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“Two 19-year-olds endeavor to bring down an evil villain—and resist their draw to one another—in this romantic thriller. …Lu vividly sketches a high-stakes world in which the glitz of money and power forms a nicely juxtaposed background for curmudgeonly Sydney, whose traumatic background provides ample character motivation, and likable Winter, whose kind decency is of as much import as the sometimes-gushing descriptions of his beauty and grace. Tech gadgetry and well-paced action sequences will keep readers engaged, and while it’s never really in doubt that the pair are attracted to each other, their volley of insults and awkwardness is clever and fun.”

– Kirkus Reviews

Stars and Smoke (A Stars and Smoke Novel #1)

Written by Marie Lu
Published by Roaring Brook Press

He’s a secret.

She’s an agent.

This mission might just be impossible.

Meet Winter Young—A global pop sensation, with a voice like velvet and looks that could kill.

Meet Sydney Cossette—An agent in an elite covert ops group, and an ice queen whose moves are as dangerous as her comebacks.

When a major crime boss gifts his daughter a private Winter Young concert for her birthday, Sydney’s and Winter’s lives suddenly collide. To stop an international disaster, the two must infiltrate the organization’s inner circle, with Sydney posing as Winter’s bodyguard and Winter tapped to join her as a new spy recruit. Sydney may be the only person impervious to Winter’s charms, but as their mission brings them closer, she’s forced to admit that there’s more to Winter Young than just a handsome face …

Don’t miss the next book in the series: Icon and Inferno (A Stars and Smoke Novel #2)

Primary ISBN: 9781250852816
Publication Date: March 2023
Available As: Hardcover, Paperback, Audiobook, eBook
Young Adult, Age 14 or older

Community Represented:

Themes: , , , , , , , , , , ,

Setting: England (London)

Character's Place in the Immigration Journey: Unknown Arrival

Book Creator(s) Connection to the Community Represented: Own Voices/Lived Experience

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