Thank you NetGalley and Angry Robot for this ARC.

Was this a romance? Was it a sci-fi? Was it apocalyptic? It was all of the above. Honestly I wasn't completely sure what to expect with this book but the description called to me. I'm so glad I read this, if was such a fun journey and so cute! I'm usually not a romance fan but I really loved what this added to the book. It was a great mix of heartwarming moments and action. 

The only reasons this wasn't a 5 star read were:
1. I hated Molly, detested her, and didn't feel like she added like the rest of the characters. That blip made me ready for her part to be over every time she popped in. 
2. The chapters were SO LONG. Plus my Kindle wasn't showing the time left in a chapter. So I kept having to quit mid-chapter and that always throws me off. I'm a big short chapter fan though so could just be me. 

Overall this was a great book, I loved all the characters (except Molly 😒) and would highly recommend it if you want a quirky and different romance adventure.

Key Lime Sky is a mixture of a drama about an autistic person (with a budding romance), and a thrilling sci-fi mystery. I think it works; I’ve always enjoyed my sci-fi stories less pew-pew and more about the human (and alien) relationships. All the aspects of the story are developed well enough.

There’s something very nostalgic about this story, reminding me of episodes of X-Files or Twilight Zone, a paranormal sci-fi thriller with humour and drama. The story is a bit more on the cosier side altogether, not trying to be brutal or edgy, and rather aiming for something more wholesome.

The protagonist also seems sort of a homage to the old and popular ‘eccentric genius’ archetype: a witty neuroatypical person having some difficulties in social interactions. Although the depiction of an autistic person feels a bit more up-to-date – and real – here than it’s been on most of the TV shows. Diversity in general is heavily present and handled according to modern times.

I already enjoyed ‘World Running Down’ and while I wouldn’t say either of these novels are quite perfect, I’m definitely starting to become a fan and will read more from the author. Both of these books have been engaging, emotional reads with interesting plots and characters – and friendship and caring about other people in their hearts.

My thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.

Curmudgeonly autistic nonbinary food blogger Denver and a band of equally interesting characters (chubby and romantic pansexual porn star lookalike love interest, badass bow-wielding Black trans femme friend, cishet gamer bro neighbor, and paranoid/obsessive doomsday prepper nemesis) try to puzzle their way through an alien invasion that only Denver is 100% sure they saw.

The pacing was kind of off and I personally found the sex scenes kind of distracting from the cosmic horror (maybe the humor and levity to counter the panic and desperation just didn’t click right for me). And I definitely wanted more of Taisha (and honestly Trevor too - they rounded out the team in a very good way).

But now I’m craving pie and I think that was the point all along.

This book had all the typical Al Hess weirdness.

While I wasn’t personally a fan of the romance the relationship was very sweet and tender. Hess is really good at writing characters you instantly feel a connection to.

This was less about the aliens and more about how the characters interacted with the ever changing world and each other.

I think I’ll always be a fan of Al Hess’ writing.

4 stars.

eBook provided by Angry Robot via NetGalley. All opinions are my own

Denver Bryant is an amateur pie critic, blogging about the best and worst pies he can find in the area around his small Wyoming town of Muddy Gap. After stopping at a diner with a particularly disappointing cherry pie, they are driving home when they see a strange flash of light over their hometown. Yet no one else noticed anything, and no one is taking them seriously when they notice strange things happening - they’re just local weirdo Professor Pie, after all.

I love the premise and I *love* the title. Parts of this were excellent, but parts of it were less so.

The alien incursion is absolutely great. People start acting strange, and strange things start happening, and it gets weirder and weirder. It’s no simple armed invasion or festival of probing; Hess has done something far more creative and interesting here. My only critique of the alien invasion part of this book is that I wanted more of it.

Where the book is weaker is the integration of the alien invasion story and Denver’s story. Denver is non-binary and autistic, and the personal life aspects of this felt poorly integrated. Denver’s interactions with the folks of Muddy Gap just don’t seem to gel properly, rather like a lemon meringue pie that wasn’t prepared correctly. The components are delicious, but it doesn’t really hold together into a coherent whole.

(Life pro tip from someone whose lemon meringue pies sometimes turn to soup: it still works great on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream.)

Key Lime Sky is yet another charming, cozy sci-fi from Al Hess with wonderful characters... and this time, pie! And horror! I won't lie friends, I was craving pie in a big way when I finished this book. And I do not have any pie. (Al has recipes, but I need both recipes and someone to bake them for me, heh.)

Denver is non-binary and autistic and living in Wyoming whilst writing a pretty fabulous blog about pie, and as such is known colloquially as "Professor Pie". Honestly, their blog is better than mine, for it has pie. Go there. But maybe do not go to Muddy Gap, Wyoming, because things are amiss, and no one is taking Denver seriously. They saw something that definitely seems extraterrestrial, and when townsfolk start to vanish, there is definitely something afoot. Luckily, they find one person who does believe them in Ezra.

Thus begins the adventure to try to figure out what the heck is happening. Look, it requires some suspension of disbelief, sure. Especially toward the end. But I really enjoyed the ride! And frankly, the overall messages were great too. Like maybe don't dismiss someone just because they happen to have autism. Or that being kind is the better life choice overall. Or that pie always wins. You know, the important stuff. I loved that Denver really got to see themself in a different light as the journey went on, too. It made the book feel quite hopeful, even when our characters did happen to be stuck in the midst of some kind of invasion.

Bottom Line: Can cozy horror be a thing? Cause I'm pretty sure Al Hess just created it and I am 100% here for it.

4/5 This is a wild sci-fi adventure, very vivid and evocative. (It would need to have a big budget, but I can so imagine this as a film!) Denver is neurodivergent and not great in social situations—but he still puts himself out there on his blog (he finds the internet easier than in person), and he’s got coping mechanisms to help him get through the day. I really enjoyed watching the subtle changes as connections were formed with Ezra and others. (Some of the blurted words are cringe-worthy, but this felt like very relatable being flustered.) Denver can be abrupt and blunt, but being in this POV for the whole novel showcases what’s behind the words, so you know it’s well-meaning (but often poorly executed), due to overwhelm, or a reaction to past bad experiences.

Seeing Denver and Ezra flirt, mess up, and try again rounded out the alien mystery. (Plus all the pie, the concerned bloggers, and the fish.) I was rooting hard for them and groaning when they said dumb things and didn’t straighten it out—but there’s a lot going on here! There’s a lot of actions, theories, missteps, worry, and determination. I appreciated the bonds that are formed and the overall resolution. Denver, Ezra, and the others definitely seem happier at the end of the novel, despite what they’ve been through, and they’ve sure earned their HEA.

I received an ARC through NetGalley. This is my honest review.

Sweet and cozy, great and intersectional representation. Not really my type of story (I'm an unhinged girlie through and through) but I can see a lot of people enjoying this.

The autism representation in this book was a huge positive for me, but has also made it very hard to review. I appreciated that Key Lime Sky centered Denver's neurodivergence, and how it impacts every element of xe's life in terms of how xe interacts with the world and other people. Unfortunately, this came up against the fact that Denver is a hugely unlikeable protagonist, whose first instinct was to assume the worst of others and to find the most offensive ways to approach any given situation. In the end, I reflected heavily on something my autistic friends are often at pains to reiterate: being autistic is not an excuse to be an asshole. (Not to mention how representing autistic people as always abrasive or uncaring of others feelings only reinforces negative stereotypes).

This is an ownvoices story, and others will grapple with Denver's portrayal in their own ways, but it ultimately left me with a negative feeling that overrode any positive associations I might have had with this book.

Lest I sound entirely negative, there are some good elements of this book; the aliens are interesting and appropriately otherworldly, and there's some interesting reflections how on how different people might react to the end of the world (including what might happen to preppers whose day has finally come). On the other hand, the world-building is somewhat flimsy (there's some near future tech, but other things feel exactly like our characters are still living in the early 2020s), and most of the side characters are underdeveloped - so I'm not sure this would have been a read I rated highly even if I had liked our main character more.

thank you so much to angry robots and netgalley for an arc!

this was such a cute and fun read and quite fast paced so i could easily fly through it!
i really enjoyed Al Hess' writing style and just how cosy it all felt, yet it didn't take away from the seriousness of the alien invasion. it was such an interesting overall read and i couldn't help but wanting to know more.
alongside the plot itself, the characters were so much fun to read about and i think they definitely made the book that much better! we have Denver, who is autistic and non-binary, and i absolutely loved xem. Denver was so funny and witty and when xe witnesses the UFO, xe cannot stop talking about it! i really liked xes romance with Ezra and was sometimes frustrating with the miscommunication trope, but i think it was executed really well!

if you want a fun, queer, cosy SFF read then this is the one for you!

Long story short, Denver is an autistic pie reviewing blogger who lives in Muddy Gap, Wyoming. When xe witnesses a UFO light up in the skies of the town, everything starts to go to shit. Sand, shells, crabs, etc., and the only one who seems to believe them is the handsome bartender they had a Meet Ugly with the other day.

I will start by saying Key Lime Sky absolutely took me by surprise and I loved it so much. Its achingly tender and sweet and spooky and lonely and filled with love. At its core it is about human connections and relationships, how we treat each other in both normal times and in extreme situations, and how the bonds we form can help us. It is an alien mystery (that was a little more spooky than I expected) set against two people learning to be vulnerable and sharing themselves with each other.

Not to mention I actually love the writing itself. I am so hesitant about 1st person but this was really well done and I think served the narrative really well. And the prose is not overly lush but there’s something delightfully succulent about it.

I am not gonna lie Denver made me cry (mark of a good book imo). I knew from the description that Denver was autistic but wasn’t prepared for how delightfully wholly unabashedly autistic xe is. Xe struggles with coming off as rude, has a ton of sensory issues, struggles with understanding intent etc. I honestly cried at basically nothing except so deeply relating to them. I’ve seen (stupid) reviews complaining that it was over the top but honestly it was so relatable to my lived experience so I am just gonna assume those people don’t really care. It is not just that Denver is autistic but they struggle with these same feelings of wanting love and understanding and connection and whatever. Idk I cannot articulate it but… this is autistic romance at its finest, folks.

Key Lime Sky is cosy queer science fiction about a small town being invaded by aliens (possibly). Denver Bryant, a non-binary pie blogger, witnesses a UFO explode over his hometown. But no one else seems to have noticed and when xes neighbors start acting strangely, xe decides to document xes experiences on his flailing blog for clicks and investigate alongside Ezra, a handsome bartender who seems to be the only other person in the town who believes.

This book is a mix of serious and cosy with an alien invasion and a queer romance. Denver is autistic and non-binary (MtNB), and I absolutely loved xem and xes personality. Xe was genuinely funny and easily won me over just from the first chapter. Xe makes witty observations and dry (occasionally pie-based) humor whether intentional or not. Xe is autistic with no filter and sometimes just says whatever is on xes mind, making xem the town pariah and resident weirdo. So that doesn’t help when xe starts blabbering about UFOs. I liked xes romance with Ezra but could have used without the miscommunication trope (which was used several times and lasted longer than necessary). There’s a found family dynamic going on with the socially conscious bro-ey Trevor and trans friend Taisha, but I needed more moments with them to be able to truly feel it.

You’d expect the tone of the story of an alien invasion with people acting strangely (either brainwashed or replaced) to be quite tense and creepy, but the book never lets it get that far. It always straddles the line and falls more often on the cosy side than the serious. It was fun, over-the-top, and almost campy with some trippy sequences and ridiculous situations. I actually wish the blogging aspect had played a bigger part in the narrative as I thought that was what made the book feel more current and topical.

Key Lime Sky is weird science fiction with a dash of cosy and a dollop of queer romance.

Firstly, I would like to thank you for the opportunity and trusting me in reading this story in advanced before it’s release.

I don’t usually go for sci-fi speculative fiction set in our world, but this story was just fictive enough to keep me reading. It’s fun, witty, imaginative, makes you think with a touch of romance. Would be a great recommendation for someone looking for a quick and cozy SFF.

I really enjoyed Key Lime Sky. Al Hess has impressed me again with original characters and a blending of genres that feels natural and highly immersive.

Key Lime Pie reads as a little bit x-files and a little bit Southern Reach with a dash of foodie joy. Denver's story is as much about finding love and acceptance, as it is surviving the alien invasion that threatens to swallow their home town and possibly the world.

An intriguing and engaging cosy/mystery/thriller tale of alien invasion in small town America. Denver Bryant witnesses a UFO explode directly over the tiny town of Muddy Gap, Wyoming, but has trouble finding anyone else who saw anything, or who will take it seriously. Then people start acting strangely, and disappearing, and the weirdness gets gradually worse and more extensive. It’s a race against time for Denver to work out what’s going on and save the town… or perhaps the world.

This was a lot of fun, with a cast of likeable characters, and well paced plot. Denver is autistic and non-binary, and doesn’t always feel accepted in the small town of Muddy Gap, and this makes for a very satisfying “underdog makes good” story as Denver starts to unravel the mystery of what’s going on. There’s a small cast of supporting characters, and a bit of romance, as a “found family” starts to form amongst some of the survivors - and this all contributes to the cosy feel.

The depiction of Denver was rich, and emotionally drawn. I felt a real connection to Denver, and laughed and cried (actually cried in chapter 17) with the personal journey of friends, family, acceptance and identity. The autism seemed genuinely and sensitively depicted (although I’m no expert), and Denver’s struggles with it were well integrated into the plot and added to the depth of the character portrayal and the complexity of friendships and interactions in the small community.

The author didn’t deal with gender identity with quite the same subtlety, though, and there were a few jarring moments where some of the characters had conversations about gender issues that seemed entirely unrelated to the plot or any of the relationships between the characters themselves. There were some important and valid points being discussed (like cisphobia not being a thing), but it just felt like the author was trying to crowbar these issues into the narrative, and, for me, it came across a bit preachy. This is a minor quibble, though.

The relationship between Denver and Ezra was lovely, and felt very real - two people really seeing each other. And there was even a bit of moderately graphic smut, for those who like that kind of thing.

Overall, a very solid story told with emotion, humour, and some genuine excitement and jeopardy, somehow also dealing with autism and gender identity, all in the context of a very imaginative alien invasion storyline.

4.5 stars, rounded up.

Thank you #NetGalley and Angry Robot for the free review copy of #KeyLimeSky in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.

Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC! 🥧🛸

This book was such a fun ride from start to finish. Denver's PoV is perfect for narrating this story, they are so interesting and observant and engaging, their perspective really makes this story.

This book is pretty fast-paced, but at the same time, the story didn't feel rushed at all! Like, I feel that everything was given enough Time and Space to be fully developed.

I think this book does a good job of balancing the romance with the main plot, without compromising on either aspect. I find that a lot of the time books about Mysteries™️ either focus on the plot and throw in the romance as a side plot, or focus on the romance with the mystery serving as a backdrop to the relationship. However, I feel that in this case, both the plot and romance are properly fleshed out, with both aspects being given equal weight in the narrative.

I loved Denver and Ezra's relationship so much!! The way their relationship develops as they meet and learn more about each other, and the way they do their best to support each other was so!!!

I also want to add that I liked how purposeful the author was with Denver and Ezra's sex scenes, in that it makes sense in the narrative and feels meaningful.

The plot was also really engaging. I'm not super into aliens, but it was fun to follow along as they try to unravel the mystery.

I want to rave about this book some more but I don't want to give everything away, so I will end it here. Anyways, this book is really good! Go read it!!

P. S. I am not a pie girlie BUT the pie descriptions sound so good. HOWEVER I am definitely a sandwich girl and I really want to try The Denver Sandwich.

I truly did not expect to enjoy this book at much I did. I tend to lean more toward fantasy than sci-fi but I am so glad I decided to request and read. This alien invasion story was unexpectedly cozy and heartwarming with amazing representation for all types of human. Loved this read!

I really did not know what to expect when I picked this book up and little did I know I was in for a wild ride.

Denver is a blogger and pie lover, they had one viral post and have been chasing that same success. One day on the way home from a diner they saw a UFO over their tiny town. Their whole town is acting weird and no one else seems to know what they're talking about. The only person taking Denver seriously is the hot and mysterious town bartender Ezra.

And so ensues quite the adventure of the two trying to figure out the mystery of what is happening, attempting a futile escape and trying to figure out who they can trust all while dealing with their budding new romance.

This story includes both non binary Denver and bisexual Ezra along with an interesting cast of side characters. Although the majority of the story takes place in the one small town it was a fast and exciting read. You will never be able to guess what will happen next and it had a very satisfying ending.

If you're looking for something fun and a little different I highly recommend Key Lime Sky.

Thank you Angry Robot and NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review.

4.5 stars

Headlines:
Adorable characters
Neurodiverse MC
Sci-fi with a serving of pie

Key Lime Sky started to give me the warm fuzzies from a few chapters in. These endearing characters with Denver in the lead, stole the stage in this backwater small town. Denver was a neurodiverse, non-binary (any pronouns) bundle of speak first, think later. Their foot-in-mouth early capers had me chuckling and their self-awareness about it was just so charming. Denver was a pie blogger (sounds a great job, right) until their blog took a diversion into UFO-alien invasion territory. Denver went viral while Muddy Gap went quiet.

Denver found an ally and more in Ezra, who was quite frankly, stinking lovely. These two, their flexing to understand and support one another leapt off the page. Their dynamic grew through uncertainty, then sheer stress of being trapped in some bizarre time-warped road trip. As the plot rolled out, readers alongside the characters began to realise that an alien baddie was afoot but in the most strange format of invasion.

The plot was engaging in its strangeness, pie remained part of the menu and the town of Muddy Gap served up some good characters and the odd nasty one. Molly, hmmm she was a horrific with her walking dead axe.

The Dreamer I will stay quiet about as readers need to find out about that all by themselves but it was an interesting concept that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. I particularly appreciated that we got some wrap up after the peril ended.

This was my first Al Hess read but I've reversing quick fast to pick up some backlist because the writing and characterisation was *chefs kiss*.

Thank you Angry Robots for the review copy.

2.25

Setting: Wyoming
Rep: queer nonbinary autistic protagonist

This started out as a fun read with great rep but it is a long and slow read - I'm not even sure how many pages it is but it felt like I was reading this forever, and by the last 20% I was skimming and getting bored. It just ended up a bit too weird and disjointed for my tastes.