No Shelf Control

By Marie Lu

Thanks so much to Netgalley and Macmillan Children’s Publishing Group for giving me this book for review considerations! All opinions are my own.

Icon and Inferno, the second book in the Stars and Smoke duology, will be released on June 11, 2024! Pre-order now at Target, Amazon, Barnes and Noble, and more!!

Warning! Some very minor spoilers are below because this is the second book in the series!! All the spoilers are just in the summary in the “What’s it about” section!

What’s it about?

A year has passed since superstar Winter Young last saw secret agent Sydney Cossette. After barely surviving their mission together in London — and their intense chemistry — they haven’t talked since, though that hasn’t stopped Winter from thinking about her nonstop. . .

So when Sydney shows up at his studio with a new mission from Panacea, Winter has no choice but to accept. With no time to lose, the duo heads abroad to rescue a fellow agent — only to learn he is none other than Sydney’s ex.

Of course, nothing is ever simple when it comes to Winter and Sydney. As old flames give way to new jealousies, they find themselves ensnared in yet another treacherous plot that’s much more sinister than it seems. To make it out alive, they’ll have to figure out how to be partners again — and if they can resist something more.

Summary from The StoryGraph

My Rating

I absolutely adored this book!! I LOVE all of Marie Lu’s writing, and this was no exception!! This novel was pure joy for me!!

What I loved (PS. it’s a lot)

The character development was top-notch! They were so well-written to begin with, but the development that came in book 2 is crazy! This made the read so enjoyable! Also, it really helps you to relate to and understand the characters better!

Continuing on with my character rant, they are just super loveable! Having loveable and interesting characters matters a lot to me! Winter and Sydney are both super great people, and their backstories make for a really intriguing read!

The book is super-fast paced, but it also doesn’t skip out on the character-driven side of the book! I feel like too often fast-paced books forget that characters matter, and that well-written characters are essential to a good book! As mentioned above, Icon and Inferno definitely didn’t skimp on the awesome characters! It was the perfect balance of a very fast-paced book, with lots of really important character development moments!! Love that Marie Lu did this, it takes real talent!!

There are some really great themes in this book! There’s a lot of life lessons about being able to let yourself be happy and enjoying your life, which I think is a really great message for this book to give!

Okay guys, this is a VERY important part of the story that I loved. This part made me literally cry with joy!! If you’ve read my review on Warcross by Marie Lu, you know it’s one of my favorite books ever! This book revealed that it takes place in the same world as Warcross, along with a couple of other hints/Easter eggs!! Getting a little bit more of Warcross was huge for me! I’ve wanted more ever since I finished Wildcard, the sequel to Warcross, and this book helped give me that and answered some of my questions! I am now complete!!! P.S. this sounds kinda like a spoiler, but it is revealed very early in the book that there’s a little bit of Warcross content.

What I Disliked

Nothing!! The only reason I didn’t rate this book 5-stars is because it takes a lot for me to do that. I need to think on whether or not this book has made a tremendous impact on my life. It might get that coveted 5-star rating someday, after I’ve thought about it for a while, but not yet!!

Book vs. Movie

There isn’t a movie for Stars and Smoke, the first book in the series 😦

Should You Read It?

YES! Beyond the shadow of the doubt yes! This book so amazing for any YA reader, especially a Marie Lu fan like me!! If you like any sort of spy novel, this is also a super great choice! Just make sure you check out Stars and Smoke first!!

Conclusion

Icon and Inferno is the second book to the Stars and Smoke duology! It follows Winter and Sydney as they embark on another mission where they might not make it out alive. I loved so many different aspects of this book! Whether it was the character development or the Warcross hints, this novel was AMAZING! There was nothing I disliked about the novel, I’m just not ready to give it a 5-star rating! You must read this book if you like to read anything YA!! Happy reading!!!

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Icon and Inferno