OH. OH OKAY. IT'S GONNA BE LIKE THAT HUH.

Wow. This story took me completely by surprise. I read an ARC of Skrutskie's "Hullmetal Girls" because the premise seemed really original and promising but I was very indifferent to it. I think I gave it 3.5 stars, which was actually kind of generous looking back. So I requested this book - again because of the super neat premise - with expectations that weren't very high.

HOWEVER.

This book has to be written by a different author because I was blown away!!! Ettian and Gal's relationship was the highlight, of course, but the whole notion of bloodright and the different worlds, not to mention the rise of one empire at the expense of the other, was so original and fleshed out.

Obviously I knew that Ettian's past was going to be something dramatic since he skirted the truth of his history for the entire novel, but never did I think it was going to be something like THIS. The twist definitely took me by surprise. Nothing in the little tidbits we learned about Ettian's life after the Archon Empire's collapse hinted at his true self.

Plus: friends to lovers to enemies to ?? Presumably back to friends and lovers again?? SIGN ME TF UP! Honestly I'm not sure if I've ever read a story where the MC and his love interest start out as friends and then do a complete one-eighty into enemies, so this is a first for me.

This book was phenomenal, and made even more so because it was unexpected. Wen grew on me, and I empathized with Ettian's indecision with where his loyalties lay, and Ettian and Gal's relationship was at times sweet and hot and angsty and undoubtedly the best part of the story. Everything about this novel, including the world-building and the history of both the Archon and Umber Empires, was captivating. I mean, Knightfall?!? Vibroswords?!? Such awesome concepts. Not to mention all the names [characters, planets] are super cool.

I'm beyond excited to read the second novel in this trilogy, and I eagerly await a cover and release date!!

Before I jump into this review, I want to say thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for sending me a free e-ARC in exchange for an honest review. It is very much appreciated!

Have you ever read a book that made you pace as you read it? That made it impossible to sit still while the story unfolded? That caused you to actually yell when Big Things happened?

Yeah, this is that kind of book! I was so freakin’ HYPED while reading Bonds of Brass and it’s been a long time that I’ve read something so action-packed! I was just going through my notes so I could start writing this review and I got hyped all over again 😂

Our main character, Ettian Nassun, has had a rough life. His world was destroyed when the militaristic Umber Empire invaded and overthrew the Archon rulers. Ettian spent years just surviving, but now he has fought his way into the Umber military academy and is one of it’s top pilots. He’s striving to forget the past and try and build a life for himself in this new empire. But then, Ettian saves his best friend (and possible crush), Gal Veres, from an assassination attempt and learns a disturbing truth: Gal is the heir to the Umber throne. Now, he has to try and safely deliver Gal home, but he finds himself torn. Does he throw his lot in with a Gal, the man who he has fallen for and trusts to not be as cruel as his parents? Or does he join the brewing rebellion and help them to take back their empire?

I LOVED THIS BOOK! I don’t know any other way to say it! This was a heart-pounding ride that snatches you in, buckles you up, and says, “Ya better hang on to something.” The plot grabs you from page one and rolls out in such a well-paced, thrilling way that you can’t help but enjoy the journey! The action has your heart in throat and you pumping your fist. And, even though it’s a mile-a-minute, it doesn’t feel rushed or unreal. It’s perfectly paced, in my opinion, and such a delight to experience.

And the characters! Can I just gush about Ettian for five pages? Because I absolutely adored Ettian! He’s so conflicted and nuanced and brave and wonderful. Emily Skrutskie did such a fantastic job creating a character that has two sides of himself in constant conflict: the side that is a proud Archon and the side that is trying to be a dutiful Umber citizen. It’s such an interesting dynamic and one of my favorite parts of the book. Gal is pretty alright, too… I guess…

Can you tell I have a favorite? Naaahhhhh 😅

Kidding aside, all of the characters in this book were beautifully written. They were all well fleshed-out, which I appreciate in the first book of a trilogy. I want to be able to get a feel for the major players right away, not wait til book three to finally get some layers. I also thought the romance was super adorable. Just… so freakin’ cute! I was rooting for our boys from the moment they took off on their journey. I don’t really like it when romance takes over the plot of a fantasy/sci-fi story, but this was perfectly balanced.

Another aspect of this book that I really appreciated is… kind of hard to describe? I’ve mentioned before that I grew up in the military and was in the military for over six years. When I was reading about Ettian and Gal’s time at their military academy, it just brought back so many memories! And the descriptions of the base was so spot-on for many an Air Force base where I’ve worked. I just really loved that feeling of the familiar. I know, I know, it’s pretty niche, but it’s yet another reason this book was so incredible!

Also, THE ENDING! Prepare yourself. Honestly, even if you prepare yourself, YOU ARE NOT READY! So. Good.

Final thoughts: Are you in the mood for a thrilling space adventure with a dash of m/m romance, a pinch of rebellion, and a hell of a lot of conflict? Then you will absolutely love Bonds of Brass! It’s a white-knuckle thrill ride that will have you bouncing out of your chair. I’m stupid excited that this is the first book in a trilogy!

Ettian & Gal are your typical friends & roommates at the Umber military academy—until a routine flight exercise turned attempted murder sets everything they thought they knew about themselves and each other into a tailspin.
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ROYAL INTRIGUE! Space romance! Someone On The Internet said this was like gay Star Wars with the serial numbers filed off. Since I’d just seen TROS & was sad it was over (& bc I’ll buy anything Oscar Isaac is trying to sell me), I requested BONDS OF BRASS by Emily Skrutskie.
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Other than it being in space & having an Evil Empire, I’m not sure I get the SW comparison? But I didn’t care, bc this book is tons of fun! If you’re looking for a character-driven space fantasy to lose yourself in, with everything from ships with personalities to cool tech to quirky pilots (not gonna say which character from which beloved-but-short-lived cult scifi show I saw in this book…but if you read it & have a guess, holler!), & not SO much world-building that you get bogged down in it, then this is the book for you. I raced through the first half, fully engrossed. Around the halfway point I cottoned on that it was the first of a trilogy (should've read the fine print, oops!) & I wasn’t going to get resolution. At that point, the emotional storyline started to drag for me. The motives of the main character were kept murky (to himself & the reader, it seemed) longer than they needed to be, & when the final ‘ahaha!’ moment arrived I was gratified but fruuustrated we hadn’t gotten there 100 pgs sooner.
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Still, I appreciated Skrutskie’s characterizations & the queer representation in this kids-on-the-run galactic adventure, & I'll absolutely be diving face first into book 2 as soon as it's available to see how the story spins out. BONDS OF BRASS is out today—thanks to @netgalley & @delreybooks for the dARC. And check out the fabulous playlist for this book at @randomhouse books on Spotify!

Emily Skrutskie has a knack for queer YA sci-fi, and Bonds of Brass, out today, is no exception. This novel starts with a bang and builds up to the first kiss.

Seven years ago, the Umber Empire crushed the Archon Empire in a victory that shattered the capital world of Rana. As a way of cementing their hold on the planet, the Umber Empire established a military academy there. Two years ago, an Archon survivor named Ettian joined the academy, quickly rising through the ranks to become the top pilot in his class. His roommate (and crush), Gal, is a decent pilot himself, but tends to have his mind elsewhere.

Ettian’s world comes crashing down around him (and not for the first time) when, in the middle of flight exercises, 2/3 of his squadron abandons their planned formation to attempt to shoot Gal out of the sky. During a desperate attempt to save his best friend, Ettian learns the truth of Gal’s identity: he is the heir to the Umber Empire’s throne. Forced to flee the academy, Ettian and Gal begin to piece together a plan to return to the Umber capital, but there are lots of secrets both young men have been keeping from the other. If they’re going to survive long enough for Gal to take the Umber throne, they’re going to have to start talking.

Bonds of Brass is a strong first entry in a planned trilogy, with loving nods to Star Wars (the obvious parallels to Finn and Poe), Firefly, and more along the way. Skrutskie’s love of these characters is evident, and her action sequences and humor blend seamlessly. I eagerly look forward to the next entry.



Thank you to NetGalley for providing the eARC of Bonds of Brass in exchange for a fair review.

I found this book because of twitter, the marketing for this was almost like fanfiction: space, lgbtq, there was only one bed, royalty, friends to lovers, etc. While I do appreciate the familiar style of tags and I really adore everything they said would be in the book, I really couldn’t connect with the characters. I felt myself questioning their motivation and how realistic the characters were. I think the romance was cute. It was cute. If you like pining, this is it. It took almost half the book for them to admit their feelings and another few chapters to do anything about it. I love pining and slow burn. It’s the sweetest when two characters finally get together after a long time of anticipating it. So, needless to say, I did like the romance in this book, though at times, it felt like they go backwards on progress. I’d say, readers that like slow burn romance and space will enjoy this way more than I did.

<i> ARC provided to me by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. </i>

I was drawn to this book by the promotions the author and Del Rey were doing for it on Twitter, saying that it was perfect for fans of Finnpoe that were left unsatisfied by their arc in episodes 7-9. I can honestly say that it delivered on that front 1000%. If you’re a queer Star Wars fan that craves a less complicated plot and a bit more focus on the action/adventure + the friends we make along the way, <i>Bonds of Brass</i> is the book for you.

This take on a space opera was so refreshing, and I think it’s approachable enough for people who are new to the sci-fi genre. Not only were the characters fleshed out and bursting with personality, but the world(s) we were in had such complex history while remaining entirely understandable. We have an imperial fleet, we have a rebel alliance, and we have two boys that hail from each... and space adventures ensue!

Sometimes the adventures our cast of characters were thrown into bordered on absurd, and this made the middle of the book a bit hard to get through at times. But the twist at the end made it all worth it for me.

I really enjoyed this and I’d be interested to continue the series!

DNF at 29%.

I was so stoked about it because of the Finn/Poe comparison by the author.

I tried but couldn't really get into it. I think the first person POV doesn't help the story at all especially with the twist at the end (I kept hearing about it and skipped to chapter 31 to read it).

Also, it reads like YA but is from an adult imprint. I was way too confused by that and as a former bookseller, I can see where that may cause some issues with recommending the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Random House Publishing-Bellantine, Del Rey, and Emily Skrutskie for the opportunity to read Bonds of Brass, the first book in the Bloodright Trilogy, in exchange for an honest review.

A quick note on publishing. This book is categorized as adult fantasy, though I feel like the cover and the writing are very YA. Even the characters and their circumstances fit that of YA. While I believe a teen audience will also find immense enjoyment in this book, one of the differences between this adult fantasy and YA fantasy is the height of the writing, the political tensions, and some of the more adult inferences throughout the novel. Either way, this book is a must-read for any sci-fi fan. Plus, the LGBTQ representation is integrated flawlessly with the world of the story.

This book is stellar! Right from the get-go, this book is full of fast-paced action and a forced adventure between two close friends...though how well do they actually know each other?

Ettian was orphaned when the Archon Empire fell to the malicious Umbers. He finds himself at an Umber Academy for nearly two years, his roommate, Gal, becoming his best friend. When going out on a training flight, the sound of an Archon war rhythm drums through the comms as Ettian's squad breaks orders to target and assassinate Gal. Little did Ettian know that Gal is the Umber heir, and when he comes of age, he will rule the Umber Empire. Will Gal be ruthless and bloodthirsty like his mother, or will he be the hope for a better Empire?

Despite Ettian's past, he still feels the need to do anything to keep Gal safe. He loves the guy, after all. But will his Archon heritage and the memories of war from seven years ago break the relationship he has built with Gal over the past two years?

The two must escape the planet to keep the Umber heir safe. They venture to a planet in a neighboring Empire to escape the eyes of Gal's enemies, only to make their own new set of enemies--and an unlikely friend--along the way. When the roots of the Archon Empire prepare to step up, will Ettian be able to choose a side?

I loved the writing style of this book. I love the pacing. I loved the characters. I loved the plot twists. While most plot twists had some form of predictability, albeit I wasn't sure how those predictions would be executed, there was one plot twist near the end I certainly wasn't expecting. My book dropped along with my jaw. The world is immersive and realistic, as well as original. For example, instead of using a word like "hyperspeed" or "lightspeed" that we see often, the author has come up with "superluminal." This really places originality into the world and prevents the reader from being drawn out by thinking of another possibly referenced source.

A highly engaging novel and I seriously cannot wait for the next one. Major recommend!

I came of age during the YA boom when all the titles and concepts starting blurring together. But 'Bonds of Brass' is a proper throwback to the gleefully creative titles I grew up on, just with a contemporary, queer twist. On the surface, Emily Skrustsie's setup is straightforward: Ettian, a survivor of a conquered empire, saves his best friend Gal from a sudden and brutal attack at their academy, only to learn that his best friend-slash-maybe crush is the heir to the empire that conquered and crushed his own. He makes a decision to go on the run with Gal, which leads to increasingly dangerous adventure.

There's always The Discourse about the dangers of being overly trope-y, but Skrustkie really gets how to use tropes to her advantage. This has all the tropes you love to read (fake dating! only one bed! sci-fi empires with tangled histories!), but with a distinctive voice and a spirit that's just the right blend of playful and epic. You don't just "know" about the romantic tension brewing between Gal and Ettian - you feel the sparks from the first pages. And as a bonus, you get so caught up in the easy flow of plot and dialogue that you don't even see the twists coming - and boy, do they ever come at you. It's an amazing contribution to the genre, and I for one can't wait to see where this trilogy goes next.

Time to get hyped! Bonds of Brass is coming out in less than a week, and I've wanted to scream about it with other people for months. This is the best LGBT sci-fi book of 2020. A little bit Star Wars, a little bit Tristan and Isolde, this book has everything I love.

The only perspective we get is from Ettian, a war orphan from the recently conquered Archon Empire. Seven years later, he's studying to be one hell of a pilot at the Umber Imperial Academy on his home world. And he might just have a little bit of a crush on his roommate, Gal. Not that anyone would blame him as about twenty or so of their other classmates want Gal... dead.

Ettian's world goes barrel rolling when several of his classmates attack Gal for being the heir to the Umber Empire. Unwilling to lose Gal to bureaucracy, especially before he gets answers from him about this years long lie between them, Ettian breaks Gal free and the two of them manage to get off planet through a military blockade where they set a course for the neighboring empire.

After selling the ship they escaped in, Ettian runs into further trouble when he gets duped with a deal too good to be true by a girl with a half-burnt face, a penchant for explosives and a rainbow umbrella. Of course they are never going to get a moment's peace, but this book just keeps getting better the further you get into it.

In time, the three of them discover that the Archon Empire is far from defeated. Ettian's loyalties are torn between his past and the boy he loves and it's fantastic. For once, the will they or wont they question makes sense as there are very obvious and painful reasons as to why they shouldn't. At the same time, the longing is so palpable that I just wanted to scream at the two of them to just forget about the likely conclusion to their relationship for a day or so. People who are trying to adapt Romeo and Juliet, take notes. This is how you write longing.

I'm going to wrap this thing up with some of my favorite bits in no particular order. Wen. Oh my God, they were roommates. Fake dating. And there was only one bed. Rainbow umbrella, which I'm ninety percent sure is a shout-out to Oscar Issac's rainbow light saber for Poe. Bisexual disasters. Trio rights, bitches. All the references to the FinnPoe fandom, the biggest of which you will never see coming.

Honestly, the only downside to this book is that since I read it two months before release, I now have to wait even longer before the next one comes out. So go order your copy today, hopefully from your local indie at indiebound.org. Fun fact: I did not know how close an indie store was to a place I regularly visit until Skrutskie shared that link.

I can practically smell the burnt rubber evaporating off the runway, left behind from the spectacular landing, I mean conclusion, of the badass arial gymnastics that was this book.

But let’s back up a second. This story has the reader following Ettian, a native of Trost, the capital city of the former Archon Empire, training as a pilot in a top military academy for the vast and conquering Umber Empire. The top of his class and integrated into the Umber culture, Ettian initially focuses on navigating the complications of having a crush on his Ember born roommate Gal, which quickly becomes exceedingly more complicated when an assassination attempt on Gal reveals him to be the hidden heir of the Umber Empire. Ettian escapes from the academy with Gal to what they believe will be safer shores. Before Ettian has barely had time to process Gals identity, an unexpected third player enters the game and reveals that an Archon resistance lives. Not only that, but they may be the best hope they have to get home.

Ettian is so easy to fall into. You are with him the whole way, rooting the entire time. Skrutskie does a great job of emotionally ingraining the reader into Eittian’s evolving struggle with both his feelings for Gal, complicated by Gal’s true identity, and his conflict as a post-occupation native training to fight for the invaders.

Wen, our unexpected player three (who reminds me a bit of an endearing scrappy stray cat) appears out of nowhere mid book, having survived her own set of difficult odds, and immediately claws her way into your heart. With their shared set of past trials, Ettian is able to connect with her in a way he isn’t able to with Gal and we, as the reader, get to see a side to Ettian that is initially hidden from the reader as much as it is from Gal.

I’ll say it now, I’ve said it before, and I’ll say it again: I’m a sucker for a good heist. I don’t want to give any spoilers away for the second half of the book so I think the word heist is general enough description. Things are set into motion by Gal and Ettian that twists both their loyalties to each other and to their empire into a vice. Ettian’s genuine conflict with his feelings for Gal and his thought dead loyalties for the Archon Empire is viscerally felt.

As for the end. A delicious twist leaves your brain feeling like it just stepped off a ship Wen was driving. Before there is a chance to recover, we are treated to a spectacularly vivid epilogue with a “sudden cut to black” ending that leaves you with your jaw on the floor and your pulse racing. I can’t wait until the second installment of the Bloodright Trilogy.

This review will be reposted to Goodreads 3/31 and I will post to my Instagram on 4/1

Looking to fill that ache that Star Wars left behind? Wishing that Poe and Finn had become a power couple? Well, Emily Skrutskie is about to make your dreams come true!

I'll admit - I'm not normally a sci-fi fan unless it is horror sci-fi. But, lately, YA sci-fi has been stepping it up, catching my interest, and getting invested in this wild space opera stories. Plus, we're getting a M/M romance in an epic sci-fi adventure so what more could I ask for? I found myself rooting for Gal and Ettian from the very beginning (I mean COME ON! An orphaned pilot, a prince whose family caused Ettian to be orphaned). The characters were what made this story for me. I wanted more more MORE even when I reached the end. (I am SO GLAD that this is the first of a series.)

This is one ARC that I want a physical copy of on my bookshelves. I mean, look at that beautiful cover!

Years before the start of BONDS OF BRASS, the Umber Empire expanded its power, destroying the Archon Empire, its royal family, and army. Ettian is an Archon orphan currently first in his class at the Imperial military academy and in order to survive, has accepted Umber rule. After an assassination attempt by his other Archon-born classmates, he learns that his roommate and best friend Gal is the Umber heir. Torn between his loyalty to Gal and the bonds of his homeland, Ettian decides he'll do anything in his power to save Gal, because he believes his best friend will be a better ruler to change the galaxy for the better.
The rest of the novel sees Ettian and Gal on the run from Archon system governors attempting to take in the Umber heir. The two young men flee to a different system and find that a resistance against Umber lives on. They also struggle with their feelings for each other aka Emily Skrutskie is giving FinnPoe fans what they deserve.
To avoid spoilers, I'll just say that BONDS OF BRASS was so damn fun. There's definitely a heritage of annihilation and violence that both Ettian and Gal have to confront, but there's also moments of levity. I predicted the ending twist but it didn't bother me at all. It was really fun to guess how Skrutskie was going to pull off the big reveal and it worked. I also got major RED RISING (in particular GOLDEN SON) vibes which made me love the book even more. There's lots of diversity amongst the characters and overall, the world building is incredibly rich. Both Ettian and Gal are extremely likable yet flawed individuals and their relationship makes the book sing.

The only downside of reading the ARC is I'll have a much longer wait for the sequel. Definitely read this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

It starts off slow and kind of dense, but once the action begins, it's hard to resist the story as it drives forward. It reads as a true epic, one that makes you feel the world really has been reshaped as you read it. Would recommend.

I would like to compare this new series to another beloved lgbtq adult series, but I also don't want to be responsible for any spoilers. You might know what I'm talking about, so it's the YA version of that meets Finn/Poe and it's everything I could ever want.

At first I wasn't sure how I felt about the end twist, but it was definitely built up from the beginning and it makes for a great new dynamic moving forward. My only problem now is having to wait for volume 2. Unfortunately I wasn't asked to officially review this book yet, but I'll be telling everyone I know this is a must-read to fill all their space opera needs for the time being.

Sometimes, you just have a powerful feeling that you're going to love a book and in my experience, that instinct is never to be ignored. Bonds of Brass first came to my attention randomly, on twitter. Still in the depths of my Star Wars obsession and salty over Rise of Skywalker, I had to request it. It seemed tailor-made for what I wanted and needed.

And it was fucking phenomenal. What it promised, it delivered in spades. Fast-paced, yup. Heavily Star Wars inspired, yup. Fun romantic tropes, yup. More twists than a ship executing a complex maneuver, yup. And that ending. Oh my fuck. I'd say it even overdelivered - in places, I could barely manage a few pages at a time because the tension was too high and I was too afraid for the characters. If that's not a mark of a good book, I don't know what is.

Ettian is the best pilot in the Umber Empire's military academy. Orphaned and left to fend for himself in the streets after the Umber Empire conquered his home, he has spent the last few years trying to put his life back together, forget his past, and abandon any hope that the Archon Empire might be restored. When his best friend (and let's face it, crush) Gal is revealed as the Umber heir and attacked from multiple sides, he is torn - should he help the person he loves the most or join the rebellion in hope that the Archon Empire might be restored?

First of all, the pacing is absolutely breakneck. It doesn't let go for even a page. Just when you think poor Ettian couldn't get himself more tangled up in the whole mess, there comes another twist of the knife. The plot is designed for maximum internal conflict - in a way that feels natural - and while that's precisely what makes it so intense and compelling, it was, at points, too much for me. Too good, perhaps. I was often too afraid for the characters to read on and could only handle reading it in short bursts. But that's 100% a me thing. AND THAT ENDING. Wow.

The reason why it works so well are the characters. It's written from Ettian's perspective, in first person, so we really get to see inside his head. It's very well done. I felt for him - his fears, his insecurities, indecision, split loyalties, trauma. He's not perfect by any means and it bites him in the ass literally all the time, but he's complex and utterly compelling. I also liked Wen, the friend they find along the way...but I did have an issue with Gal. We don't really get to see the side that made Ettian fall in love with him, and his compassionate side remains mostly an informed attribute - from his behaviour on page, he doesn't really deserve the level of adoration. And he's shitty to Wen. Might also be due to the limitations of intensely first-person single-POV, but the fact remains: I rooted for Ettian to join the rebellion more than for remaining with Gal.

(Keep in mind, while the story is heavily relationship-focused, it's not romance. Make of that what you will.)

The world felt heavily inspired by Star Wars (a huge plus for me!) - spaceship stunts, empires, the way travel works, vibroweapons, rebellion, a group of warriors that was wiped off by the empire (OR WERE THEY) - but with enough original touches that it was more than just Star Wars with serial numbers filed off. And diverse. Far more diverse. I look forward to seeing more of the world in the next book.

In short, it's fun, it's angsty, it's one hell of a ride, and I'd absolutely recommend it.

I came for a royalty, star-crossed lovers FinnPoe AU, and I wasn’t disappointed. I was gripped by the first hundred pages, and I instantly adored the relationship between Ettian and Gal. The middle was a bit repetitive; I felt like the character beats were just the same over and over, and I wanted more Ettian/Gal focus... BUT— the ending was insane and brilliant! I honestly didn’t see it coming, and I love a good twist. I am so psyched for the sequel, and can’t wait to see where this story goes. I do wish we’d gotten some POV chapters from Gal, because it felt odd to be in Ettian’s head entirely in this story, but maybe Skrutskie was saving Gal’s perspective for the sequel? I’m hoping! 4.5/5 stars!

Bonds of Brass is about a young pilot who deserts from his post to protect his best friend, secretly the heir to the empire for whom they both fight. As the two travel across the universe, they discover a large rebellion and new friends.

Many of the most popular reviews of this book so far relate this book to FinnPoe from Star Wars, and while, honestly, this really only has a few tinges of that particular ship, it was very gay and very reminiscent of Star Wars. So it will probably fill that void for you, as it did for me.

The relationship dynamics in the book are really what drive it -- what's going on between Ettian and Gal is constantly shifting and always complicated. They have an unbreakable loyalty to each other despite their very different political affiliations (Ettian was orphaned by Gal's parents' armies), so it's often an "I love you, but I don't like you right now" kind of situation, which I kind of love. They struggle to reconcile their bond with each of their own individual motivations and it was pretty fascinating to watch play out.

This is definitely one of those fun intrigue-y plots where there are a million players who all want slightly different things, and you never really know how it's going to end until you get there. Which is really my favorite thing, so kudos to Skrutskie. I've read her book The Abyss Surrounds Us, and really enjoyed it, and while this really has very few similarities to Abyss, it has a similar flair for the dramatic and equally complicated relationships.

So lastly, why 4 stars instead of 5? It did feel shockingly derivative of Star Wars, and not just in the way that all space operas feel somewhat Star Wars-esque. I wanted a little more originality in the world-building and to be honest, I kind of wanted the Ettian himself to have a little more personality. I know it can be difficult to imbue a narrator with personality, since they can't be described from the outside, but he felt so much flatter than Gal or Wen.

But to be honest, those things are relatively small nitpicks, because I really, really enjoyed this book. If you love space operas and sci-fi like me, this is one to pick up.

Let me just set this up for you: Space battles, rebellions, boy/boy romance, betrayal, and did I mention SPACE BATTLES? Yes, I know, this book has everything a reader could possibly want or need and let me tell you, I am HERE for it. I was so freaking hyped for this book when my request got approved, and I am thrilled that it lived up to expectations.

Ettian was, from the start, a relatable and interesting narrator. I instantly slipped into his narrative and felt like we were fast friends. The book started off quickly and never really stopped. There was tension, both sexual and moral, and the flying scenes had my heart racing. Best of all, the romance between Ettian and Gal had my heart racing like crazy. There was so much on page chemistry between the two of them, and there are so many obstacles for them to overcome, that it was the perfect friends to lovers romance.

It would have been a five star read for me had there not been one part I had a bit of an issue with. I can’t share too much without spoiling things, but I felt as though the main characters were convinced to do something really insanely dangerous, way too easily. The stakes were high, they had other options, and the one that they chose was basically the equivalent of going nuclear. This one plot problem aside though, it was an amazing book that I absolutely devoured and I can’t wait to see where the series goes!

Bonds of Brass is a story that defies the categorization of any certain genre. While incorporating the characteristics of a dystopia, the technologies of science fiction, and the moral dilemmas of a coming-of-age, Bonds of Brass introduces an alternate universe where instead of European countries grappling over land, powerful emperors and their families fight over solar systems. Our characters are complex in their interactions with one another and their personalities are more than just black and white. Making morally-gray characters likeable is a large feat that author Emily Skrutskie hits out of the ballpark. The back and forth, tug-o-war of Ettian’s loyalties and convictions make the ending impossible to guess and the book even harder to put down. Bonds of Brass begins with a bang and follows the nonstop action of typical science fiction until the earth shattering ending. While there is a romantic aspect to the storyline, the almost toxic friendship and codependence between Gal and Ettian is more important to the plot and is what drives Ettian through every difficult choice that he has to make. The adventure, the phenomenal side characters, and the world building of this book make it a must-read, and the essential question of what-would-you-do-for-the-person-you-love-most that is asked time and time again adds an unexpected layer of depth to a story that had the potential of superficiality. I could not recommend this book more and I will look forward to further installations in this series.