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Key Lime Sky
An alien invasion hits the town of Muddy Gap, but a disgruntled pie aficionado is the only one who seems to remember it…
Denver Bryant’s passion for pie has sent him across Wyoming in search of the best slices. Though he dutifully posts reviews on his blog, he’s never been able to recreate his brief moment of viral popularity, and its trickling income isn’t enough to pay his rent next month.
Driving home from a roadside diner, Denver witnesses a UFO explode directly over his tiny town of Muddy Gap. When he questions his neighbors, it appears that Denver is the only person to have seen anything – or to care that the residents’ strange behavior, as well as a shower of seashell hail, might be evidence of something extraterrestrial. Being both non-binary and autistic, he’s convinced his reputation as the town eccentric is impeding his quest for answers. Frustrated, he documents the bizarre incidents on his failing pie blog, and his online popularity skyrockets. His readers want the truth, spurring him to get to the bottom of things.
The only person in town who takes him seriously is handsome bartender, Ezra. As the two investigate over pie and the possibility of romance, the alien presence does more than change the weather. People start disappearing. When Denver and Ezra make a run for it, the town refuses to let them leave. Reality is folding in on itself. It’s suddenly a race against time to find the extraterrestrial source and destroy it before it consumes not only Muddy Gap but everything beyond. Denver’s always been more outsider than hero, but he’s determined to ensure that a world with Ezra – and with pie – still exists tomorrow.
Denver Bryant’s passion for pie has sent him across Wyoming in search of the best slices. Though he dutifully posts reviews on his blog, he’s never been able to recreate his brief moment of viral popularity, and its trickling income isn’t enough to pay his rent next month.
Driving home from a roadside diner, Denver witnesses a UFO explode directly over his tiny town of Muddy Gap. When he questions his neighbors, it appears that Denver is the only person to have seen anything – or to care that the residents’ strange behavior, as well as a shower of seashell hail, might be evidence of something extraterrestrial. Being both non-binary and autistic, he’s convinced his reputation as the town eccentric is impeding his quest for answers. Frustrated, he documents the bizarre incidents on his failing pie blog, and his online popularity skyrockets. His readers want the truth, spurring him to get to the bottom of things.
The only person in town who takes him seriously is handsome bartender, Ezra. As the two investigate over pie and the possibility of romance, the alien presence does more than change the weather. People start disappearing. When Denver and Ezra make a run for it, the town refuses to let them leave. Reality is folding in on itself. It’s suddenly a race against time to find the extraterrestrial source and destroy it before it consumes not only Muddy Gap but everything beyond. Denver’s always been more outsider than hero, but he’s determined to ensure that a world with Ezra – and with pie – still exists tomorrow.
317 pages, Kindle Edition
First published August 13, 2024
55 people are currently reading
2339 people want to read
About the author
Al Hess
34 books209 followersAuthor of World Running Down, Key Lime Sky, Yours Celestially, and the award-winning Hep Cats of Boise series.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 225 reviews
September 12, 2024
4/5
A lime green sky hung above, and I took small comfort that at least the constellations peeking through were still our own.
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.
I don't want to die when I've only just started to live.
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 Angry Robot for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
A lime green sky hung above, and I took small comfort that at least the constellations peeking through were still our own.
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.
I don't want to die when I've only just started to live.
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 Angry Robot for an arc in exchange for an honest review.
July 29, 2024
✰ 2.75 stars ✰
“I don’t want to die when I’ve only just started to live.”
Denver Bryant loves pie - xe lives and breathes it - a Pie Professor - an aficionado of a critic who dutifully updates a blog that tells of xe's many delectable delights. When xe witnesses a strange phenomenon in Muddy Gap, Wyoming - one that very much resembles an alien invasion, xe's life is suddenly thrown into a whirlwind - a spiral of toppling events, in which xe is the only one who believes something is amiss - and someone others are very determined to keep silent from revealing what it was that xe saw. With only a handful of people on xe's side, it becomes a dangerous race against the clock for xe to fight for another day to live - and eat pie again. 😟
I don't read much sci-fi either, but Key Lime Sky had a lot of heart to it - one where we get to see Denver trying to prove that xe wasn't imagining things, while also fighting to keep xir own sanity and blog up and running. It was kinda charming, when I think about it - a bit quirky and weird, but still engaging enough for me to be intrigued by it. 😊 I liked how the writing created this allure of uneasiness - one where Denver starts sensing the changes in the surroundings, that leads to xem trying to figure out what is going on and enlisting the assistance of handsome plus-sized bartender, Ezra, who serves not only has his romantic crush, but also the voice of calm and reason - a partner who willingly steps into the fire for him or offers himself as a test subject for tasting suspicious whipped cream. Their banter was fun and light-hearted, and was enjoyable to see steadily grow. Denver was shy at times, but Ezra showed xem how much he appreciated him as xe was. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 Their romance was rather cute and endearing, how Ezra made Denver feel comfortable about himself and appreciate his skill sets. There was a nice flavor of sweet and spicy moments that showed how their trust steadily evolved over the course of strange predicaments they found themselves in.
“I had the chance to save people’s lives. To not be a burden. To subvert people’s expectations of me.”
And while I never really felt that the threat was all that alarming, it was a fun adventure to follow them on - one which involved crazed fanatics or warped time-holes or even a slight reprieve where they could just contemplate if the end of the world might not be such a bad thing. We get to see outside forces who would do anything to prevent the news from spreading - one where we get a whole lot of action and threats that is usually privy when it comes to doomsday scenarios, but still had this humane side to it. And though the danger was imminent, it still had a light-hearted appeal that made it not delve into too much of the scientific approach to it. 👽 Denver's reasoning in those moments was really insightful and fun to watch; xe was a dynamic character, not at all the resident weirdo, as others refer to him as. Incredibly perceptive, witty... and pretty, very observant, very out-spoken - who doesn't hesitate to tell it like it is and very willing to give it xir all. 👍🏻 Denver was a resilient and engaging protagonist. Xe had always felt like an outsider - 'for the desire to be whisked away to a place I would better fit in' - but, facing this dire threat taught xem The apocalypse may be coming, but xe will stand by with who they are; and that is something else I noticed and feared.
“Or maybe my awareness of my life only became noticeable by virtue of everything I lost.”
There was an instance where I was worried that the tone of the narrative would shift in another direction; fortunately, the crisis was averted, but then I realized what the underlying meaning of the events transpiring was. 🥺 How representation is something others have to fight to be respected in how they identify - how Denver and the diverse cast of characters who joined forces with him were feeling like aliens, for who they were. 'My town. My neighbors. Friends.' Denver realized how important it was to live life in the now, rather than hiding behind likes and fans - when xe's home had always been a part of xem. A band of misfits who worked together against all odds to fight off an alien invasion that taught him that the relationships forged in a life-threatening instance may be the ones to treasure forever. 🫂
The writing style was also satisfying; while some loose ends seemed rather errant, the overall feeling at the end was a rewarding one, that gave me the assurance that Denver was in safe and welcoming hands. One where xe learned to appreciate all that he was given and make the most of what was to come - be it pie or travels or Ezra. It also definitely does leave you hungry for pie, though! 🥧 😋 Lots of mouth-watering recipes that left me dying to grab one as soon as possible, so there is that one appealing aspect of the story, as well! All in all, it was a decent read; it had an adventurous streak to it that managed to keep the action entertaining, while also building upon Denver's confidence and his realization that perhaps, the life he had been living was worth protecting. It leaves you with a hopeful and optimistic look at life and taking pride in the person that you are. 🤍🤍
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
“I don’t want to die when I’ve only just started to live.”
Denver Bryant loves pie - xe lives and breathes it - a Pie Professor - an aficionado of a critic who dutifully updates a blog that tells of xe's many delectable delights. When xe witnesses a strange phenomenon in Muddy Gap, Wyoming - one that very much resembles an alien invasion, xe's life is suddenly thrown into a whirlwind - a spiral of toppling events, in which xe is the only one who believes something is amiss - and someone others are very determined to keep silent from revealing what it was that xe saw. With only a handful of people on xe's side, it becomes a dangerous race against the clock for xe to fight for another day to live - and eat pie again. 😟
I don't read much sci-fi either, but Key Lime Sky had a lot of heart to it - one where we get to see Denver trying to prove that xe wasn't imagining things, while also fighting to keep xir own sanity and blog up and running. It was kinda charming, when I think about it - a bit quirky and weird, but still engaging enough for me to be intrigued by it. 😊 I liked how the writing created this allure of uneasiness - one where Denver starts sensing the changes in the surroundings, that leads to xem trying to figure out what is going on and enlisting the assistance of handsome plus-sized bartender, Ezra, who serves not only has his romantic crush, but also the voice of calm and reason - a partner who willingly steps into the fire for him or offers himself as a test subject for tasting suspicious whipped cream. Their banter was fun and light-hearted, and was enjoyable to see steadily grow. Denver was shy at times, but Ezra showed xem how much he appreciated him as xe was. ❤️🩹❤️🩹 Their romance was rather cute and endearing, how Ezra made Denver feel comfortable about himself and appreciate his skill sets. There was a nice flavor of sweet and spicy moments that showed how their trust steadily evolved over the course of strange predicaments they found themselves in.
“I had the chance to save people’s lives. To not be a burden. To subvert people’s expectations of me.”
And while I never really felt that the threat was all that alarming, it was a fun adventure to follow them on - one which involved crazed fanatics or warped time-holes or even a slight reprieve where they could just contemplate if the end of the world might not be such a bad thing. We get to see outside forces who would do anything to prevent the news from spreading - one where we get a whole lot of action and threats that is usually privy when it comes to doomsday scenarios, but still had this humane side to it. And though the danger was imminent, it still had a light-hearted appeal that made it not delve into too much of the scientific approach to it. 👽 Denver's reasoning in those moments was really insightful and fun to watch; xe was a dynamic character, not at all the resident weirdo, as others refer to him as. Incredibly perceptive, witty... and pretty, very observant, very out-spoken - who doesn't hesitate to tell it like it is and very willing to give it xir all. 👍🏻 Denver was a resilient and engaging protagonist. Xe had always felt like an outsider - 'for the desire to be whisked away to a place I would better fit in' - but, facing this dire threat taught xem The apocalypse may be coming, but xe will stand by with who they are; and that is something else I noticed and feared.
“Or maybe my awareness of my life only became noticeable by virtue of everything I lost.”
There was an instance where I was worried that the tone of the narrative would shift in another direction; fortunately, the crisis was averted, but then I realized what the underlying meaning of the events transpiring was. 🥺 How representation is something others have to fight to be respected in how they identify - how Denver and the diverse cast of characters who joined forces with him were feeling like aliens, for who they were. 'My town. My neighbors. Friends.' Denver realized how important it was to live life in the now, rather than hiding behind likes and fans - when xe's home had always been a part of xem. A band of misfits who worked together against all odds to fight off an alien invasion that taught him that the relationships forged in a life-threatening instance may be the ones to treasure forever. 🫂
The writing style was also satisfying; while some loose ends seemed rather errant, the overall feeling at the end was a rewarding one, that gave me the assurance that Denver was in safe and welcoming hands. One where xe learned to appreciate all that he was given and make the most of what was to come - be it pie or travels or Ezra. It also definitely does leave you hungry for pie, though! 🥧 😋 Lots of mouth-watering recipes that left me dying to grab one as soon as possible, so there is that one appealing aspect of the story, as well! All in all, it was a decent read; it had an adventurous streak to it that managed to keep the action entertaining, while also building upon Denver's confidence and his realization that perhaps, the life he had been living was worth protecting. It leaves you with a hopeful and optimistic look at life and taking pride in the person that you are. 🤍🤍
*Thank you to NetGalley for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.
September 22, 2024
4.5 stars for the first third ...
3.0 stars for the middle third ...
4.5 stars for the last third.
This was quite bizarre ...
and I was totally here for it!
Incredibly original plot
and characters.👍😁👍
The middle was a bit slow
but that's a common thing.
Excellent queer sci-fi
alien invasion storytelling!
🛸👽🛸👽🛸
3.0 stars for the middle third ...
4.5 stars for the last third.
This was quite bizarre ...
and I was totally here for it!
Incredibly original plot
and characters.👍😁👍
The middle was a bit slow
but that's a common thing.
Excellent queer sci-fi
alien invasion storytelling!
🛸👽🛸👽🛸
August 2, 2024
An intriguing and engaging cosy/mystery/thriller tale of alien invasion in small town America. Denver Bryant witnesses a UFO explode directly over the tiny town of Muddy Gap, Wyoming, but has trouble finding anyone else who saw anything, or who will take it seriously. Then people start acting strangely, and disappearing, and the weirdness gets gradually worse and more extensive. It’s a race against time for Denver to work out what’s going on and save the town… or perhaps the world.
This was a lot of fun, with a cast of likeable characters, and well paced plot. Denver is autistic and non-binary, and doesn’t always feel accepted in the small town of Muddy Gap, and this makes for a very satisfying “underdog makes good” story as Denver starts to unravel the mystery of what’s going on. There’s a small cast of supporting characters, and a bit of romance, as a “found family” starts to form amongst some of the survivors - and this all contributes to the cosy feel.
The depiction of Denver was rich, and emotionally drawn. I felt a real connection to Denver, and laughed and cried (actually cried in chapter 17) with the personal journey of friends, family, acceptance and identity. The autism seemed genuinely and sensitively depicted (although I’m no expert), and Denver’s struggles with it were well integrated into the plot and added to the depth of the character portrayal and the complexity of friendships and interactions in the small community.
The author didn’t deal with gender identity with quite the same subtlety, though, and there were a few jarring moments where some of the characters had conversations about gender issues that seemed entirely unrelated to the plot or any of the relationships between the characters themselves. There were some important and valid points being discussed (like cisphobia not being a thing), but it just felt like the author was trying to crowbar these issues into the narrative, and, for me, it came across a bit preachy. This is a minor quibble, though.
The relationship between Denver and Ezra was lovely, and felt very real - two people really seeing each other. And there was even a bit of moderately graphic smut, for those who like that kind of thing.
Overall, a very solid story told with emotion, humour, and some genuine excitement and jeopardy, somehow also dealing with autism and gender identity, all in the context of a very imaginative alien invasion storyline.
4.5 stars, rounded up.
Thank you #NetGalley and Angry Robot for the free review copy of #KeyLimeSky in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
This was a lot of fun, with a cast of likeable characters, and well paced plot. Denver is autistic and non-binary, and doesn’t always feel accepted in the small town of Muddy Gap, and this makes for a very satisfying “underdog makes good” story as Denver starts to unravel the mystery of what’s going on. There’s a small cast of supporting characters, and a bit of romance, as a “found family” starts to form amongst some of the survivors - and this all contributes to the cosy feel.
The depiction of Denver was rich, and emotionally drawn. I felt a real connection to Denver, and laughed and cried (actually cried in chapter 17) with the personal journey of friends, family, acceptance and identity. The autism seemed genuinely and sensitively depicted (although I’m no expert), and Denver’s struggles with it were well integrated into the plot and added to the depth of the character portrayal and the complexity of friendships and interactions in the small community.
The author didn’t deal with gender identity with quite the same subtlety, though, and there were a few jarring moments where some of the characters had conversations about gender issues that seemed entirely unrelated to the plot or any of the relationships between the characters themselves. There were some important and valid points being discussed (like cisphobia not being a thing), but it just felt like the author was trying to crowbar these issues into the narrative, and, for me, it came across a bit preachy. This is a minor quibble, though.
The relationship between Denver and Ezra was lovely, and felt very real - two people really seeing each other. And there was even a bit of moderately graphic smut, for those who like that kind of thing.
Overall, a very solid story told with emotion, humour, and some genuine excitement and jeopardy, somehow also dealing with autism and gender identity, all in the context of a very imaginative alien invasion storyline.
4.5 stars, rounded up.
Thank you #NetGalley and Angry Robot for the free review copy of #KeyLimeSky in exchange for an honest review. All opinions are my own.
July 24, 2024
3.5 Stars
This was a super cute speculative piece of fiction. I appreciated the multifaceted representation. Given my personal preference for darker stories, this one wasn't destined to be a favourite but I would still recommend it to someone looking for a cozy SFF read, especially those that enjoy some romance in their stories.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher last.
This was a super cute speculative piece of fiction. I appreciated the multifaceted representation. Given my personal preference for darker stories, this one wasn't destined to be a favourite but I would still recommend it to someone looking for a cozy SFF read, especially those that enjoy some romance in their stories.
Disclaimer I received a copy of this book from the publisher last.
Read
October 26, 2023When I was seven years old, I saw something in the sky I’ve never been able to explain. Key Lime Sky is an homage to chasing the unknown, to quirky small towns, and to the connections you make as a misfit that help you realize you aren’t as alien as you’ve come to believe. It's cozy, it's trans, it's neurodiverse, there's romance and found family. Oh, did I mention pie? There's a lot of pie. Like a lot.
Think The X-Files, Signs, Nope, roadside diners, carcinization jokes, and slowly-simmering weirdness that ramps into a full on boil.
Rep: trans, pansexual, non-binary, and queer rep; NB/M romance
Autistic, non-binary, part-Indigenous American main character with visible stims and sensory sensitivities; plus size Latino love interest
Content Warnings:
Think The X-Files, Signs, Nope, roadside diners, carcinization jokes, and slowly-simmering weirdness that ramps into a full on boil.
Rep: trans, pansexual, non-binary, and queer rep; NB/M romance
Autistic, non-binary, part-Indigenous American main character with visible stims and sensory sensitivities; plus size Latino love interest
Content Warnings:
January 22, 2025
This was pretty chill, considering it was about an alien invasion. Chill and cozy with apocalypse is a great combination though and not surprising from this author.
I liked the weird alien invasion stuff! The deeper into the book it got, the more surreal it felt. The characters stayed grounded, but the world around them got more surreal. I like that vibe. Like, the world around us going wild, but at least we have each other.
Speaking of which, I have mixed feelings about the romance. Sometimes I found it cute and sexy. Other times I found it frustrating, and it happened very fast. I don't normally mind lack of communication or miscommunication, but they kept bringing it up and then not really explaining and not at all listening to the other person, keeping the miscommunication going in a forced way. Relatedly, numerous things Ezra did were red flags for me. His reaction when he found out Denver was sexually inexperienced was infantilizing, in the sense that he seemed to think Denver's inexperience made xem incapable of making the decision to sleep with someone in their situation, despite Denver being an adult and sober and able to make that decision just as well as Ezra. He explained his reason for his reaction, but it didn't change how I felt about it. And when he thought *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* Luckily none of this was the crux of the story, it was just a small part. And it's not unrealistic, just personally off-putting. And again, I did find some parts of their romance, like their second meeting, sweet. Surprisingly, what I didn't mind was how quickly they had sex, or that they took the time to have sex while the world was ending, because I could completely understand the "fuck it" feeling in that situation.
There was a nice friendship element too! With a nice message about friendship and connection, since Denver always felt like everyone hated xem and xe didn't fit in.
Denver was blunt and imperfect but cared about people, and there were times when I felt for xem. *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* I mentioned my issues with Ezra above, but he was ultimately kind and understanding toward Denver. I liked both Trevor and Taisha, even though they were side characters with smaller roles and sorta felt mostly like a lesson for the reader on how to be a good ally. The blog commenters were a fun addition, some sweet in their own way, some awful, some funny.
There was a lot of great rep. Denver was autistic and nonbinary. Ezra was fat and pan. Taisha was trans. If anyone is looking for a good OwnVoices review about the autistic rep, I recommend this one from Lola's Reviews.
I mostly liked the audiobook narration by Curtis Michael Holland. Side characters were given pretty exaggerated, almost cartoon stereotype voices, which isn't something I really like. But it did make everyone, including Denver's blog commenters, easy to tell apart. And the narration for Denver and Ezra was fine.
Overall, this was a surreal but fairly chill story about alien invasion, romance, friendship, acceptance, and pie!
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2025 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes queer and autistic characters, fast romance, friendship, a bit of surreality, and alien invasions.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
I liked the weird alien invasion stuff! The deeper into the book it got, the more surreal it felt. The characters stayed grounded, but the world around them got more surreal. I like that vibe. Like, the world around us going wild, but at least we have each other.
Speaking of which, I have mixed feelings about the romance. Sometimes I found it cute and sexy. Other times I found it frustrating, and it happened very fast. I don't normally mind lack of communication or miscommunication, but they kept bringing it up and then not really explaining and not at all listening to the other person, keeping the miscommunication going in a forced way. Relatedly, numerous things Ezra did were red flags for me. His reaction when he found out Denver was sexually inexperienced was infantilizing, in the sense that he seemed to think Denver's inexperience made xem incapable of making the decision to sleep with someone in their situation, despite Denver being an adult and sober and able to make that decision just as well as Ezra. He explained his reason for his reaction, but it didn't change how I felt about it. And when he thought *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* Luckily none of this was the crux of the story, it was just a small part. And it's not unrealistic, just personally off-putting. And again, I did find some parts of their romance, like their second meeting, sweet. Surprisingly, what I didn't mind was how quickly they had sex, or that they took the time to have sex while the world was ending, because I could completely understand the "fuck it" feeling in that situation.
There was a nice friendship element too! With a nice message about friendship and connection, since Denver always felt like everyone hated xem and xe didn't fit in.
Denver was blunt and imperfect but cared about people, and there were times when I felt for xem. *SPOILER* *END SPOILER* I mentioned my issues with Ezra above, but he was ultimately kind and understanding toward Denver. I liked both Trevor and Taisha, even though they were side characters with smaller roles and sorta felt mostly like a lesson for the reader on how to be a good ally. The blog commenters were a fun addition, some sweet in their own way, some awful, some funny.
There was a lot of great rep. Denver was autistic and nonbinary. Ezra was fat and pan. Taisha was trans. If anyone is looking for a good OwnVoices review about the autistic rep, I recommend this one from Lola's Reviews.
I mostly liked the audiobook narration by Curtis Michael Holland. Side characters were given pretty exaggerated, almost cartoon stereotype voices, which isn't something I really like. But it did make everyone, including Denver's blog commenters, easy to tell apart. And the narration for Denver and Ezra was fine.
Overall, this was a surreal but fairly chill story about alien invasion, romance, friendship, acceptance, and pie!
*Rating: 3.5 Stars // Read Date: 2025 // Format: Audiobook*
Recommended For:
Anyone who likes queer and autistic characters, fast romance, friendship, a bit of surreality, and alien invasions.
Original Review @ Metaphors and Moonlight
August 7, 2024
4.5 stars
Headlines:
Adorable characters
Neurodiverse MC
Sci-fi with a serving of pie
Key Lime Sky started to give me the warm fuzzies from a few chapters in. These endearing characters with Denver in the lead, stole the stage in this backwater small town. Denver was a neurodiverse, non-binary (any pronouns) bundle of speak first, think later. Their foot-in-mouth early capers had me chuckling and their self-awareness about it was just so charming. Denver was a pie blogger (sounds a great job, right) until their blog took a diversion into UFO-alien invasion territory. Denver went viral while Muddy Gap went quiet.
Denver found an ally and more in Ezra, who was quite frankly, stinking lovely. These two, their flexing to understand and support one another leapt off the page. Their dynamic grew through uncertainty, then sheer stress of being trapped in some bizarre time-warped road trip. As the plot rolled out, readers alongside the characters began to realise that an alien baddie was afoot but in the most strange format of invasion.
The plot was engaging in its strangeness, pie remained part of the menu and the town of Muddy Gap served up some good characters and the odd nasty one. Molly, hmmm she was a horrific with her walking dead axe.
The Dreamer I will stay quiet about as readers need to find out about that all by themselves but it was an interesting concept that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. I particularly appreciated that we got some wrap up after the peril ended.
This was my first Al Hess read but I'm reversing quick fast to pick up some backlist because the writing and characterisation was *chefs kiss*.
Thank you Angry Robots for the review copy.
Headlines:
Adorable characters
Neurodiverse MC
Sci-fi with a serving of pie
Key Lime Sky started to give me the warm fuzzies from a few chapters in. These endearing characters with Denver in the lead, stole the stage in this backwater small town. Denver was a neurodiverse, non-binary (any pronouns) bundle of speak first, think later. Their foot-in-mouth early capers had me chuckling and their self-awareness about it was just so charming. Denver was a pie blogger (sounds a great job, right) until their blog took a diversion into UFO-alien invasion territory. Denver went viral while Muddy Gap went quiet.
Denver found an ally and more in Ezra, who was quite frankly, stinking lovely. These two, their flexing to understand and support one another leapt off the page. Their dynamic grew through uncertainty, then sheer stress of being trapped in some bizarre time-warped road trip. As the plot rolled out, readers alongside the characters began to realise that an alien baddie was afoot but in the most strange format of invasion.
The plot was engaging in its strangeness, pie remained part of the menu and the town of Muddy Gap served up some good characters and the odd nasty one. Molly, hmmm she was a horrific with her walking dead axe.
The Dreamer I will stay quiet about as readers need to find out about that all by themselves but it was an interesting concept that I wholeheartedly enjoyed. I particularly appreciated that we got some wrap up after the peril ended.
This was my first Al Hess read but I'm reversing quick fast to pick up some backlist because the writing and characterisation was *chefs kiss*.
Thank you Angry Robots for the review copy.
July 29, 2024
Ahhhh this was so much fun! Denver (nicknamed Professor Pie and who uses any pronouns) pays the bills by travelling to diners and reviewing pies on their blog. On the way home from reviewing a particularly disappointing cherry pie at Lynn’s Diner, Denver witnesses a strange flash of light in the sky. Initially unsure what they have seen, Denver goes home to discover that the people of their adopted home town, Muddy Gap, are acting strangely - lashing out, confused and volatile to any mention of aliens.
Unsure of what to do to rectify the strange malaise that has settled over the town, Denver enlists the help of Ezra, a bartender and fellow UFO witness who is also unaffected by the town’s strangeness. Working together, they try to piece together the mystery of the orange sand and strange pebbles that coat the town.
Reading this book was like watching an episode of Stranger Things or The Twlight Zone! Nothing was what it seemed and everything was a twisty mystery… I enjoyed the relationship that developed between Denver and Ezra, they were a perfect match for each other. Both have come from difficult backgrounds and it’s interesting to watch them stumble over each other until they manage to get on the same page, but once they do they’re so sweet together!
Read Key Lime Sky for:
✨ Non-binary, autistic MC
✨ Plus size, Latino MC
✨ Trans, POC side character
✨ Fratboy golden retriever side character
✨ Horror lite, Stranger Things vibes
✨ A small town under alien invasion
✨ A viral pie reviewing blog
✨ The government are hiding things
✨ Trapped in a psychic vortex
I really loved this book and I totally recommend for anyone who is a fan of twisty sci-fi and apocalyptic plots with a side of humour 💕 Thank you to NetGalley, Angry Robot Books and the author for an ARC! It is available 13th August 2024!
Unsure of what to do to rectify the strange malaise that has settled over the town, Denver enlists the help of Ezra, a bartender and fellow UFO witness who is also unaffected by the town’s strangeness. Working together, they try to piece together the mystery of the orange sand and strange pebbles that coat the town.
Reading this book was like watching an episode of Stranger Things or The Twlight Zone! Nothing was what it seemed and everything was a twisty mystery… I enjoyed the relationship that developed between Denver and Ezra, they were a perfect match for each other. Both have come from difficult backgrounds and it’s interesting to watch them stumble over each other until they manage to get on the same page, but once they do they’re so sweet together!
Read Key Lime Sky for:
✨ Non-binary, autistic MC
✨ Plus size, Latino MC
✨ Trans, POC side character
✨ Fratboy golden retriever side character
✨ Horror lite, Stranger Things vibes
✨ A small town under alien invasion
✨ A viral pie reviewing blog
✨ The government are hiding things
✨ Trapped in a psychic vortex
I really loved this book and I totally recommend for anyone who is a fan of twisty sci-fi and apocalyptic plots with a side of humour 💕 Thank you to NetGalley, Angry Robot Books and the author for an ARC! It is available 13th August 2024!
August 4, 2024
Key Lime Sky is cosy queer science fiction about a small town being invaded by aliens (possibly). Denver Bryant, a non-binary pie blogger, witnesses a UFO explode over his hometown. But no one else seems to have noticed and when xes neighbors start acting strangely, xe decides to document xes experiences on his flailing blog for clicks and investigate alongside Ezra, a handsome bartender who seems to be the only other person in the town who believes.
This book is a mix of serious and cosy with an alien invasion and a queer romance. Denver is autistic and non-binary (MtNB), and I absolutely loved xem and xes personality. Xe was genuinely funny and easily won me over just from the first chapter. Xe makes witty observations and dry (occasionally pie-based) humor whether intentional or not. Xe is autistic with no filter and sometimes just says whatever is on xes mind, making xem the town pariah and resident weirdo. So that doesn’t help when xe starts blabbering about UFOs. I liked xes romance with Ezra but could have used without the miscommunication trope (which was used several times and lasted longer than necessary). There’s a found family dynamic going on with the socially conscious bro-ey Trevor and trans friend Taisha, but I needed more moments with them to be able to truly feel it.
You’d expect the tone of the story of an alien invasion with people acting strangely (either brainwashed or replaced) to be quite tense and creepy, but the book never lets it get that far. It always straddles the line and falls more often on the cosy side than the serious. It was fun, over-the-top, and almost campy with some trippy sequences and ridiculous situations. I actually wish the blogging aspect had played a bigger part in the narrative as I thought that was what made the book feel more current and topical.
Key Lime Sky is weird science fiction with a dash of cosy and a dollop of queer romance.
*Thank you to Angry Robot Books for the eARC via NetGalley.
This book is a mix of serious and cosy with an alien invasion and a queer romance. Denver is autistic and non-binary (MtNB), and I absolutely loved xem and xes personality. Xe was genuinely funny and easily won me over just from the first chapter. Xe makes witty observations and dry (occasionally pie-based) humor whether intentional or not. Xe is autistic with no filter and sometimes just says whatever is on xes mind, making xem the town pariah and resident weirdo. So that doesn’t help when xe starts blabbering about UFOs. I liked xes romance with Ezra but could have used without the miscommunication trope (which was used several times and lasted longer than necessary). There’s a found family dynamic going on with the socially conscious bro-ey Trevor and trans friend Taisha, but I needed more moments with them to be able to truly feel it.
You’d expect the tone of the story of an alien invasion with people acting strangely (either brainwashed or replaced) to be quite tense and creepy, but the book never lets it get that far. It always straddles the line and falls more often on the cosy side than the serious. It was fun, over-the-top, and almost campy with some trippy sequences and ridiculous situations. I actually wish the blogging aspect had played a bigger part in the narrative as I thought that was what made the book feel more current and topical.
Key Lime Sky is weird science fiction with a dash of cosy and a dollop of queer romance.
*Thank you to Angry Robot Books for the eARC via NetGalley.
August 11, 2024
4+⭐
Key Lime Sky is a mixture of a drama (with a budding romance) about an autistic person, and a thrilling sci-fi mystery. I think it works; I’ve always enjoyed my sci-fi stories less pew-pew and more about the human (and alien) relationships. All the aspects of the story are developed well enough.
There’s something very nostalgic about this story, reminding me of episodes of X-Files or Twilight Zone, a paranormal sci-fi thriller with humour and drama. The story is a bit more on the cosier side altogether, not trying to be brutal or edgy, and rather aiming for something more wholesome.
The protagonist also seems sort of a homage to the old and popular ‘eccentric genius’ archetype: a witty neuroatypical person having some difficulties in social interactions. Although the depiction of an autistic person feels a bit more up-to-date – and real – here than it’s been on most of the TV shows. Diversity in general is heavily present and handled according to modern times.
I already enjoyed ‘World Running Down’ and while I wouldn’t say either of these novels are quite perfect, I’m definitely starting to become a fan and will read more from the author. Both of these books have been engaging, emotional reads with interesting plots and characters – and friendship and caring about other people in their hearts.
My thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.
Key Lime Sky is a mixture of a drama (with a budding romance) about an autistic person, and a thrilling sci-fi mystery. I think it works; I’ve always enjoyed my sci-fi stories less pew-pew and more about the human (and alien) relationships. All the aspects of the story are developed well enough.
There’s something very nostalgic about this story, reminding me of episodes of X-Files or Twilight Zone, a paranormal sci-fi thriller with humour and drama. The story is a bit more on the cosier side altogether, not trying to be brutal or edgy, and rather aiming for something more wholesome.
The protagonist also seems sort of a homage to the old and popular ‘eccentric genius’ archetype: a witty neuroatypical person having some difficulties in social interactions. Although the depiction of an autistic person feels a bit more up-to-date – and real – here than it’s been on most of the TV shows. Diversity in general is heavily present and handled according to modern times.
I already enjoyed ‘World Running Down’ and while I wouldn’t say either of these novels are quite perfect, I’m definitely starting to become a fan and will read more from the author. Both of these books have been engaging, emotional reads with interesting plots and characters – and friendship and caring about other people in their hearts.
My thanks to the author and NetGalley for the ARC.
February 19, 2025
Everyone complains about different things for this book, so that should say something; there's a little bit of everything. It had me in a chokehold for a solid moment but lost me at the halfway point, when the MC hallucinates a theoretical explanation for the ongoing mystery and by the magic of xeir main-character-energy, xe turns out to be right, no further questions asked. And then, xe has the audacity to state, "my autism isn't a superpower." 💀
Spoiler (whole book/mystery resolution)
I loved all the representation, be it pan, non-binary or trans. The characters were really endearing, and most of all, the two main characters (Denver & Ezra) had deep, meaningful backstories. There were a few pacing issues (felt a bit too long) but overall I had fun with it.
Spoiler (whole book/mystery resolution)
I loved all the representation, be it pan, non-binary or trans. The characters were really endearing, and most of all, the two main characters (Denver & Ezra) had deep, meaningful backstories. There were a few pacing issues (felt a bit too long) but overall I had fun with it.
September 18, 2024
Key Lime Sky starts off like a quirky sci-fi romp—aliens, a UFO explosion, and Denver, our bologna-and-pie-loving hero, caught right in the middle. Sounds like a recipe for some offbeat fun, right? But instead of leaning into that strange, wacky setup, the book takes a detour into territory I wasn’t expecting. It’s less about aliens and more about... everything else.
Denver, the main character, is autistic and non binary - I was excited to read about them, but instead of feeling like a real person, Denver ends up more like a collection of traits. There’s no real depth or growth, just a lot of “this is what being autistic looks like,” and it made it hard for me to connect. The same thing goes for the rest of the characters—they’re all there, but they don’t feel fleshed out beyond their initial labels.
Now, the aliens do show up, but the story quickly shifts away from the fun sci-fi mystery into discussions about social issues. And look, these are important topics to discuss and read, but when a story stops being about the story, it kind of loses steam. Plus, there are monologues on these issues that feel like they don’t really fit in with the book - it takes away from the momentum of what could’ve been a wild alien adventure.
The sci-fi elements themselves? Definitely light. The concepts are there, but there’s a real lack of explanation or grounding in any sort of science. It’s like the book dips its toe into sci-fi but never fully commits, leaving you with more questions than answers. I’m all for suspension of disbelief, but give me something to hold on to—some logic, some explanation—otherwise it feels like the story’s just throwing ideas out and hoping they stick.
In the end, Key Lime Sky just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. There’s potential, but it never really takes off.
Denver, the main character, is autistic and non binary - I was excited to read about them, but instead of feeling like a real person, Denver ends up more like a collection of traits. There’s no real depth or growth, just a lot of “this is what being autistic looks like,” and it made it hard for me to connect. The same thing goes for the rest of the characters—they’re all there, but they don’t feel fleshed out beyond their initial labels.
Now, the aliens do show up, but the story quickly shifts away from the fun sci-fi mystery into discussions about social issues. And look, these are important topics to discuss and read, but when a story stops being about the story, it kind of loses steam. Plus, there are monologues on these issues that feel like they don’t really fit in with the book - it takes away from the momentum of what could’ve been a wild alien adventure.
The sci-fi elements themselves? Definitely light. The concepts are there, but there’s a real lack of explanation or grounding in any sort of science. It’s like the book dips its toe into sci-fi but never fully commits, leaving you with more questions than answers. I’m all for suspension of disbelief, but give me something to hold on to—some logic, some explanation—otherwise it feels like the story’s just throwing ideas out and hoping they stick.
In the end, Key Lime Sky just didn’t quite hit the mark for me. There’s potential, but it never really takes off.
August 9, 2024
Denver Bryant is an amateur pie critic, blogging about the best and worst pies he can find in the area around his small Wyoming town of Muddy Gap. After stopping at a diner with a particularly disappointing cherry pie, they are driving home when they see a strange flash of light over their hometown. Yet no one else noticed anything, and no one is taking them seriously when they notice strange things happening - they’re just local weirdo Professor Pie, after all.
I love the premise and I *love* the title. Parts of this were excellent, but parts of it were less so.
The alien incursion is absolutely great. People start acting strange, and strange things start happening, and it gets weirder and weirder. It’s no simple armed invasion or festival of probing; Hess has done something far more creative and interesting here. My only critique of the alien invasion part of this book is that I wanted more of it.
Where the book is weaker is the integration of the alien invasion story and Denver’s story. Denver is non-binary and autistic, and the personal life aspects of this felt poorly integrated. Denver’s interactions with the folks of Muddy Gap just don’t seem to gel properly, rather like a lemon meringue pie that wasn’t prepared correctly. The components are delicious, but it doesn’t really hold together into a coherent whole.
(Life pro tip from someone whose lemon meringue pies sometimes turn to soup: it still works great on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream.)
My blog
I love the premise and I *love* the title. Parts of this were excellent, but parts of it were less so.
The alien incursion is absolutely great. People start acting strange, and strange things start happening, and it gets weirder and weirder. It’s no simple armed invasion or festival of probing; Hess has done something far more creative and interesting here. My only critique of the alien invasion part of this book is that I wanted more of it.
Where the book is weaker is the integration of the alien invasion story and Denver’s story. Denver is non-binary and autistic, and the personal life aspects of this felt poorly integrated. Denver’s interactions with the folks of Muddy Gap just don’t seem to gel properly, rather like a lemon meringue pie that wasn’t prepared correctly. The components are delicious, but it doesn’t really hold together into a coherent whole.
(Life pro tip from someone whose lemon meringue pies sometimes turn to soup: it still works great on top of a scoop of vanilla ice cream.)
My blog
August 9, 2024
Key Lime Sky is yet another charming, cozy sci-fi from Al Hess with wonderful characters... and this time, pie! And horror! I won't lie friends, I was craving pie in a big way when I finished this book. And I do not have any pie. (Al has recipes, but I need both recipes and someone to bake them for me, heh.)
Denver is non-binary and autistic and living in Wyoming whilst writing a pretty fabulous blog about pie, and as such is known colloquially as "Professor Pie". Honestly, their blog is better than mine, for it has pie. Go there. But maybe do not go to Muddy Gap, Wyoming, because things are amiss, and no one is taking Denver seriously. They saw something that definitely seems extraterrestrial, and when townsfolk start to vanish, there is definitely something afoot. Luckily, they find one person who does believe them in Ezra.
Thus begins the adventure to try to figure out what the heck is happening. Look, it requires some suspension of disbelief, sure. Especially toward the end. But I really enjoyed the ride! And frankly, the overall messages were great too. Like maybe don't dismiss someone just because they happen to have autism. Or that being kind is the better life choice overall. Or that pie always wins. You know, the important stuff. I loved that Denver really got to see themself in a different light as the journey went on, too. It made the book feel quite hopeful, even when our characters did happen to be stuck in the midst of some kind of invasion.
Bottom Line: Can cozy horror be a thing? Cause I'm pretty sure Al Hess just created it and I am 100% here for it.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
Denver is non-binary and autistic and living in Wyoming whilst writing a pretty fabulous blog about pie, and as such is known colloquially as "Professor Pie". Honestly, their blog is better than mine, for it has pie. Go there. But maybe do not go to Muddy Gap, Wyoming, because things are amiss, and no one is taking Denver seriously. They saw something that definitely seems extraterrestrial, and when townsfolk start to vanish, there is definitely something afoot. Luckily, they find one person who does believe them in Ezra.
Thus begins the adventure to try to figure out what the heck is happening. Look, it requires some suspension of disbelief, sure. Especially toward the end. But I really enjoyed the ride! And frankly, the overall messages were great too. Like maybe don't dismiss someone just because they happen to have autism. Or that being kind is the better life choice overall. Or that pie always wins. You know, the important stuff. I loved that Denver really got to see themself in a different light as the journey went on, too. It made the book feel quite hopeful, even when our characters did happen to be stuck in the midst of some kind of invasion.
Bottom Line: Can cozy horror be a thing? Cause I'm pretty sure Al Hess just created it and I am 100% here for it.
You can find the full review and all the fancy and/or randomness that accompanies it at It Starts at Midnight
August 17, 2024
Review originally on JamReads
Key Lime Sky is a delicious queer sci-fi novel written by Al Hess, and published by Angry Robot Books. An intriguing and cosy story covering an alien invasion over a tiny town in America, full of heart and feelings, with a diverse cast that will steal your heart while trying to navigate the craziness without letting apart the fun and, of course, the pies.
Denver is a neurodiverse, non-binary pie blogger who, to be fair, talks before thinking about the consequences. Returning from a roadside diner, Denver witnesses a UFO exploding over the tiny town of Muddy Gap; however, nobody in the neighbourhood seems to have seen it, and with Denver's eccentric reputation, he feels it is frustrating his search for answers, deciding to share the incidents on his pie blog, which suddenly growths in popularity.
But among all the indifference in Muddy Gap, there's a person who takes Denver seriously: Ezra, a handsome bartender. Together, they will continue to investigate while the alien activity folds more and more the reality with chaotic results; and trapped in a city that doesn't allow them to leave, they will have to reach the bottom of this mystery while romance sparks between them.
Hess proves again his ability to create adorable characters and to transmit feelings through them. Denver's struggle to connect with other people is so real, something that the reader can connect, while being a rich drawn character in many aspects; autism is portrayed in a sensitive and genuine way. Loneliness is a colossal weight on Denver, but in comparison, we can also appreciate how genuine the relationship with Ezra is sparked.
Ezra is genuinely enthusiastic and charming, but most important, he cares deeply about Denver's feelings and interests. You can sense how genuine it is, and it is impossible to not fall in love with this duo, and the strange found family that gets formed when the world goes into chaos.
The rest of the secondary cast have also their own quirkiness, playing into some stereotypes, but without letting apart the emotional complexity that is attached to any of Hess' characters, making you to empathise with them even in the weirdest of situations.
Key Lime Sky is greatly paced, slowly growing and embracing the chaos consequence of what's happening over Muddy Gap; said that, we still have space for the coziness and the romance, allowing us to take a breath from the metaphorical end of the world.
In Key Lime Sky, we have an excellent story full of emotion, some humour and an awesome cast of characters that will accompany you on this delicious adventure; a storyline that also takes the opportunity to discuss themes such as identity and autism, while keeping us glued to the page. Absolutely loved it.
Key Lime Sky is a delicious queer sci-fi novel written by Al Hess, and published by Angry Robot Books. An intriguing and cosy story covering an alien invasion over a tiny town in America, full of heart and feelings, with a diverse cast that will steal your heart while trying to navigate the craziness without letting apart the fun and, of course, the pies.
Denver is a neurodiverse, non-binary pie blogger who, to be fair, talks before thinking about the consequences. Returning from a roadside diner, Denver witnesses a UFO exploding over the tiny town of Muddy Gap; however, nobody in the neighbourhood seems to have seen it, and with Denver's eccentric reputation, he feels it is frustrating his search for answers, deciding to share the incidents on his pie blog, which suddenly growths in popularity.
But among all the indifference in Muddy Gap, there's a person who takes Denver seriously: Ezra, a handsome bartender. Together, they will continue to investigate while the alien activity folds more and more the reality with chaotic results; and trapped in a city that doesn't allow them to leave, they will have to reach the bottom of this mystery while romance sparks between them.
Hess proves again his ability to create adorable characters and to transmit feelings through them. Denver's struggle to connect with other people is so real, something that the reader can connect, while being a rich drawn character in many aspects; autism is portrayed in a sensitive and genuine way. Loneliness is a colossal weight on Denver, but in comparison, we can also appreciate how genuine the relationship with Ezra is sparked.
Ezra is genuinely enthusiastic and charming, but most important, he cares deeply about Denver's feelings and interests. You can sense how genuine it is, and it is impossible to not fall in love with this duo, and the strange found family that gets formed when the world goes into chaos.
The rest of the secondary cast have also their own quirkiness, playing into some stereotypes, but without letting apart the emotional complexity that is attached to any of Hess' characters, making you to empathise with them even in the weirdest of situations.
Key Lime Sky is greatly paced, slowly growing and embracing the chaos consequence of what's happening over Muddy Gap; said that, we still have space for the coziness and the romance, allowing us to take a breath from the metaphorical end of the world.
In Key Lime Sky, we have an excellent story full of emotion, some humour and an awesome cast of characters that will accompany you on this delicious adventure; a storyline that also takes the opportunity to discuss themes such as identity and autism, while keeping us glued to the page. Absolutely loved it.
June 29, 2024
I received a free e-copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This book requires a serious suspension of belief in just about every field, I believe. However this pretty much matches up to the feeling the description gave me so it was not a surprise.
I am not typically an alien invasion person, but there are not nearly as many trans books or main autistic characters as I would like, and this one fulfilled both concepts. While it is not my favorite book, I think it was an enjoyable experience outside my normal reading preferences.
As an autistic person myself, I mostly understood how Denver (any, prefers xe/xem/xyr) was feeling in regard to xyr social interactions and sensory issues. This made it very frustrating when reading how other people reacted to xem, especially Ezra (he/him). I personally often had to work really hard to understand why Ezra especially was upset by something Denver said. Maybe a neurotypical person would understand more, or if I read it from Ezra's pov, but personally a lot of the misunderstanding was more unbelievable to me than an alien landing in a small town.
However, I was happy with how it ended and the way things come together and grow. The pacing was occasionally a bit off and it was a tad confusing, but I think this is a good edition to sci-fi books.
Side note, I included character pronouns to make it easier for understanding, as well as to reflect neopronouns are used in this book, as it is especially hard to find main characters using neopronouns.
This book requires a serious suspension of belief in just about every field, I believe. However this pretty much matches up to the feeling the description gave me so it was not a surprise.
I am not typically an alien invasion person, but there are not nearly as many trans books or main autistic characters as I would like, and this one fulfilled both concepts. While it is not my favorite book, I think it was an enjoyable experience outside my normal reading preferences.
As an autistic person myself, I mostly understood how Denver (any, prefers xe/xem/xyr) was feeling in regard to xyr social interactions and sensory issues. This made it very frustrating when reading how other people reacted to xem, especially Ezra (he/him). I personally often had to work really hard to understand why Ezra especially was upset by something Denver said. Maybe a neurotypical person would understand more, or if I read it from Ezra's pov, but personally a lot of the misunderstanding was more unbelievable to me than an alien landing in a small town.
However, I was happy with how it ended and the way things come together and grow. The pacing was occasionally a bit off and it was a tad confusing, but I think this is a good edition to sci-fi books.
Side note, I included character pronouns to make it easier for understanding, as well as to reflect neopronouns are used in this book, as it is especially hard to find main characters using neopronouns.
February 18, 2025
Worst episode of 'Twilight Zone' ever. Best episode of 'Twilight Zone' ever.
My life had become a bizarre science fiction soap opera.
Is there such a thing as cozy scifi? Because that's we have here. Yes, there were elements of horror, but also romance, humor, and fantasy. And I adored Denver's brain! What a fun little book.
With excellent narration by Curtis Michael Holland.
But make sure you have some pie in the house before you start this. You'll thank me.
My life had become a bizarre science fiction soap opera.
Is there such a thing as cozy scifi? Because that's we have here. Yes, there were elements of horror, but also romance, humor, and fantasy. And I adored Denver's brain! What a fun little book.
With excellent narration by Curtis Michael Holland.
But make sure you have some pie in the house before you start this. You'll thank me.
August 18, 2024
This is a really great read! A fun story of alien invasion with a pie connoisseur as the main character! Fun ideas mixed in with a love story, a really great mix, I flew through the book as I found it so enjoyable. I do always enjoy this writers work, they always have a different perspective which I find intriguing & equally enjoyable! I do recommend!
November 4, 2024
2,5*
Nobody is more dissapointed than I am.
Nobody is more dissapointed than I am.
September 11, 2025
I don't even know where to start ..I simply loved this one .Denver , 34 yr old Autistic Non binary mc whose brutally honest and reviews pies . As a mom to an autistic son, when Denver got over stimulated and shut down it broke my heart . Ezra the plus sized love interest who is patient and caring of Denver. Copious amount of delicious sounding pie. Oh don't forget the ALIEN life form that's destroying Denver's small town and finding love among the chaos.
Favorite Qoutes:
"I don't have enough bandwidth for this shit"
“Yeah. I give honest assessments. Usually of pie, but I can rate asses too.”
often wondered what it was like for neurotypical people to just… exist, without the skin- itching anxiety of crowds and phone calls and knowing you weren’t going to get a conversation right because everyone had the manual for social navigation but you.
That sense of ease– even laced with the always- underlying trepidation that I would misstep in this social dance– was something I hadn’t felt in ages. And having someone who was safe, who didn’t judge me for being myself, was the sexiest possible thing I could think of.
No matter how lost we were in a maze where the exits were really dead ends, for a moment, we were both free.
Shaking my head, I blinked at the sky. “There’s nothing. My autism isn’t a superpower. Sorry. I wish it was.”
“Ezra, I– I want your comfort. I want your dates and your gifts and… One thing I know is no matter what happens, I don’t want to be alone for it. Do you want to spend the night in my bed?”
Ezra was the dream I only allowed myself to have in fleeting moments when my guard was down. Someone who wanted me. Someone who would stay.
"I hope we have a future where there’s room to talk about hurty things, even if we never do it.”
Molly said if aliens ever arrived in Muddy Gap, they’d be here to take me home. But I don’t belong with them. I belong with Ezra. I belong with my friends. I want people to stop leaving me. I want my damn town back.
Favorite Qoutes:
"I don't have enough bandwidth for this shit"
“Yeah. I give honest assessments. Usually of pie, but I can rate asses too.”
often wondered what it was like for neurotypical people to just… exist, without the skin- itching anxiety of crowds and phone calls and knowing you weren’t going to get a conversation right because everyone had the manual for social navigation but you.
That sense of ease– even laced with the always- underlying trepidation that I would misstep in this social dance– was something I hadn’t felt in ages. And having someone who was safe, who didn’t judge me for being myself, was the sexiest possible thing I could think of.
No matter how lost we were in a maze where the exits were really dead ends, for a moment, we were both free.
Shaking my head, I blinked at the sky. “There’s nothing. My autism isn’t a superpower. Sorry. I wish it was.”
“Ezra, I– I want your comfort. I want your dates and your gifts and… One thing I know is no matter what happens, I don’t want to be alone for it. Do you want to spend the night in my bed?”
Ezra was the dream I only allowed myself to have in fleeting moments when my guard was down. Someone who wanted me. Someone who would stay.
"I hope we have a future where there’s room to talk about hurty things, even if we never do it.”
Molly said if aliens ever arrived in Muddy Gap, they’d be here to take me home. But I don’t belong with them. I belong with Ezra. I belong with my friends. I want people to stop leaving me. I want my damn town back.
May 22, 2024
I received this free on Netgalley but my review is still a true reflection of my thoughts.
This book had some really fun things about it, namely the diverse range of characters (trans/non-binary/neurodivergent etc) and the SF undertones of aliens mixed with a reviewer of pies as the unlikely hero. Denver is our main character and xe is quite the unassuming one as xe are a lonely non-binary person living in a small town in the middle of nowhere and travelling about to review pies for xyr blog. Xe doesn’t have many friends or much family but there’s a small following on xyr blog of pie-passionate people.
When the sky in Denver’s town is lit up green one night and xe starts to notice some unlikely and downright unexplainable things happening Denver tries to document the happenings on xyr blog. Denver meets a host of characters (some good and some not so) who xe tries to work with to figure out what’s truly happening, and alongside the main alien/UFO plot there’s also a romance happening for Denver in the background.
What I liked about this was largely the character rep and the fact that this felt like a fresh story and at times a cosy one. The characters we focus most on are good people and seeing them deal with a wild situation was a cool idea.
Personally, I think this is quite a light book and doesn’t dive deep into science or the ‘how’ of anything (not a bad thing for me) and it’s just mainly about how we would cope in such situations as these. Whilst I never truly connected or felt true impending doom from the story, it was an enjoyable read and it was the first by this author for me so I am intrigued about other works. 3*s from me for this one.
This book had some really fun things about it, namely the diverse range of characters (trans/non-binary/neurodivergent etc) and the SF undertones of aliens mixed with a reviewer of pies as the unlikely hero. Denver is our main character and xe is quite the unassuming one as xe are a lonely non-binary person living in a small town in the middle of nowhere and travelling about to review pies for xyr blog. Xe doesn’t have many friends or much family but there’s a small following on xyr blog of pie-passionate people.
When the sky in Denver’s town is lit up green one night and xe starts to notice some unlikely and downright unexplainable things happening Denver tries to document the happenings on xyr blog. Denver meets a host of characters (some good and some not so) who xe tries to work with to figure out what’s truly happening, and alongside the main alien/UFO plot there’s also a romance happening for Denver in the background.
What I liked about this was largely the character rep and the fact that this felt like a fresh story and at times a cosy one. The characters we focus most on are good people and seeing them deal with a wild situation was a cool idea.
Personally, I think this is quite a light book and doesn’t dive deep into science or the ‘how’ of anything (not a bad thing for me) and it’s just mainly about how we would cope in such situations as these. Whilst I never truly connected or felt true impending doom from the story, it was an enjoyable read and it was the first by this author for me so I am intrigued about other works. 3*s from me for this one.
August 4, 2024
This is an ARC review
Long story short, Denver is an autistic pie reviewing blogger who lives in Muddy Gap, Wyoming. When xe witnesses a UFO light up in the skies of the town, everything starts to go to shit. Sand, shells, crabs, etc., and the only one who seems to believe them is the handsome bartender they had a Meet Ugly with the other day.
I will start by saying Key Lime Sky absolutely took me by surprise and I loved it so much. Its achingly tender and sweet and spooky and lonely and filled with love. At its core it is about human connections and relationships, how we treat each other in both normal times and in extreme situations, and how the bonds we form can help us. It is an alien mystery (that was a little more spooky than I expected) set against two people learning to be vulnerable and sharing themselves with each other.
Not to mention I actually love the writing itself. I am so hesitant about 1st person but this was really well done and I think served the narrative really well. And the prose is not overly lush but there’s something delightfully succulent about it.
I am not gonna lie Denver made me cry (mark of a good book imo). I knew from the description that Denver was autistic but wasn’t prepared for how delightfully wholly unabashedly autistic xe is. Xe struggles with coming off as rude, has a ton of sensory issues, struggles with understanding intent etc. I honestly cried at basically nothing except so deeply relating to them. I’ve seen (stupid) reviews complaining that it was over the top but honestly it was so relatable to my lived experience so I am just gonna assume those people don’t really care. It is not just that Denver is autistic but they struggle with these same feelings of wanting love and understanding and connection and whatever. Idk I cannot articulate it but… this is autistic romance at its finest, folks.
Long story short, Denver is an autistic pie reviewing blogger who lives in Muddy Gap, Wyoming. When xe witnesses a UFO light up in the skies of the town, everything starts to go to shit. Sand, shells, crabs, etc., and the only one who seems to believe them is the handsome bartender they had a Meet Ugly with the other day.
I will start by saying Key Lime Sky absolutely took me by surprise and I loved it so much. Its achingly tender and sweet and spooky and lonely and filled with love. At its core it is about human connections and relationships, how we treat each other in both normal times and in extreme situations, and how the bonds we form can help us. It is an alien mystery (that was a little more spooky than I expected) set against two people learning to be vulnerable and sharing themselves with each other.
Not to mention I actually love the writing itself. I am so hesitant about 1st person but this was really well done and I think served the narrative really well. And the prose is not overly lush but there’s something delightfully succulent about it.
I am not gonna lie Denver made me cry (mark of a good book imo). I knew from the description that Denver was autistic but wasn’t prepared for how delightfully wholly unabashedly autistic xe is. Xe struggles with coming off as rude, has a ton of sensory issues, struggles with understanding intent etc. I honestly cried at basically nothing except so deeply relating to them. I’ve seen (stupid) reviews complaining that it was over the top but honestly it was so relatable to my lived experience so I am just gonna assume those people don’t really care. It is not just that Denver is autistic but they struggle with these same feelings of wanting love and understanding and connection and whatever. Idk I cannot articulate it but… this is autistic romance at its finest, folks.
November 17, 2025
3.5 stars
In November I took part in the Non-Binary and Trans readathon that was hosted by the Book Addicts Anonymous book club. When they announced this, it made me realize that I don't read a whole lot of books with non-binary/trans characters and I wanted to fix that. This one sounded cute and I had a good time reading it. I liked both of our main characters Denver and Ezra and their relationship. I listened to the audiobook for this one and the way the narrator narrated Denver, it made them sound so freaking whiny for pretty much the entire book which was very annoying. This was such an easy read, I read it all in one day. I loved the relationship both the romantic one and the friendship ones. I didn't particularly care for the introduction of one character that added some drama to the overall plot and the romance as well. Overall, I'm glad I read this one and I'll definitely read more by this author in the future.
In November I took part in the Non-Binary and Trans readathon that was hosted by the Book Addicts Anonymous book club. When they announced this, it made me realize that I don't read a whole lot of books with non-binary/trans characters and I wanted to fix that. This one sounded cute and I had a good time reading it. I liked both of our main characters Denver and Ezra and their relationship. I listened to the audiobook for this one and the way the narrator narrated Denver, it made them sound so freaking whiny for pretty much the entire book which was very annoying. This was such an easy read, I read it all in one day. I loved the relationship both the romantic one and the friendship ones. I didn't particularly care for the introduction of one character that added some drama to the overall plot and the romance as well. Overall, I'm glad I read this one and I'll definitely read more by this author in the future.
July 25, 2024
Denver and Ezra just can't catch a break. But I tell you what, they are adorable and persistent. It ain't easy saving the planet.
What I loved about this book:
- our tag team dynamic duo supporting each other every step of the way, aww
- neurodivergent and queer representation
- aliens!
- the banter and quips
- no high falutin careers, we got ourselves a bartender and a pie reviewer here
- a proper epilogue
What made me give it a 4 vs a 5:
The book suffers a bit from not knowing what genre it wants to be. Is it cozy? Is it action? Is it serious? There's humor but quite enough to call it a comedy scifi. There's some real life issues and an antagonist (not the aliens) you love to hate, but the tone of the book besides those parts is more light hearted (maybe heart warming is the better term) so it's a little jarring to go from alphabet pie to the danger zone and back.
This book is perfect for fans of lighter (aka not dark scary) scifi. You may like this if you like Becky Chambers or John Scalzi.
I received this ARC via NetGalley, thank you! All opinions are my own.
What I loved about this book:
- our tag team dynamic duo supporting each other every step of the way, aww
- neurodivergent and queer representation
- aliens!
- the banter and quips
- no high falutin careers, we got ourselves a bartender and a pie reviewer here
- a proper epilogue
What made me give it a 4 vs a 5:
The book suffers a bit from not knowing what genre it wants to be. Is it cozy? Is it action? Is it serious? There's humor but quite enough to call it a comedy scifi. There's some real life issues and an antagonist (not the aliens) you love to hate, but the tone of the book besides those parts is more light hearted (maybe heart warming is the better term) so it's a little jarring to go from alphabet pie to the danger zone and back.
This book is perfect for fans of lighter (aka not dark scary) scifi. You may like this if you like Becky Chambers or John Scalzi.
I received this ARC via NetGalley, thank you! All opinions are my own.
July 8, 2024
I don't read a whole lot of sci-fi, but I was drawn in originally by the cover and description and if it's labeled as LGBTQ+, count me in. Also, I LOVE pie, and one of my favorites is key lime pie, so obviously this book was calling to me based on the title alone.
I was immediately excited after reading the prologue! It starts off really solid but then I had a little trouble connection with Denver. I understand Denver is autistic, but it seemed like it was really hammered in there with a checklist of what people think of as autistic.
The story is unique and intriguing though.
I was immediately excited after reading the prologue! It starts off really solid but then I had a little trouble connection with Denver. I understand Denver is autistic, but it seemed like it was really hammered in there with a checklist of what people think of as autistic.
The story is unique and intriguing though.
February 3, 2025
I loved this one! It's one of the few books I've read so far with autistic rep outside of what's usually portrayed in media (because you know, it's a spectrum). I found Denver extremely relatable in different ways and while I wasn't that into the alien-side of the story, I was there for the found family, friendships, and Denver's story. The pie descriptions were absolutely torture though, and I now have a big craving for them.
This book was so rich with autistic and queer experiences and shows why representation matters. I'm glad this book exists.
Thank you Angry Robot for sending me a copy to review. All opinions my own.
This book was so rich with autistic and queer experiences and shows why representation matters. I'm glad this book exists.
Thank you Angry Robot for sending me a copy to review. All opinions my own.
November 9, 2025
Key Lime Sky is an unconventional take on an alien invasion featuring an equally unconventional main character.
While my experiences as a nonbinary and neurodivergent person have been quite different from Denver's, I find xem pretty relatable at times. I really liked getting to see the world through Denver's eyes, though I'll admit I needed time for xem grow on me.
I'm grateful for the chance to check in out a review copy through Netgalley. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
While my experiences as a nonbinary and neurodivergent person have been quite different from Denver's, I find xem pretty relatable at times. I really liked getting to see the world through Denver's eyes, though I'll admit I needed time for xem grow on me.
I'm grateful for the chance to check in out a review copy through Netgalley. I'm leaving this review of my own accord.
September 8, 2024
Immediate 5 ⭐️
The humour, the characters, the setting - I could fault none of it. The sci-fi was well done and I honestly think it's something that Douglas Adams could have dreamed up but made extremely queer and with brilliant Autism representation.
If there was a small sequel focused on the pie road trip with Ezra and Denver, I'd love to be privy to it because they are the cutest, most wholesome couple.
I'll be recommending this to anyone who will listen even if they don't like sci-fi because it's amazing.
I can't wait to read more of Al Hess' work.
The humour, the characters, the setting - I could fault none of it. The sci-fi was well done and I honestly think it's something that Douglas Adams could have dreamed up but made extremely queer and with brilliant Autism representation.
If there was a small sequel focused on the pie road trip with Ezra and Denver, I'd love to be privy to it because they are the cutest, most wholesome couple.
I'll be recommending this to anyone who will listen even if they don't like sci-fi because it's amazing.
I can't wait to read more of Al Hess' work.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 20, 2024
A solid read. Sometimes I feel like it tries to do too much but I enjoyed it. Unfortunately I can't make it to the book club I read this for. :((((
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