Stars, Hide your Fires is marketed as a Knives Out mystery set in outer space, but the thing that got me hooked right away is that it's queer-normative! From the first page introducing the main character's friend Jax who uses they/them pronouns, to the description of gender pendants and conditional 'I's, to casual mentions of queer spouses. It's just so refreshing to see a world where queer people can thrive without it being a big deal. And I don't really understand the gendered second/fourth condition Is thing, but it's really cool :)

I also love the world building in this, from the desert minor moon Sarn to the lavish planet of Ouris. You have Sarn, dusty and poor due to their topsoil being taken, but attracting tourists nonetheless. Our main character, Cass, is from here. People from Sarn live on scrapping junk and canned food. Then there's the great royal party in Ouris, where the new emperor is to be appointed. The descriptions for all of these are so well done, it's like a whole movie in my head.

Cass, the main character, is a witty pick-pocket, whose main goal was to steal enough jewelry from party patrons to make a better living for her friends and most importantly her dad, but now has to work with the smart, reserved Amaris to prevent her from being framed as the Emperor Hyperion's murderer. It's so fun watching these two interact with each other, polar opposites but unified with a main goal: to clear Cass's name and find the real murderer. I love how the story's more focused on the mystery unravelling, rather than Cass's feelings for Amaris. The softer moments have their own place in the story, and the timing's really great! Oh, to have what Cass and Amaris has,, </3

The other characters are so likeable too! even the evil ones at first,, And I was glued to my seat (or bed) the whole time, guessing who actually did kill the emperor and flabbergasted when the twists, though predictable, hit me right in the face. It was such a fun reading experience!

The only problem I have is the lack of character description. I actually had a hard time picturing what any of the characters look like, and sometimes vague details are mentioned one or two times, and then it never resurfaced in the book -- all I remembered was Jax and Osman's tatoos, Amaris's fiery dress, and that the emperors clones looked the same. But I like that it feels like a podcast, where the character designs are open to interpretation (my hands are itching,, to draw them now).

Otherwise, if you love fast-paced action paired with the slow unravelling of a mystery with multiple twists, space-centered stories, funny moments, or just queer people in space, this book is for you!

[eARC provided by NetGalley and the publishers]

A YA Sci-Fi murder mystery, with a sprinkle of theft and an LGBTQ+ romance - there's literally something for everyone in this book. This is a really light-hearted and fun book, although there is some heavier themes the characters don't let this drag them down and is never too serious. The mix of action and mystery never lets the story get boring, it feels a bit like a whirlwind from start to finish but the world-building is incredible making you feel transported into the multitude of futuristic planets. This is for anyone who likes a fun quick mystery.

Thank you to quirk books for the opportunity to read rare and review this arc which is out July 11 2023

This is a YA SciFi murder mystery on a minor moon. Cass is a theif who’s plan is simple
1.) hitch a ride to the planet of Ouris, the heart of the empire.
2.) sneak into the imperial palace station to attend the ball
3.) rob the rich blind

But the empower is found dead and Cass must team up with a rebel because she’s been marked to take the fall.

I actually enjoyed this book. The past few ya arcs I’ve read were juvenile and I couldn’t stay in the story. This was lush with details adventure and a wee bit of romance.

Typical YA trope, poor girl must fight those in charge to get what she needs to support her family, smitten by a stranger who turns out to be royal. The best parts about this book were the royal was never a love interest, but the pretty rebel lady who tells her to run away whilst she’s stealing from the empires most rich? A true love story, if only there’d been at least a kiss. All in all, a general trope played out well, a short enjoyable read with an open ending

This was such a quick and fun space romp/heist turned murder mystery turned adventure! I'd honestly read a sequel if the author decided to write one.

Even though it deals with galactic nations at war and political intrigue, it's not too heavy and doesn't get bogged down by the themes. Even though I'm someone who prefers a more serious political sci-fi, I actually ending up liking this. It's like a breath of fresh air after reading books with dark and heavy themes.

While the villain was obvious to me from the start, and the ending was kind of rushed and strangely optimistic (my suspension of disbelief had to really crank up here), the characters are great and fun to know. We get to know Cass and her love interest really well, but I wish we could've learned more about Cass's family back on Sarn and the members of the Voyria. Maybe in a possible Book 2? 👀👀

Thank you to Quirk Books and NetGalley for this arc.

Thank you NetGalley and Quirk Books for allowing me to read a copy of the ARC in exchange for an honest review. All the views and opinions expressed are purely my own and not affiliated with any brand.

This was a fun book. If you like a murder mystery, you will like this book. It reminded me of an Agatha Christie novel or Four Dead Queens. Jessica Best creates a thrilling story full of twist and turns that keeps you guessing until the very end. If you like a thrill, you will like this book.

I loved it! I love all of Jessica Best's creations (check out her music and podcasts). I would describe this book as the cast of Les Miserables is trapped in a Hamlet retelling in space, where they're being framed for the death of King Hamlet and have to solve the murder to clear their names. It's a lot of fun. For fans of Winter's Orbit and Belle Revolte or anyone who likes mystery and politics in their SF.

4/5 stars! Well I love heist novels and I loved "Knives Out" so... I was ecstatic to read this book and it didn't disappoint. I think the mystery aspect was more prevalent than the heist angle, but I didn't mind this. And I enjoyed the LGBTQ+ representation in the story. I'm normally not super into science fiction but it worked well for the story. Cass was a total baddie! Would definitely read more by this author.

I received an advance review copy for free through NetGalley, and I am leaving this review voluntarily