This story was a fun little read - definitely very different to anything I've read before.

It focuses on Denver and how xry small town gets invaded by aliens, and how xe copes with it all, whilst making friendships along the way.

It doesn't delve too deeply into why the aliens invade, but the journey and seeing how they start to invade is pretty cool, if not a bit terrifying :)

Well. That was A RIDE. I read this as part of a book tour for @angryrobotbooks books - and really only read the bit of the blurb that mentioned UFO’s and pie, before signing up.

What it turned out to be was the story of a non binary, neurodivergent, online pie reviewer called Denver, and xir encounter with a UFO one night just outside of xir (very) small town. Photos and videos didn’t work and Denver can’t find anyone else who saw it.

Denver is isolated and is pretty sure everyone in town hates xem, and is very solitary. In the wake of strange things starting to happen, an encounter with a delightful and delicious bartender with a very nice bottom, Ezra, leads to an investigative ally and perhaps more…

I really ended up enjoying this story, Denver is an engaging character, interesting and frustrating but ultimately easy to root for. Ezra is a cuddly hero and really well defined and the supporting characters are suitably eccentric. The third quarter of the book gets WEIRD and Denver is able to figure out what is going on even though logically the explanation is probably quite way down what someone would surmise in real life.

The alien part of the storyline was pretty unique but my favourite was the last section which was almost an extended epilogue and refreshing to see a book deal with the after effects of a huge world affecting plot.

Thanks Angry Robot, I probably wouldn’t have picked this up but I’d have missed out on a bizarre, funny, twisted treat!

I was surprised by how much I enjoyed this one. Denver, an autistic, non-binary blogger best known for reviewing pies, ends up in an eldritch horror-esque alien invasion in xyr small town. Along the way, xey meet Esra, the only one to take xem seriously, and a romance develops between them as they work to save the town and world from terraforming aliens.
What I wasn't expecting but really enjoyed was the accurate portrayal of Denver's autism. The struggles with social interactions, overstimulation, and established routines AND the unique observational and reasoning skills were addressed a in realistic, compassionate way. And Esra's love and understanding became a beacon to help Denver realize others in the town respected and cared for xem, too.

I really enjoyed the writing style. It was descriptive and clever. Definitely a fun, exciting read.

I received this ARC from @netgalley and publisher @angryrobotbooks. The opinions are my own.

Key Lime Sky was released on August 13, 2024.

I featured this book in a new release video prior to publication and was very excited to read it! Honestly the description is giving Pushing Daisies and I am here for it. I love stories about wild things happening in every day atmosphere's and a wholesome narrator taking the reins. Will update when final review posts, but I'm expecting 5 stars!

I’m participating in the book tour of Key Lime Sky by Al Hess. Thanks to Angry Robot Books for including me and sending me an eARC! Key Lime Sky came out on August 13th and you can grab a copy from your favorite online bookseller!

Read this book if you like:
⁃ Sci-fi & Alien Invasion Vibes!
⁃ Found Family!
⁃ Disgruntled Pie Aficionados!
⁃ Government Conspiracies!
⁃ Small Town Settings!

Key Lime Sky was such a fun book. I started this one while in the lab and didn’t want it to end before I finished my experiments. This story is captivating and just an all around Good Time™️.

Denver was an extremely relatable character. As a fellow neurodivergent with extra anxiety, I had so much empathy for Denver and how they felt in regards to the town members. I really loved seeing them open up to people and begin to give their neighbors a chance. Seeing them realize that not all the towns people had it out for them was so emotional 🥹.

If you want a fun sci-fi book set on Earth that centers trans, nonbinary and queer people, you need to pick this one up!

Another win for Al Hess with this funny alien story that's more about the connections than about the aliens themselves. And also about pies. So many different pies. I loved how it was raw and honest. I could relate to the characters and at the same time see how some of their decisions were not ones I would've agreed on. I liked how it started, how the characters came together, how they faced the aliens, and how it ended. Written in such an easy to follow way and also pretty funny, it was such a joy. I've loved every single Al Hess book so far!

I really enjoyed aspects of this, but there was too much that was confusing, messy, heavy handed or just plain annoying for me to be able to fully enjoy the story as a whole. I liked the autism rep, but felt the story was often more about the main character being trans and autistic, and discussions around that, than the actual ongoing alien invasion. (I'm both trans and autistic)

There was a section where Denver and Ezra both end up stuck on the road together, and that moment really shined for me. The messy backseat action, pie, sheer horror of thinking they might be stuck on the road forever really worked. Unfortunately after they got off the road was when I started to get pretty confused.

The invasion itself was indeed, confusing. There were whole sections I was re-reading just to work out what was exactly happening, some of the science was vague at best and I was left with mostly thoughts of??? Jellyfish??? I also couldn't even root for the romance, Ezra's moment of jealousy gave me The Ick and I couldn't bring myself to like him after that.

I received a free copy from the publisher through Netgalley and voluntarily reviewed it.

This was the book I didn't know I needed. I spotted it on Kit's blog when they did a post about 10 queer SFF books they were looking forward to. Their description of this book caught my eye as it mentioned an autistic main character. After getting diagnosed as autistic last year I've been reading more books with autistic main characters and so I wanted to give this book a try.

Key Lime Sky follows the point of view of Denver, xe is the only one who seems to have seen the UFO who flew and exploded above the small town of Muddy Gap. Then weird things start happening and Denver is trying to figure out what's going on. Xe teams up with Ezra and eventually some other characters as well. This book has a bit of a creepy horror vibe with aliens, alien invasion and creepy stuff happening and it also has a lovely romance. I appreciated that while it could be creepy and has a bit of a horror vibe at times, it didn't get too gruesome (except for one scene toward the end). It reminded me a bit of the Tremors movies, but then with more romance.

I loved the blend between an engaging plot that kept my attention as well as these nicer slower and cozier scenes with Ezra and Denver getting to know each other and growing close. The plot was well done and I liked how it kept feeling like there was progression and they were working towards figuring it all out. I kept wanting to read more and find out what was happening. I also liked the mentions of pie and Denver's blog and how those topics were worked into the plot.

I really enjoyed this book. I read it during a time were not many books were keeping my attention, I was stressed, overwhelmed and tired and this book just was the perfect read during that time. I liked reading about Denver. The autistic representation is so well done and xe felt so relatable. And I really liked the romance with how Ezra was there for xem and how accepting he was of Denver. They hit some struggles in their relationship, but it was awesome seeing them figure it out. And it all felt very real too. They don't always know how to handle things, they make mistakes, get stuck or want to give up, Denver has meltdowns and struggles with sensory sensitivities while trying to save the town. It just felt so real and raw.

To summarize: This was the book I didn't know I needed. I might not have picked this one up if not for Kit mentioning this one their blog. This book kept my attention during a time were hardly any other books did while I was stressed and overwhelmed. I liked the plot and seeing Denver figure out what was going on. It could get a bit creepy at times, but it also has these lovely quiet romantic moments as well. I liked that blend. It also felt very real, relatable and raw. I liked reading about Denver and the autistic representation was so well done. I had a great time reading this book and I am so glad I decided to give this one a try.

I’ve read another book by the author and found myself surprised by how much I enjoyed it. I am not an adventurous reader and tend to stick to known genres, but I am glad I’ve given these books a shot.

Denver lives for Pie. Xe has trouble with the world at large, Xe’s life is not too happy and it’s only when commenting in vivid details about the perfection of pie or the absolute lack of it.

When traveling back to town Denver spots what is obviously a UFO crash landing on the town. When everyone else seems oblivious, slowly things start to get complicated. I will not go into the details but the explanation and the process to get there was quite good. There’s a scene where all the townsfolk talk about why they use the name Professor Pie, and it was actually a cute scene, especially as it follows a possible alien invasion and related chaos.


I’m not a big fan of open door scenes and there are a couple in here which can easily be skipped. The overall story is set at an interesting pace with something constantly moving forward.

I would highly recommend this to fans of science-fiction.

I received an ARC thanks to Netgalley and the publishers but the review is entirely based on my own reading experience.

This is one of my favorites of the year. The perfect blend of cozy sci-fi, adventure and a pinch of horror. Amazing MC that really stands out in my mind. I loved this one!

I was sucked in by the title and great cover artwork, and then intrigued by the description. Key Lime Sky is a quirky, fun read with plenty of heart, albeit a tad schmaltzy in parts. Cozy alien invasion is a genre I wasn't expecting, but I enjoyed it a lot.

Denver travels around creating content for his blog. He ends up using his platform to warn the world about the aliens invading... The writing is good, with vivid descriptions, sharp, funny dialogue and plenty of action.... A fun read that I'd recommend to anyone.

Despite the fun surface, the themes of isolation, queer identity and "logical" family are central to Key Lime Sky; the actual sci-fi mechanics are glossed over. It makes the novel a more emotional, character-driven read. Hardcore sci-fi fans might be somewhat disappointed.

It does generate an absolute craving for key lime pie. Not common in my neck of the woods; I've only tasted it once or twice but the day I finished reading I baked one. Yum.

My thanks to the publisher, the author and Netgalley for giving me a free copy of this book. All my reviews are 100% honest and unbiased, regardless of how I acquire the book.

#KeyLimeSky #AngryRobotBooks

This was a cozy little read with an autistic pie lover as your main character. It follows them through an alien invasion, new love, and drama.

I loved that this book had so many of my favorite things, I’m always here for pie & aliens/space horror is my weakness! I feel it started off strong with these, but felt myself craving more towards the end. There is random political pushes that felt completely out of place. If you’re reading the book, I feel there were things you were already set on or an ally of. I craved more aliens. I plan on buying this for my collection cause the cover art is 10/10!

Thank you again NetGalley for the read.

I thoroughly enjoyed this scifi romp. There's aliens, a UFO crash, a smalltown mystery that seems to be warping reality, there's some truly wonderful queer and neurodiverse rep, there's a meet-weird/cute romance, very sharp and funny dialogue AND there are lots and lots of PIES. This book is funny, but also heartfelt and full of suspense and mystery. The characters have depth, and their relationships drive the plot and hooked me just as much as the alien invasion story. A terrific read from start to finish.

While Key Lime Sky by Al Hess was a cute enjoyable read, this really wasn’t for me. If you are looking for a sci-fi alien tale, this wouldn’t be where to start. The aliens are there, but they take a backseat to the main story where Denver discovers who they are and finds love along the way.

I think it deserves a try, and it will definitely find an audience in today’s reader. Don’t count it out until you’ve read it.

I would like to thank NetGalley and Angry Robot for the advanced reader copy!

*I received an ARC via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review. Thanks for the free book.*

I really enjoyed this somewhat weird alien invasion book with a queer, autistic main protagonist. While the world building felt a bit off at times and the romance felt rushed, I really loved out protagonist and their obsession with pies. Having never been to the United States, I have absolutely no idea about pies (I just know UK pies and pasties and pastries), but I liked how happy pies made our protagonist.

A weird but fun read!

4 stars

As I was reading the book, I kept asking myself how Al (the author) must really have a mind of telling stories that can put a bandage over wounds. What I mean is that this a new story for me as someone who might not be exactly the same/go through the same things like Denver (MC). Al’s story gave a good patch work on my reality as a trans-man. I admit it took me longer than I had wanted to read this book but it wasn’t due to anything lacking. It was due that maybe my mind needed to understand what was going on. I’ve read reviews where it was easy to pick up but for me, I felt like I had to go back to what I read before to understand where I was in the story. I guess if you’re a person who reads and picks up on things easily this will be a nice read. Even with my struggles I did love the story and enjoy Al as a great storyteller.

Key Lime Sky by Al Hess is a delightful blend of cozy sci-fi and heartwarming character drama. The story follows Denver, a nonbinary, autistic pie blogger, who witnesses a UFO explosion in the small town of Muddy Gap. As the townspeople begin acting strangely and even disappearing, Denver teams up with Ezra, a new arrival, to unravel the mystery. While the sci-fi premise is intriguing, the heart of the novel lies in Denver’s journey of finding acceptance and connection in a town that often feels isolating. The authentic portrayal of autism and the evolving relationships with Ezra and other townsfolk make for a deeply emotional and relatable read.

Hess keeps the focus on the characters rather than delving too deeply into the sci-fi mechanics, creating a story that feels intimate and emotionally resonant. The themes of found family, queer identity, and self-acceptance shine through, making Key Lime Sky more than just a sci-fi adventure. Denver’s experiences of alienation and eventual belonging are beautifully captured, and the book offers a hopeful message about the power of community and love. It’s a charming, unique read that balances humor, heart, and a dash of extraterrestrial intrigue.

4/5

I had such a fun time reading this book! Our main character Denver—a nonbinary, autistic pie blogger—witnesses a UFO explode over xyr small town, Muddy Gap. No one will acknowledge what Denver has witnessed, everyone ignores xem when xe speaks of aliens, but the people of Muddy Gap start acting stranger and stranger and then start disappearing altogether! Alongside Ezra, a new arrival to their town, Denver sets out to discover the truth. And the ad revenue from xyr blog isn't half bad when xe starts to post about xyr extra-terrestrial findings.

This was such a comforting, heartwarming story about autistic alienation, found family and community. It simultaneously critiqued the rumour mill of small town gossips and the judgement that comes from knowing every little thing about everybody, yet also showed the undercurrent of love and community that persists in these small towns that only grows stronger when put through hardships.
It was a bleeding heart of a journey for Denver as we got to witness all xyr struggles to connect with the people of Muddy Gap. We saw how painfully xe was often treated, yet we also saw people rally around xem. We were eventually able to perceive just how much love Denver had in xyr small town after all.

I, above everything else, loved the autistic representation. I thought it was done with great care and was instantly recognisable as authentic, Own Voices storytelling. I love finding more and more SFF books with autistic main characters and I particularly loved finding it in this cosy sci-fi.

I loved unravelling the sci-fi mystery of Muddy Gap, although I will say if you are a hard sci-fi lover who wants answers to all your sci-fi questions, this is not that kind of book. This is a very cosy take on an alien invasion that is much more focused on the characters than on the intricacies of the how and the why. And it is the characters that make this story so brilliant.
Denver was a great protagonist, I loved so much about xem and felt such compassion for all the risks xe took and care xe held for others. There was quite a bit of ableism hurled at xem in many different ways, but it was never there for shock value, but instead to critique and criticise the ignorance and sometimes cruelty of other characters. I thought it was done very well and I loved how kind most of the supporting characters proved themselves to be in these situations.
Ezra was a great character too, he was unfailingly kind to Denver and I really loved how their relationship blossomed. He was a breath of fresh air in a stifling small town and I loved all that we were able to learn about him. Trevor and Taisha only became true supporting characters later on, but I really enjoyed what they added to the story as well.

Ultimately, the town of Muddy Gap had a lot more heart to it than we first got to experience and I loved this sense of growth, both for the citizens of Muddy Gap and for Denver xyrself. I loved that Denver found more support, love, kindness and community than xe ever expected to find as the perpetual outcast. It was forever hopeful, even when it seemed like there was nothing left. I thoroughly enjoyed my time in Muddy Gap, learning that there is more love in the world than hate. Hoping so, at least.

Thank you Netgalley and Angry Robot for an e-arc in exchange for an honest review.

Angry Robot always has some of my favorite quirky stories, and I’ve been excited to read Al Hess for a while.

When a UFO explosion happens over a tiny town called Muddy Gap and only one person is around to see it, does it make a sound? This fun alien invasion book feels like a modern day Twilight Zone starring your favorite pretty boy from a streaming service whose name is not as memorable as their charm.

I really enjoyed the representation in this book both subtly and unsubtly. It’s fun, tender, and cozy while dealing with the very real people that exist in this world we often shy away from talking about. And enjoyable read, with an equally fabulous cover!

So yeah, this was weird.

I really enjoyed the whole figuring out the alien invasion part, and appreciated that it was through the lens of someone being brilliant and facing an extremely stressful situation while being autistic in a very ableist environment.

I had a few issues with the pacing, and some repetition, but otherwise it was a fun weird time.

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for an e-copy.