved how fast paced the story was, I loved how well the characters were developed, I liked the strong FMC, and I loved the thriller/spy story line (the story was unrealistic as other reviewers have mentioned but that is part of the reason I liked this book). I liked these the sprinkling of romance as well and am looking forward to reading about the characters in the next installment.

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