Book Review: A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw
A Wilderness of Stars by Shea Ernshaw
I can't stop thinking about this book! What a memorable tale of the stars, harrowing exploration and adventure, romance, friendship, and breathtaking mystery. The plot twist in this IS. SO. GOOD and I was enraptured from the very beginning! A Wilderness of Stars just lit me up from the inside out. Let’s review Shea’s latest novel.
“Without gravity, we’d all float up into the stars light as dove feathers.”
About The Book
Ultimately, an illness is cursing the land and forces a teen girl astronomer to venture across the wilderness in search of the stars’ message that will, hopefully, save them all.
Book Details
Title: A Wildernerss of Stars
Author: Shea Ernshaw
Publication Date: November 29, 2021
Genres: Young Adult, Dystopian/Sci-Fi, Fantasy
Purchase a copy: Amazon | Bookshop.org | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository
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Synopsis
If magic lives anywhere, it’s in the stars…
Vega has lived in the valley her whole life—forbidden by her mother to leave the safety of its borders because of the unknown threats waiting for her in the wilds beyond. But after her mother dies, and Vega sees the fabled twin stars in the sky, it’s an omen she can no longer ignore, forcing her to leave the protective boundaries of the valley. But the outside world turns out to be much more terrifying than Vega could have imagined. People are gravely sick—they lose their eyesight and their hearing, just before they lose their lives.
What Vega keeps to herself is that she is the Last Astronomer—a title carried from generation to generation—and she is the only one who carries the knowledge of the stars. Knowledge that could hold the key to the cure. And so when locals spot the tattoo on Vega’s neck in the shape of a constellation—the mark of an astronomer—chaos erupts as the threats her mother warned her about become all too real.
Fearing for her life, Vega is rescued by a girl named Cricket who leads her to Noah, a boy marked by his own mysterious tattoos. On the run from the men who are hunting her, Vega, Cricket, and Noah set out across the plains in search of the cure the stars speak of. But as the lines between friend and protector begin to blur, Vega must decide whether to safeguard the sacred knowledge of the astronomer. Or if she will risk everything to try to save them all.
“If magic lives anwhere, it’s in the stars...”
The Story
spoiler-free
A Wilderness of Stars is the story of Vega, the last astronomer. She holds secrets that no one else knows and that others would do anything to find out. Hidden away for all her life, she's been protected from the illness cursing the land and people, and only ventures out into the wilderness when an ancestral sign appears in the sky. She hopes her search of the stars' message will help save them all, but she's running out of time and she'll have to fight not only the elements, but a company of outlaws hot on her trail.
The Characters
Vega, the last astronomer, on the run to find the cure plaguing the people and her world.
Noah, a mysterious boy with even more mysterious tattoos, he’s determined to help Vega succeed in her quest.
Cricket, a scrappy, tough, takes-no-crap kind of girl who rescues Vega and leads her to Noah.
Vega’s Mother, proivdes endless wisdom throughout Vega’s story and helps lead her to her destiny.
There’s also the Theorists, a band of outlaws, hot on Vega’s trail determined to capture and discover her knowlegde.
Steamometer
❤️ - NICE AND SWEET
There is definitely a love story that is intense, angsty, and star-crossed. It feels predestined and pure. That first love kind of romance. Expect kissing and stolen moments together.
For those who are unfamiliar with my Steamometer, check it out below (it’s ever-evolving lol)!
❤️ NICE AND SWEET
💃🏼 SASSY SPICE
🔥 STEAMYYYY GOODNESS
🥵 MY OVARIES ARE BURSTING
🌋 my whole body is on fire and I’m melting
🖤 SMUTASTIC
Overall Thoughts
WOW. I am just 🤩🥰🤧🥺🧐😇 after finishing this!! I can't stop thinking about it.
Filled with exploration and adventure, romance and friendship, and a breathtaking mystery that's out of this world, I was enraptured from the very beginning! This story just lit me up from the inside out. Shea's writing sucked me right in and left me mesmerized. The little clues and quiet mentions of what seems like a bygone age had my brain firing on all cylinders trying to come up with the right theory about where the story was headed. And I still didn't guess it! Overall, this book just spoke to me a soul deep level and I honestly hope we get more of it.
WHAT YOU CAN EXPECT:
💫 stars x constellations
🪢 mother-daughter bonds
🗣️ folktales and folklore
🐎 outlaws and bandits
💜 star-crossed lovers
💥 a spreading sickness
🧭 exploration x adventure
And seriously, THE PLOT TWIST. Such a great one that I so want to say more on and make movie references to but won't so I don't spoil anything! 🤩✨😅
“The sky belongs to you now.”
About The Author
About Shea Ernshaw:
Shea Ernshaw is a NYT bestselling author and winner of the Oregon Book Award. Her books have been published in over twelve countries/languages, and her novels The Wicked Deep and Winterwood were Indie Next Picks. Her debut adult fiction novel A History of Wild Places will release in December of 2021. She lives in a small mountain town in Oregon, and is happiest when lost in a good book, lost in the woods, or writing her next novel. Read more here.
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*Pic and bio Courtesy of author’s website
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I’m Leah. Cozy connoisseur and bountiful book buyer. I have a minor obsession with getting lost in the pages of a good book, guzzling coffee, and thriving at home. Yoga pants, wine, and essential oils are also my jam. I'm truly just a homebody at heart with a knack for content creation, flatlays & cozy shots. This is my creative space.
What a memorable tale of the stars, harrowing exploration and adventure, romance, friendship, and breathtaking mystery. I was enraptured from the very beginning! Let’s review Shea Ernshaw’s latest novel, A Wilderness of Stars.