Dystopian space adventure with queer characters and an engaging plot. Really liked this book, full of complexity and depth. Will be featured on an upcoming episode of Your Rainbow Reads podcast.

I had hopes for Stars, Hide Your Fires – the synopsis sounded amazing – but it didn't really meet my expectations. The pacing felt off for some reason and I struggled to connect with the characters. I think I would've enjoyed it more if the murder had happened a bit earlier. It was the main focus of the story but didn't happen until the 30% mark. The plot picked up afterwards, but I had already lost interest by then. I did like Cass and the dynamic between her and Amaris. However, she made some questionable decisions which frustrated me a lot because the "plot twist" was really obvious. I did like the overall concept and the setting but I ended up having to push myself to finish the book.

I do think others might enjoy Stars, Hide Your Fires, and it could've been a case of "right book, wrong time" but I was ultimately pretty disappointed.

Cass is a thief, a pickpocket who works with her partner Jax to relieve the idle wealthy who visit her planet of anything they can, so they can earn enough to get by, because like many empires, the rich get richer, with the emperor being the richest, which the poor get poorer and more abused. Cass and her friend hatch a plan to crash the emperor's gala to pick the pockets of the upper crust of the realm, and everything is going along to plan... until the emperor is murdered, and Cass is the designated scapegoat.

This is a fun, space opera sort of book, with some added bits of social commentary; including an abused underclass, LGBTQ+ characters, and a rebellion against the aristocracy, but treated is such a matter-of-fact way that it adds to, rather than detracting from, the plot of the novel. Cass is a perfectly imperfect heroine, concerned about her family and friends, and willing to take any risks to help improve their lives. Recommended for 8th grade and older.

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

A wanted thief. A murdered emperor. A killer loose on the station.

As an expert thief from a minor moon, Cass knows a good mark when she sees one. The emperors ball is her chance to steal a fortune for herself, her ailing father, and her scappy crew of thieves and market vendors.
The plan? its quite simple:
1. hitch a ride to the planet of Ouris
2. sneak into the imperial palace station to attend the ball
3. steal from the rich, the royal, and the insufferable
However, things quickly go awry when the emperor is found dead and everyone in the palace is a suspect.

Hmm, I don't think this was for me personally, BUT it might be for you!! The book was ok and I liked the premise of the book but I don't think its a book I would really remember much about and at times I did find myself skim reading halfway.

Diverting F/F sci-fi romance. A pickpocket from a poor planet manages to attend the most extravagant ball at the heart of the empire. Before she can disappear with her haul, the emperor is murdered. And someone is trying to pin the murder or her.

***Read an eARC from NetGaley***

Thank you to NetGalley and to the publisher Quirk Books for the digital ARC, it has not affected my honest review.

“Stars, Hide Your Fires” is a sapphic sci-fi tale pitched as “Knives Out” but in space, while also exploring themes of corruption, consent and fighting for justice against a terrible power. The reader follows Cass, a thief who decides to go undercover at the greatest ball in the galaxy, on an enormous spaceship, in order to steal enough to buy medicine and food for her sickly father. However, Cass’ plans are soon ruined after the Emperor is murdered and everyone onboard, including his own clones, is a suspect. Teaming up with Amaris, a woman onboard with her own secrets and who captivates her, Cass must work to solve the mystery before she is blamed- because the twin blade to the knife that killed the Emperor is one that only her people would carry, and it's been planted on her.

This is a fast passed YA mystery set in space with a strong lead character and a sweet fake dating team up to solve a murder. Cass is quick witted and funny, but also passionate about protecting her father and friends back home. Her early experiences of nobility are my favourite part of this book, especially because she's used to having so little and can see the lies hidden behind people's smiles. The build up to the murder, and the investigation with Amaris was well written and just tense enough, though I feel like Amaris could have been better developed as a character as could the supporting cast and world. However I enjoyed reading this and am glad I did as it met my expectations and had a lovely sapphic relationship in the middle.

This was pretty predictable but loved the characters and the setting. The plot was action packed and kept me engaged.

Stars Hide Your Fires, an intergalactic sci-fi murder mystery introduces Cass, a petty thief who lives on Sarn, an arid minor moon of the planet Danae. When she hears of the Ascension Ball, where the emperor's successor will be announced, she figures she can steal enough jewelry to support her ailing father and her crew for life. Things go suspiciously well when a prince gives her a ticket to the ball, and she meets the alluring rebel leader Amaris who enlists her aide in uncovering political conspiracy. Then the emperor is murdered, and Cass is the primary suspect. She and Amaris pose as a married lesbian couple as they search for the real culprit, all set in a world with clones, marital discord and political intrigue. The intricate plot in this fast-paced thriller will keep the reader enthralled until the satisfying ending, complete with a romantic denouement.

Sapphic young adult science fiction novels are in too short a supply, so finding one of such fantastic quality as Stars, Hide Your Fire is a real treat! The writing was well-paced, making me want to savor each moment spent reading. I am obsessed with Amaris, aka my new book girlfriend! Her leadership capabilities and espionage skills had me swooning on behalf of Cass!

This book was compared in its blurb to the movie Knives Out, which I think is a super apt comparison! Both have twisting who-dun-it mysteries with plenty of suspects, twists, and a protagonist worth rooting for! Just when I thought I had the plot all figured out, another clue would appear and I would have to rethink everything!

My Recommendation-
If you love action-packed sci-fi with royalty in space, you need to grab a copy of this book right away! I would especially recommend Stars, Hide Your Fires to fans of Crownchasers, The Disasters, or other queer space stories!

Cassie, earning a living as a pickpocket, travels across the galaxy to crash the Ascension Ball. When the Emperor is murdered she becomes a suspect and joins the Rebellion.

Readers familiar with the plot of Shakespeare’s Macbeth will recognize the connections made not only through Jessica Best’s Stars Hide Your Fires title but with large plot points. However, she turns the story on its head by shifting the story into space and placing con artist Cass at the center. Cass sneaks into the emperor’s ball hoping to score big stealing from the most important figures in the galaxy until the emperor is assassinated. The murder is pinned on her. She has to trust a shady rebel to untangle herself and prove her innocence before it’s too late. Great read!

The concept presented was indeed captivating, with a fusion of a thrilling heist and a mysterious murder set in the vast expanse of space. The plot, brimming with potential, managed to grip my attention from the start, although my engagement waned as I delved into the characters' development. Cass, the protagonist, attempted to exude toughness and wit, but regrettably, her portrayal often veered towards annoyance, failing to resonate with me on a deeper level. Despite this, the idea of her stashing food in her pockets to survive in space was undeniably relatable and added a touch of realism to her character.

While I had high hopes for the setting, envisioning a rich and immersive space odyssey, it ultimately appeared disappointingly generic. The overuse of space terminology and mentions of intriguing planets, which the narrative scarcely explored, left me yearning for more vivid and palpable experiences of the interstellar universe. The potential of Altair, a key element in the story, felt underutilized, as I had expected it to play a more integral role in the overarching plot.

Amaris, on the other hand, emerged as a delightful and enigmatic character, adding some sweetness and depth to the narrative. However, the resolution of the conflicts felt rushed and lacked the intense struggle and climax that I had hoped for. The stakes seemed relatively low, and I craved a more dramatic confrontation and battle between the characters to heighten the tension and excitement.

Furthermore, while the story was set in space, it struggled to fully capture the essence of its intergalactic backdrop. Instead, the setting came across as a mere medieval castle with a space-themed veneer, leaving me longing for a stronger incorporation of interstellar attributes to enhance the story's uniqueness.

In summary, the concept of a space-based heist/murder mystery held great promise, but the execution fell short in certain aspects. Strengthening character development, exploring the space setting more profoundly, and injecting higher stakes into the plot would significantly elevate the overall reading experience and solidify the story's identity as an immersive interstellar adventure.

Thank you netgalley and the publisher’s for giving me the ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This reminded me of Cinder but not quite there. The end was obvious but I enjoyed the characterization and the romance.

"We're in love, aren't we? There's no accounting for what people in love will do."

What would you do if you were suspected of murder? For Cass, she doesn't know of her involvement until the Emperor is already dead and the murder weapon has been planted on her/

As a skilled thief, Cass's goal was to go to the Emperor's Ball and secure enough loot to keep her family and friends fed and possibly buy a home on a new planet for her and her father. She never thought or planned to be suspected of murdering the Emperor or to end up playing detective to find the true killer.

Where everyone is a suspect until proven otherwise, will Cass and her new companion, Amaris, be able to find out the truth and clear Cass's name? Or will all of their plans fail and backfire?

I loved Cass and this story so much, it had the vibes of Knives Out but in Space and if that doesn't intrigue you, I don't know what else will! Cass and Amaris were well-written and developed characters that I grew to love, and the friends that we meet were also enjoyable to read about but I found we didn't see them enough.

I would have absolutely loved to have had a bit more time to read about Cass's family/friends, even at the end, but overall I adored the book and all the characters introduced. I would love to see a sequel to this book, or just to read about the characters' lives after this point on!

Thank you so much to the publishers for providing me with an eArc in exchange for my honest review.

ARC REVIEW
This was solidly entertaining. A futuristic sci-fi locked in mystery combined with political revolution. The world was fascinating. I really enjoyed this book.

It's okay! I think the comparison to Knives Out is a little...aspirational, because yes there was a murder and there were rich people, but that's about as far as it can go. The actual mystery itself falls a little flat (we have a whopping three suspects, one of whom gets eliminated quickly) but there are some pretty quippy, sharp lines that I enjoyed.

Typically fast-pace romances are not my thing, but Cass and Amaris made me get the appeal. The dynamic of the revolutionary and the non-believer was so intriguing and Best does an excellent job exploring it. I loved reading about Cass and Amaris's worlds and how they collide. Each of their found families made me grin and giggle and I love the potential for them to merge to become one chaotic and beautiful intergalactic family. Best also does an excellent job writing the worldbuilding. This is a galaxy where queer people thrive and live their lives how they want to.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

This was such a unique book. It was thrilling, adventurous, and honestly really adorable. I loved the rep in this book, and I loved the ending. I think this is such a cool book, with so many layers and different things happening. I don't think I've ever read anything like this. It was part Macbeth, part space opera, part love story, part murder mystery.
I love a thief main character, and I thought Cass was a lot of fun to follow around. The other characters were interesting too, although I do wish there was maybe a little less of them.
The things that I didn't like about this aren't too detrimental to the overall story- I thought it was a little confusing and choppy, but eventually I think I just accepted that that was the writing style and then I had much more fun.
(Also I don't think this story is very much like Knives Out, but I didn't really like that movie so I was not disappointed by this fact)

Cass is a pickpocket on a backwater moon that believes the emperor’s ball is her chance to steal a fortune for herself, her ailing father, and her scrappy crew of thieves and market vendors. Once there, however, she's set up for the emperor's murder. Now Cass must work with the rebel with her own reasons for being on the station. Together, they unravel a secret that could change the fate of the empire.

I loved seeing Cass in her element picking pockets, slipping jewelry and watches off the unsuspecting, and mimicking high class accents. As much as she doesn't think she wants much out of life, and that she's selfish, she loves her father and her crew fiercely. It's because of that love that she puts together a plan to get to the ball on the thinnest of hopes and makes it work. Once there, she charms the elite nobles and lesser royals and has pocketsful of jewels that could set her up for life, along with a dagger that's meant to be a twin of the murder weapon. The novel flows very quickly, with the action taking place mostly over a single evening: the announcement, hiding the jewels, discovering her recent acquaintance is part of the rebel group, teaming up to investigate, and discovering explosive secrets about the royal family.

It's a breakneck action story, with a smattering of romance for Cass. I raced through the novel, eager to know what was going to happen next. Cass was a great character to follow around the station, and through her we learn about the empire, the war, and what's at stake if certain men become heir to that empire. Several of the characters aren't who we thought they were, and Cass decides along the way that some things are bigger than a handful of jewels to sell. It's a gradual and natural progression, and I cheered once we got to the end.

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️/ 4 stars
Thank you to the publisher for providing me with an eARC of this book via NetGalley in exchange for an honest review!
Stars, Hide Your Fires is a science fiction story about Cass, a thief who goes to the emperor’s ball to steal a fortune. The only downside? The emperor is murdered and she is being framed.

“A good con is as much about listening as it is about talking”

I have been looking for more space opera kind of reads and coming across this one I became rather excited to start reading it! It is being marketed as perfect for fans of The Darkness Outside Us which I’ve listened to last month and loved, and Iron Widow which was also a big hit for me, so I had high hopes.

First off, the writing style itself is very easy to follow along to and clear in what is told. I like this way of writing and telling a story. Opposite that though, was the fast pacing. I think it would’ve been better for the story to take a step back in pacing and focus a bit more on the plot itself.

The plot was fun, I like the mystery aspect of trying to find out who the murderer is and all the political complications that come along with murdering an emperor. The world-building that is needed to elevate the story though was missing a bit for me. As this story is set in space, I had expected to see more aspects of space traveling and what those all entrails. While we do get it, I wanted more. Sometimes it felt like it was only mentioned and the traveling itself was rushed over most of the times.

I was a fan of the characters! They had depth and layers and the space to grow as characters. Cass was definitely fun, albeit a bit rash and naïve sometimes. And with naïve, I mean that she was sometimes acting before thinking, which came across as naïve to me haha. She is the odd one out of the crowd and it was fun to watch that. I also really liked Amaris and her determination!

The romance itself was cute, but that was it. I wanted more depth and tension in the romance and development of it. It felt a bit superficial and somehow childish, in how easy it flowed.

The ending did take me by surprise, but I liked how it all resolved in the end, albeit the loose ends that were still there.

Overall, Stars, Hide Your Fires is a fun, easy read that I did enjoy, but expected a bit more off.