Beautifully written and wildly creative but I just couldn't get into it. There is nothing wrong with this book at all and yet I just didn't feel anything for the characters. Earnshaw's books are always well written but plot wise they are hit or miss for me.

Dystopian YA where a girl with a secret tattooed on her body might be the secret to save her world. Slow beginning, but picks up toward the middle of the novel..

Ernshaw's novel 'The Wicked Deep' helped me to fall in love with her writing style. After reading the summary for 'A Wilderness of Stars' I assumed it was something that would enrapture me. Sadly, it did not. The writing is very detailed and beautiful but the sloth-like pace took away from the experience. Paired with a storyline that ended up being different than I anticipated I'm sad to say this book just didn't do it for me.

I would like the thank the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with a copy to read and review.

Oh, my god, I finished this book last night and I can hardly put into words how much I loved it. This book has left me with a major book hangover. I really like Shea Ernshaw's writing style, and this book did not disappoint. There is something haunting about her books and the last few chapters in this book left me in shock.

I read the first 40% back in November, and I ended up putting it on pause because I started it right before finals week. The rest I finished in one sitting last night. I could not put it down because I was hooked.

The book is in first person from the perspective of Vega. After her mom dies, she becomes the last Astronomer and when the two twin stars are in place, she must leave the valley she grew up in to go to the sea. She starts her journey with her Pa before she decides to leave him behind once the journey becomes dangerous when she learns that the Theorists are hunting her.

The Theorists are a cult and somehow they know of the existence of the Astronomer. They believe that the Astronomer will be able to cure Consumption, a deadly illness, and so they have been hunting the last Astronomers down. During her search for the Architect who will lead her to the sea, Vega has a few close brushes with the Theorists.

One thing that I really liked is that certain questions of the world-building that Shea Ernshaw created were not answered until the last few chapters, like the question of what Vega needs to do once she reaches the sea, why it is so important that she goes to the sea while the twin stars are still visible, etc. It had me on the edge of my seat trying to figure out what would come next and the revelations were perfectly surprising to me. Some books, I can guess the plot twist from the beginning, but I couldn't in this book which was one of the reasons I loved it so much.

On the heels of her adult mystery thriller, A History of Wild Places, released in ‘21, Shea Earnshaw’s newest release takes readers on a mysterious journey back to some wild places in this YA sci-fi/fantasy.

In a land ravaged by illness, Vega & her mother live safely in a remote valley visited frequently by Pa, a medicine man. But when Vega’s mother dies and twin stars appear in the night sky, she knows it’s time to embark on a journey through the wilderness in order to find what she needs to save people from the illness. Readers travel with Vega as she looks to the sky, trying to unlock the mysteries she has within because she is the Last Astronomer, a secret she must keep, and she’s the last person who can save the people.

This book had a fiery 5⭐️ ending that rocked my world. If Shea Earnshaw could please just make a full length novel featuring all of those elements, I’d read it in a heartbeat. Unfortunately it was such an arduous journey to get to the climax. Don’t get me wrong, you can see her trademark beautiful prose infused within this tale, but the events that occur from the beginning to three-quarters in are just not exciting enough to keep this fantasy lover stimulated. It reads like a slow-poke western with some magical realism until that ending and then you are immediately catapulted into goosebumps & starry eyes.

A Wilderness of Stars would make a fantastic quiet, wintery day sort of read & if you do read it I’d love to chat about the ending. Thank you to the publisher for the opportunity to read and review this book.

This is a sci-fi book that you don't know is sci-fi until the last 40 pages, and the science is dubious. The characters are flat. Maybe someone would think this is good if they haven't read any YA before, but I don't even know how I would pitch this to someone. I love the cover though.

Beautiful imagery, gorgeous story - everything i want in a fantasy book.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the advanced copy.

She's on the run with nowhere to go, no one to count on, and nothing to her name...except her memories of her mother, the lessons she was taught, and the knowledge that she may very well hold the key to unlocking the mystery of what's happening in the outer world, solving the riddle and saving mankind.

Have I caught your attention yet?
I thought I might.

It really was an epic read. I was pulled in from the start as we get to know Vega in her rawest form. She's losing someone she loves, trying to find strength in body and spirit to follow through on what she knows she must do, and still holding it all together...a feat most would wilt at, let alone a 17 year old girl. She's been groomed, mentally, by her mother for the journey unfolding before her, and yet that doesn't make it any less hard to believe when it comes to pass, any easier to trust in the legends as she moves forward, and any less dangerous to her and those she encounters. It's curious because there are threads that tie it to our reality, and yet confounding because it can be hard to imagine a time when knowledge, or at least this type of knowledge, would be worth taking a life, literally or figuratively, for.

A great read for Young Adult Fiction fans, teen years and up, for the originality, adventure, and unforgettable moments along the way. If this one isn't on your wish list, or GIFT LIST, I'd correct it post haste!

A Wilderness of Stars 🌙✨♊️

Unfortunately another DNF. I really love Shea’s lyrical writing style. This one felt JUST like her “History of Wild Places,” but YA. Very slow and felt historical (horse & carriage) with no explanation. I made it half way through and nothing happened. If you’ve read let me know your thoughts!

A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw
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Vega has lived in the valley all her life. Her mother taught her all about the stars, so when she sees the twins stars her mother told her about appear in the sky she knows it’s finally time to leave the valley in search of the Architect.
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I loved the idea of this story, but the execution was lacking for me.
There felt like a lot of repetitive sentences and some dead space to the story. The end was good but also left open ended, and I struggle with open endings anyways.
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3⭐️⭐️⭐️ maybe even 2.5? It could have been great but it was just ok.

Book Summary:

Vega has spent her whole life keeping a secret from the world – a secret that has been scored into her flesh. She is the Last Astronomer and must find the Architect before it is too late. It wouldn't be a stretch to say that the fate of humanity rests in her ability to find a person she has never once met.

The world Vega must traverse to find the Architect is far from safe. People are sick and dying, and that makes them desperate. Desperate people can be dangerous. Vega's journey forward will be full of danger, loss, and pain.

“The Astronomer and the Architect, fated like Perseus and Andromeda.”

My Review:

Full disclosure: I've only read one other novel by Shea Ernshaw, A History of Wild Places. I absolutely adored that novel and made a promise to myself to read everything else of hers (when I can set aside the time, of course). So I went into A Wilderness of Stars with pretty high expectations.

Vega's story starts pretty heartbreakingly, which makes it easy to sympathize with her. It's even easier to get invested in her story. There's an air of mystery about her quest – we know that she is the Last Astronomer, yet we don't know what that means. Likewise, we know she needs to find the Last Architect, but again, we don't know what that means.

The story unfolds slowly throughout the novel, though most of the relevant information comes out right at the end. It makes for one hell of a twist. More accurately, the ending is more like three or four significant twists in one. It's a bit of a brain-bender, truth be told.

Ultimately, I felt like this was a decent read. A Wilderness of Stars has a solid start and an interesting beginning. The twist at the end was less satisfying, as far as I'm concerned. However, I will acknowledge that it was a unique risk to take.

Highlights:
Sci-fi/fantasy elements
Romance
Dystopia
Astrology

Trigger Warnings:
Sickness
Parental death
Stalking
Abuse

I really love Shea Ernshaw and was so excited for this book but it just fell short for me. It was a slog to read and until the last 100 pages, I wasn't really excited or engaged. Until the final pages, I sort of felt like I'd read this before - it just didn't feel new or interesting. It struck me as a combination of Children of Blood and Bone (but with way less magic) meets Outlawed (minus the brevity). I'm bummed that I didn't love this one - I had really high hopes!

This is an excellent book with a twist at the end that allows for a continuation of a story that I was not expecting.There is a girl with a destiny handed down to her from her mother and her people. There is illness cursing the land forces the girl to venture across the wilderness in search of the stars’ message that will, hopefully, save them all. She is the Astronomer with a map upon her body looking for the Architect who will lead her to her destiny as a savior. She is only a girl and he will only be a boy and there will be unbearable choices as she is being hunted. It will end in hope for the future with happiness in the present sacrificed.

A wilderness of stars by shea ernshaw book review
Hello everyone and welcome or welcome back to my account! As u can tell by the title it’s time to discuss another book I have read for tour. Once again thank u to Jamie from @rockstarbooktours for putting me on this tour for a wilderness of stars! Also thank u to @simon&schuster for sending me a finished copy! All thoughts and opinions are my own!!!
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I was pretty excited when I saw that Jamie was going to do a tour for this book because it was on my most anticipated reads for 2022 and I actually read it! It really didn’t let me down either because I give this a 4/5 stars read it wasn’t a 5 star read for me because the chapters were a tad bit long for my taste. Other than that the writing was beautiful and made me realized why I love Shea’s writing and how creative she is with her world building and characters. I really got to fall in with our two heroins which are Vega & Noah! Their chemerstiry together was super cute and that make out scene though lol! Here is the first paragraph of the summary in case this book interested you like it did with me and without further a do there is my review for A wilderness of stars by Shea Ernshaw it was a fun time reading it and I will recomneded this to anyone who is looking for a fun/fast pace fantasy novel that doesn’t have a lot to the plot but will keep u on ur toes especially towards the end! Summary listed down below: If magic lives anywhere, it’s in the stars… Vega has lived in the valley her whole life—forbidden by her mother to leave the safety of its borders because of the unknown threats waiting for her in the wilds beyond. But after her mother dies, Vega begins to see stars falling from the sky. It’s an omen she can no longer ignore, forcing her to leave the protective boundaries of the valley. But the outside world turns out to be much more terrifying than Vega could have imagined. People are gravely sick—they lose their eyesight and their hearing, just before they lose their lives. #awildernessofstars #sheaernshaw #simonteen #rockstarbooktours #giveaway #booktour #yafantasy #yafantasybooks #yadarkfantasy #RivetedReaders #yalit  #YAfiction #YA #youngadult #bookstagram #booktok #bibliophile #bookish #bookworm #igbooks #igreads

I'm officially a Shea Ernshaw fan!

I read A History of Wild Places a few months ago and loved it! I was sucked into the story and didn't want to put it down until the very last page.

I'm so thankful to Rockstar Book Tours for having me on the Book Tour for A Wilderness of Stars as it allowed me to realize that Ernshaw's writing is simply captivating as this second read provided me with the same feeling. I literally couldn't do anything else until I finished this book. I had to know what happened and was completely submerged in the story.

Two small stars appear on the horizon and Vega, the last Astronomer, knows she must travel to find the Architect. It's not clear what either of these titles mean or what the purpose of this task is as the story begins. The land and the people around her have all become sick and people are dying from some unknown illness. And Vega must travel through all this sickness to complete her journey. A journey that is unknown to the reader. So much information is held back from the reader but unfolds bit by bit and in this case, it made the story so much more interesting.

I was totally invested in Vega and her journey, with her struggles, the sadness of all that she has lost, curious about her secrets and overjoyed by her found family.

Thinking about the story now, a week after finishing the story, I maybe should have seen some of the end coming but I'm so glad that I didn't guess what was happening as the ending had me shook! I was literally sitting forward in my chair with my mouth open in a large O through the entire last chapters. So, so good!

This one felt like a mixture of light fantasy, western and very light sci-fi (constellations). I believe this is titled under YA but honestly, any age can love this one!

I have Winterwood, another book by Ernshaw, on my shelf. Now I need to read it.

Vega and her story will stay with me for a long, long time. I loved it!

Shea Ernshaw’s writing is often magical and her latest novel is no exception. A Wilderness of Stars is a romantic fantasy about a teen astronomer, one of the last with knowledge of the stars, who must decipher the skies’ message for a cure to an illness that threatens their land.

I got to 20% and had to set it aside. I've read 100% of Wicked Deep and Winterwood and I'm not going to read any more by this author. Just isn't a writing style I'm interested in. If you enjoyed either of those other novels, try this one.

From the very first page, I was drawn into Vega’s world. The author weaves a profound story of mystery that allows the reader to discover the sometimes painful, sometimes hopeful, and always changing plot. Spoiler alert – it is not for the faint of heart! You will close this book forever changed by this wild ride of impactful mental and emotional turmoil.

2.5 rounded up.

The last 10-15 pages of this book were so engaging I almost forgot that I did not particularly enjoy the rest of it. While the author has a knack for poetic turns of phrase, the repetitive writing made the main body of the plot read like filler. The characters were also lacking for me; I did not particularly connect to anyone, and found most of the relationships to be unbelievable, with the exception of that of Vega and her 'pa.' In particular, the main romance was frustrating to read, progressing too quickly and without enough encouragement from either one of the characters.

There is definitely a solid premise and interesting mystery at hand here, but it unfolded a little too slowly for my tastes. But the ending had me misty-eyed regardless.

If you’re looking for an atmospheric read for winter that’s not holiday themed, look no further! 😍

Gorgeous prose, a western style setting, star magic and a fascinating plot line?? And of course romance! You know when you read the right book at the right time? I feel like this read came at the perfect time for me.

While the start of this story was fairly slow, once it picked up the pace I could NOT put it down!!! Keep that in mind if you decide to read this book.

The romance y’all 🤌🫠 it was just sooooo so sweet that it brought me to tears 🥹 really though the character development as the love story grows between the two MCs was just 🤌

If you loved Shea’s other books I feel like you’ll love this one too, she’s done it again with that magic prose and unique story that only she can bring to the table.

I feel like this book will either work for you or it won’t, but I honestly loved it and would definitely recommend!

Thank you Simon and Schuster and NetGalley for the ARC!