I did not know that this was a retelling of the classic Persuasion, I have not read the original so I can't compare it and have no opinion on that matter. I went into the story with a complete blank slate, knowing nothing about the plot, basically just picking this because I love the cover (yes, I am that person).

I was really into this story, completely on board with all the angst and completely wrapped up in the romantic drama (which is basically all tell and no show of most of it but high on the current heart break). Also the costuming and fun dating issues of the Valg Season were interesting, almost as if I was reading a historical romance with the ton- but in space. But then the last 30 pages my feelings turned. Everything seemed to be wrapped up so easily and the things that could not be resolved felt a little like it was swept under the rug and forgotten (even though it was a big part of the plot to begin with). I felt a little let down with the resolution and it felt like this was a really long book to get invest in to not have what I was looking for (and I don't feel like the love interest ever redeemed himself).

Overall this is high on the drama, angst and romance, but low on the mystery and sci-fi aspect. If you are looking for a romantic read that felt more like adult fiction than YA sci-fi then this is the perfect option

I really enjoyed this book! It was a quick paced read that kept me interested the whole time. I could totally see it being a series, but would be fine if it were just a standalone as well.

Final Rating: 3 stars

I thought this book was a lot of fun, and the concept immediately drew me in when I first read the synopsis. I hoped it would deliver, and on some fronts it did, where on others it seemed to fall flat for me, but that being said, I did enjoy it.

This story definitely finds its niche in YA, and since I am on the older side of the target age, I found some of the content (in particular parts of the romance) to be a bit juvenile. That's not to say that people younger than me wouldn't enjoy it, but at 19, I'm hovering on the edge of YA's target age for stories such as these.

The skeleton of the story comes from Jane Austen's Persuasion, but it was updated into a space setting, which was really interesting to me as a concept, but sometimes it didn't feel 100% cohesive in the way the author tried to incorporate contemporary themes.

I felt that the plot was really predictable, something I wasn't sure if it was just because I happen to be good at guessing or if everyone who read it had this experience.

I did enjoy the characters,but at some points I did feel that they were a bit childish at some points in dealing with some of the issues at hand.

I did enjoy the writing style as well; I thought that it was extremely readable which allowed me to finish this book rather quickly. It's definitely an easy read.

The lack of worldbuilding did bother me a bit; I felt that I was just being given the information needed to understand the story, not to understand the world. I really enjoy worldbuilding; its one of my favorite parts of a fantasy/sci-fi story and this one felt a bit lacking.

I did enjoy this story though and I would recommend it to a younger age group than my own, or at least someone a couple of years younger than me.

It was a fun read and an interesting take on my favorite Jane Austen novel, but unfortunately shared the same issue I had with Brightly Burning: the writing just didn't do it for me. It was clunky, to the point that at times it interrupted my reading experience, and the narrative voice just felt awkward and very much like an adult trying on a teenager's voice, if that makes sense.
I'm still planning to give The Ivies a try to see if a genre change fixes anything for me, but overall I was disappointed to not enjoy this more, as I'm a big fan of Alexa.

Set in a future where humanity resides on spaceships, we meet a princess whose ship is on the verge of financial ruin. Thus she must enter the season of Valg, in which the wealthy and single step out and every person is meant to seek out a match, preferably rich.

With a snail slow pace and predictable 'twists', it was the diverse characters that brought all life into this book. I'm thankful for the bantering, and the non stereotypical portray an orientations represented. Although underdeveloped as the characters were, it brought a whimiscal touch to an otherwise meh read.

I read this book not knowing what I was going to get. Mainly as it sounded like the bachelorette in space and so thought yeah I am going to know the whole plot by chapter 6.

How wrong I was, this was more the bachelorette means a murder mystery it was fast paced with complex character, a good romance story line and some interesting twist

I received this as an eARC to read for free in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children's Book Group for giving me access.

I love me a story set in space! The Stars We Steal was a fun story about a princess - that really isn't a princess anymore - having to be married off for money and finding love.

The story was entertaining enough, but I wasn't 'wowed' by it. The characters were a bit dramatic about things and the story could have been more developed. Overall, I did enjoy it, but I wouldn't go out of my way to read it a second time.

I always enjoy Alexa Donne's YA adaptations of classics and this one was just as much of a gem as BRIGHTLY BURNING. The book is a take on PERSUASION set in space and it is very romance heavy in a teen way which is exactly what I'd market it as!

Imagine that there was The Bachelor for members of the royal family in the TV show The Crown and it took place in space... and there were pirates... that is this story in a nut shell. It’s a fun read but you need to check your brain at the door. Then it’s each the very young YA dialogue and the explanations of the crazy spaceship world. There are star-crossed lovers, back-stabbers and betrayals. The main character is a bit holier than thou and entirely naive to the world around her but she is likable. It’s a space soap opera and if that’s your thing, you’ll love this. If it’s not you will still probably enjoy the light, whimsical read.

3.5 stars for me.

I really did enjoy this book - it was easy to read once I had got used to the very descriptive writing style. The storyline was good fun but it still managed to touch on some interesting and serious topics. I'll probably read this book again (which is unusual for me).

Thank you for the opportunity to read this. I will be posting a full review to Goodreads, Amazon, and Instagram.

There are some positives here, a strong and resourceful set of female characters, an interesting futuristic world, the odd well placed nod to a literary classic. This however is overshadowed by the entirely underwhelming writing style. I actively took to rolling my eyes when Leo and Elliot managed to "accidentally" see each other in some level of undress. Or when the narrator AGAIN mentioned her ample breasts or the fact she was 'the only young lady at the buffet table'. It all just felt so forced and ridiculous. I felt no thrill from the romance, no excitement from the black market or threat from the almost cartoonishly evil "captain lind". All in all a thoroughly 'meh' futuristic romance in my opinion but I'm sure some people will like it.

So I think this might be a stand-alone, but it could also be a series????

The Stars We Steal is an interesting and addicting combination of The Selection and The 100. It has space, a Bachelor-esque romantic intrigue and is slightly addicting with all of the drama and politics.

The Stars We Steal follows Leonnie “Leo” as she has to attend the “Valg” a Selection like process of eligible youngsters choosing a betrothed. But for her, it’s extremely stressful, because her family is running out of money and she needs to marry for money, and her ex has returned after being gone for three years and trying to decide if he still has feelings for her. In addition, an election is coming up that could really determine the outcome of several class systems and their survival.

This book had a lot going on. The romance did a good job of making it seem more light-hearted, but there was a lot of corruption, murder, and politics. The main character gets seriously involved in a lot of bad situations and becomes essentially powerless to get herself out of it. The ending may have been a little rushed, but at the same time I really liked it? It was halfway believable enough and a lot of the problems were clearly being worked on throughout the book. And why does a book always have to have a long drawn out ending? Is that realistic?

Overall, I really enjoyed this one. It was a very quick read and I found myself going through a multitude of emotions. Fans of The Selection and The Uglies series will surely enjoy this one.

I wanted more from this book—either more from the bachelor competition side of the plot or more from the rebellion side, or maybe both. They both felt like not enough was devoted to either aspect of the plot, and in turn, the characters themselves were shorted on their development—in particular, the romance fell rather flat, failing to convince me in earnest. The premise and the location were great draws for me, but I wanted more.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for sending me a digital copy of this book. This felt very familiar to me. As though I had read it many times before. That being said it is beautifully written. I will not be purchasing it for the library as it is similar to others we have. Also the cover does not catch y attention.

An interesting take on the YA fantasy genre. It's a combination of Battlestar Galactica, The Selection, and a typical teen drama. Will definitely appeal to teens, but not likely to have lots of crossover appeal for adults. It hinges on the typical "big misunderstanding" and the characters make a series of (understandable for teenagers, but) ill-advised decisions that engineer a dramatic ending. The characters are interesting enough, and the plot moves along at a nice pace. That, combined with a great cover design, should draw in the teen readers.

THE STARS WE STEAL was a fun, witty and romantic romp through space, peppered with delightful nods to PERSUASION. I'd love a sequel to see how the characters are getting on as they all definitely have stories left to tell.

I really wanted to like this book (Jane Austen meets The Bachelor!) and I did feel that Donne's writing is compelling, but I unfortunately didn't enjoy the characters, romance, or plot structure. I would absolutely try a different book from this author, but I just don't think that The Stars We Steal was quite the right fit for me.

"The Stars We Steal" is an exciting examination of classism and the privilege that comes with it. Framed within a futuristic world where those that could afford it fled Earth to live on spaceships of varying luxury. Now, hundreds of years later, the royals bloodlines come together every five years to intermingle their children of marriageable age (16-21) to allow them to choose a spouse and ensure the continuation of their bloodlines without becoming incestuous. We follow unenthusiastic participant Leonie (Leo) as she suffers through the Valg season at the insistence of her father to find a wealthy husband to keep their aging ship in their possession and restore their lifestyle to its previous glamour. However, Leo has other ambitions: to patent and sell her water filtration invention to other ships and support her family with her own income. When her ex-fiance, Elliot, returns to participate in the Valg season her life is turned upside down watching the boy she still has feelings for flirt with the other eligible ladies.
Leo is a wonderfully developed strong female lead in the truest sense. Her unfailing loyalty to her imperfect family and crumbling ship strike at the true heart of what it is to be the child acting as the adult and caregiver of a family in the wake of losing the heart of their family and their fortune with it. Despite Leo's feelings for Elliot, she holds fast to the need to care for her family and their financial future but without losing the humanity that would make her ruthless. Will Leo become the captain of The Scandinavian and make changes to the hierarchy of the classes? Will she win back the love she thought she had lost?

What a fluffy space opera of a book. Nothing like I was expecting. Thank goodness. I liked Persuasion, I never read The Selection and despise the Bachelor so my expectations were not high. I am so glad to be proven wrong. I simply adored Leo our heroine, curvy girl represent was smart and strong and resourceful.. And Steal the stars has our heroine Leo actually having good friendships and interactions with other women. So many times books have women being unnecessarily catty towards another when we should be celebrating each other. And if you love a pauper to riches love interest you are in for a treat.

Overall If your looking for a better version of the Bachelor and a cute Persuasion retelling you are going to love The Stars We Steal.