Author: Nina Croft

Synopsis:

The sun is dying…and it’s happening way too damn fast.

With the clock ticking, the Nine Planets’ only hope of survival rests on a fancy space station and the alien artifact it’s carrying. Which is why it really sucks when some jackass doesn’t want the universe saved and blows that station up―while you’re still on it.

So if your only choices are flaming death or stealing a flying hunk of space junk―you pick that busted-ass spaceship. Even if it leaves seven strangers with deadly secrets trapped together: a princess, a prisoner, a con artist, a warrior, a priestess, a mercenary, and an asshole in charge of us all.

Now every faction in the galaxy is hunting this ship―from the Sisterhood to the Corporation, and the rebellion’s joining in on the fun, too. We just need to stop drinking, fighting, and screwing long enough to evade them all and save the freaking universe...somehow.

Because apparently the only thing standing between a dying sun and ultimate salvation is seven unlikely misfits…ahem, heroes.

Review:

Star Bringer was a fast paced romantic Sci-Fi that was so much fun! It felt like a mash up of certain elements from Guardians of the Galaxy + The 100 + The Breakfast Club and a little bit of The Bourne Identity, so I was obsessed! And by just that first chapter I was sucked in. These seven characters were thrown together and were the most unlikely of allies. It was just asking for disaster! It made this story steamy, heartfelt and filled with all the action. Laced with lies, death, secrets, betrayal, friendship and love, this high staked book was impossible to put down!

As crews go, we’re a goddamn disaster. A princess, a priestess, a bodyguard, a prisoner, a con artist, a goofball, and me, self-appointed asshole in charge of them all.

Kalinda: Crown Princess of the Nine Planets

If anyone had told me a month ago that I’d be sitting at a bar on Glacea while the only person I’ve ever kissed casually stabs a stranger, I would have laughed them out of the palace. But here we are.

Kali was one of my favorite characters. Her thoughts cracked me up and I loved her sarcasm. Yet even though she was level headed, she had been raised so naïve and sheltered. She hadn’t been aware of what was truly going on in the planets around her, or their galaxy. So as she found herself in the middle of an adventure of a lifetime, she not only got a huge wake up call, but she grew so much from the beginning of this story to the end!

Ian: Mercenary and Smuggler and (Very) Occasional Good Guy

He smirks. “Princess Kalinda, the martyr . Not sure the look suits you. Besides, I’ve always been a sucker for a damsel in distress.”
“No, you haven’t!” I tell him, and the desperation is growing inside me. Because time is running out.
“Okay, you’re right, I haven’t.” He blasts some more laser fire in their direction, then looks at me, his expression serious for once.

Ian was right up there with favorite character! His thoughts made me fall so hard for him. And I loved that he was attracted to the Princess from the get go, but that he hated all that she stood for. But Ian was a secretive soul and he held a lot of his cards close to his chest. All I really knew about him in the beginning was that he desperately needed to save Milla. We just didn’t know the why. As the story unfolded we saw that Ian was heroic, brave, cynical and selfless – even though he would deny this to his death haha. Ian was a true book boyfriend that I fell head over heels in love with!

Ian & Kali:

No way. Bad boys are one thing. Homicidal assholes are another.
But then he turns and our eyes meet as he watches me watching him.
Shit. Could I be more obvious?
He raises a brow as if inviting me to engage.

Ian and Kali had the most fabulous of enemies to lovers! Their banter was everything! I loved watching Ian mess with Kali, and Kali throw it back at him. Watching their enemies to lovers relationship transform was my favorite thing about this story! It was real, believable and kept me wondering what was going to happen next. Being put in life and death situations, they had to trust each other. Save each other. And watching that trust, friendship and more build was perfect and left my heart beating faster!

Rain: High Priestess of the Sisterhood of the Light

I feel the stirring of my own rebellion deep inside. The part of me that has lived my life for other people knows I should shove it down and lock it up tight. But the other part… the other part of me wants to take it out for a spin and see where it goes.

Rain was absolutely adorable and oh so sheltered. She had so many expectations put upon her as the High Priestess, so I loved how down to earth she was. How she was a complete disaster the first time she met the Princess. But as we got to learn more about Rain, I loved that she was kind, good hearted and so thoughtful. And she was completely obsessed thinking about kissing Beckett ♥.

Beckett: Newly Escaped Prisoner 826

“Nothing about you could ever be boring, Rain,” she whispers back. Then she sweeps my hair over my shoulder and leans forward to press her mouth against the nape of my neck.

Beckett was a mystery. She kept her cards closer to her chest then even Ian did. She had so much hate towards everything Kali stood for, and seemed to have so much darkness around her because of the physical pain she was constantly in. So she took the longest for me to warm up to and like. Watching Rain make Beckett happy finally gave Beckett the light she desperately needed. Yet I felt like Rain and Becket’s relationship wasn’t as developed as Ian and Kali’s. Theirs felt more physical, like an insta lust. So I’m keeping my fingers crossed that Rain and Beckett’s relationship will develop more as this trilogy unfolds!

Their World & The Others:

“What is this?” she asks, and now she’s looking around as well.
“I don’t know,” I tell her honestly. “I have no fucking idea. But I’m starting to think we should’ve been more scared of the sentient ship we’ve stolen and what she’s capable of.”

Learning about the different planets, and the political mechanisms to it all was fascinating. But we also got to see the horrors that surrounded them and my mind was blown. Torture. Betrayal. Death. Consequences. All seemed to be wherever you looked in their galaxy.
Also on the ship were Merrick, Gage, and Max.  Yet we didn’t get the any of their povs like we do with Beckett, Rain, Ian and Kali. So I’m keeping my lips zipped on them, other then hold on because you’re in for a wild ride! And the same for the ship! I loved the ship in the story almost as much as Kali and Ian! I have sooooo much I want to say, but I can’t wait for you to discover all that is Starlight! She had me clapping, screaming out loud, and cheering her on every step of the way!

Terror rolls through me at the thought of what we’re about to do— and what will happen if we get caught. But some things are worth fighting for. And so are some people.

With perilous action, this story had heart pounding moments that were epic and others that were impossible not to have tears when reading! And while there were happy moments, death still loomed over all of their heads. After finishing this book, I went back and re-read certain scenes and the foreshadowing! Ohhhhh, it was so subtly there! This story was definitely like a puzzle, but you have to look for the pieces since not all of them show themselves to you! Now I am patiently waiting for that next book. While I am nervous about how something will pan out, I’m keeping my fingers crossed that I love how it unfolds. And I can;t wait to see what happens next!

*I voluntarily read and reviewed an advanced copy of this book, provided by the author. All thoughts and opinions are my own.*