Starflight by Melissa Landers Review: This book brought me over the moon and stars

January 18, 2016 by Aila J. | 5 stars, ARC Reviews, Books, Reviews

Starflight by Melissa Landers Review: This book brought me over the moon and starsStarflight by Melissa Landers
Series: Starflight
Published by Disney-Hyperion on February 2, 2016
Source: Author Review Copy
Genres: Science Fiction, Romance, Young Adult
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Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he's been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world--and each other--the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe...

You know that feeling you get when you’re reading a book and you glance at the pages and you get scared that there’s so little of the book left and it’s just like NOO PLEASE GIVE ME MORE PAGES? That was me throughout this whole book. Seriously, the ARC is 358 pages and one of the thinnest I have – especially for a science fiction book! The whole time I was worried I wouldn’t like something or something wouldn’t develop enough for me. Fortunately enough, those fears proved unfounded and I enjoyed every single page.

Solara has felony tattoos on her knuckles and is looking for a life on the edge of humanity, the fringe. Her character was tough and magnetic. She has to work hard for everything she gets, and it pains her to be indentured to Doran, who we would term a “f*ckboy.” What else can she do though, being fresh out of the orphanage with no money and no life? I really disliked Doran in the beginning. Like I mentioned previously, he oozed out f-boy attitude: carefree, spoiled, playboy, and all those unsavory elements. Doran made it his job to make Solara’s life a living hell while he was her “master.” But alas, Solara had to deal with it to get to her goal of a new life. Although I didn’t like Doran’s personality, I was also excited to read about his character development later on in the book to change to an actually decent guy.

Well, soon enough Doran becomes a fugitive after being framed for a conspiracy and after an interesting turn of events, him and Solara end up on a ship called the Banshee where he pretends to be her servant and her his master. The crew of the Banshee was absolutely adorable, and each of them were on the run from something. I loved reading their interactions as well as discovering more about the cast of eccentric characters. Even though each of them have their own secrets, they stick up for one another and prove to be a family.

“Solara still didn’t know this crew’s secrets or how their paths had crossed, and yet these strangers had done more to protect her today than her own parents had in eighteen years. In her opinion, that was definitely something to be proud of. Renny was wrong when he’d said this was no life.
In that moment, there was no place she’d rather be.”

But because of those secrets (as well as what Doran and Solara are entangled in), there’s a bunch of things going on. The crew is always running away from something or another, be it the Enforcers, space pirates, or an army of people missing their temporal lobe (cool but creepy). It’s seriously non-stop action and adventure in this one, and although the ending was satisfying, Landers left some things open for a sequel or companion. (Which there will be a companion of! Yay! 😀 )

Man oh man, thinking about the romance gives me all the feels. Like I said before, Doran was a pretty huge jerk in the beginning of the book. But as he starts developing feelings for Solara and friendship for the rest of the crew, he really undergoes a change. Being a fugitive also opens his eyes to many things – like how quickly his so-called friends are willing to sell him out. The romance that starts developing comes out in a steady pace and is SO. CUTE. I loved seeing Solara and Doran’s interactions, especially as they realize how good they were for the other despite their initial impressions of antipathy.

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Okay, so we have a wonderful group of characters running from space pirates and discovering something that could change society as we know it and a romance that is just *swoon.* Sounds like a recipe for an amazing book! The ending is satisfying enough for readers to close the book, yet leaves things open more awesomesauce in a sequel. Scifi lovers better pick this one up FAST. If you like reading an adventure with great character development, the opportunity of family, a scorching romance all rolled up in an exhilarating setting, then this one is definitely for you.

Rating: 5 out of 5

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Aila is a young adult reader who loves to transport herself to new dimensions through reading. She's currently an undergraduate student at university in the US. Let's talk about our obsessions on Twitter @aila_1woaa!

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61 responses to “Starflight by Melissa Landers Review: This book brought me over the moon and stars

  1. THIS SOUNDS AMAZING AILA. To be honest, I don't think I have heard of this until today? And actually I would not mind a short sci-fi because the longer ones are slightly intimidating. Solara sounds awesome and badass, Doran, not so much, but I'm sure I'll warm up to him (maybe).

    Awesome review Aila! I hope to get to this one day 🙂
    My recent post ARC Review: We Are The Ants Blog Tour + Giveaway

    • I hope you warm up to Doran!! Granted, it takes a while since he's such a jerk in the beginning, but aw mannn the couple is SO cute when they finally get together. And Solara definitely is kickass :DD

    • Yay Peach! For real though, the dialogue was the cutest thing ever between Solara and Doran. I just loved seeing him grow from the beginning to the end of the book!

    • Yay Cyn! I actually picked up Alienated after reading this one and enjoyed it too. Butttt I ABSOLUTELY FELL IN LOVE WITH STARFLIGHT. So I hope you enjoy it as much as I did, too!

  2. danielleisbusyreading

    I can't wait to read this book! Melissa Landers does romance really well, so even though the guy is a jerk in the beginning I have a feeling I will be shipping this couple hard. 🙂
    Great review!

    • I think you will, too Danielle. 😀 I agree, I read Alienated after enjoying this one a lot and also really liked the romance. Doran's character development is soooo nice to read about.

  3. aentee @ read at midnight

    This book sounds pretty swoony indeed! I need it in my life! I freaking love science fiction as a genre, especially when there's space hijinks and FELONS, yassss! I will need to check this out when it becomes available <3

  4. I'm not much of a scifi fan, but adventure and loads of character development, that is up my alley! I really like the sound of this despite the scifi element. I actually think I'd be able to read this. Amazing review Aila! 🙂

    • Ooh yeah, the science fiction elements are THERE, but they don't inundate you with facts and statistics that can get confusing. It's just a really swell backdrop that features the COOLEST adventures. 😀

  5. Grace @ RebelMommyBB

    I have just recently started to see this cover floating around but this is the first review. It sounds pretty awesome and love that ending is satisfying while leaving it enough open for the future. That is such a hard balance to achieve. Glad you loved it and greta review!!

    • Thanks so much Grace! It really is a perilous balance, in regards to the ending – but this book managed to achieve it. I seriously can't wait for the companion sequel.

  6. Marianne @ Boricuan Bookworms

    SQUEEEEEEEEEEE I'm so glad you loved this one! I want to read it. I like the sound of the romance too! Great review!

  7. Book Blather

    This is the second amazing review I've seen for StarFlight, which makes me really happy that I've preordered it. I could do with some SWOON in my life right now!

    • HELL YES SPACE PIRATES. Their scenes are so freaking cool… actually, all the action ones are, anyway. I need you to read this too Bec!! :'D

    • I'M SO GLAD I COULD POINT IT OUT TO YOU CYNTHIA. It's just full of adventure and family and love and all the great things that I like in books.

  8. AHH. This sounds absolutely amazing! I'm definitely going to have to pick this one up when it gets published. 🙂 I'm a huge fan of science fiction and this sounds like it is amazing in that regard. And the romance sounds so swoony! Thanks for sharing Aila and, as always, fabulous review! <3

    • Ooh if you're a fan of scifi Zoe, this is NOT one to be missed. And sighh, the romance was just absolute perfection. I loved it. And the characters. And the action. And everything – I'm so glad you're planning on picking this one up Zoe!

  9. Charlene @ Bookish Whimsy

    This one sounds so good! I especially love the sound of the romance – Doran's turnaround and gradual feelings for Solara will make me swoon I'm sure. 🙂 I'm glad that this was such a good read – I'm definitely add it to my TBR!
    My recent post Suspense Sundays (182) Return Trip

    • Ooh definitely Sam! I read Alienated after this and thought it was super cute, but THIS ONE IS JUST *TWO THUMBS UP* Definitely tops the scale. 😉

  10. julysam

    THIS SOUNDS AWESOME! I didn't really like Alienated but this seems so much better and more captivating. Fabulous review!

    • No I totalllyyy get you. One of my favorite parts about the book was Doran's character development. And in the end he became SO. SWOONY. Sighhh. <3

    • I'm glad to have put it on your radar! And YES, that is the struggle with books. It's like you want to get to the end, but at the same time you don't!

    • Oh yes definitely. I was shaking my head at his antics in the beginning, but his character development was tremendous and I LOVE the person he came to be in the end. It's definitely a shippable ship. <3

  11. Oh man, when you first mention Doran I'm like nuh uh, this guy doesn't sound pleasant at all, but afterwards I'm kind of glad he turned into a decent guy! Great review Aila, that romance sounds amazing!

    • OMIGOSH JEANN that was me at first too. But I know you like those antagonistic relationships, and this one is definitely a prime example. ;))

    • So glad I sold you on the romance! Sighh, thinking about it makes me feel all tingly inside. It's definitely a well-written science fiction I think you should pick up!

  12. OMGGG I NEED IT!!! I wasn't really sure what this book was about? BUT I NEED IT. <3 The action sounds amazing and I <i>love this kind of sci fi. I wasn't like the world's biggest fan of Alienated, but this one seems a bit darker?! Squeak. 😀 I loved your review. Least to say I'm sold. ;D

    • YES I'm so glad I convinced you Cait! There's so much going on in this book, it's hard to really explain what's all happening. But suffice it to say, it was absolutely wonderful. Alienated was fun, but this one certainly tops it on my scale.

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