This book was an absolute joy to read! The story engaged me from beginning to end, and I was at the edge of my seat for most of it, ngl.
The romance was adorable and so easy to root for! I also really loved the journey each character went trough, the pay off was really satisfying.
The only thing I can complain about was the scifi element: in this world the technology is pretty advanced, but the rest felt the same. I don't think it was a necessary element to add, and it was confusing at times.
Thank to NetGalley and the publisher for the ARC.

Denver and Ezra just can't catch a break. But I tell you what, they are adorable and persistent. It ain't easy saving the planet.

What I loved about this book:
- our tag team dynamic duo supporting each other every step of the way, aww
- neurodivergent and queer representation
- aliens!
- the banter and quips
- no high falutin careers, we got ourselves a bartender and a pie reviewer here
- a proper epilogue

What made me give it a 4 vs a 5:

The book suffers a bit from not knowing what genre it wants to be. Is it cozy? Is it action? Is it serious? There's humor but quite enough to call it a comedy scifi. There's some real life issues and an antagonist (not the aliens) you love to hate, but the tone of the book besides those parts is more light hearted (maybe heart warming is the better term) so it's a little jarring to go from alphabet pie to the danger zone and back.

This book is perfect for fans of lighter (aka not dark scary) scifi. You may like this if you like Becky Chambers or John Scalzi.

First of all, the cover of this book is amazing and sucked me in. Second, I absolutely loved the relationship between Denver and Ezra- it was my favorite part of the book! Third, this book got REAL WEIRD in the middle, which I guess I should have expected from a book based around aliens and UFOs. Fourth, I’m not sure how to feel about this book but I’m also not mad that I read it. 3.5 ⭐️s rounded down!

An alien vessel crash-landed but only Denver saw it. This novel is a fun mystery SF with a lovable cast of characters attempting to save the world.
This romp through rural America was loads of fun and made me want to try all kinds of pie. I'll have to attempt cooking a few combos found in this book - definitely not the alphabet one, though :)
The pace was excellent, layering the investigation of what is going on, with character growth, and knitting of new relationships. This work was a joy to read.
Really looking forward to see more of Hess' writing.

Such a fun and unique twist on the classic alien invasion trope, with great character development, a lovely romance and just the right amount of sci-fi intrigue. I loved it!

It’s cute. I mean, I know there’s the whole alien invasion thing going on, but I found it quite cute and funny. The author really draws you in with their characters, and there were so many funny little quips that I had highlighted. This book was just so dang charming.

I saw some people mention that this portrayal was ‘checklisty’ and full of ‘buzzwords’ when it came to diverse representation, and I’m inclined to agree. However, that is not my area of expertise, nor am I going to sit here and scrutinize how the author chose to address certain situations. Instead, I’ll tell you that the story was original, maintained great pacing, and was overall well-written.

This is going on my ‘want to buy physical copy’ list not only because I enjoyed the book, but also because the cover is absolutely stunning. This is also the kind of book that I would actually recommend reading on paper just because for me when I’m reading something ‘cozy’ it’s best enjoyed in paperback with a cup of tea.

3.625 on the rubric, rounding up

I really enjoyed Hess' World Running Down a few years ago, and was already going to grab this ARC bc of the gloriously pastel cover, but then I saw his name, which sealed the deal.

Key Lime Sky is a lot of fun, cozy-adjacent, and has some wonderful representation that doesn't feel forced (although there are a few bits that felt v explainy about the 'tism and gender identity [but that could also come from me being immersed in my own neurospicy and genderqueer bubble]).

Some aspects of the explanation for the events didn't entirely make sense to me, but I did still have a great time with it, and will still be checking out Hess' future work.

...I desperately wish they'd included that Alphabet Pie recipe, tho. You call this a cozy without a recipe at the end?!

I was interested in the book based on the cover and the promise of aliens. What I found was a tale of an autistic queer person who scrapes by by reviewing pies online who is trying to track down and destroy the alien that is screwing up his town, his new love interest, and his new friends. I'm not sure how to describe the writing, but it might be an 'easy read' or more 'YA like, except for the sex scenes'. It also seems to be written as if it were some sort of LGBTQ+ utopia where everyone is knowledgeable and respectful and accepting of the spectrum of queer people. Not a bad thing, but also not reality at the moment in America. So everyone is living in a safe and accepting space - so a touch utopian, but in a nice, wouldn't that be great way. I enjoyed the parts of the book that were about tracking down the alien and figuring out how to deal with it. I didn't love the romance bits. I did like the exploration into Denver's autism and how his new love accepted and helped him. Overall, the representation is nice, the alien story was interesting, the writing was an easy read.

I loved the concept for this; the plot and characters were incredible and I feel like something like this is missing from the book world. I wish that structurally it was stitched together a tinsy bit better but that would be all

God, I wanted to like this so much. Cute cover, cute concept, cute thoughts about it. It just kind of dragged on. There were parts that I was excited to dive into; alien invasions and what not. And then there were parts where I was confused at the topic change. There were monologues on social issues that didn’t quite fit into the book because everyone that’ll pick up this book is already on their side. It just felt like this could have been shorter, I guess. The best parts were Denver and Ezra investigating and figuring out aliens. Everything else was a bit of a let down.
Thank you, NetGalley, for this lovely opportunity to review this book.

this was a quirky book that i really enjoyed and i also liked all the representations!

thank you netgalley for the e-arc!

I think this book was wonderful. I enjoyed the characters, the plot , and the LGBT inclusivity. The beginning scene before the story starts seemed kinda weird and unnecessary.

Key lime sky is a cosy, neuro diverse, Romantic LGBTQ, alien invasion story served with a side of pie.

The main character is Denver who is queer, non-binary and autistic. As the parent of a child with autism I sympathised with each sensory overload, melt downs and communication difficulties that arise from honesty that comes with no filter. Navigating life in a Neurotypical world is hard, now add aliens into the mix and it’s just next level.

I was quietly rooting for Denver from the sidelines.

So if you want gore and bloody alien battles this is not the book for you but if you would like a mix of loveable, diverse characters who have strong character development and a quirky plot then this is a book for you.

Thank you #NetGalley #AngryRobots for my ARC.

Quirky, Pietastic 4 star

What attracted me to this book was the UFO on the cover. I love an alien story set on Earth and most of the mystery parts were enjoyable and scratched the brain a bit. But I think the book toots its own horn by basically copying the plot of the game mentioned throughout. Having literally just finished playing it myself, left me a little underwhelmed with the concept.

I didn’t particularly care for Denver as a character, I appreciate the non-binary representation but we are in xyr head and it’s way too overshadowed by all the buzz words, I think one reviewer said it was just checking all the boxes and I completely agree with that. It came off unauthentic and took me out of the story.

There are plenty other characters but no attachment can be made since it’s narrated by Denver only. I liked the ending and the idea of continuing pie reviews around the country but overall it was an average read.

Thank you to Angry Robot and Netgalley for the review copy.

This was a very interesting read. A unique and sweet sci-fi about aliens. Denver ( the main character) witnesses what he believes to be a UFO exploding but when he starts asking people about it, no one knows what he's talking about. The only person who believes him is a bartender who is willing to listen and investigate with him. This book was just lovely, with great representation and with a well written and entertaining plot, I absolutely loved this book, it kept me guessing and curious for what was to come next.

4.5 stars

3.5 stars.

This is a really unique way to use sci fi, I can't think of something similar. I love the slow unfolding of the mystery element and the way the amnesia works into the telling of the story. It has a slow but creepy element that adds a lot to the experience, and makes it very compelling to read.

I didn't love the way the romance was executed, it felt fairly easy and unearned. In this sort of story I think something slower would have felt more natural, and less like something the characters fell into that overpowered the mystery.

I enjoy books that have diverse perspectives and I really love the queerness and neurodivergence in the book, it's clear that they come from a place of deep love and understanding. That being said, this is one of those scenarios where the diversity feels very "check-box-y" and spoon-fed to the reader, instead of reading as something organic. Sometimes it feels like an author has an obligation to educate their reader on the diversity they are writing about, and it can really pull you out of the story.

Overall I think this book has a lot of heart and I really enjoyed reading it!

If you witnessed what you believed to be an exploding UFO in the sky on your way home, but the next day no one in town believed you, would you feel like you're losing your mind? Denver Bryant, alongside an extremely small group of others, experiences exactly this in Key Lime Sky. At first, xe thinks the townsfolk are ignoring xyr warnings because of the perception that Denver is the "town pecularity" - an autistic, non-binary, pie review blogger who's blunt to a fault. After meeting Ezra, however, the two realize that there are strange shells and a weird red sand appearing across town. Anyone they confront about it attacks one of them - that is, until the townsfolk just start vanishing instead of becoming hostile. Then pieces of buildings begin disappearing as more sand and alien vegetation erupts. Denver and Ezra decide they have to join up with the other unaffected people to try and figure out how to stop the changes occurring in town before it can spread to the rest of the world.

This was a super fun concept. The idea that an alien could travel to Earth and start dreaming up new terrain - later described as folding different dimensions into each other, like crinkling and un-crinkling paper into balls - was certainly unexpected and enjoyable to try and conceive. The pacing is also decent, allowing for exposition in between action scenes. I also enjoyed the idea that a takeover need not be hostile and could instead be done through manipulated amnesia - the idea that folks like Trevor could be perfectly normal until someone mentioned something close to the truth about what was happening, which would trigger a thousand yard stare, was pretty cool.

Unfortunately, though, I struggled with the book from an execution perspective. For example, while I loved, loved, loved the intentional and deliberate diversity, the way it was written into the narrative felt checklisty, buzzwordy, and tropey. Some sections even felt preachy, which is super unfortunate for two reasons: first, this can alienate those who would benefit from experiencing different perspectives and diversity, but second, this can also push away folks who already understand the importance of diversity in fiction because it feels like we're being spoken down to. Another big reason this didn't land for me is that the romance felt forced. I just didn't feel any chemistry between Denver and Ezra. I found myself thinking multiple times as I was reading that this would have been better as two strangers who become friends by necessity, but then realize they're actually a good fit as friends.

This book was so much fun. It made me think of the movie “Evolution” (2001) in a lot of ways with how slowly and weirdly things were unfolding.

I loved all of the queer representation as well as seeing trans/nonbinary represented in a few different ways. Along with Denver’s struggles with being autistic and trying to navigate through life.

Who would have thought pies and aliens went together so well

I would have loved a little more detail at the end of the book about post alien activities but the story was still very nicely wrapped up over all.

Key Lime Sky immediately caught my eye because of the name, and I really enjoyed every second of it. The story was adorable and heartwarming. I love the unique alien invasion concept and the message to love yourself in the story. Denver, the main character, is such a lovely character to read about. This book also has a great representation of autism. The romance between Denver and Ezra is so cute to read too. Overall, this book is definitely a wild ride, and if you want to read a cool sci-fi book with delicious pies, definitely pick this book up. Thanks to the publisher and Netgalley for providing me with an early copy I'll post my review closer to the publication date.

"Key Lime Sky" is an intriguing blend of sci-fi and cozy mystery, centered around Denver Bryant, a non-binary autistic pie blogger. When a UFO explodes over his town, Denver is the only one to notice the ensuing strange events, including a shower of seashell hail. Teaming up with bartender Ezra, Denver dives into the mystery, leading to a thrilling race against time to save their town from an alien threat.

While the plot is engaging and unique, the pacing can feel a bit rushed, and the romance between Denver and Ezra occasionally overshadows the central mystery. Nonetheless, the representation of an autistic, non-binary protagonist is refreshing, and the story offers a fun mix of suspense and heart.

Overall, "Key Lime Sky" is a solid 3.5-star read, perfect for those who enjoy a quirky sci-fi adventure with a touch of romance.