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chronicallybookish 's review for:

Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu
4.25
adventurous emotional lighthearted tense medium-paced
Plot or Character Driven: A mix
Strong character development: Yes
Loveable characters: Yes
Diverse cast of characters: Yes
Flaws of characters a main focus: N/A

<b>Quick Stats</b>
Age Rating: 13+
Over All: 4.25 stars
Plot: 4.5/5
Characters: 4/5
Setting: 4/5
Writing: 4.5/5

I really enjoyed this book—it filled the Gallagher Girls sized hole in my heart. I was a little apprehensive when I realized it was in the third person, since the only other of Marie Lu’s books in that POV is The Kingdom of Back which I <i>really</i> did not enjoy. While I do think Lu’s writing is stronger in the first person, I still enjoyed this one thoroughly and am so glad that her writing did not suffer like it did in TKoB.
Sydney and Winter were engaging characters. I connected to them both equally, and loved switching between their POVs. The plot was fast-paced and easy to get swept up in. This was exactly what I wanted it to be, and though it didn’t blow me away, I still can’t wait for the rest of the series.
Not to mention, Sydney is disabled and has an unnamed degenerative lung disease. The disability rep wasn’t mind-blowing by any means, but I enjoyed it for what it was.