(A 3'25 star read)
I love love LOVE the tense ambience the author achieves in this semi futuristic doomed society, and all the depth the political aspect has. I really liked the author's way of narrating since the start, of the situation both characters (double pov) are living and how she characterizes them.

In Against the Red Sky we encounter Enzo, son of the leader of Terra Primera. They fight against the wealthy while they pollute the air and oceans and recollect the little potable water left on heart to pull their resources into colonizing Mars. Maddie is the niece of the man founder of said colony in Mars. She has dreamed for years of reuniting with her mother there, and now she's on her way to make her dream come true by entering the elite Academy’s inaugural class. Enzo didn't count on meeting Maddie, and Maddie hasn't had a clue who Enzo even is, or what he is doing in the Academy. His mission is simple. Infiltrate, sabotage, and escape.

Both mc and important side characters are introduced perfectly, as well as the critical point the hearth and society is on during the entire plot of the book. They leave an impressión and stay with you, and how everything develops makes the worldbuilding feel insanely rich.
Both of our mc’s povs, while separated, are intriguing and engage you to read more. Both feel real and mature when they can, but also like the teenagers they are, barely entering adulthood but having lived a life so hard on different ends of the spectrum.

And the whole novel is rich in facts and environmental-society criticism. That aspect is perfectly included in between all the fiction drama, without feeling heavy. I felt really happy reading such plot and criticisms in this age and era of society. I loved it.

But even with that insanely good start of a book, the first third is the best one for me. I feel a bit conflicted with the rest. During the entire book I enjoyed all the parts including the political drama, the action and tension on Enzo's part with reaching the Academy, his mission and his POV in general. Same with Maddie.
It is the point when they meet that changes things for me.

The atmospheric scenes and narrative for a moment made me forget this was a YA. Which shows at the moment of interaction between both of them. After nearly a third of the book reading about one or another separately (wich, i love how the author builded the book with a slow encounter of the two of them) it threw me off a little when they met for the first time and suddenly they are talking in such a teenage way and have such a basic way of thinking about the other. (I think the dialogue in general is what I struggle with the most during the book).
I like them as a couple in the general sense of the idea. Enemies on opposite sides of hearth’s fight for conservation and survival?? yes please.
But their relationship develops too fast. They know the other of one night and we already have mentions of not being able to stop looking at her, or how handsome he is. Almost instantly they were thrown into an attraction at junior level (it's a YA book). And so It hurts me a bit to say, but the romance in general was the worst part of the book. Every aspect and anything related to it.

Another thing that didn't make sense for me was how this supposed academy was so shallowly constructed for the plot. The MAJOR scenario during the great part of the book. We have insight of almost nothing there, no classes, professors (only one) or any, ANY, classmate except the 2 side characters with whom we construct our basic group of friends.

So, for me, it was a little of an ice bath watching it snowball into something okay-ish after nearly 100 pages of pure incredible narration, character introspection and world-building.
Don't get me wrong, I'm sure YA readers will love this, but sadly, i dont think it can be enjoyed that well in a vast range of ages.
I’m still curious about how the main plot develops (I KNEW THAT WAS GONNA BE THE END), and i think i might read the next parts, but this is what it is, and now I know.

Thank you to NetGalley and the author for providing me with this e-arc copy in exchange for an honest review.

Overall I enjoyed this book. I particularly loved the dystopian and futuristic setting and premise of this book. I have always been interested in and fascinated by the colonisation of mars, so the idea behind this story was particularly of interest to me. I also enjoyed the academy setting and the fast-paced nature of this book.

However, I found the story to be lacking on a few things. I found the characters to be somewhat one-dimensional and the resolution of character interactions to be too quick, such as the friendship between two particular characters in this book. I also wish it had gone more into the backstory of the world and characters in order to provide a bit more depth. As well as either scrapping the slight 'romantic' subplot or expanding on it as I felt it was a bit randomly done.

Overall an enjoyable fast-paced read that would be suited for a YA audience that enjoys sci-fi and dystopian books. Thanks again to Netgalley and the author for this early review copy.

This is my first out of space storyline book and fell it felt good for a first timer! Some stuff was just okay but the some was nice

Oh boy. I have such mixed feelings about this one.

This book follows Maddie, the niece of billionaire Gus Sardeth, who is colonizing Mars (just like Elon Musk) and Enzo Cruz, an ecoterrorist who doesn't want Mars colonization but thinks we should solve the problems on earth (bad water, bad air quality, etc.).

I think (?) there was supposed to be a romance in there between Maddie and Enzo. It was so lightly done, I wasn't sure. Honestly, I wasn't crazy about that aspect. Lean into it, or just don't have it.

The author also needs some editing. There are words that are used wrong (once, she writes "clamber" or something like that when she meant "clamor") and the paragraphing needs some work. Just simply using the enter key more would make it flow better! There were some jarring scene changes within the long paragraphs. Maybe this'll be fixed in the final version.

The characters come across as very immature—more like seven year olds instead of seventeen year olds. The book is also very, VERY YA. Maybe I've been reading books for an adult audience a lot lately, but this one is very clearly YA. If you don't like YA, you probably won't like this.

I also wanted to see more world building. We're thrown into this world and it's not clearly explained how or why we got here. More character development would have been helpful, too. Maddie badly wanted to reunite with her mother on Mars, but there isn't much development with her mother's character. I wanted to see more of them together, maybe in flashbacks.

I admit, I did love the ending. It was a surprise, in a pleasant way, and leaves us with a big cliffhanger.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publisher, and the author for providing me with a free review copy.

The premise is exciting: Enzo, a young operative from Earth, is tasked with infiltrating the Mars Ascendance Academy, while Maddie, the niece of the colony’s founder, finally gets her chance to join the school she’s dreamed of. Their paths spiral into conspiracy, rebellion, and high-stakes choices that threaten two worlds.

The novel’s greatest strength is its pacing. The story moves fast—sometimes too fast. The constant action kept me turning the pages, but it often came at the expense of character and relationship development.
Moments that should have carried emotional weight, like the shift from hostility to friendship or the “I love you” confession, felt rushed or underdeveloped.

The story benefits somewhat from alternating points of view, giving the reader insight into both Enzo and Maddie’s internal struggles. Still, this doesn’t fully make up for some inconsistencies. A prime example is Maddie suddenly showing advanced hacking skills without much setup—it felt convenient rather than earned.

While I was able to guess the identity of the Operator rather quickly, I admit I enjoyed that Mei pieced it together at the same moment I did—it gave the reveal a nice sense of shared discovery.

Readers who enjoy fast-paced, high-stakes sci-fi centered on rebellion will likely have fun with it, but those who crave richer character arcs and more nuanced relationship growth may find it a bit lacking.

This was an entertaining read that went by quickly.

If you love the mix of dystopian tales amidst characters trying to figure out their place in their respective worlds, you will enjoy this one.

Clear world-building and lots of character growth as well, amid a plot that should scare us all. Not to mention the major twist that made everything fall together. Good stuff.

I rated this one around 3.5 stars.

Thanks again to Net Galley and the author for granting me this arc in return for my honest review.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7818964801

Thank you to the author and NetGalley for an arc of this book
I enjoyed this story. I liked the dual POV which gave more context for Maddie and Enzo’s actions. I do think a bit more background could’ve been even better. The pacing of the story is pretty fast. I didn’t know who the operator was until they revealed it. I’ll pick up the next book for sure !

Against the Red Sky delivers exactly what it promises: high-stakes tension, morally tangled choices, and two protagonists on opposite sides of a war neither of them fully understands. And it does so with a fast pace, cinematic imagery, and emotional beats that hit harder than I expected.
The alternating POVs between Enzo and Maddie work well once the story gains momentum, even if the early chapters take their time grounding us in each character’s past. For me, that delay actually worked to build the suspense—because when their paths do cross, the chemistry, conflict, and stakes are instantly electric.
What really impressed me was how this story balanced explosive action with introspection. Enzo, with his background in sabotage and grief, could easily have been a flat “weaponized boy,” but instead he's layered, self-aware, and constantly torn. Maddie, too, is much more than the privileged girl longing for Mars; her idealism is complicated by political legacy, maternal distance, and growing doubt. The mirrored relationships with their mothers was one of the quiet highlights of the book.
I also appreciated that the romance was subtle and believable. No insta-love, no plot derailment. Just two people learning to question everything—including each other—in the middle of a ticking time bomb. And I loved that the story wasn’t afraid to make bold moves with loyalty and betrayal.
That said, I do wish the worldbuilding had been just a bit more fleshed out. The politics and infrastructure of the Mars colony are hinted at but not fully explored, and I sometimes wanted to feel the weight of the wider conflict a bit more. Also, the reveal of "The Operator" was fun, but I had hoped for a bit more thematic depth behind their motives.
Still, this is exactly the kind of YA sci-fi I crave: thought-provoking, sharp, emotionally grounded, and addictively readable. Can’t wait for book two.
Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for the eARC.

One of the best YA sci-fi tales I have read in some time, Against the Red Sky unfolds from two perspectives, the first being of Maddie, the niece of a billionaire tycoon with a colony on Mars. She is desperate to get to Mars to join her mother there. The other hero of the story is Enzo, who has grown up in the Pacific islands as part of a group that is drawing attention to how those wanting to get to Mars are abandoning Earth and stealing its water resources. Because of their violent methods used to target their enemies, they are seen as terrorists. Maddie and Enzo's lives intertwine when he is sent to go undercover to destroy the shuttle that will take the next batch of young recruits to Mars, a roster that includes Maddie. Sparks fly between the two, and both have their loyalties tested as they see the shortcomings of the sides they are on - which is interesting because in both cases, that's also their family.

The book keeps up a lively pace throughout and is easy to read quickly. I appreciated the twin POVs, and it feels very current with the themes of water scarcity and the idea of a new life on Mars, which many oppose when the costs involved could be used to help alleviate suffering on Earth. The romance keeps things bubbling along nicely and the book ends in a place that sees primed to roll straight into book two, which I hope to see soon.

Thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for an ARC.

This book was such a pleasant surprise! A young adult sci-fi adventure that mixes action, tested loyalties, sacrifice, betrayal — and, of course, a touch of romance.

We follow Maddie, who dreams of leaving Earth to live on Mars, where her mother is, and Enzo, a young explosives expert… whose mission is to stop the very shuttle that would take Maddie there.

The dynamic between the two characters is captivating, and the twists and turns kept me hooked the whole time. I liked how the romance was present but never overshadowed the plot, and how the story plays with our expectations of who’s an ally and who’s an enemy.

A quick, fun read full of surprises. I’m definitely curious to see what comes next!

This is a fun, YA, dual POV sci-fi adventure which explores loyalty, sacrifice, betrayals and a bit of romance and centres around our two main characters Maddie and Enzo.

Maddie’s uncle founded a Mars colony and she dreams of going to join her mum who lives there. Enzo is a young explosives expert who plans to destroy the shuttle that will take her there.

I really enjoyed this! It was entertaining, I liked the twists and turns that kept me guessing. I liked our main characters and the elements of romance although it wasn’t central to the story. It took me a minute to work out who our villain was but I got there in the end!

My only minor complaint was there were a few flashbacks and things that left me a little confused and I had to reread a few chapters although that could definitely be a me thing!

I also really wanted to know more about the mums story which hopefully will be in the next instalment!

The dueling POVs caused the backstory of the lead characters to develop slower than I would have preferred, but beyond that I enjoyed the story. The mirroring of the mother characters was interesting, though I am left wondering if there is more to the story of Maddie's mother than we are shown. It took me a while to discover the identity of The Operator, but I got there in the end. I like how this story definitely sets up the next book in the series.

Against The Red Sky: Misson X
Thank you, Kristen Illarmo, Empty Field Publishing, and Netgalley for providing this e-arc in exchange for an honest review.
4 stars.
"YA thriller, survival means risking everything, including the people you thought you hated most."
This book was a mix of thriller, sci-fi, and some romance. It follows characters from vastly different backgrounds who end up together, with high stakes and secrets revealed. It keeps you guessing who is good and who is evil. The story is a page-turner with themes of conspiracy, infiltration, sacrifice, betrayal, and loyalty, among others. I enjoyed this book. It was an intense YA novel that explored very real issues, and ultimately, where loyalty lies when thrown into worlds unknown.

https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/7681305671
https://www.instagram.com/reel/DLTijX7s0Br/?igsh=M3hjc2lyM2YzbnY3
https://vm.tiktok.com/ZMS9MxD77/

Did not see the plot twists coming which surprised me, was a fun read, im guessing this will be a series so will like to read the next one.