ARC Review: Brightly Burning by Alexa Donne

Brightly Burning Published by HMH Books for Young Readers on May 1st 2018
Genres: Retelling, Romance, Science Fiction, YA
Format: ARC
Source: Publisher
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five-stars

Seventeen-year-old Stella Ainsley wants just one thing: to go somewhere—anywhere—else. Her home is a floundering spaceship that offers few prospects, having been orbiting an ice-encased Earth for two hundred years. When a private ship hires her as a governess, Stella jumps at the chance. The captain of the Rochester, nineteen-year-old Hugo Fairfax, is notorious throughout the fleet for being a moody recluse and a drunk. But with Stella he’s kind.

But the Rochester harbors secrets: Stella is certain someone is trying to kill Hugo, and the more she discovers, the more questions she has about his role in a conspiracy threatening the fleet.

First I would like to thank HMH Teen for sending me an ARC of Brightly Burning in exchange of a honest review.

Brightly Burning is hands down one of the best books I have read this year!

When I first read the synopsis of Brightly Burning I was intrigued and I immediately added it to my TBR. It sounded amazing and I literally jumped out of emotion when I received the ARC! I honestly couldn’t believe it, Brightly Burning is one of my most anticipated books of 2018 and the fact that I had a chance to read an early copy of the book makes me super happy!

I was super eager to read it and once I started it I wasn’t able to put the book down.

Alexa’s writing style transported me to the space where this beautiful well written story takes place. Brightly Burning, is an intriguing YA retelling of Jane Eyre, full of mysteries, secrets, twists, friendship and love that once you start to read it you won’t be able to stop.

Since earth is no longer habitable people now live in ships, some were better equipped and sadly some weren’t that lucky. Stella, the MC of the story, is an engineer that lives and works aboard the Stalwart, and while she’s an engineer she also teaches to the young kids that live in the ship. She then starts to apply for a new job as a governess aboard another ship and just when she was feeling like she wouldn’t have an opportunity to leave the Stalwart behind, she’s hired as the new governess of a private ship. And once she arrives at the Rochester everything changes.

Once Stella arrives she is certain the crew members are hiding something and she is absolutely sure she has been hearing someone laughing outside her rooms when it’s dark…I have to admit that gave me the chills, just when I thought Stella would figure out who it was, she would open the door only to find out that no one was there… that gave me the chills!!!

The Rochester has a history that Stella is determined to find out even if the members of the ship won’t tell her anything. I really liked that little by little we discover what happened and the truth at the end it’s quite shocking! While I haven’t read Jane Eyre, I loved that I didn’t expect what was going to happen!

The crew members of the Rochester were incredible people, specially Jessa who’s the little sister of the captain of the ship, Hugo. She was funny and carefree and I really liked to see how she made Stella feel part of them…of their family. Stella was an amazing character that I’m sure more that one will be able to identify with. She’s brave, intelligent, she thinks of others before herself and she LOVES BOOKS, YAY! How cool is that?! I mean, I just love when the characters of books are book lovers and the fact that the ship has a library is even more amazing! And Hugo and Stella go there to read and OMG THE SWOONS!!!!! Hugo and Stella are so perfect together, they made me laugh and they made me swoon!

But I have to say… Jon was super cute too, he was perfect and he cared for Stella and well… my heart is torn ok?! You guys will know what I’m talking about when you read the book 😉

While reading this story… let’s just say Alexa kept surprising me till the very end. Lots of things that I wasn’t expecting happened, and I really think this book should be made into a movie because while I was reading it, it felt as I was watching one!

There were so many secrets and twists that I didn’t see coming and that definitely made me like the story even more, it was amazing from beginning to end! I really can’t wait for you guys to read it, it’s an incredible story that once you finish reading it you will want to go back an read it again. The characters will have an special place in your heart long after the end…If you love retellings you should definitely add this one to your TBR!

Rebeca xo