There’s a serious description of Skrutskie’s (Hullmetal Girls) new series starter, but I was pulled in by Skrutskie’s tongue in cheek hooks: “Galactic-level bisexual disasters” with “weaponized rainbow umbrellas,” “one hell of a pilot,” a “secret prince,” “sick stunts,” and “big space battles.” The book holds onto every one of those promises, and with hefty doses of romantic tension battling for prominence with a complex political plot. Ettian is determined to save the life of his best friend, romantic interest, and roommate, Gal, even when he finds out that Gal is actually the heir to the Empire that conquered Ettian’s own people.

Now, seeing a rebellion of his own countrymen on the one side and Gal on the other, Ettian has to figure out a way to make sure Gal makes it home—even if that means sacrificing everything he used to believe in. It also has that promised weaponized rainbow umbrella, used deftly by Wen, a half-burned street girl willing to take on an entire organized crime ring with her own know-how who steals every scene she’s in. Skrutskie at once managed to produce a light-hearted and fun space opera that still digs into the depths of what it means to belong, and who deserves loyalty: the land you’re born to, or the conquerors you’ve chosen in order to rise from the ashes. She never gives any easy answers, and that’s part of what makes this book so darn good—and has me eagerly awaiting the sequel.

Ok wow. I loved this book so much. Get this one on your radar, folks. We have a best friends - but also enemies - romance. A lot of secrets and a lot of huge consequences for keeping them - and revealing them. We have space battles and deception and an amazing girl with a rainbow umbrella. The ending had me screaming!! WHAT. WAS. THAT. I was fascinated by the decisions that these characters made for each other. The lengths that Ettian and Gal went for the other, the secrets that played into their decisions and the huge empire making, world breaking consequence of their actions. I have no idea how they will deal with the fallout. But I am now desperate for more of this tale!! Sequel, here I come!

Love Triangle Factor: None
Cliffhanger Scale: Ahhhhhhhh High

Bonds of Brass is my return from a 6-month reading hiatus and it did not disappoint. Deep character work meets significant worldbuilding to reveal a plot that never tires. It’s one of the few space operas that never faltered as I was reading it. The pieces fit well together and the reveals were epic, leaving me gushing about the plot to anyone who would listen.

Spoilers below…

Writing Lessons Learned

-It’s possible to introduce a key character later in a novel, especially if it’s part of a book series. The introduction of Wen as a leading character gave the protagonist a renewed outlook on his life, creating an ally and another source of conflict. Without her addition, the plot may have stagnated, and the conflicts may have seemed repetitive.

-There’s a subtle art to inserting major reveals in a plot and it takes a deep knowledge of your world and your characters to pull them off. It’s clear Skrutskie knows everything about her characters – what makes them tick, why they do what they do, and how their past defines their present. Knowing these things makes for a well-integrated secret reveal that can cause a gasp from the reader.

-A bildungsroman doesn’t have to meander in soul-searching and gradual growth. The ascent from youth to adulthood can happen with the snap of a finger and it may take the reader a bit to understand that transition. One moment, Ettian is a fun-loving recruit at a flight school, drinking with his friends and enjoying his life. The next, he’s on the run, making life-altering decisions and throwing himself into a lion’s den of power struggles and empire-spanning conflicts.

-Finally, Bonds of Brass was a great lesson for me in the art of writing a solid fight scene. Between the air battles and the hand-to-hand combat, there are many great examples of how to create tension alongside realistic descriptions that don’t overdo each individual punch or shot.

Plot Structure Analysis
This is the element that drives me to obsess over space opera as a sub-genre. There is never a dull moment – every page is filled with nail-biting action, betrayals and surprise reveals, eventually leading to an epic conclusion. Skrutskie does a masterful job of managing the many conflict points along the way to an epic climax with very little falling action. This approach leaves the reader in a constant state of excitement and builds momentum for the second book in the series.

There are a number of key elements and storylines that mesh well to make Bonds of Brass a fully-realized story:
-A massive reveal at the beginning of the book that paints most of the following conflicts, adding tension and a secret that both characters can bond over.
-A simmering love story that draws you into the personal lives of the protagonist and his potential beau, leaving you deeply invested in his personal life.
-The introduction of a third character who seems random but eventually becomes a turning point as the protagonist comes to terms with his life goals.
-The underlying history of the recent war and its implications on the past, present, and future of the protagonist.
-An overall path from the innocence of adolescence to the tough decision making of adulthood.

Bonds of Brass finds a way to mesh all of these storylines together to create an interwoven narrative that engages from start to finish. It’s equal parts space opera, military science fiction, action adventure, and love story. These subgenres work well together and it’s impressive to see them combined into one tale.

Character Analysis
As the protagonist, Ettian is a complex character, balancing a somewhat mysterious and torturous past with the newfound acceptance of friends, classmates, and his love interest, Gal. Skrutskie makes the reader feel like they already know him from the start, but continuously ups the ante by revealing additional details along the way that refine our perceptions of him. We see a battle of internal conflicts in everything he does, from his support of Gal to his wavering reluctance to take part in a revolution that supports a dead empire he feels betrayed him. I had no trouble connecting deeply with him and was excited to discover more with each passing chapter. Needless to say, the final reveal blows everything you thought you knew about Ettian out of the water. This creates an exciting exercise for the reader in reevaluating the many pieces to form a new, more complex puzzle.

Gal plays the love interest and secret heir to the empire that destroyed Ettian’s past. He’s an interesting character who hasn’t faced Ettian’s hardships. The gulf between their experiences is ever present throughout the conflicts, showing Gal to be a privileged young man, confident in himself and his future. He has little hesitation about his love for Ettian, which adds an interesting element to the love story. As the story progresses, we start to see hints of Gal’s terrifying family and the possibility for a dark side that could overtake the sweetness and playfulness he exhibits early on. This intensifies as the novel progresses and creates a potentially dreadful chasm as the book’s final events are brought to light.

Finally, we get Wen, an unexpected addition to the narrative who explodes on the scene in all of her glory. She’s hilarious and well-written, giving us a humor aspect alongside the tragedies of lost family and a life living under an oppressive gang leader. Her addition to the story is essential to Ettian’s growth as a character. She reminds him of where he came from and thus softens the glow around his perception of current events. Without her, we wouldn’t have the conflict in the final half of the book and it would be significantly less exciting. Personally, she was my favorite character and I look forward to getting to know her better in future books.

Despite its blatant roots in fan fiction, it finds its own footing with a unique setting, interesting plot, and constant action. Should be popular with teens.

Totally for the fans of Star Wars, particularly Finn and Poe. It’s full of relentless action packed moments, twists and turns that kept me on my toes every minute, but there is also a beautiful angsty love story and I loved the combination of it all. Highly recommend for anyone who loves their sci-fi with a good dose of love.

Action packed yet also tender in ways I didn’t expect! Highly recommend for Star Wars fans, but also has the YA military camaraderie of Joanna Hathaway’s Dark of the West. So good. Definitely an author I will be tracking going forward!

Pilot Ettian risks his life to save that of his best friend, and crush, Gal Veres. But with Gal being the heir of the cruel Umber empire, and Ettian doing his best to protect Gal while keeping his secret, will this ultimately drive them apart?

What an amazing YA science fiction masterpiece! I am blown away! Typically, I do not read a ton of this genre. However, I won this particular novel as a giveaway on Instagram, and it gave me a great excuse to travel up into the stars. It’s been awhile for me.

And, I am so glad I did! This was like reading the most amazing YA version of Star Wars! I loved every moment I got to spend with Ettian and Gal (up in space, on the “Ruttin’ Hell”, and off).

However, I absolutely fell in love with Wen. She’s wild and carefree and yet, cunning, crafty, handy, street smart, and a skillful fighter. And how could you not love those skills with her rainbow colored umbrella?! She’s such an amazing, strong female character!

The sacrifices that Ettian makes, time and time again, are profound. He learns, right off the bat, that he and Gal are sworn enemies and the entire resistance is after him. Ettian decides his loyalties are to get Gal safely home. He doesn't judge Gal for his bloodline. He is wary of it but doesn't judge it. And I adore him for that. He truly loves Gal. But you can tell that Gal loves Ettian, too. And yet they do not act on their love. They are too busy trying to avoid getting killed or discovered. It’s heartbreaking but so admirable!

I had so many emotions reading this story. I went from elated to nervous to frightened to really saddened and ultimately crushed (my heart). But overall, I am thrilled because I loved this book! And, I cannot wait for the second one because I am not ready to leave the adventures on Archon and I want to know what happens next.

Thank you so much to Netgalley and Random House Publishing Group-Ballantyne for the Advanced Reader’s Copy.

First of all the ending killed me. I was dead. I could not handle it? To be clear it was a GREAT ending and I desperately need the next book, but oh my god.

My Star Wars fan friends have described this as essentially FinnPoe fanfic in long form, and man, I think I need to read some FinnPoe fanfic if this is what that has to offer. There was so much pining! So much angst!

The plot was also good, but frankly I spent the whole time being distracted by how much I loved all three of the main characters. They’re so precious and they just deserve happiness.

It’s all very actiony with lots of space battles, spaceships, seeeecret rebel plots, and essentially all the things that people love in Star Wars. If you really like Star Wars, this is probably a great book to pick up.

Here’s a trope list, because much like Fake Boyfriend… tropes are the best way to describe this book.

Friends to lovers!
Loveable con artist girl who tries to screw over the main characters but then they discover that actually they really platonically care about each other and now she’s FAMILY
casually sleeping in the same bed while PINING
Fake dating!
FALSE IDENTITIES
omg no we can’t we have so many obligations we can’t get involved *gets involved*
loyalty and BETRAYAL
water fight and then oh no I slipped and he’s on top of me oh no

While I may have put “so far” in the title, there’s a good chance that we’ll be able to confidently say by the end of the year that Emily Skrutskie’s Bonds of Brass was our all-time favorite sci-fi novel of the year. I haven’t been as sucked into a story as I was this one in a long time and I cannot wait to see what the future holds for this trilogy. There wasn’t a moment in this book where I wasn’t waiting with baited breath to see what would happen next.

Bonds of Brass is an epic space opera that takes place in a galaxy full of imperial conquest. Ettian and Gal are two seemingly everyday cadets at a military academy at the heart of a conquered empire. But the truth quickly comes out after Gal survives an assassination attempt and is outed as the heir to the Umber empire. Soon he and Ettian are off on a crazy adventure trying to stay one foot ahead of the traitors and enemy forces that would either capture or kill them.

There is never a dull moment as the two do their best to stay alive. But even in the quieter moments when the action stops the ever changing relationship between Ettian and Gal keeps things interesting. Both boys share feelings for one another but after the truth of Gal’s lineage comes out how could there ever be a future for them? And after years of being roommates and best friends how can Ettian look past such deception?

It doesn’t help that Ettian’s loyalties are torn between the defeated empire that was his home as a child and the future that Gal could bring to the Umber empire he’s spent so many years learning to serve. There is a constant battle in Ettian’s heart throughout and just as war drums sound on the horizon for the galaxy as a whole. Readers will be just as torn as they wait and wonder what will happen next not just between Gal and Ettian but to everyone as the story progresses. And they’ll be rewarded time and time again by huge moments and incredible twists.

You won’t be able to put this one down, trust me!

It’s hard to articulate just what I loved about this book because there are so many great things about it. Skrutskie’s world-building is impecible and the history of this galaxy and characters – from the fall of the Archon Empire to all the different elements of the intergalactic political struggles – feels very realistic. The characters are phenomenal from our leading men to the cast of supporting characters that surround them.

Bonds of Brass is action-packed, fast-paced, and incredibly well written. It’s the perfect blend of drama, romance, and suspense. It’s fun for long-time science fiction fans just as it is fans who may be newer to the genre. It also has great cross-over appeal for both young adult and adult sci-fi readers similar to other great sci-fi hits like Pierce Brown’s Red Rising series.

If you’re a fan of science fiction you’ll want to check out Bonds of Brass immediately!

***A review copy was provided for the purpose of this review***

Young love is so complicated, they burn hot and bright, and everything feels so intense. So add to that a
space-operatic sci-fi adventure full of action, betrayal, and you have yourself a book for the ages. Bonds of Brass was one of my most highly anticipated reads this year, and it delivered on all levels. Read it now!

Something about how the author sets up the sci-fi aspects of their stories always brings them down. Unfortunately, this was a super sci-fi heavy world. Also, it takes time to appreciate all the characters in the story.

I have been trying to read this book for several weeks now and something about it has made me put it down after only a chapter or two. At first I was put off my the 1st person narration - the older I get, the less I like books written in 1st person. But that's not this book's fault and I was determined to get past my hangup over it.

I first paw this book being hyped on Twitter long before it came out. I was pretty excited by the premise. A high-stakes, political gay space adventure? Sign me up.

The original cover was pretty generic and told basically nothing about the book. The cover was redesigned after the ARCs were sent out to the cover image above, and it looks better, but it also looks like a YA novel. This book is not being marketed as YA, so it threw me off. But it became apparent after I started to read it why the cover change.

I have no idea why this book is not being marketed as YA. The protagonists are 17 years old and are about to graduate from a military academy. A large part of the early plot hinges on the fact that Gal is about to turn 18 in a couple months. The writing is also very reminiscent of a lot of the YA that I have read. The prose reminded me so vividly of reading the Hunger Games trilogy that it was startling.

Don't take this review as some kind of diss on YA. I have loved some YA novels in my time. I just was not expecting <em>Bonds of Brass</em> to be one. I also think the way they marketed this book was a missed opportunity. This book would be a much better fit for the YA shelves than the scifi shelves. It has a lot of political machinations but it also deals with the pitfalls of first love and trying to figure out who you are going to become as you move from a school setting to a wider world setting.

It just so happens that in this book the wider wold is in, like, space.

I really did like this book. The two main protagonists, Ettian and Gal, are both pretty complicated characters that have their moments of just being young and silly, then are weighed down by their circumstances and their responsibilities. The world-building was pretty solid, and the action scenes were super well choreographed. I could see the final "twist" pretty early on, so it wasn't very shocking to me, but I like where the plot ultimately ended up going. This book sets up the second one nicely, and I am interested in seeing where Skrutskie goes with it.

Ultimately, I gave this book 3.5 stars because it was a solid book, slightly better than average, but it did not wow me. I am hoping that with all the set up in this book that the second one will step up its game and knock my socks off.

A fast moving story! Loved all the rep and the not overpowering romance. Friends to lovers is one I enjoy, as it seems the most organic.

The story starts out slow, as there is so much political backstory to be explained. I felt a bit overwhelmed and still confused. The unfamiliar names and factions - they weren't very clear. Glossary would of helped.

And then everything hit the fan. The story just flew by. It was engaging, adventurous, with enough action not to be bored. Loved adding the third personality in this story that did mesh with the two main protagonists. And then that end! Can't wait to see where and how this proceeds. Perfect for YA fans.

This was quite enjoyable! I did predict some of the things that happened, but that's fine.

In terms of characters, I liked Ettian the most for sure. I thought he was relatable, and I liked seeing his skill as a pilot and willingness to do what it takes to save his friends. Wen (one of the side characters) is very impulsive, so she makes some questionable decisions. I did enjoy her overall though. Gal, on the other hand, was actually not particularly appealing to me because he didn't seem genuine. That being said, I'm certainly interested in seeing how his character develops in the next book based on some of his actions in this book.

The plot was interesting, fast paced, and engaging overall. It reminded me some of Star Wars with the empire, pilots/ships (and the way they travel), and rebellion. I liked learning about the rebels, and the entire situation with Knightfall was very interesting! I'm curious to see what happens next after the way things ended here.

In terms of the relationship, I'm conflicted with how I feel about Ettian and Gal. Our characters must balance love, familial obligations, duty, and revenge, so that makes for very complex relationships with each other and others.

Overall, I would definitely recommend this! I enjoyed my time with it, and I'm interested in continuing the series.

I won a giveaway copy of this from the publisher (fulfilled via NetGalley) - thank you! All opinions are my own.

In a nutshell, Bonds of Brass is a sapphic science fiction thriller featuring best friends turned lovers, an incredible intergalactic universe, and an action-packed plot. Following the conquest of his home planet under the brutal Umber Empire, Ettian Nessan finds himself joining a military academy run by the same empire that destroyed his home, in hopes of becoming a high ranking pilot despite being treated as a second class citizen. When a flying drill quickly turns into an assassination attempt, it's revealed that Ettian's quirky roommate is actually the secret heir to the Umber Empire and will one day inherit the throne of the empire Ettian so despises. After narrowly escaping from the academy, Ettian and Gal must find a way to return the heir of the Umber Empire home safely despite bounty hunters and Ettian's harboring resentment to the Umber Empire. Secrets are revealed. people are betrayed, an m/m romance develops ("and they were roommates!"), and lot of tea gets spilled. In short, the components of a fantastic adventure.

I wish I'd read Bonds of Brass sooner- I really enjoyed this one, and I can't wait to read the rest of the trilogy.

*Thank you to NetGalley and Random House Publishing Group publishers for providing a free ARC

When Ettian finds out that his best friend, Gal, is secretly the heir to the empire that colonized his home planet, the two of them are forced to flee their military academy. On the run, Ettian has to decide whether he’s going to help Gal claim his rightful throne or join in the rebellion that’s growing against Gal’s empire.

I feel so conflicted about this book. I’m going to try to explain it without spoilers, so bear with me.

For much of this book, I was confused by the characters’ motivations, particularly Ettian’s. I kept feeling like he wasn’t making choices that made sense in his situation, and the reasoning he gave didn’t sit with me. Plus, there was an emotional disconnect from his narration that frustrated me. So I spend much of this book annoyed with him and the decisions he was making because I didn’t understand them.

Then at the end of the book, there’s a Plot Twist that makes us reevaluate everything we’ve read up to that point! And it was a Very Good Plot Twist that makes me want to read the next book despite not loving this one! It clarified a lot (though not all) of the motivations that I was confused about earlier…but that doesn’t make up for the fact that I was frustrated for so much of the book. I don’t know how to feel!

Also, this is the second Emily Skrutskie book I’ve read and the second that I’m rating 3 stars, so I’m thinking that she’s just not the author for me. Though I’m probably still going to continue this series because I’m invested now. Anyways, go read this book if you like space stuff and/or if you wanted Finn and Poe from Star Wars to kiss.

“You’re infatuated,” Gal says, and I stiffen before I realize he means with the planet.

Brooding, beautiful and biting, Emily Skrutskie captured my heart with Bonds of Brass, a heart-wrenching tale of betrayal paired alongside a devastating friends-to-enemies love story.

Doomed from the start, Ettian Nassun cannot avoid the beat of his true empire, a pounding rhythm that spells destruction in the novel’s tense opening chapter, wherein the up-and-coming pilot’s best friend is outed in an assignation attempt. Betrayal two years in the making crashes around Ettian, boiling his blood and stirring his heart when Gal Veres is outed as the heir to the Umber imperial throne – the very same throne that shattered any chance he had at a normal life within Rana, the former beating heart of Archon territory.

Choosing Gal over his past invites chaos for Ettian, igniting a spark of regret that burns bright over the course of a frantic journey to return the prince to his rightful home – a journey that sends the duo to the outer edge of Corinth, a neutral border world that may offer safe passage if they play their cards right.

Atmospheric and inviting, Skrutskie takes the reader on a journey, inviting them to explore the void alongside Gal, Ettian, and their undeniable sexual chemistry inside of a stolen Beamer ship, codename Ruttin’ Hell. Near kisses and a single bed make for a messy relationship, one that is only complicated by Ettian’s internal turmoil. Torn between past and present in a fight against the rush of Archon blood in his veins, Ettian struggles with guilt, regret and paranoia as the winds of the Archon resistance movement meet him in Henrietta Base, a large academy compound where rebellion brews. Faced with long-lost heroes and a complicated ruse, Ettian seeks solace in stolen moments with Gal made possible by a fake relationship.

Ettian’s mindset becomes a thing of passion – a complicated network of shame, pride and undeniable love, not just for Gal, but for space. Star ships are second nature to the Archon orphan, the cockpit of a ship the only place where he feels free – to move, to fight, and to think – that is, until a cut-throat thief named Wen Iffan enters the fray. In Wen, Ettian discovers the true meaning of survival, the duo connected by a thread of understanding – a deep-seated connection that spans empires.

“On my left, power without fathom in the fragile body of a boy. On my right, a nightmare of a girl who should be ruling these streets. And in the middle, there’s me.”

A ruse to use the Archon resistance movement has catastrophic consequences, offering dedicated space opera fans a world-shattering blow, giving new meaning to the word betrayal when the novel comes full circle, pitting Gal (and Ettian) against the very same enemies that threatened the heir-to-be at the Umber Imperial Academy.

Devastating and inventive, Emily Strutskie lays a near impeccable foundation for the future in Bonds of Brass, offering readers a slow-burn romance alongside a frenzied fight for survival and power.

I loved this book, I devoured it whole even though I'm typically not an e-book person. The pacing was slightly too fast for me and outside of the two main characters I feel that the others fell flat, but that may be because the two main characters were so amazing. I also knew that the "twist" at the end was coming from the beginning, but watching it unfold was satisfying in of itself. The world building was exciting and innovative. All in all, I highly recommend it and I can't wait to see what else the author has in store!

Bonds of Brass is a space opera trilogy about a pilot, a hidden prince, and a scrapper girl with a rainbow umbrella. This story is incredible! From the very first chapter things just take off and everything goes crazy quickly. While everything is going crazy, the worldbuilding is done incredibly well, the characters are well-developed, and you find yourself needing to read the next chapter immediately to find out what happens next.

I loved the characters, the romance was a little rushed, but assuming that the two were friends for years, it just seems rushed to the reader because you don't see their history together.

The ending is insane and I need the next book immediately!

I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for my honest opinion.

I always have an extra love for space operas, and I was so excited to read Bonds of Brass early! This was a lovely read, full of adventure, danger and love. I do have to admit that I restarted this book roughly 15 times. For some reason, I had a hard time focusing at the beginning and getting into the story. As it moved along though, I found myself wanting to find out what happens to both Gal and Ettian. Worth the finish friends and I am looking forward to reading the next in the series!