Sea of Stars (Kricket Series #2)

Sea of Stars (Kricket Series #2) by Amy A. Bartol
Publication Date: March 31, 2015

Eighteen-year-old Kricket Hollowell was looking for her place in the world when she discovered that the universe was bigger—and more dangerous—than she had ever dreamed. Now, whisked across space to the planet Ethar, Kricket learns that her genetic ability to see the future makes her a sought-after commodity…and the catalyst for war between her star-crossed parents’ clans. According to Alameedan prophecy, one house will rise to power and the other will be completely wiped out, and Kricket’s precognition is believed to be the weapon that will tip the scales.

A target of both the Rafe and the Alameeda houses, Kricket finds protection—and a home—in the arms of Trey, her Etharian bodyguard-turned-boyfriend. But her visions of what’s to come disturb her deeply, especially since she must discover whether the gift of foresight will allow her to rewrite the future, or if her fate is as immovable as the stars.

This was an amazing sequel that sets up the third book in the Kricket series perfectly. Honestly, this was one of the best sequels I have read, and I can't wait to see what happens in Darken the Stars! Sea of Stars is action-packed, full of twists and turns, and sweet, beautiful romance that will sweep you off your feet. I couldn't put this book down, and you won't be able to either. The writing was gorgeous and just as her previous books, Amy Bartol has a supreme talent that will leave you breathless. Every scene is richly described and you feel connected with the characters in a way that few authors can manage.

Kricket herself is stand out in this novel. She grows so much in this book, and is no longer meek and mild. Kricket speaks her mind, does what she wants, and fights with everything in her for those she loves and cares about. She is willing to go to any length to fight for what she believes in, and Kricket is truly one of my favorite female leads. We also begin to understand more about her powers and exactly what she can do. There are major changes in this book, and I can't wait to see how her powers are furthered explored in the third book. I loved her relationship with Trey--the just mix so well together, and are meant for each other. Put simply, they have magic.

Trey is just swoonworthy, and the heat that comes off the page in this book is like no other. You will definitely be fanning yourself while reading some scenes because they are HOT, HOT, HOT! Sea of Stars is definitely NA rather than YA, so this is something to keep in mind before picking this sequel up. But don't let this prevent you from reading it because the few scenes are very tasteful and excellently written. The other boys: Jax and Wayra are wonderful as well, but they did fade to the background a bit. I hope we see more of them in the next book. However, the scenes they were in, they had me cracking up and added some levity to the book. Kyon, well he's Kyon...what can you expect? He's evil and slightly crazy, but we see a softer side to him so I have no idea what to expect from his character after reading this.

The action is on point in this novel, and the violence is definitely at an all time high. As I said, there are major changes in the Ethar world that is sure to make for some very exciting and heart-stopping moments in the next installment in this series. This book has it all, and I highly recommend reading this if you enjoyed the first book. This book elevates the series to a whole new level, and you will be begging for the third book. At least we don't have too long to wait!

Happy reading :)  

~Cassie