Reviewed by Keith Mbuya for Readers' Favorite

Princess Zathar of the small planet Yari is with her family in the city of Xynari, preparing for her older sister’s wedding when she witnesses a meteor crash into the city and destroy it. Her father, the king, allows her to help him oversee the settlement of the Xynari people. They persuade the Occlians, a troublesome clan, to host the Xynari until their city is rebuilt. However, a conflict has been simmering on Yari, with some clans seeking independence from the monarch’s rule. The king is murdered amid the settlement proceedings, and Zane, Zathar’s elder brother, ascends to the throne. He asks Zathar to handle the pending settlement discussions. Zathar has recently confessed her love to her best friend Xan, but Xan wants her to take her time grieving her father. Zathar interprets his hesitation as rejection and heads to the Occlian camp, heartbroken. She is about to make a mistake in love that will put her life, family, and the crown in danger. Find out how it all goes down in Starlight Before the Fall by S. Mannes.

If you are looking for a young adult sci-fi novel flavored with drama, political intrigue, romance, suspense, plot twists, and spell-binding cliffhangers, Starlight Before the Fall by S. Mannes is a great pick. Mannes draws readers into the characters’ fascinating world with steady narration and vivid imagery. Yari is a colorful and interesting world, from its lilac sky, which turned deep violet at night, to the red rings that burned across it in two wide bands, and the thick red rivers that flowed across its lands. The dynamic conversations revealed the characters’ emotions and conflicts. Mannes gives the characters strong personalities, making their interactions entertaining. I relished the tension in the meetings between the king and the Occlian leaders. I understood Zathar’s internal struggles as she dealt with her father’s death and royal responsibilities, and her relationship with Xan and Kazimir. YA readers will relate to her jealousy, anger, resentment, guilt, and indecision as she navigated love. They will also learn the importance of patience and trusting their gut feeling from her story. I loved this page-turner and can’t wait to read the next book in the Starlight Saga series.