Space meets Masterchef in this sophomore sci-fi novel.

Saras Kaveri steps of a long-haul star fraught from Earth with one bag of clothes, her little flying robot Kili and an invitation to compete in the galaxy’s most watched, most prestigious cooking show. A chance meeting in the back of a flying cab has Saras and Serenity Ko working together on a technology that could change the future of food - and their lives - forever. 

I loved reading this one. It had a whole lot of universe-building, but does so carefully throughout the novel. The way we learn about different species, planets and experiences feels very natural right from the start. 

We also have a wonderful cast of characters. It’s not as simple as black and white, good and bad here - there are some truly horrible characters, some flawed but lovable characters and everything in between. Serenity Ko is ambitious to a fault, Saras cares too much about others opinions, Kili is absolutely brilliant and extremely perceptive. There’s also bucketloads of brilliant queer rep!

I loved the ending of this one. Despite it being a duology, and knowing something awful is definitely coming, you can trick yourself here that there’s a happy ending. It perfectly suited the book without falling into the much-overused cliffhanger.

The things I didn’t really like: the pacing felt a little inconsistent, moments I’d have like to spend more time exploring passed far too quickly. Sometimes the characters decisions didn’t make a whole lot of sense. And I felt some of the character development felt rushed and insincere.

This one is perfect for sci-fi fans and foodies. If you’re looking to ease into sci-fi, this is definitely a good place to start - it’s basically like a cozy sci-fi with political intrigue that takes a back seat to a love from cooking. This is a love letter to food and all it can stand for. It’s a beautiful book and I can’t wait to get my hands on book two.