I received an ARC from the publisher and am voluntarily posting a review. All opinions are my own.
Hunt the Stars is the first in a new series by Jessie Mihalik, and I was reasonably excited for it. And upon reading, while I didn’t enjoy this as much as I hoped, I still found things to enjoy.
The overall concept is great: I enjoyed the political interplay between the Valoffs and the humans, and the development of the world around it. It presents a great pitch for a story, especially when the leads come from each of these respective groups.
Mihalik’s work is usually pretty romance heavy, and leans more toward the soft sci-fi ROMANCE end of the spectrum. While I wasn’t 100% won over by the romance, I did generally like them together. Tavi and Torran’s relationship is a slow burn, and I did appreciate them having time to develop their relationship.
However, it’s not only a slow build in terms of the romance, but the overall plot and pacing as well. It was very minimal on the sci-fi action until near the end. That resulted in my interest flagging at various points throughout the book.
This series does have a lot of potential, and I hope it does improve going into the second one. If you like sci-fi romance, I recommend giving this a try.

I've read every book this author has written and loved them all. Her stories hit the perfect note between science fiction, action/adventure, and romance. Hunt the Stars was no different.

What's not to like? Tavi and her crew are a fabulous found family, and the added tensions of General Fletcher's crew joining them in an enclosed space? SO GOOD. Tavi is a strong leader, a great captain, and a very "real" heroine.

Torran Fletcher is the leader of the Valoffs, and he's a delight. We love tall dark and handsome, and when they also basically have superpowers but might be a superVILLAIN?! Yes please.

True to Mihalik form, everyone is attractive and I love it. I find it refreshing and as long as the story is entertaining as all get-out, I don't care.
And believe me, this is an entertaining story. It does, admittedly, take some time to really get into the action but when you realize that it's a (comparatively) chunky book (400 pages) and it's setting up a series that isn't three separate events, it makes more sense. I love that there's political intrigue and the threat of a war- it makes everything so much more tense and the whole book has this undercurrent of "who's REALLY the bad guy" especially since the item that needs to be retrieved is a mystery for a good long time.

My one complaint is one that always seems to happen to me- I got swept away by secondary characters and that lessened the romance aspect for me. I'm definitely more interested in Kee and her book. The fact that there are EIGHT big-deal characters (four humans, four Valoffs) means that there's a lot of shuffling and they don't get a lot of time to develop as a group- and the ones I'm most interested in hardly got any page time (I know, I know, it's because the next book is about them, I DON'T CARE I LOVE THEM.

Overall, a really solid start to a new series with lots of characters but also a lot of potential for growth and expansion. Love seeing Mihalik making her worlds bigger and her stakes higher! Make sure not to miss this action-packed new series with a Firefly vibe!

This book initially caught my eye because an adult heist in space sounds amazing! The first part was a bit slow, by the middle I was invested in the story but by the end I was a bit disappointed.

I really like the wide array of characters we have. I think Octavia is a badass woman and I always appreciate that. One thing that deterred me was that the humans were teaming up with the Valoffs which are essentially enemies but there was no real conflict between the group because both sides have really good people. I would have appreciated some more unease between enemy races rather than a family dinner just uniting them. That being said I LOVED the love interest and the relationship between the two, I think the slow burn was amazing and the tension was perfect!

The atmosphere was very neat and I think the author did a great job not making the world too confusing. I also thought the writing was very well done!!

The plot was unique and it was one of the main things that kept my attention for the book. The intrigue though is where the book started to lose me. There are two instances where our Main Character is looking for more information about the heist and in BOTH of those situations I was wondering if the Valoffs had checked a specific location. I disregarded this because this was a military grade operation and there’s no way they wouldn’t check an obvious detail but in BOTH SITUATIONS they ended up finding more information there, looking in a vent for a way in, and looking for secret tunnels under a building. It seemed way too obvious to me but somehow our Mc was the one to figure it out?
I also grew tired of the same trope of our love interest not giving Tavi enough information and her getting annoyed but I understand that it led to a big plot point later on. Logically, everything seemed to be sound, although there was a lot of switching around for who was actually responsible for the heist and I wish we had any semblance of a clear answer.

I did enjoy this although I’m unsure if I’m going to continue the series. I would just for the relationship part because I think the plot may be sending Tavi on a wild goose chase.

I wasn’t completely sold on this book based just on the description. I typically like to keep my sci-fi and romance separate, but I decided to give this book a shot. I’m so delighted I did! There’s so much that goes on with the plot - you have a wholesome found family, galactic politics, and some sci-fi sleuthing. Both Tavi and Torran are delightful, making it easy to get invested in the story. The rest of the crews fill out the world. I want to know more about them all. I tore through this book, shoving aside a library book because I just had to know what would happen next.

A fun romance in a science fiction setting (NOT a science fiction novel with an element of romance, in case that's an important distinction for you!) Tavi is a human bounty hunter who is a veteran of the interstellar war against the Valoffs. When a notorious Valovian general hires her and her close-knit crew to track down an item that has been stolen from his home, sparks fly and an enjoyable enemies-to-lovers story ensues. The writing is fine, the world-building a little light, but the character development is good and I really enjoyed the varied cast of characters. I could have used a little more action in the plot and a little less action (open door alert!) in the bedroom, but I will definitely be continuing with the series. Thank you to NetGalley and Avon/Harper Voyager for the digital review copy.

I love a good space opera - and this is a great one. After loving the Consortium Rebellion trilogy, I had great expectations for Hunt the Stars. I am happy to saw Hunt the Stars met all my expectations and then some. Octavia is a human and bounty hunter determined to keep her crew together, even if that means accepting a dangerous job from her enemy. Torran is a decorated, powerful general from the planet Valoffs. War between humans and Valoffs is still a recents memory, and Tavi takes a big risk accepting the job from Torran. When she beings to uncover his underhanded plot, she has to figure out where her loyalties lie. A perfectly paced, action packed Rachel Bach and Ann Aguirre.

First 5-star read of 2022 for me, and I can't stop thinking about how much I loved it.

I picked up this eARC at 4 AM when I couldn't go back to sleep and literally COULD. NOT. PUT. IT. DOWN. That is pretty rare for me, but HUNT THE STARS was so well-written and perfectly paced. The world-building, sci-fi adventure, found family, and romance were all AMAZING! I just cannot say enough good things about it.

I'm new to this author, but I was so enthralled by HUNT THE STARS, I am already working my way through her backlist while I wait for the next installment in the Starlight's Shadow series. (I know, this first book isn't even published yet. GAH!)

If you are a fan of STAR WARS (think THE MANDALORIAN) and enemies-to-lovers romance, HUNT THE STARS is a must-read!

RATING: A+

I'm not a huge fan of sci-fi, preferring fantasy. So I usually struggle with similar books. This one, though, captured my interest from the start. Easy to read and to follow, I really enjoyed the interactions of Tavi and Torran. The side characrers were also very well fleshed out and I'm hoping to know more about them in possible sequels.

Two things that stood out for me: Tavi has an old injury so she's had chronic pain for 5 years. The author takes care to show this throughout the book. You see the protagonist struggling, and I appreciate that. She's not some invincible leader. She also cries when she's frustrated or emotional, and again, I feel this shows her humanity and gives the readers the message that it's okay to be that. To not be perfect. To struggle, both physically, emotionally, and mentally. I feel that it is such a healthy outlook. So, well done.

This is the first book in a new series and it’s a great start. It’s an entertaining and immersive space romance with political intrigue. It’s an enemies to lovers romance with two strong characters and great side characters which immerse you into this world. Tavi is a bounty hunter who reluctantly decides to work with Torran. The relationship has a lot of push and pull and you can see how Tavi has to deal with her past as well. The world building is excellent and the story is action packed and keeps you on the edge of your seat. Jesse Mahalik does a good job of introducing you to this world. Tavi and Torran are both complicated characters who show compassion and loyalty to those who work for them. As you move along in the story and you see the complications it just makes it harder to put down. This is a great start to a series and I can’t wait until the next book.

This was my first book by Jessie Mihalick and I loved it! It had a slow burn romance, found family, even a furry little space pet, all wrapped inside a suspenseful plot. I cannot wait for book #2 in this romansci-fi (is that a genre?) series!

The nitty-gritty: A solid series opener, Hunt the Stars focuses on character development rather than world building and pacing, but I still had a good time.

I was a big fan of Jessie Mihalik’s Consortium Rebellion series, and I’ve been excited for this new series for months. I enjoyed this first installment, but I have to admit I didn’t like it as much. If I had to describe Hunt the Stars in a few words, I would call it “Sci fi light.” For me, it lacked the action and suspense I was hoping for, and maybe because the author focuses on the romantic aspects of her story, the world building was a little on the sparse side. Still, there’s certainly lots of potential for growth, and I am going to keep reading the series.

The story takes place after a war between humans and an alien race called Valoffs. The war ended with a tentative peace between the two races, but both agreed to keep to their own sectors of space and not bother each other. Lieutenant Octavia "Tavi" Zarola now works as a bounty hunter, piloting her ship Starlight’s Shadow with her fellow war veterans Kee and Eli. But when Tavi is approached by a tall, handsome Valoff named Torran, who wants to hire her to find a stolen family heirloom, Tavi hesitates, even though Torran has offered her a huge amount of money if she completes the job. But her ship needs critical repairs, and Kee and Eli convince her to take the job. The catch, however, is that they must travel to Valovia in order to find the heirloom, and Tavi just happens to have a bounty on her head and isn’t welcome there.

With a contract finally in place, Torran and his crew join Tavi on Starlight’s Shadow for the trip to Valovia. But tensions are high as former enemies attempt to coexist on the ship, not to mention the fact that Tavi's heart beats faster whenever Torran is around. Tavi has just one goal: to find the heirloom and get out of Valovia and away from Torran as fast as possible.

I want to start with the things I really enjoyed. First, there’s a fantastic found family vibe going on in Hunt the Stars. If you’re a Firefly fan, you’ll love the crew of Starlight’s Shadow. Tavi is a firm but likable ship’s captain who is dedicated to keeping her crew safe. She, Kee and Eli went through hell during the war, nearly dying in a botched attack that ended with several civilian deaths. They have a strong bond because of this, and I loved their easy banter and caring attitude toward each other. I also loved the individual characters. Kee is the ship’s bright spot, always happy and smiling, and if I had to make a comparison, I would say she reminded me of Kaylee from Firefly. Eli is described as extremely handsome (Tavi isn’t interested in him romantically but even she makes a point of commenting on his looks now and then, lol). I also loved the way Mihalik added a cooking element to her story. Tavi loves to cook for her crew, and she's surprised when Torran turns out to be a good cook as well.

A new crew member named Anja joins them, and I really liked her as well. She’s running from her past and desperate to get away from the authorities who are looking for her, and Tavi is happy to help her. When the Valoffs join the crew, they create quite a bit of tension at first. Torran has the ability to move objects with his mind and can actually kill that way too, so Tavi treats him as a threat to her crew at first, until they develop some trust. Torran’s fellow officers aren’t developed as much, although there is some nice tension between Kee and Varro, Torran’s first officer. Mostly though, I was surprised how quickly the two crews became friendly with each other.

And I can’t forget Tavi’s pet burbu Luna, a small, fox-like creature that she adopted from Valovia and who is devoted to her and her crew. Burbus are rare and they have the ability to communicate telepathically in emotions and images. For example, when Luna is hungry, she sends an image of her empty food dish to Tavi. So cute!

The romance between Tavi and Torran is mostly slow burn, with bursts of sexual tension. Readers who appreciate couples that discuss consent will love the romance, because despite the heat between them, they are very respectful of each other. For me personally, it sort of made it feel more like a “clean” romance, and while obviously I know that consent is important, I thought it was a little overdone here. There’s a bit of “we can’t have sex until we’re married” going on, which I have to admit made me roll my eyes. Also, I didn’t like all the sexual descriptions Mihalik used, phrases like “the proof of his desire” to describe, well, you know. It just felt so old fashioned and out of place in a futuristic story.

I think the biggest negative for me, though, was the pacing. The plot sounds exciting, but most of the action doesn’t kick in until the last twenty percent or so. Up until then, there’s a lot of relationship development and laying the groundwork for the job Tavi’s crew has been hired for, but their trip through space to get to the distant planet of Volaria felt long. I kept waiting for something exciting to happen, or some conflict to arise, but it never did. There is some relationship drama, but for a space opera I was hoping for more nail-biting action.

Once the Starlight’s Shadow finally gets to Volaria, though, the action picks up considerably and the story finally becomes the page turner I was hoping for. Mihalik throws all her characters into dangerous situations, and she also answers some of the questions I had about Tavi’s past and her volatile relationship with the Voloffs. We also get some political intrigue that will most likely carry over into the next book in the series, and of course, because this is romance, there’s a nice, happy ending. It looks like the sequel, Eclipse the Moon, will feature Kee and Varro as a romantic couple, and despite some of my issues with Hunt the Stars, I’m looking forward to spending more time with these characters.

Big thanks to the publisher for supplying a review copy.

I am constantly trying to get more people to read Science Fiction, and I think this might be the perfect recommendation for quite literally all my friends. It is incredibly well-paced and easily accessible for those who do not read Science Fiction very often. What I mean to say by that is this: If you shy away from Science Fiction or are intimidated by it in any way, DO. NOT. BE. AFRAID. TO. READ. THIS. BOOK. It did not feel like to me that there were any sections of the book that dragged, and the plot moved pretty quickly from start to finish. The world-building was absolutely phenomenal, making it stand apart from every sci-fi world I have ever interacted with in the past.

If you know me, you know how much I love romance series, in which the couple’s story is contained within one book, with future books exploring the relationship of supporting characters within the same world, with previous couples making their appearances as side characters. This book does that exactly, but adds in the fantastical elements of a Science Fiction world and it is absolutely mind blowing.

For all my trope-lovers out there, this one has the best of the best, not to mention two of my favorites of all time, so let's do a play-by-play of what you can expect from this book.

First things first, where are my enemies to lovers fans at? Tavi and Torran are enemies to lovers excellence. The pair quite literally come from different worlds. Torran is Valovian and Tavi is human, and it was really interesting to see the humans and Valoffs coming together and learning each others’ customs, especially given the fact that they have a shared history of conflict being veterans who fought on opposite sides of a war. They had a great slow-burn romance, with enough steamy scenes but not too many to distract from the important elements of the story. Also it is important to note that I am now of the opinion that telekinesis is the sexiest power for a love interest to have, and I will die on that hill.

Next up is the found family trope. I already mentioned the humans and the Valoffs coming together, but it's the forced proximity of the two teams, lead by Tavi and Torran, having to work together which made the execution of this trope exceptional. For the most part, all the characters are unique in their own right, and it was fun to see them interacting with each other, opening up the possibility for potential couplings in future books. Out of all the characters, however, I would have liked to learn more about Chira and Eli. Havil was well-established as the healer, Anja was well-developed as the newcomer to Tavi’s team, Kee and Varro got the most development as side characters in order to set up for their book, and Lexi and Nilo got whatever they got going on (I am not being dramatic when I am saying I would sell my soul for them to get a book). Therefore as a whole, Chira and Eli were the least memorable, which is something that could totally change in future books.

Finally, I would give my life for Luna, I adore her with my entire being. I believe my exact note when she was introduced was “This animal better not die and that's all I have to say about that," and yes, this does apply to the next and all future installments of the series (please protect Luna).

There is rarely a time when I find a book that I think every person I am friends with will enjoy, but this is one of those books. It has the steamy romance that I know so many people love, while also having a wholly original plot and setting, and the found family dynamic of all the amazing side characters. I adored this book with my entire being, it was cute, it was fun, it was action packed, and it was steamy. If you are a romantasy fan looking to branch out, a lover of science fiction, badass heroines, found family, forced proximity, and more, then this book is absolutely for you.

This book had a very good mix of Military Sci-fi (reminiscent of The Forever War feels bombs) and romantic interludes. The romantic scenes gave the reader a break from the tension brought on by working with an unknown potential enemy. Additionally, Mihalik's writing is fast-paced and the story keeps you engaged through what could feel like slower sections of backstory and character building. The only thing I wish was included was more world-building beyond the war backstory. I imagine, however, that the world-building will continue in the second book. I am very interested in reading the rest of the series.

The start of another great series from Jessie Mihalik! This one has everything fans will be looking for...Space! Political intrigue! Found family! Fighting! Some serious enemies-to-lovers romance! Psychic...space...fox...things...with strong opinions about food! An absorbing and fun read from beginning to end.

This was the first book I have read from this author. I thought the synopsis sounded very interesting. This book surprised me in a lot of ways. There were definitely some slow parts but I still enjoyed them. The mystery and turns taken were very good and kept me interested in the plot. I really enjoyed this sci-fi. I really liked the Valovian’s and learning about the different abilities they possess as well as their appearances. I especially loved the descriptions of Torran’s eyes. Tavi is such a strong female main character. Her leadership and connections with her crew are so perfect. Enemies to lovers is one of my favorite tropes and this book definitely had that. As well as a super slow burn. I also loved the found family in this book as well. I can’t wait to see what happens next in book 2.
*Thank you to netgalley for the eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Science fiction romance is one of my favorite genres, and I was so excited to read about a female bounty hunter falling in love with the enemy. To tell the truth, I was getting Killjoys vibes and I couldn't wait to dive in.

Unfortunately, this book was a failure for me. Despite being a crew of former-soldiers-turned-bounty-hunters, there is very little action in this book. In fact, there's very little action of any kind, whether it was fighting bad guys or sexy times between Octavia and Torran. There was more details about what Octavia will make for breakfast/lunch/dinner, what food she will buy for said meals, and what everyone will eat or likes to eat. I have never read more about food in a non-foodie romance than I did here.

There were two things that tipped me over the edge into really disliking book. The first is a scene where Torran manipulates Octavia into doing something (no spoilers here) and it is seen as romantic by the rest of the characters. No, it is not romantic - those actions were full-on emotional blackmail. The second instance is *when* Octavia and Torran finally get together romantically. There are very few intimate scenes between the pair and the reader is told, not shown, that feelings were developing. Honestly, it felt like very little build-up for a payoff that was barely included in the book.

If you want to experience bounty hunters in space, skip this book and just watch Killjoys. Lots of action, sexy times, a great supporting cast, and lots of emotions - all of which was lacking in Hunt the Stars (though I thought Anja had great potential).

When Octavia and her squad of bounty hunters reluctantly take on a job from former enemy Torran of the near-human Vallofs, it turns out to be much more complicated than they expected. But the money promised was just too good to pass up. What makes this story work are the strong, sympathetic characters, the sense of home created on Octavia's ship, and the realistic way the relationships between the characters develop. I highly recommend this story.

**Read copy in exchange for an honest review.**
With sci-fi romance, authors often either get the thriller elements or the romance right but rarely both.
However, this author always balances all the elements flawlessly.
As book one in a new series, this book has to set us up with all the players and the mission. Of course, one expects some sexual tension and you have several potential couples in this book. It is a slow burn with lots of twists.
This is a great start to a new series and I look forward to the next book.

Hunt the Stars is a space adventure, enemies-to-lovers, found family sci-fi mystery romance. Years after a terrible war, Tavi and her crew of bounty hunters are hired by Torran, her sworn enemy and general from the other side of the war. They, and their crews, must get along, solve a mystery, and find that which is missing. Also there is kissing.

I really enjoyed the world building and the way the crews warmed up to each other and eventually cohered into a team. There's a telepathic cat-type creature which is an absolute delight. This book is a highly enjoyable adventure with a strong romance.

My only problem (and this is a me thing) is that I am writing this about a month after reading it, and the specifics are blurring together with another recent found-family, ex-military, space adventure I read.

I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Thank you, Netgalley, for this free ARC.

I loved this book. My only previous experience with Mihalik's writing was Polaris Rising. While I liked that boook, Hunt the Stars was even better. The characters were distinct and engaging, the pace was just right and the relationships (romantic and platonic) were interesting. The romance was fun and it did have a couple of steam scenes.

Technically, the writing was smooth and I didn't notice errors. If I had to point to a flaw, I would say the antagonists motivation was a bit unclear to me. However, this will likely be further developed in the anticipated sequel.

Overall, I recommend this for romance readers who like science fiction, found family dynamics, action, and humor.