Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu
Fans of Marie Lu will revel in this new, but wholly familiar direction for the bestselling author delivering a YA spy thriller. Stars and Smoke is equal parts riveting and romantic as it follows an international superstar and a no-nonsense spy who team up for the mission of a lifetime.
Stars And Smoke (Roaring Brook Press) is the kind of novel that makes you feel like you are front row at the movies watching a classic spy flick. The story is fueled by a page-turning plot, charming and dramatically damaged characters, glitz, glamor and — in true Marie Lu fashion — a sharp budding romance. It leaves you eager to know what happens next.
Unlikely Duo Teams Up to Take Down a Crime Boss
Winter Young can clear out stadiums full of adoring fans; his irresistible charm and musical talent have skyrocketed him to fame. This life of fame and his celebrity persona contrasts the pop star’s personal life, as he copes with the loss of his older brother Artie and keeps in touch with his distant mother.
Sydney Cossette is a spy for Panacea, a covert organization that works in tandem with the CIA, taking her around the world to complete missions – never leaving her in one place for too long. Her own personal trauma lingers beneath the surface, explaining her chilly exterior.
After another successful concert, Winter is approached by Panacea for recruitment, because of his potential as the perfect undercover agent. Presented with the assignment to take down crime boss and tycoon Eli Morrison, Winter accepts, with his late brother’s words a lingering reminder that he’s destined to make a difference.
Sydney and Winter team up for this dangerous task. Together the popstar and agent have a mission: Infiltrate the crime boss’s inner circle and gather intel on his dangerous weapon — all under the guise of Winter performing a private concert for the boss’s daughter, with Sydney posed as his bodyguard.
With covert headquarters, secret gadgets, undercover identities, intel gathering, as well as non-stop adventure and intrigue, the tension of the mission is made even more enthralling through the dual POVs established throughout the novel.
New Direction for Bestselling YA Author
Lu’s knack for delivering charming, well-thought-out leads allows the reader to dive into all the nuance, trauma and loneliness of their backstories. Additionally, there’s an equal amount of time devoted to Winter and Sydney’s fun dynamic (as well as their lively back & forth banter) making the sparks between them a delight for readers to watch unfold!
From the fast pace to the gripping plot, high stakes, wonderful character moments and electrifying romance, Stars And Smoke is an unputdownable YA thriller from the beloved author. While a unique departure from Marie Lu’s traditional YA sci-fi and fantasy — the same is true for this novel as it is for all her series — she will leave you wanting the sequel right away!
About Marie Lu:
Marie Lu is the #1 New York Times bestselling author of the Legend trilogy and The Young Elites trilogy. She graduated from the University of Southern California and jumped into the video game industry, working for Disney Interactive Studios as a Flash artist. Now a full-time writer, she spends her spare time reading, drawing, playing Assassin’s Creed, and getting stuck in traffic. She lives in Los Angeles, California (see above: traffic), with one husband, one Chihuahua mix, and two Pembroke Welsh corgis.
