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The Stardust Grail
The Stardust Grail: A Novel | Yume Kitasei
Two species. One salvation. From the acclaimed author of The Deep Sky comes a thrilling anti-colonial space heist to save an alien civilization Maya Hoshimoto was once the best art thief in the galaxy. For ten years, she returned stolen artifacts to alien civilizationsuntil a disastrous job forced her into hiding. Born off-world and infected by an alien virus from a young age, she receives the occasional vision of the future. Now she just wants to enjoy a quiet life on Earth as a graduate student of anthropology. Until an old friend comes to her with a job she can't refuse: find a powerful object that could save an alien species from extinction. Two problems: no one has seen it in living memory, and they aren't the only ones hunting for it. Maya sets out on a breakneck quest through a universe teeming with strange life and ancient ruins. But the farther she goes, the more her visions cast a dark shadow over her team of friends new and old. Someone will betray her along the way. Worse yet, in choosing to save one species, she may doom humanity and Earth itself.
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The_Literary_Jedi
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Pickpick

📚📚📚📚📚 Fast moving quest story set in the future and in space/ other planets. Interesting collection of characters too. #LSFBC

Pictured are books read in May 2025

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TheSpineView
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Mehso-so

#LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC
I could sum this book up as an Indian Jones wanna be in a SciFi setting. I liked the idea but I thought the execution was all wrong. It felt like the characters rushed from one heist to the next with something always going wrong in between and yet it was too quickly resolved. I think less scenes and more time spent struggling to find a resolution would have worked better. I also thought some of the interactions between

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CSeydel I‘m about two-thirds in and I honestly can‘t tell yet whether this will be a “pick” for me. I felt it started a little too tedious, but once they went to space and the plot got going, I enjoyed it more. It doesn‘t bother me that they are chasing the MacGuffin all over the galaxy, but right now it feels like she‘s set up a lot of loose ends and my ultimate review will depend on how well they‘re resolved. 6d
CSeydel I‘m listening to the audio and the narrator is terrific. I think it‘s also enhancing my enjoyment that I‘m listening together with my 23-year old son and we‘ve had some interesting discussions as we go along 6d
CatLass007 @CSeydel I think that‘s awesome! I frequently listen with my cats, but they‘re not exactly great conversationalists. I have listened with others on occasion and it does enhance the experience most of the time. I think it would make it extra special to listen with my godson or one of my other nephews. I have a great niece, but she‘s 10 1/2. I don‘t think she‘s really gonna sit down long enough to listen to a book just yet. 6d
CatLass007 There were things that I liked about the character, interactions and things that I didn‘t. Finding common ground with other human beings is difficult enough. Finding common ground with a member of an entirely different species with no real single frame of reference would be near impossible. I think the author shows that and I think that her characters managed to work through many of those difficulties together. 6d
CSeydel @CatLass007 It‘s certainly helped me flesh out my thoughts on the premise, characters and plot. We got on a roll last night speculating about what‘s really going on! 6d
CatLass007 Please let me know what the two of you think when you finish. If you remember, that is. 6d
julesG It's been a while since I read the book. Some things didn't make sense to me (like winning space fights against all odds) and I felt like a lot of information was missing - it could have been a book in a series where I hadn't read the previous books. I still enjoyed it, but I wanted more fleshed out characters. 5d
julesG Well, I guess I wanted more in general. Like another book, more heists. 😂 5d
Karisimo I haven‘t quite finished yet, but I‘m listening to it and wondered-is the author using made up pronouns? I‘m guessing this is more clear in print! 4d
TheSpineView @Karisimo I didn't think about it while I was reading. However, now that you point it out, they might be. 4d
18 likes13 comments
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Eggbeater
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Pickpick

I really enjoy discovering new worlds and aliens cultures. The Frenro and the Belzoar, in particular, were well drawn up. The human main character was complex. This is a morally ambiguous sci-fi novel that makes you think. Different species just do the best they can, and they all screw it up.

39 likes2 stack adds
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Zuhkeeyah
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Pickpick

A far flung future where it‘s possible to travel all across the universe and interact with a wide variety of aliens. I enjoyed Maya‘s viewpoint. She just wanted to do the right thing even as that became harder and harder to discern. The world building was fun though there were a couple of plot holes that could‘ve been tightened up. A fast paced space heist full of interesting characters.

#jumpstartsummer @TheSpineView

TheSpineView Excellent!❤️📖🚀 1w
25 likes1 comment
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CatLass007
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Pickpick

May 2025 #LitsySciFiBookClub #Read2025 I loved this! Every species encountered in this book is vastly different from humans and those humans who care to meet these species are subject to so many new and wonderful challenges, opportunities, and ideas. There still are plenty of earthbound humans who think they are superior or are just afraid. So the racism and nationalism we experience now don‘t exist in this future but it now becomes (cont)⬇️

CatLass007 humans and earthers against the rest of the galaxy. So humans haven‘t really changed all that much. But oh the adventures we get to experience with main character Maia!! 4w
DieAReader 🥳Excellent!! 4w
TheSpineView Great job! I need to go to the library and check this out. 4w
CatLass007 @TheSpineView I‘m planning to read other books by this author. 4w
53 likes1 stack add4 comments
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MaleficentBookDragon
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My #bookspin is also the #LSFBC pick this month. I love it when a plan comes together. 😹
My #doublespin was recommended by a knitting/book YouTuber I follow and it just came off hold at the library.
#LitsySciFiBookclub

TheSpineView Enjoy!❤️📖🚀 1mo
TheAromaofBooks Yay!! Enjoy!! 1mo
49 likes2 comments
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LitsyEvents
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repost for @TheSpineView:

The votes are in and the June selection for #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC is The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei. The US price on Amzon is $14.99. My library doesn't have a digital or audio copy. I hope they have the physical book. I haven't checked other sites for the book. Hopefully, it will be less other places.

#BuddyRead

TheSpineView Thanks! 1mo
34 likes1 comment
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TheSpineView
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The votes are in and the June selection for #LitsySciFiBookClub #LSFBC is The Stardust Grail by Yume Kitasei. The US price on Amzon is $14.99. My library doesn't have a digital or audio copy. I hope they have the physical book. I haven't checked other sites for the book. Hopefully, it will be less other places.

@Larkken @bnp @Johanna414 @BookmarkTavern @julesG @BookBelle84 @Readergrrl @CSeydel @Roary47 @Lizpixie @PaperbackPirate @PageShifter

BookmarkTavern I just read this a few months ago, so I look forward to seeing everyone‘s thoughts! 1mo
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TheSpineView @BookmarkTavern 👍🤩🌞 1mo
CSeydel My library has it! Just put in my hold 1mo
julesG I read it last year. Will skim to refresh my memory. 1mo
TheSpineView @julesG I've not read yet. Hope my library has a physical copy because they don't have a digital one. 1mo
julesG Wish I could lend you my ebook copy 1mo
TheSpineView @julesG No worries! I went online at my County library's website. While the library in my town doesn't have it. The town just north of us does. So a 15 minute drive to get it on Saturday and I'll be set. 1mo
54 likes10 comments
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llwheeler
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What is it about my focus these days that even though I'm enjoying this book and it's quite good so far, I hit the 30-35% mark and something in my brain is like cool, that's enough for now, let's switch to something else for a bit.
I wonder if it's my reading speed being slower right now. Libby's estimate says it'll take me about 8.5hrs total to read this book. I think I'd have read it in 6 hrs or less before.
Ah well. Onwards!

27 likes1 stack add
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majkia
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Interesting quest space opera with really alien aliens and nicely drawn characters. I enjoyed her imaginative retelling of the grail quest.

rwmg That does sound intriguing. Wishlisted 6mo
30 likes1 stack add1 comment
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BookmarkTavern
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Pickpick

Maya, a graduate student & former thief, promises to help her dearest friend steal the object xyr species needs to repopulate. Only w/ Earth‘s military after them, & something destroying the pathways between space, everything is much more complicated.

Gorgeous. Heists in space, a wildly diverse & interesting cast, & a twisty turny plot that kept me hooked. A slow start, & a little info dump heavy sometimes, but well worth the read.🌕🌕🌕🌕🌑

54 likes2 comments
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HeyT
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Pickpick

I had a really good time with this because heists in space but also this has some flaws so it's not really perfect. Would I go on another adventure with the cast in this world yes but I'd hope for a little more depth than this provided.

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HeyT
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Decided to take a reading break while at Disney. When I wasn‘t looking all the Halloween lights came on!

LiteraryinPA Such a magical reading place! 8mo
17 likes1 comment
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nitalibrarian
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Happy weekend! I'm starting this science fiction.

#aardvarkbookclub

MaleficentBookDragon I got this one today. I ❤️ the cover so much. 9mo
25 likes1 comment
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Soubhiville
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Pickpick

@julesG described this as Becky Chambers‘ Wayfarer series crossed with Martha Wells‘ Murderbot and I think that‘s pretty apt. 🥰

It‘s a sci-fi quest sort of story, with very diverse characters. If you‘d like exposure to help you get used to all the pronouns, this book is for you!

I don‘t think it‘s a story that will stick with me, but very enjoyable while listening to it.

MaleficentBookDragon You sold me on it when you said Murderbot. Stacked. 😹 10mo
BookmarkTavern Seconding @MaleficentBookDragon you got me interested! 10mo
julesG Glad you liked it. 🥰 10mo
69 likes8 stack adds3 comments
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julesG
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Pickpick

Book 250/250 🥳🥳

Diverse cast of characters - reminded me of Becky Chambers' Wayfarers and Martha Wells' Murderbot. The Stardust Grail must be found to save at least one civilisation and keep the different corners of the universe connected. Maya, a 31 year old PhD student of xeno-anthropology with Japanese roots and a decade of experience in stealing alien art, teams up with an ancient alien she calls Uncle (who looks like a potato... ⬇️

julesG ... with ten cephalopod-like arms and a myriad of small tentacles), a mercenary from Manchester, and a rogue medical robot to steal the Stardust Grail from one of the largest museums in the galaxy. 11mo
Mollyanna Woohoo! Congrats. 11mo
Dragon Love Murderbot 🖤 11mo
Dragon Put a hold on the audiobook on Libby only six people ahead of me 💚🐉 11mo
CoffeeK8 Wayfarers x Murderbot is the book I never knew I wanted. I‘m so in! 11mo
59 likes1 stack add5 comments
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nitalibrarian
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Two books delivered today. I got my July #aardvarkbookclub pick. I'm excited to read this one.
And I ordered the other book because 1. the title, Filthy Rich Fae🧚‍♀️, is absolutely ridiculous and 2. the pretty yellow edges.

27 likes1 stack add
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GondorGirl
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Pippin, Tommy, and I are finishing up the tagged ebook. While I liked Kitasei's first novel better overall, I still think this one is worth reading if you're a scifi fan. It took me a little while to connect with the characters. Maya (the MC) isn't super likeable, but she definitely grew on me. This is part museum heist, part space horror. There's some great banter, really unique "alien" races, and just the right amount of nail biting action.

dabbe 🖤🐾🐾🖤 12mo
46 likes1 stack add1 comment