Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy of this book to read and enjoy.

The much anticipated second book and conclusion to Skyhunter.

This series was the first I have read of Marie Lu. I found it wonderful. The world-building was flawless with characters you both loved and hated (necessary in fantasy books). The look at psychological vs physical torture and family abuses helped to flush this out to make it more than just a typical fantasy.

It felt a little anti-climactic, for me? I'm not sure if it's because of when Lu was writing/when it was published (and the world was SO TIRED of tyrants) but I didn't feel as emotionally charged or invested. Maybe a third book was needed?

Steelstriker continues the journey of the Talin trying to bring down the oppressive system she lives in. The book hits the ground running and does not lag in action. Talin is a great protagonist, she allows readers to find themselves in her character. Steelstriker had a balanced plot and great immersion for the reader but the romance seemed to fall flat. There appeared to be a disconnect between the love interest and honestly, could have done without it or pivoted to friendship that could have made the bond more believable

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan's Children's Publishing Group for this e-ARC to review.

Rating 3.5 out of 5 stars

I read this book before it came out and somehow forgot to write up a review, my apologies. I absolutely adored Skyhunter it was my first Marie Lu novel and I loved watching Talin grow has a character and also her relationships she acquired. However, I felt like Steelstriker fell a bit short. First and foremost, Talin and Red's relationship took such a major turn here that I feel like deviated quite a bit from book one, In Skyhunter Talin and Red do develop feelings and some-sort of relationship with each other, however it is soft and new, hesitant and a bit unsure. You can tell that they are taking it step-by-step as they get to know each other. Yet, in the beginning of Steelstriker their relationship seems to have heightened and it didn't fit the content we had previously been provided. I also felt like the pacing in the sequel was a lot slower, which led to some of the bigger moments feeling less impactful.

If you enjoyed Skyhunter I would still recommend Steelstriker to see how everything ends and you also may enjoy it more than me. If I am being honest though I was a bit disappointed in the sequel and the lack of development and visibility of some of my favorite side characters.

Beautifully written duology. I fell in love with Talin as a character in the first book and it was very fun to be able to add in Red’s perspective in this book. Solid conclusion.

This duology was one of my favorite reads of 2021. I LOVED Skyhunter (Book #1) so, so much, and so I was so thrilled to receive an ARC of Steelstriker from the publisher.

Talin and Red are both incredible MCs, and the duel POVs was great and made the story move quickly. I LOVED their burgeoning love story, and their connection. Marie Lu creates all of her characters with such love that you can't help but get attached to ALL of them. I felt this way about all of the side characters as well. I was so invested in their stories and was SO worried for them the entire time.

This was a rollercoaster. I was convinced we were going to lose some beloved ones. And you loathe the Premier with every fiber of your being. But this book explored his vulnerabilities and you got a glimpse of why he is the way he is. I really appreciate when an author makes the villain so muti-dimensional that even though you can't stand them, you can still find a kernel of empathy.

I also have to call out once again, how beautiful it was to have a main character with a disability (Talin is unable to speak), and it also explored the real frustrations when her mother was injured and potentially losing their ability to communicate with each other. So heartbreaking.

I will never stop recommending Skyhunter, so if you're looking for a dystopian duology that hits a bit different, pick it up!

***Spoiler***
[I was not very happy that yet another female main character loses her powers at the end of a series. (hide spoiler)] It loses a star for this.

This is a story about forged courage.

I really enjoyed skyhunter last year, but I’m always hesitant going into sequels- 2nd book syndrome is real! But I’m happy to report this was wonderfully done. One of my favorite elements is the search for “artifacts” that are weapons that presently exist and have the potential for irreparable harm- what a clever plot element in a dystopian. I also love the ongoing thread of forbidden connection- these have the exact(read: minimal 🤣) amount of romance that I want in my sci fi.

Thank you so much netgalley, Macmillan & macmillan.audio for the eArc & alc! The dual narration was excellent.

I will be recommending this book for purchase as an addition to our school library. Thank you for the opportunity to read.

The story opens six months after Skyhunter ends. Talin has been transformed into a Skyhunter for the Premier and Red is in the woods with some Strikers, doing what they can to fight the Federation. Talin and Red haven’t sensed much of each other but they are both missing their connection and they each keep trying to reach out to the other one. While sleeping, Talin sees through Red’s eyes what the rebels are planning. The premier sees everything through their connection and is able to sabotage them. Jeran and Red escape but the rest of the group gets captured. Talin is sick with worry and tries her best to subdue the connection with the Premier, even trying to survive without sleep. The premier forces the captured Strikers to compete in a game against Ghosts. They’re trapped in a maze made up of metal sliding walls. Only two of the four survive. The action and fighting keep going as the rebellion tries to end the Premier. Intrigue, brutality, torture and the horrific making of ghosts kept the story hopping until the very end, 4 stars!

Steelstriker, the final book in the Skyhunter duology, opens six months after the fall of Mara, as the Karensa Federation absorbs the formerly free nation into its empire. Talin, an elite striker for Mara, has been taken hostage and turned into a skyhunter, a war machine complete with steel wings. The story alternates between Talin's point-of-view and Red's, a skyhunter who escaped the Federation and bonded with Talin in the series opener. Although held captive by Premier Constantine, who uses the threat of killing her mother to control her, Talin tries to aid her friends who are still waging a rebellion against the Federation. As the Premier tries to harness a technology used by the "Early Ones," (presumably nuclear power) he is sabotaged by people in his inner circle. Several of Mara's strikers have been taken prisoner and are awaiting execution or transformation into zombielike monsters called Ghosts. Talin and Red communicate telepathically to orchestrate a rescue and a plan to overthrow the Premier in this romantic action-packed series closer. I would recommend reading Skyhunter (see review in my October 2020 blog) prior to Steelstriker.

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

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

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

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

Thank you to Storygram and Netgalley for this copy of STEELSTRIKER. As always Marie Lu does not dissappoint.

Marie Lu, I need more from these characters!!! Talin and REd and the rest of the gang are so endearing to me, even more so in the events of Steelstriker.

Marie Lu’s books are always powerful but this duology was so engrossing and rich. They’re dark stories, but about strength and hope filled with characters I didn’t want to leave. This story is going to stay with me for a long time!

Such a fantastic conclusion. Marie does such an amazing job on dissecting and building on family relationships and dynamics. An emotional glimpse into the future and how far we can go but also a glimpse into humanity now and the steps we take in the future can really change our world. A must read and one I will definitely be recommending to my students

Okay, if this is a duology, this was a good ending. I think even if this is a trilogy, it’s a good second book. The one difference I noticed in this book that I liked was that Talin is a lot more human in this book than he seemed in the first book. I actually really liked that character shift.

I was going into reading this hoping it would have redeemed some of the issues I had with the first book, alas, it did not. It was okay, I still didn't feel connected to the characters so I really didn't care what happened in the story and that is just not a fun place to be when you love to read books.

Lu has written a wonderfully satisfying conclusion to her Skyhunter duology. Talin has been molded into the ultimate fighter with a steel reinforced body and deadly wings. She is forced to obey evil Premier Constantine and fight her own people. Now her friends and Red are the ones she’s pitted against.

But Red knows only too well the torture Talin has had to endure as she was re-made into an enhanced fighter. If Red and his allies from Mara can’t stop Constantine and the Federation, there will be no hope for all the other lands that have already succumbed to his power. But fighting their former comrade Talin, was not something they ever anticipated.

The action is intense and the Talin’s anguish at fighting her former allies is palpable. Lu has created an impressive cast of characters who are carefully drawn. They lure readers in and hold their fascination until the very end.

Normally, I'd start a review of a Marie Lu novel, especially a conclusion, practically yelling that it is "gripping" and that it "can't be missed." But, after waiting for, and reading Steelstriker, I have far too many feelings to slap a sticker of high praise on the novel and walk away. Is Steelstriker a great book ... yep. A gripping conclusion to a high-octane duology ... you bet. Should you drop everything and read it now ... of course you should. However, a warning -- if you are totally invested in Red and Talin (not to mention Talin's comrade in arms, the Strikers) know that you will feel all the feels -- even a seasoned dystopian reader like myself had to put down the book and take a walk to get some air!

Steelstriker is everything I love from Marie Lu -- complex characters, gut-wrenching conflict, high-octane action, beautiful relationships, immersive world-building, and a voice that is un-afraid to discuss social and political flashpoints with her readership. Steelstriker, as always, is another must read addition to Marie Lu's hit novels!