My review for Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne.

Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

My rating: 5 of 5 stars



Thanks to the publisher for providing an ARC in exchange for an honest review, This doesn't in any way influence my opinion on it.


Brightly Burning hit me like a wrecking ball (in a good way). It's one of those phenomenal books you don't see coming until you're knee deep in it unable to let go. I didn't even know about this book until it was up for request on Netgalley and it ended up being one of the best I've read this year. Its not quite easy to pull off retellings but Alexa Donne did so spectacularly.
Stella Ainsley is one of the occupants of the Stalwart, a spaceships filled with farmers and mechanics. Earth has been inhabitable for hundreds of years as it's frozen in an Ice age. Humanity to to space for survival.
Stella the main character is an Engineer that's quite good at her job though she wants to be more (i.e A Governess). After numerous rejections, her dreams finally come through when she's accepted to be the governess of a Private Spaceship called the Rochester which is uber private and no one has heard of. She leaves behind the place she's learned to call home and headed into the unknown.
Life on the Rochester feels heavenly, almost like it's too good to be true. Stella get more luxuries than she's ever had.
But Stella begins to notice odd things, secret classified places she's not authorised to access, ghostly laughs in the empty corridors at night and sabotage on the ship. One things that made the oddities worth it is Jessa, the pupil she's tutoring. The little girl is an absolute delight and as teaching is something Stella loves to do, everything worked out well. Another positive point is Hugo, the young and captivating captain of the ship who is also Jessa's older brother. Their first meeting is a little disastrous but thankfully, first impressions are sometimes overrated.
They tentatively form a friendship and bond over their love for reading (they're my kind of peeps).
The friendship evolves into something deeper, love. Their emotional bond was very strong as they understood and saw each other as no one else did. Stella's time on the Rochester is full of drama and many obstacles that threaten to pull her away from Hugo. More strange things did happen but I was very glad about the explanation eventually given as it makes total sense and gives closure to events of the past.
Terrible things happened before the ending and it was a whirlwind of action and life changing decisions. This book always reminds that it is Science Fiction and that is definitely one of it's compelling qualities.
I liked how it all ended despite the things that came before the end and the cost, It was a new beginning through which they can achieve a new reality. I commend Alexa Donne for writing it so well.
Everything about Brightly Burning is amazing, from the action to the hot romance to the SciFi tidbits. The book is very aptly detailed and vivid due to the lush and rich writing of the heavenly talented Alexa Donne (Yes this book deserves every bit of praise).
It's a stand alone but I certainly can't wait for the next book from the author.

P.S:That's cover is just so beautiful, I can't wait to have this in my bookshelf.



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