Triple Gold Winner — 2026 Spring BookFest Awards
First Place: Science Fiction Space Opera, YA Science Fiction, LGBTQ+ Science Fiction
New Edition — Book One in the Award-Winning YA Sci-Fi Series
Lily Starling is alone in a city she barely recognizes, with no memory of her past—only a metal tag bearing her name and an instinct for survival. When a Union starship crew claims she belongs with them, she’s pulled centuries beyond her own time and into a desperate mission against the psionic Krythar.
Aboard the starship Salamander, Lily is drawn into a found family of misfit officers, warriors, and exiles. Together, they uncover mysteries hidden among the stars: an ancient memory seed carrying the voices of the dead—and a weapon capable of unraveling time itself.
But when Lily faces her greatest fear, she must choose—confront the truth of her past, or risk losing everything she’s come to care about.
A lyrical, fast-paced space opera about identity, connection, and courage at the edge of the unknown.
Perfect for fans of Becky Chambers, with the cinematic scope of Mass Effect and the found-family heart of Firefly and Red Rising.
