Starflight Launch Blitz & Giveaway

It's finally launch day for Starflight by Melissa Landers! You definitely don't want to miss out on this amazing intergalactic space adventure novel. Ms. Landers has a few words to say about her book. Also, don't forget to check out my glowing review about Starflight!

Title: Starflight
Author: Melissa Landers
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication date: February 2, 2016
Pages: 320

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com)

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the  felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he's been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world--and each other--the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe...

Hey there, booklovers!

I’m author Melissa Landers, and I’m thrilled to announce the release of STARFLIGHT, the first in a brand new sci-fi series from Disney-Hyperion. I originally pitched this story to my editor as “Overboard” (one of my favorite romantic comedies) meets “Firefly” (an amazing show that was tragically cancelled after one season). STARFLIGHT follows the misadventures of Solara Brooks, a penniless felon who indentures herself to her high school nemesis, Doran Spaulding, in exchange for passage to a new world. But when Doran’s memory is temporarily erased, Solara convinces him their roles are reversed—that she’s the master and he’s the servant—and leads him onto a renegade spaceship, where intergalactic shenanigans ensue. STARFLIGHT is very different in tone from the Alienated trilogy, but the story is still filled with all the things I love: humor, heart, and adventure.

What do reviewers have to say?

“Get ready for blast-off! Action-packed and utterly addictive, nobody writes like Melissa Landers. A smart, satisfying romance set in a vividly detailed world, Starflight was just plain fun!” –New York Times bestselling author Amie Kaufman

“Teens will be bracing themselves during the swashbuckling action scenes. A great choice for fans of raw sci-fi action, reminiscent of the lawlessness presented in the television series Firefly.” –School Library Journal

“A lively tale of romance, space pirates, conspiracy, and made (as opposed to genetic) families.” –Booklist

If you like your sci-fi adventure served with a side of romance, I hope you’ll pick up a copy of STARFLIGHT today. It’s now available in stores and online.

Amazon | Barnes & Noble | Book Depository (free international shipping) | Indie Bound

To celebrate my book birthday, I’m offering one lucky winner a STARFLIGHT swag pack, complete with custom nail wraps, bookmarks, and a mini poster! The giveaway is open internationally. Due to sweepstakes laws, entrants must be 18 years or older to participate.

Best of luck, and happy reading!

a Rafflecopter giveaway

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

Melissa Landers is a former teacher who left the classroom to pursue other worlds. A proud sci-fi geek, she isn’t afraid to wear her Princess Leia costume in public—just ask her husband and three kids. She lives outside Cincinnati in the small town of Loveland, “Sweetheart of Ohio.” For more information or just to say hello, visit www.melissa-landers.com.

Starflight by Melissa Landers

Title: Starflight
Author: Melissa Landers
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication date: February 2, 2016
Pages: 320
Source/format: e-ARC/Netgalley

Rating: ☆☆☆☆ 1/2

Synopsis (from Goodreads.com):

Life in the outer realm is a lawless, dirty, hard existence, and Solara Brooks is hungry for it. Just out of the orphanage, she needs a fresh start in a place where nobody cares about the engine grease beneath her fingernails or the felony tattoos across her knuckles. She's so desperate to reach the realm that she's willing to indenture herself to Doran Spaulding, the rich and popular quarterback who made her life miserable all through high school, in exchange for passage aboard the spaceliner Zenith.

When a twist of fate lands them instead on the Banshee, a vessel of dubious repute, Doran learns he's been framed on Earth for conspiracy. As he pursues a set of mysterious coordinates rumored to hold the key to clearing his name, he and Solara must get past their enmity to work together and evade those out for their arrest. Life on the Banshee may be tumultuous, but as Solara and Doran are forced to question everything they once believed about their world--and each other--the ship becomes home, and the eccentric crew family. But what Solara and Doran discover on the mysterious Planet X has the power to not only alter their lives, but the existence of everyone in the universe...

My Thoughts

"He wanted her to be the Solara he'd come to know--his Solara." - ARC

Starflight is an intergalactic space travel journey like no other. The two main characters are total opposites from each other. Solara Brooks is a hardworking mechanic trying to find a way to the lawless outer realm but has a felony conviction. She is so desperate to aboard Spaceliner Zenith, she agrees to be Doran Spaulding's indentured servant for passage on the Zenith. Doran, heir to the galaxy's largest fuel corporation, was a varsity football star back when Solar and Doran were at the academy together. He ridicules her when they were in school and still does today. Unexpected circumstances occur and the duo end up on Banshee running away from the law. A vessel of misfits end up bonding over secrets and past lives while encountering space pirates!

The novel is written in dual POV. The writing is fabulous and mesmerizing. Melissa Landers does a fantastic job with character development with not only the main characters but also with the secondary characters. Landers is able to capture sci-fi perfectly in Starflight. Solara is witty, independent and knows what she wants. Doran, on the other hand, is a spoiled, rich jerk. Despite their differences, they learn to become civil toward each other. Landers has done an incredible job with the slow burning romance. However, I found it interesting when Doran isn't super mad when he bumped into someone unexpected at the end of the novel. He is upset at first but then he bonds with that person like nothing ever happened. I would think Doran would hold a grudge a bit longer since it took forever for him to warm up to Solara.

I highly recommend Starflight to readers who like adventure and sci-fi. I can't wait to read the companion novel to Starflight about Cassia and and Kane.