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No Shelter But the Stars
Virginia Black's No Shelter But The Stars is the space opera you've been waiting for―packed with warring worlds, romantic adventure, and larger-than-life characters. Kyran Loyal is the last heir to the lost throne of a forgotten planet, the figurehead of a nomadic people fleeing the galactic tyranny of a brutal regime. Davia Sifane is the unrecognized daughter of an imperial despot. When happenstance pits them against each other in battle, neither expects the they are the only two people to survive. Marooned on a barren moon, their only hope of survival is to rely on each other, but what they learn will either kill them or change the galaxy forever.
305 pages, Paperback
First published January 23, 2024
108 people are currently reading
3465 people want to read
About the author
Virginia Black
4 books134 followersVIRGINIA BLACK (she/her) is the author of NO SHELTER BUT THE STARS (sci-fi romance, 2024) and CONSECRATED GROUND (paranormal romance, 2023) -- both from Bywater Books -- as well as several short stories and works of fan fiction. She enjoys strong whiskey, loud music, and writing about angsty protagonists, though not necessarily in that order. When not penning dark speculative sapphic fiction, she is almost always reading or lurking on RPG sites. She lives in the Pacific Northwest with her wife of 21 years (and counting) and their savagely witty teenage daughter. Learn more at virginiablackwrites.com.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 229 reviews
September 10, 2024
➥ 5+ Stars *:･ﾟ✧
There is no way I could possibly articulate how excellent this book is, but I'd like to try. I picked this up on a whim after Lee Winter recommended it in her newsletter (I 💘 newsletters). I truly could not get enough of No Shelter But the Stars.
This...was phenomenal. I'm not surprised that Winter liked it, because Virginia Black also writes with incredible flair and exactitude. She effortlessly hones in on small body language descriptors and her atmosphere is impeccable. The dialogue is also no exception.
Sometimes, in sci-fi fantasy with strong romantic plotlines, the gravity, stakes, and solemnity of the circumstance are neglected. That was not the case for the book.
Davia (h) is the daughter of a leader of an empire. An empire that intends to mercilessly expand. Kyran (h) is the heir to a planet that the empire wants for itself. During a battle in space, both their ships happen to crash on a deserted island.
These women, hate each other fundamentally. This is not emphasised via cringey cliche repetitions of "I hate you", the way many enemies-to-lovers do.
These women realise, through learning each others vulnerabilities and strengths, that they need each other, for the time being. Until they are rescued.
There is a language barrier between them, but it doesn't detract from their romance.
Both women are mature, serious and capable, and their dialogue is written accordingly.
They hold so much resentment and hostility for each other, and slowly but surely, Davia and Kyran begin to realise how alike their values actually are. They grow more familiar, more comfortable with each other. The domesticity that develops is perfection.
The romance here, was delectable. I cannot comprehend how insanely underrated Virginia Black is as an author, and I cannot wait to devour the crumbs of her backlist.
Ironically, I seem to have failed to mention how hot this book is. 🚨 ALERT 🚨: Davia and Kyran are dangerously fine, and the tension Black was able to craft between them was nothing short of excellent.
It's so difficult to put into words how tasteful and coherent No Shelter But the Stars. Even the title is a work of art, and fits perfectly with the story.
The ending was perfectly satisfying. There are many authors I enjoy, but few have the knack and talent that I saw shown here by Virginia Black.
Lee Winter and Virginia Black have similarly remarkable writing styles. If you're a fan of Winters, you'll love this one. If you aren't, you'll still love it. If you don't love it, you don't exist to me.
Although I'm desperate to get my hands on Consecrated Ground , I'm not so huge on paranormal, and I know deep down that nothing will ever top this. Black made me truly fall in love with the sci-fi genre.
I'm usually one to gush over quotes in my reviews, but these are too sacred to be spoiling here. They're better enjoyed while reading the book in its entirety.
This book will live permanently at the forefront of my mind. If anyone were to ask my favourite book of all time, this would be the first contender.
Kyran stretches out a hand to help her up.
They both take their positions for the next engagement (combat), and Davia nods her head at the achievement.
"Do it again," she says, "and I'll cook dinner."
━━━━━━━━━━━ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━
There is no way I could possibly articulate how excellent this book is, but I'd like to try. I picked this up on a whim after Lee Winter recommended it in her newsletter (I 💘 newsletters). I truly could not get enough of No Shelter But the Stars.
This...was phenomenal. I'm not surprised that Winter liked it, because Virginia Black also writes with incredible flair and exactitude. She effortlessly hones in on small body language descriptors and her atmosphere is impeccable. The dialogue is also no exception.
Sometimes, in sci-fi fantasy with strong romantic plotlines, the gravity, stakes, and solemnity of the circumstance are neglected. That was not the case for the book.
Davia (h) is the daughter of a leader of an empire. An empire that intends to mercilessly expand. Kyran (h) is the heir to a planet that the empire wants for itself. During a battle in space, both their ships happen to crash on a deserted island.
These women, hate each other fundamentally. This is not emphasised via cringey cliche repetitions of "I hate you", the way many enemies-to-lovers do.
These women realise, through learning each others vulnerabilities and strengths, that they need each other, for the time being. Until they are rescued.
There is a language barrier between them, but it doesn't detract from their romance.
Both women are mature, serious and capable, and their dialogue is written accordingly.
They hold so much resentment and hostility for each other, and slowly but surely, Davia and Kyran begin to realise how alike their values actually are. They grow more familiar, more comfortable with each other. The domesticity that develops is perfection.
“You have left me with little else to do besides stare at sand.”
“You could go hunting with me today.”
If she is joking, Davia cannot tell. Davia also cannot muster a response, since her accompanying Kyran would require her assistance, defeating the purpose of Kyran going on a hunt.
Kyran arches an eyebrow in assessment. “I could use you as bait.”
The romance here, was delectable. I cannot comprehend how insanely underrated Virginia Black is as an author, and I cannot wait to devour the crumbs of her backlist.
Ironically, I seem to have failed to mention how hot this book is. 🚨 ALERT 🚨: Davia and Kyran are dangerously fine, and the tension Black was able to craft between them was nothing short of excellent.
It's so difficult to put into words how tasteful and coherent No Shelter But the Stars. Even the title is a work of art, and fits perfectly with the story.
The ending was perfectly satisfying. There are many authors I enjoy, but few have the knack and talent that I saw shown here by Virginia Black.
Lee Winter and Virginia Black have similarly remarkable writing styles. If you're a fan of Winters, you'll love this one. If you aren't, you'll still love it. If you don't love it, you don't exist to me.
Although I'm desperate to get my hands on Consecrated Ground , I'm not so huge on paranormal, and I know deep down that nothing will ever top this. Black made me truly fall in love with the sci-fi genre.
I'm usually one to gush over quotes in my reviews, but these are too sacred to be spoiling here. They're better enjoyed while reading the book in its entirety.
This book will live permanently at the forefront of my mind. If anyone were to ask my favourite book of all time, this would be the first contender.
━━━━━━━━━━━ ☆ ━━━━━━━━━━━
February 2, 2024
I spent most of 2023 recommending Virginia Black’s debut novel, Consecrated Ground, and was extremely impatient to read her next book. Even more so when I found out it was set in space. And then I saw this magnificent cover—by Ann McMan—which did nothing to quell my excitement.
Second books are tricky because expectations have replaced the element of surprise, that delicious feeling of being taken aback by how good a book is. Since I had loved Black’s first novel so much, I expected a lot from this one. And she delivered.
I already mentioned the cover, I also want to take a second to acknowledge the beauty of the title. The meaning is revealed over the course of the book and it only adds to the poetry of the words.
On to the story now. I won’t get into details, how each is unveiled to the reader and made known to the characters is fundamental to the story and I won’t spoil. All I’ll say is that two women from warring nations—one, Kyran, the reluctant heir to the leadership of a people looking for a planet to settle back on; the other, Davia, a representative of the empire colonising the galaxy—end up stranded on an asteroid, the sole survivors of a lightning-fast battle that changes not only their own lives but the fate of their worlds.
Beyond the enemies to lovers romance, No Shelter but the Stars questions the difference between resistance and terrorism, the difficult and, at times, wrenching journey of letting go of what one has always known to be true. Both women are sincere in their beliefs, based on what they know, and both appear unreasonable to the other. In other circumstances, they might not have been able to see beyond the surface, the anger, the antagonism. The remarkable situation they’re in forces them to listen to each other. Once they’ve found a common language, that is.
Black begins her tale in a limited, closed-off setting (what we’d call in French a huis clos, even though a big part of it takes place outside) then expands it, from the inside out, first with Kyran’s explorations of the moon, then more widely into the galaxy. There are parallels between this journey and that of discovering the other, understanding one another.
Every detail of how the characters move forward is fascinating. Kyran learning Sifani but not wanting to teach Davia Ellodian. Davia sharing her philosophy, her way of life. The progressive understanding of who she is, how she is, not only her social status but her inner self. The use of the ritual circle, first as a physical place then as a state of mind.
No Shelter but the Stars is the kind of book that reveals more and more with each reread. I rarely find the time to get back to books I’ve already read, but audiobooks give me the perfect excuse. Fingers crossed this one will make it to my ears. 4.5⭐️
I received a copy from the publisher and I am voluntarily leaving a review.
Read all my reviews on my blog (and please buy from the affiliation links!): Jude in the Stars
January 14, 2024
WOW - this was a fantastic read - a sci-fi enemies to lovers space opera/romance comparable in quality to Roslyn Sinclair’s The Lily and the Crown. Yes, I went there and yes - it’s that good.
When they find themselves the only survivors on a remote moon after an unexpected battle between warring factions, Kyran Loyal and Davia Sifane are forced to work together to stay alive - if they don’t kill each other first. As days turn to weeks and then months, both learn not only unexpected things about one another, but also what is really happening to the oppressed people of the galaxy under Davia’s family’s cruel regime. Will their fateful meeting bring about change in the galaxy and to the embedded hatred between their cultures, or is there too much pain and bloodshed on both sides for that to be a consideration?
I loved everything about this book! Kyran and Davia are strong, admirable characters. The story is perfectly paced and exciting. The romance aspect has just the right amount of spice and pining. It has a lovely spiritual aspect to it. And the conclusion is both believable and satisfying.
I was a big fan of Virginia Black’s novel Consecrated Ground and am even more excited about this one! Give it a read. I fully expect this one to make quite a splash!
I received an ARC from Bywater Books in exchange for an honest review.
When they find themselves the only survivors on a remote moon after an unexpected battle between warring factions, Kyran Loyal and Davia Sifane are forced to work together to stay alive - if they don’t kill each other first. As days turn to weeks and then months, both learn not only unexpected things about one another, but also what is really happening to the oppressed people of the galaxy under Davia’s family’s cruel regime. Will their fateful meeting bring about change in the galaxy and to the embedded hatred between their cultures, or is there too much pain and bloodshed on both sides for that to be a consideration?
I loved everything about this book! Kyran and Davia are strong, admirable characters. The story is perfectly paced and exciting. The romance aspect has just the right amount of spice and pining. It has a lovely spiritual aspect to it. And the conclusion is both believable and satisfying.
I was a big fan of Virginia Black’s novel Consecrated Ground and am even more excited about this one! Give it a read. I fully expect this one to make quite a splash!
I received an ARC from Bywater Books in exchange for an honest review.
March 22, 2025
Two royals from warring empires end up stranded together on a deserted rock of a planet.
The book is a page turner with smooth writing, action, and gross alien creatures. It’s also a poetic telling of how two brainy warriors, Kyran and Davia, evolve into better versions of themselves. The author gives both pov’s but the second one is delayed which works to break open the story at the perfect moment, adding an inevitability and making the love story hit harder. But the scenes that stay with me focus on Kyrian and Davia attempting to communicate, neither knowing the other’s language. How they each react to the language question is very telling and it really took my attention. Just one of many thought provoking points in the book.
Read this one if you like SciFi, interstellar politics, survival stories, clashes, sapphic enemies to lovers heat, and wonderful writing. Thank you, Jude, for recommending this book to me because I loved it.
The book is a page turner with smooth writing, action, and gross alien creatures. It’s also a poetic telling of how two brainy warriors, Kyran and Davia, evolve into better versions of themselves. The author gives both pov’s but the second one is delayed which works to break open the story at the perfect moment, adding an inevitability and making the love story hit harder. But the scenes that stay with me focus on Kyrian and Davia attempting to communicate, neither knowing the other’s language. How they each react to the language question is very telling and it really took my attention. Just one of many thought provoking points in the book.
Read this one if you like SciFi, interstellar politics, survival stories, clashes, sapphic enemies to lovers heat, and wonderful writing. Thank you, Jude, for recommending this book to me because I loved it.
March 22, 2025
Think Romeo & Juliet meets The Martian meets Battlestar Galactica.
Sci-fi isn’t usually my go-to genre, but I was hooked! The world-building is phenomenal, and the fact that two-thirds of the story takes place in one location with just two characters speaks volumes about the strength of the writing. Davia and Kyran started as intriguing protagonists, but by the end, I really liked them and wanted them to get their HEA. Their love story unfolds at just the right pace, making it feel natural and earned. Whether you’re a sci-fi fan or not, this one is worth the read!
Sci-fi isn’t usually my go-to genre, but I was hooked! The world-building is phenomenal, and the fact that two-thirds of the story takes place in one location with just two characters speaks volumes about the strength of the writing. Davia and Kyran started as intriguing protagonists, but by the end, I really liked them and wanted them to get their HEA. Their love story unfolds at just the right pace, making it feel natural and earned. Whether you’re a sci-fi fan or not, this one is worth the read!
February 10, 2025
two enemy women stranded on a desolate moon, forced to work together for survival and eventually falling in love - sounds like the most perfect premise ever for me. and i really liked their relationship for the most part.
unfortunately though, this book had too much of my biggest pet peeve for me to fully enjoy it: namely, an extremely simplistic, flimsy portrayal of colonialism and imperialism (mostly boiling it all down to some evil actions committed against some planets by some evil rulers). plus, a condemnation of violent rebellion (even the justified kind) from both the protagonists and the narrative. i understand that the focus of this book is clearly on the brewing romantic relationship between kyran and davia but the implications of the overarching plot were major factors in their relationship, and given that the last third of the book is dedicated entirely to the plot, i couldn't ignore it.
i hated how kyran and davia only argued ONCE about the fact that kyran is from the marginalized, displaced people violently oppressed by the imperialist family davia belongs to, an argument that led to them having sex for the first time, and then they literally never talk about it again. in general, difficult conversations in this book are only touched upon but never allowed to play out, so all the relationships felt a bit superficial to me. the resolution to the plot was also disappointing - i would've liked at least an acknowledgement from the narrative that simply replacing the "bad" ruler with a "good" one is not the solution to a colonizing empire.
anyway, my review is clearly an outlier among all the other reviews for this book, and if the above points don't bother you, i'd easily recommend this as a good lesbian enemies-to-lovers space opera.
unfortunately though, this book had too much of my biggest pet peeve for me to fully enjoy it: namely, an extremely simplistic, flimsy portrayal of colonialism and imperialism (mostly boiling it all down to some evil actions committed against some planets by some evil rulers). plus, a condemnation of violent rebellion (even the justified kind) from both the protagonists and the narrative. i understand that the focus of this book is clearly on the brewing romantic relationship between kyran and davia but the implications of the overarching plot were major factors in their relationship, and given that the last third of the book is dedicated entirely to the plot, i couldn't ignore it.
i hated how kyran and davia only argued ONCE about the fact that kyran is from the marginalized, displaced people violently oppressed by the imperialist family davia belongs to, an argument that led to them having sex for the first time, and then they literally never talk about it again. in general, difficult conversations in this book are only touched upon but never allowed to play out, so all the relationships felt a bit superficial to me. the resolution to the plot was also disappointing - i would've liked at least an acknowledgement from the narrative that simply replacing the "bad" ruler with a "good" one is not the solution to a colonizing empire.
anyway, my review is clearly an outlier among all the other reviews for this book, and if the above points don't bother you, i'd easily recommend this as a good lesbian enemies-to-lovers space opera.
February 25, 2024
4.5 ⭐️ As others have commented this one was very good. My favorite part was the beginning when Kyran and Davia are stranded on the moon. I liked the survivalist storyline. Both MCs were very likable. The romance was deep and meaningful. And the martial arts aspect added to each character development.
March 15, 2025
✔Sapphic Book Bingo Challenge 2024 🌈✨: Hidden Gems Board - Sapphics in Space
5 stars. I would love for this to become a movie or mini series or something! This needs to be on the screen it's that good. This was my first book by Virginia Black but it will definitely not be my last. The writing is fantastic and so scenic and atmospheric. The descriptions were so vivid and I had no trouble envisioning everything.
This is an enemies to lovers sci-fi romance and it was a wild ride. I loved both characters a lot. Kyran and Davia are such headstrong and badass characters. I loved the hostility between them at the beginning and then watching them come to care and love one another. They had amazing chemistry and their romance had me swooning. The politics in this were great as well and the plot kept me intrigued throughout. I honestly have no complaints about this book. Everything worked for me and I would highly recommend it.
5 stars. I would love for this to become a movie or mini series or something! This needs to be on the screen it's that good. This was my first book by Virginia Black but it will definitely not be my last. The writing is fantastic and so scenic and atmospheric. The descriptions were so vivid and I had no trouble envisioning everything.
This is an enemies to lovers sci-fi romance and it was a wild ride. I loved both characters a lot. Kyran and Davia are such headstrong and badass characters. I loved the hostility between them at the beginning and then watching them come to care and love one another. They had amazing chemistry and their romance had me swooning. The politics in this were great as well and the plot kept me intrigued throughout. I honestly have no complaints about this book. Everything worked for me and I would highly recommend it.
January 28, 2025
Oh to be on a far-flung moon with my beloved!
No Shelter But The Stars is one of the most profoundly beautiful books I've ever had the honour of reading. Virginia Black is an incredible writer, and this book means so much to me. It came to me at the perfect time and was exactly what my heart needed.
No Shelter But The Stars is one of the most profoundly beautiful books I've ever had the honour of reading. Virginia Black is an incredible writer, and this book means so much to me. It came to me at the perfect time and was exactly what my heart needed.
February 3, 2024
Excellent read!
This is a well crafted Sci-Fi story with two really great and strong main characters. I had high expectation of this book given that I enjoyed the author's previous book and I'm glad to report that this book does not disappoint. It's a slow burn romance, but well worth the wait, which also makes it more believable, and even when they are apart you can feel their love and heartbreak for them. The ending is also satisfying. All in all, I highly recommend the book! 4.5 Stars
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
June 21, 2024
Back to the realm of reading out of my comfort zone. In this case, it’s a science fiction novel. And, look, even I noticed all the rave reviews on this novel, but I was still not compelled to read this. And this is exactly why I like reading challenges—because I would have ignored the opinions of people I can usually trust to steer me to a good book (or to avoid a bad one) because this is a genre I tend to avoid. But it also happens to be a sapphic romance, so there’s always hope there will be something I like, right?
No Shelter But the Stars is an enemies-to-lovers romance where the daughter of the king of the colonial power is stranded on a deserted planet with the last remaining royal heir to a displaced and oppressed minority group within the realm. Neither are aware who they’re stranded with—only that they are irreconcilable enemies—but they are dependent on the other for survival. Underlying their fight for survival is the knowledge that who they are in relation to each other, unbeknownst to them, also has philosophical and political ramifications. That’s at least an interesting premise, I’ll give Virginia Black that.
One of the reasons I don’t like speculative fiction—in all its various forms—is the time it often takes to understand the world in which the narrative is set. This is also usually accompanied by strange words and names for things, which I simply don’t have the patience for. And I struggled really getting into the novel for this exact reason. I just want to get to the story and, for reasons of context, that just can’t happen right away. Or it does, but the story is also mired in this world building. I think I got halfway through and wondered what all the hype was about. I mean, it’s well written, sure, but it was incredibly dull for me.
But somewhere around the 60% mark, the story began to click with me. And I’m so glad I stuck around for the rest of the novel. Because now I understand the hype. I will admit that that last third was still very hard for me to read, but this had more to do with the tension/angst Black was able to evoke, which made me dread turning the page to see what potential heartbreak awaited the protagonists.
I may have to reread this. And maybe I will consider reading Black’s other book (or any future books)? Who knows. Speculative fiction is still a major obstacle for me.
No Shelter But the Stars is an enemies-to-lovers romance where the daughter of the king of the colonial power is stranded on a deserted planet with the last remaining royal heir to a displaced and oppressed minority group within the realm. Neither are aware who they’re stranded with—only that they are irreconcilable enemies—but they are dependent on the other for survival. Underlying their fight for survival is the knowledge that who they are in relation to each other, unbeknownst to them, also has philosophical and political ramifications. That’s at least an interesting premise, I’ll give Virginia Black that.
One of the reasons I don’t like speculative fiction—in all its various forms—is the time it often takes to understand the world in which the narrative is set. This is also usually accompanied by strange words and names for things, which I simply don’t have the patience for. And I struggled really getting into the novel for this exact reason. I just want to get to the story and, for reasons of context, that just can’t happen right away. Or it does, but the story is also mired in this world building. I think I got halfway through and wondered what all the hype was about. I mean, it’s well written, sure, but it was incredibly dull for me.
But somewhere around the 60% mark, the story began to click with me. And I’m so glad I stuck around for the rest of the novel. Because now I understand the hype. I will admit that that last third was still very hard for me to read, but this had more to do with the tension/angst Black was able to evoke, which made me dread turning the page to see what potential heartbreak awaited the protagonists.
I may have to reread this. And maybe I will consider reading Black’s other book (or any future books)? Who knows. Speculative fiction is still a major obstacle for me.
February 1, 2024
Despite having Consecrated Ground on my tbr for ages, this is the first book by Virginia Black that I’ve read. Overall, I enjoyed it! I’ve been on kind of a scifi kick lately, and this was a different one. The majority of this one takes place with these two MCs stranded and trying to survive together on a desolate barren planet with no one else. Because of that, the middle is a little slow but I think it picked up right at the moment i was staring to want it to. I enjoyed both MCs, but I didn’t fully connect with them in the way I get attached to some characters. I’m not sure what it was, but (for me) there was a little distance there. On true enjoyment levels, this is probably a 3.5 read, but I liked a lot of it and def see the potential of Virginia Black as a writer, so her other book is bumping higher up the tbr, and I think I’ll keep a lookout for her works in the future. Bywater Books has so far been solid reads for me, which is awesome.
March 21, 2024
Really good romantic sci-fi story.
April 22, 2024
5 Stars!
When I first heard about this book I honestly did not know how a story could unfold on a moon surface. Like, howww???
But WOW! Sci-fi in its finest. This was…. I can’t even. It’s amazing, fantastic, thrilling. The author’s superpower allows the reader to be transported to whatever world they have constructed. It was easy to slip in a desolate place, fight off hard shelled creatures, survive nature and every other hoop this book has in store. Just…..do your brain a favour and read this. It’s worth the $$.
When I first heard about this book I honestly did not know how a story could unfold on a moon surface. Like, howww???
But WOW! Sci-fi in its finest. This was…. I can’t even. It’s amazing, fantastic, thrilling. The author’s superpower allows the reader to be transported to whatever world they have constructed. It was easy to slip in a desolate place, fight off hard shelled creatures, survive nature and every other hoop this book has in store. Just…..do your brain a favour and read this. It’s worth the $$.
June 26, 2024
Overall, I would love to read more stories like this. As in "more sci fi, more enemies to lovers, more survival". But the ending and world building just made this a 2 for me if I am being honest and generous. Mind you, I rate books by personal enjoyment.
First of all, I liked both main characters. Two strong, flawed, and intelligent women I would have loved to know even more about. Both grew on me quite a bit, and it's easy to root for both of them. While this story plays with some "enemies to lovers" tropes, both characters are likeable almost from the get-go and very vulnerable as well as tough in their own right.
This is mainly a romance story and measuring it by that standard alone, it's good in my opinion. Those two deserve to grow old together and everything.
The survival aspect was also well written. I was missing some elements like at least trying to do some kind of cultivating the tubers they found. Or a more extensive description of the local fauna. But overall, it nailed the feeling of such a dire situation and struggle for life. I enjoyed the first and second act very much because of this. Such a tense atmosphere.
But sadly, especially the third act just didn't work for me.
The overall world and lore building fell flat to me, it just felt very generic and didn't catch my interest. I don't think more information would have made this better because even though I had questions, they weren't as intense as my indifference towards the lore that we got.
There are so many tropes that just feel tired and generic. Not that tropes are bad but none of this felt unique. The evil step mother queen, the sweet but misguided brother prince, the star wars-esqueness of everything.. Nothing felt fresh. I have read some very unique sci fi recently, most of it with lesbian characters. So this book stands out as the most generic and shallow one regarding world building and lore.
For the scale all of the world building had, everything felt tiny. This is an empire spanning over an entire galaxy. But we only know three factions, only one single villainous figure, just three allies by name and a few names of planets that could as well be bus stops on a cross country ride. This could as well be a very small medieval kingdom and nothing would change. A small medieval kingdom would probably even be more complex.
This all comes crashing down in act 3 when the flimsy established lore gets even more flimsy. A powerful, several star systems encompassing brutal empire gets taken down by.. one woman in just a few months??
Listen guys, if you are oppressed, tortured, violently ripped away from your homes, enslaved etc. Just find one or two nice oppressors and tell them that things are really very bad. They will listen and then get rid of the one single person that completely makes or breaks the empire. Solving all issues that held back independence and freedom completely. It's really very easy.
Even ignoring how insulting this over simplification is, it's also just plain boring! Politics, empires and power structures are already so complex in a single country on our good old earth. There are endless interesting implications and possibilities with an entire galaxy being under the rule of an empire! I know this isn't dune or something and I know I should shut up and enjoy the romance (which I did). But some of these plot points were just a tad bit too ridiculous and simplified for me. The ending really took the cake and made me contemplate to DNF a book at 90%. I cringed my way through "very serious political negotiations" to get to a point where my two lovebirds would get to kiss again. But if it weren't for the romance, I definitely wouldn't have finished reading this.
And despite being very invested in the two womens love story, I read it with one eyebrow raised. Because I can't take that much "leader in waiting of an oppressed demographic of people (Kyran) takes on rituals, language and habits of her oppressors imperium which make her grow into a leader for her own people" without my eyebrow muscle twitching involuntarily. Kyran seemed so interesting at first but she doesn't seem like a full, deep character anymore after some time. Especially contrasted against Davias rich past, inner turmoil and connections. I thought that at any moment, Kyran would make something about Davias teachings her own. Alter them, put them in context of her own culture (whatever that is. We never learn anything about her culture except for the fact that it is oppressed), teach Daria something in return or just have some serious gripes with the whole thing at least once. But no.
The moral dilemma of their love is expressed by both women only very surface level. It's mentioned a lot but there is never a true deep dive into it. It leaves a lot of untapped drama potential. There are so many potentially interesting discussions, fights and revelations here.
The moment some actually daring, justified questions and accusations are raised, the two women have sex and never talk about these things again. Yes I know it's supposed to be sexy and enemies to lovers and all that but it really didn't work for me in that instance. "Enemies to lovers" is cute and I like it. But I am not sure how well it works when there are some heavy real life themes like imperialism, forced displacement and xenophobia on the table and never addressed in any serious manner.
All of this serious stuff aside, the third act also just took me out of the story because the tone switch didn't work for me personally.
As I said, the ending was just ridiculous. Act 3 felt like a very different book. Way less heartfelt, interesting and gripping than the rest of an otherwise solid story that I liked in part.
I can't rate this lower because I enjoyed some of it (especially the first two acts!) but I can't rate it higher either because that ending will keep me up at night and not in a good way. And I have read so much amazing female lead, female centric and lesbian sci fi the past year that this just pales in comparison. But it still has a very firm place in my beloved lesbian fiction shelf. I would still recommend it and advise people to take it as the space opera that it is and not expect so much more from it (as I possibly did).
First of all, I liked both main characters. Two strong, flawed, and intelligent women I would have loved to know even more about. Both grew on me quite a bit, and it's easy to root for both of them. While this story plays with some "enemies to lovers" tropes, both characters are likeable almost from the get-go and very vulnerable as well as tough in their own right.
This is mainly a romance story and measuring it by that standard alone, it's good in my opinion. Those two deserve to grow old together and everything.
The survival aspect was also well written. I was missing some elements like at least trying to do some kind of cultivating the tubers they found. Or a more extensive description of the local fauna. But overall, it nailed the feeling of such a dire situation and struggle for life. I enjoyed the first and second act very much because of this. Such a tense atmosphere.
But sadly, especially the third act just didn't work for me.
The overall world and lore building fell flat to me, it just felt very generic and didn't catch my interest. I don't think more information would have made this better because even though I had questions, they weren't as intense as my indifference towards the lore that we got.
There are so many tropes that just feel tired and generic. Not that tropes are bad but none of this felt unique. The evil step mother queen, the sweet but misguided brother prince, the star wars-esqueness of everything.. Nothing felt fresh. I have read some very unique sci fi recently, most of it with lesbian characters. So this book stands out as the most generic and shallow one regarding world building and lore.
For the scale all of the world building had, everything felt tiny. This is an empire spanning over an entire galaxy. But we only know three factions, only one single villainous figure, just three allies by name and a few names of planets that could as well be bus stops on a cross country ride. This could as well be a very small medieval kingdom and nothing would change. A small medieval kingdom would probably even be more complex.
This all comes crashing down in act 3 when the flimsy established lore gets even more flimsy. A powerful, several star systems encompassing brutal empire gets taken down by.. one woman in just a few months??
Listen guys, if you are oppressed, tortured, violently ripped away from your homes, enslaved etc. Just find one or two nice oppressors and tell them that things are really very bad. They will listen and then get rid of the one single person that completely makes or breaks the empire. Solving all issues that held back independence and freedom completely. It's really very easy.
Even ignoring how insulting this over simplification is, it's also just plain boring! Politics, empires and power structures are already so complex in a single country on our good old earth. There are endless interesting implications and possibilities with an entire galaxy being under the rule of an empire! I know this isn't dune or something and I know I should shut up and enjoy the romance (which I did). But some of these plot points were just a tad bit too ridiculous and simplified for me. The ending really took the cake and made me contemplate to DNF a book at 90%. I cringed my way through "very serious political negotiations" to get to a point where my two lovebirds would get to kiss again. But if it weren't for the romance, I definitely wouldn't have finished reading this.
And despite being very invested in the two womens love story, I read it with one eyebrow raised. Because I can't take that much "leader in waiting of an oppressed demographic of people (Kyran) takes on rituals, language and habits of her oppressors imperium which make her grow into a leader for her own people" without my eyebrow muscle twitching involuntarily. Kyran seemed so interesting at first but she doesn't seem like a full, deep character anymore after some time. Especially contrasted against Davias rich past, inner turmoil and connections. I thought that at any moment, Kyran would make something about Davias teachings her own. Alter them, put them in context of her own culture (whatever that is. We never learn anything about her culture except for the fact that it is oppressed), teach Daria something in return or just have some serious gripes with the whole thing at least once. But no.
The moral dilemma of their love is expressed by both women only very surface level. It's mentioned a lot but there is never a true deep dive into it. It leaves a lot of untapped drama potential. There are so many potentially interesting discussions, fights and revelations here.
The moment some actually daring, justified questions and accusations are raised, the two women have sex and never talk about these things again. Yes I know it's supposed to be sexy and enemies to lovers and all that but it really didn't work for me in that instance. "Enemies to lovers" is cute and I like it. But I am not sure how well it works when there are some heavy real life themes like imperialism, forced displacement and xenophobia on the table and never addressed in any serious manner.
All of this serious stuff aside, the third act also just took me out of the story because the tone switch didn't work for me personally.
As I said, the ending was just ridiculous. Act 3 felt like a very different book. Way less heartfelt, interesting and gripping than the rest of an otherwise solid story that I liked in part.
I can't rate this lower because I enjoyed some of it (especially the first two acts!) but I can't rate it higher either because that ending will keep me up at night and not in a good way. And I have read so much amazing female lead, female centric and lesbian sci fi the past year that this just pales in comparison. But it still has a very firm place in my beloved lesbian fiction shelf. I would still recommend it and advise people to take it as the space opera that it is and not expect so much more from it (as I possibly did).
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
March 18, 2024
This is a case of a book being overhyped and, as such, fell short for me.
I really liked Part One. I enjoyed the survival aspects of it, I liked Kyren and how her and Davia fell into a kind of grudging respect based on their mutual need for survival.
Unfortunately, as the book progressed, I liked it less and less. Both Kyren and Davia felt flat to me, with little emotion conveyed, as did their romance, which I felt came out of nowhere. There were no longing looks, no lingering touches, no romance, basically, they were just arguing then suddenly having sex. As this was advertised to me as a sci-fi romance, I think it fell very short on the romance.
The ending felt a little too neat and tidy. They defeated the evil empire too easily imo.
This has a lot of glowing reviews from people I follow, and I felt like I read a different book to them. Still, I'm glad people like it more than I did!
I really liked Part One. I enjoyed the survival aspects of it, I liked Kyren and how her and Davia fell into a kind of grudging respect based on their mutual need for survival.
Unfortunately, as the book progressed, I liked it less and less. Both Kyren and Davia felt flat to me, with little emotion conveyed, as did their romance, which I felt came out of nowhere. There were no longing looks, no lingering touches, no romance, basically, they were just arguing then suddenly having sex. As this was advertised to me as a sci-fi romance, I think it fell very short on the romance.
The ending felt a little too neat and tidy. They defeated the evil empire too easily imo.
This has a lot of glowing reviews from people I follow, and I felt like I read a different book to them. Still, I'm glad people like it more than I did!
May 12, 2024
Best book I've read in a while, I'll be thinking about Davia and Kyran for a long time! The feelings in this story are so beautifully explored and almost tangible on every page. Spectacular.
April 28, 2024
This book is unputdownable! You just have to keep turning the pages. Be prepared to lose sleep and ignore other tasks, because it is that good. Virginia Black’s ability to create a distant world is impeccable. I’m not a fan of sci-fi but, woman, this story has converted me!
Virginia Black’s talent is uncanny. There are no endless descriptions to create a new world. She doesn’t need them. Images just start forming in your minds eye while being enraptured by the story.
Virginia Black’s talent is uncanny. There are no endless descriptions to create a new world. She doesn’t need them. Images just start forming in your minds eye while being enraptured by the story.
February 14, 2024
I reviewed this for The Lesbian Review.
It’s one of the best books I’ve read in ages. The writing is gorgeous, the story is fabulous and the characters will stay with you for long after you’ve finished.
This is a five stars plus lots more stars from me. It’s absolutely stunning.
It’s one of the best books I’ve read in ages. The writing is gorgeous, the story is fabulous and the characters will stay with you for long after you’ve finished.
This is a five stars plus lots more stars from me. It’s absolutely stunning.
June 20, 2024
WOW. Outstanding sci-fi book. Especially the personal development of the two MCs was very well written. Couldn’t put it down.
December 16, 2024
Much of the story takes place with just the two mains in a desolate location. I was surprised that this worked for me. The character development that takes place in this location is why it worked for me. The story touches on a lot of interesting topics that could make this a good book club read, although the scope of the story is very large for a single book so many issues are covered very lightly. I am looking forward to reading more of Virginia Black's stories.
January 19, 2024
4.5⭐️ An engaging, imaginative lesbian Sci-Fi story with two really great FMCs and a deep focus on their evolving relationship dynamic. Rival royalty focused to set aside their fears, angers, and prejudices in order to rely on each other to survive.
Without giving too much away, I do want to mention that it takes a high degree of crafts-woman-ship to have the vast majority of a novel revolve around a single setting and just 2 characters and Virginia Black does an amazing job never losing momentum throughout.
I loved Consecrated Ground and this although a huge genre shift is a big win as well. Highly recommended!
Without giving too much away, I do want to mention that it takes a high degree of crafts-woman-ship to have the vast majority of a novel revolve around a single setting and just 2 characters and Virginia Black does an amazing job never losing momentum throughout.
I loved Consecrated Ground and this although a huge genre shift is a big win as well. Highly recommended!
March 31, 2025
Infinite stars, only downside is that its not a trilogy, i need more
February 18, 2024
Stark, bold, captivating scifi space opera
After a space-battle two arch-enemies a stranded on a near inhabitable moon: the landscape and the living conditions are stark, reduced to the bare minimum to survive. And Black spares nothing to drive home how desperate the situation is, how isolated, how threadbare. The first part of the story unfolds oh so slowly bringing home the relentless repetition of daily survival and the massive distrust between the two enemies.
This is the bleak and stark backdrop for what is to unfold: invisible threads between those two enemies, Kyran and Davia, are emerging and are slowly woven together - bonds which reach much further and have greater impact than both ever imagined on their lives and far beyond.
The sheer beauty of Black’s evocative story-telling kept me turning the pages. I loved the survival part, I loved the slow unfolding of the backstories, the relationships, family, friends reveiled. I loved the balance between duty and love, power and family.
Special kudos for the warrior nun vibes when Davia practices and lives Venu Parchim, an ancient martial art. The cover art is pure genius.
A stark, bold, captivating scifi.
I received an ARC. The review is left voluntarily.
After a space-battle two arch-enemies a stranded on a near inhabitable moon: the landscape and the living conditions are stark, reduced to the bare minimum to survive. And Black spares nothing to drive home how desperate the situation is, how isolated, how threadbare. The first part of the story unfolds oh so slowly bringing home the relentless repetition of daily survival and the massive distrust between the two enemies.
This is the bleak and stark backdrop for what is to unfold: invisible threads between those two enemies, Kyran and Davia, are emerging and are slowly woven together - bonds which reach much further and have greater impact than both ever imagined on their lives and far beyond.
The sheer beauty of Black’s evocative story-telling kept me turning the pages. I loved the survival part, I loved the slow unfolding of the backstories, the relationships, family, friends reveiled. I loved the balance between duty and love, power and family.
Special kudos for the warrior nun vibes when Davia practices and lives Venu Parchim, an ancient martial art. The cover art is pure genius.
A stark, bold, captivating scifi.
I received an ARC. The review is left voluntarily.
January 18, 2025
Yet another great story from Virginia Black’s pen!
I’m not a huge sci-fi fan, like I don’t know much about spaceships or galactic worlds and politics, so I was a little hesitant to dive into this book at first. Thankfully, I didn’t have to be like well-versed in sci-fi to love it. Sure, there were moments when I had to Google terms like "frigate" just to get a better picture of them in my head, and some of the made-up and very uncommon words made me feel like I wasn’t reading in English anymore. But even with all that, I still had a great time reading this book!
The world-building is a delight! And again, even though I don’t know much about space or how it works, I could still imagine the world Black created. The author does a great job of weaving all these details into the story without it feeling overwhelming. And the relationship between the two protagonists, Kyran and Davia? It’s slow, but in an oh-so-good way!! Their connection builds gradually, and it’s really engaging to see how their personalities and vulnerabilities unfold.
I find both Kyran and Davia remarkable characters. I loved watching how they both struggled with their own strengths and weaknesses, and how that played out as the story went on. The pacing is notably good, but there’s one part in the middle of the book — around Part 2 — that I felt dragged on a bit. There are some scenes with rituals, training, and hunting that seemed to go on longer than my brain could handle, and I did get a little restless. At first, I thought it was just filler, but I eventually realized that those slower moments were important! They helped me understand how trapped the characters felt, and it was necessary for their character development. So, while it did slow things down for me, I could see why it was there.
Once I got through those slower parts, though, the story picked up again, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next!! By the end, I was fully invested in Kyran’s and Davia’s journey, both as formidable individuals and as a power couple. Their happy ending felt genuinely earned; I was rooting for them the whole way!!
One thing I really appreciated about this book is how it tackles real-world issues. The way it addresses social, political, and economic problems in a futuristic setting gives it a lot of depth and makes it feel relevant! I hope that this book would reach more people and open their eyes to the real struggles outside their own nation or country — which is something we need more of in this world, if I may say so...
Overall, I’m giving this book a solid 4.5 stars out of 5. It had a few slower moments that almost made me knock it down to 4 stars, but the way the story picks up again made up for it. So, if you're looking for a sci-fi romance that’s thought-provoking and character-driven, then No Shelter but the Stars is definitely worth a read!!
I’m not a huge sci-fi fan, like I don’t know much about spaceships or galactic worlds and politics, so I was a little hesitant to dive into this book at first. Thankfully, I didn’t have to be like well-versed in sci-fi to love it. Sure, there were moments when I had to Google terms like "frigate" just to get a better picture of them in my head, and some of the made-up and very uncommon words made me feel like I wasn’t reading in English anymore. But even with all that, I still had a great time reading this book!
The world-building is a delight! And again, even though I don’t know much about space or how it works, I could still imagine the world Black created. The author does a great job of weaving all these details into the story without it feeling overwhelming. And the relationship between the two protagonists, Kyran and Davia? It’s slow, but in an oh-so-good way!! Their connection builds gradually, and it’s really engaging to see how their personalities and vulnerabilities unfold.
I find both Kyran and Davia remarkable characters. I loved watching how they both struggled with their own strengths and weaknesses, and how that played out as the story went on. The pacing is notably good, but there’s one part in the middle of the book — around Part 2 — that I felt dragged on a bit. There are some scenes with rituals, training, and hunting that seemed to go on longer than my brain could handle, and I did get a little restless. At first, I thought it was just filler, but I eventually realized that those slower moments were important! They helped me understand how trapped the characters felt, and it was necessary for their character development. So, while it did slow things down for me, I could see why it was there.
Once I got through those slower parts, though, the story picked up again, and I couldn’t wait to see what would happen next!! By the end, I was fully invested in Kyran’s and Davia’s journey, both as formidable individuals and as a power couple. Their happy ending felt genuinely earned; I was rooting for them the whole way!!
One thing I really appreciated about this book is how it tackles real-world issues. The way it addresses social, political, and economic problems in a futuristic setting gives it a lot of depth and makes it feel relevant! I hope that this book would reach more people and open their eyes to the real struggles outside their own nation or country — which is something we need more of in this world, if I may say so...
Overall, I’m giving this book a solid 4.5 stars out of 5. It had a few slower moments that almost made me knock it down to 4 stars, but the way the story picks up again made up for it. So, if you're looking for a sci-fi romance that’s thought-provoking and character-driven, then No Shelter but the Stars is definitely worth a read!!
December 25, 2024
“If it is a bout such as this, rise to your feet. You learn nothing from the dirt.”
3.5 stars. 3.75? This didn't deliver everything I quite wanted, and pacing-wise, it did leave something to be desired. I think if this story had been told in a different way, and if we'd lingered longer on certain aspects, it could have been amazing. And yet I still really, REALLY liked it. The middle dragged a bit, but I loved how it began and how it ended. This was one of those love stories that feels epic and earth shaking, and I adored seeing these two women come together and survive together and come to depend on one another, despite all the odds. The latter half of the book REALLY got me where it counted.
Kyran is the princess of a nomadic people in space, fleeing and fighting against the tyranny of a galactic empire. Davia is the unrecognised princess of said tyrannical empire. When Kyran's people attempt to reclaim their lost world, a deadly skirmish ends with the two women stranded on a hostile moon. Enemies though they are, with different ideologies, bitter pasts and barely even a language in common, they end up having to work together to survive, and end up forging a connection despite all the odds. I LOVE stranded stories; I LOVE survival stories. Especially when they come with a romance! That's what made me pick this up, above all else. For me, there's nothing better than seeing people forge a connection like that in isolation, when they have to literally depend on each other for survival whether they like it or not. Kyran and Davia are literal enemies, and it takes a lot for them to set things aside and work together (especially on Kyran's part) but for pragmatism and survival's sake, they have to. And I mean, I just love those scenes of foraging and hunting, strategising means to live, rigging up different systems... if anything, I wanted to see more of that, more of the day to day survival and how they made their life on this moon. You do have to suspend your disbelief in a few instances, like when it comes to the language barrier, and how soon they were able to communicate adequately (I know Kyran already had some knowledge of Davia's language, but it still seemed REALLY fast). There were also some instances of danger and harrowing injuries that didn't seem possible to survive, but I just rolled with it. I'm really easy to please when it comes to survival stories. Something about the isolation and codependency, man. Activates something in my brain.
“I have no mother, no father, and no house to call my own. I have no shelter but the stars and no home but where I kneel. My heart is this blade, offered true and without shame despite its flaws.”
The romance took a while to really grow on me, but it REALLY did. I wanted it to be a lot more slow burn, and I think slowing down the pacing in that regard, and maybe adding a bit more action to the middle part, could have done wonders for the book. Like, I wanted to draw out that tension for a few more chapters, when they both started to acknowledge that they felt this attraction, but couldn't imagine crossing the gap yet. We should have gotten to marinate in that longer. But nevertheless, I did love them together. No matter how different they were, the author convinced me that they worked for each other. They were so prickly and mistrustful at first, and seeing that slowly being chipped away, to be replaced by admiration and respect and trust, was really beautiful. I did not expect there to be a subplot where Davia would train Kyran and teach her about her discipline, but that ended up being my favourite thing about it. I loved that they bonded through the rituals.
The worldbuilding and overarching plot were... okay? Fine? I always say it and I know not everyone agrees, but this is why books should be longer, lol. The whole plot with Davia and her brother and the queen felt so rushed, and it was disappointing that so much of it took place off page. It took a long while to get a sense of Kyran's people and their plight; we needed more history and worldbuilding there. The details of the world were solid, I guess, but there's so much more that we could and should have been told as readers, to make this feel more well-rounded. And I have to admit to being a little frustrated at some parts of the ending. It felt like the Ellodians made more concessions than they should have. And I wanted something to be done about the Sifani empire as a whole. Davia made some good strides in that direction, but we needed more. And not just booting out one supreme leader and replacing them with another.
But I'm willing to overlook all that because I did really enjoy the romance, lol. The ending had me in my feelings!! The period of separation could have been tedious, but it managed to just reinforce my love for the couple.
Listened to the audiobook as read by Trei Taylor, and I liked it! I really enjoy her voice, though like with the book itself, there were some pacing issues. Like, pausing at weird parts of sentences, emphasising the wrong parts of words or phrases. Didn't impact my enjoyment too much, though! I'm really curious to try Black's debut now. (I'm also super curious as to what this used to be fic for.... because this definitely used to be fic, right? It has that vibe.)
“You shine with it. It pulses through you, and sometimes it burns me.”
January 5, 2025
FANTASTIC BOOK.
If Romeo and Juliet and The Martian had a baby, and Romeo was actually a girl, this is what you'd get.
A sapphic space opera with TRUE enemies to lovers who get stranded on a planet and have to survive together. They then fall in love and their love shapes the future of their people: one who's a colonial entity and the other a *terrorist* entity searching for a home.
This was so so amazing. From the writing to the plot, to the characters. I LOVED Davia and Kyran and their relationship development was done so well and so smoothly.
Highly recommend.
If Romeo and Juliet and The Martian had a baby, and Romeo was actually a girl, this is what you'd get.
A sapphic space opera with TRUE enemies to lovers who get stranded on a planet and have to survive together. They then fall in love and their love shapes the future of their people: one who's a colonial entity and the other a *terrorist* entity searching for a home.
This was so so amazing. From the writing to the plot, to the characters. I LOVED Davia and Kyran and their relationship development was done so well and so smoothly.
Highly recommend.
June 16, 2025
Oooo such a fun read, I love space politics and a classic enemies-to-lovers plot line.
I read this in 5 hours instead of doing my classwork or laundry, so at least you know it’s engaging!
I read this in 5 hours instead of doing my classwork or laundry, so at least you know it’s engaging!
October 16, 2024
Her only other choice is to accept her enemy as an ally and for them to forge into uncertainty together.
Enemy Mine meets Dune. A satisfying, character-driven story of identity and duty; not a rousing, light-hearted space opera. The story is told from the narrow, third-person point of view of each protagonist. Yes, each is the other’s antagonist. And more. Good character and plot development. Occasional splashes of humor. Love Ann McMan’s cover art.
If all other futures are now impossible, can she hold [redacted] accountable for a past that can’t be changed?
Space operas tend to exist independent of known physics, but No Shelter lowers the bar. Orbital geometry, size and weight of even small spacecraft, and the ecology of moons are Star Trekkian at best. “The gravity on Ellod is less than on [its] moon.” Impossible. “Several weeks of recovery have not completely healed her.” If she survives those wounds treated that way, she’d be crippled for life.
“I have no mother, no father, and no house to call my own. I have no shelter but the stars and no home but where I kneel.”
The sex scenes (“those scenes” as Black imagines her fathers’ reaction) are unnecessarily pornographic and at odds with the protagonists’ situation. Hot sex while starving? Skip them.
“Come. The stars are waiting for us.”
Enemy Mine meets Dune. A satisfying, character-driven story of identity and duty; not a rousing, light-hearted space opera. The story is told from the narrow, third-person point of view of each protagonist. Yes, each is the other’s antagonist. And more. Good character and plot development. Occasional splashes of humor. Love Ann McMan’s cover art.
If all other futures are now impossible, can she hold [redacted] accountable for a past that can’t be changed?
Space operas tend to exist independent of known physics, but No Shelter lowers the bar. Orbital geometry, size and weight of even small spacecraft, and the ecology of moons are Star Trekkian at best. “The gravity on Ellod is less than on [its] moon.” Impossible. “Several weeks of recovery have not completely healed her.” If she survives those wounds treated that way, she’d be crippled for life.
“I have no mother, no father, and no house to call my own. I have no shelter but the stars and no home but where I kneel.”
The sex scenes (“those scenes” as Black imagines her fathers’ reaction) are unnecessarily pornographic and at odds with the protagonists’ situation. Hot sex while starving? Skip them.
“Come. The stars are waiting for us.”
May 13, 2025
a fleeting, juicy portion of this book was soooo delicious - the setting, their dynamic, the language barrier - that it had me staying up late to keep reading for the first time in so long. then the slowburn stopped slowburning and it was like oh okay. then it was sex sex sex sex which is cool if ur into that i guess. then it was an entire imperialist regime being very casually overthrown but also not, and both of them being like BUT I AM INCOMPLETE WITHOUT MY ONE TRUE LOVE, THE FIRE OF MY LOINS, MY REASON FOR BEING….. sigh.. finished it just to finish it..
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