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Starfire
In a world where dragons hatch from stars, Peregrine Kent would give anything to see the sky.
It’ll never happen. The Barrier surrounding his planet makes sure of that. Everyone else might feel safe, but the flat white sky just makes Per feel trapped. His OCD has been getting worse each day; if he could only be out among the stars, though, he would finally feel free.
His dream seems impossible…until the day a real live star dragon tears a hole in the sky, setting off a worldwide panic. With the help of a homemade submarine and its surly—and distractingly handsome—captain, Per sets off on a quest to escape the confines of his world and his own anxiety. But what he discovers instead is a devastating truth that will change everything he thought he knew about dragons, his planet, and himself.
It’ll never happen. The Barrier surrounding his planet makes sure of that. Everyone else might feel safe, but the flat white sky just makes Per feel trapped. His OCD has been getting worse each day; if he could only be out among the stars, though, he would finally feel free.
His dream seems impossible…until the day a real live star dragon tears a hole in the sky, setting off a worldwide panic. With the help of a homemade submarine and its surly—and distractingly handsome—captain, Per sets off on a quest to escape the confines of his world and his own anxiety. But what he discovers instead is a devastating truth that will change everything he thought he knew about dragons, his planet, and himself.
314 pages, Kindle Edition
Published May 14, 2024
1 person is currently reading
33 people want to read
About the author
Naomi Hughes
10 books437 followersHi! I'm Naomi Hughes, writer of quirky young adult sci-fi and fantasy. I write #ownvoices mental health representation into everything I can, because I want my readers to see that people with mental illnesses are main characters, too. I live in the Midwest US, a region I love even though it tries to murder me with blizzards every winter. When not writing, my hobbies include reading, gaming, watching anime, and traveling.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
April 3, 2024
*I received an ecopy of this book via NetGalley. This has not influenced my review.*
I was expecting a sort of typical fantasy story about a struggling boy making a connection with a dragon (albeit a star dragon, and don't get me wrong, typical can still be great), but what I got was something unique and surprising and creative with an interesting mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and the real. Maybe these ideas are in other stories, but they were new to me or used in ways I've never seen them used before. And I'm not just talking about the star dragons that can erase things from existence and memory with their starfire. (When that's not the most interesting thing in a book, you know you're in for a treat!)
And the story itself kept me on my toes. There were emotional moments and tense moments and dangerous moments. There was some action, but also a lot of quiet, relationship or internal-focused scenes. A lot of the book took place on a submarine, which sounds terrifying to me but was more cozy for the characters, aside from the occasional giant eel encounter. And as it went on, I really didn't know what was going to happen or how they were going to solve their problems.
Peregrine, the main character, was caring and anxious and determined. Z, the handsome submarine captain, was enigmatic and grumpy but had his own less obvious ways of showing kindness. Anthem, Per's sister, was pushy but also determined and a problem-solver. The sibling bond was a strong and sweet and a big part of the story. There was also a small bit of romance, and I enjoyed the tension between them.
There was disability rep! Peregrine had harm OCD with intrusive thoughts, and I can't speak from experience, but it seemed to be portrayed realistically and with care. Z used a hover chair (like a wheelchair).
Small complaint #1: I could not get a handle on the ages of these characters. The main character was 17 or 18. Ok. His sister was a year younger than him, but she was interning to be a therapist and mentioned having bad bedside manner. At 16 she's working with patients? And Z was 19 or 20, I think, but a mechanical/engineering genius, and Per found an article from 10 years ago about him working with his mother to repurpose a ship. So he was building ships and doing research when he was 10? Maybe I just missed something. But this would have made a lot more sense to me if the characters had all been like 3 years older. Because then it would still make sense for the MC to be struggling and figuring things out in life, but his sister would be in college, and Z would've been working with his mother in his teens. This wasn't a huge deal, but it did distract me for a moment every time these things were mentioned.
Small complaint #2: I'm no expert, but there were some things that I don't think would've happened the way they did, in terms of science. (I'm not talking about the dragons, obviously those were never going to be realistic.) So you have to be able to just let that go for the sake of a good story and some touching moments.
Overall, I found this creative and unique and didn't know what would happen, but I cared about the characters and loved this take on dragons living among the stars!
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2024 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
I was expecting a sort of typical fantasy story about a struggling boy making a connection with a dragon (albeit a star dragon, and don't get me wrong, typical can still be great), but what I got was something unique and surprising and creative with an interesting mix of fantasy, sci-fi, and the real. Maybe these ideas are in other stories, but they were new to me or used in ways I've never seen them used before. And I'm not just talking about the star dragons that can erase things from existence and memory with their starfire. (When that's not the most interesting thing in a book, you know you're in for a treat!)
And the story itself kept me on my toes. There were emotional moments and tense moments and dangerous moments. There was some action, but also a lot of quiet, relationship or internal-focused scenes. A lot of the book took place on a submarine, which sounds terrifying to me but was more cozy for the characters, aside from the occasional giant eel encounter. And as it went on, I really didn't know what was going to happen or how they were going to solve their problems.
Peregrine, the main character, was caring and anxious and determined. Z, the handsome submarine captain, was enigmatic and grumpy but had his own less obvious ways of showing kindness. Anthem, Per's sister, was pushy but also determined and a problem-solver. The sibling bond was a strong and sweet and a big part of the story. There was also a small bit of romance, and I enjoyed the tension between them.
There was disability rep! Peregrine had harm OCD with intrusive thoughts, and I can't speak from experience, but it seemed to be portrayed realistically and with care. Z used a hover chair (like a wheelchair).
Small complaint #1: I could not get a handle on the ages of these characters. The main character was 17 or 18. Ok. His sister was a year younger than him, but she was interning to be a therapist and mentioned having bad bedside manner. At 16 she's working with patients? And Z was 19 or 20, I think, but a mechanical/engineering genius, and Per found an article from 10 years ago about him working with his mother to repurpose a ship. So he was building ships and doing research when he was 10? Maybe I just missed something. But this would have made a lot more sense to me if the characters had all been like 3 years older. Because then it would still make sense for the MC to be struggling and figuring things out in life, but his sister would be in college, and Z would've been working with his mother in his teens. This wasn't a huge deal, but it did distract me for a moment every time these things were mentioned.
Small complaint #2: I'm no expert, but there were some things that I don't think would've happened the way they did, in terms of science. (I'm not talking about the dragons, obviously those were never going to be realistic.) So you have to be able to just let that go for the sake of a good story and some touching moments.
Overall, I found this creative and unique and didn't know what would happen, but I cared about the characters and loved this take on dragons living among the stars!
*Rating: 4 Stars // Read Date: 2024 // Format: Ebook via TTS*
January 11, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley, the author and publishers for access to this ARC 📚
Back into reading and reviewing for the New Year after a few months break, and with a New Year comes a new review format! And what a lovely book to start 2025 with.
🔥Quick Fire Review🔥
Genre/Themes: 🪐👩🏻🔬🪖🐉⚓️🏳️🌈♿️
Tropes: Chosen One, Antihero, Emotional Scars, Orphan, Loveable Rogue, Undercover Lover, Found Family, Countdown to Destruction, Hidden Truth, Slow Burn, Earth-That-Was
Positives ✅: unique concepts, engaging story, confident prose, interesting protagonist with representation of lesser known neurodiversity and disability, good world-building
Room for Improvement 🔎: uneven pacing, unlikeable side character, inconsistent or repetitive dialogue, promising but underdeveloped romance elements, some confusing lore
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌗
✍🏻 Full Review - RISK OF SPOILERS 🛑
Really enjoyed this little hidden gem, so grateful the author sent a corrected copy that I could download outside of NetGalley so I could go back to it! Despite this story being a steampunk sci-fi fantasy with plenty of peril, I found it really cosy. The author has lovely prose, super readable and able to create strong imagery with their descriptive writing.
Characterisation:
Peregrine, the protagonist, was on the whole a joy to read. Harm OCD isn’t something I know a lot about, but the author was able to make me feel Per’s anxiety and give a glimpse into this debilitating mental illness. I thought it was done expertly. His compulsions hit home a little bit as someone with severe anxiety disorder, such as the rumination and the catastrophising. Then adding in his sense of longing with dreams of space, dying, and an unexplained feeling of kinship with the stardragons gave him an interesting motive. I loved his complexity. He was simultaneously avoidant such as not speaking to his parents directly about his OCD or his interest in stardragons, while also incredibly courageous setting off on his journey to an unknown place with unknown people to an unknown sense of doom. My only quarms with his character is, firstly, that he is supposed to be 17 years old. He is even referred to as ‘a minor’ by his love interest, but his dialogue feels much older. This made it difficult to pinpoint the intended demographic of the story. Secondly, I felt his OCD seemed to just… resolve itself a little too quickly towards the end of the book. He learns to control his starfire to create a shield and is kind of like ‘oh I’m not only capable of hurting after all! I’m cured!’. In reality we know it doesn’t quite work like that.
Anthem, his adopted sister, is a character I unfortunately couldn’t stand. She was pushy, rude and downright refused to respect anyone’s boundaries. At one point she recognises this but instead of deciding to work on it she decides to abandon her career and find a different one so she doesn’t have to change. Her constant arguing with and low-key bullying of her brother was tiresome. As a result I felt she wasn’t written to the same standard as Peregrine, showed no real development or redemption, and just served as an object of motivation for Peregrine.
Z on the other hand was a much better character. It was somewhat predictable that he was secretly the Star Slayer but I must confess I didn’t predict the twist in which he was actually the good guy all along. He had a good sense of humour, very sarcastic, and was very independent and head-strong but was able to show vulnerability. The slow burn between him and Peregrine would have been great but I felt we didn’t really see the romance develop much. Per occasionally mentioned a crush or finding Z attractive but I didn’t really feel there were many interactions to build sexual tension between them until the last knockings. In fact I didn’t really think Z reciprocated at all until he suddenly said it, that was a little jarring. Also found it wild that he is described as early 20s and literally describes Per as a minor, but openly admits attraction and desire for a relationship with Per. A bit creepy to want to sleep with someone you see as a child, no? So potential was there for strong romance writing but it wasn’t quite executed for me.
World-building:
Loved it. There was a real blend of futurism and modern-day technology, such as submarines and digital watches but then hover wheelchairs that move by magnets. Thought it added extra tension that everybody had an energy curfew because, in the same vein as we do on Earth with oil and fossil fuels, humans are still relying on non-renewable energy sources. The planet having an opaque artificial atmosphere added that feeling of being trapped in a fishbowl and increased the mystery of the world out there. The dragons and starfire were a unique concept and I enjoyed it, but found it a little difficult to follow at times and the lore a bit inconsistent. The concept of being ‘uncreated’ was eery but I think it was a hard thing to get right. People would be incapable of remembering an uncreated thing/or person unless they read or watched something about them, but even then they would instantly forget as soon as they stopped doing so. This is where it got a bit inconsistent because somebody would talk about an event involving an uncreated person and wonder what it was they couldn’t think of, but then it would dawn on them. Really they shouldn’t have been able to recollect them at all. But then if all evidence or remnants of a person/things existence was eradicated then people wouldn’t know to fear uncreation…. so you can see why this was a tricky lore to choose. I also found the dragons a little bit difficult to comprehend in my head. They were supposed to be the size of planets or stars, and travel at the speed of light, but were able to land on their world and cause specific destruction to buildings or people. At the end the dragons are looking down at the people below them but are described as the size of a mountain range. There is no way something that big can see someone that small. That didn’t make much sense in my head. The dragon that shares his soul with Peregrine and turns out to be the core of the new planet is, well, planet size. But humans still apparently cut his wings off? HOW? That feels like we as humans trying to use Saturn’s rings as a lasso. The core-dragon also blows up and ceases to exist, but the planet which has just been built upon its body doesn’t implode on itself even though it’s now lacking a core. Just certain things like that affected my immersion at times.
Prose/Plot:
The pacing of the story was occasionally a little off. It felt like the majority of the action that moved the story forward was the last couple of chapters, and to be honest it felt like the dragons weren’t even in the story very much. Far too many pages were dedicated to Per and Anthem’s arguing when it could have been spent on expanding our understanding of the dragon’s lives and powers or building more romantic tension between Per and Z. Or maybe even a POV from Per’s parents, seeing what was happening to the planet while Per, Z and Anthem were on the submarine. It didn’t stop me from enjoying the story and I even felt sad when the core-dragon died, but it did leave me wanting for more. The dialogue for the most part of the story was very natural and realistic, if not repetitive between Per and Anthem. There was only one dialogue exchange which frankly wound me up, which is when Z accuses Anthem of ableism when she says a stardragon wouldn’t be much good without its wings. This felt like SUCH a straw man argument and totally shoe-horned in. You cannot compare a disabled human being, who can live in many ways a wonderful quality of life with the right support and equipment, to a PLANET SIZED DRAGON WHO IS MEANT TO FLY ACROSS INFINITE SPACE AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT. What is it going to do, float walk to the next universe? It was so utterly ridiculous that I did roll my eyes. Anthem also made some comment about wanting to make out with a girl at a completely random moment that didn’t feel natural at all. Aside from that, I thought the plot was clever if not bittersweet and I was sad when it was over.
Back into reading and reviewing for the New Year after a few months break, and with a New Year comes a new review format! And what a lovely book to start 2025 with.
🔥Quick Fire Review🔥
Genre/Themes: 🪐👩🏻🔬🪖🐉⚓️🏳️🌈♿️
Tropes: Chosen One, Antihero, Emotional Scars, Orphan, Loveable Rogue, Undercover Lover, Found Family, Countdown to Destruction, Hidden Truth, Slow Burn, Earth-That-Was
Positives ✅: unique concepts, engaging story, confident prose, interesting protagonist with representation of lesser known neurodiversity and disability, good world-building
Room for Improvement 🔎: uneven pacing, unlikeable side character, inconsistent or repetitive dialogue, promising but underdeveloped romance elements, some confusing lore
Rating: 🌕🌕🌕🌗
✍🏻 Full Review - RISK OF SPOILERS 🛑
Really enjoyed this little hidden gem, so grateful the author sent a corrected copy that I could download outside of NetGalley so I could go back to it! Despite this story being a steampunk sci-fi fantasy with plenty of peril, I found it really cosy. The author has lovely prose, super readable and able to create strong imagery with their descriptive writing.
Characterisation:
Peregrine, the protagonist, was on the whole a joy to read. Harm OCD isn’t something I know a lot about, but the author was able to make me feel Per’s anxiety and give a glimpse into this debilitating mental illness. I thought it was done expertly. His compulsions hit home a little bit as someone with severe anxiety disorder, such as the rumination and the catastrophising. Then adding in his sense of longing with dreams of space, dying, and an unexplained feeling of kinship with the stardragons gave him an interesting motive. I loved his complexity. He was simultaneously avoidant such as not speaking to his parents directly about his OCD or his interest in stardragons, while also incredibly courageous setting off on his journey to an unknown place with unknown people to an unknown sense of doom. My only quarms with his character is, firstly, that he is supposed to be 17 years old. He is even referred to as ‘a minor’ by his love interest, but his dialogue feels much older. This made it difficult to pinpoint the intended demographic of the story. Secondly, I felt his OCD seemed to just… resolve itself a little too quickly towards the end of the book. He learns to control his starfire to create a shield and is kind of like ‘oh I’m not only capable of hurting after all! I’m cured!’. In reality we know it doesn’t quite work like that.
Anthem, his adopted sister, is a character I unfortunately couldn’t stand. She was pushy, rude and downright refused to respect anyone’s boundaries. At one point she recognises this but instead of deciding to work on it she decides to abandon her career and find a different one so she doesn’t have to change. Her constant arguing with and low-key bullying of her brother was tiresome. As a result I felt she wasn’t written to the same standard as Peregrine, showed no real development or redemption, and just served as an object of motivation for Peregrine.
Z on the other hand was a much better character. It was somewhat predictable that he was secretly the Star Slayer but I must confess I didn’t predict the twist in which he was actually the good guy all along. He had a good sense of humour, very sarcastic, and was very independent and head-strong but was able to show vulnerability. The slow burn between him and Peregrine would have been great but I felt we didn’t really see the romance develop much. Per occasionally mentioned a crush or finding Z attractive but I didn’t really feel there were many interactions to build sexual tension between them until the last knockings. In fact I didn’t really think Z reciprocated at all until he suddenly said it, that was a little jarring. Also found it wild that he is described as early 20s and literally describes Per as a minor, but openly admits attraction and desire for a relationship with Per. A bit creepy to want to sleep with someone you see as a child, no? So potential was there for strong romance writing but it wasn’t quite executed for me.
World-building:
Loved it. There was a real blend of futurism and modern-day technology, such as submarines and digital watches but then hover wheelchairs that move by magnets. Thought it added extra tension that everybody had an energy curfew because, in the same vein as we do on Earth with oil and fossil fuels, humans are still relying on non-renewable energy sources. The planet having an opaque artificial atmosphere added that feeling of being trapped in a fishbowl and increased the mystery of the world out there. The dragons and starfire were a unique concept and I enjoyed it, but found it a little difficult to follow at times and the lore a bit inconsistent. The concept of being ‘uncreated’ was eery but I think it was a hard thing to get right. People would be incapable of remembering an uncreated thing/or person unless they read or watched something about them, but even then they would instantly forget as soon as they stopped doing so. This is where it got a bit inconsistent because somebody would talk about an event involving an uncreated person and wonder what it was they couldn’t think of, but then it would dawn on them. Really they shouldn’t have been able to recollect them at all. But then if all evidence or remnants of a person/things existence was eradicated then people wouldn’t know to fear uncreation…. so you can see why this was a tricky lore to choose. I also found the dragons a little bit difficult to comprehend in my head. They were supposed to be the size of planets or stars, and travel at the speed of light, but were able to land on their world and cause specific destruction to buildings or people. At the end the dragons are looking down at the people below them but are described as the size of a mountain range. There is no way something that big can see someone that small. That didn’t make much sense in my head. The dragon that shares his soul with Peregrine and turns out to be the core of the new planet is, well, planet size. But humans still apparently cut his wings off? HOW? That feels like we as humans trying to use Saturn’s rings as a lasso. The core-dragon also blows up and ceases to exist, but the planet which has just been built upon its body doesn’t implode on itself even though it’s now lacking a core. Just certain things like that affected my immersion at times.
Prose/Plot:
The pacing of the story was occasionally a little off. It felt like the majority of the action that moved the story forward was the last couple of chapters, and to be honest it felt like the dragons weren’t even in the story very much. Far too many pages were dedicated to Per and Anthem’s arguing when it could have been spent on expanding our understanding of the dragon’s lives and powers or building more romantic tension between Per and Z. Or maybe even a POV from Per’s parents, seeing what was happening to the planet while Per, Z and Anthem were on the submarine. It didn’t stop me from enjoying the story and I even felt sad when the core-dragon died, but it did leave me wanting for more. The dialogue for the most part of the story was very natural and realistic, if not repetitive between Per and Anthem. There was only one dialogue exchange which frankly wound me up, which is when Z accuses Anthem of ableism when she says a stardragon wouldn’t be much good without its wings. This felt like SUCH a straw man argument and totally shoe-horned in. You cannot compare a disabled human being, who can live in many ways a wonderful quality of life with the right support and equipment, to a PLANET SIZED DRAGON WHO IS MEANT TO FLY ACROSS INFINITE SPACE AT THE SPEED OF LIGHT. What is it going to do, float walk to the next universe? It was so utterly ridiculous that I did roll my eyes. Anthem also made some comment about wanting to make out with a girl at a completely random moment that didn’t feel natural at all. Aside from that, I thought the plot was clever if not bittersweet and I was sad when it was over.
May 10, 2024
Thanks to Netgallery and the author for providing this book as an ARC.
The premise of this book was novel - it’s not your typical YA fantasy about a teenager and their dragon. There were definitely a couple of twists. I also enjoyed the OCD harm, disability representation, and queer representation. Although I don’t belong to any of those identities, it seemed like these topics were handled with respect. I did very much enjoy the MC’s thought processes when working through his anxiety and OCD. That being said, I found this book to overall really drag on. I put it down several times and had to really pull myself to pick it back up again. I think the main reason is because there is so much telling and not enough showing, and in some cases it felt like the dialogue just went on and on. It also felt like the MC was very much in his own head, which to some expect makes sense with the character because he is so anxious with complex thought processes, but at some points it was just too much. I also:was confused by the ages of the characters. They seem like teenagers because they’re still in school and live with their parents, but some of their actions seem too adult-y for the context. I didn’t think the love story was believable at all - the MC and his love interest barely interact but by the end are somehow falling in love? Maybe that is very typical teenager behavior, but it didn’t seem to fit the context of their subplot. Also the love interest seemed like he was in his early 20s or so, which firstly is weird if the MC really is still a teenager and secondly still doesn’t make sense with some of the timelines provided in the book.
Overall, it was an interesting plot and dragon- related storyline, but the lack of worldbuilding and clarity detracted from the overall experience.
The premise of this book was novel - it’s not your typical YA fantasy about a teenager and their dragon. There were definitely a couple of twists. I also enjoyed the OCD harm, disability representation, and queer representation. Although I don’t belong to any of those identities, it seemed like these topics were handled with respect. I did very much enjoy the MC’s thought processes when working through his anxiety and OCD. That being said, I found this book to overall really drag on. I put it down several times and had to really pull myself to pick it back up again. I think the main reason is because there is so much telling and not enough showing, and in some cases it felt like the dialogue just went on and on. It also felt like the MC was very much in his own head, which to some expect makes sense with the character because he is so anxious with complex thought processes, but at some points it was just too much. I also:was confused by the ages of the characters. They seem like teenagers because they’re still in school and live with their parents, but some of their actions seem too adult-y for the context. I didn’t think the love story was believable at all - the MC and his love interest barely interact but by the end are somehow falling in love? Maybe that is very typical teenager behavior, but it didn’t seem to fit the context of their subplot. Also the love interest seemed like he was in his early 20s or so, which firstly is weird if the MC really is still a teenager and secondly still doesn’t make sense with some of the timelines provided in the book.
Overall, it was an interesting plot and dragon- related storyline, but the lack of worldbuilding and clarity detracted from the overall experience.
April 9, 2024
This took a while for me to get into, which is no fault of the book and due to my challenges with the protagonist's intrusive thoughts. I would advise folks to be mindful of their own mental state when reading this book, in regards to reading violent intrusive thoughts. I set it down, and picked it back up when I was in a better place for it, and then I was able to sink into the story.
The first half of the book still did drag a bit for me, but the latter half picks up quite a bit and the information we learned about the world/the big 'twist' really surprised me and added further emotional depth to this character driven narrative.
I was a bit confused about the ages of the characters. I believe our three main characters (Per, his sister Anthem, and Z) are supposed to be teenagers but the way their current and previous exploits get described, Anthem and Z seem like they should be much older.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
The first half of the book still did drag a bit for me, but the latter half picks up quite a bit and the information we learned about the world/the big 'twist' really surprised me and added further emotional depth to this character driven narrative.
I was a bit confused about the ages of the characters. I believe our three main characters (Per, his sister Anthem, and Z) are supposed to be teenagers but the way their current and previous exploits get described, Anthem and Z seem like they should be much older.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC. All opinions are my own.
May 14, 2024
Naomi is a BEAST. This novel packs so much feeling and representation and plot and emotion and excitement!! I never knew what was going to happen next, and I did not see the end coming a mile away. This is possibly her best work yet, and I'm so thrilled it's out in the world!!!
April 18, 2024
"Starfire" by Naomi Hughes takes readers on a journey through a world where dragons hatch from stars, promising an imaginative adventure. The protagonist, Peregrine Kent, yearns to break free from the confines of his planet and his anxiety. The story unfolds with unexpected twists and turns, accompanied by Per's struggle with OCD. While the premise is intriguing and the character development commendable, the pacing sometimes feels uneven, and certain plot elements could have been explored further. Overall, "Starfire" offers an engaging read with a unique concept.
Thank you, NetGalley, Naomi Hughes and the publisher for letting me review this book
Thank you, NetGalley, Naomi Hughes and the publisher for letting me review this book
July 19, 2024
Originally posted on Just Geeking by as a part of repDISND 2024!
Content warnings:
Starfire by Naomi Hughes is a science fantasy novel about a young man who wishes to see the real sky. On the planet he calls home, a large barrier fills the sky keeping the population safe from star dragons, large creatures who almost decimated human settlers when they arrived a thousand years ago. The barrier has kept the dragons out but kept the humans locked in beneath a white sky. Peregrine has wanted to see the sky beyond the barrier for as long as he can remember, and he would do anything to see beyond it.
When a star dragon breaks a hole in the barrier, Per’s wish comes true in the worst way possible. Star dragons have the devastating power of uncreation, anything hit by their starfire is unmade, and instantly removed from reality and memory. As star dragons leave destruction and death in their wake, places and people disappear from memory as if they never existed. As Per watches his world devolves into chaos, he can’t help finding himself drawn towards the star dragon when he should be running in the opposite direction.
Finding a place on a submarine along with the famed “Star Slayer”, Per believes that he can find answers to his questions. He’s started having vivid dreams of star dragons, which concern him. Every day is a daily struggle against intrusive thoughts that tell him he is going to harm someone, a condition known as harm OCD. Despite being completely out of his element, Per is finding some comfort in the charismatic captain, Z, and the more time he spends with Z, the more Per realises he’s falling for him.
This was always going to be a journey of self-discovery, Per knew that. He just never realised how big those discoveries were going to be.
Some books just knock the wind out of you, and Starfire is one of those. It is an incredible book that combines science fiction with elements of fantasy and features a lot of representation. There is an M/M relationship, a bisexual main character, a non-binary secondary character, BIOPC characters and disabled and mental health representation.
As mentioned, Per has harm OCD and a foreword by Hughes describes this as involving “intrusive thoughts (scary/ violent thoughts that seem to pop up out of the blue), along with a pervasive fear that the “bad thoughts” mean you are a bad person who is likely to carry out those violent actions in real life […].”
This was a type of OCD I was unfamiliar with, and the inclusion of its representation in this book is why I wanted to highlight it for repDISND. This book is a brilliant example of how featuring representation in fiction can help spread awareness about mental health. There is always the chance that the representation might not be correct, however, when the author includes a foreword about the condition with advice and links to more information that is a very positive sign that it is going to be a good portrayal. In Hughes’ case, her author bio also mentions that she “writes ownvoices mental health into everything she can”. For those who are not familiar with the term “ownvoices” it refers to authors writing from lived experience.
The scenes showing Per’s OCD and anxiety felt familiar to me as someone with mental health conditions of my own, even though harm OCD was new to me. Rather than feeling alienated by the difference between us, I was drawn further to Per as Hughes helped me understand how his intrusive thoughts made him feel. There are many types of intrusive thoughts, and while mine do not involve violence, I’ve certainly questioned whether I was a bad person many times.
In addition to mental health representation, another main character, Z the captain of the submarine, uses a hover-propelled wheelchair. Z is an ambulatory wheelchair user and is not paralysed, however, walking is very difficult due to intense pain. No details are given regarding his disability, so it is not clear whether he has a chronic illness or his pain is the result of an injury.
Hughes is an excellent storyteller who embodies her characters with so much life and energy. I loved the realism she infuses into them and their relationships, particularly between Per and his family members. His sister, Anthem, is a force of nature and very different to her brother, and the scenes between the two siblings are powerful and emotional. The dialogue throughout the book is on fire from start to finish, especially Anthem’s witty one-liners. If you love sassy bisexuals, she’s your girl.
I was impressed with the way Hughes handled character development, showing the way each character processes events and new information. The journey the younger characters are making on the submarine is juxtaposed by Per and Anthem’s parents, who unlike most parents in YA books don’t just sit ideally by as their children run off unsupervised in the middle of a global catastrophe! Let’s just say that Anthem inherited her sass from somewhere, and as an adult, I truly appreciated that the adult characters were well-written.
At the heart of Starfire are themes of identity, and the journey to finding where we belong in the world. Be warned though, Hughes turns the coming-of-age trope on its head in this book with some incredible twists and turns, so if you think you’ve been there, read this before, I can assure you that you have not. This is me telling you to go read this book right now. It’s also on Kindle Unlimited, so you have no excuse!
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Content warnings:
Starfire by Naomi Hughes is a science fantasy novel about a young man who wishes to see the real sky. On the planet he calls home, a large barrier fills the sky keeping the population safe from star dragons, large creatures who almost decimated human settlers when they arrived a thousand years ago. The barrier has kept the dragons out but kept the humans locked in beneath a white sky. Peregrine has wanted to see the sky beyond the barrier for as long as he can remember, and he would do anything to see beyond it.
When a star dragon breaks a hole in the barrier, Per’s wish comes true in the worst way possible. Star dragons have the devastating power of uncreation, anything hit by their starfire is unmade, and instantly removed from reality and memory. As star dragons leave destruction and death in their wake, places and people disappear from memory as if they never existed. As Per watches his world devolves into chaos, he can’t help finding himself drawn towards the star dragon when he should be running in the opposite direction.
Finding a place on a submarine along with the famed “Star Slayer”, Per believes that he can find answers to his questions. He’s started having vivid dreams of star dragons, which concern him. Every day is a daily struggle against intrusive thoughts that tell him he is going to harm someone, a condition known as harm OCD. Despite being completely out of his element, Per is finding some comfort in the charismatic captain, Z, and the more time he spends with Z, the more Per realises he’s falling for him.
This was always going to be a journey of self-discovery, Per knew that. He just never realised how big those discoveries were going to be.
Some books just knock the wind out of you, and Starfire is one of those. It is an incredible book that combines science fiction with elements of fantasy and features a lot of representation. There is an M/M relationship, a bisexual main character, a non-binary secondary character, BIOPC characters and disabled and mental health representation.
As mentioned, Per has harm OCD and a foreword by Hughes describes this as involving “intrusive thoughts (scary/ violent thoughts that seem to pop up out of the blue), along with a pervasive fear that the “bad thoughts” mean you are a bad person who is likely to carry out those violent actions in real life […].”
This was a type of OCD I was unfamiliar with, and the inclusion of its representation in this book is why I wanted to highlight it for repDISND. This book is a brilliant example of how featuring representation in fiction can help spread awareness about mental health. There is always the chance that the representation might not be correct, however, when the author includes a foreword about the condition with advice and links to more information that is a very positive sign that it is going to be a good portrayal. In Hughes’ case, her author bio also mentions that she “writes ownvoices mental health into everything she can”. For those who are not familiar with the term “ownvoices” it refers to authors writing from lived experience.
The scenes showing Per’s OCD and anxiety felt familiar to me as someone with mental health conditions of my own, even though harm OCD was new to me. Rather than feeling alienated by the difference between us, I was drawn further to Per as Hughes helped me understand how his intrusive thoughts made him feel. There are many types of intrusive thoughts, and while mine do not involve violence, I’ve certainly questioned whether I was a bad person many times.
In addition to mental health representation, another main character, Z the captain of the submarine, uses a hover-propelled wheelchair. Z is an ambulatory wheelchair user and is not paralysed, however, walking is very difficult due to intense pain. No details are given regarding his disability, so it is not clear whether he has a chronic illness or his pain is the result of an injury.
Hughes is an excellent storyteller who embodies her characters with so much life and energy. I loved the realism she infuses into them and their relationships, particularly between Per and his family members. His sister, Anthem, is a force of nature and very different to her brother, and the scenes between the two siblings are powerful and emotional. The dialogue throughout the book is on fire from start to finish, especially Anthem’s witty one-liners. If you love sassy bisexuals, she’s your girl.
I was impressed with the way Hughes handled character development, showing the way each character processes events and new information. The journey the younger characters are making on the submarine is juxtaposed by Per and Anthem’s parents, who unlike most parents in YA books don’t just sit ideally by as their children run off unsupervised in the middle of a global catastrophe! Let’s just say that Anthem inherited her sass from somewhere, and as an adult, I truly appreciated that the adult characters were well-written.
At the heart of Starfire are themes of identity, and the journey to finding where we belong in the world. Be warned though, Hughes turns the coming-of-age trope on its head in this book with some incredible twists and turns, so if you think you’ve been there, read this before, I can assure you that you have not. This is me telling you to go read this book right now. It’s also on Kindle Unlimited, so you have no excuse!
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Follow me for more book reviews that discuss disabled and neurodivergent representation!
♦ repDISND ♦ Join us every July to discuss disabled & neurodivergent representation!
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May 11, 2024
Before I tell you why I loved this and gave it five stars I will admit there are weaknesses. But I’ve always tended to rate my books for the way I feel when I’m done, and so take this review with a grain of salt.
Thank you to NetGalley and the Author for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Starfire is the story of Peregrine Kent, a seventeen year old boy who years for the stars. Unfortunately for him, they are cut off by a white barrier protecting the planet from Star Dragons who have the power to uncreate anything with Starfire. In the story you will see Peregrine struggle with Harm OCD and the inescapable feeling that he is dying and he needs to get to the stars. To do this he tracks down the star-slayer, the only man who knows how to kill a dragon, in hopes he may be able to lead him to answers about the star dragons and why he himself is dreaming of them.. When a dragon breaks through the barrier and creates planet-wide panic, Peregrine and his stow-away sister Anthem board The Shitty Clunker with reluctant acting-captain Z determined to figure out the mystery or die trying.
What I loved
- Peregrine Kent. He is funny, he is struggling and terrified and he’s a teenage boy. I loved him from the beginning and only more as the story went on.
- Anthem she is feral and spunky and determined and apologizes for none of it. I enjoyed her character even if she was periodically a bit flat.
Z - this grumpy guy was hilarious and then he was devastating and I ached for his choices in the final half of this book.
- the Dragons, hello? Dragons born of stars? Say less.
- the world. I cannot say much without big spoilers but needless to say I was flabbergasted and really loved that aspect of anything I would have loved more world building to really understand the scope.
- the plot. There are holes, but in general the bones of this story are new to me and I couldn’t get it out of my head.
Some of my favorite quotes: * unfortunately I lost the saved ones from the first half of the story but I saved many so here are a few from the back half *
“I realize now that I never understood wrath before, but now I am made of it.”
“In my oldest memory, I am ancient and endless” 🌎
“I hope you get your ship back,” I tell him, trying to put everything in me into the words “I hope you see the stars.” 💔
“I would know you in any shape” 🫶🏻
Onto what I didn’t love:
- pacing, it dragged a bit in the first half, and then a lot happens really fast in the last 40%
- this may only be a me thing or the intention but the harm OCD was jarring to start, and decreases as Peregrine grows himself and I’m unsure if the point was to jar you right out of the rest of the story but in the beginning it was hard to get through and it’s pretty graphic so one should be mindful of the trigger warnings. I actually had to take a break for a few days before diving back in because it was a bit like whiplash. I appreciate the picture that the author was painting though. It really highlighted how debilitating it could be. I don’t wish Peregrine was “fixed”, it was such a huge part of him but I did struggle so that’s why I list it here.
- the rest of the characters fall flat compared to our three most prominent.
Overall I enjoyed this a lot, and I will be happy to add a physical copy of this book to my collection. ❤️
Thank you to NetGalley and the Author for providing an e-Arc in exchange for an honest review.
Starfire is the story of Peregrine Kent, a seventeen year old boy who years for the stars. Unfortunately for him, they are cut off by a white barrier protecting the planet from Star Dragons who have the power to uncreate anything with Starfire. In the story you will see Peregrine struggle with Harm OCD and the inescapable feeling that he is dying and he needs to get to the stars. To do this he tracks down the star-slayer, the only man who knows how to kill a dragon, in hopes he may be able to lead him to answers about the star dragons and why he himself is dreaming of them.. When a dragon breaks through the barrier and creates planet-wide panic, Peregrine and his stow-away sister Anthem board The Shitty Clunker with reluctant acting-captain Z determined to figure out the mystery or die trying.
What I loved
- Peregrine Kent. He is funny, he is struggling and terrified and he’s a teenage boy. I loved him from the beginning and only more as the story went on.
- Anthem she is feral and spunky and determined and apologizes for none of it. I enjoyed her character even if she was periodically a bit flat.
Z - this grumpy guy was hilarious and then he was devastating and I ached for his choices in the final half of this book.
- the Dragons, hello? Dragons born of stars? Say less.
- the world. I cannot say much without big spoilers but needless to say I was flabbergasted and really loved that aspect of anything I would have loved more world building to really understand the scope.
- the plot. There are holes, but in general the bones of this story are new to me and I couldn’t get it out of my head.
Some of my favorite quotes: * unfortunately I lost the saved ones from the first half of the story but I saved many so here are a few from the back half *
“I realize now that I never understood wrath before, but now I am made of it.”
“In my oldest memory, I am ancient and endless” 🌎
“I hope you get your ship back,” I tell him, trying to put everything in me into the words “I hope you see the stars.” 💔
“I would know you in any shape” 🫶🏻
Onto what I didn’t love:
- pacing, it dragged a bit in the first half, and then a lot happens really fast in the last 40%
- this may only be a me thing or the intention but the harm OCD was jarring to start, and decreases as Peregrine grows himself and I’m unsure if the point was to jar you right out of the rest of the story but in the beginning it was hard to get through and it’s pretty graphic so one should be mindful of the trigger warnings. I actually had to take a break for a few days before diving back in because it was a bit like whiplash. I appreciate the picture that the author was painting though. It really highlighted how debilitating it could be. I don’t wish Peregrine was “fixed”, it was such a huge part of him but I did struggle so that’s why I list it here.
- the rest of the characters fall flat compared to our three most prominent.
Overall I enjoyed this a lot, and I will be happy to add a physical copy of this book to my collection. ❤️
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 28, 2024
“Why doesn’t everyone long to rip a hole in the sky the way I do—to leave this shell of a world behind, to swim out into the starlight of infinite possibilities? To be free?”
Naomi Hughes’ Starfire is surprisingly (and successfully) ambitious for a modern YA novel, packed with action, introspection, and so much heart. Seventeen-year-old Peregrine Kent is afflicted not only with a particular subset of OCD, but also by the sudden onset of cosmic dreams and a deep longing to see the sky beyond the barrier that surrounds his home planet. He begins a quest to find the source of his visions, accompanied by reserved submarine captain Z, his ultra-capable adopted sister Anthem, and their family dog. With mythical star dragons finding their way through the planet’s shield, Per must work through his mental illness and unravel the secretive motivations of those around him.
Starfire reminded me why I enjoy YA; teen protagonists can experience so much with a fresh worldview that often is not obscured by the generalizations and emotional rigidity that accompanies adulthood. Hughes delivers a satisfyingly diverse story that contains the twists and turns of navigating OCD and family loyalty, with a delightful queer romance that doesn’t overshadow the novel’s plot. It was surprising to discover that Starfire’s main character doesn’t just experience harm OCD (a type of obsessive-compulsive-disorder in which vivid intrusive thoughts make a person feel as though they might cause harm to others), but also guides the reader gracefully through daily life with this illness. I have personally struggled with harm OCD, so discovering this type of representation in YA fiction was delightful. I wish I had read this story when I was seventeen.
Hughes is obviously a talented author, but a few things stood out to me during this read. There were a lot of similes, sometimes several on a page, and it was a bit jarring. Why does everything have to be compared to something else? Also, characters often dumped descriptions of others’ features at times when no one would be paying attention to “dark bronze skin, wavy black hair that could star in shampoo commercials, and dark brown eyes”. If these descriptions had occurred a bit more gradually, the first half of this novel would feel a lot less like a wattpad fic. Finally: the use of sentence fragments. There were only a few, but they briefly ripped my grammar-loving attention from the characters and plot.
Overall, Starfire was a delight to read, and has become one of my staple YA recommendations. I sincerely wish there were more stories like this out there.
Naomi Hughes’ Starfire is surprisingly (and successfully) ambitious for a modern YA novel, packed with action, introspection, and so much heart. Seventeen-year-old Peregrine Kent is afflicted not only with a particular subset of OCD, but also by the sudden onset of cosmic dreams and a deep longing to see the sky beyond the barrier that surrounds his home planet. He begins a quest to find the source of his visions, accompanied by reserved submarine captain Z, his ultra-capable adopted sister Anthem, and their family dog. With mythical star dragons finding their way through the planet’s shield, Per must work through his mental illness and unravel the secretive motivations of those around him.
Starfire reminded me why I enjoy YA; teen protagonists can experience so much with a fresh worldview that often is not obscured by the generalizations and emotional rigidity that accompanies adulthood. Hughes delivers a satisfyingly diverse story that contains the twists and turns of navigating OCD and family loyalty, with a delightful queer romance that doesn’t overshadow the novel’s plot. It was surprising to discover that Starfire’s main character doesn’t just experience harm OCD (a type of obsessive-compulsive-disorder in which vivid intrusive thoughts make a person feel as though they might cause harm to others), but also guides the reader gracefully through daily life with this illness. I have personally struggled with harm OCD, so discovering this type of representation in YA fiction was delightful. I wish I had read this story when I was seventeen.
Hughes is obviously a talented author, but a few things stood out to me during this read. There were a lot of similes, sometimes several on a page, and it was a bit jarring. Why does everything have to be compared to something else? Also, characters often dumped descriptions of others’ features at times when no one would be paying attention to “dark bronze skin, wavy black hair that could star in shampoo commercials, and dark brown eyes”. If these descriptions had occurred a bit more gradually, the first half of this novel would feel a lot less like a wattpad fic. Finally: the use of sentence fragments. There were only a few, but they briefly ripped my grammar-loving attention from the characters and plot.
Overall, Starfire was a delight to read, and has become one of my staple YA recommendations. I sincerely wish there were more stories like this out there.
February 24, 2024
3.5 but rounded up for vibes.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC.
This was such a nice read! I love the character interactions; they were so satisfying and the dialogue got laughs out of me all throughout. I love the world the story is set in and the twists and reveals of the world itself. I also really liked the harm OCD depiction and the queer and disability representation. It was fun! I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a story where you learn that the world isn’t what you believed it to be…
Now as for some things I didn’t like— it was a little difficult to get into the story at first. I feel like the story really started when Per left his family. Maybe if we got a general description of the dragons coming down and then Per leaving and arriving in the town when the dragons were attacking it, and THEN he gets on the sub— all could have happened in the first chapter. It was nice to see some interaction with his parents but I also feel like more time could have been dedicated to Per and Z instead. I felt their attraction a little weak, especially since they barely spend any time together. So I didn’t understand why they were attracted to each other at all. It was a little too insta-lovey for me. But I really, really like their dynamic and would have loved to have spent more time with them on a longer trip.
I also felt like certain beats lasted a little longer than they needed to and the twists felt so big that it made me sad that it was all compressed into one book. The world is so interesting that I would have loved to have stayed in it longer.. A trilogy is too long but a duology would have been a sweet spot. It’s like when I finally got settled into the story, it was over! I love how things got wrapped up and the twists weren’t surprising but they were welcoming and, gosh, I just wanted more. So I’m a little unsatisfied. But I’m glad I read this.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC.
This was such a nice read! I love the character interactions; they were so satisfying and the dialogue got laughs out of me all throughout. I love the world the story is set in and the twists and reveals of the world itself. I also really liked the harm OCD depiction and the queer and disability representation. It was fun! I would recommend this book for anyone looking for a story where you learn that the world isn’t what you believed it to be…
Now as for some things I didn’t like— it was a little difficult to get into the story at first. I feel like the story really started when Per left his family. Maybe if we got a general description of the dragons coming down and then Per leaving and arriving in the town when the dragons were attacking it, and THEN he gets on the sub— all could have happened in the first chapter. It was nice to see some interaction with his parents but I also feel like more time could have been dedicated to Per and Z instead. I felt their attraction a little weak, especially since they barely spend any time together. So I didn’t understand why they were attracted to each other at all. It was a little too insta-lovey for me. But I really, really like their dynamic and would have loved to have spent more time with them on a longer trip.
I also felt like certain beats lasted a little longer than they needed to and the twists felt so big that it made me sad that it was all compressed into one book. The world is so interesting that I would have loved to have stayed in it longer.. A trilogy is too long but a duology would have been a sweet spot. It’s like when I finally got settled into the story, it was over! I love how things got wrapped up and the twists weren’t surprising but they were welcoming and, gosh, I just wanted more. So I’m a little unsatisfied. But I’m glad I read this.
May 13, 2024
Peregrine Kent has been dreaming. About dragons. He doesn't understand why, but he is drawn to the creatures born from the hearts of stars. When dragons begin attacking his planet, Peregrine rushes to the center of the fight, hoping for answers.
This sci-fi adventure was a little bit different. I mean, how often do you get dragons in space? I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. The lore surrounding the dragons was very well thought out. To be honest, I just think they were so cool.
I also enjoyed the characters. They were an incredibly diverse cast. Peregrine had OCD, and Z - ship captain - was paralyzed from the waist down. It was clear that the author put a lot of thought into how to present this sensitively and accurately, and they did a great job. Personality wise, Peregrine, Z and Anthem all had distinct and interesting personalities with a fair bit of depth to them. Peregrine came across as a little whiney at points, but Anthem balanced him out nicely. They were a very fun duo to read about.
I struggled a bit at the start to get into the book. I would have liked a bit more context and history. Peregrine did 't live on Earth. Instead, they lived on a new planet with a protective barrier. The reason for the barrier became clear as we learnt about the dragons, but I would have liked to have known what happened to old-Earth and why they left the planet.
There were two major twists in the story. One of the I'd guessed the gist of fairly early on, but the other I did not see coming.
This was a good sci-fi book, and one I'd be interested in seeing sequels to!
This sci-fi adventure was a little bit different. I mean, how often do you get dragons in space? I really enjoyed this aspect of the book. The lore surrounding the dragons was very well thought out. To be honest, I just think they were so cool.
I also enjoyed the characters. They were an incredibly diverse cast. Peregrine had OCD, and Z - ship captain - was paralyzed from the waist down. It was clear that the author put a lot of thought into how to present this sensitively and accurately, and they did a great job. Personality wise, Peregrine, Z and Anthem all had distinct and interesting personalities with a fair bit of depth to them. Peregrine came across as a little whiney at points, but Anthem balanced him out nicely. They were a very fun duo to read about.
I struggled a bit at the start to get into the book. I would have liked a bit more context and history. Peregrine did 't live on Earth. Instead, they lived on a new planet with a protective barrier. The reason for the barrier became clear as we learnt about the dragons, but I would have liked to have known what happened to old-Earth and why they left the planet.
There were two major twists in the story. One of the I'd guessed the gist of fairly early on, but the other I did not see coming.
This was a good sci-fi book, and one I'd be interested in seeing sequels to!
May 14, 2024
First thing that drew me to this book was the blurb, Dragons hatched from stars so going in I was intrigued. The story was about teenage Peregrine (Per) who had a fascination about dragons and wanted an explanation about his dreams. I love reading to learn new things and whilst I know of OCD. I had never heard of harm OCD and although the story is fiction, Per's condition is real. Whilst his thoughts could be graphic, they were showing what Per was going through every day. Per was a caring, sweet young man who had a good relationship with his family and although his sister Anthem was a bit full on she was one of Per's biggest fans.
Wanting to find out more about the dragons Per runs into Z, an "acting Captain" of a submarine. He had his own secrets which did make him come across as grumpy, but even from their first meeting they had a connection.
The description of this world made you feel you were there. The scene at the market, you could imagine hearing the hustle and bustle of folk going on with their lives. The technology used was a mixture of futuristic and real technology. Z had a hover chair and they used watches similar to our smart watches.
Whilst the 1st half was a bit slow, it was setting the scene, but wow the last 50% flew by and before I knew it I had finished it but I want to know more. I have not read a good YA in ages and I am glad that I had the pleasure of reading this book. If we could have more in this world I would be extremely happy
Wanting to find out more about the dragons Per runs into Z, an "acting Captain" of a submarine. He had his own secrets which did make him come across as grumpy, but even from their first meeting they had a connection.
The description of this world made you feel you were there. The scene at the market, you could imagine hearing the hustle and bustle of folk going on with their lives. The technology used was a mixture of futuristic and real technology. Z had a hover chair and they used watches similar to our smart watches.
Whilst the 1st half was a bit slow, it was setting the scene, but wow the last 50% flew by and before I knew it I had finished it but I want to know more. I have not read a good YA in ages and I am glad that I had the pleasure of reading this book. If we could have more in this world I would be extremely happy
Read
June 12, 2024This was an Advanced Readers Copy (e-ARC) thanks to NetGalley.
Blurb: In a world where dragons hatch from stars, Peregrine Kent would give anything to see the sky. It’s an impossible dream and the barrier surrounding his planet makes sure of that. Everyone else might feel safe, but the flat white sky just makes Peregrine feel trapped. His OCD has been getting worse each day; if he could only be out among the stars, though, he would finally feel free. His dream seems impossible…until the day a real live star dragon tears a hole in the sky, setting off a worldwide panic. With the help of a homemade submarine and its surly and distractingly handsome captain, Peregrine sets off on a quest to escape the confines of his world and his own anxiety. But what he discovers instead is a devastating truth that will change everything he thought he knew about dragons, his planet, and himself.
Thoughts/opinion: The approach to Harm OCD with intrusive thoughts was skilfully done throughout this book. The sibling relationship between Peregrine and his sister adds to the development of them as characters. The plot developed well and the twists and ending were well crafted. The LGBT representation felt a little lacking and the romantic elements could have been more detailed.
I’m a mood reader and initially I thought this book was not going to be for me but I was proven wrong!
Recommendation: I loved the characters within this story and would recommend it!
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
Blurb: In a world where dragons hatch from stars, Peregrine Kent would give anything to see the sky. It’s an impossible dream and the barrier surrounding his planet makes sure of that. Everyone else might feel safe, but the flat white sky just makes Peregrine feel trapped. His OCD has been getting worse each day; if he could only be out among the stars, though, he would finally feel free. His dream seems impossible…until the day a real live star dragon tears a hole in the sky, setting off a worldwide panic. With the help of a homemade submarine and its surly and distractingly handsome captain, Peregrine sets off on a quest to escape the confines of his world and his own anxiety. But what he discovers instead is a devastating truth that will change everything he thought he knew about dragons, his planet, and himself.
Thoughts/opinion: The approach to Harm OCD with intrusive thoughts was skilfully done throughout this book. The sibling relationship between Peregrine and his sister adds to the development of them as characters. The plot developed well and the twists and ending were well crafted. The LGBT representation felt a little lacking and the romantic elements could have been more detailed.
I’m a mood reader and initially I thought this book was not going to be for me but I was proven wrong!
Recommendation: I loved the characters within this story and would recommend it!
Star rating: ⭐️⭐️⭐️
April 3, 2024
Thank you to Netgalley and Naomi Hughes for a free electronic copy of Starfire in exchange for an honest review.
Peregrine Kent has no memories from the time before he was found in a glint mine. But what he does have is a burning desire to see the stars unobstructed by the barrier protecting the planet from the ancient beasts of the universe. When an opportunity arises for Per to learn more about the mythical star dragons, he takes it and is thrust into an adventure of unlocking his past, facing his present, and looking to the future.
Starfire has a great concept, dragons in space, who doesn't want that? Per is a great MC, and reading the POV of someone with OCD and navigating the world around them is really interesting. Anthem, Per's sister, is a great female support character, strong, passionate, and protective.
I have to admit, I did guess the "twist" pretty early on, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. My only real criticism is that I feel like the book ended maybe 60% through the story, and I wanted more in this world. Hopefully, a sequel, or something more in this universe, will come!
A great sci-fi/fantasy read!
Peregrine Kent has no memories from the time before he was found in a glint mine. But what he does have is a burning desire to see the stars unobstructed by the barrier protecting the planet from the ancient beasts of the universe. When an opportunity arises for Per to learn more about the mythical star dragons, he takes it and is thrust into an adventure of unlocking his past, facing his present, and looking to the future.
Starfire has a great concept, dragons in space, who doesn't want that? Per is a great MC, and reading the POV of someone with OCD and navigating the world around them is really interesting. Anthem, Per's sister, is a great female support character, strong, passionate, and protective.
I have to admit, I did guess the "twist" pretty early on, but that didn’t detract from my enjoyment of the book. My only real criticism is that I feel like the book ended maybe 60% through the story, and I wanted more in this world. Hopefully, a sequel, or something more in this universe, will come!
A great sci-fi/fantasy read!
May 11, 2024
I really enjoyed this book!
I was originally given an e-ARC from NetGalley but there were some formatting issues that made it incredibly difficult to read. The author graciously sent out copies with corrected formatting - thank you!
I think the pacing of the story was really well set. I personally found the romance of the story to be a bit unconvincing but I think overall it was fine.
The story didn’t quite turn out the way I had expected it to when I started reading the book - whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is up to the reader but I found it to be a good thing.
The ending felt a little rushed to me and I would like to see more of the aftermath - sequel maybe?
I was originally given an e-ARC from NetGalley but there were some formatting issues that made it incredibly difficult to read. The author graciously sent out copies with corrected formatting - thank you!
I think the pacing of the story was really well set. I personally found the romance of the story to be a bit unconvincing but I think overall it was fine.
The story didn’t quite turn out the way I had expected it to when I started reading the book - whether that’s a good thing or a bad thing is up to the reader but I found it to be a good thing.
The ending felt a little rushed to me and I would like to see more of the aftermath - sequel maybe?
April 14, 2024
Thank You Netgalley and Independent Book Publishers Association (IBPA)
Of course I immediately wanted to pick up this book since it has dragons. It was very interesting to have a story with/about dragons but make them space dragons. I did call one thing fairly early ish with the main character. Though luckily I didn't call the full thing, so there was an aspect I wasn't expecting. Seeing a main character with a severe form of OCD was cool too in terms of seeing OCD representation. There was another character who was in a wheelchair, which I really enjoyed as well.
Of course I immediately wanted to pick up this book since it has dragons. It was very interesting to have a story with/about dragons but make them space dragons. I did call one thing fairly early ish with the main character. Though luckily I didn't call the full thing, so there was an aspect I wasn't expecting. Seeing a main character with a severe form of OCD was cool too in terms of seeing OCD representation. There was another character who was in a wheelchair, which I really enjoyed as well.
May 18, 2024
I'd like to thank Netgalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC.
This book is very enjoyable to read. The writing flows well, and Hughes has a good voice developed. However, I do feel like certain points were rushed over or held onto too long. The pacing felt like it was all over the place. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the characters, themes, and story. It's a great read with some great OCD representation and disability representation. I loved the characters and would love to read more work from this author.
This book is very enjoyable to read. The writing flows well, and Hughes has a good voice developed. However, I do feel like certain points were rushed over or held onto too long. The pacing felt like it was all over the place. Nonetheless, I enjoyed the characters, themes, and story. It's a great read with some great OCD representation and disability representation. I loved the characters and would love to read more work from this author.
April 29, 2024
I had a really hard time getting into this book as it was very slow from the beginning. I enjoyed the Sci-fi, dystopian, fantasy aspect of it because Drangons and who doesn’t like dragons? I also enjoyed that the Author put our main character as someone dealing with harm OCD, this is one of the first books I’ve read with someone dealing with mental health problems. Other than that, I thought it would be more enjoyable.
Thank you NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book
Thank you NetGalley for providing me an e-ARC of this book
May 14, 2024
In addition to being a delectable Science Fiction Fantasy (Dragons!!), starring a protagonist who despite almost insurmountable difficulties, PERSEVERES, I appreciate the author's devotion to not just the hearts of her characters, but to the hearts and well-being of her readers as well, making the novel an encompassing "virtual hug."
July 16, 2024
I ended up really enjoying this book. It combined two of my favorite things when it comes to books: sci-fi and dragons. But, this book was quite hard for me to get into, because of the combination of getting through Per’s violent intrusive thoughts, as well as the book not really picking up until about 35%.
Despite this, I did enjoy this book quite a bit and would recommend reading it.
Despite this, I did enjoy this book quite a bit and would recommend reading it.
February 10, 2024
The cover of the book is what attracted me to it then the blurb sounded great
Dragons in space heck yeah!
I really liked how it respectedly delt with the MCs OCD and self doubt and finally realised he is a hero after all
Dragons in space heck yeah!
I really liked how it respectedly delt with the MCs OCD and self doubt and finally realised he is a hero after all
July 27, 2024
I was really excited to read this as I love dragons and the excerpt was interesting but I found it really hard to get into this story. The characters felt older than they were supposed to be.
I think it was just not my cup of tea.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC!
I think it was just not my cup of tea.
Thank you Netgalley for providing this ARC!
Read
April 15, 20243.5 stars. Familiar vibes and storyline, but done with compelling characters and authentic representation.
November 27, 2024
3.75
Enjoyable but maybe sci-fi ain't my genre
Enjoyable but maybe sci-fi ain't my genre
January 21, 2025
⭐️: 4/5
Okay so going into this, I’ve read a lot of dragon content, and I wasn’t expecting this to be so singularly unique. The dragons and world built here were really different, new, and something I hadn’t seen before. That was a breath of fresh air. So while there are elements that I thought could be improved, this was so memorable for me. I also loved the romance so much.
The things that kept this from a five star were that first, I did feel like things were either predictable or unexpected in a way that was jarring. For example, there’s elements of a hero’s journey, but it’s not clear what the journey goal is, so that was tough to follow or didn’t make sense, but then other things, like the big “reveal” moment, I saw coming from a mile away.
The queer romance is adorable. Seriously, so cute. I really liked the two characters and their differences, and while this was not enemies to lovers, this was slight-antagonist to lovers, and I really liked the main love interest a lot—his character was well-developed and it drew me in!
Overall, would definitely recommend! I have a feeling this is a book I’ll come back to when I need something otherworldly dystopian, like Phoebe North books!
Okay so going into this, I’ve read a lot of dragon content, and I wasn’t expecting this to be so singularly unique. The dragons and world built here were really different, new, and something I hadn’t seen before. That was a breath of fresh air. So while there are elements that I thought could be improved, this was so memorable for me. I also loved the romance so much.
The things that kept this from a five star were that first, I did feel like things were either predictable or unexpected in a way that was jarring. For example, there’s elements of a hero’s journey, but it’s not clear what the journey goal is, so that was tough to follow or didn’t make sense, but then other things, like the big “reveal” moment, I saw coming from a mile away.
The queer romance is adorable. Seriously, so cute. I really liked the two characters and their differences, and while this was not enemies to lovers, this was slight-antagonist to lovers, and I really liked the main love interest a lot—his character was well-developed and it drew me in!
Overall, would definitely recommend! I have a feeling this is a book I’ll come back to when I need something otherworldly dystopian, like Phoebe North books!
January 18, 2025
I really enjoyed this book, and truly appreciated the focus on OCD and how much OCD can have an impact on a person's life. It's fascinating to me to see OCD described the way it was throughout this book, and I can't like that Peregrine was 100% my favorite character, and was in every way what I enjoy about a main character in a book. Not only does he learn to embrace his OCD, he also learns to fight for those who loves and trust himself and his feelings, not just the things he can necessarily see in the world around him. I appreciate the combination of fantasy with reality, and this book truly kept me on my toes while I read, as I didn't know what to expect as it kept going. It's definitely worth the read!
Thank you to NetGalley and Naomi Hughes for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
Thank you to NetGalley and Naomi Hughes for the advanced reading copy in exchange for an honest review.
September 25, 2024
I received this as an arc from NetGalley. A stunning queer ya that shows that it’s okay to not be okay and dealing with mental health disorders such as ocd is okay. A beautiful read and would recommend to anyone who enjoys sci-fi, fantasy in a ya setting that presses on real issues in a wonderful fantasy world.
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