[Review] Light Years by Kass Morgan

Light Years by Kass Morgan

Series: Light Years #1

Rating: 4 stars

Published: October 9th 2018

Goodreads Synopsis:

Reeling from the latest attack by a mysterious enemy, the Quatra Fleet Academy is finally admitting students from every planet in the solar system after centuries of exclusivity.
Hotshot pilot Vesper, an ambitious Tridian citizen, dreams of becoming a captain - but when she loses her spot to a brilliant, wisecracking boy from the wrong side of the asteroid belt, it makes her question everything she thought she knew. Growing up on the toxic planet Deva, Cormak will take any chance he can get to escape his dead-end life and join the Academy - even if he has to steal someone's identity to do it. Arran was always considered an outsider on icy Chetire, always dreaming of something more than a life working in the mines. Now an incoming cadet, Arran is looking for a place to belong - he just never thought that place would be in the arms of a Tridian boy. And Orelia is hiding a dark secret - she's infiltrated the Academy to complete a mission, one that threatens the security of everyone there. But if anyone finds out who she really is, it'll be her life on the line.
These cadets will have to put their differences aside and become a team to defend their world from a cunning enemy - but the danger might be lurking closer to home than they think... 

This was actually super cute and light and fluffy to read. It's the much lighter Ender's Game and Red Rising. The premise is very similar to these two - scifi set in a space school that has underlying political undertones. It's told from four POVs. Cormak takes the spot of his recently deceased brother Rex and becomes the Captain of Squadron 20. Vesper, the daughter of Admiral Haze, is the pilot, and must do everything she can to stay in the Academy, or face her mother's wrath. Arran, a super genius who has never been noticed by anyone until now - he's gotten the attention of the son of a politician who doesn't agree with the Academy's new 'open doors to all' policy. Orelia, who disguises herself to be an average Academy student, is actually the Academy's worse enemy - a Specter.


So all four of them are in Squadron 20 and are hiding all these secrets from each other. But there's also all this forbidden romantic tension between many of the characters. The only thing that bothered me was the climax (and conflict) of these romances occurred in successive chapters, which can be predictable and a bit redundant.

Other than that, this was a real page turner that was really action packed and had all these characters that I wanted to root for. They're all going through these internal struggles and coping with it as best as they can. So their character growth is mostly internalized but it's great watching how the four of them opened up and gained confidence and security in themselves.

Plus, the world building wasn't confusing! Hooray. I really do appreciate an easily navigable book. The Academy has been made up of Tridians but has recently opened its doors to people from other planets, namely, Settlers. So not all Tridians are happy with this decision and several of our main characters are discriminated against. Here, I will briefly point out that Vesper is one of the main characters that grows the most over the course of Light Years, by standing up to her Tridian friends.

I actually can't wait to see where this series goes next? There's a whole lot of home front and global conflicts that need to be sorted out.