The pacing was good, although I sometimes found it a bit slow - but never boring. There are quite some action scenes and those are on point.

Marie Lu did a beautiful job of building the world of Mara and the fight with Karensa. I loved the fact that even though Talon couldn’t speak with her voice, she could communicate through sign language and also telepathically with Red. It’s an amazing story and I can’t wait to read the next one!

I think the lack of connection to this book was me. As I am not typically a sci- fi/fantasy reader this one was a bit of a let down. I had a hard time with the world and I do believe if I was an avid reader of sci-fi this would have been a better read for me.

I was somewhat disappointed with this book as I lived her other book. There was so much hype for this book and it was a let down for me.

In a post-apocalyptic, science-fiction-esque fantasy world, the nation of Mara is the only free country still resisting the tyrannical spread of the Karensa Federation. Our FMC, Talin, is one of the warriors who fights to keep the country free, watching the border for the monstrous Ghosts: humans turned into monsters for the Federation’s forces. Talin has it rougher than most because she’s a refugee from a neighboring country, and she’s been mute ever since her and her mother had to flee. Although the rest of her nation looks down on her, the Striker forces are the one place where her disability becomes a weapon, since the Ghosts hunt by sound. But she still has to be better than everyone else to stay a Striker, which is why it stuns everyone - even her - when she disrupts the public execution of a prisoner of war. But she knows something’s different about him - something that could finally change the tides of the war in their favor.

This series!!!!! Guys, I put off reading Skyhunter for ages, even though I knew I would love it. I finally got over myself and started it, and I was HOOKED. These have all the book-drugs of the early YA era, and I am an ADDICT. There’s action, a bit of romantic tension, rebellion. Talin is an absolutely bada** main character, and I love the relationship she develops with the prisoner of war (I will avoid saying more for spoilers). Her mutism is handled so amazingly, and Marie Lu uses it in a way that honors her experiences as someone who is mute and who is a refugee in a nation that’s hostile to her people. This series has depth and complexity along with its various tropes, and I am obsessed. GAH I don’t know what else to say, but I loved this duology. If you like Hunger Games-esque fantasy-sci-fi, look no further!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for this DRC.
This book was not for me. I didn’t connect with the characters or the world.

#Skyhunter #NetGalley

I can’t think of a book by Lu that I haven’t enjoyed and this one is no exception. I breezed through this story and enjoyed the ride. That said, the things that stuck out to me after finishing were on the more critical side. The way everything seems to just work out for the characters made events not feel as earned as I would have liked, so I wasn’t entirely satisfied with the story. I wanted this book, like many I’ve read of late, to take things deeper, to really think through the implications of the choices made. But I still enjoyed the characters, and always appreciate Lu’s work to provide differing perspectives and facets to each person so no one is solely good/evil (so they’re human). And I did enjoy the book just at a more surface level than I’d like with my current reading tastes these days. I’ll likely pick up the sequel at some point and continue to read Lu’s work.

This book was just sadly not for me! I was hoping for something different but it turned out to be something I was not expecting, which is okay and I'm sure someone else would love it!

Thank you to Netgalley and the publisher for giving me a free advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Arc provided by Macmillan in exchange for a genuine review.

Whenever I go into a Marie Lu book I am always nervous. She has such a distinct voice that I love and can create such a stunning and enthralling book of any genre. That said, I have read books in the past by her that landed dull and monotonous, so reading this book was a testament to see if I could stay engaged with the narrative, and I did.

Talin is an incredible character to explore; she is a refugee from Basean, a nation that has fallen to the Federation. Throughout the book we come to understand why she fights as a Striker for Mara even when they deny entrance for her mother due to their heritage. I loved her arc and growth, and how she overcomes struggles throughout the book. Rooke and Jeran are two of my favorite side characters to date. Rooke is an incredible and fierce character, with a hunger for knowledge that I can relate to myself. Jeran is one of the most kind souls that deserves so much more that what is given to him. And Red. How can I describe him. His story is one of heartache, of doing what is needed just to survive and keep his family safe.

I cannot believe the speed I devoured this book at, and I desperately would do anything to read the sequel story. This is one that needs to be on everyone's book list.

DNF - I have been reading this book for weeks now and every time I pick it up I end up losing interest and getting distracted. I really love the idea, but unfortunately this book is just not for me.

This book was alright. Not a favorite but well-liked enough that I'm interested in the sequel. I guess just kinda slow build?

This was a fast paced and action packed read that kept me engrossed from the beginning. Great characters, pacing, world building, and plot. On my way to pick up book 2!

This was a creative new venture for Marie Lu. It was in the vain of Legend, but honestly more on the fantasy side. I really enjoyed it and can't wait for the second book.

Skyhunter by Marie Lu is your average YA science fiction novel. While I have enjoyed some of her earlier work, I found that this one read quite generic, and didn't think that it particularly stood out. In fact, I considered DNF'ing it but kept hoping that I'd be sucked into the story. The story is about Mara, one of the last nations standing against the colonial force of the Karensa Federation, and its legendary fighting force, the Strikers, in particular. Talin is one of these Strikers, and when a prisoner is brought to her unit, she has to figure out whether he is a spy, or whether he might be a weapon that can help her side. Skyhunter as a whole is fast paced, but ultimately, nothing in in stands out and makes you connect to the story or the characters. I felt like it was a commercially-driven book, rather than one where I could tell that the author and the whole team behind it loved what they were doing and were thrilled to tell this story - especially because I struggled to really see what the story itself was, the plot felt quite meandering despite its pace, and the characters rather bland. This one is a miss, unfortunately.

This book was not my cup of tea, which sucks because I love Marie Lu and really wanted to like her lately duology. It was just too technical with the sci-fi elements and made up names for things. I wasn't invested at all.

I think this has become my new favorite by Marie Lu. It had been Warcross, which I adored, but I think this topped it. The characters, the world, just loved it all. To excited for the sequel!

loved the telepathy, the missions, the broodyness, and the badassery! I was immersed into this book. Fast paced, beautifully written and amazing characters. The world was built with such detail and the plot flowed gracefully with the compliments of the characters.

I thought this was very easy to read and will be absolutely easy to give to the kids because they'll eat it up. I always enjoy the found family trope, and this serves it up well with friends who are different and distinct. It reminds me a little bit of Zero, Repeat, Forever, in a good way! I think it doesn't do anything new, and I wasn't surprised by any of it, but I definitely think it was a good read and one the kids will love.

Absolutely loved this fresh fantasy/sci fi from Marie Lu! The stakes were high & the characters fleshed out so well. I can’t wait to see where she takes the story!