Shea Ernshaw is one of my auto buy authors. She has one of the most beautiful writing styles I've ever read. The genre of this book was all over the place. It felt simultaneously fantasy and sci Fi in a very confusing way. I really liked Vega and Noah as individuals, but I didn't feel like they had enough chemistry. I think Shea Ernshaw's writing is what saved this book for me. Her writing is always beautiful and atmospheric.

After two five star reads from this author, this book was a bit of a disappointment. The vibes were there, but the plot too a long time to get to the point and I lost interest. It was a lot of talking around the point with a side of insta love. I still do love the author (always brings the vibes) and can't wait for the next book, but this one just wasn't a favourite.

**Read an ARC from Netgalley Rating : 3 Stars

Thank you to NetGalley and Simon & Schuster Canada for providing a copy of this eARC for review.

I absolutely adore this author's writing style. The characters were well-developed, likeable, and complex, and there was enough action to push the plot forward. I really do feel like much of the focus is on the writing. It is descriptive and almost lyrical.

Storywise, this was not what I had expected. I enjoyed this immensely, but am very glad that I didn't look too deeply at the tags/descriptions online. There was one aspect to the end of the plot that I did not see coming at all. I am hoping for a sequel.

I did not finish this one, it was not for me, I couldn't relate to the characters, and just did not care for the story.

Actual Rate: 2.5

A Wilderness of Stars was a beautifully atmospheric story! Shea Ernshaw has a gift for building the scene and allowing the reader to step onto the page.

This book had me intrigued right from the get go! We follow the story of Vega, a girl isolated from the world. Her story, journey and destination are inked onto her skin in the form of constellations. *Also, can we just take a second to swoon at her name? I’m obsessed. Destined to save the world from the consumption ravaging it, she sets off on an adventure full of environmental, emotional and physical battles. The premise of this book is beautiful and I truly felt that it had so much potential.

Sadly, I found the plot to be slow and I wished that the relationship between the two main characters had been fleshed out more. I had hoped to have had the chance to see Vega’s tenacity and bravery on page but I did enjoy watching her try to navigate the world she was so unfamiliar with. Ultimately, I was just looking for more.

With a twist at the end that will leave you hoping for the next book, A Wilderness of Stars is perfect for anyone looking for a story out of the ordinary that gives whimsy, intrigue and a little bit of adventure. There is also a smidge of Wild West vibes thrown in as well!

A huge thank you to Simon and Schuster Canada and NetGalley for an e-arc of this book.

Unfortunately I found the pacing too slow to finish this book. I think if the chapters had been shortened it could have helped break it up/give a sense of accomplishment that would have helped propel me through the book a bit.

So, it was a DNF for me around page 130.

This is the book I didnt know i needed! Its so different, and is something that will stand out in my mine and wont be forgotten. It starts off slower to introduce you to the characters and world, the pace really picks up lots of action and takes a turn I didnt expect. The ending leaves me wanting another book but also I love when authors leave it our imagination. Made me remember why Shea Ernshaw is an instant must read!

I got into this book not really knowing what to expect. I saw it on Netgalley, and I thought it sounded like something I would enjoy, especially since I had heard great things about Shea Ernshaw.
The premise is what caught my eyes. It sounded intriguing and interesting. I think that it was seeing the relationship between Vega, the astronomer, and the architect grow that I enjoyed the most. Especially when you think about how sheltered she had been for most of her life.
The story itself was slow, but interesting. I do think that readers who struggled with slow paced stories will struggle with this one. It is the kind of book that you need to be in the right reading mood to enjoy, because I think it could be easy to lose the momentum that keeps you hooked, because of its pace.
Overall, it was still a good read. I enjoyed it enough to make me want to read more from Shea Ernshaw. I do think this book will not be for everyone, as it is not a fast paced, action filled book. Yet, if you enjoy slower paced books with great writing, it is worth a shot.

I really enjoyed this YA book, it's super atmospheric. This book reminded me of 'The Ones We're Meant to Find' in that the reader doesn't get the full picture of what exactly is going on at the beginning. Rather, we learn more over time and near the end there's a big WHAT moment, it's awesome.

Ok. I thought this book was “ok.” I found it quite boring at times and had a hard time getting thru it. The ending was the most interesting part, but maybe I didn’t enjoy the Sci Fi aspect of it. I have read a few books by Shea and I really do love her writing style, this one just wasn’t for me. That being said, I look forward to checking out what she comes out with next 🙌.

I was very excited to receive an advanced ebook arc. The plot sounded very promising. Unfortunately it was not meant to be. I think this book was for a very different audience, although the writing was beautiful.

Thank you to the publisher for an eARC via NetGalley for an honest review.

CWs: hanging, death of a parent, illness

This one was really interesting. Right away, I was pulled into the setting and intrigued by Vega’s quest. She’s searching for the Architect to lead her to the sea for reasons unknown to the reader the majority of the book. There were small hints about Vega’s secrets, but I was surprised by the twist more than I thought I would be. A lot of the story and the setting read as historical, but there were odd references to present day or more modern things. The sci-fi twist was done well, but it took me by surprise because I hadn’t been expecting it to the extent that it was.
I liked Vega’s character. She was strong and smart. I liked seeing parts of her relationship with her mom, and I liked seeing her relationship with Noah grow. Noah was also a good character. I liked his inner turmoils, and his desire to protect Vega and see her safely complete her quest was great. The romance between them felt authentic, and though it happened quickly, it didn’t feel rushed.
The pacing was pretty good. I flew through the first half of the book, and I thought the balance between big exciting scenes and quieter moments was good. The second half I struggled a bit more, but I was still fully immersed in the world and Vega’s quest.

This was a wild ride, from start to finish. I read A Wilderness of Stars in a few hours, and I’m still not sure what to think of it.

I loved the pseudo historicalness of it, with a true American frontier, complete with a girl who has lived away from it all. The fantasy elements were also amazing, with the intricate constellations of Astronomers and the fantastical stories. After that, things were a bit… interesting. The ending came out of nowhere, with space travel and distant colonies.

That’s not to say that I don’t love Shea Ernshaw’s writing, because it’s amazing, but the plot of the novel seemed to get left behind after the 60% mark, and it felt a bit like filler that was supposed to be further edited. Overall, this was still an amazing story, and the romance was very nicely spread over the entirety of the book.

Thank you to NetGalley, Simon & Schuster and the author for allowing me to read an advanced copy of this novel in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an ARC of A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw!

Vega has been raised, being taught of the stars and is the last astronomer. The people of the land are falling ill and it is up to Vega to find The Architect, who can help her find the sea, where she needs to go. I will say that this book is very beautifully written. It does get a bit slow in certain spots. The chapters are very long. It’s not a bad book, it just never caught my full attention.

A stand out delivery of heart and intrigue. A beautiful book and a great gift for any fan of YA fiction looking for something outside of the box. Well done.

I didn't get to reading this one until I had the physical book because I had been having trouble with reading ebooks. I have read all of Shea 's previous books and this one had her usual lyrical prose. I find her writing so easy to read and each story is individually unique and different. I liked the western feel of this one and astronomy has always fascinated me. The ending really threw me as it was not what I was expecting, but that is the whole point of the story. I will of course be picking up the next book she writes.

I’m not sure how I feel about this one to be honest. I’ve loved both of Ernshaw’s previous books, so I was expecting to love this one too but I just didn’t. I enjoyed it for sure but it wasn’t what I was expecting with the whole sci-fi element so it threw me off a bit.

There were still elements I really enjoyed though, like Vega’s character. She’s smart and strong and determined to see her quest through to the end. And her relationship with Noah was great. It was established quickly but didn’t feel to insta-lovey to impact the quality of it. I liked that the secrets were slowly revealed, it really added mystery to the story. The twist got me, I will say. I wasn’t expecting it, even with the genre of the story. I also loved the astronomy aspect. I’ve always been drawn to constellations so I really enjoyed that addition.

A couple things I didn’t like: the ridiculously long chapters. I have a short attention span so the long chapters made me not want to pick it up. And I was not a fan of the ending. I can see what the author was trying to do but I just didn’t think it fit fully with the story.

Overall, I still enjoyed the story but was disappointed in the genre choice. I’ll still be reading her book in the future though!

Thank you Netgalley and the publisher for an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. This was a good read, this author has a great talent for atmospheric writing. I think a lot of people will enjoy it

This was my first book by Shea Ernshaw so I didn’t know what to expect. What drew me in was the description of a girl astronomer, an illness cursing the land and a long journey through the wilderness.

Vega is a young girl who has never left the valley but when the illness takes her mother she must go find the Architect. On the run with two others she needs try and save everyone.

A Wilderness of Stars reminded me a bit of Station Eleven but a YA novel.

Thank you to Simon & Schuster and NetGalley for the advanced copy!

I’ve previously read Ernshaw’s Winterwood and really enjoyed that one because of her writing style.

Her writing is just as wonderfully descriptive and captivating this time around.

While some might find the beginning of this tale a little slow, I definitely suggest you keep going because it really picks up.

The cast of characters is pretty fantastic and the ending will leave you breathless.

If you’ve enjoyed any of Ernshaw’s previous titles, you’ll love this one too.