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Ignite the Stars #2
Eclipse the Skies
Ia Cōcha never thought she’d be working for the Olympus Commonwealth. But that was before she found out her trusted brother Einn was trying to tear apart the universe. Now, Ia, the Blood Wolf of the Skies, has agreed to help the Royal Star Force on one condition: when she finds him, she gets to kill Einn herself.
Brinn Tarver has just come to terms with her Tawny identity when the public lashes out against her people, crushing her family. At her breaking point, she starts to question everything she believes in—including Ia.
After the death of his mentor, Knives Adams is doing his best to live up to a role he didn’t ask for as Aphelion’s new headmaster. Still, with each new step deeper into war, he feels torn between his duties and the pull of Ia’s radical—sometimes criminal—ideas.
As they fight to keep darkness from eclipsing the skies, their unpredictable choices launch this breathtaking sequel to explosive new heights.
Brinn Tarver has just come to terms with her Tawny identity when the public lashes out against her people, crushing her family. At her breaking point, she starts to question everything she believes in—including Ia.
After the death of his mentor, Knives Adams is doing his best to live up to a role he didn’t ask for as Aphelion’s new headmaster. Still, with each new step deeper into war, he feels torn between his duties and the pull of Ia’s radical—sometimes criminal—ideas.
As they fight to keep darkness from eclipsing the skies, their unpredictable choices launch this breathtaking sequel to explosive new heights.
405 pages, Kindle Edition
First published September 3, 2019
35 people are currently reading
2574 people want to read
About the author
Maura Milan
3 books228 followersMaura Milan currently resides in Los Angeles, where she can be found hanging out in cafes and drinking matcha lattes. In her free time, Maura enjoys watching Korean dramas and hanging out with her schipperke, Thor, who she believes should become a professional comedian.
To this day, Gilbert Blythe is her ultimate boy crush.
To this day, Gilbert Blythe is her ultimate boy crush.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 162 reviews
August 17, 2019
this was TERRIBLE and HEARTBREAKING and I am so heckin' mad right now like WHY. HOW COULD YOU DO THIS TO ME.
I am so sad someone just euuughhhh my tears. are physical. my heart. is broken. never to be repaired. someone get me an emo playlist asap please.
(the ending was weirdly perfect but also. no. no you can't do that. do NOT DO THAT TO ME)
I am so sad someone just euuughhhh my tears. are physical. my heart. is broken. never to be repaired. someone get me an emo playlist asap please.
(the ending was weirdly perfect but also. no. no you can't do that. do NOT DO THAT TO ME)
August 27, 2018
If anyone dies, I will die. That’s the kind of stakes we have going here.
July 15, 2019
maura pulls no punches in this and I hate/love her for it
September 3, 2019
*Source* Publisher
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction
*rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Eclipse the Skies, by author Maura Milian, is the second installment in the authors Ignite the Stars series. The story actually revolves around (3) main characters: Ia Cocha, once the universe's most feared criminal, is now working for the Olympus Commonwealth to hunt down her brother, Einn. Knives Adams has been appointed as Aphelion's newest and youngest ever Headmaster after the events of the previous installment. Brinn Tarver, a Half-Tawny Cadet at Aphelion Academy, fears for the lives of her family and the termination of the sanctuary act.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
*Genre* Young Adult, Science Fiction
*rating* 3.5-4
*Thoughts*
Eclipse the Skies, by author Maura Milian, is the second installment in the authors Ignite the Stars series. The story actually revolves around (3) main characters: Ia Cocha, once the universe's most feared criminal, is now working for the Olympus Commonwealth to hunt down her brother, Einn. Knives Adams has been appointed as Aphelion's newest and youngest ever Headmaster after the events of the previous installment. Brinn Tarver, a Half-Tawny Cadet at Aphelion Academy, fears for the lives of her family and the termination of the sanctuary act.
*Full Review @ Gizmos Reviews*
https://gizmosreviews.blogspot.com/20...
August 23, 2019
"But fear is an interesting thing. It means there’s something left at stake. There’s something worth fighting for."
So IGNITE THE STARS was definitely funnier than ECLIPSE THE SKIES. I loved the dark humor, and snark. Unfortunately that’s missing this book. It kind of bummed me out because Ia’s dark wit was one of the highlights of the first book. Although after the ending of IGNITE THE STARS the lack of humor is... understandable.
Thank you Netgalley and the published for an eARC in exchange for an honest review.
ECLIPSE THE SKIES reminds me a lot of the fourth season of THE LEGEND OF KORRA. Pacing, character arcs, etc. so think of IGNITE THE STARS as season one of TLOK (funny, kind of goofy, great twists) and ECLIPSE THE SKIES as season four of TLOK (darker, less humor, more of a focus of overcoming mental barrier than physical enemies, and overcoming demons).
I...just....miss the banter from book one.
We finally get an addition of a queer character (bisexual girl) as a side character rather than the only queer rep being a brief mention of sapphic queens. So that was nice. (but see spoiler #1)
This book takes place over a longggggggg period of time so some things feel rushed but that’s because like three weeks will pass in a single paragraph jump so that’s three weeks of character development we missed out on. Also there are some sections of the book that more some summarize events than took the readers through it.
Okay, so I hate having spoilers for arcs in my reviews because very few people get to read the book early but I have some thoughts that I need to get off my chest before I explode.
SPOILERS BELOW
1. Ugh we have a use of the bury your gays trope. So we have three queer characters (sapphic queens and Eve) and the queens have like two pages of screen time and one dies. So the bury your gays tropes is alive and well.
2. I have confusion at how they found Knives on Myth when they they didn’t use coms or tracking devices so no one should know where they were....?
3. Brinn, even with the trauma of loss (I mean, you can’t really make a rational decision like two minutes after finding out news like that), still felt like she acted OOC in this book. Then again, Bolin also felt OOC in TLOK season four so what do I know?!
4. The last Ia scene irked me so fucking bad. I'll say why after the book releases so avid any major major spoilers. I don't wanna ruin the ending for everyone. I love every other character's final scene but hers.
Overall, I enjoyed 90% of this book...I just preferred IGNITE THE STARS more.
Content Warnings and Trigger Warnings: slurs (against aliens), anti-refugee protests, colonization, death, discrimination, profiling, war, violence, ptsd, suicidal thoughts, “heroes” suicide (sort of...but also not?), bury your gays trope, depression, abusive sibling relationship, addiction to pain killers
September 22, 2019
On my blog.
Actual rating 3.5
Rep: non-white mcs (East/Southeast Asian?), wlw characters
CWs: death of a sapphic character
Galley provided by publisher
Sci-fi is one of my favourite genres, so I’m always on the lookout for good YA sci-fi, particularly. When I read Ignite the Stars earlier in the month, I knew I had found some. And Eclipse the Skies is a solid continuation of that.
The story picks up almost exactly from where Ignite the Stars ended, with that epic twist, and everything that comes after. But nothing stays the same for long. Within pages, there’s more action, higher stakes, and some distinct moments that make you wonder whether you’re, in fact, backing the right horse (for all you who love a good sympathetic villain).
What I loved most about book 1, and what I continued to love in this book, was the characters. The book is driven by the characters and their relationships. Sure, there’s action (which I appreciate), but that action is rooted in the characters’ relationships (particularly Ia and her brother Einn). On the whole, those relationships were great. Okay, so the romantic relationships weren’t my cup of tea (ask me about Brinn and Ia’s potential. Ask me), but they were a small enough part of the book that I could just pretend they weren’t happening.
And, like I said, this was a solid continuation of the first book, with lots of action and an epic conclusion (that almost made me cry).
But I just struggled to get fully invested in this book in a way that I didn’t for book 1. The writing as good (but for a few parts where it felt clunky, which I knew would be there after the first book) and the action scenes were great. I just couldn’t get into it so much and I don’t know why.
More than that, though, I wasn’t too keen on the fact that one of the three minor sapphic characters is killed. It’s all very well creating a world where sexuality isn’t a big deal, but then when all your main characters are straight, your relationships are all m/f, and you kill off one of your only non-straight characters? Well, it all feels a bit like lip-service to me. And it was pretty disappointing, in all honesty. Just because you’ve written out homophobia in your world, doesn’t give you a free pass to fall into homophobic tropes.
So, I guess, in the end, that was what made me like the last third of the book less than I might have (especially given how epic an ending it was). Regardless, it was a good book and a great conclusion to the duology. It was just that small part that let me down.
Actual rating 3.5
Rep: non-white mcs (East/Southeast Asian?), wlw characters
CWs: death of a sapphic character
Galley provided by publisher
Sci-fi is one of my favourite genres, so I’m always on the lookout for good YA sci-fi, particularly. When I read Ignite the Stars earlier in the month, I knew I had found some. And Eclipse the Skies is a solid continuation of that.
The story picks up almost exactly from where Ignite the Stars ended, with that epic twist, and everything that comes after. But nothing stays the same for long. Within pages, there’s more action, higher stakes, and some distinct moments that make you wonder whether you’re, in fact, backing the right horse (for all you who love a good sympathetic villain).
What I loved most about book 1, and what I continued to love in this book, was the characters. The book is driven by the characters and their relationships. Sure, there’s action (which I appreciate), but that action is rooted in the characters’ relationships (particularly Ia and her brother Einn). On the whole, those relationships were great. Okay, so the romantic relationships weren’t my cup of tea (ask me about Brinn and Ia’s potential. Ask me), but they were a small enough part of the book that I could just pretend they weren’t happening.
And, like I said, this was a solid continuation of the first book, with lots of action and an epic conclusion (that almost made me cry).
But I just struggled to get fully invested in this book in a way that I didn’t for book 1. The writing as good (but for a few parts where it felt clunky, which I knew would be there after the first book) and the action scenes were great. I just couldn’t get into it so much and I don’t know why.
More than that, though, I wasn’t too keen on the fact that one of the three minor sapphic characters is killed. It’s all very well creating a world where sexuality isn’t a big deal, but then when all your main characters are straight, your relationships are all m/f, and you kill off one of your only non-straight characters? Well, it all feels a bit like lip-service to me. And it was pretty disappointing, in all honesty. Just because you’ve written out homophobia in your world, doesn’t give you a free pass to fall into homophobic tropes.
So, I guess, in the end, that was what made me like the last third of the book less than I might have (especially given how epic an ending it was). Regardless, it was a good book and a great conclusion to the duology. It was just that small part that let me down.
February 17, 2020
longer review on my blog Kat from Minas Morgul
the good:
- Iaaaaaaaaaa, god, I love her
- Knives. That name is both so cool and ridiculous and I'm here for him
- woah Brinn what a journey you went through
- I wouldn't have thought I'd like a Sinoblancas but I did end up liking two whoops
- NOWHERE RAMEN
- Goner
- Ia and Knives and how their relationship is not at all the focus of the story but I still have a heartache I love them so much
- the whole space stuff? space travel? nice
- Aokonic? wow
- the ending even though it ripped my heart out, it was PERFECT
- the cover????????? love it
- Einn being a little bitch
- heroes not always being strong and accepting help
- Goner
- SPACE RACE
- so much plot but also so much character focus
- Goner
the bad:
- the EMOTIONS I HAD TO ENDURE MY GOD, MY HEART HURTS
- nothing. nothing else. just my personal feelings being attacked like that
the good:
- Iaaaaaaaaaa, god, I love her
- Knives. That name is both so cool and ridiculous and I'm here for him
- woah Brinn what a journey you went through
- I wouldn't have thought I'd like a Sinoblancas but I did end up liking two whoops
- NOWHERE RAMEN
- Goner
- Ia and Knives and how their relationship is not at all the focus of the story but I still have a heartache I love them so much
- the whole space stuff? space travel? nice
- Aokonic? wow
- the ending even though it ripped my heart out, it was PERFECT
- the cover????????? love it
- Einn being a little bitch
- heroes not always being strong and accepting help
- Goner
- SPACE RACE
- so much plot but also so much character focus
- Goner
the bad:
- the EMOTIONS I HAD TO ENDURE MY GOD, MY HEART HURTS
- nothing. nothing else. just my personal feelings being attacked like that
August 4, 2020
Much like the first book, Eclipse the Skies was a thoroughly entertaining read!
I still enjoyed all the characters and Goner was a surprise fave.
While the ending didn't quite deliver the emotional gut punch I was hoping for, I still liked the way it wrapped up and really enjoyed this book and series overall! 4.5🌟
I still enjoyed all the characters and Goner was a surprise fave.
While the ending didn't quite deliver the emotional gut punch I was hoping for, I still liked the way it wrapped up and really enjoyed this book and series overall! 4.5🌟
December 14, 2020
favourite book i have read this year hands down.
amazing. show stopping. spectacular.
there is soooo much going on in this book, but don’t let that deter you because the pace and plot is so easy to slip into.
it will hurt you and hurt your heart
amazing. show stopping. spectacular.
there is soooo much going on in this book, but don’t let that deter you because the pace and plot is so easy to slip into.
it will hurt you and hurt your heart
September 25, 2019
NOTE: I received a complimentary eARC of this book from Albert Whitman & Company through NetGalley. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.
*deep breath*
Where do I begin with this one?
After liking Ignite the Stars, I was really looking forward to reading Eclipse the Skies... Unfortunately it fell even flatter than Ignite the Stars did for me, except this time it was a little harder to ignore the glaring issues with this one. I still didn’t absolutely hate it, but... well, it took me twice as long to finish this one as the first one. Almost a month. That should really tell you all you need to know; if I struggle for a full month to read something, it’s not holding my interest.
**WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD**
Let’s start with the fact that compared to the first book, this one takes a complete 180° turn away from badass action and dark humor, and straight into mopey, pathetic boredom.
About 80% of the book is spent on Ia feeling sorry for herself after being betrayed and nearly killed by her own brother. A twist, I might add, that was so easy to spot coming that it might as well have been announced right in the blurb of the book.
I get that having your brother betray you is not a great feeling and obviously recovering from having almost every bone in your body broken is gonna be rough but after spending the entire first book having Ia described every few sentences as this tiny little pint-sized badass, pocket-rocket killer, who everyone is scared of and is a danger to herself and everyone around her especially those that betray her... it was a HUGE change, and not for the better.
I feel like half of that recovery/moping time could have easily been left out and the story still would have made sense. Instead we got to spend most of the book listening to Ia mope around and complain about how easily her brother nearly killed her, how she wasn’t ready to face him, how she was gonna give up entirely... only to them turn around at the end, for absolutely no reason at all, and be like “screw it, I’m going to fly to his heavily guarded base and take him on, even though I’m barely recovered and will probably die. ‘Kay bye!”
On top of all of that, Brinn’s choices made absolutely NO sense either. She spent pretty much all of her chapters complaining that Ia didn’t care about what she was going through... but she never actually told Ia anything was up! I’m sorry but people that do this annoy me so much. If you’re going through something and want someone to listen, tell them! Don’t just expect your friends to be mind-readers! And then she uses this as an excuse to... what? Turn against Ia by going with her brother, not trying to stop him from killing Ia at all, and then killing one of the Queens because she wanted to “make her own choices”?... WHAT?! Brinn’s character development in the first book was beautiful; she went from hiding who she was to being proud of it... only to go completely off the rails in the most illogical way possible in the second book!?
And don’t even get me started on Knives. Why was he in even in this book? He served literally no purpose except to bum around waiting for Ia to “get better” and then screw everything up by setting AN AI INSIDE A PEN loose in one of the most advanced “weapons” in the galaxy?! I just... don’t understand. I mean I understand, I just... don’t. It makes literally no sense!
Omg and Kami/Deus! What was the point of having her there!? She was the “God” Deus and she had some kind of weird ramen-producing black hole in her chest (WHAT?!) but literally did nothing at all and refused to help Ia, only to show up at the end and tell Knives there was still hope after Ia died (oh I’ll get to that, don’t worry)... What was the point of including her!? The only thing I can think of is that there was supposed to be a third book in which she reappeared and had purpose but that in the end the author decided against three and squished everything into two? I don’t even know.
Which brings us to the ending. The only word that comes to mind is “Disappointing” with a big fat capital D. There was SO much build up to Ia facing off against her brother... only to have it all be over in two seconds!?
You know what? Here, lemme save you the time of reading the whole book:
Brinn suddenly decides she can’t stand to see Ein hurt Ia (even though she stood around last time he broke every single bone in her body and walked away when Goner was about to shoot her in the head) and picks up a gun to shoot his hands off because apparently he’s useless without them? Ein then sits quietly in the corner while Ia and Brinn hug it out and plot to push his life’s work, that he has been so crazy-focused on he literally nearly killed his own sister over, into a black hole that Ein had conveniently made his base next to for reasons. Ia then gets Brinn safely to another ship but doesn’t go herself because “there’s only one spare seat” and she’s been stabbed anyway, which apparently means she’s already dead even though, you know, she just survived having every bone in her body smashed to pieces and still lived? She stays with her brother right up until the moment they are torn apart by the black hole (and can still apparently form thoughts after that), even though Ein still clearly hates her right up until the end, because “You are my brother” and “No one wants to die alone”.
WHAT THE MIFFING MIFF!?!
And to top it all off, the romance between Knives and Ia was basically non-existent until right at the end where they admitted they loved each other via video call right before Ia gave herself up to Ein. I’m not even gonna get into that one.
I just don’t understand what happened here. It’s like the author took all feedback from the previous book and said “You know what? Here’s what I think of your opinions” and went in completely the opposite direction! I don’t think I’ve ever been so confused and disappointed in the ending of a series since the last season of Game of Thrones.
*deep breath*
Where do I begin with this one?
After liking Ignite the Stars, I was really looking forward to reading Eclipse the Skies... Unfortunately it fell even flatter than Ignite the Stars did for me, except this time it was a little harder to ignore the glaring issues with this one. I still didn’t absolutely hate it, but... well, it took me twice as long to finish this one as the first one. Almost a month. That should really tell you all you need to know; if I struggle for a full month to read something, it’s not holding my interest.
**WARNING - SPOILERS AHEAD**
Let’s start with the fact that compared to the first book, this one takes a complete 180° turn away from badass action and dark humor, and straight into mopey, pathetic boredom.
About 80% of the book is spent on Ia feeling sorry for herself after being betrayed and nearly killed by her own brother. A twist, I might add, that was so easy to spot coming that it might as well have been announced right in the blurb of the book.
I get that having your brother betray you is not a great feeling and obviously recovering from having almost every bone in your body broken is gonna be rough but after spending the entire first book having Ia described every few sentences as this tiny little pint-sized badass, pocket-rocket killer, who everyone is scared of and is a danger to herself and everyone around her especially those that betray her... it was a HUGE change, and not for the better.
I feel like half of that recovery/moping time could have easily been left out and the story still would have made sense. Instead we got to spend most of the book listening to Ia mope around and complain about how easily her brother nearly killed her, how she wasn’t ready to face him, how she was gonna give up entirely... only to them turn around at the end, for absolutely no reason at all, and be like “screw it, I’m going to fly to his heavily guarded base and take him on, even though I’m barely recovered and will probably die. ‘Kay bye!”
On top of all of that, Brinn’s choices made absolutely NO sense either. She spent pretty much all of her chapters complaining that Ia didn’t care about what she was going through... but she never actually told Ia anything was up! I’m sorry but people that do this annoy me so much. If you’re going through something and want someone to listen, tell them! Don’t just expect your friends to be mind-readers! And then she uses this as an excuse to... what? Turn against Ia by going with her brother, not trying to stop him from killing Ia at all, and then killing one of the Queens because she wanted to “make her own choices”?... WHAT?! Brinn’s character development in the first book was beautiful; she went from hiding who she was to being proud of it... only to go completely off the rails in the most illogical way possible in the second book!?
And don’t even get me started on Knives. Why was he in even in this book? He served literally no purpose except to bum around waiting for Ia to “get better” and then screw everything up by setting AN AI INSIDE A PEN loose in one of the most advanced “weapons” in the galaxy?! I just... don’t understand. I mean I understand, I just... don’t. It makes literally no sense!
Omg and Kami/Deus! What was the point of having her there!? She was the “God” Deus and she had some kind of weird ramen-producing black hole in her chest (WHAT?!) but literally did nothing at all and refused to help Ia, only to show up at the end and tell Knives there was still hope after Ia died (oh I’ll get to that, don’t worry)... What was the point of including her!? The only thing I can think of is that there was supposed to be a third book in which she reappeared and had purpose but that in the end the author decided against three and squished everything into two? I don’t even know.
Which brings us to the ending. The only word that comes to mind is “Disappointing” with a big fat capital D. There was SO much build up to Ia facing off against her brother... only to have it all be over in two seconds!?
You know what? Here, lemme save you the time of reading the whole book:
Brinn suddenly decides she can’t stand to see Ein hurt Ia (even though she stood around last time he broke every single bone in her body and walked away when Goner was about to shoot her in the head) and picks up a gun to shoot his hands off because apparently he’s useless without them? Ein then sits quietly in the corner while Ia and Brinn hug it out and plot to push his life’s work, that he has been so crazy-focused on he literally nearly killed his own sister over, into a black hole that Ein had conveniently made his base next to for reasons. Ia then gets Brinn safely to another ship but doesn’t go herself because “there’s only one spare seat” and she’s been stabbed anyway, which apparently means she’s already dead even though, you know, she just survived having every bone in her body smashed to pieces and still lived? She stays with her brother right up until the moment they are torn apart by the black hole (and can still apparently form thoughts after that), even though Ein still clearly hates her right up until the end, because “You are my brother” and “No one wants to die alone”.
WHAT THE MIFFING MIFF!?!
And to top it all off, the romance between Knives and Ia was basically non-existent until right at the end where they admitted they loved each other via video call right before Ia gave herself up to Ein. I’m not even gonna get into that one.
I just don’t understand what happened here. It’s like the author took all feedback from the previous book and said “You know what? Here’s what I think of your opinions” and went in completely the opposite direction! I don’t think I’ve ever been so confused and disappointed in the ending of a series since the last season of Game of Thrones.
September 22, 2019
ECLIPSE THE SKIES IS OUT NOW! It's the final day to enter the giveaway - have you entered yet? We have two additional prizes now!
Enter to win the Eclipse the Skies GIVEAWAY with signed copies of both books & a basket of Maura’s favorite things!
Enter to win the Eclipse the Skies GIVEAWAY with signed copies of both books & a basket of Maura’s favorite things!
January 3, 2021
4.5. What an ending! I love how it ended, even if it was sad. And Brinn.
Eve is hilarious. And Knives and Vetty are pretty much the exact same character lol.
full rtc
Eve is hilarious. And Knives and Vetty are pretty much the exact same character lol.
full rtc
Want to read
March 30, 2019THIS COVER IS LIFE.
August 31, 2019
um so this comes out september 3rd and i bought it today??? at a barnes and noble??? definitely not complaining though
I READ IT AND I SOBBED LIKE A BABY AT THE END OH MY GOODNESS THAT IS A STORY ARC, THOSE ARE CHARACTER PARALLELS, THAT IS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, THAT IS A STRONG FEMALE ROLE MODEL I AM STILL CRYING MAURA MILAN IS MY NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR 😭😭
I READ IT AND I SOBBED LIKE A BABY AT THE END OH MY GOODNESS THAT IS A STORY ARC, THOSE ARE CHARACTER PARALLELS, THAT IS CHARACTER DEVELOPMENT, THAT IS A STRONG FEMALE ROLE MODEL I AM STILL CRYING MAURA MILAN IS MY NEW FAVORITE AUTHOR 😭😭
August 30, 2019
4.5 stars
Well guys, this author literally crushed my hopes and dreams and I refuse to believe that this is the end. Eclipse the Skies took me on a crazy ride of emotions and I don’t know if I will ever be okay.
If you haven’t read the first book then definitely skip over this review and go read it!
Ia is back along with all of the other characters we were introduced to as well as a couple new faces. Ia’s personality definitely takes a backseat for a bit of the book as she becomes quite vulnerable. I liked to see this side of her because it shows that she isn’t just a kickass character but a girl that also deals with not feeling good enough.
Brinn also did a 180 for most of the book. Sweet and by the books Brinn had a lot of character development and I was here for it! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed her a lot in the first book but it was also exciting to see this new change and how she became more of a morally grey character. Definitely one of my favorite character developments of all!
Knives is still Knives and although he does some pretty heroic stuff, he wasn’t that big of a character in this book. Well, for me at least, he wasn’t. I was okay with this because I enjoyed reading about Brinn more. Knives does go through quite a bit and even when he starts to feel like all hope is lost, he manages to find the inner strength to continue on.
There were a couple minor characters that I just fell for from the beginning, Goner and Vetty. Goner is another criminal just like Ia and although he is such, I couldn’t help but find him to be quite interesting. He is pretty morally grey and I loved every plot that included him. Vetty was talked about in the first book but never made an appearance. As the ex of Ia, it seemed like he would make things pretty awkward but honestly it was just the opposite. They were still great friends and he would do anything for her. I loved it!
Just like in the first book, the romance is very minimal. A couple kisses, maybe an “I love you” but its not a major plot point and I was okay with this. Sometimes you just need more action and less romance. I mean I do anyways.
The plot was interesting and kept me engaged the whole way through. Just like in the first book, there is political talk and a civil war forming due to a group of people being different than the rest. This is a very important topic and I think the author always does a nice job of discussing it. As for the plot twists, there were so many! I didn’t expect any of them and may have had a standard shock face permanently glued to my face because of them. The ending is gut-wrenching and honestly just thinking about it makes me sad. I need more and I need it now!
Overall, I really enjoyed this sequel and actually liked it more than the first book. If you are a fan of YA sci-fi then definitely give this one a shot! I did and I loved every moment of it.
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
Well guys, this author literally crushed my hopes and dreams and I refuse to believe that this is the end. Eclipse the Skies took me on a crazy ride of emotions and I don’t know if I will ever be okay.
If you haven’t read the first book then definitely skip over this review and go read it!
Ia is back along with all of the other characters we were introduced to as well as a couple new faces. Ia’s personality definitely takes a backseat for a bit of the book as she becomes quite vulnerable. I liked to see this side of her because it shows that she isn’t just a kickass character but a girl that also deals with not feeling good enough.
Brinn also did a 180 for most of the book. Sweet and by the books Brinn had a lot of character development and I was here for it! Don’t get me wrong, I enjoyed her a lot in the first book but it was also exciting to see this new change and how she became more of a morally grey character. Definitely one of my favorite character developments of all!
Knives is still Knives and although he does some pretty heroic stuff, he wasn’t that big of a character in this book. Well, for me at least, he wasn’t. I was okay with this because I enjoyed reading about Brinn more. Knives does go through quite a bit and even when he starts to feel like all hope is lost, he manages to find the inner strength to continue on.
There were a couple minor characters that I just fell for from the beginning, Goner and Vetty. Goner is another criminal just like Ia and although he is such, I couldn’t help but find him to be quite interesting. He is pretty morally grey and I loved every plot that included him. Vetty was talked about in the first book but never made an appearance. As the ex of Ia, it seemed like he would make things pretty awkward but honestly it was just the opposite. They were still great friends and he would do anything for her. I loved it!
Just like in the first book, the romance is very minimal. A couple kisses, maybe an “I love you” but its not a major plot point and I was okay with this. Sometimes you just need more action and less romance. I mean I do anyways.
The plot was interesting and kept me engaged the whole way through. Just like in the first book, there is political talk and a civil war forming due to a group of people being different than the rest. This is a very important topic and I think the author always does a nice job of discussing it. As for the plot twists, there were so many! I didn’t expect any of them and may have had a standard shock face permanently glued to my face because of them. The ending is gut-wrenching and honestly just thinking about it makes me sad. I need more and I need it now!
Overall, I really enjoyed this sequel and actually liked it more than the first book. If you are a fan of YA sci-fi then definitely give this one a shot! I did and I loved every moment of it.
eARC provided by publisher through NetGalley. All opinions are my own.
July 27, 2019
3.5 // didn’t enjoy quite as much as the first book, but was still a great read and satisfying conclusion to the duology
October 15, 2019
You can find this review on Happy Indulgence!
Note: This is the sequel and conclusion to Ignite the Stars, which you can find my glowing review over here. This review will have slight spoilers!
I utterly adored Ignite the Stars, and so I had high, highhhh expectations for this sequel. And while I enjoyed it wholeheartedly, I can’t help but also feel a bit… underwhelmed. The official rating I’m giving this is 3.5 stars because my appreciation level for it is 4+ stars, but the execution and my own heavy bias towards where the plot went leans towards a 3 stars. Of course, rounded to a 4 because of the dynamic writing, characters, and setting. But let’s take a closer look at what happened to make this conclusion, while action-packed and full of fun, bittersweet and underwhelming as well.
Eclipse the Skies starts almost immediately after book 1 left off. I confess, there were a lot of holes in my memories about Ignite the Stars and being thrust into the story with no recap left me a bit confused at first. But it didn’t take me long to get back in the game, where the constantly-turning plot keeps the readers on their toes. I enjoyed that aspect of Ignite the Stars, and Eclipse the Skies continued on it well. While the pacing was honestly a bit odd (several week jumps occurred throughout the story, making time go faster than it felt), the characters still went through a lot of emotional turmoil. Ignite the Stars was a book marked by chaos and violence, aggression and revolution. But Eclipse the Skies focuses on the aftermath of such themes: healing and growth, peace and compassion. And this focus extends towards the characters as well. Ia, one of my favorite heroines of all time, has to learn to look beyond her anger and at a greater purpose. Knives gets a reality check after realizing that he himself can take control of his life, rather than living under the shadow of his father and sister. And Brinn truly grows to understand the meaning of freedom in the face of the realization that she’s not alone. These three intersecting POV’s switched constantly, but due to the never-ending action, there was never a dull moment with either of them. They all go through tremendous character growth in general and I like them all for different reasons.
I can’t say much plot-wise without spoiling it for readers but let me just say, things go into realms that The Mind of Aila didn’t approve of. I appreciated what the author was trying to convey, and the beauty of certain decisions. But y’all… I was just unimpressed. So while there were key points of the plot that were important and necessary, I think the characters could have taken a different choice (COUGH Ia COUGH) that would have led to a more triumphant-feeling ending. But that’s all I’ll say about it.
Nothing is developed romance-wise, and it seems like Ia and Knives barely know of the other’s existence half the book. While each character went through a journey of PERSONAL re-discovery, I needed more interactions between them as a whole. Actually, Brinn talked to Knives for around 4 pages for the entire story. Ia and Brinn, whose friendship I was REALLY looking forward to since the previous book, didn’t progress much at all when they were together. The way their interactions felt throughout their own self-growth was clunky and not enough to justify their thoughts at the end. And while Ia and Knives had a developing relationship from book 1, I would say the same in regards to their lack of interactions. Which is fine, but Brinn deserved better. She really did. I guess constant action just didn’t make enough room for the dialogue to actually get somewhere, and most of the growth/decisions made were through the characters’ own introspection and advice from other characters. It never felt like they were a TEAM, ya know?
Eclipse the Skies has put me in a weird spot, where I REALLY want to like the book because the first book was so explosive, but I just remain disappointed with certain actions that led up to the ending. And while I sit on the ending and think on it more, I’m beginning to feel more satisfied, it still left me discontent after initially finishing the pages (plus, ALL THOSE LOOSE ENDS. But alas.). Fans of Ignite the Stars definitely need to pick this one up, if anything, to finish Ia’s story. But I would also recommend this duology to readers who place action at the forefront of stories, because it really is a wild ride from start to finish.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Trigger/Content Warnings: mild violence, alcohol usage (at least, there’s a substitution in the world), vaping, loss of loved ones, physical assault, mention of concentration camps, death, stoning
Thank you Abrams and Netgalley for the review copy!
Note: This is the sequel and conclusion to Ignite the Stars, which you can find my glowing review over here. This review will have slight spoilers!
I utterly adored Ignite the Stars, and so I had high, highhhh expectations for this sequel. And while I enjoyed it wholeheartedly, I can’t help but also feel a bit… underwhelmed. The official rating I’m giving this is 3.5 stars because my appreciation level for it is 4+ stars, but the execution and my own heavy bias towards where the plot went leans towards a 3 stars. Of course, rounded to a 4 because of the dynamic writing, characters, and setting. But let’s take a closer look at what happened to make this conclusion, while action-packed and full of fun, bittersweet and underwhelming as well.
‘There is goodness in this universe. There will always be light. We cannot let it die.’
Eclipse the Skies starts almost immediately after book 1 left off. I confess, there were a lot of holes in my memories about Ignite the Stars and being thrust into the story with no recap left me a bit confused at first. But it didn’t take me long to get back in the game, where the constantly-turning plot keeps the readers on their toes. I enjoyed that aspect of Ignite the Stars, and Eclipse the Skies continued on it well. While the pacing was honestly a bit odd (several week jumps occurred throughout the story, making time go faster than it felt), the characters still went through a lot of emotional turmoil. Ignite the Stars was a book marked by chaos and violence, aggression and revolution. But Eclipse the Skies focuses on the aftermath of such themes: healing and growth, peace and compassion. And this focus extends towards the characters as well. Ia, one of my favorite heroines of all time, has to learn to look beyond her anger and at a greater purpose. Knives gets a reality check after realizing that he himself can take control of his life, rather than living under the shadow of his father and sister. And Brinn truly grows to understand the meaning of freedom in the face of the realization that she’s not alone. These three intersecting POV’s switched constantly, but due to the never-ending action, there was never a dull moment with either of them. They all go through tremendous character growth in general and I like them all for different reasons.
I can’t say much plot-wise without spoiling it for readers but let me just say, things go into realms that The Mind of Aila didn’t approve of. I appreciated what the author was trying to convey, and the beauty of certain decisions. But y’all… I was just unimpressed. So while there were key points of the plot that were important and necessary, I think the characters could have taken a different choice (COUGH Ia COUGH) that would have led to a more triumphant-feeling ending. But that’s all I’ll say about it.
Nothing is developed romance-wise, and it seems like Ia and Knives barely know of the other’s existence half the book. While each character went through a journey of PERSONAL re-discovery, I needed more interactions between them as a whole. Actually, Brinn talked to Knives for around 4 pages for the entire story. Ia and Brinn, whose friendship I was REALLY looking forward to since the previous book, didn’t progress much at all when they were together. The way their interactions felt throughout their own self-growth was clunky and not enough to justify their thoughts at the end. And while Ia and Knives had a developing relationship from book 1, I would say the same in regards to their lack of interactions. Which is fine, but Brinn deserved better. She really did. I guess constant action just didn’t make enough room for the dialogue to actually get somewhere, and most of the growth/decisions made were through the characters’ own introspection and advice from other characters. It never felt like they were a TEAM, ya know?
First impressions were powerful, like threads whipping at the seeds of your memory, but she realized now that real friendships were made of a stronger type of cord.
Eclipse the Skies has put me in a weird spot, where I REALLY want to like the book because the first book was so explosive, but I just remain disappointed with certain actions that led up to the ending. And while I sit on the ending and think on it more, I’m beginning to feel more satisfied, it still left me discontent after initially finishing the pages (plus, ALL THOSE LOOSE ENDS. But alas.). Fans of Ignite the Stars definitely need to pick this one up, if anything, to finish Ia’s story. But I would also recommend this duology to readers who place action at the forefront of stories, because it really is a wild ride from start to finish.
Rating: 3.5 out of 5
Trigger/Content Warnings: mild violence, alcohol usage (at least, there’s a substitution in the world), vaping, loss of loved ones, physical assault, mention of concentration camps, death, stoning
Thank you Abrams and Netgalley for the review copy!
August 30, 2019
Fuck. What the fuck was that.
December 14, 2020
4.5 stars.
A sequel that’s actually good? Wow. I did not expect that ending. I have a few complaints, and this could have been fleshed out a bit more, but all in all I really enjoyed how this expounded on the first book. Brinn’s character arc especially went in an intriguing direction. There was cool black-hole portal cosmic horror stuff. And I liked the new characters, even if they were a little flat. If anything though, this sequel made me realize that I really don’t care for the romance and Knives is pretty meh. Ia and Vetty though? ❤️❤️❤️
I’d also like to add that this is one of the few YA sci-fi series that actually tackles complex themes such as imperialism, internalized racism, assimilation, and the effects of war on both sides. And I like how it was explored. This series is SO underrated. Do check it out!
A sequel that’s actually good? Wow. I did not expect that ending. I have a few complaints, and this could have been fleshed out a bit more, but all in all I really enjoyed how this expounded on the first book. Brinn’s character arc especially went in an intriguing direction. There was cool black-hole portal cosmic horror stuff. And I liked the new characters, even if they were a little flat. If anything though, this sequel made me realize that I really don’t care for the romance and Knives is pretty meh. Ia and Vetty though? ❤️❤️❤️
I’d also like to add that this is one of the few YA sci-fi series that actually tackles complex themes such as imperialism, internalized racism, assimilation, and the effects of war on both sides. And I like how it was explored. This series is SO underrated. Do check it out!
June 4, 2019
This is one of those books where I liked how each story got wrapped up but I don’t know how I feel about this last leg of the journey to get there.
“Eclipse the Skies” sets the stage for the final battle as Einn puts his plan into motion to destroy everything Brinn, Ia and Knives know and love and soon they’ll have to put their differences aside and decide what it is they’re fighting for and most of all are they willing to die for it?
There’s a lot of moments in this book that I get from a narrative standpoint even though the pacing of it seemed a little too rushed for me which kind of made the big moments difficult. I think the big statement here is what do you do when everything you know is taken away from you and how far can you fall when there’s no one around to remind you of your humanity and for that I really enjoyed this book but there where a lot of times where something would happen and it felt like such a 180 in a short period of time from what we’ve seen with these characters, especially one in particular, despite the fact that this path makes the most sense for her character after facing these obstacles.
I feel like the ending too was wrapped up a bit too quickly where I found myself inching closer to that final page with not enough time left for it to play out in an organically timed manner which made me nervous as I tried to remember if this was a duology or trilogy but by the looks of it this is it for the world and I’m not sure if I feel good about it. There were quite a few elements that were included near the end that I would have loved to see more of or at least gotten to see breathe before we switched over to the next thing but perhaps there’s hope for a spin-off, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish to see more of Goner.
I might have to reread these back to back to see if I come to a different conclusion but as of right now I’m just kind of okay with how it all played out.
**special thanks to the publishers and edelweiss for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
“Eclipse the Skies” sets the stage for the final battle as Einn puts his plan into motion to destroy everything Brinn, Ia and Knives know and love and soon they’ll have to put their differences aside and decide what it is they’re fighting for and most of all are they willing to die for it?
There’s a lot of moments in this book that I get from a narrative standpoint even though the pacing of it seemed a little too rushed for me which kind of made the big moments difficult. I think the big statement here is what do you do when everything you know is taken away from you and how far can you fall when there’s no one around to remind you of your humanity and for that I really enjoyed this book but there where a lot of times where something would happen and it felt like such a 180 in a short period of time from what we’ve seen with these characters, especially one in particular, despite the fact that this path makes the most sense for her character after facing these obstacles.
I feel like the ending too was wrapped up a bit too quickly where I found myself inching closer to that final page with not enough time left for it to play out in an organically timed manner which made me nervous as I tried to remember if this was a duology or trilogy but by the looks of it this is it for the world and I’m not sure if I feel good about it. There were quite a few elements that were included near the end that I would have loved to see more of or at least gotten to see breathe before we switched over to the next thing but perhaps there’s hope for a spin-off, I’d be lying if I said I didn’t wish to see more of Goner.
I might have to reread these back to back to see if I come to a different conclusion but as of right now I’m just kind of okay with how it all played out.
**special thanks to the publishers and edelweiss for providing an arc in exchange for a fair and honest review**
June 11, 2020
did I read a different book as everyone else?
January 18, 2021
It took me a long time (and I mean really long), but I finally finished this, and it was... bittersweet. The ending was kinda sweet, but I still wish...
There were some pretty exciting moments, but those were few and far in between, and there were times that I didn't want to read this (I was also craving to read another book I knew, but knew if I stopped this, I would never finish it). It wasn't an awful book, though I was pretty upset at the characters at times for moping around, but it wasn't an incredible book either.
There were some pretty exciting moments, but those were few and far in between, and there were times that I didn't want to read this (I was also craving to read another book I knew, but knew if I stopped this, I would never finish it). It wasn't an awful book, though I was pretty upset at the characters at times for moping around, but it wasn't an incredible book either.
January 1, 2021
3.5 ...maybe
THE ENDING :(
I was expecting Einn to die and Ia to live peacefully with Knives etc but why did it have to end like that :'(
It was pretty eventful at the beginning but for a good portion of the book Ia was just in pain and the world was basically getting worse and worse which I hate now that it didn't have a perfect ending.
THE ENDING :(
I was expecting Einn to die and Ia to live peacefully with Knives etc but why did it have to end like that :'(
It was pretty eventful at the beginning but for a good portion of the book Ia was just in pain and the world was basically getting worse and worse which I hate now that it didn't have a perfect ending.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 19, 2019
All the problems I dismissed in the first book are too glaring to ignore in the second.
I'll excuse a lot for a fun story and dynamic characters. Maybe I let Ignite the Stars off the hook because I loved Io and Brinn so much, but there's too much wrong here to ignore the problems.
Before I dive into what wasn't working, let's address what did work: the action and story pacing! Milan is very, very good at writing action scenes. It's not easy to capture setting, movement, and physical energy in writing. One of the best is Brandon Sanderson, and I would say Milan is better. I could visualize every attack, punch, and dramatic toss off a building, and they were all glorious.
The pacing of the story is rapid fire quick. There's never a lull or a halt to wax poetically on the political or ethical dilemma rooting the story to the human condition. The ethics, plot, and character development all happen at once. Nothing is compartmentalized.
Now for what didn't work. Everything I loved about Io and Brinn in the first book is tossed out in the second. Io becomes a moody and jealous person. Brinn's allegiances change so quickly, if you blink you'll miss it. Without the kickass heroine and the strong female friendship to keep this book afloat (or the reader distracted), all I see is what's not working. The world building doesn't make sense: There are dramatic twists and turns that have soap opera believability. And finally, sadly, the writing is clunky. Odd details, like the table being plastic, are shared while the mood or sense of a place isn't described.
It was enjoyable, but not rave worthy.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Story: 3 stars
Character Development: 2 stars
Writing/Prose: 2 stars
I'll excuse a lot for a fun story and dynamic characters. Maybe I let Ignite the Stars off the hook because I loved Io and Brinn so much, but there's too much wrong here to ignore the problems.
Before I dive into what wasn't working, let's address what did work: the action and story pacing! Milan is very, very good at writing action scenes. It's not easy to capture setting, movement, and physical energy in writing. One of the best is Brandon Sanderson, and I would say Milan is better. I could visualize every attack, punch, and dramatic toss off a building, and they were all glorious.
The pacing of the story is rapid fire quick. There's never a lull or a halt to wax poetically on the political or ethical dilemma rooting the story to the human condition. The ethics, plot, and character development all happen at once. Nothing is compartmentalized.
Now for what didn't work. Everything I loved about Io and Brinn in the first book is tossed out in the second. Io becomes a moody and jealous person. Brinn's allegiances change so quickly, if you blink you'll miss it. Without the kickass heroine and the strong female friendship to keep this book afloat (or the reader distracted), all I see is what's not working. The world building doesn't make sense: There are dramatic twists and turns that have soap opera believability. And finally, sadly, the writing is clunky. Odd details, like the table being plastic, are shared while the mood or sense of a place isn't described.
It was enjoyable, but not rave worthy.
I received a copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Story: 3 stars
Character Development: 2 stars
Writing/Prose: 2 stars
July 12, 2019
(Disclaimer: I received this book from the publisher. This has not impacted my review which is unbiased and honest.)
Holy chocofluff. It feels so good to be back with one of my favorite science fiction series, but oh my stars you all have a lot coming for you. Eclipse the Skies is a staggering and stunning series finale. Ignite the Stars made these characters our home. The fiercely protective Ia, Brinn and her questions of family, and Knives as he grapples with expectations. But in Eclipse the Skies all of our favorite characters go on journeys into the vast unknown. Their growth will not only make you proud, but have you shed a tear. And even if we don't agree with what they've done, we can feel their emotions piercing through the pages and asking us, "well what would you have done?" In those moments of grief that swallows us whole, revenge that takes over our heart, or even loss which leaves us screaming.
In a world that so easily sees conflicts as Us versus Them, the refugee crisis has only grown. Not only that, but Ia and Einn's feud powers through the galaxy and even further, as weapons and stories that were once legend come to be. Loyalties and allegiances change as the gulf between us widens, grows larger with loss and secrets. But I think what makes Eclipse the Skies powerful is the way our characters grow within the pages.
Holy chocofluff. It feels so good to be back with one of my favorite science fiction series, but oh my stars you all have a lot coming for you. Eclipse the Skies is a staggering and stunning series finale. Ignite the Stars made these characters our home. The fiercely protective Ia, Brinn and her questions of family, and Knives as he grapples with expectations. But in Eclipse the Skies all of our favorite characters go on journeys into the vast unknown. Their growth will not only make you proud, but have you shed a tear. And even if we don't agree with what they've done, we can feel their emotions piercing through the pages and asking us, "well what would you have done?" In those moments of grief that swallows us whole, revenge that takes over our heart, or even loss which leaves us screaming.
In a world that so easily sees conflicts as Us versus Them, the refugee crisis has only grown. Not only that, but Ia and Einn's feud powers through the galaxy and even further, as weapons and stories that were once legend come to be. Loyalties and allegiances change as the gulf between us widens, grows larger with loss and secrets. But I think what makes Eclipse the Skies powerful is the way our characters grow within the pages.
January 3, 2021
There's the space opera I was thinking the first book would be. Very Ender's Game, very Star Wars (especially Rogue One). Maybe a little too preachy sometimes and motivations sometimes questionable, but it was a fun read.
September 4, 2019
Is there ever a clear side to choose from when a war begins? Maura Milan takes readers inside the minds of her characters to answer this question.
"Everyone made decisions that hurt her. Now Brinn had made her own selfish choice. This was the only way she could ignore the holes that were eating through her heart. A new path."
Eclipse the Skies begins right where Ignite the Stars left off. After her brother tried to kill her, Ia is now fighting with the Olympus Commonwealth to take him down. Brinn is loyally by her side and Knives has just been appointed as the headmaster of Aphelion. All three of their lives have completely changed. They’re filled with both anger and grief for the people they once were.
The plot moves at a slow pace but this allows readers to dive deep into the motivations of each character. Ia, Brinn, and Knives are the best part of this series and Maura Milan develops them so well in Eclipse the Skies. Without giving away spoilers I will say that they each end up broken in different ways. And when they are at their lowest they start questioning whether any of this is worth the pain. How large of a role do they play in this war? Do they believe in what they’re fighting for? Ultimately, they each fight for themselves, hoping they’ll save their people along the way.
"Do you think our parents will ever forgive us for what we do?" he asked.
"No," she said."
It’s inspiring to read through each of their POV’s, and readers are sure to relate to one of them. Especially considering the way the plot and politics correlate with our own world. This made Eclipse the Skies intriguing to read, as well as a bit heartbreaking when things hit too close to home. I applaud Maura Milan for exploring these topics, though.
This book is a lot darker than the previous one. I was somewhat disappointed because it’s missing that spark that made Ignite the Stars different from other sci-fi books. But, after finishing it, it made perfect sense why Maura Milan chose to tell the story in a different way this time around. With the slower plot it became a more character-driven story and everyone was well written — even the ones deemed evil.
"First impressions were powerful, like threads whipping at the seeds of your memory, but she realized now that real friendships were made of a stronger type of cord.
One that lasted. One that would never break.
All these people were her friends. And this boy with the cold blue eyes, perhaps he was something else. But she couldn't find out now.
Time always bled away from her. There was never enough when you needed it."
Eclipse the Skies will take readers on a gripping adventure! There are many twists sprinkled throughout to enjoy and the final act of this book is all action, which was a lot of fun to read. I’m personally torn on the ending of this series and I think a lot of readers will be as well. It’s gut wrenching and beautiful at the same time. Prepare your heart for a great conclusion to this fantastic series!
| review originally posted on Bookstacked |
"Everyone made decisions that hurt her. Now Brinn had made her own selfish choice. This was the only way she could ignore the holes that were eating through her heart. A new path."
Eclipse the Skies begins right where Ignite the Stars left off. After her brother tried to kill her, Ia is now fighting with the Olympus Commonwealth to take him down. Brinn is loyally by her side and Knives has just been appointed as the headmaster of Aphelion. All three of their lives have completely changed. They’re filled with both anger and grief for the people they once were.
The plot moves at a slow pace but this allows readers to dive deep into the motivations of each character. Ia, Brinn, and Knives are the best part of this series and Maura Milan develops them so well in Eclipse the Skies. Without giving away spoilers I will say that they each end up broken in different ways. And when they are at their lowest they start questioning whether any of this is worth the pain. How large of a role do they play in this war? Do they believe in what they’re fighting for? Ultimately, they each fight for themselves, hoping they’ll save their people along the way.
"Do you think our parents will ever forgive us for what we do?" he asked.
"No," she said."
It’s inspiring to read through each of their POV’s, and readers are sure to relate to one of them. Especially considering the way the plot and politics correlate with our own world. This made Eclipse the Skies intriguing to read, as well as a bit heartbreaking when things hit too close to home. I applaud Maura Milan for exploring these topics, though.
This book is a lot darker than the previous one. I was somewhat disappointed because it’s missing that spark that made Ignite the Stars different from other sci-fi books. But, after finishing it, it made perfect sense why Maura Milan chose to tell the story in a different way this time around. With the slower plot it became a more character-driven story and everyone was well written — even the ones deemed evil.
"First impressions were powerful, like threads whipping at the seeds of your memory, but she realized now that real friendships were made of a stronger type of cord.
One that lasted. One that would never break.
All these people were her friends. And this boy with the cold blue eyes, perhaps he was something else. But she couldn't find out now.
Time always bled away from her. There was never enough when you needed it."
Eclipse the Skies will take readers on a gripping adventure! There are many twists sprinkled throughout to enjoy and the final act of this book is all action, which was a lot of fun to read. I’m personally torn on the ending of this series and I think a lot of readers will be as well. It’s gut wrenching and beautiful at the same time. Prepare your heart for a great conclusion to this fantastic series!
| review originally posted on Bookstacked |
September 11, 2019
Thank you to NetGalley, Maura Milan, and publisher Albert Whitman and Company for the opportunity to read Eclipse the Skies in exchange for an honest review.
While I didn't quite enjoy this book as much as the amazing first installment, Ignite the Stars, this was still a fun, fast-paced read full of dramatic action in space, as well as a relatively satisfying end to the duology that I wasn't quite expecting!
As in the first book, this book follows three third-person limited perspectives: Ia Cōcha, Brinn Tarver, and Knives Adams.
With the appearance of Ia's brother, Einn, the universe is falling to chaos. With the death of the previous Aphelion headmaster, a man who was looking into wormhole science for the sake of jumping places more quickly and efficiently, the knowledge now falls to Brinn. Between the death of her family members, Einn's promises, and Ia's knack for dishonesty for her own gains, Brinn has a tough choice to make. Ultimately, she follows Einn, a warrenter of freedom at the rise of chaos. This is probably the only part of the book I truly disliked. While I found it interesting that Brinn would take this stance, as well as plausible, it just wasn't 100% believable enough that the motive was powerful enough for her to do this. If anything, I feel like she would have gone to Knives. But of well.
Einn wants Ia dead and Ia wants Einn dead. When Einn commands mutual friend Goner to kill Ia, he nearly succeeds. Einn and Brinn think Ia is dead while Knives and Ia's ee help her recover from a fatal gunshot wound.
Together Knives and Ia must figure out some way to take on Einn. With Brinn on his side, the power of science will be in his favor. The power to travel through and pull from other universes. Ia follows a myth to find the only way she can think of to bring her brother down, but perhaps what she needed was within all along.
Did I mention there is a black hole? We know what black holes out in space do, right?
I enjoyed the science in this novel, though it did feel a bit out of place on occasion. I enjoyed the ship race that Knives entered. It has a very visual Star Wars or Outlaw Star feel to it. As much as I loved Ia as a character in the first novel, I felt a bit disconnected from her in this novel. I also thought Brinn was downplayed a bit and could have done much more for her part. Einn had his moments, but he was also rather blah. The end was interesting. I neither like nor dislike what happens to the main players in this story. Overall, the end was satisfactory.
Like I said, not the same excitement I had as with the first book (in which I could not shut up to friends or social media about it), but still a quick, fun read with a great deal of fighting action in space and decent dramatic buildup to the end of this duology. What's next, Maura? :)
While I didn't quite enjoy this book as much as the amazing first installment, Ignite the Stars, this was still a fun, fast-paced read full of dramatic action in space, as well as a relatively satisfying end to the duology that I wasn't quite expecting!
As in the first book, this book follows three third-person limited perspectives: Ia Cōcha, Brinn Tarver, and Knives Adams.
With the appearance of Ia's brother, Einn, the universe is falling to chaos. With the death of the previous Aphelion headmaster, a man who was looking into wormhole science for the sake of jumping places more quickly and efficiently, the knowledge now falls to Brinn. Between the death of her family members, Einn's promises, and Ia's knack for dishonesty for her own gains, Brinn has a tough choice to make. Ultimately, she follows Einn, a warrenter of freedom at the rise of chaos. This is probably the only part of the book I truly disliked. While I found it interesting that Brinn would take this stance, as well as plausible, it just wasn't 100% believable enough that the motive was powerful enough for her to do this. If anything, I feel like she would have gone to Knives. But of well.
Einn wants Ia dead and Ia wants Einn dead. When Einn commands mutual friend Goner to kill Ia, he nearly succeeds. Einn and Brinn think Ia is dead while Knives and Ia's ee help her recover from a fatal gunshot wound.
Together Knives and Ia must figure out some way to take on Einn. With Brinn on his side, the power of science will be in his favor. The power to travel through and pull from other universes. Ia follows a myth to find the only way she can think of to bring her brother down, but perhaps what she needed was within all along.
Did I mention there is a black hole? We know what black holes out in space do, right?
I enjoyed the science in this novel, though it did feel a bit out of place on occasion. I enjoyed the ship race that Knives entered. It has a very visual Star Wars or Outlaw Star feel to it. As much as I loved Ia as a character in the first novel, I felt a bit disconnected from her in this novel. I also thought Brinn was downplayed a bit and could have done much more for her part. Einn had his moments, but he was also rather blah. The end was interesting. I neither like nor dislike what happens to the main players in this story. Overall, the end was satisfactory.
Like I said, not the same excitement I had as with the first book (in which I could not shut up to friends or social media about it), but still a quick, fun read with a great deal of fighting action in space and decent dramatic buildup to the end of this duology. What's next, Maura? :)
September 17, 2022
3 ⭐ CW: Violence, descriptions of blood and gore, severed limbs
Eclipse the Skies by Maura Milan is book two in the Ignite the Stars duology. Since I've been finishing up Duologies lately, I've noticed that I am often disappointed with the second book. It just feels like there should be more time to build up the characters and the stakes. It just felt a tad rushed at the end.
We pick up with Ia after she has discovered how evil her brother, Einn, truly is. A master manipulator, he has everyone who used to follow Ia convinced they should side with him, promising them freedom from the Commonwealth. But Einn only wants chaos. Ia is actually down for the count for the majority of the book, so we get a lot of time with Knives and Brinn.
The most frustrating thing about this book was how little character growth the characters actually had. Brinn's development goes backward, and I didn't feel like I connected with her this book. I get her grief, but I thought she was incredibly naive. Knives I felt like had almost no development and spent the whole book just pining and worried about Ia.
I wanted a lot more from this book. I thought there were a lot of things that could have been explored more if this was a trilogy instead. The slow burn romance was basically only a fizzle and was not satisfying at all, and the end was actually very disappointing for the Blood Wolf of the Skies. I didn't hate it, I'm just super disappointed.
Eclipse the Skies by Maura Milan is book two in the Ignite the Stars duology. Since I've been finishing up Duologies lately, I've noticed that I am often disappointed with the second book. It just feels like there should be more time to build up the characters and the stakes. It just felt a tad rushed at the end.
We pick up with Ia after she has discovered how evil her brother, Einn, truly is. A master manipulator, he has everyone who used to follow Ia convinced they should side with him, promising them freedom from the Commonwealth. But Einn only wants chaos. Ia is actually down for the count for the majority of the book, so we get a lot of time with Knives and Brinn.
The most frustrating thing about this book was how little character growth the characters actually had. Brinn's development goes backward, and I didn't feel like I connected with her this book. I get her grief, but I thought she was incredibly naive. Knives I felt like had almost no development and spent the whole book just pining and worried about Ia.
I wanted a lot more from this book. I thought there were a lot of things that could have been explored more if this was a trilogy instead. The slow burn romance was basically only a fizzle and was not satisfying at all, and the end was actually very disappointing for the Blood Wolf of the Skies. I didn't hate it, I'm just super disappointed.
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