I was provided an arc by netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I’ll start by saying I liked The Stars We Steal and I might have liked it more if I didn’t love For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund, which is also a sci-fi retelling of Persuasion.

“I was chasing dreams like starlight.”

Elliot comes back to see Leo suffer, suffer guys. They were engaged and she rejected him. He went away and came back more successful than anyone could have imagined and he wants, again, to make her suffer. He says a few mean things, flirts with her sister but it all felt forced when you knew he just wanted to sweep her into his arms which is not a bad thing. It just fell flat against all the angst I had built up in my head.

““I came back for you,” he said.”

I would recommend this book for those that enjoy Austen retellings and easy romances.

Fleeting yet fun, romantic yet unremarkable, THE STARS WE STEAL can be summed up as a "THE SELECTION"- or "THE BACHELOR"-style romp through space.

It's cute, it's light, and the courtship is FUN. Leo, the MC, is a passionate, intelligent, quick-tempered Princess whose faults simply make her more loveable. I have to say, though, side characters Evgenia, Carina and Daniel (omg, DANIEL *heart-eye faces*) stole the show - can we get a spinoff novel starring any and/or all of the three of them?!

The story was more character-driven than plot-based, resolving itself in a fairy-tale-ending conclusion that felt a little rushed (and slightly unsatisfying? Though that may only be because of my character preferences...). Regardless, it was an enjoyable read... and WOW, can we talk about that cover?! Absolutely GORGEOUS!

Technically I'd give this 3.5 stars, as despite following what I believed to be an unremarkable plot with a lack of a draw-in or "hook"-factor, the romances were enjoyable and there were characters that I absolutely LOVED. I'll round it up to four, though, because we can only rate in full-star increments... and, again, *that cover* definitely warrants at LEAST half a star ;)

Oy. This book.

I have a pretty long list of things that bothered me, but I’ll keep the summary of my irritations short.

1. These characters are awful. Every single one. Bland. Flat. Undeveloped. BORING.

2. The writing was inconsistent. Amid a page full of simple sentences you would find words so far outside of normal use that you’d be tempted to look them up. It didn’t fit and it felt like someone picked up a thesaurus to see how they could fix the repetition without fixing the writing.

3. Since I’m ranting about the writing , let’s pause to mention how some of these characters did not fit. This also circles back to #1. Daniel pops in then disappears for the entire book before becoming relevant. Then he gets pushed to the side again. Seems like a hurried plot element to get us to a resolution. Then there is Evy. I really feel she was written an entirely different way but was changed towards the end to broaden the appeal of the book. There are other complaints, but these two were my biggest.

4. On the topic of Evy... can we say failed social agenda? Does this author even have experience with life from this perspective? I didn’t find it believable at all. In fact, I felt it was under developed and just a slight nod to whatever it was trying to be in a rushed effort for inclusiveness. Same goes for Daniel.

5. Circling back to #2, I have to mention the sprinkling of futuristic swearing with totally blasé current sayings and references. I think we should revisit Scott Westerfield’s UGLIES series or the amazing RED RISING saga (Pearce Brown) if we want to see what believable futuristic world building looks like. This book was not it. In fact, why was it even in space ? The setting served near zero purpose for this story. There was hardly anything sci-fi or futuristic about the story. We had dilapidated space ships, 5 pages dedicated to a “space walk”, some basic tech imaginings and a nod to earth’s demise. But nothing was really developed. I should mention I’m not a sci-fan anyway, so when a lackluster story fails to draw me in the pain is twice as acute.

6. Finally, the pacing was off. It was so slow. Dry. Very little action occurred. It was a story with a lot of filler and missed opportunities. The final 10 pages (minus the useless epilogue) were the best in the book.

I really do feel this was a waste of my time, which is so sad to say about any book. I’m really glad I didn’t buy it, so thank you Netgalley and the publisher for providing ARCs. This one, however, is going to be a hard pass going forward if it’s a series.

In this fun, and engaging story--billed as the Bachelorette set in space, with shades of Jane Austen--Princess Leonie (Leo) is tasked with saving her family's fading standing by landing a wealthy fiancé even though she'd rather research ways to save water on their space ship. When her ex-fiance and first love shows up during the Valg season (when all the young nobles of the spaceships gather to find mates in an era of dwindling human population), Leo finds herself torn between her old flame and political intrigue. This is a swoon, enjoyable read with interesting, complex characters and diverse queer representation.

I really enjoyed this book. I absolutely love Leo. She’s a strong female character, with a strong wit and is not described as a waif, which is refreshing especially in the YA category. Her love story with Elliot was so compelling I couldn’t put this book down!

So I'm just casually scrolling through NetGalley a few months ago and this gorgeous cover snags my attention. I mean it is gorgeous! And then, my Jane Austen loving heart realises this is a Persuasion retelling and well, here we are. I really enjoyed it. As I knew I would.

This to me is basically Persuasion in space. It reminded me a bit of the very beginning of the 100. So yup, loved it! I'm not going to go into too much detail. But, basically girl rejects boy because he's "the help." He comes back, he's rich, he hates her for rejecting him. Now everyone wants him. Lots of mutual pining and pretending not to still love each other.

It was a light and fun read. And I enjoyed it so much. It's definitely one that I'll be reading again!

3.5

Man am I bummed about this, you guys. For those of you who didn't know, this is a loose science fiction re-telling of Persuasion by Jane Austen. I personally have never read that book before but I HAVE read and loved For Darkness Shows the Stars by Diana Peterfreund which was also inspired by the book. After finishing that I watched the movie from 2007 just to see how the Austen version went. Basically, this story is one of the move FRUSTRATING (but ultimately rewarding) cases of slow-burn/second chance romances that you will ever see in your entire life.

This version had a LOT of potential and I still think that a lot of people will really like this. I personally think that I would have liked it more if it had even been a duology. Even though the world building and plot were pretty well formed and made sense, there was still so much MORE that could have been delved into if there had just been even one more book.

The concept of this book is that the inhabitants of Earth who had the means to do so, left in a fleet of space ships based on the different nationalities after another Ice Age came on and froze the planet solid. Our main female protagonist, Leo, is considered a princess even though her family is just about destitute an the title is only really that--a title. Her aunt, who is captain of a much larger ship that is doing really well and has quite a bit of wealth, allows them to dock there.

This season she is hosting an event called the Valg Season which allows young people from all the different ships a chance to come together to find a suitable partner from a different bloodline. Surprise, surprise, Leo's old love (who she had been engaged to for a hot second years ago before she was talked out of it by her father, aunt, and cousin because he was poor) shows up. Only now, he's got money and is suddenly the heir to a ship. The two are at each others throats understandably after what happened in the past and there is a lot of tension due to a number of different things that go down.

As much as the small snippets of them reconnecting had my stomach fluttering, I wanted more. More, more, more. There wasn't enough of them reconnecting because too many other things were going on with different political things. I didn't learn nearly enough of what their past was like, or even who they had been as people to compare to the people they had grown to be in each others' absence. Again, if this had been more than one book, I think everything could have been executed perfectly with a better balance between the two things. Either way, it was still a quick read and I did still enjoy myself.

Huge thanks to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt for allowing me to read an eARC of this book in exchange for an honest review. ♥

I think on netgalley this was pitched as The Selection in space and let me tell you, that sums it up pretty well! Basically, Leonie doesn’t want to get married but she has a duty to her family to marry someone rich because despite being “royal” in title, they’re basically broke. Then along comes Leo’s first love Elliot and things take a bit of a dramatic turn… dun dun dunnnn

Leo was an interesting character to follow. Right off the bat we’re introduced to her as the reluctant older sister that has to take responsibility for the family. She’s sarcastic and emotional and funny and definitely kind of relatable. I liked that she wasn’t JUSt focused on love or family. She had other dreams that I enjoyed hearing about!

Her sister Carina is basically like her polar opposite and it was fun to see their dynamics, especially as the “compete” for love. There’s also Leo’s cousin Klara who fit the whole “mean girl” trope. She definitely added to the angst and drama, and it was fun to see her at different stages in the story!

I’m going to be honest and say Elliot was just…eh. He was kind of average and was there to fit that specific mold. But hey, I like tropes and I wasn’t deterred by that. The mood of this story just fit really perfectly with what I needed to read at the time so it worked out!

But the real spotlight I think should go to Evgenia and Daniel. I loved their characters and I wish we’d gotten more time with them! They both were people I’d really want to sit and have lunch with and be friends with! I don’t want to get too into the details of these characters because of spoilers though, but they were definitely my favorites!

Now, in regards to the plot, I had a lot of fun with the whole Valg season of trying to get married and meet new people. There were a lot of fun scenes with speed dating and fun dates. I especially loved the way the whole “we live in outer space” thing factored into the plot. It was definitely interesting to see the politics and background about the world and I wish there had been more of that political intrigue!

I didn’t rate this a full 5/5 because I was honestly waiting for a lot more drama and angst and even though there definitely was some, it just felt like it was missing something. The ending felt like it got resolved entirely too quickly in my opinion and I was definitely hoping for more angst, especially given the scenarios! BUT, the story overall kept me engaged and I was thoroughly entertained!

If you like dramatic royals, a little bit of a love triangle-esque drama, second chances, SPACE WALKING, speed dating, dancing, and parties. If you enjoyed The Selection, you’ll definitely enjoy this one! I would definitely recommend this to anyone who wants a quick fun read!

Set in space, after the Earth has become inhabitable, Princess Leonie Kolburg is trying her best to live up to her father’s expectations, solve their financial problems, and be happy. When her ex-fiancé Elliot returns with a dark secret, Leo does her best to move on, struggling to find a way to patent a water-filtration system that could alleviate her family’s financial problems once and for all. As Elliot’s secret comes to light, Leo finds out a dark family secret as well, that her mother’s death wasn’t an accident.
This book was very interesting. I enjoyed reading it tremendously. Leo’s down-to-earth-ness was welcome, and the fact that she doesn’t resemble the average young adult protagonist was exciting. The book explores blackmail, secrecy, politics, technology, love, and opens up a whole new world, Earth society in space, and is beautifully written.

This is a unique retelling. I was hoping for a little more world building, because right from the start I felt thrown into this world with little explanation as to what was going on. In the same way I was hoping for a little more depth to help me connect to the characters.

Princess Leonie Kolburg (Please, call her Leo; and most definitely not a royal title) is in desperate need of funds in order to keep her ship, the Sofi, running. It's been generations since the people of earth fled to space as the earth froze over, and supplies and funds are running low as populations and ship repairs grow. Leo enters the season, known as the Valg, halfheartedly looking for a rich husband and wholeheartedly trying to sell her water filtration system to other ships. The last thing Leo expects is to be reminded of her first love--and first heartbreak--when Elliot Wentworth comes to rent her ship.

Worst of all, Leo is still in love with Elliot. But does he feel the same?

A 'stellar' sophomore novel by Donne--who dazzled readers with her 2018 debut, a "Jane Eyre" retelling titled "Brightly Burning"--"The Stars We Steal" blends Jane Austen with a glittering high-tech sci-fi world. With a fantastic cast of characters, brilliantly witty dialogue, and a page-turning will-they-or-won't-they? dynamic between Leo and Elliot, "The Stars We Steal" is sure to leave readers spell-bound and eager for more.

I remember when the cover for The Stars We Steal was revealed, I kept going back to look at it. Even though it is simple, it is so stunning and eye catching. Then I learned that it was set in space. I was sold! Later on I learned that The Stars We Steal is space meets The Bachelor and a loose retelling of Jane Austen's Persuasion. This book sucked me in from page one and didn't let me go until the very last page.



The Stars We Steal isn't a heavy science fiction novel as I had expected. I would have loved to know more about why they left earth, how long it's been and all of those nitty gritty details. The science fiction was more secondary to the romance. Which makes sense, since this story is about Leo looking for a husband to save her family from finical ruin. I am not as familiar with Jane Austen's Persuasion as I am familiar with The Bachelor and The Bachelorette, but it was fun seeing a how this two things combined and created this book.

**Thank you to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Netgalley, and Alexa Donne for a copy of this ebook in exchange for an honest review**

I previously read Alexa Donne's debut novel, Brightly Burning and wasn't *super* thrilled with the book - but I loved the writing and when I see Bachelorette... coupled with SPACE... I know that's a book I 100% need to read, and it did NOT disappoint. Leo is the Princess of her ship in space - where these titles are still used to create a classist society, even when it's totally not necessary. The Valg is their way of creating marriages (that aren't with your cousins...) among the elite, rich, and/or titled young people. Leo is participating in The Valg to find a rich husband, because her family is in dire need of funds, not because she wants to. As the oldest child of a man who spends money faster than it could possibly come in, she needs to be the adult and keep their spaceship afloat. Enter, her ex-fiance Elliot whom her family made her break the engagement to because he didn't have money. Now? He is the sole heir to a prosperous whiskey ship and has plenty of money. Problem? He's seriously pissed at her...

Ya'lllllll I loved this book. I read it all in one night because I could not put it down. Alexa Donne weaved so many elements together that you wouldn't expect to work together, but pulled it off perfectly. I'm a huge sucker for Bachelor style plots, but it's not JUST that. You have murder, intrigue, theft, Robin Hood-esque schemes, rebel groups, cyber attacks, AND wealthy extravagance from young people who have nothing better to do than be petty and make drama. Like, let's gooo!

I am obsessed. Her writing worked so well with these elements and I found it SO much more enjoyable than her other classics spin in space. Currently starting a petition to re-write all the classics in a futuristic space society. Needs to happen.

The Stars We Steal, Alexa Donne's second book, is a stand-alone space adaption of Persuasion by Jane Austen and will have you hooked from the first few pages. Leo is a strong character who is put in an untenable situation and trying to make the most of it. Pick it up if you enjoyed her first book, Brightly Burning, or are a fan of retellings and/or space!

**Thank you Houghton Mifflin Harcourt and NetGalley for providing me this ARC in exchange for and honest review**

When initially reading the blurb, I figured it was a retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. But it wasn’t until I got half way through the book where I realized how I was getting more of a Bacherlorette vibe from the story. (And the front cover is also a rose!) If you’re looking for a brief blurb on the story, think Persuasion + The Bachelorette + The One That Got Away + Love Triangles + Family Drama.

The Stars We Steal follows Leonie Kolburg, a German princess and heir to The Sofi, and old European spaceship. As her family are close to facing bankruptcy, Leo must find a way to save her family from financial ruin. Unfortunately, Leo is backed into her only option: Valg Season, where she’ll have to find a wealthy suitor to marry off to. Her plans go astray as Elliot, her first love, returns. The past memories and the regrets overwhelm Leo as the two tip-toe around each other, hurt from the past and by each other.

The story takes place in the future where the Earth is barren and no longer inhabitable. Wealthy families who were fortunate enough to have boarded a space ship in time have lived outer space. Countries are replaced by fleets like The Scandinavian, The Empire, Lady Liberty, and Saint Petersburg. While the story took place among the elite and the wealthy, there exists turmoil amidst the lower classes and the stirring of a possible revolution. The world building was really interesting, but I did wish that the author had spent more time bringing us into the world.

The story was definitely more focused on the drama and the romance while the looming revolution and politics was a weaker subplot. As a result, while I did fully get to know the characters, I didn’t completely feel immersed in their world.

But I’m not going to say that I didn’t enjoy the romance and the characters. It was what made the book so entertaining! Rather, my investment in Leo was what kept me flipping through the story. Running her own ship and maintaining family affairs at the age of eighteen, Leonie was a character that I learned to admire. She’s independent and self-driven, determined to find a way to solve her family’s financial burdens without having to marry for money.

The advancing plot and the anticipation to see how Valg Season played out made it a really quick read. The cliff hangers at the end of every chapter keeps you going. Just like you would when watching a TV series, you can’t help but move to the next episode, the question of “what happens next?” looming over your head. If you’re looking from something like the Bachelor/the Bachelorette or are a fan of Kiera Cass, you should definitely give this book a read.

RATING: 3/5 STARS

I enjoyed Alexa Donne's previous book, Brightly Burning, which was a retelling of Jane Eyre. Similarly, The Stars We Steal launches Jane Austen's Persuasion into space. I enjoyed the overall storyline and felt it was unique while still integrating critical elements of the source work. The worldbuilding was creative with its descriptions of the ship's futuristic amenities. I loved a particular scene were the main characters, Leo and Elliot, were outside the ship on a spacewalk.

However, I think the dialogue could have been more interesting, especially between Leo and Elliot. I didn't feel a true spark between them. Both characters were hot and cold towards each other, which made it difficult to follow their motivations at times. Despite this, I was definitely rooting for them and was satisfied with the ending.

I recommend this if you're a fan of retellings with a touch of sci-fi! (I also appreciated the sexual orientation inclusivity of this one).

A sincere thanks to NetGalley and HMH Books for Young Readers for providing an advanced reading copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Social: @_shelf.awareness on Instagram

I love how honest and flawed the characters in this book are. It's so hard to make a character that someone wants to cheer for and still be realistic. It's also a little cheesy, but that comes with the territory when The Bachelorette goes to space. However, it is still fun and reads quickly.

The Stars We Steal is a love story set in the future and is based loosely on Jane Austin’s Persuasion. Instead of country estates and mansions, though, the wooing, heartache, and revenge takes place on space ships.

Because Earth is uninhabitable due to an environmental disaster, each continent has their own ship. Princess Leo is heir to a bankrupt and somewhat decrepit ship, the Scandinavian, and the burden of marrying for wealth is falling on her. Enter her ex-fiancé, Elliot who has a bone to pick with Leo and isn’t afraid to take his revenge on her in some pretty despicable ways.

Alexa Donne has taken the well-known story of Persuasion and given it a unique futuristic twist that is an enjoyable read for any fan of romance with a heavy dose of sci-fi.
3.5 ⭐⭐⭐'s rounded up to 4

A big thank you to NetGalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Childrens Book Group for providing this book for my honest review.

I was first drawn to this book for its beautiful cover, but I quickly realized after I picked it up that I could not put it down. A mix of The 100 meets Robin Hood and one of those silly dating shows on television best describes many interesting twists to this tale.

Although I was cautious at first as I read a few reviews stating that the ending was not thought out, I found that I disagreed. I really enjoyed the ending, It provided a tsunami of drama, events, and twists that kept me turning the pages and hoping for a second book to find out what happens to the characters and to see how they have grown due to the events that have taken place. (There is an epilogue, but I need more!)

Thank you Net Galley and the Publisher for a copy of this ARC. I greatly appreciate it!

The Stars We Steal is the type of book that once you pick it up you can’t put it down.

This Persuasion retelling set in space is a mix of romance, sci-fi and intrigue that I didn’t know I needed. I am a fan of regency romance and fantasy so this felt like the best of both worlds. Leo is being forced to find a suitable marriage partner while dealing the complications of a ranking systems she finds unfair and surviving with the limited resources of living in space. I loved Leo’s tenacity and was rooting for her the entire way. I’d recommend this book for romance fans who are looking for a refreshing twist.

Thank you, HMH Teen, for giving me an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I don't know you at all anymore. And I don't care to. —Leo

Do you like the idea of girls vying for the affections of a rich bachelor? This phenomenon was common during the patriarchal time of Jane Austen, but it's still relevant today. Otherwise, shows like The Bachelorette or books like The Selection wouldn't exist. I studied the latter series for my undergraduate thesis, so I was intrigued by the premise of bringing all of that drama to space. High five if you also love space operas!

The Stars We Steal features a world wherein Earth is no longer habitable. Because of an environmental disaster, people from every continent have evacuated to space. But instead of living on another planet, they stay on their respective spaceships and begin their lives anew. Americans call their vessel the Lady Liberty, while the British name theirs the Empire.

Leo Kolburg, the heroine, is a German princess and heir to an old European spaceship. She resides on the Scandinavian with her father and sister. The Kolburgs are almost bankrupt, and Leo takes on the burden to save their family from destitution. Sadly, marrying into a wealthy family might be her only option. When the matchmaking season starts, Leo is shocked when she discovers that one of her prospects is Eliot Wentworth, her ex-fiance. Worse, he wants to exact revenge on her.

At first, reading this book was a lot of fun. Although there were some cliches here and there, the story was generally entertaining. However, I strongly disliked Eliot to the point that I understood why Leo had dumped him in the first place. I didn't care that both of us would rather read a book than go swimming; his hot-and-then-cold demeanor always annoyed me. Naturally, my negative thoughts about him affected my opinion of Leo, who couldn't get over him in spite of all the better men around her. Leo was empowered enough to create a water filtration system for their spaceship, so why wasn't she strong enough to move on?

Nonetheless, Leo was aware of her flaws. She scolded herself for taking pleasure in her flirty sister's pain and pining over a vengeful (and very suspicious) boy. How could I be frustrated with someone who was already frustrated with herself? Haha. Still, it was amazing how Leo forgave Eliot for openly flirting with her cousin and sister out of spite. I'm not sure if girls in real life would be willing to do the same. Considering the popularity of feminism, probably not. Girls today usually hate fighting over boys because doing so encourages toxic masculinity.

The main antagonist was too selfish to be trounced. This, in turn, made the ending too convenient to be believable. I know that happy endings are products of wishful thinking, but they should at least be logical. How can such a cunning and relentless dictator end up in prison so quickly? Perhaps the book would be better if it had an open conclusion.

To be fair, this book had a fascinating setting. I loved that each ship was a like nation in itself. If you wanted to visit a particular vessel, you would have to get a visa first. Moreover, although the spaceships had different leaders and social classes, they had to rely on each other to survive. This resulted in much political tension, which I mostly enjoyed as a member of the middle class.

As a whole, The Stars We Steal was equally fun and stressful to read. You should read this book in February 2020 if you love Kiera Cass and Beth Revis. If some of its themes sound outdated, remember that it's a close retelling of Persuasion, a semi-historical novel. The author probably retained some tropes (e.g., mean boys and marriage-driven girls) because she wanted to be loyal to the source material.