Titan of the Stars

Disclaimer: I received this book for free from the publisher/author. I am leaving a voluntary review and all opinions are my own.

Titanic meets Aliens? Yes, please! The ultimate horror story for me is a science fiction tale that takes place on a space ship. I don't know why this particular micro-trope is my jam but when I read the synopsis for this book I knew I had to partake of this book.

I really enjoyed E.K. Johnston's writing style. I was immediately drawn into her narrative. It was so smooth and easy to read. This was my first book by this author and I was very impressed with how her writing won me over and felt like such a perfect fit for me. I love the entire concept and premise of this story. I adore science fiction horror and this entire plot was like the sweetest candy that I was eating up. The execution of the plot was a mixed bag for me simply because this book felt way too short. The sequence of events happens so quickly that there isn't much buildup. The plot itself was crafted very well but I feel like there should have been more time for the characters to get to know each other before chaos ensued. The world-building had a combination of showing and telling. There were things about this world that were spelled out to the reader and other things we learn from seeing through the eyes of the characters.

I found these characters very relatable. I was able to step into their shoes easily. Their personalities were brought to life quite well. I would have loved a bit more build-up and a bit more time to get to know them better but overall I was pleased with the characters.

POTENTIAL SPOILERS AHEAD! The romance in this book is mild. It felt more like the catching of feelings or a crush as opposed to a full-blown romance. I think that the main characters complimented each other well and made a great match. The "romance" felt a bit too instalovey for my taste, if I am being honest. I don't prefer instalove and I normally avoid it at all costs because I can never find an instalove romance believable. This "romance" had that vibe because the events take place over an extremely short period of time and I need more time for the characters to get to know each other and interact for me to be convinced of the romance. I could feel the beginnings of a pull between them but I think calling it a romance is a stretch.

Overall, this was a satisfying story with relatable characters and a riveting plot but could use some lengthening to strengthen some aspects of the story. I was able to predict the plot twist at the end of the book but it was still enjoyable nonetheless. The ending sort of leaves off on a cliffhanger which surprised me since this book is marketed as a standalone to the best of my knowledge. I honestly don't know how the author could leave things how she did without a follow-up. Even without a future sequel, the story had an interesting ending that leaves things up to interpretation. So bravo to E.K. Johnston for making me worry my little head over that ending. If you enjoy books set on a spaceship with some horror elements then this book will fit the bill. If the author does potentially decide to continue this story I will definitely pick it up and I look forward to trying more books from this author.

There's so little YA space horror that I'm so thrilled when I get to read some! I can think of like . . . two other titles off the top of my head - 172 Hours on the Moon and Pitch Dark - and this is a worthy addition to that list!

The blurb of "Titanic meets Aliens" is so accurate that I wished that the aliens were a little less Ridley Scott Alien. They're not xenomorphs but the chest bursting felt way too similar to the films. I wish Johnston went a slightly different direction but overall, still really really fun!