Yume Kitasei (author of The Deep Sky) knocked it out of the park with The Stardust Grail. I’m a huge recommender of books with a lot of heart, and this book has spaceships full of it! We’ve got archive goodies, alien lore, an interstellar heist, found family, and so much more. #AuncleFanForLife

I really loved the anti-colonialism themes and the way this book made me think about what it means to be human in a universe full of sentient beings. It was able to address big picture topics while still recognizing the individual intersectional identities of characters. Also, it was so fun to learn the cultures of all the different species!

I also want to take a moment to celebrate that The Stardust Grail is getting a second printing!

As a bonus, this is a great read via audiobook. Thank you so much to Macmillan Audio and Netgalley for a review copy.

*Thank you, Macmillan, for the audiobook copy!*

Maya Hoshimoto used to be a thief. She has since gone back to school as a grad student, more or less in hiding from a disastrous job she was a part of 10 years ago. But her heart isn't completely in it, and she feels as though she can't make connections like the one she used to have. So when that friend comes to her with a job to find an artifact she has seen in her dreams, she can't refuse. A new band of misfit races is formed, and Maya can't help but realize that as they get closer to the Grail, they might be getting themselves deeper and deeper into trouble, with both the unknown and with human kind.

I really enjoyed this story. I am a big fan of space opera style stories, and this one was fast-paced and interesting. Although there were a few things I might have missed to help understand the story, which may have been because it was an audiobook and not physical, I was still able to enjoy the story highly. I liked that a big focus on the story as it progressed was how little we still know about space, even in this fictional future. I felt like there were a lot of revelations in the story that were news to everyone involved, and that made it feel more believable and likable.

I felt this story was more plot driven than character driven, as there wasn't a lot of character growth. It felt more like Maya was finally getting back to what she was good at instead of just going through the motions of being a grad student. Which is not a bad thing, I just know some people are more about character driven stories than plot, so I always think it's worth mentioning.

I would recommend this one to lovers of space opera sci-fi with a more plot driven story and uncovering some of the fictional unknowns of space.

The synopsis of this book really gripped me, and the book delivered in spades! Hunting for a object that could help continue this one species-but that humanity wants it for what it means for space travel...That was something that Maya has to struggle with.

This world of space travel and the different species-including one that's almost died out, but was much more technologically advanced then humans and created what is being used for space travel. That the object they're seeking could help Fenro have children, but also give humans control of the space travel? That puts Maya in a difficult position of who should have it.

The world was lush and interesting, and such fantastic characters lived there, Maya, who was a thief and is now an anthropology student, she's half Japanese, half American, who was born on a colony-so isn't as Earth-centric as humans born on Earth. That she had the infection that the Fenro have, that lets her see her future and her past, well, loved the layer that added to the story!

The way that things ended though? That was a game-changer, and I would love to learn what was going to come of it, even if it means following different characters. The possibilities are endless, and to explore what happens next is a wish of mine!

This was such a fantastic read, I do hope we can be in this world in the future, and I need to read more by Yume Kitasei!

"The Stardust Grail" is an adventurous sci-fi story with unique alien races looking for the same mysterious object. The story has elements of classic archeology adventures and modern space operas. I liked the characters, and the setting was written very well. I'm excited to see more from this author.

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for a free audiobook in exchange for an honest review.

4⭐⭐⭐⭐

I assumed this was going to be a fun little space adventure story, but its so much more!

The Stardust Grail is a fast-paced, action-packed, and addictive sci-fi heist novel with thought-provoking themes of anticolonialism, friendship that transcends species, and the unraveling of the universe's greatest mysteries!

We start off with the main character, Maya, a current grad student, who returns to her former life as a space-exploring art thief after discovering a lead to the long, sought-after artifact, the Grail. This artifact holds great power that has the potential to revive the endangered alien race, the Frenro. Her long-time friend and close companion, Uncle, is one of the Frenro and when they meet up at the start of this new adventure, Maya is surprised to find some new recruits waiting on her ship to join in on the heist. As Maya and her group travel from star to star for the Grail, they cross paths with rival thieves, the CNE, as well as the Lithians, who are hellbent on finishing off the Frenro, once and for all.

First things first, I love when a ragtag group of unlikely people find themselves working together and going on adventures to achieve a common goal. The risk of danger is high, but the reward is unimaginable. Whether it be to save the Frenro, escape arrest, obtain more money, prove to themselves they can be something different, or discover the lost secrets of a long-dead academic, everyone has something motivating them forward. The characters themselves are unique individuals, but their collective dynamic as a found family is a major highlight in the story.

The plot became a lot bigger than I was expecting with the anticolonial themes, but when the survival of an endangered species is on the line, it makes sense that violence would, in some way, play a part in their history. I went into this not really knowing much, so when I got into it and discovered how thoughtful and intentional the author was with its themes, my love for this book grew. What I found to be the most fascinating and engaging part of the book was how the Frenro's history was peeled back piece by piece as the group continued on their adventures, revealing a deeper, more layered story that connects the past to the present. It's truly a testament to Kitasei's story craftsmanship.

The pacing in this book is also incredibly well done. There were many plot twists and secret discoveries being unveiled as it got closer to the ending, but even with so much going on, I didn't get bored or confused. The author did a good job of keeping the story moving. And while I haven't read The Deep Sky, I'm immediately putting it on my tbr.

Lastly, the audio narration is beautifully done. I'd highly recommend checking it out.

[Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for the audio arc.]

As a Trekkie, I wanted to see what Kitasei would bring to her second space oriented novel and I liked it. Our main character has interstellar experience as an art thief and having been born on a colony. Through Maya, we get a glimpse of the prejudice experienced by non-earthers and the perception held by those who have little to no contact with the other beings who inhabit the vast corners of space.

As a graduate archeological student, we can understand Maya's love for the artifacts and knowledge that can be gleaned from studying them. When she is approached by a professor to return to her thieving ways to retrieve a powerful tool, Maya must reflect on her past actions and how she can be the instrument to set things right.

I enjoyed the banter, the action, the story that encompasses just how much we do not know about space and what we can do to change perspectives and make a way to understanding our differences and similarities.

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei is a fantastic sci-fi novel that's much more than just a heist story. The pacing is spot-on, pulling me out of a reading slump and keeping me hooked from the opening chapters. The blend of action, downtime, discoveries, and emotional highs and lows is perfectly balanced.

The characters are diverse and believable, even the tentacled ones, and their integration into the story is seamless. Kitasei's vision of the future strikes a perfect balance between pessimistic and optimistic, maintaining the humanity and individuality of her characters. Maya, the half-Japanese, half-American spacefaring thief, is relatable and grounded, making the story feel both grand and personal.

I loved how the book tackled themes of colonialism and anthrocentrism, making the astronomical feel relatable to a 21st-century reader. The story also had a great mix of humor, grief, loss, love, and found family elements.

The audiobook narration by Katharine Chin was excellent, bringing the characters to life with distinct voices and creative choices that added depth to the story. The narration made the experience even more enjoyable and immersive.

Absolutely loved this book. Wow. I did not know what to expect going in, but I was pleasantly shocked. I need to go back and read this author's other works now.

Space heist and found family --> say less. I AM IN.

I listened to an early audiobook copy from Macmillan. The narrator does a phenomenal job with the voices, so I highly recommend the audiobook.

The plot and the pacing are excellent. There is so much going on in this book, and yet nothing falls flat. The characters have well developed personalities, the different planets each have their own cultures, the plot is complex but not confusing. Everything just worked for me. It did take a while for the found family element to come together, but it worked well once it did.

I think this will be one of my favorite sci-fi reads this year. And now I'm dying to read Yume Kitasei's other novel, The Deep Sky.

Series Info/Source: This is a stand alone book. I got this on audiobook through NetGalley for review.

Thoughts: This was a fantastic sci-fi read. I loved the wonderful characters, amazing adventures, and intriguing story line. I really enjoyed every minute of this book. I did listen to this on audiobook, and the narration was beautifully done. Parts of this would have been challenging to narrate correctly, and the narrator did an amazing job. I definitely recommend listening to this on audiobook if you enjoy audiobooks.

The story follows Maya, who was once the best art thief in the galaxy, is now a graduate student of anthropology back on Earth. When an old alien friend reaches out to her with an intriguing offer, she finds it impossible to resist. They want to go and find an old alien relic that could prevent the extinction of their race.

I absolutely loved the characters, the new worlds we visit, and the complicated storyline about the history and politics of these different alien races. This was a wonderful adventure, combined with intriguing history and political maneuvering. I really enjoyed some of the character development as well. There is a lot of discussion about consideration around expectations about how people (aliens included) act when they are from an alien race or culture.

This review doesn't really do this book justice, it was just so fantastic. However, I just got back from a long vacation and am playing catch up, so it will have to do!

My Summary (5/5): Overall I loved this! This book included wonderful adventures and new worlds, excellent characters, and an intricate and well done storyline. I enjoyed every minute of this, and it made me wonder why I haven't read anything by Kitasei before! I plan on pickinggup her debut novel, The Deep Sky, to read as well and really look forward to future novels by her.

Thank you to the author, NetGalley, & Macmillan Audio for the audioARC and opportunity to listen to this amazing story in return for my honest review.

This is how Science fiction should be written!
Excitement...✅ check
Mystery...✅ check
Compelling characters...✅ check
Ridiculously good world building ... ✅ check
Layered plot with a high stakes heist ... ✅ check
...and so much more.

I will be requesting this book to be added in hardback for our library catalogue and its getting added to recommendations for book clubs/reading groups.

NO REGRETS!!!!
4 outta 5 Stars

Thanks to Macmillian Audio for gifted access via Netgalley. All opinions above are my own.

I'm not sure I can properly summarize this one. Suffice it to say, Yumi Kitasei has delivered another unique, twisty sci-fi story that is original from start to finish. Maya is an art thief turned good guy who focuses on reuniting artifacts with alien civilizations. She is tasked with a new mission to find a power item that could stave off extinction for an alien race. She tries to figure out just what the artifact is, how it works and then departs on adventure to recover it.

There was not a dull moment in this one. There is a lot of world building with unique creatures and worlds and yet it all felt accessible and easy to immerse in. I loved the subtle philosophical and ethical questions buried within the heist. This is definitely a fun listen.

The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei was everything I was hoping it would be. It’s a wonderful sci-fi interstellar adventure with a heist at its core. The story follows art thief turned grad student, Maya Hashimoto, who is hiding at the grad after a heist goes very wrong! Despite hiding from her past, Maya cannot help it when she is roped in for “one last mission”— one that has the potential to save a dying alien race.

Maya’s travels through the different locations in search of the Stardust Grail in an endeavor to save the alien species makes for the crux of the story. While this is mostly a heist novel, political influences, questions of morality and even moments of utter horror make its appearance known throughout the story, but there is an optimism and a genuine sense of wonder that prevent the story from becoming overly depressing.

The cast of characters are authentic, well-rounded, and quirky at times. The pacing is impeccable, driving the narrative forward without ever feeling rushed. Yume Kitasei provided the readers with an immersive world including well-crafted and meticulous cultural and historical details of the universe.

The narration by Katherine Chin was on par with the book itself, adding color to the characters. The excellent narration makes you feel like you’re part of this universe.

Overall, this was an exciting book and the audiobook made the experience even better. I highly recommend for those who enjoy space operas and speculative fiction. 5/5 stars from me!

Thank you to Macmillan audio for the audiobook arc of this book.

I'd give this 3.75 stars.

I am not a extensive sci-fi reader but I am a moderate sci-fi fan. My husband on the other hand, is a prolific sci-fi reader and fan. I'm on the fence about recommending this to him and to others but I'm not entirely sure why.

A few things I really liked about this book were it's characters. I found the relationship between Maya and Auncle to be my favorite part. I loved when they interacted. I thought the humor throughout was pretty good. There are definitely some sci-fi tropes that some people may find funny and others may find boring. Like, "the robot who just wants to know what its like to feel" and "extraterrestrials not understanding humans properly." I did like the commentary of anti-colonialism and independence versus communal ideologies.

The narrator did a pretty good job but I think effected my interpretation of some characters and their relationships. I found Liam to be annoying and his friendship with Maya to be unbelievable. That being said, toward the end the narrator does something stylistically that is so so so so good. IYKYK.

Somethings I found off putting: The blatant copying of Andy Weir's alien Rocky: The Belzer people are spider like larger creatures that communicate via music? c'mon. I also felt like the battle in space with the main characters participating in the battle felt off. I hate to say "unbelievable" when the whole book is sci-fi/fantasy, but the world still had hierarchy and military powers. This ragtag team of THIEVES wouldn't be allow to just hang around in their own non-combat ship during a battle. Let alone participate in the battle. There was a lot of handwaving and "just go with it" kind of surrealism.

Who its for?: Readers who want a fast paced sci-fi stand alone; heists on heists on heists; readers that like a little social commentary

Who is it not for?: people who don't like sci-fi or fantasy at all; possibly not for avid sci-fi and fantasy people; first time sci-fi readers.

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced copy of this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

Thank you NetGalley and Macmillan Audio for an advanced listening copy in exchange for an honest review!

4.5!

This was so fun! I had liked Kitasei’s debut, but her sophomore novel really scratched some itches for me. I am always interested in a good heist and I think Kitasei’s worlds are very interesting—it’s always refreshing to see such a gender and sexuality inclusive world. In The Stardust Grail, I loved the aliens and different worlds, and Kitasei’s character work is super strong as always. I found this well plotted and the pacing felt very strong, though there was a point where I didn’t realize that we weren’t quite at the end yet and was surprised that there was still more story left. Kitasei does an excellent job with conveying emotion and it makes for a compelling read. Honestly, I had a lot of fun with this and immediately ordered a copy once I finished the audio ARC.

The narrator for this book was also incredible, and I highly recommend it!

I think that this is overall a well-written book, and huge fans of sci-fi/fiction set in space will really enjoy this. It just wasn’t for me. There were times when I felt I needed more clarification and other times when I felt like things were over-explained. I think that maybe reading the print/digital copy would have made understanding it better. I found myself going back to chapters multiple times to re-listen for clarification and that just wasn’t enjoyable for me. I really enjoyed Auncle as a character. Some of the characters fell a little flat for me. I would love to have seen a drawing/map of the universe and all the different nodes, and maybe of some of the different alien species for visualization.

The Stardust Grail on audio is voiced by Katharine Chin, and she did an excellent job with the narration. I could easily distinguish between the characters. Pacing and flow was great. She did a particularly outstanding job of bringing Auncle to life, making Auncle an otherworldly, friendly, and ethereal presence.

Thank you Macmillan Audio for allowing me to listen via NetGalley. All thoughts are entirely my own. Review shared on Goodreads:https://www.goodreads.com/user/show/81217147?ref=nav_profile_l

There was so much I wanted for this book. There is a lot going on and I would have liked the whole story to have been stretched out over 3 books.

There was so much more I wanted to know. The story was phenomenal but it was rushed!!

The premise really is epic and imagination of this author is earth shattering! Is there a book 2???

thank you @netgalley for my gifted copy 4 stars

"The Stardust Grail" by Yume Kitasei is a sci-fi space opera type of novel. It was interesting, entertaining, and hard to put down.

The main characters are well defined. The relationships are important. The adventures are big and bold. The dangers are scary. The plot is well executed. Narration by Katharine Chin is excellent!

There are humans, and part humans, robots, and aliens. The main character is Maya, a human, young adult, female. The most important alien is "Uncle", who is a Frenro. Ze has a body similar to a huge octopus, but with 10 arms, and is aquatic. Ze is very loving and is like family to Maya.

Characters - 5/5
Writing - 4/5
Plot - 5/5
Pacing - 5/5
Unputdownability - 4/5
Enjoyment - 4/5
Narration - 5/5
Cover - 5/5
Overall - 37/8 = 4 5/8, rounded up to 5 stars

I highly recommend this book to sci-fi lovers, especially if you like outer space settings!

Thank you to Netgalley, Macmillan Audio, and Yume Kitasei for providing this audiobook in exchange for my honest review.

I must say, I am completely shocked at how much I enjoyed this story. What sold me was the heist aspect. We all know I cannot resist a good thieving story. So when I heard heist in space, I was sold. Now, assemble a motley crew (found family), add in some academia, and then send us on a mission to save the world. Well, how could I not love it?

I absolutely adored the friendships in this book. While many of them are reluctant allies, it becomes so much more. Our MC may be a thief, but she's also a good person. We may have an alien creature who doesn't understand human emotions but understands the value of connection and belonging. Each character in this story is nuanced and complex. What is an incredibly fun read, is also very deep at times. I loved finding all of these things in one novel.

I am very excited to pick up other works by Yume.

This was a great read. I read it on audio and thought the narration was really well done. The first half is a tad slower pacing than the second half, but I wasn't bored so I didn't mind. The author did a great job of balancing different elements, all of which sometimes overpower a sci-fi story: commentary on society and colonialism, worldbuilding, and introduction of a new species and the related conversations that would happen between species. I really liked our MCs, of all species, and found the storyline to be engaging and satisfying.

If you like sci-fi and/or anti-colonial storylines, then I highly recommend this one.

A huge thank you to the author and publisher for providing an e-ARC via Netgalley. This does not affect my opinion regarding the book.