Limited budget this year and space operas and science fiction just don't do well in my school. And because I found this one took a bit to getting into and relating to it would be a tough sell. However, it is one I for sure recommend to those who are fans of Pierce Brown to name one author. Oddly enough, Red Rising is another book that didn't fly off my shelves.

An intriguing sci-fi novel that is great for YA readers. Rhee has spent her life preparing to become empress - and to take revenge on those who killed her family. En route to her coronation, an attempt on her life forces her to flee - and cross paths with Aly, a war refugee who ends up accused of her murder. Together, they must unravel the conspiracies that bind them together if they want to survive.

Unfortunately this was a Did Not Finish for me. While I was intrigued by the concept and the book synopsis I just could not get drawn in by the characters in the first few chapters. Life is too short and there are too many books out there to keep forcing it, however those that have a special interest in space and science fiction might be more drawn in by the story than I was, as I am self admittedly not usually drawn in by books featuring aliens and space.

Ree is really reckless in the beginning but come to the realization that if her bloodline dies out, so does a treaty that's stopping war. She has a rude awakening that turns her into a pretty badass heroine. Aly is a dark skinned refugee who is framed for Ree’s death. Together they try, at the best of their capabilities, to right wrongs, even if they act recklessly in the process.

I adored this book. The worldbuilding was really solid, the characters were well developed, the writing was strong, and this series seems like it's going to be awesome!

For science fiction fans, this story will draw teens in. We want to know what happens to Rhee and Aly as they fight to keep the universe from a devastating war.

I enjoyed this more than I thought that I would. The plot is is unique enough to rise above many of the other books in this genre. I liked Ree and enjoyed the plot twists.

A classic-feeling space opera, I couldn't turn the pages of Empress fast enough. This book is the closest read-alike to Star Wars I've found in YA, chock-full of political commentary and dynamic worldbuilding. I also always appreciate finding YA that doesn't focus on romance, and this certainly qualifies.

Basically, this was really really good. Can I have the next one now?

The only surviving heir to an ancient Kalusian dynasty, Rhee has spent her life training to destroy the people who killed her family. Now, on the eve of her coronation, the time has finally come for Rhee to claim her throne - and her revenge.

Alyosha is a Wraetan who has risen above his war refugee origins to find fame as the dashing star of a DroneVision show. Despite his popularity, Aly struggles with anti-Wraetan prejudices and the pressure of being perfect in the public eye.

Their paths collide with one brutal act of violence: Rhee is attacked, barely escaping with her life. Aly is blamed for her presumed murder.

The princess and her accused killer are forced to go into hiding - even as a war between planets is waged in Rhee's name. But soon, Rhee and Aly discover that the assassination attempt is just one part of a sinister plot.

Empress of a Thousand Skies will appeal to readers who've enjoyed the Lunar Chronicles as well as the space-adventure/romance trend of the Starbound trilogy, Starflight and the Illuminae files. This is a fast paced adventure with just enough romance. I enjoyed the alternative POV. The characters have layers and kept me interested. I did find some of the plot a bit predictable, but I'm not always the average readers since I do so much.

Certain points reminded me a lot of Cinder, but that's okay because that is one of my favorites. Rebecca Soler reads the audio--she does the Lunar Chronicles too! Excellent job!

Final rating: 4 out of 5 stars

Rhiannon is the only surviving member of the royal family. Her parents and sister were killed and she has been kept safe and in training for her future as ruler. On her way to finally take on her role as empress there is an assassination attempt on her life. Despite the fact that she survived, news of her death spreads. In a separate storyline, Alyosha, a popular space traveling video star, suddenly finds himself accused of murdering Rhiannon. The two central characters are linked though they don’t really interact. Instead they are victims of betrayal and an intergalactic conspiracy. There is little heat in the book – no romance or passion to fuel the book’s forward motion. What could have been a riveting space adventure fails to engage readers. Perhaps Belleza will ramp up the action and the character interaction in the next books. The characters themselves do show promise and the ending hints at intriguing facts that could lead to engaging possibilities.

Pros: lots of drama that keeps you intrigued, diverse group of characters, aspects of our current cultures enhanced for a space/futuristic time period, plot twists vastly unexpected, ending on point for a sequel (gives you a bit of a cliffhanger but still wraps it up enough that you aren't destroyed with it ending)

Cons: so much drama, although intriguing, also was confusing at times, the planets and world building felt incomplete and I couldn't picture everything

Overall 3/5 - will continue with the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for sending me a digital ARC of “Empress of a Thousand Skies” by Rhoda Belleza. I loved this novel! It is all the fun I love about YA and the excitement of space opera. The writing is fantastic and the world building kept me engaged. Teens who enjoy science fiction will eat this up!

I liked this book more then I thought I would. I was ready for it to be full of cliches and predictable boring romances. Instead what I got was a fast paced story that examined prejudice and racism in a way that echoes what we see today, but in this fantasy setting. The world building was well done, and I can only assume will continue throughout the series. I liked but didn't love the main characters. Aly is an interesting and sympathetic character, but overall I was more engaged with Rhee's point of view. She has good character development, but still something is holding me back from loving her completely, I'm not really sure what it is. The one thing that really annoyed me was that from the synopsis that I read it makes it sound as though Aly and Rhee spend most of the book working together. They literally make eye contact once and don't meet. That's not a spoiler I don't think, but if I had known that I would not have been sitting and waiting and wondering when they would meet and work together. I might have been a tad less stressed about how far I was in the book and how it seemed like this couldn't be over halfway through because the characters still aren't working together. Anyway, overall I liked the book, but I still don't feel like its one I will go back to read over and over.

Struggled to get into this book and tried to really love it because of the premise but felt a little predictable and just wasn't exactly what I was looking for. I do have students who will enjoy this story, specifically my sci-fi loving kids, but it wasn't exactly what I was expecting.

This book is unique... and misleading.
The reason it's misleading is because, from the blurb, you both expect a journey of two teenagers together, and maybe even a romance blossoming between the two. You'd be wrong on both accounts. And I appreciate what the author did there--misleading readers and giving a different, more action-packed sci-fi adventure rather than follow the inevitable relationship drama BUT that's also where the book went wrong.
Had I not assumed that, or rather, had the book not given me the idea to assume that, I could have seen myself liking the book more. As it were, I'd already found the beginning half to drag and it was my hope of the two main characters, Rhee and Aly, to meet that made me continue. Nevertheless, Belleza has created two characters that are still learning their way through something that's way in over their heads and though the two never actually meet, it works out.
I liked Rhee, even though I did find her to be headstrong and a little dumb at times. However, it was amazing to see her grow on her own, learn from her mistakes, and plow through life as much as she could manage. Yes, she's way over her head at times, but she doesn't give up and I appreciated that. I'm actually glad there was no romantic arc for her just yet--seeing her in her element, it shows that there's no real space for any romance just yet.
Alyosha took some time getting used to but I ended up enjoying his story as well. His parts were a bit more boring, but still, his character grew a lot throughout the novel and I liked that he spoke out--well, thought out--the injustices he'd had to face because of his race.
Despite my complaints about this book, it has a lot of selling points. If you like stories with little romance, I'd recommend this! It's also full of different races, cultures, and species, and attempts at fighting against those animosities in the small ways the characters were able to! Plus, the writing was great and fleshed out the space world they were in along with the characters.
Overall, I'd give this 3 stars.