This was the perfect addition to my recent kick of spy reads. I love that we got to visit with Winter and Sydney again and see where else they could save the world. The two were definitely a cute pair but also the way the worked together showed the chemistry between them.

I requested Icon & Inferno initially because I really really enjoyed the first one.

I personally think it should have stayed as just one book.

I believe I made it through 40-50% of this e-arc before I grew bored.

Stars and Smoke was so fast paced and interesting….with how much of Icon and Inferno I’d read you’d think the plot would have moved? No. Too much inner thoughts between the MCs and not enough action or motivation for the storyline to move along.

Quite the disappointment to say the least.

I apologize for the late review, I did my absolute best to try and keep reading this throughout 2024 and 2025, but it was not keeping my attention enough.

Icon and Inferno by Marie Lu
Marie Lu returns with another electrifying read in Icon and Inferno, a novel brimming with action, intrigue, and deeply complex characters. Known for her cinematic storytelling, Lu delivers a narrative that crackles with tension, blending high-tech thrills with emotional depth. Whether you’re a longtime fan or new to her work, this book is bound to leave you breathless.

Marie Lu returns to the world of spies and stardom with the sequel to Stars and Smoke. In Icon and Inferno, Sydney and Winter must team up again for a mission, but will their relationship rekindle alongside the danger they face?

Marie Lu: you better be writing a third book for this series!!

I was shocked at how quickly I fell back into this world of secret agents and international spy missions but I absolutely loved every second of it! If I didn’t have to go to sleep because ya know, life, I probably would’ve binge read this book in one day!

Winter and Sydney grew a lot as characters in this book and I forgot how much I loved their “I’m supposed to be colleagues with you and not be in love with you so I’ll act like I hate you instead” dynamic! The way they work together and still try to protect one another is so endearing to read about.

While there were a bit more bittersweet and sad moments in this book than the last one, I still really enjoyed this book! I found one or two of the plot twists a bit predictable but sometimes I like a little predictability in stories!

Overall, if you love action-packed books or movies that feature a boatload of fun characters and super cool spy adventures, then you MUST check out this series!

*I received an ARC from Fierce Reads in exchange for my honest opinion.

Hmmmm…..

I really had to think about the stars here. 3 or 4, it was hard to decide. I really enjoyed the book…..right til the very end. It definitely did NOT end the way I had hoped. Or even expected.

Honestly it felt open ended and that’s not what I expected for a duology. So it’s all rather bittersweet, if I’m being honest.

"Icons and Inferno" had intriguing ideas, but uneven pacing and character depth held it back overall.

Thank you to Netgalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group | Roaring Brook Press for an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. I enjoyed this book even though I thought it was a little slow. I did read it in one day. I would still recommend this book.

Thank you to netgalley for a copy of this book to read and review.

I was so excited to dive back into this world. The action in this book was just as amazing as it was in the first book if not more. There was more at stake and a rough ending for some.
I also like the romance between our main characters here in this second novel. I think it grew well and made me like them as a couple more than in the first book.
I also like how this series kind of linked with one of Marie's other stores that I loved.

I can't wait to read more books from Marie in the future.

The second book in the Stars and Smoke series finds secret agent Sydney Cossette teaming up with pop star Winter Young to bring in a rogue agent who happens to be Sydney’s ex. Winter has a concert in Singapore and Sydney will once again pose as his bodyguard to get access to the target. There is also an assassination plot against the American president in the mix. As the two of them work together to achieve their goals, they once again feel the flames of attraction that can’t be denied.

Review: 4 star

I enjoyed Book 1, Stars and Smoke, and was eager to see where the author would take us in this book, and it did not disappoint.

First, let’s talk about the gorgeous cover! I need to find a matching cover for Book 1 ASAP so I can put them together. With such an eye-catching cover like that, how can you say no?!

It’s been a year since Sydney and Winter last crossed paths. When Sydney’s upcoming mission extraction required further support, they called on Winter to help. Talk about the tension and awkwardness when they first met. Given that they refuse to acknowledge the feelings they developed with each other from Book 1 in the initial stages of the book, this got very interesting, especially when their exes came into play - the jealousy…!! And when they did, talk about explosive!

This book is definitely fast-paced compared to Book 1, with many more things happening plot-wise. However, I felt that the mystery element of the spy elements was weak. I felt like I could see the plot coming, so it wasn’t too much of a surprise for me except for one unexpected part, which saddened me. But the book was a quick read regardless due to the high stakes and danger element vibes. The setting of the book also takes place in Singapore with hints of Malaysia thrown in, and while I commend the author's effort to set the stage, I felt like the world-building was very minimal here, which is fine as we needed to focus on the action parts of the book.

I feel that the author’s writing has matured compared to Book 1. As much as this is a YA book, there were hints of moments where the character handled their feelings brilliantly. Given how Sydney and Winter lead such opposite lives, they couldn't be together, and I felt the ending was realistic enough and open-ended enough to set the stage for Book 3 if there is ever one. I WISH THERE WERE MORE FLUFFY EPILOGUE - Sue me for being in Lala land, okay!

Thank you to fiercereads, marieluthewriter and coloredpagesbt for the e-ARC as part of my participation in the cover reveal of this book.

This sequel was enjoyable but not quite as fun as the first one. I liked that it was in a new overseas setting, and there was some good character development, but I felt the characters could have grown further and there was more effort put into the plot than the third rail underlying the characters' relationship.

Being back in this world was so much fun, the twists and turns were as intense as in book 1! I really liked the banter between Winter and Sydney in this book -- I hope there's gonna be a book 3?

-- ty to the author, the publisher and Netgalley for an advanced copy!

This book tops the list of things that are entirely unnecessary. Warning for slight spoilers ahead, so proceed with caution:

The ending of this book is almost exactly the same as the previous one. The characters show very little development, and so I feel like this book added nothing to the Stars and Smoke universe. Sure this book was mildly entertaining and vaguely well written, but I finished it feeling so far from satisfied. The one plot line that piqued my interest was Winter's father and the book, but that was dropped with so little fan fair. My greatest pet peeve is when authors expand a series clearly just because they want the money from it, and Icon and Inferno is the epitome of that.

This YA romance follows Winter and Sydney. I loved how it was an agent/spy based novel. It had a great amount of slow burn and I loved the romance in it. I just really how it wasn’t just a simple romance book.

I'm so sorry. I appreciated the ARC read but I couldn't finish it because I had to DNF about 50% through. It just wasn't for me unfortunately

Icon and Inferno is everything fans of the first book would hope for in a sequel. It’s fast-paced with plenty of romantic tension and that will they, won’t they in both romance and survival that made the first book fun.

The story continues in a slow burn way, but the pining doesn’t get annoying, and the characters around them keep things interesting instead of the two of them having more internal conflicts preventing them from being together.

This story continues with it feeling more like an action book with spies than a romance, which worked well for the characters and settings. This one also feels like it has more stakes because of some of the losses and because of the point they are both at in their careers. The mystery is a little weak, but the characters continued to be strong.

It’s another fun book in the series, and I’m hoping for a third.

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for the free copy in exchange for my honest review. The opinions are my own and were not influenced by receiving a copy.

I enjoyed going back into this world! Lu also does a wonderful job with her fantasy worlds. I think I might like this one better than the first. I really felt a connection to the side characters just as much as I felt with the main characters.

I also liked the ending, it was the type of ending that could be a true ending, but still left the door open for more books. Also, I'm obsessed with these covers.

Just as enjoyable as the first one. Books with spies are my favorite. I really hope we get more books following Winter and Sydney!

After a year since superstar Winter Young saw secret agent Sydney Cossette, Sydney shows up at Winter’s studio with a new mission from Panacea. An operative is in danger and it is up to the duo to rescue him. The catch is that the man in question is none other than Sydney's ex. Complicating matters, Winter's on again and off again girlfriend Gavi Ginsburg is along for the ride, as a cover for Winter's real purpose for being in Singapore. When danger affects the mission, will it also compromise the lives of Winter and Sydney?

Marie Lu never fails to deliver an entertaining read, though the mystery parts are pretty predictable. The teenage angst is also par for the course, but the story itself has a good flow. The narration is well delivered by Becca Q. Co, who also narrates the first book in the series.

I had the opportunity to both listen to and read this novel. I largely preferred the audio version, as the performance of the characters were superior to the printed word. The audio grabbed my attention more, entertaining me as I drove, did household chores, and the like. As far as the printed version went, I read the novel without much fanfare. I was glad the book was not that long, as it really did not hold my attention as much as the audio did. This was not my favorite series by Marie Lu and this novel lagged behind Stars and Smoke.

Overall, I would not recommend readers new to the series to start with this one. The strength of this book came from Stars and Smoke, as it is a continuation of that novel.

Disclaimer: I was given an Advanced Audio Copy, as well as an Advanced Reader's Copy of this novel by NetGalley and the publisher. The decision to review this novel was entirely my own.

An excellent follow-up to book one, and now I will be checking goodreads on the daily for a book 3 announcement. Sydney and Winter are compelling and flawed characters, with a reasonable amount of hang-ups and misunderstandings. With some much anticipated resolution to the unresolved sexual tension (tastefully, though somewhat racy for YA, in my opinion...), and some real peril for both main and side chapters, Icon and Inferno proves Marie Lu is still at the top of near-future contemporary action-thriller YA.