Light From Uncommon Stars is my first Ryka Aoki novel. I have read several books that explore the LGBTQ community but never have I read one that felt so personal and emotional. Combined with a sci fi/fantasy saga, this book really drives home the idea of finding and expressing who you are, who you were try meant to.

Some of the setbacks transgender people face are heartbreakingly explored and sheds new light on these topics in a way that can be relatable to anyone, regardless of their sexual orientation.

Overall I thoroughly enjoyed this novel. The chosen narrator was perfect for this story and honestly her reading and inflictions helped me to love this story even more. Thank you to NetGalley for this ARC audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

There was no conceivable way that a book pitched as Good Omens meets The Long Way to a Small, Angry Planet was going to steer me wrong, but I don't think I was prepared for just how much I would adore this book. The three women whose lives intertwine in this novel were all equally fascinating and fought so hard for the hope that their lives could be what they always dreamed of, despite the circumstances stacked against them. Light from Uncommon Stars was a glorious, queer celebration of music, love, trans identity, and the myriad of ways in which we can win our fights to be seen and understood and live the lives we've always dreamed of. It is a novel overflowing with realistic hope, delicious food, and an sense of adventure that, even in the end, keeps sailing past its final pages. I can't recommend it enough, and if you have the opportunity to listen to this on audiobook, please do so. Cindy Kay's narration brings the emotions of Aoki's writing alive in a way I greatly appreciated.

Ultimately this book was not for me. Despite liking the similar books mentioned in the description, I did not find myself drawn into the story as much as I hoped. Partly I believe this is due to the reliance on music description, which I rarely find myself capable of enjoying. I deeply love music, and really struggle with the inability to hear what the characters are hearing, regardless of how well it was described.

The narration is very good.

I picked this up based on the blurb and was expecting an entertaining and humorous space opera. There are definitely elements of that, but this novel is quite literary and deals with gender identity, family, and redemption with great care and clarity. The narration could have easily leaned to the sarcastic tone, but this is read straight and that works so well and helps to pull out the subtle brilliance of this novel.

An interesting story with a focus on queer characters. A impressively personal look into the mind of a scared and wondering teen trying to find their place in the world, the prose is excellent.

This was wonderful! I wish I had know a little bit more about violins, but I certainly learned plenty. Will be recommending to my patrons.

What do you want from a book? Trans and queer rep? Asian rep? Violin music? Cursed instruments? Donuts? Refugee aliens on Earth? The Queen of Hell? Video game music? Well, then I have a book for you!

Light From Uncommon Stars is the story of Shizuka Shitomi, a master violinist who sells her soul. In return she needs to deliver 7 souls to hell. She's delivered 6 and spent ten years looking for the 7th. When she hears a young runaway, Katrina, play, Shizuka knows she's found her 7th. However, Katrina continues to surprise Shizuka in more ways than one. When you add alien refugee and donut shop owner, Lan into the mix, you have an uncommon tale told in the most musical way,

Feeling slightly overwhelmed with my ARC homework, I almost didn't request this book, but I'm super glad I did. First of all, I received the audiobook narrated by Cindy Kay. For the first time, this year marks me experiencing the joy that audiobooks bring, and Cindy Kay fast became my favorite narrator. Slap her name on an audiobook, and I'll want to listen to it. I just love her breathy voice.

I LOVED this book. I think that there aren't many books with trans main characters yet, and I applaud Aoki for portraying Katrina as a believable and super relatable character. Also, Shizuka just oozes cool. I'm so happy to see three Asian main characters as well as LGBTQIA+ main characters. Another thing that I think this book handled really well is internet vitriol, something that I'm sure anyone who has put themselves on the internet can definitely relate to. The best part of this book was the Olive Garden scene. Light From Uncommon Stars is a beautiful magical story, and I cannot recommend it enough.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ALC.

I received a copy of this book as an eARC audiobook from Netgalley. All opinions are my own!

Please check content warnings before reading this book!

A violin teacher who made a deal with the devil, a transgender runaway teen, and a donut shop owner seemingly have nothing in common. But when their paths cross and their lives tangle together, can they all make it out alive in the end?

I was pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed this book as someone who doesn't have a single musical bone in her body! Though this book is about music at its core, it's also about the struggles of human beings and the meaning of life itself. It makes you stop and think about absolutely every part of life and what it means to be human. And it so beautifully captures the struggles we face and the ways that we can overcome them.

I loved the characters and watching them develop throughout this book. It was fascinating to see the way that these women's lives intertwined and yet they still found themselves at the end of it all. It also touches so elegantly on issues such as racism and transphobia, and I was glad that it did because it gave the book so much depth and power.

If you like sci-fi/fantasy and are looking for a book that will make you stop and think and then help you feel all warm and fuzzy inside, this is the book for you!

"Defiantly joyful" is a good word for this book- a story that looks unflinchingly at the harsh realities that many trans youth face, all the while weaving a hopeful tale about love, music, found family, and mouthwatering food. It's character driven science fiction peppered with Faustian bargains, cursed violins, and aliens who run a donut shop. There's a lot happening here but somehow it manages to fit together in a beautiful tapestry.

Katrina Wen is a trans runaway and a gifted violin prodigy using sex work to survive and hopefully afford more hormones. She's early in her transition, dealing with hate and violence, living in fear, even in places that should have been safe.

Her life changes when she meets Shizuka Satomi- an infamous violinist who offers to become her teacher. But Satomi has made a deal with the devil to deliver the souls of her students to hell. And yet...she shows kindness to Katrina and in turn Katrina begins to worm her way into her heart.

Meanwhile in a donut shop and alien family is in hiding, using replicators to make donuts that never quite have that taste of home. And when Satomi happens into the store, she and the Lan (matriarch of the alien family) are immediately attracted to each other.

Like I said, there's a lot happening here but it's a surprisingly quiet, beautiful story that is raw and vulnerable in presenting the experience of being a young trans woman. And it's clear the author knows and loves music. Permeating the book is a passion for the violin, and equally a passion for food with descriptions that will probably make you hungry!

At first I didn't love the audio narration because it didn't always echo the more silly and lighthearted tone of some scenes, but eventually I really fell in love with it because it really gets across the emotional depth. I received an audio review copy of this book via NetGalley. All opinions are my own.

Note that this book does include semi-graphic scenes of sexual assault, slurs, dead-naming, etc.

Fantastic! A really enjoyable blend of fantasy and scifi. I did feel like Katrina was overdramatic and pessimistic at pretty much every turn, but given her life experiences it's kind of hard to imagine her being much else. I also thought her insistence on playing video game themes was extremely... niche, to use the nicest word. I know there's a big community on YouTube for that sort of thing but outside of Lindsey Stirling (who does get name-dropped) it doesn't seem like the best way to an actual career.

It's a strange book, unique in all the best ways, and while it doesn't quite achieve greatness, the final result is definitely an achievement. And hey, who doesn't want to read about a Hell-cursed musician and an alien captain falling in Sapphic love in a doughnut shop?