Book Review: Looking for an Easy intro to Sci-Fi? Try Jessie Mihalik’s ‘Hunt the Stars’, a Sci-Fi Romance Novel
Sci-fi sometimes gets a bad rep, with people saying it’s too complicated or technical and boring. And yes, there are absolutely some that fit those descriptions, but I do think there’s some great starter sci-fi out there for those looking to get into the genre. And this sci-fi romance trilogy by Jessie Mihalik is one of those. If you’ve traditionally been a romance reader, you might love the Starlight’s Shadow series as your first foray into sci-fi. There’s still romance, a decent—if simple plot, found family, and some spice (since I know you’ll ask). While it’s not perfect (I didn’t give any of these above a 3.5 stars and I’ll get into some of my nitpicks below), I do think for people who don’t regularly read sci-fi, these might be a great option, and provide a lot of enjoyment. Also, if you’re a fan of Ilona Andrews, I think you’ll love these—they definitely have a similar vibe. I also loved that they were interconnected standalones, so while there’s a plot line that goes through the entire series, each of the books focuses on a different couple. It’s been a little while since I’ve picked up a sci-fi read, so as I’m working my way through my physical TBR, I found Hunt the Stars by Jessie Mihalik buried in a stack of ‘read eventually’ books. I wanted something short and easy since I’ve been reading some pretty hefty epic fantasies lately, and this definitely hit the spot. I devoured each of them in one sitting.
Things to Know:
A series of interconnected standalones
First person POV
Sci-fi Romance
Found Family
A shadow daddy?!
Human/Alien relationships
Some spice
We first meet Tavi, aka Captain Octavia Zarola piloting a ship, Starlight’s Shadow, with her crew. They’re now bounty hunters and previous soldiers who have survived a galactic war between an alien race, when one of the enemy Generals comes calling wanting to hire them for a job. I don’t want to give any spoilers, but the romance in these books is pretty cute, if a little too perfect. I mean, the guys are all consent kings, which we love, but sometimes the dialog felt a bit cringe. At other times it was cute and romantic. The characters are all a bit older, with most in their 30s, but I didn’t feel like they acted like it. They definitely read a lot younger on occasion.
I enjoyed the magic—yes, there is a shadow daddy moment, ladies. But each of the Valoffs (the humanoid alien race) has a special ability, and of course, all of General Torran’s team have ones that are super rare. So think healing, telekinetic, teleportation, and shielding. It’s pretty convenient, but was fun. Also before anyone freaks out, the Valoffs are basically human except they have super cool colored eyes that change color, and a taller build. Other than that, it honestly felt like they were human, although they definitely have some cultural differences that come up in hilarious ways.
There were a few things that were a bit over the top for me or mentioned way, way too many times, including Luna’s empty food bowl. We get it, she’s hungry all the time. Side note: I would die for Luna! She’s the cutest little animal companion, and I loved how much she comforted the crew, but if I have to hear about her empty food bowl one more time, so help me! Or the fact that half of each book seems to revolve around cooking vegetarian meals, eating cookies, and doing the dishes. It almost felt like the author didn’t know what else to fill the book with. And everyone is magically a Type A clean freak, who perfectly chips in on all the chores.
I mean this in the nicest way, but you can seemingly tell a lot about this author’s preferences by the fact that she beats certain things over your head over and over and over. It’s very apparent acts of service are her love language, she’s probably a vegetarian, and cookies are her favorite baked goods. There’s nothing wrong with any of these things, but when it’s constantly brought up and mentioned, or each love interest acts exactly the same way, it gets little boring, or it feels like it’s being emphasized on purpose too much. Like do you have a point you’re trying to drive home here? Should I feel guilty I eat meat right now?
Each book feels very similar and follows the same formulaic plot structure (with the overall plot being that they’re trying to avoid another war starting). The third book has way more spice in it than the first two. Overall, these are, at their heart, romance books with satisfying endings, but they still had enough of a plot to keep it interesting. Again, I think if you’re looking for something super simple and fun, or you’re just getting into sci-fi, this trilogy might be for you.
Fave Quotes:
“I could admire and fume at the same time. I was good at multitasking.”
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“Kiss me for luck?” “I’ll kiss you for any reason you like.” “Then kiss me because you want to.”
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“It is not a debt; it is a vow: wherever you go, you carry my heart with you.”
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