Yume Kitasei’s <i>The Stardust Grail</i> is an imaginative and engaging fantasy adventure that delivers on both world-building and character development. The story pulls readers in quickly, blending classic fantasy elements with a fresh, intriguing premise. The pacing keeps things moving, and while it doesn’t necessarily reinvent the genre, it does a great job of delivering an entertaining and well crafted journey.

One of the novel’s biggest strengths is its atmosphere—it truly feels like stepping into another world. The magic system and lore are thoughtfully woven in, making the world feel rich and alive. The characters are compelling, and while some moments could have used a bit more depth, their interactions and personal stakes make for a satisfying read. Fans of fantasy looking for an adventure with heart will find plenty to enjoy here.

While I really liked the story and found the narrative enjoyable, it’s not necessarily the kind of book that lingers long after finishing. It’s a fun, solid read in the moment, but it doesn’t have that lasting impact that makes it unforgettable. In fact, I find myself repeatedly preferring a different book with a similar premise when I think back on the reading experience overall. Still, for those looking for an entertaining fantasy escape, <i>The Stardust Grail</i> delivers a worthwhile adventure.

I enjoyed the narration offered by the audiobook, though it had a similar impact that the book did: overall, was good, but not standout or inherently memorable.

I love Kitasei's writing. The story moves at it's own pace and the narration is wonderful. The characters are equally exasperating and loveable and I enjoyed this trip to another world very much.

Ok so this one, I read it a couple weeks ago and I honestly still don’t have much to say or much of an opinion. Typically for sci-fi books I really read into all the details to get all the facts and world building, however I felt throughout this book, I was very chill about it all. The plot was a little confusing and for that reason I don’t have the words to sum it up.

We follow Maya, an anthropology student, who survived an illness that has been spreading throughout the universe. Due the illness she has bonded with an alien and can communicate telepathically when in close proximity and she gets visions and migraines, Maya used to be a thief if artifacts in which she would return them to their rightful owners but now engages a space mission to uncover the Stardust Grail.

The plot? Eh
The characters? Entertaining dialogue
The vibes? Eh

Needless to say, I was expecting a little more from a sci-fi

Thank you to NetGalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review

*The Stardust Grail* by Yume Kitasei is a mesmerizing blend of fantasy, adventure, and romance. Set in a world where magic and myth collide, the novel follows a young heroine on a quest to find the fabled Stardust Grail, a powerful artifact said to change the fate of kingdoms. Kitasei crafts a vivid, immersive world, filled with intriguing lore and dynamic characters. The slow-burn romance adds emotional depth, while the action-packed plot keeps the pace thrilling. Though the story sometimes leans into familiar tropes, its rich world-building and captivating narrative make it a delightful read for fans of epic fantasy.

I thought this was very good and I will have to add this to the shop shelves. Thank you for the chance for us to review.

THE STARDUST GRAIL by @yumewrites was an exceptional queer, cozy mystery set in space! This is my second from this author and I never knew I needed cozy otherworldly mysteries until I read them! Thank you to the author, @netgalley and the publishers, @macmillan.audio and @flatiron_books for the audio-ARC and physical ARC.

I loved these characters, their relationships, their flaws and their strengths!

Read this one if you like:

💚Found family
🖤Cobbled together heist
💚Hard truths and forgotten memories
🖤Cast of memorable unique characters

Also I have to give a shout out to the narrator, @katharinechinactor for her excellent narration of the audiobook! There was a part of the book where basically all the characters voices are spoken together and it was impressive how well she did! Really rounded out the story.

Incredible premise, loved the characters, I was obsessed with this. I think everything wraps up too quickly and some parts of the book were a bit too out there for me but what an imaginative piece of fiction.

The premise of this story had me so excited. A heist in space? Yes, please. Unfortunately, I never connected to the characters, nor cared if they found the item they wanted to steal.

I do think that a lot of people will love this. Do you love science fiction, heists, stories about social injustice, themes of colonization, etc.? I definitely recommend that you try this. I think a lot of people will love the characters.

I did this buy audio and I thought the narration was done well.

Thank you to Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy in exchange for an honest review.

Thank you to the publishers, author and NetGalley for the free copy of this audio book.

I don't think I've read a sci-fi heist novel before, and this was a fun one to read. I enjoyed the world building and thought all the different cultures were very interesting. I would read more by this author. The narrator did a good job as well.

- THE STARDUST GRAIL was my first Yume Kitasei book and it certainly won’t be my last. I was fascinated by this universe and its history, which was expertly layered into a great heist plot.
- The story brings in elements ranging from artifact repatriation to what makes a creature sentient and human. There’s so much going on, but it’s all held together on the strength of the main band of characters.
- Also, I would die for Auncle. Anything for Auncle.

What a lovely novel this was. The Stardust Grail has plenty of action and intrigue in the moral dilemma of its main character, Maya Hashimoto, a grad student and former thief. Tasked with completing one last job with her old friend Uncle, she struggles with what to do with the artifact they're trying to recover: does she let Uncle take it to save zir dying species, or does it turn it over to the military to help save the entire interconnected web of planets and space colonies? While partly a fun heist adventure with a cast of quirky characters, The Stardust Grail also raises many serious and thought-provoking questions about colonization, the right choice, and universal theory of life and personhood.

Kitasei creates an innovative interstellar setting with multiple species. The science makes sense but isn't bogged down in too many specific explanations. The advanced tech is cool, but serves the narrative and character development, and the characters really are the heart of the story. I enjoyed Katharine Chin's narration very much. This was my fist novel by Kitasei and I've liked it so much I have purchased her Deep Sky, which I can't wait to read. I'll also be keeping an eye out for her future publications.

Thanks NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook.

After reading The Deep Sky, I was excited to dig into Kitasei's second book. The Stardust Grail was slower and more layered than The Deep Sky.
More of a slow burn, sometimes too slow. Overall, it was an interesting read.
The blurb tells me that Maya was once a great art thief, repatriating artifacts to their rightful owners. I didn't get that from the boring start, which introduces Maya as a grad student in the northeastern U.S.
Once Uncle arrives, things speed up and we're treated to a high stakes heist romp through the universe after artifacts wanted by two different culture for two different reasons. There's a decoy, there's a long-dead self replicating scientist, there's a grumpy professor and more and more and more......
The Stardust Grail's characters are lovable and the philosophical dilemma Maya faces is easy to empathize with this novel seems to pack in everything but the kitchen sink. I didn't feel confused as much as jerked around. I liked the different components but I didn't feel invested enough to not get frustrated with myriad tangents. Compelling premise, less than stellar execution.
this wasn't my favorite but it was I'll definitely be keeping a look out for Kitasei's next book.

Thank you to NetGalley for the free Audiobook copy of this book. This is my honest review.

This was a highly rated read for me. I did read this by audiobook with a light tandem with the Kindle e-book. With focusing mostly on the audio, I can say that the parts I did read along with the Kindle were true to each other and I didn't see any discrepancies. The narrator was very well versed and emotional and I enjoyed their rendition of the novel. There was a lot of very well done representation throughout this entire novel. We have non-binary representation. The use of non-binary pronouns. Asexual representation. The tech was super interesting and explained in a very vivid and detailed way. We also had a queer normative world which I thought was absolutely wonderful and we should see more in Science Fiction novels. There was also some disability rep in the way of limb difference and migraine representation. It seemed very realistic to me as someone who does not have frequent migraines, but has them on occasion I can definitely relate to how the main character was feeling during those episodes.

The reason I could not give this a five star review was because I felt like the narration got a little long-winded in areas and the pacing at times was a little slow for me.

I really enjoyed the storyline and the heist trope within this story. I love a good heist and I feel like this was really well done and explained, and it had a lot of tension and suspense.


Overall, I really enjoyed this, and I cannot wait to read more by this author. If this book is in the indication of how their other novels are, I will definitely enjoy them.

So whoops I somehow skipped over this one on netgalley and finally got to it!

This is a neat retelling of the ancient story of the Holy Grail. Maya is a renowned thief. After a heist goes wrong, she hides in graduate school. She finds an old journal in a museum that sends her on a quest to find the grail. Along with her are a fun group of characters that become a found family.

I really enjoyed the audiobook. I also loved her other story The Deep Sky.

Thank you Flatiron books for giving me an advanced review copy, even though it took me a while to get to it!

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei is a sci-fi adventure that offers a compelling premise but ultimately falls short in execution. The story follows Maya Hoshimoto, a former art thief turned graduate student of anthropology, who is pulled back into her old life when an old friend asks her to find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction. The catch? No one has seen this object in living memory, and they’re not the only ones searching for it.

The strongest aspect of The Stardust Grail is its cinematic quality. Kitasei’s descriptions of the various worlds Maya visits and the action scenes are vivid and dynamic, making it easy to imagine the story unfolding on a big screen. In fact, this might be one of the reasons why the book didn’t resonate with me as much as I’d hoped—it feels like a story better suited for a visual medium like film or television, where the spectacle and scope of the universe could be fully realized.

While *The Stardust Grail* has its merits, particularly in world-building and its cinematic flair, it ultimately didn’t quite hit the mark for me. The lack of character depth and emotional resonance made it difficult to fully engage with the story, and the predictable plot twists diminished the overall impact.

However, for readers who enjoy fast-paced sci-fi adventures with rich world-building, this book might still be worth checking out. It’s just not my cup of tea, but it could be yours.

*Thank you Netgalley for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this story so much, I’m not exactly sure where to even start my review at!! 😮

Let’s start with something I really appreciated- the way other people’s cultures and beliefs are handled, and by peoples I mean the aliens. So often in sci-fi we tend to anthropomorphize all the alien thoughts, believes, and behaviors. Even the strangest aliens in Star Wars and Star Trek still have very human emotions, like human emotions and behavior is universal. I like how Yume constantly shows us how easy it is to get angry or upset when we imprint or project our own feelings on to other people’s cultures and behaviors.

Along similar lines, I also appreciate the handling of alien artifacts and the discussion about stealing historical items from other cultures. I LOVE archeology and going to museums, but at the same time I look at all these items on display and wonder if we have the right to even “own” another cultures artifact? Once again the author gives you a lot to mull over.

The Stardust Grail is filled with other great commentary that touches on found family, conformity, loss, grief, colonialism, identity, and much more. So much to think about! It’s all the feels and I was there for every minute of it!

I love the cast of characters. Very inclusive and diverse. I loved watching the characters grow together. 🙂 They really made the story shine. I was so sad with the story was over and out adventure was over. I wanted to fly through space with them for more adventures! Is this a start of a series? Because I would loved to see this crew again. ❤

The story is space opera but never felt overly crowded or convoluted. I was pretty hooked on this story from the very beginning. The mystery of the stardust grail felt like a scifi heist mixed with an Indiana Jones type vibe. It was extremely fun traveling around space on this galactic adventure. You get just a small taste of all the different worlds and alien peoples. It left you satisfied yet wanting more. Never in a bad way.

I’m not the biggest scifi fan, but I really enjoyed The Stardust Grail. It never felt too bogged down by all the other worldliness. It all felt very real and never lost it’s humanity. It may take place in space but space is just the backdrop to a fun adventure story. That is some scifi I can get behind. 😮

A heist story when the heist is halfway through the book. I think this tries to be too much. A good heist story and a good story about finding your place in a complicated universe, finding where your beliefs can fit when everything is wired against you, just too much going on for one story. Ender's Game split this idea into two books, I think this story would have benefited from the same treatment.

The character development in this was so much stronger than I expected for a space opera. World building was beautifully done, though I did have a hard time picturing most of the life forms a lot of the time. I think maybe there just wasn’t enough reminders peppered throughout for the non human shaped people. Aside from that, the end pacing was slightly rushed when compared with the rest of the book. But neither of these made me enjoy the work any less.

Thank to NetGalley & FlatIron for the audio book

Maya gets sucked into Uncles last chance of getting his goal of having children. Being one of the last of his kind Maya goes into current danger to help her friend. Since Maya had the virus she is able to communicate with Uncle in a special way and see into the feature.

Full of joy and sorrow. Uncle and Maya find there answer and something that blows their mind in the Dead Sea.

Heist novel in space? Rich world-building and diversity of characters? Of course! The Stardust Grail is a fun, exciting science fiction space opera, space heist. Character-driven and insightful, it tackled some deep, relatable themes while maintaining the thrill of the heist The narration was amazing and sucked me into the story.

Thank you to NetGalley and publisher for the ALC.