Review: Stranger Skies

Stranger Skies

Written by: Pascale Lacelle

Margaret K. McElderry Books

2024

A thrilling sequel, Stranger Skies delves deeper into the mystery of the lunar magic, keeping up the dark and gothic atmosphere.

Stranger Skies follows Emory through different worlds and Baz through time while creating a masterful and addictive story.

Captivating

Truth be told, I enjoyed Stranger Skies much more than Curious Tides. Lacalle did such a fantastic job with the pacing of this novel.

In Curious Tides, the story was broken up into the story of Drowned Gods. This novel is still broken up, but in a less confusing way that adds to the plot, finding unique ways to introduce new magic systems and characters without ruining the pace.

I absolutely loved the inserts, which I felt were treats and peaked into where the story was going. It was energizing and also made the world-building more concise. It was quick and to the point, drawing the reader’s attention back to the plot.

It was exciting to see these new worlds and magic systems and how they tied to the lore, the mythology, and the lunar magic from the first novel.

Then, there was the time travel element. Baz is the time spinner, and how he went through the world with Kai and somehow fell back in time was fantastic. I love how the story keeps me guessing and on the edge of my seat. It is unpredictable, and the plot twists are addictive and jaw-dropping.

Another great thing about this novel was the characterization. In Curious Tides, Emory is a little too stiff; she is coiled within herself, making it hard to connect to her as a character. Now, however, she is coming into herself, realizing her power, and deciding to be the best version of herself to save the realms.

The same goes for Baz. I always found Baz likable, so seeing him grow into himself and realize that he is, in fact, incredibly powerful is so great. And he also gets a new and more deserving love interest. I never thought that Emory was a worthy love interest for him, but now, seeing him flourish and find someone deserving of him is lovely. It was honestly my favorite part of the novel.

The only hiccup I had with the novel was Romie. Not only is the novel split between Emory and Baz, but Kai and Romie also have POVs this time. Even as a side character, I liked Kai, so seeing him be given more time in the story was a massive plus. Romie, on the other hand, I didn’t like her. Even before the last book’s events, I didn’t think she was a very good person. In this novel, the way she treats Emory, the way she is jealous and then resentful, is irksome and unlikable.

But I’m hoping for more character development in the next book.

Final Thoughts

Stranger Skies pulled me in deeper than the previous novel and kept me hooked from beginning to end with fantastic pacing and excellent characterization. And after his ending, I can’t wait to see what happens next.

Cynthia Ayala

Cynthia Ayala-Bujnicki majored in Writing and Publishing from Emerson College. Editor-in-chief of Cyn's Workshop, she loves to read and write while tending to her pepper plants. She currently lives in South Florida with her husband, two kids Dante and Selene and two furbabies Mr. J the Kitten who Thinks He's Batman (yes, that is his full name) and Nyx.