From the get-go, Light Years’ world feels immersive and its four key characters feel real, even if the plot unfolds a bit too quickly. Each of the main characters get an introductory chapter and a flashback scene that serves as their main backstory, and it would have been nice to ease that information out through conflicts and social differences, rather than give the readers what’s essentially an info-dump. Fortunately, while it’s inevitable that in a book with four leads readers won’t connect with them all, Morgan generally does a solid job of balancing the four over-arching storylines and maintaining each of the individuals’ stakes, so that their upbringings and motivations are made clear.

Due to a sudden, unexpected passing in the family a few years ago and another more recently and my subsequent (mental) health issues stemming from that, I was unable to download this book in time to review it before it was archived as I did not visit this site for several years after the bereavements. This meant I didn't read or venture onto netgalley for years as not only did it remind me of that person as they shared my passion for reading, but I also struggled to maintain interest in anything due to overwhelming depression. I was therefore unable to download this title in time and so I couldn't give a review as it wasn't successfully acquired before it was archived. The second issue that has happened with some of my other books is that I had them downloaded to one particular device and said device is now defunct, so I have no access to those books anymore, sadly.

This means I can't leave an accurate reflection of my feelings towards the book as I am unable to read it now and so I am leaving a message of explanation instead. I am now back to reading and reviewing full time as once considerable time had passed I have found that books have been helping me significantly in terms of my mindset and mental health - this was after having no interest in anything for quite a number of years after the passings. Anything requested and approved will be read and a review written and posted to Amazon (where I am a Hall of Famer & Top Reviewer), Goodreads (where I have several thousand friends and the same amount who follow my reviews) and Waterstones (or Barnes & Noble if the publisher is American based). Thank you for the opportunity and apologies for the inconvenience.

Light Years is a story about 4 characters, all from different planets, that are thrown together as a squadron at the Quatra Fleet Academy. Each cadet has their own story and reason for being there but most work as a team to achieve their goals. Enjoyed the story and the characters, but it was quite middle of the ground for me.

An excellent addition to the genre. I enjoyed this very much, especially since there arent that many great Science-Fiction, as opposed to Fantasy books within YA. Especially ones that are geared towards girls.
Kass Morgan has a wonderful way with words and descriptions that make you feel like you are right in the action.

I really enjoyed this book, a great example of sci Fi.
Full review will come on my blog in due course
Light Years was a great book, an academy in space? I’m there. It’s no secret that I love space books so I really loved this one, I just wish I had read it much earlier!

This book was really fun to read. I dont read any scifi books so it was nice that i was finally able to read a book set somewhere else. I really liked the characters in this book and how different they all were. I also like that we got to see the points of views of each of them. Even tough they were all so different it was interesting to see how they all interacted and became friends. The four central characters:

Cormak: a boy from a toxic planet called Deva, who takes his dead older brother’s place in the Quatra Fleet Academy.

Vesper: the  daughter of one of the Quatra Fleet’s elite commanders, who’s struggling to live up to her mother’s brilliance.

Arran: a ridiculously smart boy from the icy planet of Chetire. (Hes such a sweetheart! one of my favourites) 

Orelia: a girl from the planet of Loos (or so but who’s hiding a much darker secret.

Its such an easy read and perfect for fans of illuminae! 

I gave this book 4 stars!

This was a very enjoyable, easy read. The plot was fast-moving and the characters well-developed. I wish I could give a heart rating for the romance, as it was the perfect YA one. Recommended!

This is a thoroughly entertaining YA space opera.
The characters are well developed and it is a really easy read.
Would love to follow the characters further.

Its a shame this is a YA book, because the standard YA romance aside this is a great read. The multi POVs, Rich and poor, but all with the same goals and enemies.
The history of characters was interesting and I really got into the book. Im not sure who of the four main characters I like best, so Im waiting for the next book to learn more!
What I liked was the characters all felt necessary, they werent there to tick a box or become multigenre, it was a natural scenario.

I never read The 100, so this was my first experience with this author's writing, although I have seen the TV show and own the books. This was the first one I have read from this author. The cover was what drew me in first, as it wasn't a style I had seen before, then the blurb just had me DYING TO READ IT.

This was a complex story told in an easy and fast-paced narrative which kept things going and was interesting. I didn't expect anything big from Light Years and I was positively surprised. Although I was hoping that we would get a little more back story, a little more into their emotional plights as they struggled through all the action.

The way the story focused on four students was brilliantly done. They all had their own unique voice while blending together as a squad in a way that felt effortless. This story allowed you to effortlessly flit between each point of view. They all have their own secrets that they are trying to hide all while trying to prove they are better than what they were born into.

Overall, this book did not disappoint this sci-fi girl and was so much better than I thought it would be. I cannot wait for the next book!

So I adored the 100 series, so reading this was a given.

Light Years follows the lives of four different students from all over the galaxy as they attempt to navigate their way through Quatra Fleet Academy. I won't spoil the story by telling you about the four characters, but they are all different. They all have motives for being there and all are determined to succeed in their missions.

The book swings between the perspectives of the four, and i have to be honest, there were a couple of stories that I was more eager to read than others. This did mean that I had to resist the temptation of skipping a chapter or two, but I did resist.

And, even though this was  the first book in the series, there is plenty of action to keep you on your toes. And it is a boarding school book set in space. To be honest what could be better than that.

This was a great start to a series and it made me eager to read the next one.  I cannot wait to see what happens to the crew and how they get out the situations that they now find themselves in.

What a gem of a book! I thoroughly enjoyed reading this novel. I wouldn't describe it as an original tale as the romances and various story lines are slightly predictable however it's a page-turner! After a steady start introducing the many characters involved in the plot, the pace really began to pick up and then never slowed! It was action packed and suspenseful with just the right amount of sarcasm to keep me entertained. I adored all four of the main characters, I found them to be relatable and likeable. It is now an agonising wait for the sequel.

I was absolutely dying to read a Sci-Fi when I finally picked this book up and I'm so pleased that it didn't disappoint at all, all I can really say is that I wanted more! I read this so quickly I'm pretty sure I'd finished it off in 48 hours. I was hooked from the first pages, the story flowed and kept the reader engaged expertly.
I loved each of the protagonists too - each for different reasons but they were all so realistic, had unique personalities with their own strengths, flaws, and dreams. I loved that some were so open about who they were compared with who they wanted to be, others were conflicted, and others simply hid everything they possibly could about themselves. I also loved the relationships displayed between our protagonists and secondary characters, some newly formed friendships and others which had already developed but which we were discovering for the first time. Both were done superbly and provided depth to the story which combined with an exciting storyline just made for a really entertaining read.
The pace was really excellent too, the nature of the training undertaken at the centre provides another, more light-hearted, layer of excitement and action with more sinister underlying storylines taking a backseat for the majority of the story until they both seamlessly come together for the book's finale.
The writing style was perfect for the book, with the author adapting her style to each of the characters' individual natures and painting a story that flowed perfectly. Light Years has the right balance of action, adventure, and scene/character development to keep readers engaged and give a well-rounded and entertaining narrative. This is definitely helped along by the multiple-point-of-view narrative which allows a more in-depth insight into the lives of these characters as well as providing alternative perspectives.
Overall I'm awarding this book an Exceeds Expectations for an entertaining read, with well-developed characters. It can be easy for fantasy/ sci-fi books to become cheesy but this was not in the slightest, the characters complement each other well and the reader really feels invested in the book. I can't wait to see what else happens in this series, so thank you Hodder & Stoughton for providing me with a copy of this, it has been one hell of a ride!

Fun and fast paced introduction to a well crafted sci fi world. Each character is well fleshed out and clearly motivated, seeing Vesper through Cormak's eyes and vice versa really developed the characters into well rounded and relatable. Arran and Orelia's storylines were just as important and intriguing, I loved the seemingly simplicity of Arran's story as well as the complex issues that Orelia had to deal with. The Light Years left me desperate for the next instalment with lots of questions and intrigue.

I was really really forward to this book after reading the blurb. Unfortunately, in my opinion, it focused too much on the characters and not enough on the world and school itself.

I was buzzing with excitement over this space adventure, but the choppy opening failed to hold my attention for long enough to get a real sense of the book. Maybe I'll give it another shot in the near future!

Light Years is a boarding school setting in space novel, with a futuristic society living in a four-planetary system. When the Quatra Fleet Academy starts taking students in from outside Tri, for the first time since its inception, it does so to promote diversity in its student body, something that has political ramifications in and out of the Academy. Cormak and Arran come from the poorer Settler planets (essentially, the ones colonized after the capital Tri) and are out to prove themselves to the world, and to show, like many of the other Settler kids, that they are as good as the elitist Tridians. Orelia is a spy come to infiltrate the Academy, and Vesper is the daughter of the commanding officer of the Academy and has the burden of proving herself as a serious candidate and not just there because of nepotism.

The major part of the novel is about their first term in the ultra-competitive Academy, where weekly rankings of squads keep them on their toes. With the addition of Settler kids, the rivalries are intensified, along with the subtle anti-immigrant sentiment going around that shadows most interactions between the elite kids and the poor ones. The four main characters alternate in chapters, and we get to see their personal struggles as they face threats from alien forces, prejudices within and without, challenges, and doubts. Cormak has an additional secret because he is impersonating this dead brother and he does some shady stuff to hide it. Vesper is a neurotic mess, partly from bullying, and partly from having to live up to her mother’s expectations; she also has to contend with the lure of substance abuse. Orelia has the classic spy’s dilemma – she is getting close to the people she is targeting and questioning whether what she is doing is right. Arran questions the reality of his relationship with Dash, who is the son of a prominent bigoted noble.

The book does the school arc very well, and the writing and characterization is light years (ha!) ahead of her debut, The 100 (which I reread recently so it made for a good comparison!) and has a more layered plot. But it also lacks much action, expect maybe a couple of key scenes of simulated conflict, and one battle with an alien spaceship. As of this novel, there are still a lot of things not brought forward, like the nature of Tridian society (which seems monolithic at this point, with a couple of outliers), and why there are no signs of a resistant movement, and also the other big Sylvan presence. The stakes are lower than what I expected, and most of it was easygoing. It does have a hell of a cliffhanger after a nicely resolved climax, so it has that going for it, to get us excited for the next novel.

I absolutely loved ‘The 100’ series so when I saw that Kass Morgan had started a new book series based in space I knew I had to read it.
I really enjoyed Light Years, and enjoyed the flow and writing of the book. I loved that each chapter was from a different character’s perspective and how sometimes the scene would replay from their point of view.
I noticed that some other reviews mentioned that they would’ve preferred less romance but actually The 100 series had way more romance which was a bit boring after a while but Light Years had just the right amount.
Absolutely loved the cliff hanger ending and can’t wait to read the next instalment!

This is a new YA Science Fiction series, following 4 students at the Quatra Fleet Academy - an academy that has only just allowed students from planets other than the main Tridian planet. This book centres around themes of friendship, prejudice and subterfuge.
Students are split in to teams, where they man their own practice craft, and there is someone from pretty much each of the planets in their system: Cormack is from Deva, and has taken his dead brothers place, unbeknownst to the academy; Vesper is the daughter of a Tridian Commander and teacher at the academy. She is finding it difficult to live up to her mothers expectations; Arran is from Chetire, and is very intelligent, something that caused him untold trouble at home; and Orelia, who says she's from Loos, but hides a greater secret.
This is a great start to a new series, lots of diversity, excitement, and a fast read. It sets up the next book really well, with a very interesting ending - what a cliffhanger!!
Many thanks to NetGalley and Hodder and Stoughton for my copy of this book to read and honestly review.

When hearing about Light Years, I got really excited because an academy of space officers? In space? Yes, please. Moreover, I have to say that the synopsis gave me a bit of a Star Trek vibe and I love having a bit of Star Trek in my life.

This book follows Cormac, Vesper, Orelia and Arran who all starts as new students at the Quatra Fleet Academy where they will be trained to become officers. But lies, deceit, spy and war loom over them all. Indeed, Cormac is lying to everyone by impersonating his dead brother, the one that actually got into the Academy; Vesper is trying to make a name for herself rather than continuing being the shadow of her mother, Admiral Haze; Orelia is not who everyone thinks she is, she has been sent to the Academy to spy by the Specters who have for sole mission to destroy the Academy; and finally, we have Arran, a boy trying to find himself that falls in love with a boy with a complicated family.

Light Years has a really good premise with a really solid world that I absolutely loved reading about. However, I have to admit that I would have liked the story to be a bit more focused on the Academy and the whole space thing rather than on the characters and the romance between them. Indeed, this book is very character-driven which was nice but a bit odd for a sci-fi book.

Talking about the characters - I really liked them all. Our four MCs are sweet and very interesting to follow around - my favourites being Cormac and Orelia. I also really enjoyed the writing that I found to be fluid and addictive.

No matter how much I liked the world and characters, Light Years left me feeling hungry for more. Indeed, the whole book felt more like the beginning of a book rather than the first book in a series. The ending is amazing and got me very excited for the second book but looking back, I realise that not a lot happened during this first instalment.

To conclude, I can say I had a nice time reading Light Years and it looks like a very promising series but I just hope the second book will be more story-driven with more action and less romance.