To Avenge a Fallen Star

United Planetary Systems #1

by Qilanna Quinn

SHE DIDN'T COME FOR THE PRIZE. SHE CAME FOR REVENGE.

On the harsh red planet of Reva, freedom is earned the hard way. For the descendants of exiled criminals, there is only one escape: survive the Oranos Trials and earn a life beyond the planet that was never meant to be home. Gemma Proctor has spent three years waiting for her chance. Three years since her sister passed the Trials—and was murdered the very next day.

Now, it’s Gemma’s turn. Her goal is simple: Survive the Trials, get close to the man responsible, and make him pay. But nothing about the Trials is what she expected. Not the alliances she’s forced to make. Not the secrets buried beneath the surface. And not Christian—the one person who makes her hesitate when she can’t afford to.

Because the deeper Gemma goes, the more everything begins to unravel. The truth. Her mission. Herself. And the only person who might be able to reach her is the one she was never supposed to love.

TO AVENGE A FALLEN STAR is an emotionally-driven sci-fi romance about loss of control and impossible choices, perfect for readers who crave intense action, deep emotion, and twists that leave you breathless, and a love that refuses to let go.

This book is recommended for readers aged 18+.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia

401 pages, Paperback

Published March 25, 2025

About the author

Join Qilanna's mailing list to never miss a giveaway, release, sale, and more: Sign up here!

Qilanna Quinn is an author of sci-fi and fantasy romance that lean into the dark, where light shines brightest.

She grew up near Akron, OH, where she learned to read by the age of four and wrote her first piece of fiction in just the fourth grade. Since then, she’s always had her face in a book and has grown to especially love stories that lean into the dark, where light always shines brightest.

Now, she lives in SW Florida with her fur baby and spends her free time reading others’ books or playing one of her favorite instruments. Her obsessions include Star Wars, Doctor Who, ACOTAR, and Harry Potter, though any story with great characters, high stakes, and a little romance will excite her every time.

Reviews

[Elizabeth · Rating 5 out of 5]

To Avenge a Fallen Star (United Planetary Systems Gemma, #1) by Qilanna Quinn

SHE'S NOT HERE FOR THE PRIZE. SHE'S HERE FOR REVENGE.

Rating: *****
Feels: Rebellious, Courageous, Curious, Determined.
Style: Sci Fi, Sci Fi romance, Dystopian, Fantasy
First published March 25, 2025: 374 pages, Kindle

I was pleasantly blown away by this sci fi debut novel. Definitely rooting for our girl Gemma through the whole book as she navigates trials, politics, friendships, and love. The world building, system of governance and characters were all unique and engaging. Gemma just wants revenge, give the girl some revenge !!! The twists and turns of the story were well thought out and had you guessing through out the book. The trials had my heart pounding at certain parts wondering what was going to happen and who would survive. Gemma was really a likeable character and I adored the found family aspect of the story. I really hope this is a long term series as I could see there being alot of aspects of this story to explore and I can not wait to read more !!!

Favorite quote: She took a deep breath before nodding. "For freedom. For change." the slogan of the Dissent hung heavy in the air.

This book has:
Strong FMC
Trials
Found Family
Hidden Identify
Politics

[Ellie Collins · Rating 5 out of 5]

Thank you Qilanna for allowing me to be apart of your street team & ARC team! This is an honest review & I am happy to say this book is amazing!

If you love sci-fi but want something with a dystopian romance twist - this is the one. It’s giving Divergent/squid games/the 100/alien.

I believe sci-fi is a new favourite of mine!!

This book is third person with short & snappy chapters.

Our FMC Gemma is on the way to get revenge for her Sister’s murder and by getting to this she is taking part in the trials. She meets friends & a lover through her journey on the trials, and also learns several things that have happened including - betrayal & lies. This all leads up to the twists & turns that take place!!

I was hooked straight away, I loved the style of writing & the world building flowed so well into the story. I loved reading about them to go through the process to Zion - being in their dorms etc! It was explained so well & detailed I felt like I was there in the moment.

The robots. The trials. Being placed into pod’s? Like yes! The stimulation part was my favourite. I also love how they aren’t sentenced to death if failed, it’s a life sentence on the planet Reva.
This was incredible & detailed so well🤌

We have romance. We have spice. We also have a group of friends going through the same journey & I loved the friendship between them all.. but also with major betrayal, lies & twists & turns! It really did do a 360 spin.

The last 30% of the book was intense. Aliens? That part had me hooked! I was not expecting that twist to happen, and I am so intrigued about the DNA/cells now & what will happen next but I think all of these little things happening & building up towards the end made the book so much better.

I loved the ending!!!! REVENGE IS COMING. I can feel it. Time for our FMC to stand her ground. I really hope a war is coming.

[Amber Toro · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had the pleasure of alpha reading this novel and it was so great! I loved the characters and the world. There is plenty of action, intrigue, and spice to keep you turning the pages. If you love a good dystopian scifi with high stakes trials and the promise of revolution add this one to your TBR. Perfect for fans of the 3% and squid games but with a strong romantic sub plot and spice.

[Lacey · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️✨

Fans of Divergent, The Hunger Games, and Cinder, this is your next read!

The world building in this book is so good. I enjoyed it much more than I expected to, since I’m not a regular science fiction reader.

🪐dystopian sci-fi
🪐high stakes trials
🪐found family
🪐plot twists
🪐sweet & spicy romance
🪐betrayal

Thank you Qilanna for my ebook copy of your work. Looking forward to book 2!

[Nathaniel · Rating 5 out of 5]

In my opinion, this is a book best read blind. I started it with the impression that the entire thing would be some sort of game/tournament (which would've been fine, just not my personal preference), and while that took up the first 50% of the book, this story is so much more and it sets up what could be one of the coolest sci-fi series I've started recently. There's a little bit of everything here. We've got people living in space, rebellions, games, secrets, huge twists, alien relics...

I'm very much anticipating book two. Any fans of sci-fi should be checking this one out.

[eclecticbychoicereads · Rating 5 out of 5]

I don't think you are ready for the rollercoaster that is To Avenge A Fallen Star, Book 1 in Qilanna Quinn's United Planetary Systems. I knew I wanted to branch more into the dystopian/sci-fi/science fantasy in 2025, especially after reading masterpieces like the works of Astrid Cole, Zaid Hasan, and Emily Huffman. And I am glad I found Qilanna and became a Navigator, aka her street team member.

To Avenge A Fallen Star is set to be released on March 25th, and trust me, you need this sci-fi romantasy in your life. With tropes such as a badass cinnamon roll MMC, a healer FMC, lovable side characters, a beautiful found family, cool technology, and a mental health rep, what is there not to like? Let me add so many twists and turns that will leave you gasping, action-packed plot, love, devotion, and betrayal to the mix. Got your attention now? Good.

So, how did we end up here?

The year is 2562, and centuries have passed since mankind left the Milky Way. For most, the dream of a grander existence has become a reality. But for the descendants of exiled criminals sentenced to live on the harsh planet of Reva, their only dream is reaching twenty years of age and passing their Oranos Trials, which grants them unrestricted citizenship in the United Planetary Systems—and freedom from Reva. And this is where we meet Gemma, a healer with a plan for revenge.

Once she enters the Trials, everything she thinks she knows will be questioned. Who the enemies are, who she should trust, who she should let close. Qilanna has weaved a beautiful tale of human emotions, raw & real, fighting for a better life, friendships and families, love and betrayal. Read it, love it, experience it.

The plot is intriguing and engaging. It kept pulling me in and not letting me go. My only wish was to know even more about the world's history, how everything came to be as it is now, and what transpired in the past. The ending sets the perfect stage for the explosion of events in future books, and I am here for it all!

[Bookishemx · Rating 5 out of 5]

If you like a fast paced dystopian/sci fi story with a spicy romance to go along with it then you will adore To Avenge a Fallen Star.

Our FMC Gemma is on a mission to avenge her sisters death and to do this she has to enter the Trials. Along the way she meets friends, falls in love and faces truths that change everything she ever believed in.

One of my absolute favorite tropes is found family. This group of strangers that are thrown together gave me a similar vibe to the Aurora Cycle by Jay Kristoff and Amie Kaufman - which is one of my favorite book series ever. To go along with that we had high stakes, great action scenes and a rebellion that might not be what it seems. Its a “who is the good guy” situation and I eat that up!

This is the kind of book you can read in a day, Qilanna has a way of writing that flows beautifully and has made characters that are well fleshed out and relatable. So many things happened at the end of this story and I am now eagerly awaiting the sequel.

[Brave · Rating 5 out of 5]

While I do think some of the conflicts in this book, especially between the love interests, were resolved really quickly and it left me wanting a bit more angst in that regard, seeing emotional maturity in young adults was refreshing. And we do get angst in this, just not really within the romance. Saying too much would be a spoiler but just know that I ate this up. I had so much fun. Super interesting premise and if this is a debut, color me absolutely astounded. Most of my (few!!) gripes are nitpicky anyway. What do I know about crafting a story?

4.5 stars.

[Eliza M.]

DNF page 87

Non je suis navrée, mais ça ne sera pas possible. D'abord il y a la phrase bizarre de "And my sixth favorite s*x position is-" qui est en soit hyper cringe, mais ensuite sexualiser un autre personnage ET éliminer le seul personnage racisé du groupe.... non.

[⚔️Sarah⚔️ · Rating 3 out of 5]

I am having a tough time coming up with a rating for this one. 3 stars doesn’t feel quite right, but going lower doesn’t feel right either. So, I’ll just go with it.

I was disappointed with this book overall. I didn’t really even go in with a ton of expectations. I forgot what the synopsis was, I just knew it was going to be sci-fi with romance. Low bar, just excitement. I don’t know if it was just because I’ve been tired from work so I couldn’t jump into the story the way I wanted. I don’t know.

Overall, the book was fine. I was just hoping for so much more.

To me, it felt like the first 20% of the book was rushed. I love a good Spartan kick to the deep end of a story, but there has to be some help along the way. It felt like she was just trying to fly through certain parts to reach a certain milestone and I got lost along the way. I didn’t understand the societal expectations of what Gemma was doing and why she was entering the thing. And I say “thing” because I was never quite clear what it was. Was it a competition? Was it a highly competitive training entry exam? Was it a last man standing situation? Some questions did get answers and clarification, while others I’m still left a little uncertain about.

I also felt like some of the initial relationship building moments were nonexistent because things were rushed. There was one that went “well I guess we are allies now” and that was it. I am such a sucker for friendship and found family in books. Trauma bonding is also a very real way to form quick relationships, but some aspects I was just struggling to believe. I had a hard time connecting with those characters. Both the friendships and the romantic relationships. You’ve known each other for like 4 days. My mind just wasn’t there.

Things did pick up interest eventually. We got a little bit more of the political intrigue of it all and that is one sure fire way to get me sucked in. I thought all of that was really interesting. There were a few shocking surprises along the way that added some drama. Even with the twists I did guess, I did enjoy the journey of discovery.

One of the more interesting things about this book was my thought process about Gemma. I found her annoying at first and felt like I was questioning a lot of what she was doing and how she got where she was. As the story progressed, I had to essentially reconsider and reprogram my mind with how I thought of her. All her actions and the some of her past actions were realized, and put in a different light that made me see her more clearly for who she was and that was a super interesting experience to go through as a reader. I hate to be vague about it, but I don’t want to give much away.

Gemma was fine. She was just felt a little generic to me, and maybe did a little too much crying. Christian was great, but he was made to be easy to love the minute you met him, and you know what, that’s ok. I wish I cared more about the other characters, but I just feel like some of those relationship building moments were rushed or didn’t even happen.

There were also just some odd inconsistencies I caught and some annoying things the characters said or how something was written, but that is a personal problem.

I think there could have been so much more if the time was taken to expand on things. This book could have easily been another 100+ pages and I would have been pleased. I don’t know. I will say, at no point did I consider DNFing, so it did keep me interested, which is probably why I am ok giving it a 3.



I truly appreciate receiving an ARC of this book. Thank you very much to the author.

[Alex (HEABookNerd) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I wish I liked TO AVENGE A FALLEN STAR more because it was fun in certain ways but it didn't quite get there for me. On the positive side it jumps right into the story and action and I appreciated how quick the pace was and that it maintained it throughout. There wasn't any middle lag in the story and the action was almost non-stop while having just the right amount of quiet moments to breath. The story idea was interesting though I'm not a big fan of competitions or trials so that probably affected my enjoyment of the book. I also really liked both Gemma and Christian as individual characters along with the well developed side characters.

But here's the thing ... outside of the spicy moments this felt very much like an upper YA novel. The characters were only 20 so that lends to them feeling very young but there was just something about the book that felt young. A part of this might be because the trials were done in a simulator so it never felt like the stakes were very high or that anything was truly dangerous. Additionally Gemma was wholly unprepared to act as a secret assassin for the Dissent and while that was eventually explained it did make Gemma seem kind of naive for not realizing things weren't adding up.

Where I was most disappointed was the development of the romance. Now here's where it's tricky because I actually loved the way Gemma and Christian interacted with each other and Christian couldn't be more of a green flag. They were sweet and supportive and cared so much about each other and I would normally eat that up except for the fact that there was no reason for them to be that way. This was insta-love to the max because they barely interacted with each other before they had feelings and were willing to die for each other. I needed more emotional moments to build the love so that I actually understand why they liked each other and wanted to be together.

While I don't plan to read the next book, even with the big cliffhanger, I would still recommend this to anyone who wants a fast paced book with sci-fi competitions, and ride or die characters.

Content Warning: violence; regular thoughts and references to abuse and suicide

[Emma · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 ⭐
First of all a big thank you to Samantha (Dahlia Summers) and Qilanna Quinn for the audio copy of this book for an honest review.

The narration as always was amazing and really helped me connect with the characters and story line. This book did take me a while to get into and I owe a lot of my initial engagement to the narration being so good.

Definitely give this book a go if you love sci-fi.

I love sci-fi books so i was really excited to read this, I did however find it hard to connect with Gemma (the main character) which was gutting considering the book is all in her POV. I did love the other characters but maybe it was because i was seeing them through Gemma's eyes.

Think of the trials as a deadly job interview which took up most of the book, again at times this was really engaging but my pet peave was that Gemma had trained for 3 years prior to this but it seemed she is useless in practice with the whole "whatever do we do now" attitude to the guys, we do find out at the end of the book that there was possible reasoning behind this but in my opinion took a long time.

I feel like the majority of my peaves with this book were only minor and relating to the first half ie yes we get it your going to avenge your sister but I thought personally the same sentence didn't have to happen so often and many of my moments were just her character.

I did love the ending though, and the last couple of hours of the book definitely changed my rating to lean more toward 4 stars. I think this was due to the fact she now is more fearsome and took initiative as herself and when the virus took over. There's also the element of mystery after the cave as to what will happen to Gemma and what the Dessents plans are post battle.

I am excited to see what happens in the next book which is released in May as looking at the blurb it carries on from this one and is more focused on recon and mystery which i think will be more my vibe. I'm excited to know more about the other characters too!

[Joanna · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5⭐

20 year old Gemma enters the Oranos trials which will grant her "a better life", far from her home planet of Reva. But it's not only a better life she seeks, its revenge for her sister's death three years prior. With the help of the Dissent, a rebel organization, Gemma plans to use her win to get close to the game master, the man responsible for killing her sister. What she could never have planned for are the unexpected alliances, Betrayals, and threats that await her.

Thank you to the author for sending me an early, proof copy of this book. This review reflects my honest thoughts and opinions.

This book was giving me a little bit of red rising vibes in the beginning, which I loved. I thought the trials were really well done and loved the team aspect of it. The romance was sweet, Christian is a super green flag. The overall plot was interesting and kept me engaged. However, SOMETHING just didn't quite hit for me. I never felt truly invested in this story or these characters. There was a disconnect for me that I can't quite pinpoint.

Nonetheless, I think this series has potential and I'd love to see where the author takes this story.

There was one plot point that completely took me out of the story. Stop here if you don't want a spoiler!
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After Gemma agrees to go on the mission for Rami - she brings the whole gang with her. Rami knows that there's another traitor amongst the contestants of the trials. Yet he allows 4 other people join the mission without vetting them first?! it just seemed like such an unlikely oversight that it bothered me for the rest of the book.

[Leanna Streeter · Rating 4 out of 5]

This was such a fun, fast-paced read. I really enjoyed the concept of the Oranos Trials and the larger world the author created. The setting felt vivid and interesting, and the high-stakes trial structure kept the story moving. The found family element was one of my favorite parts, and I’m genuinely excited to see where these characters go next.

That said, the pacing was very quick, and at times it felt like a lot was packed into a single book. Some of the character development and relationships felt a little rushed, and the emotional depth didn’t always hit as hard as I wanted it to. The side characters, in particular, felt somewhat one-dimensional, and a bit more space to let those relationships grow naturally would have made the impact even stronger. I could easily see this story expanding into two books with more room to breathe.

It leaned slightly more YA in tone than I typically prefer, but I still had a great time with it. Overall, this was an engaging, action-filled sci-fi romance with a strong premise and a lot of potential, and I’m very much looking forward to book two and watching this author continue to grow.

[Nicola Doyle · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow what a debut!! This book was such a phenomenal read. I don't read a lot of science fiction and I have to say this was a great experience and read for me.

The story was excellent and it kept me hooked. The book is so bingeable. In one sitting, I read about 83% of it. I just couldn't stop. The story was captivating. I loved the relationship between Gemma and her friends. Especially Christian.

The characters? I loved them! Christian Holm, welcome to my book boyfriend club! He was wonderful. So patient and so kind. Such a good man. Gemma was a good soul with a difficult mission. Her caring and goodness did shine through though. Imara was sassy and so funny. She was a great addition. Hawk was super nice too. He also knew what had to be done and did it well. Other characters were great and really excelled in the roles they had in the book.

The book was extremely well written and so beautifully described. The story flowed well. There were no plot holes and there wasn't anything that made no sense! The book is written in Gemma's POV and told in third person.

I highly recommend this to you! Even if you don't read much sci-fi or if you love the genre, read this. You will not regret it.

[Natalie · Rating 5 out of 5]

I had so many emotions reading this book. I laughed, I cried, I screamed. I definitely had a few WTF moments. Especially when the trials were completed. So many twists, one I knew was coming but wasn't sure where it was coming from (which is when I screamed at the book).

I stared into the void upon finishing this book as I needed time to process my emotions. But this book will be sticking in my brain for a long time. I can not wait for the next book in the series!

This book is great for lovers of Sci-Fi. It gave me Hunger Games and Divergent vibes. Tropes you'll find are reluctant allies/friends to lovers, found family, and dystopian world. There is some spice in this book, and it is recommended for 18+ readers. I just wish the spice was just a little spicer, but that's just my personal preference.

Some of my favorite quotes from the book:
"Kick you between your legs and run away."

'Gemma's stomach somersaulted. Blast you, stupid eyeballs.'

"I actually thought about stabbing you at one point, just so I could take a nap."

[Miryam Drakon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I first came across this world over six months ago when I saw a reel on Qilanna's page. Right then, I knew I would love this book.

The beginning immediately pulled me in, and the tests had a Squid Game vibe, which made them even more intense. Colton was always sus—I have no idea why they trusted him in the first place.

The ending? So intriguing!!!

I absolutely loved this sci-fi read and would highly recommend it to sci-fi lovers—or even anyone looking to dive into the genre for the first time!

[Jenni · Rating 3 out of 5]

I was immediately grabbed with the title and description, I love a hunger games-esque dystopian novel, and this time with a sci-fi space twist! Gemma has grown up in Perileos, a city that is lacking resourced and is overlooked by their government, the United Planetary Systems. Her sister Nadine was killed 3 years ago after finishing the trials, a series of physically and emotionally demanding tests that if survived, grants participants entry into the military and a better life on Ouranos. Gemma joins a rebel group called the Dissent with plans to infiltrate the trials and get to the game master Rami himself, who is responsible for the death of Nadine.

This book was so action packed and exciting. I loved the unique world building of the United Planetary Systems and the dynamic of Perileos versus Ouranos and the concept of the trials to attain a better life. The characters were all so different and it was interesting seeing their different backgrounds and what led them to entering the trials and their different skillsets. The found family trope was also very sweet, it was gratifying seeing Gemma able to experience what it's like to have people unconditionally on her side after all of the hardships she's been through. And let’s not forget about the trials, the stakes were high and the futuristic technology and simulations made it so unique! There were political ruses, betrayals, emotional moments, and scary creatures that kept me on the edge of my seat. Overall, a very fun read!

I do wish certain elements of the story were expanded upon more. Although I did love the characters, I felt if they were more fleshed out and I was able to see how their relationships to each other developed, then the outcomes of certain situations would have had more of an emotional impact on me. I also would have liked to have more background on Gemma and her association with the Dissent, as well as her relationship with her sister Nadine. This is such a big part of the plot and motivation for Gemma, but I feel like I didn’t really get any details. I think a flashback of Gemma and Nadine interacting before the trials, or maybe of Gemma during her training would establish her character more.

The story was very interesting and I did enjoy it, but I do think some things were described in a very vague way which made it hard to get a grasp on the setting and scale of everything. I think this book could have also been split into two, with more background and relationship development and character building to really build tension and emotional investment. And because the first half and second half already feel like two different stories. It was a fun read and I think has a lot of potential and I can definitely see it being the next big dystopian series with more development!

I recommend this to readers who enjoy action packed stories similar to The Hunger Games and The Maze Runner, where characters have to overcome physical and emotional challenges where the society they think they knew is not at all as it seems, and who like found family, quirky side characters, and lots of plot twists.

[Jenn Grand · Rating 5 out of 5]

6 ⭐️ EASY!!!! Omg I loved this book. Maybe I’ve been missing out on sci-fi all along!!!

Full review to come…

[Lindsey_reads_books · Rating 4 out of 5]

I really enjoyed it from start to finish. I was really in the mood for a action packed Sci-Fi/dystopian. I liked the trials and the way it flowed into the mission. Easy to follow and great description of the world. There were times where I felt the story was kind off, like why would that happened next. But solid 4 stars and I am looking forward continuing the series.

[Christine · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book is Fourth Wing meets Divergent meets Red Rising and I am so here for it. From the first page I was absolutely hooked and the pacing was so flawlessly done that it kept me turning the pages until late into the night. The worldbuilding is seamlessly weaved into the story never making it feel overwhelming but almost lived in and I really appreciated how easy it was to immerse myself in this world. Our FMC Gemma is out for revenge as an undercover rebel infiltrating the enemy. In order to fulfill her mission she must first pass a set of dangerous trials, putting her life in the hands of strangers. One of my favorite tropes is found family and this book delivers. I loved Imara and Hawk's sibling dynamic and I need more of our cinnamon roll LI Christian ASAP! I also loved the perfectly timed plot twists and the jaw dropping secrets revealed! I seriously can't wait to see what happens next in book 2!

Thanks for Qilanna Quinn for the opportunity to beta read this book! All opinions are my own.

[Julia · Rating 4 out of 5]

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
To Avenge A Fallen Star is the first instalment in the United Planetary Systems series. What a great start! I could not put this book down. The non-stop action kept me reading. I loved the clues in the book which led me to try to figuring out the plot twist. Although out of my theories, I had one completely wrong! The story was well-paced and continued to entertain until the very last page. I needed book 2 yesterday! I can’t wait to find out what happens to Gemma and her new-found family.

[Gemma · Rating 3 out of 5]

🚀 Science fiction
🚀 Romance
🚀 Tournament
🚀 Betrayal
🚀 Plot twists

This book was fine. The 2.5 stars are only because of Christian and the world-building.
The romance
The romance in this book was the best part! I love how thoughtful the MMC is and how much he cares for everyone. Only at the end, it began to feel a bit much with the sacrificial stuff, but I still love him. <3

The Plot
The plot in this book felt really disjointed to me, going in I thought it would be about the tournament for the whole book and was really interested, but it completely changed halfway through the book. It ended up feeling like I was reading two different books rather than the same story. But for the tournament itself, I really enjoyed the ideas behind each thing that they had to go through, the ideas were really interesting, some even shocking.

It also didn’t help that I guessed the plot twists at the end without even trying too hard, so it completely ruined the impact of those scenes and left me feeling a bit disappointed.

The Characters
The characters didn’t really work for me in this book. The main character felt really annoying and clueless, to the point where I just wanted her to die. Their actions were also a bit weird to me. It felt like the tournament, which is supposed to remove the weak, didn’t work too well. The main character was able to make it through easily even with pretty much no combat experience because she joined up with the right people. It also felt a bit weird with the more stereotypical gender roles, with the boys protecting and the girls hiding. But they went away in the second half of the book. After they began to need the MC’s healing stuff and she got her extra special magic alien powers to save everyone.

The MC really annoyed me at some points, she just seemed really stupid. Idk I just really hated her.

Also, why do authors call people petite? It nearly made me dnf it when I saw it, but I was too curious to know what happened, so I pushed through.
My favourite character was Christian, he is the most thoughtful, and kind person ever and deserves so much better.

The worldbuilding
The worldbuilding in this book is one of its saving aspects, it introduces us in a way that we get the information without feeling overwhelmed and while still being interested in learning more. I especially love the ghouls, and how different they seemed from anything I read before.

The writing
The writing in this book felt really immersive, the only critique I have is how many times the MC’s name is mentioned. It felt like it would specify her name every ten seconds. While this is common in third person, it felt like a bit too much. I can remember her name which was mentioned a sentence ago. Just use she or her next time.

[Simona · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 stars

Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an ARC of this book in exchange for an honest review.

This story is set in a dystopian future, and follows a young medically trained girl, Gemma. She is a member of the rebel group known as the Dissent who want to improve life on their planet Reva. In order to achieve this, as well as her follow through on her own personal quest of vengeance, she enters a competition (the Oranos Trials). Once she wins, she wants to kill her sister’s murderer, the Game Master himself.

What I Liked
The story itself is intriguing, the characters likeable, and the world building is very strong. I enjoyed getting immersed in this place, it was well thought out and a lot of the problems (poverty and oppression) were realistic and served well to elicit sympathy from the reader.

What I Didn’t Like
First and foremost, the writing. Whilst it was okay, it wasn’t great, and too often (usually every few pages) there would be a sentence that was either completely grammatically incorrect, the tense changed, or it was just jarring enough to bring me out of the story. For instance: “He was trim and athletic, carved from the very stone they mined on Reva.” (I didn’t know a person could be carved from stone?)
There was then also issues of consistency: for instance, she enters the trials and on the first day gathers the attention of at least 3 different people, but then in Chapter 16 she says “Blending in was what she did best in Perileos; most people didn't even know she existed.”
She begins to fall immediately for the love interest, and I lost count of how many times her stomach ‘somersaulted’. It was a little repetitive.
She spent 3 years training for these trials, but then she says she doesn’t know how to fight and only sparred a handful of times with Dissent members. Then she mentions that she paid attention to the combat instructors? Which was it?
They’re in a technologically advanced society with AI robots, amazing simulations, space travel. They have surveillance throughout the city, they know the name and appearance of the leader of the Dissent, they have him on camera, but they didn’t capture him, there isn’t a standing order to shoot on sight? The suspension of disbelief required of me for certain things in this story was too much.

Overall there’s a lot of promise here. On Goodreads it’s listed only as Science Fiction, but this was definitely more YA than I was expecting. I do believe a younger audience could get a lot of enjoyment from this book as the story itself is interesting-I just couldn’t get past the shallow characters and the inconsistent writing / storytelling.

[Amanda · Rating 5 out of 5]

Gemma wants revenge for the death of her sister. She enters the trials to get close to the game master who took her sister from her. What she find’s out is way darker than she ever expected. A sci-fi romantasy at its best! Releases March 25, 2025 - just go ahead and put it on your TBR!

Y’all this book is everything that is currently trendy in the romantasy genre…in the BEST way. Quinn does an amazing job at getting all those tropes we love and makes them her own. Gemma is such a strong female character and I loved that she was a healer. She was so relatable being strong but weak at the same time. Perfection!

This book was giving me Hunger Games meets Fourth Wing but better to me! The sci-fi aspect of the book really made everything stand out compared to other books I have read. The trials were interesting and kept me on the edge of my seat. I always love the stories of them vs us. Rich vs poor. This book was giving that to me!

Christian is also an incredible main male character. Strong. Understanding. Witty. Clingy…if you like that! I also adored all the side characters. Hawk, Imara, and Colton were perfect! The banter and bond between everyone was fun to read.

This book was pretty fast paced!! Things that I thought would happen at the end happened middle of the book. It wasn’t a huge deal to me but it was a shocker! Quinn definitely had something up her sleeve that I didn’t see coming! I loved it!

I do wish I could have read more about the amazing world Quinn created. There was so much action and just little hints about the world. I know it’s the first book so I hope to read more about the history of Reva and all the other Planetary Systems!

I would recommend this book to anyone who enjoys sci-fi romantasy or even romantasy without the space aspect. It is spicy so if that’s not your jam just a heads up. The book is also very graphic with violence so another heads up there. The author has a list of trigger warnings and open door chapters at the beginning of the book so you can be prepared!

Thank you so much Qilanna Quinn for allowing me to be an ARC reader for your book! This review is solely my opinion without any outside influences judging how I reviewed. I can’t wait for this book to release and have other readers enter this series!! Definitely check out the author’s instagram for character art! It’s amazing!

[Ben Logsdon · Rating 4 out of 5]

I had the opportunity to get the audiobook version of this novel, and honestly, I found it really enjoyable. The narrator's voice was a bit quiet at times, but the story's emotions came through when it counted and I often found myself looking forward to the next chapter.

The book follows Gemma, a young woman on a distant planet who must brave a dangerous set of trials to reach the man who killed her sister. I definitely felt the bones of classic YA dystopians in the plot, ranging from a band of scrappy found family, to evil governments, political intrigue, and things not always being as they appear. My favorite aspects of the book were the action (especially Christian and his unrelenting badassery), the easy-to-follow writing style, and the plot twists that subverted the usual norms.

What do I mean by that last one? In standard sci-fi dystopian novels, you often see the same tropes of overpowered chosen ones leading a rebel force against the stereotypically tyrannical government, but the author does a great job of keep you guessing here. You never quite know who to trust, and I was pleasantly surprised to be unable to predict the end from the beginning. Also, I found it refreshing to have an FMC with realistic skills and limitations. It allowed for greater tension and made Gemma's newfound abilities that much more satisfying.

My only real hang-ups came from the relatively shallow romance between the two main characters. We're never given a lot of emotional interactions between the two before they reach the "I'd die for you" stage of their relationship, and I would've liked to see more leading up to that. Also, there was a bit too much repetition when it came to voicing Gemma's motivations. We understand her desire for revenge but are constantly reminded, especially in the early chapters.

Overall though, the pacing was great and the world-building was enough is immerse the reader. While I'm not particularly a fan of spice, I have to admit that the love scenes in this book were well written, tasteful, and of course, adequately steamy. As for my favorite character, I'd have to go with Christian with Imara as a close second. I didn't like her at first, but her wry humor really grew on me. lol

This was a solid start to the United Planetary Systems series and I'm excited to see where Quinn takes the story from here.

[Jess Autiero · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received an advance review copy for free by BookSirens in exchange of a honest review.

Set in a distant, dystopic future, Gemma is out for one thing and one thing only: revenge for her sister's murder by the hands of the Game Master, Rami. To do so, she will have to pass the deadly Oranos Trials, a series of ruthless tests that weed out the weak and allow only the most determined to become soldiers of the United Planetary Systems. But life goes not as planned, and when Gemma discovers the truth behind every lie she has believed until now, she's forced to look for allies to confront an even greater threat: the salvation of the planet she wanted to abandon.

This book is perfect for all the nostalgics of 2010s dystopian novels.

To Avenge a Fallen Star starts off with a good foot. The worldbuilding is good, the way the Trials are made, and the overall setting and fast pace is what won me over. Since page one Gemma doesn't get a moment to relax, to breathe, and you feel it with her. You feel the pressure to get everything right from the first beat, and this is what I loved the most in this book. And also that, despite Gemma training, she gets just a little better and does not do a 180 flip to become this Mary Sue, indistructible person, even without the "purple help". That was a nice touch and something I respect a lot.

However, this book shares too many similarities with other dystopian novels I've read before, and that's what brought it down for me. If you've ever seen the "Lavender Avocado Basket" meme, you know what I mean. It felt too cliché-ish, especially the plot-twists. Like, I could see them coming a mile away. The author could have taken those cliché and worked better around them, twisting them in an unexpected way, but so hasn't been.

To end on a positive note, I'd love to see where the author goes with the "purple thing" (if you know you know). That's what intrigues me the most and is, for now, the only thing that would make me pick up the next installment.

[Pomelo Reads · Rating 2 out of 5]

Rating: 2/5 stars
Steam level: Open-door scenes

Thoughts:
To Avenge a Fallen Star features a dystopian and scifi story with romance elements. It has a quick and attention-grabbing start to the story that I enjoyed. The introduction to the world and its main characters were done smoothly and in a way that captured the harrowing nature of Gemma's situation. There was a lot to enjoy about this book, but there were many features that impacted my enjoyment, which made it fall short of my expectations.

To begin with the good of this book, the group dynamics and tests were interesting, and I enjoyed the dire moments that showcased the budding romance between Gemma and Christian. Specifically, there were moments of silent admiration between the main couple during and between the tests that not only made their romance feel sweet but also provided depth to their characterization. When coupling the romantic parts with the uncertainties of their physical challenges, Gemma and Christian's interactions felt endearing and indicative of the innate connection that they shared.

However, despite the enjoyable moments of this book, I do not connect with this author's writing style. It felt like the author often told the emotions and complexities of the story rather than showed it, which impacted its overall effect and diminished the intensity of the plot. Furthermore, the side characters often felt unnatural, and the language used in some conversations heavily contributed to this. Furthermore, cruel, mean behaviors of some side characters felt a bit contradictory and/or sudden, which made them feel one-dimensional, almost as though the characters were forced into trope boxes in which they did not belong. Finally, diversity was not depicted in the most sensitive of ways; the language and depictions used in the book seemed to exaggerate culture/race in a way that felt inauthentic.

Overall, there are parts of this book that were enjoyable. However, I could not connect with this book in the way that I had hoped.

[Holly Taggart · Rating 3 out of 5]

A big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for extending an eARC of this novel.

I was captivated by the cover, and if you follow me, you know that I really adore a romance set in space. I'm unsure why the Space setting is my favorite, but if you give me a Space Opera, I'm going to try it. Overall this really is about 2.5 stars for me, but I rounded it up to 3 rather than down.
In this story the reader follows Gemma, a young woman who's ready to avenge her sister's death and at the same time trip off a revolution. She's going to do that by participating in trials that will give her access to the target of her revenge. As she participates in the trials, she develops relationships and entanglements that are hard for her to shrug off, and when disaster strikes, she finds these new relationships are there for her, even if possibly not everything is as she had believed. This book is full of difficult decisions, hidden motives, found family, romance, and some cool world building. Gemma makes several choices based on her heart, and to find out what happens, you'll want to pick up a copy of this novel.
This is set in a far future space dystopia, and has the feel of a fan-fiction mash up of hunger Games, Squid games and Star Trek. Characters are challenged to question everything they've learned over time, and there is a romance with some quasi-open door scenes. I did find the characters to be a bit flat and underdeveloped and I never developed that attachment that I often do, making the highs and lows an on page experience only, I never felt it in the gut. This was a simple to read novel that will appeal to those looking for a romance set in space.

[Ashton V · Rating 4 out of 5]

Thank you Qilanna for a physical arc! Overall I really enjoyed this book. It’s fast paced from the start and full of action, twists, romance, and so much more. I always love dystopian esque worlds in sci-fi books and now add in a rebel organization and I’m all in.

This book has an interesting start that really gives me Divergent and The Hunger Games vibes. Main character Gemma joins all the 20 year olds as they enter the Oranos Trials, which gives everyone a chance to leave the harsh planet of Reva behind in the hopes of having a better life. But Gemma has the extra task of killing Rami, the trials game master and the one responsible for killing Gemma’s sister Nadine. Gemma has joint the rebel group after being shown a video of her sister’s death. She has been trained the last couple years and is determined to win the trials and get revenge for her sister. But all is not what it seems. As the trials progress and Gemma begins to make friends and find love she slowly realizes everything is not just black and white.

For me the trials was the best part of the book. Once we are through this portion we start to really see more from this world and learn so many new things. Plus we are introduced to alien technology and power that really adds an interesting twist to the story. My one critique is that i think the characters needed to be fleshed out a little bit more. Since this is so fast paced we don’t have much time to learn about them. BUT I really like what we have seen so far and I’m loving Gemma’s found family that has formed. I’m very interested to see what comes next for these characters after that wild ending!