I’m participating in the book tour of Key Lime Sky by Al Hess. Thanks to Angry Robot Books for including me and sending me an eARC! Key Lime Sky came out on August 13th and you can grab a copy from your favorite online bookseller!

Read this book if you like:
⁃ Sci-fi & Alien Invasion Vibes!
⁃ Found Family!
⁃ Disgruntled Pie Aficionados!
⁃ Government Conspiracies!
⁃ Small Town Settings!

Key Lime Sky was such a fun book. I started this one while in the lab and didn’t want it to end before I finished my experiments. This story is captivating and just an all around Good Time™️.

Denver was an extremely relatable character. As a fellow neurodivergent with extra anxiety, I had so much empathy for Denver and how they felt in regards to the town members. I really loved seeing them open up to people and begin to give their neighbors a chance. Seeing them realize that not all the towns people had it out for them was so emotional 🥹.

If you want a fun sci-fi book set on Earth that centers trans, nonbinary and queer people, you need to pick this one up!

Another win for Al Hess with this funny alien story that's more about the connections than about the aliens themselves. And also about pies. So many different pies. I loved how it was raw and honest. I could relate to the characters and at the same time see how some of their decisions were not ones I would've agreed on. I liked how it started, how the characters came together, how they faced the aliens, and how it ended. Written in such an easy to follow way and also pretty funny, it was such a joy. I've loved every single Al Hess book so far!

I really enjoyed aspects of this, but there was too much that was confusing, messy, heavy handed or just plain annoying for me to be able to fully enjoy the story as a whole. I liked the autism rep, but felt the story was often more about the main character being trans and autistic, and discussions around that, than the actual ongoing alien invasion. (I'm both trans and autistic)

There was a section where Denver and Ezra both end up stuck on the road together, and that moment really shined for me. The messy backseat action, pie, sheer horror of thinking they might be stuck on the road forever really worked. Unfortunately after they got off the road was when I started to get pretty confused.

The invasion itself was indeed, confusing. There were whole sections I was re-reading just to work out what was exactly happening, some of the science was vague at best and I was left with mostly thoughts of??? Jellyfish??? I also couldn't even root for the romance, Ezra's moment of jealousy gave me The Ick and I couldn't bring myself to like him after that.

I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This was the book I didn't know I needed. I spotted it on Kit's blog when they did a post about 10 queer SFF books they were looking forward to. Their description of this book caught my eye as it mentioned an autistic main character. After getting diagnosed as autistic last year I've been reading more books with autistic main characters and so I wanted to give this book a try.

Key Lime Sky follows the point of view of Denver, xe is the only one who seems to have seen the UFO who flew and exploded above the small town of Muddy Gap. Then weird things start happening and Denver is trying to figure out what's going on. Xe teams up with Ezra and eventually some other characters as well. This book has a bit of a creepy horror vibe with aliens, alien invasion and creepy stuff happening and it also has a lovely romance. I appreciated that while it could be creepy and has a bit of a horror vibe at times, it didn't get too gruesome (except for one scene toward the end). It reminded me a bit of the Tremors movies, but then with more romance.

I loved the blend between an engaging plot that kept my attention as well as these nicer slower and cozier scenes with Ezra and Denver getting to know each other and growing close. The plot was well done and I liked how it kept feeling like there was progression and they were working towards figuring it all out. I kept wanting to read more and find out what was happening. I also liked the mentions of pie and Denver's blog and how those topics were worked into the plot.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it during a time were not many books were keeping my attention, I was stressed, overwhelmed and tired and this book just was the perfect read during that time. I liked reading about Denver. The autistic representation is so well done and xe felt so relatable. And I really liked the romance with how Ezra was there for xem and how accepting he was of Denver. They hit some struggles in their relationship, but it was awesome seeing them figure it out. And it all felt very real too. They don't always know how to handle things, they make mistakes, get stuck or want to give up, Denver has meltdowns and struggles with sensory sensitivities while trying to save the town. It just felt so real and raw.

To summarize: This was the book I didn't know I needed. I might not have picked this one up if not for Kit mentioning this one their blog. This book kept my attention during a time were hardly any other books did while I was stressed and overwhelmed. I liked the plot and seeing Denver figure out what was going on. It could get a bit creepy at times, but it also has these lovely quiet romantic moments as well. I liked that blend. It also felt very real, relatable and raw. I liked reading about Denver and the autistic representation was so well done. I had a great time reading this book and I am so glad I decided to give this one a try.

Denver Bryant lives in the small town of Muddy Gap, Wyoming where they manage a meager existence, and local notoriety, by tasting and reviewing pies. Chocolate, strawberry rhubarb, key lime, custard, and any kind of pie you can name. Denver has tried and reviewed them all, earning them the nickname around town of Professor Pie.

It's after one of these pie tasting excursions that things in Muddy Gap start to go awry, though. On their way home, Denver notices a strange green light in the sky. A quick internet search yields no results, and no one else in town admits to having seen the same strange light. After more inexplicable occurrences, such as a weird hail storm of tiny sea shells and strange behavior from otherwise innocuous locals, Denver takes to their blog to describe what they're seeing to the outside world.

Denver's further investigations in town lead them to meeting Ezra, a local who bartends in a nearby town. They are immediately attracted to each other, but the strange happenings take precedence, at first. Denver and Ezra begin to investigate further as more and more unusual, and increasingly dangerous, situations begin to happen around town. When an attempt to leave town nearly results in them both being stranded in some weird wrinkle in space-time, Denver and Ezra quickly decide to stay in Muddy Gap, figure out exactly what is happening, and put a stop to it before it spreads to the rest of the world.

On its surface, Key Lime Sky seems to be a typical alien invasion in a small town story. There's a strange light in the sky followed by people disappearing, sea shell showers (try saying the three times fast), and weird space time wrinkles just outside of town. However, on a deeper level, this is a story about living with neurodivergence and queerness in small-town America and navigating life feeling like an outsider.

Denver is both autistic and non-binary. They are easily overwhelmed by crowds, loud noises, and bright lights, and they have an almost encyclopedic knowledge of pie and UFO's thanks to special interests in those subjects. I loved how both became relevant in navigating the strange occurrences in Muddy Gap. Denver's knowledge became instrumental in figuring out what was going on and how to stop it. In the process they managed to overcome a rocky start to a relationship with Ezra, and they learned what the townspeople in Muddy Gap really thought of them.

Denver has a bad habit of negative circular internal monologue in which they attempt to find reasons for the behavior of others. For example, Denver believes everyone in town calls them Professor Pie because no one can remember Denver's real name. In reality, the people of Muddy Gap have been using it as a term of endearment. The grocery store workers helped Denver set up grocery delivery, and they even throw in freebies from time to time to be nice. By the end of the book, Denver realizes they've been thinking about things all wrong, and it was nice to see them finally understand the negative thoughts they've had about themself (fueled by childhood trauma and abandonment) aren't true for everyone.

The only somewhat picky thing I have to say about this book involves the portrayal of neurodivergence and queerness. Being neither myself, I am happy to have other readers pick this apart, but I felt this portrayal was almost too stereotypical. There are several instances where Denver talks about flapping their hands when experiencing extreme emotion. Denver is almost unable to function inside a store, and part of their introduction of themself to new people always includes their pronoun preferences, even when speaking in person. On one hand, I thought this was great because representation matters, but on the other hand, it became a bit tiresome hitting the same nail on the head over and over throughout the book. Other readers may feel differently about it, but that's how I took it.

Otherwise, I really enjoyed this book. It was an interesting take on the alien invasion trope, in ways I won't spoil here, and I felt like I really got to know Denver. Other characters, such as Ezra, had less depth, but I chalked that up to the story being told in first person from Denver's perspective. The world, conflict, and interpersonal relationships made this worth reading.

I gave Key Lime Sky by Al Hess four out of five stars. This is a sci-fi story with heart set in near-future small-town America. Denver is an interesting and relatable protagonist, and I enjoyed seeing them gain agency through what other people might call strange obsessions. Denver's special interests became strengths in surviving, and eventually they realized their differences didn't make people hate them. I feel like a lot of people will enjoy this story, so give it a try!

I’ve read another book by the author and found myself surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I am not an adventurous reader and tend to stick to known genres, but I am glad I’ve given these books a shot.

Denver lives for Pie. Xe has trouble with the world at large, Xe’s life is not too happy and it’s only when commenting in vivid details about the perfection of pie or the absolute lack of it.

When traveling back to town Denver spots what is obviously a UFO crash landing on the town. When everyone else seems oblivious, slowly things start to get complicated. I will not go into the details but the explanation and the process to get there was quite good. There’s a scene where all the townsfolk talk about why they use the name Professor Pie, and it was actually a cute scene, especially as it follows a possible alien invasion and related chaos.


I’m not a big fan of open door scenes and there are a couple in here which can easily be skipped. The overall story is set at an interesting pace with something constantly moving forward.

I would highly recommend this to fans of science-fiction.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This is one of my favorites of the year. The perfect blend of cozy sci-fi, adventure and a pinch of horror. Amazing MC that really stands out in my mind. I loved this one!

I was sucked in by the title and great cover artwork, and then intrigued by the description. Key Lime Sky is a quirky, fun read with plenty of heart, albeit a tad schmaltzy in parts. Cozy alien invasion is a genre I wasn't expecting, but I enjoyed it a lot.

Denver travels around creating content for his blog. He ends up using his platform to warn the world about the aliens invading... The writing is good, with vivid descriptions, sharp, funny dialogue and plenty of action.... A fun read that I'd recommend to anyone.

Despite the fun surface, the themes of isolation, queer identity and "logical" family are central to Key Lime Sky; the actual sci-fi mechanics are glossed over. It makes the novel a more emotional, character-driven read. Hardcore sci-fi fans might be somewhat disappointed.

It does generate an absolute craving for key lime pie. Not common in my neck of the woods; I've only tasted it once or twice but the day I finished reading I baked one. Yum.

My thanks to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

#KeyLimeSky #AngryRobotBooks

This was a cozy little read with an autistic pie lover as your main character. It follows them through an alien invasion, new love, and drama.

I loved that this book had so many of my favorite things, I’m always here for pie & aliens/space horror is my weakness! I feel it started off strong with these, but felt myself craving more towards the end. There is random political pushes that felt completely out of place. If you’re reading the book, I feel there were things you were already set on or an ally of. I craved more aliens. I plan on buying this for my collection cause the cover art is 10/10!

Thank you again NetGalley for the read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this scifi romp. There's aliens, a UFO crash, a smalltown mystery that seems to be warping reality, there's some truly wonderful queer and neurodiverse rep, there's a meet-weird/cute romance, very sharp and funny dialogue AND there are lots and lots of PIES. This book is funny, but also heartfelt and full of suspense and mystery. The characters have depth, and their relationships drive the plot and hooked me just as much as the alien invasion story. A terrific read from start to finish.

While Key Lime Sky by Al Hess was a cute enjoyable read, this really wasn’t for me. If you are looking for a sci-fi alien tale, this wouldn’t be where to start. The aliens are there, but they take a backseat to the main story where Denver discovers who they are and finds love along the way.

I think it deserves a try, and it will definitely find an audience in today’s reader. Don’t count it out until you’ve read it.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Angry Robot for the advanced reader copy!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

I really enjoyed this somewhat weird alien invasion book with a queer, autistic main protagonist. While the world building felt a bit off at times and the romance felt rushed, I really loved out protagonist and their obsession with pies. Having never been to the United States, I have absolutely no idea about pies (I just know UK pies and pasties and pastries), but I liked how happy pies made our protagonist.

A weird but fun read!

4 stars

As I was reading the book, I kept asking myself how Al (the author) must really have a mind of telling stories that can put a bandage over wounds. What I mean is that this a new story for me as someone who might not be exactly the same/go through the same things like Denver (MC). Al’s story gave a good patch work on my reality as a trans-man. I admit it took me longer than I had wanted to read this book but it wasn’t due to anything lacking. It was due that maybe my mind needed to understand what was going on. I’ve read reviews where it was easy to pick up but for me, I felt like I had to go back to what I read before to understand where I was in the story. I guess if you’re a person who reads and picks up on things easily this will be a nice read. Even with my struggles I did love the story and enjoy Al as a great storyteller.

Key Lime Sky by Al Hess is a delightful blend of cozy sci-fi and heartwarming character drama. The story follows Denver, a nonbinary, autistic pie blogger, who witnesses a UFO explosion in the small town of Muddy Gap. As the townspeople begin acting strangely and even disappearing, Denver teams up with Ezra, a new arrival, to unravel the mystery. While the sci-fi premise is intriguing, the heart of the novel lies in Denver’s journey of finding acceptance and connection in a town that often feels isolating. The authentic portrayal of autism and the evolving relationships with Ezra and other townsfolk make for a deeply emotional and relatable read.

Hess keeps the focus on the characters rather than delving too deeply into the sci-fi mechanics, creating a story that feels intimate and emotionally resonant. The themes of found family, queer identity, and self-acceptance shine through, making Key Lime Sky more than just a sci-fi adventure. Denver’s experiences of alienation and eventual belonging are beautifully captured, and the book offers a hopeful message about the power of community and love. It’s a charming, unique read that balances humor, heart, and a dash of extraterrestrial intrigue.

4/5

I had such a fun time reading this book! Our main character Denver—a nonbinary, autistic pie blogger—witnesses a UFO explode over xyr small town, Muddy Gap. No one will acknowledge what Denver has witnessed, everyone ignores xem when xe speaks of aliens, but the people of Muddy Gap start acting stranger and stranger and then start disappearing altogether! Alongside Ezra, a new arrival to their town, Denver sets out to discover the truth. And the ad revenue from xyr blog isn't half bad when xe starts to post about xyr extra-terrestrial findings.

This was such a comforting, heartwarming story about autistic alienation, found family and community. It simultaneously critiqued the rumour mill of small town gossips and the judgement that comes from knowing every little thing about everybody, yet also showed the undercurrent of love and community that persists in these small towns that only grows stronger when put through hardships.
It was a bleeding heart of a journey for Denver as we got to witness all xyr struggles to connect with the people of Muddy Gap. We saw how painfully xe was often treated, yet we also saw people rally around xem. We were eventually able to perceive just how much love Denver had in xyr small town after all.

I, above everything else, loved the autistic representation. I thought it was done with great care and was instantly recognisable as authentic, Own Voices storytelling. I love finding more and more SFF books with autistic main characters and I particularly loved finding it in this cosy sci-fi.

I loved unravelling the sci-fi mystery of Muddy Gap, although I will say if you are a hard sci-fi lover who wants answers to all your sci-fi questions, this is not that kind of book. This is a very cosy take on an alien invasion that is much more focused on the characters than on the intricacies of the how and the why. And it is the characters that make this story so brilliant.
Denver was a great protagonist, I loved so much about xem and felt such compassion for all the risks xe took and care xe held for others. There was quite a bit of ableism hurled at xem in many different ways, but it was never there for shock value, but instead to critique and criticise the ignorance and sometimes cruelty of other characters. I thought it was done very well and I loved how kind most of the supporting characters proved themselves to be in these situations.
Ezra was a great character too, he was unfailingly kind to Denver and I really loved how their relationship blossomed. He was a breath of fresh air in a stifling small town and I loved all that we were able to learn about him. Trevor and Taisha only became true supporting characters later on, but I really enjoyed what they added to the story as well.

Ultimately, the town of Muddy Gap had a lot more heart to it than we first got to experience and I loved this sense of growth, both for the citizens of Muddy Gap and for Denver xyrself. I loved that Denver found more support, love, kindness and community than xe ever expected to find as the perpetual outcast. It was forever hopeful, even when it seemed like there was nothing left. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Muddy Gap, learning that there is more love in the world than hate. Hoping so, at least.

Thank you Netgalley and Angry Robot for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Angry Robot always has some of my favorite quirky stories, and I’ve been excited to read Al Hess for a while.

When a UFO explosion happens over a tiny town called Muddy Gap and only one person is around to see it, does it make a sound? This fun alien invasion book feels like a modern day Twilight Zone starring your favorite pretty boy from a streaming service whose name is not as memorable as their charm.

I really enjoyed the representation in this book both subtly and unsubtly. It’s fun, tender, and cozy while dealing with the very real people that exist in this world we often shy away from talking about. And enjoyable read, with an equally fabulous cover!

So yeah, this was weird.

I really enjoyed the whole figuring out the alien invasion part, and appreciated that it was through the lens of someone being brilliant and facing an extremely stressful situation while being autistic in a very ableist environment.

I had a few issues with the pacing, and some repetition, but otherwise it was a fun weird time.

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for an e-copy.

It is always impressive to read a book by an author where an audaciously out-there premise is not only brilliantly and fulsomely executed, but infused too with a kind of reality-affecting humanity that makes the novel come vividly alive.

Holding those two elements in tenson is never easy with a tip one way or the other, especially towards the more outlandish aspects of the story, almost nullifying the effectiveness of its narrative companion, but Al Hess, who previously dazzled with World Running Down, manages it with moving aplomb in Key Lime Sky where a pie-eating blogger who’s both non-binary and autistic, is the only person standing between a psychically invasive alien and the end of life as we know it.

Denver Bryant will be the first person to tell you that he – Denver is relaxed about the use of pronouns which are handled with sensitivity and thoughtfulness throughout – is the most unlikeliest of heroes.

While he’s lived in the town of Muddy Gap, Wyoming for a decade, he’s never really been accepted by the vast majority of the townspeople who refer to him, he feels, disparagingly as Professor Pie – his blog and his excursions to taste pies across the country are well known thanks to one (declining) income-generating viral post – and who treat him as some sort of oddity and freak.

In some ways, that doesn’t bother Denver who is happiest at home with his weighted blanket, his fish and his passion for pies, but in other ways, how could it not as he wonders why no one takes the time to understand that because of his autism, he’s not as able to read social situations as neurotypical people routinely do and thus, makes what are perceived as rude and confrontationally honest statements.

Denver’s heart is in the right place, and while he often doesn’t know how to express that, the fact is that he wants to connect and know people and for people to understand that what he says, rather badly, is said out of a genuine desire to help people.

The only person who seems to actually get him is handsome bi bartender Ezra who, after a somewhat messy and wires-crossed meet-cute outside of the town’s post office, connects with Denver in some fairly profound and increasingly romantic ways, just in time to investigate a burst of destructively bright light in the night sky that only they, and some people out of Muddy Gap at the time, recall seeing happen.

That unmissable light show presages an alien incursion which begins to make people act very strangely in a strangely altered landscape of vividly-coloured sand and shell-shaped crab eggs before they begin disappearing in ways that unnerve everyone and defy any sort of ready explanation.

So, there you have the fantastically out-there premise laid out in all its oddly enthralling glory.

The key to the appeal and success of Key Lime Sky is that Hess not only delivers expansively and with some impressively detailed world-building on the idea of an alien slipping onto earth and altering the very nature and form of reality itself, but that he invests it with the sort of relational intimacy and found-family connectivity that turns a race to save the world into something that also immensely and wonderfully moving.

That’s quite a feat to pull off when so much is happening from the town disappearing into itself as the landscape reorients itself in something not that far from an Escher print-meets-Alice in Wonderland to people falling into folds in reality, but Hess does it masterfully and consistently well in an apocalyptic tale in which, if Denver, Ezra and their other new friends, Trevor and transgender woman Taisha can stop Muddy Gap from being consumed, then the world disappeared altogether.

In a novel that is gloriously and welcomingly queer with people who see and accept and, crucially, love others just as they are – one of the loveliest aspects of the story, beside Denver and Ezra’s love story is the connection that unexpectedly and beautifully forms between Trevor and Taisha – we are not only treated to the bigness of an alien invasion but to the affecting smallness (though it’s not really small at all for the people involved) of people meeting, getting to know and bonding to one another in very unusual circumstances.

It’s a wonderful ride and at no point does Key Lime Sky falter and lose that tension between the epic and intimate with the connection particularly between Denver and Ezra bringing so much affecting humanity to a story that might otherwise have just been all kinds of alien invasive weirdness.

The centre of the narrative always in Key Lime Sky is Denver, who may not get social cues and who may often prefer to read books than engage with humanity because it’s just too damn difficult, but who is smart and intuitive enough to know what needs to be done to end the threat of all threats to not only his pie-loving life but that of people close, and not so close to him, none of whom deserve to be wiped from the face of existence.

While the townspeople may not love Denver, you will because he is honest and thoughtful and kind and determined, making him exactly the kind of protagonist you want in a story like this, someone who softens the edges of the skillfully-executed action and brings it all together in a way that really impacts you.

One thing Key Lime Sky will do is make you very hungry for dessert so make sure you have some on hand, but what it also non-calorically does is take you into a world which is being awfully transformed by an alien invasion but which fights to save itself in the form of Denver Bryant, powered by the tenacious belief that life and connection and queerness and humanity all matter and are worth fighting for with everything you have in your arsenal.

Because who doesn’t want to live, and love to eat pie another day?

Okay, where do I start? This book wasn´t bad... but wasn´t good either. It was quite a struggle to finish and I believe the main problem for that was the characters.
Denver felt like an autistic Karen right from the beginning (I´m not going to enter the discussion about the autistic aspect here; if it´s well portrayed or not. For me it felt a bit flat, having read about other autistic characters in other books that felt more natural. But who knows. Might be my perception). The Karen trait, though, that is unmistakable not only in Denver, but in most characters of this plot.
They are all witty to find flaws in everyone else and think they got the right to act as they do. There´s not much personality in anyone besides that. The only character I liked a bit was Ezra, but I don´t thing it was worth the reading just for that.
The book drags quite a bit in the beginning and the resolution of the alien invasion felt like someone´s fever dream (more fantasy than sci-fi). Plus I didn´t understand how come Denver decided the solution for the alien invasion was X and it turned out it was randomly right.
The good thing about this novel? The romance. That was sweet and I liked it (although it features one of my most hated troupes: the feared making out then regret it 5 minutes later). But well, if you forget that, it´s not a bad read.
Just, can anybody explain to me why EVERYONE is horrible to Denver until the end, when xe saves the day and then all the villagers randomly decide they liked xem all along?

I had a really hard time getting into this book and finally ended up DNFing it. It just wasn't for me, but I'm sure others might find somethign to love about it. Thanks so much to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.