I love Shea Ernshaw's writing. She creates such interesting worlds and atmospheres for her books. A Wilderness of Stars had such high stakes and was so compelling. I absolutely loved the story. I loved the vibe of this world and how interesting it was. This was more science fiction than her other books and I loved it. The characters of this book were so loveable and Shea Ernshaw broke my heart at times. The ending had parts that I didn't see coming and I love when that happens. I highly recommend this book!

Rounded to 4.5 stars.

CONTENT WARNING: death of a parent, grief, violence, blood, murder

I’ve read a couple of books by Shea Ernshaw, so I had a few expectations in place when I started this book. I was prepared to love this book, and while it was slow moving at first, I trusted the author fully, and she definitely didn’t let me down.

I wasn’t expecting it to be set in a dystopian form of the Wild West, but I just rolled with it. Vega is an astronomer, taught secrets by her mother, who is dying of a disease just referred to as consumption. However, it’s different from what we know as consumption. Her mother has taught her everything that she’ll need to know, but when her mother dies, she still doesn’t really feel prepared to venture out of her secluded valley to find the elusive Architect, now that she’s the last Astronomer. And her status makes her vulnerable, as does the tattoo on her neck. People think that she’ll be the cure for the disease ravaging the people, so they’re hunting for her just as she’s searching for the Astronomer with very little to go on.

Vega has to trust her instincts, and place her faith in people she doesn’t know. When she crosses paths with an intriguing girl who saves her from a dangerous situation, she has no choice but to trust her. And this girl, Cricket, leads her to an even more intriguing boy—Noah. Noah is covered in tattoos as well, and the three of them head out across dangerous territory to fulfill Vega’s destiny.

I loved watching Vega struggle between the caution that was taught to her all her life, and the trust that she needs to place in others in order to accomplish her task. Things aren’t easy, and she has to make tough decisions, and often second-guesses herself. But I enjoyed knowing that she ended up trusting herself to do the right thing, often choosing with her heart instead of her head. It showed that she had a strong moral compass, and even though she spent a lot of time being terrified, she stood up for what she thought was right. She was a tough as nails heroine, although there were times when she was forced to rely on others as well.

Noah was another intriguing character, who went through major changes throughout the story. His backstory was fascinating, although I don’t want to give too much away. However, he was also willing to take the difficult path and do what he felt was right, even when it wasn’t what he was expected to do. However, the other characters in the story aren’t explored in depth, and I would have liked to get to know them better. I do have to say that the antagonist in the story is done amazingly well.

While Ernshaw eases us into the story and gives the reader time to get to know the setting and main character, the action and pace ratchets up quickly. There are twists and turns, and I couldn’t stop reading. This was the kind of book that I couldn’t wait to get back to when I was doing other things. Towards the end of the book, there was a fantastic twist that I absolutely didn’t expect. While the overall tone isn’t a happy one, the ending was incredible. It left it open for a follow-up, which I hope is coming, but even if not, it allows us to come to our own conclusions about the ending. Overall, this was a fantastic story that was beautifully written, with vivid descriptions, a gripping plot, and so much action I could never predict which way it would go.

I wanted to enjoy this book but ultimately found the characters to lack and overall be something that was not giving what the pitch was written as.

I have never read any books by Shea Ernshaw but I can say that I enjoyed A Wilderness of Stars and that I plan to read more books by her. . This book was an escape from reality per say. We follow Vega and two friends as they try to protect her and help her find her way to the safety of the sea. An absolutely excellent read! I will definitely read more by this author and promote this book.

This was kind of a strange one for me. I was interested in the story and how the main character Vega was an astronomer, and there was a lot of build up to Vega having some sort of big secret mission that seemed promising. The reveal was not what I was expecting at all, but in more of a confusing way than a shocking way. It was also a little weird how it went from having Western vibes to suddenly being a sci-fi. My favorite parts involved Noah, but I wasn’t happy with how that ended either. I was also left a little confused about whether or not this is a series - it leaves a spark of hope at the end but overall it was pretty depressing. I think this author is great but this just wasn’t for me.

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster for this ARC in exchange for an honest review!

A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw is a YA dystopian fantasy that is gripping from beginning to end! The story revolves around Vega, an astronomer living in a dystopian, post-apocalyptic society. When her mother dies, Vega follows the twin stars in the sky away from her farm and into the world outside the valley. She discovers a plague that sweeping across the land. As an astronomer, Vega may be the only one who can find a cure. It's up to her and her found family of allies to escape hunters and hopefully find the cure for the plague.

Here is a captivating excerpt from Chapter 1:

"After we eat, I lie on my side, the quilt tucked up to my chin, and I stare out through the clearing to the small town beyond. There are no lights, no stirring noises in the distance, only the rooflines visible against the dark horizon.
I’ve never seen a town, but I’ve imagined the way homes might sit crowded together, people living side by side, neighbors only a few steps away.
The fire sputters beside me as Pa snores, but an anxious knot twists and contorts inside my gut, making it impossible to sleep.
What if I can’t find the Architect in time? What if I’m too late."

Overall, A Wilderness of Stars is an excellent YA dystopian fantasy that will appeal to fans of The City of Ember or Maze Runner. One highlight of this book is the strong female protagonist. Another highlight of this book is how it gripped my attention from the beginning. I loved the tense standoff scene in the beginning chapters. Lastly, the post-apocalyptic quest was exciting and ended with an explosive climax. If you're intrigued by the excerpt above, or if you're a fan of dystopian YA fantasy, I highly recommend that you check out this book when it comes out in November!

I love Shea Ernshaw and I loved her newest novel, A Wilderness of Stars. This book is a literal escape and was so enrapturing. I love that a girl was put in the role of a more male “profession” so to speak as an astronomer. Not only that but she is the last astronomer which makes her even more important. We follow Vega and two friends as they try to protect her and help her find her way to the safety of the sea. An absolutey excellent read!

DNF at 25%

I am so sad that A Wilderness of Stars wasn’t the right book for me. It was one of my most anticipated releases and it’s by one of my favorite authors. This story was completely different than what I thought it was going to be. I wasn’t prepared for a western. I feel like this lacked the atmosphere that I have come to love about Shea Ernshaw books. The pacing was a little too slow for my tastes and that made it hard for me to get invested.

Western meets Sci-Fi in A Wilderness of Stars and unfortunately I have to say this one wasn't for me. I really enjoyed the beginning when it felt like a western with a quest and so much detail relating to the night sky, but it just kept taking weird turns for me. It was a post apocolyptic western and as much as I want to love them, the two just don't work well together for me. I enjoyed Vega's story in the valley and her relationship with her Mom, Pa and Odie. I even liked the idea of the Astronomer and the Architect but ultimately I just didn't love the sci-fi plot twist at the end.

Vega’s voice is perfect for this tale! I enjoyed following her story and discovering her world along with her. The integration of the constellations and the way the stars are valued really make this story unique. The mystery of the consumption and the mystery around the journey Vega is expected to take based on what her mother taught her growing up really keep you hooked on reading this story. I really think this is a book to add to your tbr!

I read another book by this author, a history of wild places, and found it to be okay. So this one surprised me when I was done and realized how much I loved it. It was a bit up and down in places, but I really liked the overall ending and hope there's a second book! This book has a main character who actually reacts to things like you want her to - she is not going to go down without a fight. My only complaint is I wish we'd gotten more of Cricket's character or Pa's.

I can’t believe I’m saying this but I couldn’t make it through this book! A history of wild places was one of my favorite reads of 2021 so it made me sad to DNF this.

“We all tell stories to ourselves… We ignore what's right in front of us. And the obvious is often hardest to see.”

“We are both bound by a future handed to us.”

Shea Ernshaw is an author I’ve adored for many years, so I was beyond excited to get my hands on an advanced copy of her newest novel! Much like A History of Wild Places, this book is very much a departure from her first few. I’m really enjoying seeing the range of story-types she’s capable of writing, and while this fits into the same fantasy genre as most of her books, it feels altogether like a different category.


Things I loved:

✨ Ernshaw’s biggest strength as a writer, in my opinion, is her ability to write atmospheric and bewitching settings. The environments in her stories are just as important and descriptive as the characters, and this book exemplifies this in every way!

✨ In the wilderness of this book, both on land and in the stars, there is a constant sense of discovery. It feels as though the reader is along for the ride as the author discovers, rather than builds, this world. I love this approach, which incorporates aspects of the universe known to us on Earth, as well as other others unknown and/or yet to be discovered.

✨ There is a slow-burn build-up of approaching doom, with bits of backstory and hope-for-the-future thrown in, which makes for an ending that is anything but predictable. It feels almost like a sci-fi western fairy tale!

✨ I loved the secrecy that was needed for each of the main characters, and it allowed me to get to know them organically as the story progressed.



What I wished:

✨ I wish we had a bit more development and background on some of the side characters. Events transpired that involved them, but it was difficult to feel deeply about them when I didn’t feel connected to the characters.



Overall this was a deeply atmospheric story that left me thinking after it was over! I haven’t decided how I feel about the conclusion, but I actually kind of like that. There was an open-endedness to it that will make me continue to go back and forth in my opinions about it, which I respect in a book!

Vega has always known she is the Astronomer, fated to protect save her people from the consumption that has been ravaging through towns and leaving them abandoned to the dead. She must find the Architect, the only other person raised with a hundred years worth of knowledge passed down to work together to find the sea and save their people. A Wilderness of Stars follows Vega as she navigates destiny, loss, and love.

With a slow start, I truly was not certain where this book was going. I loved The Wicked Deep, so I trusted Shea Earnshaw on this one and I'm so glad I did! A Wilderness of Stars is such a beautiful story about the knowledge we carry with us through generations and how that knowledge can be used to destroy us or save us (or possibly both?) I can confidently say that I absolutely could not guess exactly where this story was going; there were clues throughout that make the reader wonder just what era of time we're supposed to be in, as well as the way days seem way too short in this story, and not just because the characters are racing against time. I'm a huge astronomy person, so I loved how the constellations and astrophysics wove into the story.

4 stars, only missing 5 because the beginning felt so slow compared to the rest of the book - the first 40% was mostly setup, which is fine, but it also felt like an almost separate story from the latter 60%. However, the latter half of the book gave me all the action, romance, and answers coming together that the first half didn't so I can forgive it.

(Review to be posted on Goodreads/StoryGraph closer to the pub date.)