Stars and Smoke (Stars and Smoke #1) by Marie Lu, 336 pages. Roaring Brook Press, 2023. $20. Centering me, lgbtqia
Language: R (60 swears, 0 “f” + Portuguese and British swears); Mature Content: PG13; Violence: PG13
BUYING ADVISORY: HS - OPTIONAL
AUDIENCE APPEAL: HIGH
At nineteen years old, Winter Young is selling out concerts and features in headlines every day. His popstar status gives him everything he wants, but something is still missing. When Winter’s post-concert car is hijacked by two strangers claiming that they need Winter to become a temporary spy to prevent another world war, he has to wonder if this is the opportunity he’s been looking for.
The superstar-turned-spy premise was as fun to read as I wanted it to be, though I was surprised by how intense the situation became as Winter and his partner carried out the mission and navigated the not-small-hiccups that arose. I expected the story to be on the light-hearted side of intrigue up until one of the characters was murdered. A new awareness of the stakes for character—and readers—made it all the more exciting—and this is only the first of Winter’s adventures.
Winter is Chinese American, Sydney is White, Dameon is Black, Leo is Hispanic, Sauda is Muslim, and Claire is described as having “dark” skin. The mature content rating is for mentions of drugs, alcohol use, illegal activity, innuendo, and partial nudity. The violence rating is for gun use, mentions of suicide, and murder.
Reviewer: Carolina Herdegen

Thank you so much, NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press, for the chance to read this book in exchange of an honest review.

TW: illness, grief, death

Winter Young is a international pop star, with billions of fans, smashed records and a perfect life. Sydney Cosette is part of an elite cover ops group and she's their youngesr spy, wanting to be the best agent they ever had. Brilliant, fiery and with no intention to became the next Winter's fling, she's more than ready to follow her plans. When a major crime boss gifts his daughter a Winter Young concert, Sydney is forced to be his bodyguard in order to retrieve sensitive information and stop a dangerous cargo. As the mission brings Sydney and Winter closer together, Sydney has to admit Winter is a bit more than a flirt.

Stars and smoke is a wonderful story about spionage, danger, romance with a smoldering enemies-to-lovers, brilliant writing and awesome characterization, that leaves the reader wanting more and more of them.
Marie Lu is one of my favourite writers and I was over the moon when I got the chance to read Stars and Smoke. I was right away captured by the story. Told by two POVs, the reader is able to know better Sydney and Winter, beyond their icy and flirt front, getting to know their problems, feelings, thoughts, past and present fears. Each of them burdened by something, grief, past abuse, illness and so on, each of them loyal and determined to do the right thing in a complex and dangerous situation, while engaging a cruel major crime boss. Not to mention, than sometimes flirting can become something a bit more for both of them and this could endanger them even more. I truly loved how loneliness, past, traumas and grief are represented and how Sydney and Winter, even though from very different worlds, find themselves closer and closer.

I loved reading this book! I loved their characterization, chats, flirts, conversations, Winter's bond with his dancers and friends, his complex relationship with his mother, while Sydney, on the other side, battles with her own problems and connection and lingering traumatic past. I truly loved the action and romance and how seamlessly were interwoven. Marie Lu is a brilliant writer and I can't wait to read more of them!

I've already purchased this for my middle school library. Marie Lu is masterful and drawing characters and pulling you into their lives. The secret spy agent plot often takes a back to deep dives in the minds of these two super interesting characters. While the story wraps up nicely, I was happy to see that it's open for a sequel.

A big thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for providing an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

A new Marie Lu book? With enemies to lovers? I am in love already.

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu is YA romance novel that follows international superstar Winter Young, who is brimming and sass and stardom, and elite spy Sydney Cossette, who always put her missions before her heart. Their worlds collide when Winter is hired to perform at a crime boss' house for his daughter's birthday, and Sydney needs to infiltrate the base. And the only way to do so, is to pose as Winter's personal bodyguard.

Did I need more Marie Lu in my life, absolutely yes. Did I enjoy this book as much as her other ones, well maybe not. But was it still good? Absolutely yes. And now I just need to (not so patiently) wait for book two.

Rating: 2.5/5 Stars
*Disclaimer: While I did not enjoy Stars and Smoke, it does not mean you will not enjoy it.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan (Roaring Book Press) for providing me with the e-ARC.

Stars and Smoke is marketed as Mission Impossible meets The Hating Game. Winter was a back up dancer who becomes a popstar that sells out arenas. But, he now finds himself becoming a secret agent because a 19 year old, Penelope has the greatest birthday wigs of wanting a private concert by Winter and she just happens to be the daughter of Eli Morrison. Eli Morrison is an infamous criminal tycoon. Winter must use his fame and charm to pull the mission off. But, there is sydney, who is one of the youngest spies in the panced Group and she has to pretend to be winter's body guard. Sydney does not fall for Winter's charm until the mission causes them to be in forced proximity.

Most of the time I enjoy Marie Lu's books, but there are a few of her books that I did not enjoy and this book is sadly one of them.

Stars and Smoke start off promising and I thought Winter seemed like an interesting character especially when he is propositioned to become a secret agent.

But, within a few chapters I started to lose interest in the story and grew bored. It felt like a chore to pick this book up to read.

Winter and Sydney felt one dimensional and lacked chemistry. In my opinion I feel like Winter and Sydney were not really enemies to lovers. They both have emotional trauma and Sydney is harsh and rude, but it just made her look petty. I would not say that is why they did not like one another or even an excuse.

The plot twist towards the book was definitely something I would not have guessed, but it did not give that shock value it should have had and was a flat execution.

Overall, Stars and smoke fell flat for me and was lackluster.

I was definitely looking forward to this book and I am disappointed that this book was one I really did not like.

With this beingthe first book in a series, I will say that I will not be continuing with the series.

In her acknowledgments, Marie Lu dedicates this book to her readers saying that her goal in writing it was to make readers happy and provide an escape during turbulent times. And this novel is certainly a fun escape. Suspend your disbelief and walk into Panacea, a secret spy organization where each gadget is cooler than the next. In addition, readers get to go inside the world of a teen pop star where life may not be as glamorous as it seems. Sydney and Winter make unlikely partners, but for this mission, Panacea needs to combine their strengths to save millions of lives.
This novel is big on action, biological and chosen family relationships, and a bit of a budding romance.
Hand this to readers who like The Kingmen, Alex Rider, James Bond, Mission Impossible type stories. While this is about a 3.7 for me, I think teen readers are going to love it!

Sydney Cossette is an up-and-coming agent for one of the most elite spy agencies in the world - the Panacea Group. They do things that more official government agencies cannot do - i.e. they can get through the red tape.

Winter Young is a global musical superstar. Ever since breaking onto the scene he's consistently topped the charts and sold out stadiums. But ever since the death of his brother, Winter is beginning to feel like there's something missing, like he could be doing something more substantial with his life rather than making music.

Winter is set to play an exclusive birthday concert for the daughter of wealthy businessman Eli Morrison. Unbeknownst to Winter, Eli is thought to be a big player in the criminal underground. He's someone the Panacea Group as tried, and failed, to bring charges against for years.

With Winter playing this concert, the Panacea Group sees an opportunity: recruit Winter to gain access to Eli. Pair him with Sydney who will pose as his bodyguard and they're guaranteed to get the dirt they need for a conviction.

Winter and Sydney will have to put aside their differences if they want to get out of this alive.

I really liked the idea of a celebrity being recruited into a spy organization. I like the idea of the enemies-to-lovers storyline between Sydney and Winter. Although if I'm being honest, I would almost say I felt like it was more of an opposites attract type of situation.

There's a definite initial animosity between Winter and Sydney upon first meeting. She thinks he's only as deep as his public persona and Winter can feel the coldness radiating off Sydney and how she immediately closes herself off, but I wouldn't say that they're enemies by any means.

For me, I liked seeing these two vulnerable people - both with equally traumatizing family situations who retreated into their careers - find the person who gets them. True, they both have found-families so they are not entirely on their own, but seeing two people find that person that they click with is magical and I felt that with Sydney and Winter.

I wished there was more time for discovering between Sydney and Winter, but as it stands once the mission starts there's very little down time.

The pacing is driven. It's pretty much go, go, go from the first page. I like that Marie Lu doesn't make things straightforward. That, much like Sydney and Winter, perceptions are challenged. While I won't say that I was surprised by everything, there were some great unexpected moments.

I think my favorite parts were when things slowed down a bit. The near-quiet moments when Sydney and Winter get to just be themselves and aren't pretending. These moments are both full of romance yet heartbreaking. I think that the ending is near-perfect. Whatever else happened within the story, the more predictable moments, I could not ask for anything better than the end that it all leads to.

Everything I look at seems to indicate that this is the first book of a series. Part of me hopes that is true. The other part is so happy with where we got to in the end, that I'm ok leaving things where they stand. I do know that, together, Winter and Sydney are very magnetic characters and I can't imagine there aren't a few more adventures in store for them.

I don't think that Marie Lu has ever written a book I didn't like. Just putting that in writing and as a follow up, please note that I loved Stars and Smoke.

This is book one of the series so it's definitely early stages but this book set the characters up for more. I loved Winter and Sydney and I especially loved them together. The whole spy aspect of it had me turning the pages to see what was going to happen and of course, I'm a sucker for the romance too so I loved how Lu built the relationship between Winter and Sydney. Characters are what get me invested and Lu does such a great job of building out who Winter and Sydney are before they even meet. They both have their own lives and history and it plays a role in how the story progresses.

If you're looking for a new YA series to start, definitely pick this one up.

Marie Lu is one of my favorite young adult authors, and her new book is a mystery/thriller/romance that does not disappoint. Winter Young is a world famous pop music star who is asked to join a covert operation by giving a private concert for the birthday of a crime lord's daughter. Acting as his bodyguard is Sydney Cossette, and she is a hardened spy looking for a promotion while hiding some secrets in her background. These two have nothing in common, but the attraction between them only grows the more they work together. I cannot wait for more adventures with such very appealing characters. Highly recommended.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review. Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press and Marie Lu for the honor of reading this book!

I read Stars and Smoke by @marieluthewriter and boy was it amazing! This book has it all action, romance, danger, villains, and so much more! As I was reading I got sucked into the world of Winter (a popstar) and Sydney (a spy) two very unique and different people that come together using their special skills to save the world together! I loved that the book was in duo points of view between the two main characters Sydney and Winter. We get to see how each character responds and what the are feeling during different times through out the book. The cliffhangers at the end of the chapters keep me wanting to keep reading and not put my book down! It was a quick read that was easy to follow along. I can't wait for the sequel in this series! I rated this book 5 stars on my goodread.

This is a cute and upbeat, enemies to lovers YA book. YA is not really my style, and so I wasn’t totally in love with it. However the writing was great and the story line would be good for a younger group than me. Solid book for sure.

I am such a hardcore Marie Lu fan. She is such a queen of her craft. Stars and Smoke is yet another stunner that I just could not get enough of.

“A little like the sun and moon, aren’t we? Never in the sky at the same time.”
Marie Lu. Stars and Smoke (Kindle Locations 4768-4769). Kindle Edition.

With our two main MCs, Sydney and Winter, one comes from nothing and the other from everything. Yet together these two weave so perfectly together. I loved Sydney’s prickly disposition and consistent alertness. Winter on the other hand had charm I just couldn’t get enough of and I loved watching these two work together.

There’s also such a thrilling aspect to this book. You’re constantly on edge with what will happen next. There was even one twist I didn’t expect, but when it happened I knew what was coming and was so nervous for our characters. I admit, I don’t know if loved the ending. It felt right for the story, but I just wanted more I guess. With that being said, there IS a second book so I could not be more excited about that.

Cannot wait to see where Winter and Sydney’s story goes next… it’ll be a long year of a wait! However, if you’re a Marie Lu fan… don’t sit on this it’s definitely dazzling in all the thrilling Marie Lu ways.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC of this novel. 4/5 stars.

Did I binge this within 3 hours? Yes, yes I did. I knew I was gonna be a sucker as soon as I saw it was compared to Kingsman. A pop star turned spy with a feisty bodyguard who's a teenage spy? COUNT ME IN. Overall, I enjoyed this as a fun read. Were there plot holes and other things that probably weren't great? Yes, but this was a fun, entertaining read. I really liked the dynamics between Winter and Sydney, and the plot set up as a whole was done well. I love the overbearing caretakers in the secret spy organization. I also couldn't guess the plot twist, so I LOVED that portion of it. Does it make any sense that Winter is able to do anything of the spy things besides only because of his background in dance? No, not really...but I loved it nonetheless.

There's a decent amount of world building too with the Panacea organization to where there could easily be more stories. Syndey and Winter's story as partners (maybe romantic) is also left open at the end and I think I would be perfectly okay reading more of their story.

I received this ARC in exchange for my honest review.

I have read and loved other books by Marie Lu. This is a great addition to her others! Definitely young adult but an older YA for sure. Give it a read!

Thank you for the advanced copy of this book! I will be posting my review on social media, to include Instagram, Amazon, Goodreads, and Instagram!

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu is a fast-paced thriller that kept me entertained from page one. While I was hesitant about the premise of a pop star turned secret agent at first, this one ended up being a lot of fun, and the main characters have such an entertaining dynamic. Fans of the spy genre, superstar characters, and the enemies to lovers trope will not want to miss this first instalment in Marie Lu’s latest series.

As a global pop phenomenon, Winter Young is used to being in the spotlight. However, when he learns that he can help a covert ops organization catch an infamous criminal, Eli Morrison, Winter finds himself agreeing to go undercover. Together with an agent posing as his bodyguard–an agent who is unenthused about working with him–he must get close to Eli’s daughter, who is a fan of his, during a private concert for her extravagant birthday party. As the mission becomes more dangerous, Winter and Sydney must race against time to carry out the mission successfully, if they can find a way to get along with each other first.

❀ ENTERTAINING MAIN CHARACTERS

I loved Winter and Sydney, and both of them are well-developed. While Winter is world famous, he has his own insecurities and vulnerabilities, and he is still grieving the loss of his brother, who turns out to also have worked for the agency. Sydney has her own pain and become an agent at a young age after a difficult life at home, and I liked learning more about her as the story progressed. The dynamic between them is well-written, and they balance each other out. I love the contrast between Winter, who is always in the spotlight, and Sydney, who lives her life undercover. Watching them get closer was so entertaining.

❀ INTERESTING THRILLER

This is unlike the sci-fi/dystopian books that Marie Lu typically writes, but I found myself enjoying her take on the thriller genre. At first, I was unsure how I would feel about the idea of a pop star becoming a secret agent, but I found this a really unique take on the superstar concept that ended up being a lot of fun to read. There are many interesting parallels between Winter’s life as a star and the world of spies, such as his background in dance that helps him in training, and the mix of these two fields worked out well.

❀ TWISTY AND UNIQUE

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu is a twisty and unique take on the thriller genre. I loved the concept of a pop star and a spy, and the main characters have such an entertaining dynamic. This is a great read for fans of the enemies to lovers trope, and those who enjoyed Marie Lu’s previous novels will not be disappointed.

This was so much different than any of Marie Lu's other books - and I absolutely loved it! It provided a much-needed escape and sucked me in from the first chapter.

It's a spy thriller and has enemies-to-lovers vibes as well, because Sydney hates Winter at first, and he feels ambivalent about her. But boy do they have chemistry! I absolutely loved Winter as a character and preferred his chapters, which is unusual for me as I usually prefer the female character's narration. But Sydney was a pretty grumpy character and Winter was the sweetheart. Again, I love when the gender roles are flipped like this.

I liked the first two-thirds of the book the best, as I felt the last third was mostly an action scene. Marie Lu is good at writing these, but I just don't like action scenes.

It was so much fun getting to explore the world of pop stardom through Winter's perspective and spy world through Sydney.

I really hope there will be a sequel, even though this one wraps up well. I saw rumors of a sequel floating around Goodreads so I hope that's true.

Also, can I just say how much I love the cover?

*Thank you to NetGalley for an eARC in exchange for an honest review. I am so excited to read this early!*

Stars and Smoke is a turn from Lu's usual genre, YA Scifi. This YA mystery, thriller, romance carries the same sense of tension and adventure as Lu's other books. From the get go, readers are introduced to Winter Young, international pop star with a massive following. After a concert he is recruited for a mission in exchange for information on his brother's death. From this point on, readers are taken on a wonderful twisting and thrilling ride. Winter is joined by Sydney, a spy and part of an elite group of covert operatives. Together, they are tasked with infiltrating a crime ring after Winter is hired to hold a private concert for the daughter of a crime lord. Overall it's a really fun story thanks to Lu's amazing writing and ability to pull a reader in to the characters and plot.

Marie Lu is one of my favorite authors. She has a way of creating a new world and drawing you into it completely, not letting go until the very end. I loved everything about this book: the bad ass bodyguard with a secret past, the super famous yet somewhat flawed pop star, and the mission to save the world. There was so much going on that I could not put this one down. Can’t wait to see what happens next!

Author Marie Lu is a New York Times Bestselling YA author. Her latest offering matches up a superstar and a spy resulting in about a romance-action/adventure mash-up. The novel did feel a bit like a movie in its pacing, style, and story arc. The author did strive to flesh out back stories for the two leads as a foundation for their motivations, but with mixed results. Although the novel wasn’t necessarily teed-up for a sequel or series, the door was left cracked to the possibility.

While there was nothing particularly unique, memorable, or compelling about the characters, relationships, or plot, Stars and Smoke was a pleasant and fast read. This would be a good selection for a beach read this summer for young adult readers looking for light fare.