An entertaining but rather preposterous romance/thriller that, despite new adult protagonists, had a very strong YA vibe. Winter Young is a huge pop star who is recruited by a covert organization to infiltrate a criminal kingpin's world. His partner in the operation is Sydney, who acts as Winter's bodyguard, and she is absurdly skilled in fighting, poisons, and all manner of spy craft despite her young age. The story alternates between the two perspectives, and, as I'm sure you can guess, sparks fly between them as they take on a mission that becomes more dangerous by the hour. This was a fun, fast read, but I just couldn't buy into the story fully. It's getting harder and harder to find YA novels that grab me, and I probably won't continue with this series whenever the next book comes out. Thank you to NetGalley, Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, and Roaring Brook Press for a digital review copy.

I have heard a lot of things about Marie Lu’s series and thought her newest young adult release would be perfect to start with. This book is perfect for fans of Cross My Heart and Hope to Spy as well as XOXO - as it’s a mashup of spy romance with an idol romance. The book follows an international superstar (Winter Young) and a young covert operative in training (Sydney Cossette) as they try to complete a mission in intel gathering. Winter is our lonely superstar while Sydney is our ambitious covert operative.

This book has forced proximity, fake dating and some hints of enemies to lovers tropes. It has cute, swoon worthy moments and flirty dialogue as well as good twists. The book is written in a limited third person point of view that alternates between our two main characters. It also has a few transcripted dialogues between two covert agents that gives the reader some additional background.

I would recommend this to anyone who enjoys a cute spy romance or a good kpop fanfiction. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a lighter mystery read but not anyone looking for a steamy or thriller read.

I'm not sure what it was about this one, but this book just didn't really work for me. The protagonists, especially Sydney, didn't feel that fleshed out to me. Sydney hates Winter... until she doesn't. Sydney has a health condition that affects her ability to do her job.... until it doesn't. Sydney suddenly goes from being annoyed by Winter to being in love with him.

For me, the pacing of this book was just all over the place. It definitely suffers does too much of the "telling" and not enough of the "showing". I ended up skimming over entire chapters, and to be honest, I didn't feel like I missed a whole lot.

Marie Lu is usually an insta-win for me. And while this book is decent, it's not the usual caliber I've come to expect from her.

First of all, thank you to NetGalley & the publisher for the advance copy of Stars & Smoke. This is my favorite kind of Marie Lu novel, reminiscent of WarCross. I konw I'll have students who typically gravitate toward very different genres looking for this one!

I should NOT have been surprised to end up inhaling and adoring this book. But I kind of was, because it has been awhile since I was sucked into the worlds created by the perfection of Marie Lu’s words. I mean, come on! She just gets me, I guess. I know she doesn’t write just for me. But it sure feels like it. That’s how much her writing moves me. So, when she says in her acknowledgements that she wrote this for us, the readers, to make us happy after all we’ve been through, I have to tell you that it did the trick! I am beyond happy. Except I hate that I have to wait for a sequel! 😜

Winter and Sydney's story was interesting, and full of romance and action. True to Marie Lu books, the plot was well thought out and developed. There was a ton of action and the story flew. If you are looking to purchase this book for a classroom library I would say the romance is high school level or higher.

This YA romance/spy thriller was exactly what I needed to read right now! Winter Young is an international pop superstar with record-breaking concert and album sales. Sydney Cossette escaped a hard life by joining an elite, covert spy operation. When a huge crime boss wants Winter to play a private concert for his daughter's birthday, the two are thrown together on a mission that neither could have seen coming. This book has everything -- action, adventure, romance, humor, and twists that I did not expect. Winter and Sydney are multi-faceted characters who I was cheering on the whole way. I am grateful this didn't end on a cliffhanger and I cannot wait for book two! Highly recommended for grade 7 & up.

Winter Young is an international pop sensation who has been invited to perform at the birthday bash of a major crime boss’s daughter. Because of his newfound connection to the crime organization, he is approached by an elite covert ops group to help with an important mission that could potentially save countless lives. He gets paired up with Sydney Cossette, Panacea’s youngest agent, and the two travel to London to thwart the billionaire's latest scheme.

This is the beginning of a brand-new series by Marie Lu that is a little different from her other dystopian stories. It was fun and action-packed, but a little predictable and unrealistic at times. The premise itself is unrealistic so that wasn’t necessarily unexpected, my issue was more with some of the details not making sense. If you’re not someone that questions things easily though, it might not make a difference.

I am not sure if it was just because it is book 1, but to me, it felt like the characters were complex and had good backstories, but they were not yet fully developed at the same time. There were some things that were alluded to that I wanted more details on—like Winter’s older brother, Artie, and his connection to Panacea for one. Hopefully, these are things that are further explored in the coming book/s. Also, the characters are 19 so I think that pulls this out of the YA category, but it felt very much YA nonetheless.

4.0/5 ⭐⭐⭐⭐
Stars and Smoke was at its core just SO MUCH FUN to read. It was true to the bodyguard romance sub-genre, but the details here are what made it a true gem. The action doesn’t really stop from beginning to end, the main characters are flawed, lovable and surprisingly complex for a YA/NA novel. My only complaint is that I felt it could have been longer to flesh out some of the storylines a little bit more deeply. I would read another book in this same series if Marie wrote one for sure.

The story is a dual-POV spy romance/action story about Winter, a pop icon and heartthrob, and Sydney, a spy who is posing as his bodyguard while they go undercover to nag a con artist billionaire whose daughter is Winter’s biggest fan. It’s full of fun spy tropes (Laser maze? Car chase? Henchmen? It’s all here!) and twists and turns. The love story and the side tales of family and friendship are surprisingly poignant, and the villains are mostly complex and a kind of sinister fun.

My only complaint about this story is that it could honestly have been longer and more detailed. There are quite a lot of side characters who have emotional complexity, and not enough time to really understand them fully. I would definitely read more stories in this world if they promised to flesh out those stories more while also giving us more of the fun banter and adventures between Winter and Sydney!

Overall, this was a super fun spy story and a great Young Adult/New Adult hybrid that was a lot of fun to read. Thanks to NetGalley and MacMillan for the ARC!

Thank you to NetGalley and Macmillan Children's Publishing Group / Roaring Brook Press for an eARC!

The first thing to draw my eye to this novel was the cover. It's gorgeous, and I rarely love covers that have character art. Told in alternating POVs, Winter Young and Sydney Cossette are nearly opposite in every way. Winter is an international idol, think BTS but solo. As for Sydney, well she doesn't exist. No, literally, she can't exist. As a spy for an off-the-books agency that handles what the CIA can't, Sydney is like smoke in the wind. They also have that grumpy/sunshine trope going for them, and I absolutely loved Winter's antics throughout the book.

This was a nice departure from what I've been reading lately, (a lot of fantasy). If I didn't have to go to work, I would have read this in one sitting! This was a fun and fast-paced read into the world of espionage and into the life of a celebrity. And though I had to suspend disbelief, I liked how this novel showcased these vastly different worlds, and allowed the characters to step into opposite worlds too. Winter is recruited by this secret agency in order to get closer to a crime boss of the most heinous nature. Sydney trains Winter in a week, (again suspend disbelief) and acts as his bodyguard in order for the two to gather evidence to finally put away the bag guy. Unfortunately, things do NOT go as planned, and Winter and Sydney have to see this through, even if it kills them.

The later half of this book is non-stop, and I could not put it down! I personally saw the twist coming, but I thought it was well done and still gave me that edge-of-my-seat thrill. There were a couple of times I didn't know if the characters were going to make it (but did they make it? ~Evil laugh~)

Though this does not affect my rating at all, it is advertised as enemies-to-lovers but that is really not the case here. Sure, they don't like each other at first, actually Winter really annoys Sydney, but they are on the same side the whole time. I think we need to come up with a new trope name for this. Adversary-to-lover? Annoyance-to-lover? Haters-to-lovers? Someone help me!

This book has all the excitement of an action-packed spy thriller with all the tension of a will-they-won’t-they forbidden romance. It’s basically a cross between Gallagher Girls and Chuck with a dash of Big Hero 6’s emotional arc.

But it also falls short of expectation. While all the elements make for a fun story, it’s super unrealistic and predictable. Sydney is supposed to be this prolific spy, but she continually is the one making mistakes that land her and Winter in trouble. Winter, who is a superstar with like one week of spy training, happens to always know exactly how to fix every situation and is really good at everything instantly. The plot twists aren’t very plot twist-y and it takes a while to get things moving and then everything seems to happen all at once.

This book might have been a little more realistic and had room to go further with everything if Marie Lu would have taken the jump from YA to adult and aged up the characters five years. It does not make sense for a secret spy agency to put minors in danger, no matter if they’re trained or superstars or what. It’s just not realistic, and everything that happens is handled very poorly by the agency. It's a wonder they are still able to operate at the end of the story.

If you want to read something that’s fun and a little edgy with spy hijinks and a tension-driven, insta-love romance and predictable-but-who-cares-this-is-exciting plot twists, then this book is it. I just expected something a little better, a little more from Marie Lu after all these years.

📖ARC Review: This was a really fun read perfect for just escaping reality for a little while. Marie Lu is such a good YA writer because she keeps it so simple. If you liked any of her other books than I think you would like this one. It was pretty fast paced and even though I’ve not been in the mood to read lately this one was really entertaining! The characters don’t really have distinguishing personalities, but the plot was really fun. Also, if you are one of those people who get annoyed at books marketed as “enemies to lovers” when they aren’t this is your warning that the characters were never actually enemies. Overall, a fun and entertaining book that I would definitely recommend for younger audiences📖🤍

I really flew through this one. If you're looking for an action-packed read with some romantic elements, I recommend this book. Marie Lu really knows how to pace a book, and she makes her characters interesting. Winter Young is more than just your average pop star. Lu does a great job of giving him depth, introducing us to his mother, telling us about his deceased brother who he really looked up to, and showing us how fame can be difficult. She also goes into a lot of detail about what it takes to put on a performance, so music fans will really enjoy that element of the book. You have to suspend your disbelief for a bit to really buy that a pop star can become a world-class spy in a matter of weeks, but it's pretty easy to do because the spy world is well built. It seems like this will be the first in the series, and I look forward to Lu building on the main female character, Sydney, more. She's prickly and has a history of theft. She's been through some trauma in her childhood, and it takes her a while to open up to anyone. In the end, you really root for her and for Winter. I look forward to seeing where their relationship goes in the next book(s).

Thank you NetGalley for the digital ARC of this book.

As I have come to expect from Marie Lu:
* Action-packed!
* Intriguing characters!

One of my all time favorite series is the Legend series, so I'm always thrilled to dive into another one of Marie Lu's worlds with her characters that draw you in and make you feel alongside them. Stars and Smoke did not disappoint.

Fans of K-Pop, BTS or boy bands in general will especially enjoy this one as the male lead is inspired by/fits in beautifully with that fandom. But even if you aren't a fan of those things, there is lots to love about this book and its mysterious and dangerous mission.

I love that this is very much Marie Lu without being her general science fiction. But there's a style and world building and character arc to her books that ooze delight, seriousness, and entertainment.

Meeting Winter, a famous singer superstar who has a sad story of his brother dying in the Peace Corps but gets recruited by a secret operative group to get close to a man whose daughter wants him to sing at her birthday party in order to take him down. The setup builds perfectly and the build toward Sydney (the young woman charged with being his "bodyguard" for the infiltration who works for the secret organization) and Winter's relationship is expected and oh, so necessary! It's like a prose version of Spy x Family and I was a fan. I'm not going to break down doors for the second, but I likely will continue with the series. Very recommendable.

I enjoyed this YA Adventure/Romance, but considered it more of an adult read.

Winter Young is a 19-year-old mega star (think Justin Beiber at his height), and Sydney Cossette is a 19-year-old spy looking to rise in the covert world of secret agents. They are tasked with gathering evidence on a major crime boss who hires Winter to perform at his daughter’s 19th birthday party in London (that’s a lot of 19s! ha, ha)

Lots of action, adventure and slow-burn attraction ensue, and we also glimpse parts of their personal lives that are similar to each other in some respects. I enjoyed the banter and liked both mains. To me, the 19-year-old spy part (she started training at 17) was stretching it a bit, and I found the denouement action a little too over-the-top. But I still enjoyed it. And that cover?! Absolutely stunning and just how I pictured Winter and Sydney.

My thanks to NetGalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group/Roaring Brook Press for providing the free early arc of Stars and Smoke for review. The opinions are strictly my own.

Winter is a pop star with the world at his feet. Sydney was a penniless orphan who joined a secret undercover agency. When the agency needs to access the inner workings of a billionaire who is guilty of illegal trafficking, the agency uses the pair of them. Winter agrees to perform at the billionaire's daughter's birthday party, and Sydney will act as his bodyguard. Of course things do not go as planned. Teens will love this James Bond type action story. I received this as a prepub from net galley and am under no pressure for a positive interview.

Ramona Thompson

I lived everything g about this story! An unlikely spy teamed up with a spy to save the world. Ms. Lu crafted another wonderful story and I can't wait to see what other adventures Winter and Sydney embark on!

This was fun!! Very James Bond meets like... Barbie: Princess and the Popstar haha. A pop star gets recruited to become a spy. While on a special mission, she starts to fall for his bodyguard and vice versa. What is there not to love??

I have previously loved Marie Lu's YA books, so I was thrilled when I got approved for a copy of Stars and Smoke, and I was super excited to see how her storytelling might change or evolve with a book set more in the NA age range.

Ultimately, I think this very much still read like a YA novel. Which isn't necessarily a bad thing, Marie Lu is the queen of YA fantasy/dystopian storytelling. But for being a NA novel, these characters read surprisingly young. I don't know if it was the dialogue or just the descriptions, but they felt very young. Overall, I was still very invested in this story, and had a lot of fun reading it, and would be excited to read more set in this universe.

Stars and Smoke is set to be published on March 28, 2023. Thank you to Macmillan Children's Publishing Group, Roaring Brook Press, NetGalley and the author for the advanced copy. All thoughts and opinions are my own.

Review:
Winter Young is a international pop star, and a covert branch of the government thinks he's their perfect in to get intel on a international shipping magnate (read smuggler). Sydney Cossette is a spy with Pancea and ordered to work with Winter to get him ready for his mission.

I really liked the idea of this story. Using a pop start to complete a secret mission because of his access is interesting and cool, but some of his other character traits fell a little short for me. Winter is still struggling with his brothers death and feeling like he's never good enough, and while we get some closure on that I really wanted more or for Winter to decide to continue to talk to some kind of professional about that.

Sydney on the other hand ran away from home and its her language skills that got her there. All she wants is to be a full fledged spy but she can't outrun her own feelings on inadequacy and grief over her mother dying.
This was pitched in the synopsis as an enemies to lovers and I really don't think that is the vibe. Winter and Sydney are so similar that they can't really be enemies and we don't get to see them really admit or commit on their feelings in a resolved way. All that being said, if there is going to be a sequel I will definitely be coming back to hear more about Sydney and Winter's adventures.

Synopsis:
This smoldering enemies-to-lovers novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu puts a superstar global phenomenon and a hotshot young spy on a collision course with danger – and Cupid’s arrow – in an electric new series perfect for fans of Emily Henry and Nicola Yoon.

Meet Winter Young – International pop sensation, with a voice like velvet and looks that could kill. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. His rabid fans would move heaven and earth for even a glimpse of him – just imagine what they’d do to become his latest fling.

Meet Sydney Cossette – Part of an elite covert ops group, Sydney joined their ranks as their youngest spy with plans to become the best agent they’ve ever had. An ice queen with moves as dangerous as her comebacks, Sydney picks up languages just as quickly as she breaks hearts. She's fiery, no-nonsense, and has zero time for romance – especially with a shameless flirt more used to serving sass than taking orders.

When a major crime boss gifts his daughter a private concert with Winter for her birthday, Sydney and Winter's lives suddenly collide. Tasked with infiltrating the crime organization’s inner circle, Sydney is assigned as Winter's bodyguard with Winter tapped to join her on the mission of a lifetime as a new spy recruit. Sydney may be the only person alive impervious to Winter's charms, but as their mission brings them closer, she’s forced to admit that there's more to Winter Young than just a handsome face . . .