I loved this book from beginning to end. It's a fast-paced and gripping sci-fi adventure with a slow-burn romance. Perfect!

I know many of you may be ignoring this one because it looks like a typical sci-fi romance drama. Don't! Yes, there is a romantic element, but it's not the whole book. The main characters have a very slow build up to the romance, and it never overtook the rest of the plot. This book is inevitably going to be compared to every sci-fi book published in the past five years. So, I compared it to a few of the other YA sci-fi romance books I have read recently.
Defy the stars is a little like Illuminae because of the super-fast plot, romance from both points of view, and readability, but it lacks the great multi-media formatting. It cannot be compared to the Lunar Chronicles because it has less of a “happy ever after” feel. There's a hint that a great squad dynamic might pop up in book two, but this book is just too dark to get compared to light fairy-tale retellings that is the Lunar Chronicles. As I mentioned previously the plot is fast-paced and addictive and Defy the Stars is a book that requires bingeing and rereading.
This book is filled with moral conflicts and nuanced discussions of violence and rebellion. Moral issues are completely my thing. Now some of the characters deserve a more in-depth look, the first being Noemi. Noemi is a total badass with a slow journey from prejudice to trust. She's a bit outwardly unemotional and stays steadfast to her ideals. I also loved that she was religious, but the book didn't push religion. Do you know how rare it is for books to take a neutral stance on religion, extremely and I was so impressed with this.
I must also give a shout out to Abel. “Robot who slowly develops emotion” (much like Aiden in Illuminae) is apparently a character archetype I am really coming to love. His character development is slow and feels incredibly realistic. I loved him from the beginning.
My only complaint is book's emphasis on love as a vehicle for humanity and if you’ve ever read a book with a human/non-human romance you know exactly what I am getting at here. I definitely have to recommend this to anyone who enjoys sci-fi.

I received a copy from Netgalley.

Another one I was really looking forward to but after about 100 pages turns out I just don't like it. I'm not interested in the plot, there seems to be a bit of a religious theme at the beginning which I really didn't care for at all. I'm not connecting to the characters, and after not being overly thrilled at having to read more, I called it quits. Just not for me.

Thank you to Netgalley and Bonnier Zaffre for approving my request to view the title.

*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review. Thanks to Bonnier Zaffre and NetGalley*

Noemi's home-world of Genesis is at war with the population of the dying Earth, who want Genesis for their own. Noemi is a soldier and is willing to sacrifice herself to save her planet.
When Noemi comes across a mech, Abel, in an abandoned spaceship, she is thrust into an adventure that will question her beliefs and lead her across her galaxy in her mission to protect Genesis.
After being stuck on a spaceship for three decades, Abel finds himself following Noemi's commands. Abel is a one of a kind mech and is more human-like than any other mech in existence.
Is Abel still a mere mech, or is he more?
Will Noemi be able to save Genesis?

I love a good sci-fi and Defy the Stars was an intriguing start to the series.
Noemi was a great protagonist - determined, intelligent and selfless. I liked and felt sorry for her. I was rooting for her to find a way to help her planet.
It was interesting to read things from Abel's point of view and to see his thought processes.
It was different that there weren't any aliens, only humans and mechs.
The plot was good but I did see a few things coming.
I liked the writing style and found it easy to follow, but I wasn't gripped.

Overall this was an enjoyable read that I would recommend.

This was a different and enjoyable lite scifi with a great protagonist. Looking at the ethics surrounding created humans and faith /religion, this was a nice counterpoint to other scifi in a similar mould, adding something uniquely its own. The romance was light and sliw burn which suited the story. Good stuff.

Full review available on my blog and on Goodreads (linked below) as well as on Amazon.co.uk.

My thoughts

I wasn’t sure what to expect going into this book as I had seen mixed reviews. I love the idea of a super advanced android/cyborg-type person/mech (I don’t even know) going on a quest to help a teenage girl save her world, and overall I enjoyed the book. There were some things that bothered me, which I will get into in the cons section, and they did take away from my enjoyment a little bit. The writing is really great, though, and I especially loved the worldbuilding and how developed the science aspect is.

Pros

The worldbuilding is definitely my favourite part of this. We see five different planets over the course of the novel, each completely unique with its own history and people. The concept of Earth being degraded and destroyed and the people having to invade other planets is not that far-fetched, but it was a unique twist on the idea.

The science in this book is really well thought-out, especially the way in which the gates between planets work. I also love the idea of mech models designed for specific tasks – it’s reminiscent of other scifi books and movies I’ve enjoyed. I like how Abel works too, and how he explains his functions as they evolve and adapt.

The dialogue is fun and easy to read, which is something that I really appreciate in books that are, like this one, a little bit heavier in content. The relationships between the characters are believable and they seem human, which sometimes doesn’t happen in scifi. I especially like the side characters – they were lighthearted and it gave a nice contrast to Noemi and Abel.

Cons

The characters, including Noemi and Abel, are not fully developed and the book left me wanting more. I know there will be another book, but I feel like I should know the characters a little bit better after being with them for the entire novel.

The romance felt a little bit off – a 30+ year old mech, designed to have the same genes as an elderly man, and a sixteen-year-old girl? I could have done without it. Some of the lines about how Noemi and Abel felt about each other were a little bit repetitive and forced too, though their relationship did feel genuine and it developed steadily over time.

Some aspects of the story didn’t sit quite right with me, particularly certain parts regarding how Noemi views terrorism – as though she doesn’t agree with it but she can also see the terrorists’ side of the argument, and at times it seemed like the reader was supposed to sympathise with terrorists. No thank you.

This is so far above Divergent, which is the highest praise I can give it.
I just hope the next in the series does not lose it's way.

Noemi is risking her life to save her planet, Genesis, from their ancestors-turned-enemies, Earth. In three weeks she’ll participate in a suicide mission to damage the Gate that links the worlds and find Genesis some much-needed time. At least that’s the plan until she discovers another way to potentially save her planet, a theory that will result in a race across the galaxies adventure.

Abel is the most advanced mech ever created. Mansfield has created mechs for Earth for every scenario – healthcare, labour, war, but Abel is Mansfield’s one-of-a-kind creation.

When Abel and Noemi’s paths cross they are of course enemies, Earth vs Genesis. However, Abel’s unique programming offers Noemi the chance to utilise him – that is until she realises that he is no mere robot.

There is much to like in this novel. At times I can struggle with world-building set in space, but actually I got on pretty well with Defy The Stars. Admittedly there’s stuff I didn’t completely follow; the politics and the exact reason for the war still eludes me but that’s probably just my foggy brain. However, as a result, I didn’t feel like I cared as much as I should have.

My favourite element of the story was Abel which to be honest took me by surprise. I loved the concept of him, his interactions and the way his character developed. I enjoyed the storytelling style too – the mix of perspectives of both Noemie and Abel. I thought it worked well.

Yet, while I enjoyed this book I didn’t LOVE it. A cursory glance on Goodreads tells me I appear to be in the minority with this one though.

Will I read on in the series? Probably, depending upon the focus of book two.

I love sci-fi and anything to do with robots, so I was excited about reading this book. The cover is stunning, and the promise of an android main character and spaceships had me sold.

Unfortunately the details of the sci-fi are glossed over and dumbed down. It seems to be used as something to make this book stand out from the mass of dystopian YA books that have been released recently. I'm not convinced the author's put a lot of though into how it all works. It's just somewhere different to set the same story I've seen over and again since The Hunger Games.

Saying that though, I did enjoy the sci-fi setting. There's enough spaceships, star gates, mechs (androids and robots) and different planets to keep me happy.

I liked the characters. Abel is lovely! He's sweet and thoughtful and seems more human than a lot of YA male love interests. The way he tries to protect Noemi makes my heart melt. He almost seems too human to be an android though.

Noemi is a bit too perfect to be believable. She's intelligent, kind, compassionate, brave, athletic and willing to die for her friends. If she has any flaws they're not shown in this book! She's that YA troupe made popular in The Hunger Games of an independent, almost unfriendly young woman that doesn't think much of herself, but everyone else adores her.

The writing is very dry, I found it hard to get into. Once I'd got through the first 30% though I found I had become engrossed in the story. I lost track of time reading it, which is always a good sign!

The story is interesting, if very fast moving, and a bit too far fetched even for sci-fi. There are a few very convenient coincidences, and a lot of dramatic "just in the nick of time" escapes. I am rooting for Noemi and Abel, and I'd like to see what happens next with them.

I hadn’t read any of Claudia Gray’s books before this year, though I’d heard them recommended. I actually read Bloodline, my first Star Wars novel, back in January and really enjoyed it. I was still mourning Carrie Fisher and it was such a deft and impressive insight into Leia as a Senator and politician. It captured her spirit perfectly and cemented Claudia Gray as someone to look out for.

So when I heard about Defy the Stars, I thought I’d see what it was like.

It could have fallen into many a cliché if it had gone down the full-blown romance route, but it’s actually a deftly-handled look into the complications of a sentient AI and the romance angles are limited and I think you're meant to feel conflicted about them - I suppose for reasons that were also portrayed in the brilliant Westworld series this year.

Noemi and Abel are both strong characters on their own and are both relating to their circumstances in very different ways. Noemi is a soldier for her planet, Genesis, which is resisting an invasion by Earth and Abel is a lost mech, the most advanced android in the galaxy, stranded in the middle of nowhere – lost to his master/father figure.

Mechs are designed to be disposable, to risk their lives where humans cannot, while Naomi has to come to terms with her role as a Genesis soldier – also expendable for the ‘greater good’ and the consequences that has for her faith. The story is really about them both finding their individual sense of purpose and liberation and learning how to make their own choices. I believe it’s going to be a duology and that the worlds will be fleshed out and it’s certainly left perfectly poised.

‘Conflicts are the price of sentience […] assert your own will. It’s the first step toward being something more than a machine. Find out what you might become.’

I definitely think the U.S. cover is stronger and more accurate to the book. The U.K. one is quite misleading and looks a little like a space-erotica. Which this book is not – at all. It does it a disservice. The book is very action heavy but the strongest moments are Abel’s moments of introspection and his relationship with his creator – Burton Mansfield – Earth’s leading scientist and the designer of androids for the purposes of war. The truth about Burton is something that the reader suspects naturally (recognising those self-seeking human qualities) but there is no reason why Abel should, so it is still emotionally compelling to see him discover the truth for himself and to have his innocence shattered. So much of his character is built around his loyalty to and what certainly seems to be affection for his creator, who he really sees as his father. It is all he has ever known to want – to be reunited with Burton. But his programming has been evolving while he has been stranded, and the narrative becomes him learning that there are other things to want.

‘Burton Mansfield’s greatest sin was creating a soul and imprisoning it in a machine’

Noemi, on the other hand, is intensely passionate, committed to her faith, though also questioning it, racked with guilt over the death of her friend, and determined to save her world, no matter the cost. These two personalities clash but also inform each other and come to teach the other the qualities that it is lacking. It’s very carefully portrayed and built up throughout.

There is definitely room for the narrative to go deeper (perhaps exploring the morality around human and AI nature and interaction even further, as Westworld did) and the political situation to be explored, and hopefully these are things that will be addressed in the sequel. It was a fast-paced and engaging read, even though it didn’t break any new ground in the genre, it certainly avoided its trappings and never fell into over-sentimentality. I’m interested to see where these two characters go and hopefully it only gets more complex.

Thank you to Hot Key Books and NetGalley for a chance to read an eARC of the book.

Full review will be published tomorrow on my blog.

I am a big fan of Claudia Gray so when I was approved for Defy the Stars I was very excited. I absolutely adored her Evernight series and especially Balthazar.

This book didn’t disappoint at all either! It was very different from most of the YA out there and very different from my previous Claudia’s books but it was very enjoyable just the same.
Defy the star was absolutely epic and no matter how much of a ‘machine’ Abel is – He is totally owning my heart and I can’t wait for book two as I already miss him very much.

This story was very well written and Noemi is a very strong character – she makes mistake but don’t’ we all. I also really enjoyed how her relationship with Abel develops – It was not instant – it took time making it so much more realistic.

What I was the most nervous about was the world building as sci-fi can be hit and miss – If the word build up is not well done the story will feel flat as quite an important element will be missing. Thankfully this is not the case here as Claudia did a great job in world building and I was really engrossed in it.

In conclusion: I really enjoyed this book and will be waiting not so patiently for the sequel.
Star 4/5

To set the scene Defy the Stars is set in the future. At a time where Earth, after ruining their own planet, are now trying to take over other planets. There are a handful of habitable planets in the know galaxy and all separated by big ole metal gates in the form of loops. These loops allow people to travel from planet to planet.

The story is centered around Noemi. Noemi, an orphaned teenaged girl has volunteered to take part in a suicide mission to render the gate separating them selves on the lush planet of Genesis and Earth unusable. Therefore ending a century long conflict, the same conflict that killed her family. During a practice run of the suicide mission Noemi's best and only friend runs into trouble. Desperately trying to save her life Noemi boards an abandoned spacecraft, where she finds Abel. Abel is a one of a kind super duper, all in one mech (an Earth built robot) built for an extraordinary purpose, who has been stranded in outer space awaiting rescue for over 30 years.

I don't usually like super sci-fi spacey books but after enjoying Illuminae I figured I should explore the genre some more. However the book did have hints of speculative fiction and notes of dystopia, which are my usual auto buys. I didn't know a whole bunch about the book before I started. I am familiar with Claudia Gray's writing and thoroughly enjoyed A Thousand Pieces of You.

Anyway, I digress. With Noemi boarding the ship she now has 'authority' over Abel, and off they go to travel the universe and save Genesis.

Defy the StarsThe book is written from both Noemi and Abel perspectives. It was really refreshing to hear the same story from two different points of view. Abel being a machine, beginning to develop and trying to understand his growing feelings for Noemi was a great interesting read. All the simplist feelings that we experience everyday were broken down to a really basic level as Abel tried to grasp what was happening. But also Noemi's point of view as she begins to realise that maybe Abel isn't just any other mech.

Noemi was a great female lead character. She was selfless, adventurous, caring and brave. Ultimately everything I would love to be. For Noemi this was a daring and desperate physical journey. For Abel it was an emotional journey of discovery, from only knowing his creator and being alone in a room for 30 years with nothing but his own thoughts to sharing an adventure with someone he greatly admires and begins to care deeply for.

Soooooo apparently this is part of a series... which is amazing news!!

I loved the ending, not a major cliffhanger but I definitely do want to know where life takes them next. This book has been a real eye opener into the whole space genre for me. I am nowhere near ready to tolerate any Star Wars film yet but off I go to try to give Empress of a Thousand Sky's ago.

This better have a sequel after that ending. I'm desperate to find out what happens to these characters. I read this book in one sitting and I literally could not stop myself reading. I've felt like this before with Claudia Gray's Firebird series, so I'm not surprised I loved this so much. I actually think this book was better and I hope it will be the beginning of a really long series. This book was everything I wanted Illuminae to be (and wasn't) and is easily the best YA sci-fi I've ever read. The characters were well developed and interesting, the plot was unexpected and gripping and the complex universe Gray built was compulsively readable. Loved it!

Engaging, meaty sci-fi with interesting characters to root for & plenty of twists and turns. A really good read

This book was truly amazing, futuristic, space travel, dystopian elements, science, it was just so good, possibly the best book i've read so far this year,
Claudia Gray is such a fantastic author

Would recommend to anyone who likes YA Sci-fi, and definitely give it a read if you enjoyed illuminae and Gemina by Amie Kaufman and Jay Kristoff

3.5 stars

Noemi Vidal is a soldier for Genesis – a planet colonised by Earth. However, Genesis is rebelling against Earth and an intergalactic war has broken out. Genesis doesn’t want Earth to ruin their planet as they did their own, and many others. Abel is a machine, his programming becoming more advanced in his 30 years stranded in space. To Noemi, Abel is an abomination, and to Abel, Noemi is the enemy. However, being stranded in space, they are forced to work together and both start to question everything they’ve ever been taught about each other.

I love a good science fiction book – especially ones that feature intergalactic wars and space ships. The science fiction was written well. I loved the exploration of planets and the exploring of space. I could make a lot of comparisons to other science fiction works. For example, their ship was called the Daedalus and all I could think about was Stargate – especially because they also had a gate, which allowed for quick intergalactic travel through a worm hole, which shimmered like a puddle. But other than that, the world (galaxy?) building was actually done really well, so that is always a positive, and something definitely needed in a science fiction novel.

The plot itself was at times predictable. I called the plot twist from a mile away, which is one of the reasons it’s receiving a lower rating from me. However, that isn’t to say it isn’t a fun space adventure filled with action and science fiction, because it really is. I would have loved a bit more political intrigue. Especially in a book that features an intergalactic war, fighting over resources or the protection of their planet, so that was a bit of a let-down.

I LOVED Noemi. She’s a fearless leader and a badass soldier. She’s a space pilot/fighter, and I have a soft spot for pilots! She was smart and strategic, compassionate and kind, but could also be cold and harsh. A really great character. Abel is pragmatic and logical, which is obvious being a robot. However, most of his development comes from his developing and advanced programming. He’s becoming more self-aware. He dreams and he feels, and he wishes to, ultimately, be free which does contradict with his programming so he has that struggle going on. He was an interesting character. The romance between Noemi and Abel was a little… weird, mainly because he’s a robot and she’s a human, but it did sort of work, they actually had some good chemistry.

Overall, if you’re looking for an interesting space novel then I would definitely recommend this.

So much more than a space adventure - I can't wait to see how these characters develop!

Sci-Fi YA is my new reading sweet spot. It's only April and I've already experienced my two epic YA Sci-Fi reads. This book blew me away with its uniqueness and originality of both storyline and characters. This book is going to be truly memorable.

DEFY THE STARS centres on Noemi, a female fighter pilot (in the stars) who finds herself wrecked both emotionally and with a damaged ship. She is hurt and grieving when she happens upon an unrecognisable mech (robot inside, human outside) called Abel. The character growth of both Noemi and Abel in is book is immense, touching and emotional. These two crossed the universe and I had no idea what would happen with this story, page to page. I laughed, I definitely teared up and my heart ached. Something needs to be mentioned about Abel's creator here, this story threaded through twisted in a way I didn't see, very cleverly. A bunch of side characters brought diversity and depth to the book.

This is my first read by Claudia Gray. She had a way with words that made Sci-Fi techy-easy, she pushed tangible emotion through the pages and made me lose myself in the story. I'm excited to read more by her. More than anything, I need more after that culmination and this better be a series!

A copy of this book was provided by the publisher through netgalley, in return for a honest review.

Reviewed for Jo&IsaLoveBooks Blog.

Thrilling, made more intense by the switching between POVs, Grady does scifi very well.

Noemi is preparing for the Masada Run, a suicidal endeavor to save her planet from the enemy, Earth. During battle and attempting to save her adoptive sister Esther, she boards the deserted Daedalus, where Abel, a different kind of mech, has been stranded for 30 years.

Throwing us into the rebellion from the get go, the author succeeds in capturing our attention immediately. The situation of Me human, You Mech preludes to humorous tones in their interactions. I really enjoy situations where so called sworn enemies end up having to work together, in this case a space mission to help Genesis.

Noemi wants to hate him, she isn't very trusting to begin with, but cannot, though her reasons are not as strong as she initially believes. Her black & white view of the world changes, and she starts to accept gray.

Claudia Gray writes pain & anguish so well & conveys the severity of impossible situations, mostly through Noemi & her sense of duty. Abel conveys brutal & sometimes hilarious honesty. And an incredible insight on humanity ironically. I adore Abel's bewilderment over his developing capacity for feelings. Is it odd I picture him as a cross between Chris Pratt & Will Tudor?

The story makes you wonder, what constitutes as a soul. Does achieving consciousness mean you are alive? Doe is mean the existence of a soul?

The technical jargon is not difficult and the gates are reminiscent of beloved Stargate series. Some parts of the action sequences seem a little rushed and you do get lost. Also the reminding of how many days to the Masada run may get repetitive at times.

All in all it is a wonderful story of opposites attracting & finding they may not be as different as the they thought, but ultimately opposed to what they were taught are their fundamental truths.

Video review : https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZEeud2e8MNg