In our world, this story will hit home to so many people. I have been wanting to diversify my reading more and I am so glad I have been trying to make that a priority because this is the kind of story that I want to learn about. While this story may not have worked for me I still see the importance of this story and want more people to read.
So because this was not my favorite story I wanted to share the things that I think this book did well and the things that I think could have been better. 
The thing that I enjoyed most about this book was the family dynamics of Ander's family, the diverse representation, and the difficult topics that were discussed. 
One of the things that didn't work for me are Ander as a character. Ander annoyed me from the beginning maybe because they seemed so selfish from the very beginning is what made me not connect with the character. For me, all of Ander's decisions big and small were made for what they wanted in that moment. I was glad that at one of the main conflicts, this selfishness was addressed and I do understand that they were only 19, but for someone who has grown up in a family like Ander's, it seemed off to me that they would be so selfish. The other big issue that I had was that the pacing felt very disjointed. The first 3/4 of the book was so slow and because I wasn't enjoying Ander as a character it made that portion drag then the last 1/4 of the book felt rushed and while I understood that the events that were occurring would have been rushed it felt like the most character development that was happening was also rushed and didn't feel authentic in my opinion.

I really enjoyed this story. I liked the character development of the characters from the first book. I like how there is an over arching “bad” that we are still following and trying to solve. 
I think my biggest complaint would be that if Maddie is an FBI agent even an intelligence officer she would still be more skilled at combat than she was. 
Other than that I enjoyed the main couple and I enjoyed seeing Jenna and Kipp. I am excited to see Sims story and Zale’s. 

I love a good story about stories. This story is built around vignettes strung across time and space, Sailing By Orion’s Star weaves lives and moments and little pockets of history into a tale of piracy in its truest form.

If you love Les Mis and Pirates of the Caribbean I think you will love this story. This is a multi-generational story spanning 10 years and follows multiple POVS.

The historical elements in this story are done incredibly, using bits of history and facts as touchstones to make it feel grounded and well-informed. It really is able to show off the history of piracy from a perspective that isn’t often granted. Contrasting the oppressive, harmful court life with the pirates' freedom reveals an undiscussed moral code to the pirate life. It shows that piracy is more than adventure and leans into its benefits as a lifestyle of righteousness and creating forceful equality in an unjust world. 
 

I definitely do not have personal experience with all of the topics that this book covers. I think the inclusion of these experiences and the harmful nature of this society feels relevant, well-researched, and necessary to the plot and development.

 
I enjoyed this story and would be interested in reading more from this author.

Just not in the mood for this right now

UPDATE:1/2/2025
I revisited this and am so glad that I did. I enjoyed this book so much I will say that the audiobook is a great option too. 

We are following our main character Finlay Donovan as she is trying to navigate life after a recent divorce and being behind on her most recent book. When she meets up with her agent to discuss her murder mystery book. After said meeting, Finlay slipped a note requesting she kill someone's husband, and Finlay, who is behind on her bills and fighting to keep custody of her kids, has to decide if she wants to take on the job or leave it. 

This was such a funny book. The things that happen to Finlay throughout this book border on being outrageous, but I think that is what lends itself to such an enjoyable read. My favorite characters are Finlay and her nanny, Vero. Their banter together was one of my favorite parts throughout this book. 

I think that the pacing and plot were also done well. While I think a lot of things conveniently happened for Finlay, I also think that was part of what the author wanted you to think while reading it. 

I will definitely be continuing on with this series.