This is now my fourth Shea Ernshaw book. And she truly has a way with words and such beautiful atmospheric writing. And all of her books are just so unique.

Short Synopsis:
Vega has studied the night sky her whole life waiting on two twin stars to align. They finally do, and she must travel to find someone known as The Architect to take her to the edge of the country.

My Thoughts:
In true Ernshaw fashion, this one started of SLOOOOOW. It’s like the Oregon Trail meets astrology meets romance. It’s quirky. And then it ended in a way that I never saw coming. My mind is truly blown on how it all came together. And now I need more. I’m still processing my thoughts on this one. I *think* I liked it…?

I tried my very best to finish this book, but had to DNF at 50%. I found the pacing to be inconsistent, and I was struggling to relate or feel something for the characters. This book is just not for me, although I’ve loved every other book written by Shea.

Actual rating is 4.5; You guys, I cannot emphasize enough how this book threw me into an emotional and mental TAILSPIN. This, to me, is the mark of an astounding writer. I have certainly found one in Shea Ernshaw, even if I’ve also found a ton of emotional damage 🥲

This premise was completely unique and daunting. Vega’s world looks eerily similar to our own, with enough small differences to tip off that something is very sinister, and very wrong. This book keeps up a lot of mystery, which sometimes frustrated me (I just wanted to know what the end goal was, already!) but later I absolutely realized why this mystery was revealed the way it was, and it made it so much more impactful.

I think this book is best enjoyed with as little spoilers as humanly possible, which is how I experienced this in being fortunate enough to read this early copy from NetGalley! I had no idea what I was getting into, but what everyone should know is: the romance is swoony, the action is plentiful, the writing is absolutely stunning, and the characters will force you to fall in love & leave you with a broken heart (and just enough hope). Definitely buckle up for an emotional ride, and prepare to be flipping the last 100 pages with inhuman speed and a pounding heart. This was my first read from Ernshaw, and it absolutely will not be my last!

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the opportunity to read and review this title before publishing!

This book was a ride! I don't want to say too much because I think it's better to really not have a good idea of anything before starting it.
Our main character Vega has lived her whole life alone with her mom in the valley. Vega's mom is the last Astronomer and has passed all her knowledge to Vega. One day, what Vega and her mom and past Astronomers have been waiting for for 100 years happens. The 2 sister stars are visible in the sky. Vega and her mom must leave the valley. Vega's mom is too sick and ends up dying so Vega must go alone. She must find the Architect.
Sound confusing? It kind of is! There is just enough to keep your interest and need to know if Vega will make it to the Architect and continue on her journey for everything that is not fully explained to be pushed to the background. The book takes place in what seems like a dystopian world, there aren't many towns and a lot of them are abandoned, there is a sickness that has killed almost everyone. It almost feels very wild west.
This book is exciting and such a mystery. Vega goes through such a journey based on the pure hope that her mother has given her through all her stories and teachings of being the last Astronomer. You honestly don't know if these stories are true or just stories until the end. Speaking of the end, NOT what I was expecting! I was so thrown for a loop, but at the same time it answered all the questions I had throughout the book and everything just kind of snapped into place. This book seems to be a standalone, but I would love a quick look into the future.
Something I loved about this book was that Vega found Noah and Cricket and they all put so much trust in one another despite knowing how dangerous it was. Their trust never wavered. I liked the relationship between Vega and -the love interest.- It was very sweet, but I didn't feel a ton of chemistry between them, especially at first.
Like I said, despite this being a standalone, I would love a sequel, or another book set in this world, or even some type of novella just to answer the questions we have left at the end!

A Wilderness of Stars is a YA science fiction novel about a young woman who holds mysteries of the universe tattooed on her skin and the journey she must take to save her people.

Vega is a teenage girl who has been taught to map the stars by her mother and told from birth that her destiny as the “last astronomer”is to journey to the sea if specific twin stars appear in the night’s sky. When the stars appear she leaves everything she loves behind and will need to find her counterpart “the architect” to guide her to the sea. But leaving the safety of her mother’s home and the valley will put her at risk from a desperate population that has been told “the astonomer” would cure them from a disease that is ravaging towns one by one. Vega falls in with a gang of young people lead by mysterious Noah and feisty Cricket who will help her along her path to the sea. Vega will be pushed to her limits against a band of criminals, a land ravaged by disease, harsh natural elements and her own devastating secrets.

A Wilderness of Stars is a mix of science fiction and dystopian plus the fantasy quest of a “chosen one”. Shea Ernshaw leaves mysteries to be solved all the way to the end along with a lot of danger and romance. This was a hard book to put down once the action started and I was eager to see the story unfold. I highly recommend this one to readers that enjoy reading about difficult journeys and fates that are written in the stars.

4 stars

Thank you NetGalley and Simon and Schuster Children’s Publishing for allowing me to read this arc copy of this book.

A Wilderness of Stars is a very interesting book that changes what it is in a seamless manner. It’s a book that has a quest that must be finished against the odds.

Vega must travel to the sea. She only has a limited amount of time to accomplish it. She leaves her safe home to find the one who would guide her there. She hopes to find the cure to the sickness spreading.

She must endure death threats for being who she is, bandits, a cult, and various other situations. A race against time, environment, people, and her own heart.

It was hard to get into because I don’t read dystopias or westerns. This had the feeling of being both. It reminded me of all the westerns my dad watched as a child. The cult part was different though. As was Vega’s title of the Astronomer. That led me to believe there was more to the story than the surface showed. This was what kept me reading.

The twist was somewhat expected but I was sadden at the ending. I was not expecting that.

All in all a good book.

Thank you again NetGalley and Simon and Schuster for the book.

This is going to be a difficult review to write because my experience with A Wilderness of Stars was a roller coaster. I think it boils down to 1) fantasy expectations 2) secrets from the reader 3) the last 20%. Let me begin with the second - since number 1 & 3 are so interconnected. You know those narrators who are keeping secrets even from themselves? The ones who we know are keeping secrets from others, but so close to their chest that we never find out what they even are - even in their own narration. That's what it was like in A Wilderness of Stars.

But because not even we get a peek at the secrets, there was some suspense that I felt like it was a bit hollow, I mean until it wasn't but by then it was so late in the book. For most of the book, I was wondering where the story was going, what the big secrets would be, and because of that, it felt a bit slow. However, the slowness felt related to a lack of knowledge, a lack of knowing the true stakes or the depths of the mystery. And while this made us more like a character in the story, as a reader, it became frustrating.

#AWildernessOfStars:

Thank you [partner] @bookclub @simon for the gifted copies!

“Those men tracked me all the way because they're willing to kill to get to me. And I have to be willing to let others die, to save what's left.”

Hi. Just wanted to let you know this book broke me. The tears I’ve cried were from months and months of holding it in and this book was the push that broke the dam. Ugly, hurt, sorrowful tears.

Shea Ernshaw quickly became a favorite author last year, and A Wilderness of Stars just solidified that status. The audio read by Ferdelle Capistrano was amazing. Highly recommend the audio.

A beautiful and mysterious venture into saving humanity with the celestial entities leading the way, this is not one to skip. Vega, Cricket, and Noah are a trio I will forever think about. The ending put all the pieces together in a masterful way and I’m so thankful this book exists. If you grab a print copy, read the acknowledgements. It was the absolute ribbon to tie it all together.

Thank you @bookclub @simon @simon for the gifted copies. A Wilderness of Stars is out 11/29, and it’s one I will never forget.

QOTD: What’s a book that’s stuck with you forever?

“Sorrow is like a serpent that coils around the heart the serpent might never leave your chest but it will loosen its grip over time”

I love Shea Ernshaw’s writing style. It’s lyrical and secretive, and I have to keep reading to uncover the secrets of her stories. This was another beautiful story, science fiction for young adults. I thought it was very creative, and enjoyed how the mysteries unfolded. I did sometimes get impatient with the slow burn, but I enjoyed the journey. My two quibbles are 1) the romance—personally didn’t need it, would have prefer a platonic relationship of some sort in its place (just made my 41 year old eyes roll a bunch) and 2) a smattering of swear words that jolted me out of the otherwise melodic language.
If you’re a fan of this author or YA sci-fi, definitely get a copy! Thanks NetGalley and the publisher for the arc.

Fantasy and magic are what this book is all about. I really did like the characters in this, although I wasn't expecting some of the storylines. For the most part it was a solid read.

I absolutely loved this story. Anything that has to do with space, stars, and epic quests makes me need to have it immediately. Shea Ernshaw has such a beautiful way of world-building that it has put her on my must read author list.

It's so hard to review without giving away too much, this is for sure a story that you need to go in blind so when that final punch really hits, your jaw will be on the floor. I literally think I went through every emotion several times over while reading. It really keeps you thinking about the story long after you've finished the book.

🌟 rating: 3.5-4
📖 genre: young adult, magical realism, fantasy, sci-fi
📄 pages: 400
✍🏼 same author as: A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES, LONG LIVE THE PUMPKIN QUEEN
🎉 pub day: november 29, 2022
🤓 read if you like: cult vibes, dystopian fiction, astrology

when a mysterious illness is cursing the land, Vega treks across the wilderness in search of the stars’ message that will hopefully save them all.

okay sooo this was kind of a weird experience all around, but i liked it. it’s kind of a mixed bag genre-wise with some sci-fi, dystopian, fantasy themes. per usual, Ernshaw writes beautifully and creates such a unique atmosphere. if you’ve read (and liked) A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES, you’ll really dig the dark and moody vibes in this one too. it’s haunting and cult-like with a technology-free society whose people live in fear of an illness that’s ripping through their colony. the synopsis had me hooked immediately— this plot has soo much potential.

my only complaint (and the reason for the rating) is the pacing. not only is this a slow burn, but it’s a slow burn with long ass chapters 😅 it took me much longer to read than a 400-pager normally would, but it did pick up eventually around the 60% mark, and by then it was easy to binge through the rest!

for me, the slow start was worth it because of the ending — it was wild and twisty and i just couldn’t tear my eyes from it 😱 usually the endings of YA novels are relatively predictable for me, (and a tad elementary) but it wasn’t the case here. however, it seemed to leave some things unfinished.. sooo Shea there NEEDS to be a sequel 👀🙏🏼

overall, i prefer A HISTORY OF WILD PLACES over this. but i’ll definitely be reading the sequel if it’s in the cards!

thank you NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for a free eARC in exchange for my honest review 🫶🏼

A Wilderness of Stars is a slooooow burn romantasy/ sci-fi. Now, usually I don’t like a slow burn, I want to be set on fire, but the build up, the angst, the descriptions of nature, it all worked for me. Much like her other books I’ve read, A Wilderness of Stars is beyond atmospheric. Shea Ernshaw can write nature unlike anyone I’ve ever read! I can still smell the salt of the sea, feel the heat of the desert, the coolness of the river at the end of the day.

This was heartbreaking in the best ways! A story of endings and new beginnings. Love and loss but most of all HOPE. I need more Vega and Noah (whom I would leave my husband for) Aghhhh 😅 Ernshaw gave us more than one plot twist along the way and though I did see one coming the big twist was a complete surprise. My jaw dropped! A seriously hope this story isn’t over…. This book SCREAMS sequel AND I AM HERE FOR IT! I need it.

Thanks to Simon & Schuster Books for Young Readers and #BookClubFavorites for gifted ARC.

Shea Ernshaw is an author that continually blows me away with consistent five-star reads. A Wilderness of Stars diverges from Shea's typical witchy YA magic toward astronomy and settlements, while incorporating her skill as a mystery/thriller author. She keeps the prose atmospheric and focused on natural elements, strong female characters, and sweet romance. Our MC Vega goes on quite the journey in this book in more of a slowburn mystery style, and the ending will make your jaw drop. I stayed up until midnight to finish this because I could *NOT* put it down. Safe to say at this point, Shea has moved right up to the tippy top of my favorite authors list and I'll be ruminating over this book for awhile.

I was not a huge fan of this book. There seems to be no reason for the story. About 30% of the way through the story, I was over it. There was no central plotline introduced. The world building lacked a lot of description. I am still unsure as to when this takes place in our timeline since the technology seems primitive. I just was a bit dissatisfied. I will say I am having a stressful time with school and work, therefore I may not have had the upmost devoted attention span while reading.

TLDR:

A Wilderness of Stars is the newest YA Fantasy novel by Shea Ernshaw. You may have read her previous books, The Wicked Deep and Winterwood.

Notable Elements:

- Head vs. Heart
- Celestial Navigation
- Entwined Fates

Likes:

Atmospheric — Reading this book is a sensory experience. It’s easy to imagine the unique sights, smells, and sounds of any given scene; immersion is effortless.

Imperfect Protagonist — Vega is brave, resilient, and determined, but sometimes she makes mistakes. I appreciate that she doesn’t always have perfect judgement, even being the famed “Last Astronomer.”

Heart-Wrenching Plot Twists — This book built me up and tore me down, and I’m not even mad about it.
Dislikes:

Slow Start — The pace doesn’t pick up until around the 30% mark.

Delayed Gratification — There are a few essential questions that I wish had been answered sooner.

Final Thoughts:

A Wilderness of Stars is an easy, enjoyable read, but WOW- that ending?! I need to debrief with someone ASAP.

Rating:

4.0/5.0

The way this author writes is a very immersive experience. The characters come to life and you will miss them when the book ends.

Though I have enjoyed past novels bu Shea Ernshaw, and had High Hopes for this book too - it was hard to connect to the story and MC. My biggest issue was that the reason for Vega leaving the valley is never revealed to the reader until the 90% mark, and because we didn't know why she left (aside from seeing the twin stars in the sky), it made it feel like the stakes were nonexistent. So when obstacles kept appearing in her path, I never felt any urgency for Vega to get past them and keep going. Fantastic writing as always, just not my favourite from this author.

Thank you to Simon and Schuster Children's Publishing and NetGalley for allowing me to read and review this ARC

This book was so different than I expected and also so good. It’s like waterworld meets the old west in YA fantasy! I love the author’s writing style most of all; it’s so lyrical and beautiful without being overly purple.

The thing that kept me from being madly in love with this book is the pacing. The beginning 25% is way too slow. Once it picks up it’s awesome, especially the ending! Oh my gosh, what an ending! But I think there was a missed opportunity for stronger character development because so much time went to the beginning where not a lot happened.

Overall, I would recommend this book!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This book was definitely not what I was expecting, but in a good way. It started out very slowly, but certainly picked up in the second half, once you meet Cricket and Noah. There were times I got very frustrated at how slowly plot elements were being explained, but I think the payoff was worth it. The romance seemed a little rushed, but under the circumstances, maybe rushed isn’t so unlikely.

I know the author is usually known for standalone books, but a sequel book, or even a novella or short story would be lovely to see.