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Review: Icon and Inferno by Marie Lu

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Icon and Inferno by Marie Lu

Icon and Inferno (Stars and Smoke #2)
Marie Lu
Roaring Brook Press
Published June 4, 2024

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Icon and Inferno

Spies meet romance meet popstars in this thrilling follow up to Stars and Smoke by bestselling author Marie Lu.

A year has passed since superstar Winter and secret agent Sydney Cossette went undercover – on a dangerous mission to bring down the baddest man in London.

Winter hasn’t stopped thinking about Sydney since, and she’s been trying not to think about him

Family secrets and nasty newspapers has Winter desperate to re-enter the secret world. And it’s not long before he gets his chance.

Sydney is back, and this time the mission goes right to the heart of the United States of America. A rescue gone wrong, an assassination attempt – and the return of an old flame – puts Winter right back into the action . . . and into a country on the brink of chaos.

And when a murder accusation has Sydney on the run, suddenly it’s not just a life at stake, but all-out war.

My Review

Winter and Sydney are back, and I am so excited! Stars and Smoke, the first book in the series, swept me away with its romance and danger. I knew I’d be back for more. I love the contrast between these two characters. When he’s with people he trusts, Winter is wide open with his heart totally available. Sydney, however, never opens herself that way. That kind of vulnerability terrifies her, which makes sense for someone with a life as a secret agent. For her, letting people in is literally dangerous.

The story begins with a bit of miscommunication or maybe bad assumptions between Winter and Sydney, where she thinks he’s seeing someone and is disappointed but trying not to show it. And he’s hurt that she’s not disappointed, etc. It’s not my favorite romance trope, but the story doesn’t lean into it too heavily since the romantic tension between Sydney and Winter is secondary to their assignment from Panacea.

I like that the task gets layered with complications, though. Winter has to manage the expectations of his ex, whom he invited to a social event as his date. Sydney must find and rescue her own ex, the guy who ended their last tryst by stealing her passport and stranding her overseas. So, yeah, she’s really looking forward to that. Mr. To-Be-Rescued has his own agenda as well, and Sydney and Winter have to decide whether to listen to him or stick with the original plan.

One thing I absolutely loved is the way the story uses Winter’s fame to achieve objectives in his work as a secret agent. It seems like being internationally celebrated and recognized would be a setback for someone on a secret mission, but he makes it work. I love how he uses his position as an asset for Panacea on their missions.

Conclusion

I think even more than the first book, Icon and Inferno leans more into adult fiction. The characters have full-time careers. They’ve had adult relationships. They have adult independence. It’s marketed as YA, and I think will have a fair amount of crossover appeal. Fans of Chloe Gong’s Foul Lady Fortune will enjoy this.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 16 up.

Representation
Winter is Chinese American and has had romantic relationships with boys and girls in the past.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used pretty infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to a past relationship Winter was in, in which he slept with his partner. Same for Sydney. Kissing between boy and girl. In a couple of scenes, the characters kiss and undress. One vaguely references a sexual encounter.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Situations of peril. Sydney and Winter witness someone killed by a gunshot and explosion. A couple of scenes involve a high-speed car or motorcycle chase. Someone points a gun at another person’s head. Someone injects a drug into another person, knocking them out.

Drug Content
References to Winter’s dad smoking cigars.

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use but help support this blog. I received a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review. All opinions are my own.

Review: Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu

Book Review and Content, Mystery/Suspense/Thriller, Young Adult/Teen 12-18, , , , , ,

Stars and Smoke (Stars and Smoke #1)
Marie Lu
Roaring Brook Press
Published March 28, 2023

Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads

About Stars and Smoke

This smoldering enemies-to-lovers novel from #1 New York Times bestselling author Marie Lu puts a superstar global phenomenon and a hotshot young spy on a collision course with danger – and Cupid’s arrow – in an electric new series perfect for fans of Nicola Yoon and Ally Carter.

Meet Winter Young – International pop sensation, with a voice like velvet and looks that could kill. His star power has smashed records, selling out stadiums from LA to London. His rabid fans would move heaven and earth for even a glimpse of him – just imagine what they’d do to become his latest fling.

Meet Sydney Cossette – Part of an elite covert ops group, Sydney joined their ranks as their youngest spy with plans to become the best agent they’ve ever had. An ice queen with moves as dangerous as her comebacks, Sydney picks up languages just as quickly as she breaks hearts. She’s fiery, no-nonsense, and has zero time for romance – especially with a shameless flirt more used to serving sass than taking orders.

When a major crime boss gifts his daughter a private concert with Winter for her birthday, Sydney and Winter’s lives suddenly collide. Tasked with infiltrating the crime organization’s inner circle, Sydney is assigned as Winter’s bodyguard with Winter tapped to join her on the mission of a lifetime as a new spy recruit. Sydney may be the only person alive 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 . . .

Romance and danger abound in this “brilliant, breathtaking ride that will leave you clamoring for the sequel.” —Tahereh Mafi, #1 internationally bestselling author of SHATTER ME.

My Review

Going into this book, I wasn’t sure how the story would balance the romance and the spy/suspense elements. Some of the blurbs and even the cover copy to a degree focused on the romance, so I wasn’t sure if it was predominantly a romance with a bit of spy stuff around the edges?

It’s really both, and I feel like both parts work well together. I’d call the romance more of a subplot, because while there are some scenes centered around Winter and Sydney getting to know and falling for each other, the bulk of the story is focused on their mission.

The hyper-advanced technology definitely adds to the book’s James Bond-style vibe. Not only is the mission dangerous, but it’s clear Sydney and Winter are up against a villain with a whole lot of tricks up his sleeve.

I enjoyed the first fifty pages or so, but it wasn’t until Sydney and Winter actually left for their mission that I really dove into this book. There are so many interesting characters, and so many layers to them. I liked the ways the story surprised me. I loved the descriptions of Winter dancing, and the way he expressed emotions. Those scenes are the ones that will stick with me the longest.

Conclusion

I haven’t read anything by Marie Lu since LEGEND, so I’m way behind on her books. This one made me really want to catch up because there was great storytelling here, and really good pacing to this intense story. All in all, I’m incredibly glad I read STARS AND SMOKE. Readers who enjoy spy thrillers or stories about music superstars definitely want to get their hands on this one.

Content Notes

Recommended for Ages 12 up.

Representation
Winter is Chinese American and has had romantic relationships with boys and girls. One minor character is gay and black.

Profanity/Crude Language Content
Strong profanity used infrequently.

Romance/Sexual Content
References to a past relationship Winter was in, in which he slept with his partner. References to both Winter and Sydney having short romantic relationships in the past. Kissing between boy and girl.

Spiritual Content
None.

Violent Content
Winter learns his brother died on assignment for Panacea, an independent spy agency working alongside the CIA. Situations of peril. A girl attacks various opponents. A man is executed using a chemical agent. A girl is poisoned. Someone tries to and later succeeds in shooting a boy.

Drug Content
Winter (age 19) drinks alcohol at a party in London (where the drinking age is 18.).

Note: This post contains affiliate links, which do not cost you anything to use, but which help support this blog. I received a free copy of STARS AND SMOKE in exchange for my honest review.