*ARC Review *  4.5 ⭐

Parallax:Sentient Stars book 2- by Amber Toro

  I read book 1 “Umbra” in the Indie Author Project contest- which it won for the Sci-fi/Fantasy category!  And was lucky enough to get book 2 as an ARC from author Amber Toro!

  General Spoilers if you haven’t read book 1.

  This was such a solid book 2.  It starts at 100 and never lets up!  We have a space civil war, being trapped on an ice planet, space gangs, and a subsequent rescue mission.  And that’s a broad stroke description.

  It’s a triple POV with the 3 main characters, and each gets some pretty even page time.  You know here’s the thing, there is always a POV you just don’t like.  And I did have one.  But the side characters in their POV made it worth it.  Even without their own POVs the side characters are fleshed out and full of personality.  There are moments I genuinely forgot the AI ships were not human beings, they have their own personalities that are just as strong.

  I was left thinking some characters were making progress, some were not my cup of tea but begrudgingly accepted their importance, some had some exciting potential storylines, and some were super SUS.

  We have a lot of loose ends, which is expected in a set up book, ramping up to the big finale.  Oh, and of course a CLIFFHANGER ENDING.  I am excited to see how they get tied up!

(Side note- Hinata the MMC has such strong Captain Shang from Mulan vibes and I LOVE IT)

 I’ll have the same review on both Storygraph and Goodreads.  

 Look, I will read every Hunger Games book she releases. But a fan-favorite Haymitch one- no brainer. Of the two prequels this was the one that brought that same first time reading Hunger Games feeling, just pure investment.

**Spoiler**


**Spoiler**

**How she wove the end of the book around Poe's "The Raven" was pure magic. The best part of the book for me.**