Blog Tour | An Ocean of Stars

Today I’m participating in the official blog tour for AN OCEAN OF STARS by Becca Mionis! This YA sci-fi romance is the first in a trilogy and was fun to read with characters that kept you hooked so you’ll definitely want to check it out. If “A girl lost in space must rely on a mysterious young captain for survival in this young adult science fiction romance inspired by 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea.” sounds intriguing then definitely keep reading this post for more on the book and author, an interview, my review, AND the chance to enter an exciting giveaway!!

The Book

An Ocean of Stars
(The Atlantis Chronicles #1)
Becca Mionis
YA Sci-fi Romance
Goodreads | Kindle | Kobo | Paperback

Girl, meet boy. He’s the reason you’re lost in space.

Xanorra Nepier thought she’d spend the next eight years making space colonist history: exploring the other side of the Current, the galaxy’s only known wormhole. But when a mysterious ship attacks and she’s separated from her family and crew, her only choice is to accept the help of the enemy ship’s captain. The kicker: he’s a boy her age who has never met another human before. And it shows.

Boy, meet girl. She’s the one thing that could put your mission at risk.

Captain Omen has a destiny to fulfill: to ferry his cargo on board the Atlantis to a secret world and begin humanity’s next chapter beyond the stars. He certainly wasn’t supposed to rescue a stranded spacer girl, especially one whose ship he had just destroyed… and who his android crew insists is a threat to the mission. She may be loud, but she can’t be all bad, can she?

Their paths were never supposed to cross, but what begins as a shaky alliance grows into a genuine connection–a connection that’s tested with each new obstacle they encounter, both within the confines of the Atlantis… and without.

Coming January 21, 2023!

pooled Ink Review

Okay, this was fun! The FMC is snarky with a bit of a foulmouth and definitely presents a challenge in more ways than one to the MMC whom was raised by androids and practically behaves like one. Watching him be often baffled and annoyed with Xan’s utter humanness (and vice versa) was entertaining plus the entire mystery of Captain’s impossible ship was exciting to unfold. Oh, and did I mention that the attractive Captain is the reason Xan became stranded in space to begin with? If you’re looking for a YA sci-fi trilogy that’ll make you laugh, gasp, awe, and dream, then definitely give An Ocean of Stars a try.
–pooled ink

Q&A

Q: What was the spark for the idea that grew into An Ocean of Stars?

A: Honestly, it was because a couple summers ago I read (or, rather, listened to) 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea by Jules Verne and thought, “Huh. This kind of story (someone trapped on a ship with an enigmatic captain) would really work in space. Like what Disney did with Treasure Planet. Why not with teenagers…?”

I also had an old, old story idea that I’d beaten to death in my teens and had just about laid to rest for good. Thankfully, I managed to salvage bits and pieces from it to build the main characters of An Ocean of Stars, which felt like a nice homage because I was really attached to those guys. The rest is practically unrecognizable, which is for the best, trust me.

Q: What drew you into the YA sci-fi genre?

A: Oddly enough, I always considered myself a fairytale/fantasy fan, but something about sci-fi compels me as a writer; maybe it’s the imagery, or the big ideas, or the connection to the real world. I see a lot of untapped potential in the genre and I think it can be just as rich and romantic as fantasy if given the chance.

My favorite series growing up was Artemis Fowl by Eoin Colfer, so that set the groundwork even though it’s sort of a genre-bender (urban fantasy meets sci-fi… fantastic worldbuilding, though).

I was also very drawn to the superhero genre (thanks in large part to the 2000s X-Men movie franchise) and wrote a lot of very bad stories about superpowered people (including the aforementioned “old, old story idea” I salvaged from), which is technically sci-fi.

Then, later in life, I read the Defy the Stars trilogy by Claudia Gray and it rocked my world. I didn’t know it was what I was looking for in YA sci-fi until I found it, and I’ve been chasing that high ever since.

Q: Do you have a favorite scene in the book?

A: It’s funny how when you’re asked that question, you suddenly forget every word you’ve ever written. Just kidding (kind of…)

I think my favorite scene is the second spacewalk, when Xan’s tether breaks and Captain has to save her. It’s one of those scenes that I didn’t plan but that felt like a natural progression; it’s also one of the most pivotal moments of the book, where Xan realizes Captain actually does care about her.

A close second is the kissing scene that follows shortly after, of course. Gotta love a good kissing scene.

Q: Is Xan anything like yourself or more of an alter ego?

A: I wrote Xan in my voice, so she sounds a lot like me… or how I sounded as a teenager, at any rate. But she’s way more of an extrovert than I am, and she loves people way more. She also wants to be a teacher, something I was always told I’d be good at but never felt to be my calling. Maybe she’s me from an alternate dimension where I turned out to be an extrovert? But even that feels like projecting! Hopefully, she comes off as a different person!

Q: If you could pick a song to pair with An Ocean of Stars, what would it be?

A: You’re talking to the girl who puts together entire playlists for her writing projects. But not to worry, I can narrow it down to one: Explorers by Muse. It captures the overall tone and central conflict of the book pretty darn well. Muse has always been synonymous with “sci-fi rock” to me—I guess most of their stuff really leans into the futuristic motif!

The Author

Becca Mionis debuted in 2022 with the quirky science-fiction romantic comedy, The Last Celestials, and honestly did not expect to come out with another book this soon. Sometimes, the muses smile down upon you. She is praying that this is one of those times.

A native of Kansas City, she graduated from William Jewell College with a BA in English and a minor in Music Performance, jumping feet-first into freelance copywriting while continuing to write fiction on the side. Music remains a large part of her life as well, though largely for fun. (Don’t get her started about making book playlists!)

Aside from words and sounds, she also enjoys drawing, film criticism, making people laugh, drinking coffee, drinking wine, obscure internet references, and general housewifery.

She lives in South Carolina with her wonderful husband, their overzealous husky, and a cat who is the physical embodiment of the word “whatever.”

The Giveaway

The author will be giving away 1 SIGNED COPY of An Ocean of Stars! To enter, you must:

Follow the author on Instagram (@wordsandothermalarky)
Like and comment on the giveaway post (which the author will have up ON Wednesday the 18th)
Tag a friend!

This promotion will begin on Wednesday, January 18th at noon and end on Wednesday, January 25th at noon. The author will then select a first prize winner at random and contact them via social media!

But wait… there’s also a second and third prize! What are they?