Marie Lu is back, but this time with a spy/thriller/romance contemporary YA novel. It’s different than her previous works, but it still has the same captivating writing style that we first saw in the Legend Trilogy.

I really enjoyed this first installment in the series and I can’t wait to see how this series plays out.

A major departure from Lu’s typical science fiction fare, this bodyguard romance was enjoyable if a bit predictable. However, YA audiences will enjoy the romance and references to Kpop.

Half spy thriller, half enemies-to-lovers bodyguard romance, Marie Lu's new book is definitely a good time. The two main characters had a lot more depth then I was expecting and I especially liked the exploration of Winter's relationship with his mom. The book was just suspenseful enough to keep me hooked and was full of delightfully clever banter. It also found a good mix between romance and plot, hitting some of the best tropes of the romance and spy genres. Lu's easy to read writing style paired well with the romance genre, making the book a quick but enjoyable read. My only complaint is that the twist was super obvious and the plot was pretty predictable in general, but since the book leans more towards romance, it didn't bother me too much.

Overall, this book is a fun read and I'm excited to experience the rest of the series.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group/Roaring Brook Press for the ARC!

A huge thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and of course, Marie Lu for providing me with an eARC of this novel. I am voluntarily leaving a review, all opinions are my own.

I liked this book alright. The world building, as per usual, was wonderful. It wasn’t quite the same as some of Lu’s fantasy novels, but I enjoyed it a lot. It gave me some major Kingsman/ MIB vibes. But other than that, I didn’t find myself wanting to know what was happening, or how things played out.

Winter was okay, but I really didn’t connect to any of the characters in this book and found myself forgetting details because I just didn’t have the desire to keep it all.

For those who are fans of spy novels/ some action and MIB vibes, then this will definitely be the book for you.

When you think of a spy thriller, you don't think of 19 year-old spies. However, the world Marie Lu has painted has jus that. A young girl who has a tainted past, as short as it has been, is tasked with turning an international pop star into a spy, and Lu has made it believable.

From the beginning, the worlds of Sydney and Winter are revealed to have pain and sadness. They both are looking for more in their lives, and when a secret organization Panacea gives them a chance to thwart a potential terror threat, how can they refuse? Winter turns out to be a natural and easily falls into character behind his musical persona. Sydney still harbors secrets as she tries not to fall for the most beautiful person she has ever met. Then the mission goes sideways, and they take matters into their own hands, facing perilous waters.

Stars and Smoke is definitely a detour from the normal dystopian universes Marie Lu has guided us through in the past. I thoroughly enjoyed this new world of superstars and espionage. The characters were superbly written, revealing emotions and histories that endear the reader. Lu has knocked it out of the park in her first foray into the action/thriller genre. This is the first in a series, so the promise of more adventures with Winter and Sydney will be worth the wait.

Thank you to Roaring Brook Press and NetGalley for the ARC. The opinions expressed are my own.

DNF at 30%
I tried to get into this book many times, but it just wasn't grabbing my attention. After read Marie Lu's Warcross duology, what I read of Stars & Smoke was very disappointing. The pacing was very slow, the plot felt nonexistent, and the characters were flat. This is more of a personal preference than anything else, but it just wasn't the right book for me.

(I will not be rating the book in my review, and I don't plan on sharing it, except to Goodreads and Storygraph.)

Thank you so, so much to Macmillan Children's and NetGalley for this e-ARC of one of my most anticipated reads of 2023! I'm such a huge fan of Marie Lu and I love reading about her new characters and worlds through the times. I am a huge Gallagher Girls fan, so seeing Marie Lu venture into teenage spy territory immediately had me hooked. Throw in a teenage superstar in there and I was more than sold. It's undercover spies with a bit of celebrity/bodyguard action and a lot of fun. Not to mention, there's found family trope. This book is definitely one for teenagers and caters to a teenage audience more than anything, which I think was definitely the point! I hope that this is only the first in the series because I am really excited for what comes next!

What a fun and exciting book! And great group of characters. The was completely sucked in from the very beginning. I couldn’t stop reading.

I wasn’t sure if this was going to end of a cliffy, so it was rather nerve wracking as the end drew nearer. Thankfully it ended perfectly. And left us wanting more.

Bring on book two!!

I always love seeing what Marie Lu comes up with, and this did not disappoint! At first I was a bit hesitant about the teens being spies but I think it was done respectfully and purposefully, so it didn't deter me from falling into the story. The romance was cute and the spy parts in intriguing.

“I have a feeling we are destined to make bad decisions forever.”
“I sincerely hope so.”

Soooooooo, Marie Lu has been an auto buy author for me ever since I met June & Day and fell completely in love with them. Honestly, I don’t even read the blurbs. If she writes it, I’ll read it. And into Stars and Smoke blind I went.

The cover tricked me. One look at it and I was absolutely sure I was about to dive into a cute Young Adult dystopian. Joke is on me. First, while YA, it feels more like a NA. Second, it’s not dystopian but contemporary. Third, this is anything but cute and light. Oh no! This is a bodyguard/celebrity/spy romance with both Winter and Sidney having to deal with loss and pain, with trauma and loneliness.

They also will have to work together. And from the initial dislike, they become more. But like the moon and the sun, they’re destined to shine apart. Or are they?

The twists in this spy novel were absolutely delicious and both Winter and Sidney played their parts marvelously.

And let me tell you this too: that ending is so Marie Lu… if you read any of her books — ANY — you know what I mean 👀

What’s inside:
🖤spy romance
🖤celebrity/bodyguard romance
🖤dislike to love
🖤forced proximity
🖤dual POV

⭐️ YA. 4 stars ⭐️ Thank you so much @macmillanusa @netgalley and @marieluthewriter for this eARC 🖤

Sexy, cute, and fun! New genre by an author I already love for me and was happily surprised with how much I liked this genre! Would recommend!

Such a cute spy novel! I need more Winter and Sydney now! This is a perfect YA spy/heist novel with a dash of romance. Winter is the worlds biggest superstar who ends up being recruited by a spy agency for big job. Sydney is tasked to go undercover as his bodyguard. The story starts off a little slow but once things get going, it’s pretty fast paced. Both characters have traumatic pasts that play a role in their relationships with others. Winter and Sydney are intriguing characters on their own but together they have great chemistry. I’m already ordering this for my classroom and can’t wait for more! Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s for the arc.

Thank you for the ARC of this book!

I'm new to this author, but this definitely won't be the last time I read her work. I want to read more of this series and anything else she has.

This story focuses on Winter Young, a global popstar, who gets dragged into helping a secret government team try to take down a notorious bad guy. Because of his popularity, and the bad guy's daughter's love for Winter, he's the perfect person to help. But he's going to need backup, so enter Sydney. She's a recruit for the secret team and she's not a fan of Winter. *Insert the obvious smirk* The two have to team up and work together to take down the bad guy. Can they put aside their differences to make this mission a success?

First off, I love the plot and the characters. Winter is just cute and charming. Sydney is awesome and hard-core. The side characters are also fun to read. The book switches from both Winter and Sydney POV, but not always alternative chapters. I did kind of pick up on some of the plot twists before they arrived, but it didn't stop me from enjoying the book. I finished this book easily fast and really want more of Sydney and Winter.

I'm a big Marie Lu fan, but this isn't a typical Marie Lu book. That doesn't mean it isn't good, it is just different. It still fits into the new adult/young adult world that the author is known for. The two main characters are both 19. One is a 19 year old superstar and the other is a 19 year old secret agent. Winter Young is bigger than big. Everything he touches (and sings and dances) turns to gold. It doesn't mean he is happy or fulfilled. All of this makes him a perfect recruit for a secret organization that needs to get an agent close to a billionaire and his Winter Young fan daughter. Sydney Cosette is one of the youngest and best agents of an elite spy organization. She needs to team with Winter to bring down a powerful crime boss and stop a shipment of weapons of mass destruction. She poses as Winter's bodyguard for them to team up and stop the bad guys. There is a lot of tension as Sydney initially is annoyed by everything about Winter but his sincerity wears her down. They make a good team and although this can be read as a standalone book, the author has clearly set this up for a series. The book includes a diverse set of characters and trauma filled backgrounds for both characters,. A fun read with romance and suspense. You just have to suspend a bit of disbelief about a 19 year old secret agent with several years of training and experience. Do they really recruit and hire teenagers?

Thanks to NetGalley for an advance copy. My opinion is my own.

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!