A secret agent and a pop star work together to find evidence that could stop a world war. There is romance, action and a whole lot of danger. There is a big twist in the end and I loved reading this. (I'm fairly certain there will be a sequel and I can't wait!)

Winter is the most famous pop star in the world while Sydney is one of the most talented secret agents at Panacea. Panacea is a large group that is separate from the CIA and works to keep the world safe. When Winter becomes an agent and Sydney is to work with him as a partner (pretending to be a body guard), things start getting intense very quickly.

Marie Lu has always been one of my favorite authors. I feel like it's so easy for me to lose myself in her books. Her writing is very smooth with characters that I can't help but fall in love with. Lu always keeps the plot moving fast, keeps it exciting, and, in few words, helps me visualize everything very clearly. I'm pretty sure this is Marie Lu's first book without any fantasy, a NA thriller/romance.

Out March 28, 2023!

Thank you Netgalley and Macmillan for this opportunity!

Charming characters. Fast paced. Imaginative. Wanted to read it one sitting. Everything I love about Lu, but still different from her norm. Looking forward to the sequel!

My ARC was provided by the publisher via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

Easy & fun romance with a dash of Mission Impossible energy.. and some new-age Disney refrains thrown in. (...but when I say New Age Disney... I don't necessarily mean that as a compliment.)

THOUGHTS:
- When I first started reading Stars & Smoke, I was really excited because I love a good spy novel... but the first part of the book felt like I was only reading about the sexuality of the characters present. When it comes to spy novels and the blurb of this book, for that matter... that's just not what I thought to expect.

- You don't get into the meat of the plotline until around 40% of the way through. (This is what I meant by new-age Disney.. they're always trying to throw in that subliminal messaging instead of just focusing on good storytelling?) This story feels immature rather than just being about young people? Very much plays into how self-centered people are nowadays

- I wanted terr0rist plots from the beginning... with a little background of the main characters, to have us connect with them. Overall.. the characters' experiences and emotional traumas were out of balance with what was needed to form a reader connection. (Sort of like the author 'doth protest too much' and wanted to push certain subjects to make sure to capitalize on the world's socio-political climate?) The entire opening just felt like a pandering, disingenuous mess.



- The book's last half is decent and fast-paced action-wise, which I enjoyed.. and the ending was good! But as I said.. it was hard for me to take the character's seriously in their 'spy' roles because of all the previously mentioned emotional dialogue before. Which didn't come into play at all throughout the rest of the story, further cementing my feelings that the plot was a mess.

**This was written for the New Adult crowd, and I think they will very much love it, but if you're a fully-fledged adult.. you may find it tedious.

NOTES:
- TWs: Family trauma
- LGBTQ+ themes
- 🌶/5 - Lots of flirting- no s3x.
- Age group Stars & Smoke was written for: New Adult.. 16-25-year-old range

**Thank you Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press, and NetGalley for this advance reader copy. I received this book for free but all thoughts are my own. - SLR 🖤

*2.5

The cover is so pretty and it has a good premise but I just didn't like it. It's not terrible but something about it doesn't work for me. I'm also not super clear on the ending, they aren't actually together which makes this not a romance.

I received an arc through netgalley.

𝘈𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 : Paramecium - a chemical with the power to destroy on a nuclear level. It's detonation in a crowd will cause mass casualty and prove as the perfect human experimentation.

𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 : A private concert for a billionaire's daughter is an unsuspecting cover to sneak all the details and get a warrant to hold off on a massive shipment on a new chemical warfare.

𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 & 𝘚𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘦 follows a coveted superstar and his bodyguard undercover on a high risk mission to crash the illegal empire of a fraud billionaire.

⇢⇢⇢

Surrounded by secrets and betrayals Sydney and Winter learn that what you see is not all that appears. With a mass destruction hanging over their heads, these two undercover spies take it upon themselves to hold off the cargo shipment despite the threats they encounter, be it poison or a shot.

Sydney has had a rough upbringing, she's rather unsuspecting but she could kill you with ease. Winter, the superstar, is tired of his life which has given him fame but never satisfaction and at this point he's not afraid to face the risks to gain some worth.

Hmm... the writing was engaging. There was never a point I was bored but considering the characters were in the NA or upper YA category I was expecting a little more tension and not of the life-is-on-the-line type, but enjoyable regardless.

𝘈𝘮𝘮𝘶𝘯𝘪𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 : Paramecium - a chemical with the power to destroy on a nuclear level. It's detonation in a crowd will cause mass casualty and prove as the perfect human experimentation.

𝘌𝘹𝘦𝘤𝘶𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯 : A private concert for a billionaire's daughter is an unsuspecting cover to sneak all the details and get a warrant to hold off on a massive shipment on a new chemical warfare.

𝘚𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘴 & 𝘚𝘮𝘰𝘬𝘦 follows a coveted superstar and his bodyguard undercover on a high risk mission to crash the illegal empire of a fraud billionaire.

⇢⇢⇢

Surrounded by secrets and betrayals Sydney and Winter learn that what you see is not all that appears. With a mass destruction hanging over their heads, these two undercover spies take it upon themselves to hold off the cargo shipment despite the threats they encounter, be it poison or a shot.

Sydney has had a rough upbringing, she's rather unsuspecting but she could kill you with ease. Winter, the superstar, is tired of his life which has given him fame but never satisfaction and at this point he's not afraid to face the risks to gain some worth.

Hmm... the writing was engaging. There was never a point I was bored but considering the characters were in the NA or upper YA category I was expecting a little more tension and not of the life-is-on-the-line type, but enjoyable regardless.

⇢⇢⇢

3.81 / 5✩

𝘛𝘩𝘢𝘯𝘬𝘴 𝘵𝘰 𝘔𝘢𝘤𝘮𝘪𝘭𝘭𝘢𝘯 𝘊𝘩𝘪𝘭𝘥𝘳𝘦𝘯'𝘴 𝘗𝘶𝘣𝘭𝘪𝘴𝘩𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘎𝘳𝘰𝘶𝘱 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘕𝘦𝘵𝘨𝘢𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘺 𝘧𝘰𝘳 𝘱𝘳𝘰𝘷𝘪𝘥𝘪𝘯𝘨 𝘢𝘯 𝘢𝘥𝘷𝘢𝘯𝘤𝘦𝘥 𝘤𝘰𝘱𝘺 𝘰𝘧 𝘵𝘩𝘪𝘴 𝘣𝘰𝘰𝘬, 𝘸𝘩𝘪𝘤𝘩 𝘐 𝘷𝘰𝘭𝘶𝘯𝘵𝘢𝘳𝘪𝘭𝘺 𝘳𝘦𝘢𝘥 & 𝘳𝘦𝘷𝘪𝘦𝘸𝘦𝘥. 𝘈𝘭𝘭 𝘵𝘩𝘰𝘶𝘨𝘩𝘵𝘴 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘰𝘱𝘪𝘯𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘴 𝘢𝘳𝘦 𝘮𝘺 𝘰𝘸𝘯.

The plot was fast paced, intriguing, with a surprising villain. It hooked me from the start and kept me there for the entire read. This was a slight departure in style from her usual, but it still retained her exceptional ability to weave an action packed plot with light romance in an extremely enjoyable book. This book was clean of sexual content. I have been given an advance copy in exchange for an honest review.

I highly recommend this book to all readers

Spy connects with superstar to save the world in Marie Lu’s Stars and Smoke. Lu’s latest novel is a thoroughly entertaining thriller that readers will devour in hours.

Pop star Winter Young and Agent Sydney Cossette team up to trap billionaire Eli Morrison in a covert espionage deal. Winter will perform for the billionaire’s daughter Penelope’s birthday party while Sydney posing as Winter’s bodyguard, searches for evidence of Morrison’s crimes. Danger, romance, and deception bring this unlikely pair together. Who is protecting whom?

I was drawn into the intricate plot, a mission that went wrong, and the capture of the real villain. Lu has created the debut of an exciting series. I thank NetGalley for allowing me to read and review Stars and Smoke.

Nice and easy flowing YA book! Marie Lu is fantastic at these types of books so this was a very enjoyable read!

This was delightful. I've only read Legend and Warcross by Marie Lu, so encountering a book that's much more of a romantic thriller was a surprise. Lu pulled this off with aplomb. Both of the leads were endearing, and I'm a sucker for a spy story. People on Goodreads seem to think this is NA because the protagonists are 19, but I think I'll be able to pitch this one to teens at the library with no problem whatsoever.

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu
4/5 Stars
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

•••Spoiler free review below•••

Well this was fun!!!
I have loved Marie Lu's books for years so this was an automatic want-to-read due to her being the author. As a completely new genre for her, I was excited to see her writing style and how this book would measure up against her ya dystopia/sci-fi books.

My consensus: It was a fun read - fast paced and funny with really enjoyable characters. Our main characters are 19 but this definitely reads like the easy flow of YA. The premise is enjoyable, although not wholly unique, but I think this is a setup for a great new series and I will definitely pick up book 2. I am excited to see what Marie Lu branches into next.

Read this book if you like:
- workplace romance
- celebrity/bodyguard trope
- upper YA contemporary
- 19 year olds saving the world
- the idea of your favorite pop superstar falling in love with you
- dual POV
- lite kleptomania

Stars and Smoke will be released on March 28th and if it's not already on your tbr, it should be!

Thanks to Netgalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Marie Lu is an author I automatically read. I enjoyed Stars and Smoke, but not to the extent I've enjoyed her other series. Marie Lu is a fantastic science fiction and fantasy writer. This is her first mystery book, and while it was good, it wasn't anything that stood out to me as unique and remarkable.

Sydney works for a secret government agency that works outside the lines of government red tape. When she is sent on a mission to find ledgers on a criminal tycoon transporting and selling a dangerous drug, she is partnered up with someone who has no training. The agency has paired her up with pop star Winter Young and is using him as a front to get close to Eli Morrsion, the criminal tycoon. They believe their best shot is for Winter to attend his daughter's birthday party to give a private concert as she is his biggest fan. From there, Sydney and Winter attempt to find any proof they can of Eli's dealings.

The pop star and spy angle was different and the plot was interesting enough. I'll say that I did not expect the twist which was pleasantly surprising. I wish the characters were a little more fleshed out in their backgrounds. We do get some of the storyline, but I think I was hoping for a little bit more. I loved their handlers Niall and Sauda, but I also wished for more background on them.

All of that being said, I will likely read the second one as I enjoy books that are mission oriented and end within the book, yet have over arcing storylines that carry from book to book.

If you're looking for a quick and fun read, this is a good choice. It's just not a book that stands out against other books I've read.

This was such a fun ride. A little suspended disbelief at times with some very complex characters. I’m glad this is the first book in a series because I definitely want more of Sydney and Winter. They both have a lot of story to tell and I feel like we touched the surface of it. They struggle internally with things happening with their family, and I found both of their stories a little sad, though I also think Winter and Sydney both have a true "found family." There's not really a character within their circle that I didn't like. Marie really has a way of pulling at your heartstrings and that was definitely the case here. Winter's story is so heart-wrenching and you can tell he puts up a bit of a façade for certain people. You want things to be better for him but at the same time, you definitely think he deserves better.

For once I can finally say I knew how things were going to end in that I knew who was behind everything. It was a pretty good cover and twist to the story but also really brutal at the same time. It makes you question if Eli Morrison, the "major crime boss", really did what they said he did. I also found myself questioning the relationship between Penelope and Connor and even now I'm sure it was genuine.

While I did think the romantic relationship between Sydney and Winter developed a little too quickly, I found it enjoyable nonetheless. They seemed to be drawn to one another even though I desperately tried to convince themselves otherwise.

I found myself really devouring this novel. Marie has a clear writing style that easily draws you into the world she's created. She's a well-rounded author who writes well-rounded, thoughtful characters. It's one of the reasons why she is one of my favorite authors. I really felt like I was stepping into something familiar and comforting, a book that has the classic Marie Lu-style.

3.5 stars, rounded up here. Overall, Stars and Smoke was a really fun read! The story moved quickly and the pop star/spy combo was entertaining. I do think teen readers will love this, especially those who want their stories with a side of romance rather than it being the central focus. Though there was tension between Winter and Sydney throughout the story, the mission took precedence most of the time. There were some things that seemed a little off with this book. It is billed as enemies to lovers, but I never really felt like Winter and Sydney were enemies. Sarcastic people who just met each other, yes. Enemies with a long-simmering feud, no. Their ages paired with the maturity level also threw me. They are 19-20 but that seemed like a choice designed to just get them out of school/living independently versus how old they acted. This isn't a bad thing and will make the book great for younger teens, but the romance felt more like that of two 14 year-olds instead of actual adults. I did enjoy the action scenes and the twists at the end, and will be picking up a copy for my classroom library.

I loved the Stars and Smoke! It’s a nuanced, YA version of a Bond movie…if 007 had a pop star as a partner! The storyline is fast paced and interesting, the characters have depth, there is a bit of glitz and glam, and a budding romance! Definitely pick this up if you want an escape!

Here we have the story of Winter, a pop superstar, and the Panacea Group wants him to infiltrate a crime lord's inner circle. Enter Sydney, an up and coming spy. In order for this mission to work, she's going to pose as Winter's bodyguard. There's only one problem. She can't stand the guy.

Oh I wanted to like this book so bad. I mean what a cool premise, right? A pop star and a spy! Unfortunately, this book fell flat for me. First of all (ignoring the fact that I couldn't stand the name Winter), I felt like there was no chemistry between these two. Just zero. Not even a spark. And this is supposed to be enemies to lovers right? Aside from that, I had a hard time caring about any of these characters. They were just so one-dimensional. Because of all this, the story just didn't vibe with me.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for this ARC. Unfortunately, this book was just not for me.

★ 3.5 / 5

Ever since Rebel I've had a weird disconnect with Marie Lu's books. I've been reading her work since Legend released, so she's been an insta-buy author for quite a long time. But something happened between Kingdom of Back all the way to Steelstriker when it comes to my enjoyment of her books. The characters felt flatter and less alive. The books were much more serious than most of her previous work too, but I did not love them anywhere near as much as The Young Elites, Legend, or Warcross.

But Stars and Smoke brought me back to that previous feeling. I'm not the biggest thriller/ spy fan, but I'll try anything by Marie Lu. S&S reminded me of my reading experience with Warcross and Wildcard because the world is extremely similar to our own with just a couple key differences. I was laughing and shaking my heading smiling during multiple scenes, and don't even get me started on the flirty scenes between our two leads. These moments were what I was missing beforehand.

Now the genre itself was my biggest issue because I don't hardly ever read books like S&S. I'm not a huge celebrity/ pop star fan either, so I was not the target audience. I think fans of BTS, Taylor Swift, or other big singers would love this book because it leans a lot into fan culture and the expectations that come with it for the celebrity. Moreover, the book felt extremely fast-paced and short. The sky elements were extremely fascinating, but it felt as if we never got to see Sydney fully in her element. We bypassed a ton of possibly badass scenes, and I wanted more details. One of the scenes that made me feel adrenaline and the high stakes was when Sydney follows Eli after his daughter's party/birthday celebration. The motorcycle imagery and her spying on the tension between the villains were just TOP TIER. I wanted more like that. Obviously, Winter is going to be a novice at spying, so I wasn't thrown off by his lack of action, but I was craving more.

Marie Lu is a representation queen. She's always been one of the best authors at writing characters for everyone. Talin was deaf. Day/ June are both mixed race (something not common in books via early 2010s), and LGBTQ+ identities are all around. S&S was no different, but specifically for this book I loved that Sydney had a lung health condition. When more intense health issues arise, I find no representation whatsoever is the norm. The fact that Sydney has breathing problems but continues to work in an active, dangerous work environment was great. Sydney shows the nuances of health issues in that she doesn't have to give up her career, but she does alter her life a bit with breathing exercises or "work smarter, not harder" mentality. It was refreshing because I don't think many people would ever give someone with a health condition a chance in spy work. The trauma of also losing her own mother to lung health problems is another added depth to her characterization.

Overall, S&S was a step in the right direction for me. I will definitely read the sequel to see what other spy shenanigans the duo encounter, and I'm hopeful for the future of Marie's books.

While usually a Marie Lu fan, I found Stars and Smoke disappointing. This enemies-to-lovers YA novel about a wildly popular boy band star (Winter) and his would-be girlfriend/bodyguard (Sydney) who team up on a CIA-type mission to thwart Mr. Evil falls flat. Uncharacteristically for Lu, the romance is overwrought, and the descriptions of the protagonists' sufferings (Winter, over his mother's lack of love; Sydney, over her mother's untimely death) are just too angsty for me. These characters are 19 year olds with the emotional maturity of 15 year olds doing work that would challenge 30 year olds. But I'm not the target audience. Teens will likely eat this one up, so we'll be ordering it for our high school media center.

Sydney works for a secret espionage organization that does jobs outside the parameters of the CIA. When a London tycoon harbors a deadly chemical weapon that he’s going to ship overseas, the organization recruits rock star Winter Young. The crime boss’s daughter is an avid fan and has invited him to do a concert for her birthday. Sydney goes undercover as his bodyguard. Things don’t go as planned, and soon the pair are dodging the father’s goons, the buyer’s henchmen, and multiple assassination attempts. Can they trust anyone? Their growing feelings for each other compound the situation. How can a spy and a superstar be together? This enemies-to-lovers tale is a fast-paced, fun adventure. It gives a behind-the-scenes glimpse at rock stardom along with spy gadgets and protagonists whose emotional wells are filled with depths of anguish. Being vulnerable leaves them open to their enemies and puts their survival in question. Stars and Smoke is a fun-filled escape with a pulse-pounding pace that will keep you turning pages well into the night.

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu is a fun romantic thriller. It exists purely for entertainment and distraction purposes, and I am okay with that. There is little character development and a simple plot, but it reads like the most engaging movie you will ever watch. The interactions between the main characters are priceless, and the action is impressive. For sheer entertainment alone, Stars and Smoke rates high.

Spy stories are always fun with the gadgets and the sleights of hand necessary to trick people, and Ms. Lu makes sure to include plenty of devices for her two spies. Then there is all the sneaking, hidden rooms, and danger. And secrets. Lots and lots of secrets. While the plot may be a tad predictable, the story itself is too much fun for the predictability to become an issue.

Meanwhile, Winter and Sydney are a terrific pairing. Winter is sexy as hell with his natural grace and ability to charm everyone he meets. Sydney is the curmudgeon, and I love her for that. While Winter has some of the best lines, I adore Sydney for distrusting others and putting the mission first. It is an attitude I understand and respect.

I like how Ms. Lu left the end open for potential sequels, as I would love to see more of Winter. However, a sequel would not be half as entertaining without the romantic tension and the will-they-or-won't-they aspect of Winter's and Sydney's relationship. While a sequel, if done correctly, would be fun, because the world of spycraft is always fun when observed from the safety of your home, leaving Stars and Smoke as a standalone novel is perfectly okay. There is enough to love within its pages to satisfy the pickiest reader.

Stars and Smoke is an exciting spy/mystery story with interesting characters, an exciting plot, and a great twist that will keep teen readers riveted.

I thought Lu did an excellent job developing her characters. Both were vulnerable and likable, with just enough sass and snark to be relatable. Sydney's back story was initially harder to believe ,but as I got to know her and her abilities, they ceased to be important. It was refreshing to have teen characters that didn't use the "f-word" in every sentence, take extreme political stances, or have frequent sex (although there are brief references to previous sexual encounters). Rather, they focused on their mission,took it seriously, and took extreme risks to fulfill their responsibilities. There was still plenty of action, romance, and split-second decisions to keep reader interest high. I did think the evolving romance between the two main characters seemed believable. They parted at the end of the story, then were reunited in the Epilogue, eliciting  delicious roller-coaster emotions from this reader.

The plot is not intended to explore significant social issues like some of Lu's previous books. Rather, it is a fun, action-packed story with some details left unresolved at the end for a sequel. The twist near the end was great- I did not anticipate it at all. It gave the story a whole new perspective and upped the exceitment. While connecting a famous pop star and a street savvy orphan might seem unlikely, Lu made it believable.

Lu's often lush, descriptive writng was not evident in the book. However, the more terse , active style  was entirely appropriate for a James Bond type spy thriller. The style kept the story moving. 

Thanks to Roaring Brook Press and Netgalley for a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.



--
Dr. Amy A. McClure
Emerita Rodefer Professor