What do you think?
Rate this book
Boundless #1
Bound by Stars
A Love That Defies Gravity…and Fate
She never belonged in his world. He never thought he’d leave it.
When Weslie Fleet wins a golden ticket aboard the Boundless, humanity’s most opulent starliner, it’s a dream―and a danger. Raised in the dust-ridden ruins of Earth, she is thrust into the gleaming luxury of Mars’s elite, where every whispered word carries weight and every glance is a silent judgment. And none watch her closer than Jupiter, the golden boy of Mars’s high society, bound by duty, legacy, and a future he never chose.
Their reluctant partnership was supposed to be a one-off assignment. Instead, it becomes a battle of wills, a spark that ignites, and a love neither of them anticipated. But fate is as cruel as it is unpredictable, and when the Boundless veers off course, love won’t be enough to save them.
The ship is failing. The odds are impossible. And in the darkness of space, survival is the only thing that matters.
But some loves are worth defying the stars for.
She never belonged in his world. He never thought he’d leave it.
When Weslie Fleet wins a golden ticket aboard the Boundless, humanity’s most opulent starliner, it’s a dream―and a danger. Raised in the dust-ridden ruins of Earth, she is thrust into the gleaming luxury of Mars’s elite, where every whispered word carries weight and every glance is a silent judgment. And none watch her closer than Jupiter, the golden boy of Mars’s high society, bound by duty, legacy, and a future he never chose.
Their reluctant partnership was supposed to be a one-off assignment. Instead, it becomes a battle of wills, a spark that ignites, and a love neither of them anticipated. But fate is as cruel as it is unpredictable, and when the Boundless veers off course, love won’t be enough to save them.
The ship is failing. The odds are impossible. And in the darkness of space, survival is the only thing that matters.
But some loves are worth defying the stars for.
400 pages, Paperback
First published July 1, 2025
22 people are currently reading
5187 people want to read
About the author
E.L. Starling
1 book44 followersEmily “E.L.” Starling is a YA speculative fiction writer from the center of California, midway between all the cities anyone has ever heard of. Now living in Portland, Oregon, she spends her time papercutting, hiking, befriending neighborhood cats, running a small business with her husband/high school sweetheart, and weaving stories full of longing and twisty secrets.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews
![Profile Image for vxmpslibrary [hiatus].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1747492395i%2F123295506._UX200_CR0%2C0%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
June 27, 2025
.4.5 stars.
💌 minor spoilers ahead!
.my thoughts.
this book was breathtaking.
I did not expect to love this book as much as I did, like the emotions it brought out to me was spectacular, and the vibes it brought was magical. The found family vibes was good, the characters were so lovable.
This book so reminded me of the book Illuminae, which made it even more better.
I believe it's Starling's first book of debut, and surprisingly, it is very simple to go through, from the start we go through basics, like simplistic and all, and then the second part is where it picks up, which is also what is investing. My expectations weren't high since I was just tired working and helping.
When Wesliee Fleet, a normal earther girl raised in the dust ridden of Earths is selected and wins a golden ticket aboard the Boundless Ship, it is like a dream come true, with fragments of danger following through. But in this gleaming luxury of Mar's Elite, where every stare is lingering just on her, on of them is most prominent, Jupiter.
But when the ship is failing, and in this darkness of space where survival is the only thing that matters, not even love can save anyone there, so how will they survive?
because sometimes, love is worth defying the stars for.
Wesliee is a really stubborn girl, who's surrounded by unknown people and guards herself, and when she's saved by Jupiter, after he was the one who made it so obvious, she's more entitled to throw him than trust him. She stays with mostly her favorite ILSA. I love her fierce personality and the way she's stubborn cause she reminds me of myself bahah, which was kinda irritating but yeah.
ILSA, omg I love this robot so much, it's always them that takes the entire book, her entire personality is so much more like her owner, Wesliee. But the way she cares like a human makes me realise how important she is, her emotions are still valid, and everytime she has helped Wes in dire times of need. The way she would just start reading emotions out everyone around her parameter, trust me you"ll love her.
Jupiter is the golden boy and the heir following after his sister, whose entire life is controlled by his parents, mostly his mother, who plans him to take over everything and get betrothed to the Skye, another heir. To expand business along. Also the way he's so patient and calm most of the time, and sketches most of the time? I love an artist boy bahah.
Asha, she's the best friend Wesliee could ever have, even though Wes was annoyed how she kept talking and she never stops, she of course got used to it always. And her bond with Wes I appreciated it so much, she would help Wes dress, show her around, everything. She's the character I most liked too.
Skye is also such a great character, her bonding with Jupiter is such a great one to watch, as it's supporting, friendly and something that I loved to read about. She and Wes were also great together, but the way she was supportive around her circle was the best one <3.
Honestly the way everything folded out till the very end was unexpected, and after the ending, some things quite did fell right into place, other characters had such complexity that I was interested in knowing about but also wasn't at the same time. The building of the world was pretty interesting to read about, and the writing style is just as easy to go through, though the details I had to go through twice haha. Some of these characters had so much to hide, even we U suspected them a lot, it still went through greatly!
The romantic aspect was also pretty good,, I was invested around the system and what was going to happen more, so I didn't mind when I thought I wanted more scenes and it felt a bit underdeveloped to me.
I would recommend you to read this book, because it's filled with good plot twists and surprising upturns and an ending that makes you want for book two more than ever.
💌 Thank you so much for Netgalley, Entangled Teen, to give me this gorgeous arc
12/6 a note that I might delete
currently there's a house emergency so I don't get to be active and it's so stressing😭. I'm tired for hours and I don't have my wifi for a week, so using network to complete my assignments. i actually hope I would be back soon because it is said that it might take the whole month🙏😞
.currently reading.
I'm actually surprised that I recieved this arc, but let's get this through!
💌 minor spoilers ahead!
"That is my intended function." She lays her cupped hand on my shoulder. "And I was built by an excellent engineer."
.my thoughts.
this book was breathtaking.
I did not expect to love this book as much as I did, like the emotions it brought out to me was spectacular, and the vibes it brought was magical. The found family vibes was good, the characters were so lovable.
This book so reminded me of the book Illuminae, which made it even more better.
I believe it's Starling's first book of debut, and surprisingly, it is very simple to go through, from the start we go through basics, like simplistic and all, and then the second part is where it picks up, which is also what is investing. My expectations weren't high since I was just tired working and helping.
When Wesliee Fleet, a normal earther girl raised in the dust ridden of Earths is selected and wins a golden ticket aboard the Boundless Ship, it is like a dream come true, with fragments of danger following through. But in this gleaming luxury of Mar's Elite, where every stare is lingering just on her, on of them is most prominent, Jupiter.
But when the ship is failing, and in this darkness of space where survival is the only thing that matters, not even love can save anyone there, so how will they survive?
because sometimes, love is worth defying the stars for.
Wesliee is a really stubborn girl, who's surrounded by unknown people and guards herself, and when she's saved by Jupiter, after he was the one who made it so obvious, she's more entitled to throw him than trust him. She stays with mostly her favorite ILSA. I love her fierce personality and the way she's stubborn cause she reminds me of myself bahah, which was kinda irritating but yeah.
ILSA, omg I love this robot so much, it's always them that takes the entire book, her entire personality is so much more like her owner, Wesliee. But the way she cares like a human makes me realise how important she is, her emotions are still valid, and everytime she has helped Wes in dire times of need. The way she would just start reading emotions out everyone around her parameter, trust me you"ll love her.
"Do not die while I'm away."
Jupiter is the golden boy and the heir following after his sister, whose entire life is controlled by his parents, mostly his mother, who plans him to take over everything and get betrothed to the Skye, another heir. To expand business along. Also the way he's so patient and calm most of the time, and sketches most of the time? I love an artist boy bahah.
"Mess with her again and you'll regret it."
Asha, she's the best friend Wesliee could ever have, even though Wes was annoyed how she kept talking and she never stops, she of course got used to it always. And her bond with Wes I appreciated it so much, she would help Wes dress, show her around, everything. She's the character I most liked too.
"Did ILSA really wake me up to witness you two stare longingly into each other's eyes? I mean I assumed it would happen eventually, but I would have been happy to hear all the details afterwards."
Skye is also such a great character, her bonding with Jupiter is such a great one to watch, as it's supporting, friendly and something that I loved to read about. She and Wes were also great together, but the way she was supportive around her circle was the best one <3.
"I almost look like you"
Skye steps up beside me in the mirror and hugs my arm. "You look like you, Weslie."
Honestly the way everything folded out till the very end was unexpected, and after the ending, some things quite did fell right into place, other characters had such complexity that I was interested in knowing about but also wasn't at the same time. The building of the world was pretty interesting to read about, and the writing style is just as easy to go through, though the details I had to go through twice haha. Some of these characters had so much to hide, even we U suspected them a lot, it still went through greatly!
The romantic aspect was also pretty good,, I was invested around the system and what was going to happen more, so I didn't mind when I thought I wanted more scenes and it felt a bit underdeveloped to me.
I would recommend you to read this book, because it's filled with good plot twists and surprising upturns and an ending that makes you want for book two more than ever.
💌 Thank you so much for Netgalley, Entangled Teen, to give me this gorgeous arc
12/6 a note that I might delete
currently there's a house emergency so I don't get to be active and it's so stressing😭. I'm tired for hours and I don't have my wifi for a week, so using network to complete my assignments. i actually hope I would be back soon because it is said that it might take the whole month🙏😞
.currently reading.
I'm actually surprised that I recieved this arc, but let's get this through!
![Profile Image for ari [semi ia].](/_next/image?url=https%3A%2F%2Fi.gr-assets.com%2Fimages%2FS%2Fcompressed.photo.goodreads.com%2Fusers%2F1757265812i%2F180071670._UX200_CR0%2C33%2C200%2C200_.jpg&w=128&q=75)
Want to read
June 24, 2025so first book i got a widget for 👀👀
Read
June 3, 2025DNF at 85 pages
June 26, 2025
Dnf at 14%
I won't be writing a full review of this because I barely read any of it, but I'll write a short review anyways. I honestly didn't hate it, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it that I noticed. Nothing was cheesy, or badly written, or slow paced or anything. This was extra confusing, because once I got to around 10% it was almost physically impossible to read. I literally would sit there starting at it, and space out or think about something else. I was able to focus on other books though, so I don't think it was just me. Something was just... off, I guess. I honestly just gave up on it because I knew it would take me literally MONTHS to finish. Also, this might be an unpopular opinion, but dual POV is getting kind of overused. It can be good SOMETIMES, but in this case it just was not working. I wouldn't recommend it, but because I couldn't find anything to hate I gave it 2 stars instead of one. I feel really guilty about DNFing another arc, but it is what it is, I guess?
I won't be writing a full review of this because I barely read any of it, but I'll write a short review anyways. I honestly didn't hate it, and there was absolutely nothing wrong with it that I noticed. Nothing was cheesy, or badly written, or slow paced or anything. This was extra confusing, because once I got to around 10% it was almost physically impossible to read. I literally would sit there starting at it, and space out or think about something else. I was able to focus on other books though, so I don't think it was just me. Something was just... off, I guess. I honestly just gave up on it because I knew it would take me literally MONTHS to finish. Also, this might be an unpopular opinion, but dual POV is getting kind of overused. It can be good SOMETIMES, but in this case it just was not working. I wouldn't recommend it, but because I couldn't find anything to hate I gave it 2 stars instead of one. I feel really guilty about DNFing another arc, but it is what it is, I guess?
July 1, 2025
Wesley and Jupiter are such amazing characters and Starling really brought the Boundless to life. This story was suspenseful and fun in the best possible ways. Excited to read whatever comes next from this author.
May 2, 2025
This is now an ILSA stan account
May 15, 2025
I loved this book! It's like nothing I've ever read before in the very best way. I adore the main characters Jupiter and Weslie! They have a slow burn romance that's filled with tension and some amazing banter. But ILSA is my favorite. She had me laughing many times. And my jaw was on the floor with the incredible twists. If you like books with adventure, mystery, romance and so much more then this is for you. I definitely recommend it!
July 11, 2025
Bound by Stars follows Weslie Fleet, raised on Earth and currently aboard the Boundless heading to Mars after winning a bot building competition. She’s entirely out of her element surrounded by the rich and subjected to whispers and glares for her Earth background. After being assigned a partner in class, sparks ignite between Weslie and Jupiter, Mars’s golden boy of high society. But there are greater forces at play on the ship and Weslie and Jupiter will have to risk everything to survive.
If there’s one thing I love, it’s a romance in space with a survival element. While the danger really only ignites in the last quarter, there’s a lovely tension woven throughout the entire story. The last bit is super intense and explosive—I couldn’t stop reading! The author created a fascinating, atmospheric setting, and I loved the discussions about class and society. The story is really fast paced and addictive, and while it is predictable, it’s still a really fun ride.
Weslie and Jupiter are from entirely different worlds but find something special in one another. Their romance was so sweet and swoony! I wish we got another chapter or epilogue at the end and would definitely read another story about them. There’s a great cast of characters here and the friend group was so awesome. Especially Asha and ISLA! They both added some great humour and light-heartedness to the tense plot and drama.
Overall, if you love enemies to lovers and stories set on spaceships, I’d definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you to Entangled for the arc!
If there’s one thing I love, it’s a romance in space with a survival element. While the danger really only ignites in the last quarter, there’s a lovely tension woven throughout the entire story. The last bit is super intense and explosive—I couldn’t stop reading! The author created a fascinating, atmospheric setting, and I loved the discussions about class and society. The story is really fast paced and addictive, and while it is predictable, it’s still a really fun ride.
Weslie and Jupiter are from entirely different worlds but find something special in one another. Their romance was so sweet and swoony! I wish we got another chapter or epilogue at the end and would definitely read another story about them. There’s a great cast of characters here and the friend group was so awesome. Especially Asha and ISLA! They both added some great humour and light-heartedness to the tense plot and drama.
Overall, if you love enemies to lovers and stories set on spaceships, I’d definitely recommend checking this one out!
Thank you to Entangled for the arc!
May 18, 2025
Bound by Stars by E.L. Starling
This YA Titanic retelling in space completely won me over. Set on a spaceship headed to Mars, it delivers all the high-stakes drama you’d expect—only with a sci-fi twist and a cast of lovable, relatable characters.
What I really appreciated was how the story tackled deeper issues like classism without ever feeling preachy. And while it’s YA, it’s not one of those overly angsty reads—just the right balance of heart, tension, and action.
The ending? Absolutely thrilling. If you’re into spaceship adventures with a strong emotional core and a twist that’ll keep you turning pages late into the night, Bound by Stars is a must-read.
This YA Titanic retelling in space completely won me over. Set on a spaceship headed to Mars, it delivers all the high-stakes drama you’d expect—only with a sci-fi twist and a cast of lovable, relatable characters.
What I really appreciated was how the story tackled deeper issues like classism without ever feeling preachy. And while it’s YA, it’s not one of those overly angsty reads—just the right balance of heart, tension, and action.
The ending? Absolutely thrilling. If you’re into spaceship adventures with a strong emotional core and a twist that’ll keep you turning pages late into the night, Bound by Stars is a must-read.
July 6, 2025
My goodness… what just happened? This book! These characters, that twist, the ending… I’m a wreck and need ILSA to help me sort shit out.
Don’t let the adorable first half of this book fool you into thinking it’s all going to go as planned. The second half will gut you. I was on the edge of my seat the whole last half… reading at warp speed and sci fi isn’t even really my jam.
This book had me from the first chapter. I was lucky enough to find this because of Fae Ball coming to Portland. So happy to have met these characters and this story. Getting to meet the author will be icing on the cake.
Don’t hesitate to pick this up even if science fiction isn’t really your thing… if you loved Titanic, you’ll love this. Trust me. ILSA will win you over.
Don’t let the adorable first half of this book fool you into thinking it’s all going to go as planned. The second half will gut you. I was on the edge of my seat the whole last half… reading at warp speed and sci fi isn’t even really my jam.
This book had me from the first chapter. I was lucky enough to find this because of Fae Ball coming to Portland. So happy to have met these characters and this story. Getting to meet the author will be icing on the cake.
Don’t hesitate to pick this up even if science fiction isn’t really your thing… if you loved Titanic, you’ll love this. Trust me. ILSA will win you over.
May 8, 2025
I loved this book!! I love the exploration of class and privilege, and Jupiter was especially a delight to read. He's such a sweet and patient love interest :)<3
TBH, I loved all the characters and their dynamics just in general. Weslie's friendship with Asha is so cute, and (no spoilers but) the dynamic that Skye introduces is something I've always wanted from the type of character she is, but I've never really seen until now. It was such a breath of fresh air, and honestly I appreciated the decision so much.
Overall, this was a really fun, pacey read with smart commentary, good banter, and a cast full of really charming characters. Five stars for sure :)
TBH, I loved all the characters and their dynamics just in general. Weslie's friendship with Asha is so cute, and (no spoilers but) the dynamic that Skye introduces is something I've always wanted from the type of character she is, but I've never really seen until now. It was such a breath of fresh air, and honestly I appreciated the decision so much.
Overall, this was a really fun, pacey read with smart commentary, good banter, and a cast full of really charming characters. Five stars for sure :)
May 24, 2025
PLEEEAAAASE tell me we’re getting a sequel, because I NEED more. I really hope Wes and Jupiter’s story continues. So much of the action was in the final 25% of the book, and the ending hints at more…👀 A girl can dream, right?
Want a forever happy ending for my sweet space babes. Loved the journey, the sci fi elements, the Titanic vibes of it all.
Also ILSA!!! Who knew a bot could be such an incredible character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Untangled Teen for the ARC. ❤️
Want a forever happy ending for my sweet space babes. Loved the journey, the sci fi elements, the Titanic vibes of it all.
Also ILSA!!! Who knew a bot could be such an incredible character.
Thank you to NetGalley and Untangled Teen for the ARC. ❤️
July 1, 2025
I want to start off by saying that now that I have read the book, I think the blurb is a bit too spoilery. Not that I didn't enjoy this book because I loved it. I think it would have been better blurbed as being how she actually got on the boundless and forced into working alongside Weslie Fleet. A lot of the blurb covers things that don't happen until near the end so I don't particular like that. Had I read the blurb (which I normally do not until I'm done reading for this particular reason) I would have been disappointed. Thankfully, I did not and I got to enjoy all the twists to full capacity.
This book follows Weslie and Jupiter. We start off to Weslie essentially sneaking onto the boundless. Not that she wasn't invited but she doesn't have parental permission and she's still a minor. Weslie won an interplanetary space competition for her creation ILSA. ILSA in the best way to describe her is like J.A.R.V.I.S.. She is super intelligent and self-aware, although she appears to be malfunctioning. This leads to Jupiter, the heir to one of the Big Six, getting paired up with her to help her fix up ILSA before Weslie's presentation.
What you can expect:
📚YA
📚Rivals to friends to lovers
📚He Falls First
📚Found Family
📚Titanic Vibes but make it space
📚Forced Proximity
Thank you to Entangled for the early copy!
This book follows Weslie and Jupiter. We start off to Weslie essentially sneaking onto the boundless. Not that she wasn't invited but she doesn't have parental permission and she's still a minor. Weslie won an interplanetary space competition for her creation ILSA. ILSA in the best way to describe her is like J.A.R.V.I.S.. She is super intelligent and self-aware, although she appears to be malfunctioning. This leads to Jupiter, the heir to one of the Big Six, getting paired up with her to help her fix up ILSA before Weslie's presentation.
What you can expect:
📚YA
📚Rivals to friends to lovers
📚He Falls First
📚Found Family
📚Titanic Vibes but make it space
📚Forced Proximity
Thank you to Entangled for the early copy!
July 24, 2025
3.5. Weslie wins a spot on the Boundless which is a starliner headed to Mars and it’s full of rich people including Jupiter, a boy her age. They don’t have a lot in common with different upbringings and classes, but they might find some common ground.
I am finding that I love books set in space, this was so fun! I really like the YA genre and this was done really well. It was a solid read!
I am finding that I love books set in space, this was so fun! I really like the YA genre and this was done really well. It was a solid read!
July 12, 2025
This is a very well-written book. I enjoyed the characters, the plot, and the mystery of who is behind it. All of it! Jupiter & Wesley are so cuuute and im rooting for them in book 2!
July 29, 2025
This book was a good surprise. I had no idea what to expect when I picked it up. I usually don’t read sci-fi, and the blurb made me a bit scared. However, I must say that I thoroughly enjoyed the book and the last 20% of the book I was in the border of my bed feeling every emotion. I hope we have a sequel so I can continue this journey with Jupiter, Wes, and all the gang, especially Ilsa. She was the best side character in this story.
June 28, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley/Entangled Teen and author E.L. Starling for the opportunity to read this eARC in exchange for my honest thoughts. I’m so glad I got to read it. 💖
🌙 Review: Bound by Stars - by E.L. Starling
𓍊𓋼𓍊 4☆
🗡 Update (06/28/25)
❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥
You know that kind of book that pulls you in from the very first pages and makes you forget about the clock? Bound By Stars was exactly that for me. I started expecting a teen romance in space with a sci-fi backdrop and found something much bigger: a story about inequality, identity, tough choices, unlikely connections, and the weight of being who you are in a world that insists on defining people by where they were born.
The plot introduces us to Weslie, a 17-year-old "Earthling" whose life so far has been marked by scarcity and a grueling routine on Earth,a planet nearly depleted and left behind by the elites who migrated to Mars. But she has an unusual talent: she's a robotics prodigy, and her creation, the incredible ILSA, a life-support bot, earns her first place in an interplanetary competition. The prize? A first-class ticket on the Boundless, the most luxurious and fastest ship ever built, heading to Mars. For Weslie, this trip represents a chance to start over,not just for her, but also for her mother.
Onboard the ship, the setting is breathtaking: the author conveys in vivid detail the contrast between the extravagant luxury of the Martians and the simplicity of Earth. And it’s in this context that Weslie literally bumps into Jupiter Dalloway, heir to one of Mars' Big Six corporations. Their encounter is explosive, full of sparks, sarcasm, and plenty of mistrust. She sees him as the living symbol of a system that marginalizes Earthlings. He's used to flattery and suddenly finds himself challenged by Weslie’s sharp intellect and authenticity.
This is where the book really shines for me: the author builds their relationship with care and layers. It’s not an instant love, but a bond that grows out of friction and strengthens over time, through forced proximity and the small vulnerabilities each one begins to show. Jupiter is not your typical "rich prince," and Weslie, with her stubbornness and strength, refuses to be shaped by the rules of this new world. There’s chemistry, yes, but there’s also respect, internal conflict, and mutual growth, and that makes everything more engaging.
And as if the romance wasn’t enough, Bound By Stars also delivers a growing mystery and political tension. Mysterious sabotage and threats from a rebel group. The narrative skillfully balances emotion with suspense. More than once, I found myself holding my breath,especially during the intense action scenes and the plot twists that completely shift the story’s perspective.
Speaking of plot twists: just when I thought I had it all figured out,boom! And there’s one specific scene that shattered my heart into a thousand pieces.
Another standout is ILSA, the robot Weslie created. She’s not just a brilliant invention, she’s a character in her own right,with personality, comic timing, and a central role in the plot. One of those secondary characters that easily steals the show.
Despite all my excitement, if I could change one thing, it would be a deeper exploration of some relationships,especially between Weslie and her mother. But since the story takes place entirely on the ship, I understand the limitation, and I’m hopeful the next volumes will explore that dimension more fully.
In the end, Bound By Stars is a story that surprises in many ways. It’s like Titanic meets Interstellar, but with political conspiracy, social critique, sarcastic robots, and a romance built on honesty and empathy. A futuristic narrative that makes you reflect on belonging, inequality, power, and affection amid chaos.
E.L. Starling delivers in this debut with fast-paced writing, sharp dialogue, and characters we can truly connect with. I finished the book with a heavy heart and am already counting the days until the second one.
If you’re looking for an engaging YA sci-fi with slow-burn romance, action, and meaningful themes, go ahead and add Bound By Stars to the top of your TBR. It will captivate you. And it will stay with you.
❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥
ੈ✩‧₊ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I’m super excited to start this read! It sounds absolutely adorable, let’s see how it goes!😍📚
❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥
/) /) ~ ┏━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┓
( •-• ) ~ ♡ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɴᴇxᴛ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ! ♡
/づづ ~ ┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛
🌙 Review: Bound by Stars - by E.L. Starling
𓍊𓋼𓍊 4☆
🗡 Update (06/28/25)
“Can we just be lost right now?”
“As long as you want to be lost with me.”
“Forever.”
❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥
You know that kind of book that pulls you in from the very first pages and makes you forget about the clock? Bound By Stars was exactly that for me. I started expecting a teen romance in space with a sci-fi backdrop and found something much bigger: a story about inequality, identity, tough choices, unlikely connections, and the weight of being who you are in a world that insists on defining people by where they were born.
The plot introduces us to Weslie, a 17-year-old "Earthling" whose life so far has been marked by scarcity and a grueling routine on Earth,a planet nearly depleted and left behind by the elites who migrated to Mars. But she has an unusual talent: she's a robotics prodigy, and her creation, the incredible ILSA, a life-support bot, earns her first place in an interplanetary competition. The prize? A first-class ticket on the Boundless, the most luxurious and fastest ship ever built, heading to Mars. For Weslie, this trip represents a chance to start over,not just for her, but also for her mother.
Onboard the ship, the setting is breathtaking: the author conveys in vivid detail the contrast between the extravagant luxury of the Martians and the simplicity of Earth. And it’s in this context that Weslie literally bumps into Jupiter Dalloway, heir to one of Mars' Big Six corporations. Their encounter is explosive, full of sparks, sarcasm, and plenty of mistrust. She sees him as the living symbol of a system that marginalizes Earthlings. He's used to flattery and suddenly finds himself challenged by Weslie’s sharp intellect and authenticity.
This is where the book really shines for me: the author builds their relationship with care and layers. It’s not an instant love, but a bond that grows out of friction and strengthens over time, through forced proximity and the small vulnerabilities each one begins to show. Jupiter is not your typical "rich prince," and Weslie, with her stubbornness and strength, refuses to be shaped by the rules of this new world. There’s chemistry, yes, but there’s also respect, internal conflict, and mutual growth, and that makes everything more engaging.
And as if the romance wasn’t enough, Bound By Stars also delivers a growing mystery and political tension. Mysterious sabotage and threats from a rebel group. The narrative skillfully balances emotion with suspense. More than once, I found myself holding my breath,especially during the intense action scenes and the plot twists that completely shift the story’s perspective.
Speaking of plot twists: just when I thought I had it all figured out,boom! And there’s one specific scene that shattered my heart into a thousand pieces.
Another standout is ILSA, the robot Weslie created. She’s not just a brilliant invention, she’s a character in her own right,with personality, comic timing, and a central role in the plot. One of those secondary characters that easily steals the show.
Despite all my excitement, if I could change one thing, it would be a deeper exploration of some relationships,especially between Weslie and her mother. But since the story takes place entirely on the ship, I understand the limitation, and I’m hopeful the next volumes will explore that dimension more fully.
In the end, Bound By Stars is a story that surprises in many ways. It’s like Titanic meets Interstellar, but with political conspiracy, social critique, sarcastic robots, and a romance built on honesty and empathy. A futuristic narrative that makes you reflect on belonging, inequality, power, and affection amid chaos.
E.L. Starling delivers in this debut with fast-paced writing, sharp dialogue, and characters we can truly connect with. I finished the book with a heavy heart and am already counting the days until the second one.
If you’re looking for an engaging YA sci-fi with slow-burn romance, action, and meaningful themes, go ahead and add Bound By Stars to the top of your TBR. It will captivate you. And it will stay with you.
❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥
ੈ✩‧₊ 𝒫𝓇𝑒-𝓇𝑒𝒶𝒹: I’m super excited to start this read! It sounds absolutely adorable, let’s see how it goes!😍📚
❥๑━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━━๑❥
/) /) ~ ┏━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┓
( •-• ) ~ ♡ ᴇɴᴊᴏʏ ʏᴏᴜʀ ɴᴇxᴛ ɢʀᴇᴀᴛ ʀᴇᴀᴅ! ♡
/づづ ~ ┗━━━━━━━━━━━━━━┛
Read
June 17, 2025Thank you to the publisher and NetGalley for an advanced reader copy
Bound By Stars is a E.L. Starling first person dual-POV YA sci-fi romance genderbent retelling of Titanic. Weslie is a young prodigy in robotics who wins a spot on the Boundless’ voyage to Mars. She meets Jupiter, an artist and heir to one of the Big Six families of the future. The two aren’t looking for love but that’s exactly what they find before the spaceship they’re on starts to go down.
I would definitely classify this as a retelling of Titanic. The beats follow the film quite closely, complete with an unwanted arranged marriage that one member of the romantic relationship has to find a way to break and a sharp class divide that keeps the pair apart. I wouldn’t call this a Romantasy by any stretch of the imagination because there is nothing really fantastical in it that doesn’t have to do with robotics or space and it’s all quite grounded (think Star Trek, not Star Wars). It’s a sci-fi romance or a space romance.
Weslie comes onto the ship with something sort of going on with Reve who is one of the ship’s employees. They aren’t together but she wants something more to be between them than what there currently is until she starts to develop feelings for Jupiter, who she spends a lot of time with due to their shared classes on the Boundless. It is something of a third triangle, but there’s never really a fight between Jupiter and Reve because both young men understand that Weslie can and will make her own choices and they’ll let her pick between them without duking it out.
This moves at a fairly fast pace and is easy to read. The Titanic aspects help pull the narrative forward and the worldbuilding doesn’t use a ton of in-world terms. The mix of the familiar with a handful of new things would make this a good fit for a reader who is thinking of dipping their toes into sci-fi.
I would recommend this to fans of romances set in space and readers of YA looking to give sci-fi a spin
Bound By Stars is a E.L. Starling first person dual-POV YA sci-fi romance genderbent retelling of Titanic. Weslie is a young prodigy in robotics who wins a spot on the Boundless’ voyage to Mars. She meets Jupiter, an artist and heir to one of the Big Six families of the future. The two aren’t looking for love but that’s exactly what they find before the spaceship they’re on starts to go down.
I would definitely classify this as a retelling of Titanic. The beats follow the film quite closely, complete with an unwanted arranged marriage that one member of the romantic relationship has to find a way to break and a sharp class divide that keeps the pair apart. I wouldn’t call this a Romantasy by any stretch of the imagination because there is nothing really fantastical in it that doesn’t have to do with robotics or space and it’s all quite grounded (think Star Trek, not Star Wars). It’s a sci-fi romance or a space romance.
Weslie comes onto the ship with something sort of going on with Reve who is one of the ship’s employees. They aren’t together but she wants something more to be between them than what there currently is until she starts to develop feelings for Jupiter, who she spends a lot of time with due to their shared classes on the Boundless. It is something of a third triangle, but there’s never really a fight between Jupiter and Reve because both young men understand that Weslie can and will make her own choices and they’ll let her pick between them without duking it out.
This moves at a fairly fast pace and is easy to read. The Titanic aspects help pull the narrative forward and the worldbuilding doesn’t use a ton of in-world terms. The mix of the familiar with a handful of new things would make this a good fit for a reader who is thinking of dipping their toes into sci-fi.
I would recommend this to fans of romances set in space and readers of YA looking to give sci-fi a spin
July 4, 2025
A cute, sci-fi YA romance.
However, as a lover of YA, the characters felt a bit young for their ages (they're both 17). Like they're coming face to face with real, life altering decisions (talking about engagements and being trained to take over companies and moving to a different planet....), but are also kind of naive about a lot of things.
I'd say the comparison to the Titanic is a bit of a weak one - yeah, White Star Line, but also not really? There's talk of rebellions and interplanetary sabotage and class warfare. It hints at a greater world outside the realm of this spaceship that wasn't really explored or explained further.
Things are pretty slow for the first bit, and then they start picking up and really speeding off the rails - only to come to a really abrupt ending that makes me feel like this is intended to be a series; but I don't know what else a second book would have to say?
(I do feel like some things were explained too cleanly/not given much depth of explanation that might be setting the groundwork for another book)
All that aside, I had a fun time reading this - I always love a love story set on a spaceship, with the added drama of the ship going down to keep things tense.
The romance was a little fast for my taste, but it was cute and fluffy, opposites-attract/dislike to lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own
However, as a lover of YA, the characters felt a bit young for their ages (they're both 17). Like they're coming face to face with real, life altering decisions (talking about engagements and being trained to take over companies and moving to a different planet....), but are also kind of naive about a lot of things.
I'd say the comparison to the Titanic is a bit of a weak one - yeah, White Star Line, but also not really? There's talk of rebellions and interplanetary sabotage and class warfare. It hints at a greater world outside the realm of this spaceship that wasn't really explored or explained further.
Things are pretty slow for the first bit, and then they start picking up and really speeding off the rails - only to come to a really abrupt ending that makes me feel like this is intended to be a series; but I don't know what else a second book would have to say?
(I do feel like some things were explained too cleanly/not given much depth of explanation that might be setting the groundwork for another book)
All that aside, I had a fun time reading this - I always love a love story set on a spaceship, with the added drama of the ship going down to keep things tense.
The romance was a little fast for my taste, but it was cute and fluffy, opposites-attract/dislike to lovers.
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Teen for the eARC. All thoughts and opinions are my own
May 14, 2025
“Can we just be lost right now?”
“As long as you want to be lost with me.”
“Forever.” 🖤
I can’t even begin to explain how much I adored this book. I love books set in space and I really felt like I was right there with the characters on the spaceship. The world building, the characters and the plot were amazing and this book deserves all of the praise!
Jupiter and Weslie’s slow-burn relationship was done extremely well and was done at the perfect pace. Jupiter’s confidence in Weslie was everything and I love that Weslie had a huge support system from Jupiter and the rest of her friends. Despite being the heir to a huge company, Jupiter truly was such a softie and no way near a jerk which was nice to read. It was so easy to fall in love with him and his character. Their story really had me tearing up at the end.
I absolutely loved ILSA and her sassy personality. I could totally see the similarities between her and Weslie since of course Weslie was the one who designed her. ILSA’s commentary really stole the show for me.
The last 20% of the book had so much action, I was right at the edge of my seat the entire time. The plot twists and turns were wild and that cliffhanger killed me, but I know the next book is going to be amazing. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
If you love YA sci-fi/fantasy, a space setting, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, a slight love triangle, and found family, then be sure to check this book out! Bound By Stars releases on July 1st!
Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing/Entangled Teen and Netgalley for the advanced copy!
“As long as you want to be lost with me.”
“Forever.” 🖤
I can’t even begin to explain how much I adored this book. I love books set in space and I really felt like I was right there with the characters on the spaceship. The world building, the characters and the plot were amazing and this book deserves all of the praise!
Jupiter and Weslie’s slow-burn relationship was done extremely well and was done at the perfect pace. Jupiter’s confidence in Weslie was everything and I love that Weslie had a huge support system from Jupiter and the rest of her friends. Despite being the heir to a huge company, Jupiter truly was such a softie and no way near a jerk which was nice to read. It was so easy to fall in love with him and his character. Their story really had me tearing up at the end.
I absolutely loved ILSA and her sassy personality. I could totally see the similarities between her and Weslie since of course Weslie was the one who designed her. ILSA’s commentary really stole the show for me.
The last 20% of the book had so much action, I was right at the edge of my seat the entire time. The plot twists and turns were wild and that cliffhanger killed me, but I know the next book is going to be amazing. I can’t wait to read the rest of the series!
If you love YA sci-fi/fantasy, a space setting, enemies to lovers, forbidden romance, a slight love triangle, and found family, then be sure to check this book out! Bound By Stars releases on July 1st!
Thank you so much to Entangled Publishing/Entangled Teen and Netgalley for the advanced copy!
July 13, 2025
Ok so as soon as I learned Bound by Stars was like Titanic set in outer space, I was IN. Say less.
At 17 years old, Weslie is an award winning robotics engineer from Earth, who holds her pants up with electrical wire. Jupiter is the heir to one of the Big Six family-led corporations on Mars, preparing for a life with suffocating expectations. It’s the year 2212, and they meet on the historic maiden voyage of the luxurious ship Boundless on a 36-day trip to Mars. I loved them both and was rooting for them immediately! There are also really great side characters, both lovable and hatable, the best of which is a hilariously snarky robot 🤭
I appreciated how this world was inclusive in some ways, but unfortunately - thanks to capitalism - there is rampant nepotism, corruption, and classism. The author brilliantly uses student classroom debates to highlight this in a thought-provoking way.
Read this if you like YA love stories, accessible sci-fi, and emotional stories. I really hope there is a sequel in the works!
Many thanks to Entangled Publishing for the ARC! ✨ 🤖 ✨
At 17 years old, Weslie is an award winning robotics engineer from Earth, who holds her pants up with electrical wire. Jupiter is the heir to one of the Big Six family-led corporations on Mars, preparing for a life with suffocating expectations. It’s the year 2212, and they meet on the historic maiden voyage of the luxurious ship Boundless on a 36-day trip to Mars. I loved them both and was rooting for them immediately! There are also really great side characters, both lovable and hatable, the best of which is a hilariously snarky robot 🤭
I appreciated how this world was inclusive in some ways, but unfortunately - thanks to capitalism - there is rampant nepotism, corruption, and classism. The author brilliantly uses student classroom debates to highlight this in a thought-provoking way.
Read this if you like YA love stories, accessible sci-fi, and emotional stories. I really hope there is a sequel in the works!
Many thanks to Entangled Publishing for the ARC! ✨ 🤖 ✨
September 1, 2025
"Her hands find mine, fingers weaving together. She drags me along, like a siren from Greek mythology, luring me to my death. And I give in, gliding with her in the tranquil quiet, ignoring my burning lungs." (Ch 22)
A girl who has nothing meets the boy who is privileged. She wants to find a way to turn around her family's lot in life, and he wants to escape his legacy to make his own choices. It's a tale as old as time. But this time... it's up in space.
There's the typical upper/lower class disparages, in this case, between Elysians and Earthers. Plus, mean girls and bullies. And social radicals.
It was cute how Weslie and Jupiter kept running into each other... literally. And loved Jupiter's persistence as he tried to wear down her resistance toward him.
"I suddenly realize I’m clinging to him like he’s the only thing keeping me from plummeting to my death. I untangle myself. “Don’t read into this. When we’re back in the lab, I’ll continue barely tolerating you.”" (Ch 18)
The last quarter or so brings in a little bit of thrill and suspense and an unexpected twist!
eARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing / Entangled Insiders
A girl who has nothing meets the boy who is privileged. She wants to find a way to turn around her family's lot in life, and he wants to escape his legacy to make his own choices. It's a tale as old as time. But this time... it's up in space.
There's the typical upper/lower class disparages, in this case, between Elysians and Earthers. Plus, mean girls and bullies. And social radicals.
It was cute how Weslie and Jupiter kept running into each other... literally. And loved Jupiter's persistence as he tried to wear down her resistance toward him.
"I suddenly realize I’m clinging to him like he’s the only thing keeping me from plummeting to my death. I untangle myself. “Don’t read into this. When we’re back in the lab, I’ll continue barely tolerating you.”" (Ch 18)
The last quarter or so brings in a little bit of thrill and suspense and an unexpected twist!
eARC courtesy of Entangled Publishing / Entangled Insiders
July 13, 2025
Bound by Stars by E.L. Starling is an emotional rollercoaster through love and the stars! 🚀💫 Just like it promises—Titanic in space—and I loved every moment of it.
Weslie is a smart, strong-willed heroine you can’t help but root for, and Jupiter? He’s a bright, charming Elyasian from Mars who’s impossible not to fall for. Their journey is filled with enemies-to-lovers tension, forbidden romance, forced proximity, and all the feels. 🥹💕
This is a YA sci-fi romance that delivers heart, adventure, and just the right amount of swoon—perfectly safe for teens while still bringing the emotional heat. Definitely one to add to your TBR if you love love…in space!
Weslie is a smart, strong-willed heroine you can’t help but root for, and Jupiter? He’s a bright, charming Elyasian from Mars who’s impossible not to fall for. Their journey is filled with enemies-to-lovers tension, forbidden romance, forced proximity, and all the feels. 🥹💕
This is a YA sci-fi romance that delivers heart, adventure, and just the right amount of swoon—perfectly safe for teens while still bringing the emotional heat. Definitely one to add to your TBR if you love love…in space!
June 12, 2025
Thank you to NetGalley and Entangled Publishing for this advanced reader copy.
This book was different than anything I have ever read. It was a Titanic retelling on a state of the art spaceship. There are so many themes in this book that kept me interested and intrigued. It delves into themes of classism and social divide. There are also romantic tension, adventure and survival themes.
The ending was constant action and tied up the story nicely. I am definitely interested in reading more by this author!
This book was different than anything I have ever read. It was a Titanic retelling on a state of the art spaceship. There are so many themes in this book that kept me interested and intrigued. It delves into themes of classism and social divide. There are also romantic tension, adventure and survival themes.
The ending was constant action and tied up the story nicely. I am definitely interested in reading more by this author!
June 14, 2025
I gave Bound by Stars four ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️. Thank you Entangled Publishing and E.L. Starling for this ARC. These are my honest opinions.
I loved this book! The author wrote it after watching Titanic and thinking, “what if….?” And I was here for all of it!
I loved the characters. Finally, an FMC that isn’t constantly doing stupid things or guilt tripping. Weslie knows where she’s from and where she hopes she’s going. She doesn’t constantly bring up guilty feelings for winning the contest that got her on the Boundless….she won fair and square and makes no apologies about it. While she does battle with her place on the ship, I think that would be a normal reaction.
Jupiter is also well written. He was the perfect companion to Weslie. Both the chemistry and the banter.
ILSA - yes please! She might have been my favorite character.
There were awesome secondary characters, too.
I enjoyed the story line and it kept me engaged from the very beginning. This was somewhat of a dystopian, class society book, although the government isn’t portrayed much.
You will like this one!
I loved this book! The author wrote it after watching Titanic and thinking, “what if….?” And I was here for all of it!
I loved the characters. Finally, an FMC that isn’t constantly doing stupid things or guilt tripping. Weslie knows where she’s from and where she hopes she’s going. She doesn’t constantly bring up guilty feelings for winning the contest that got her on the Boundless….she won fair and square and makes no apologies about it. While she does battle with her place on the ship, I think that would be a normal reaction.
Jupiter is also well written. He was the perfect companion to Weslie. Both the chemistry and the banter.
ILSA - yes please! She might have been my favorite character.
There were awesome secondary characters, too.
I enjoyed the story line and it kept me engaged from the very beginning. This was somewhat of a dystopian, class society book, although the government isn’t portrayed much.
You will like this one!
July 17, 2025
An adventurous YA sci-fi romance.
A journey into the darkness, aboard Boundless (humanity’s most opulent starliner), featuring first love, a battle of wills, impossible choices and a journey that does not go as planned.
Jupiter is the golden boy of Mars elite and his future is bound by duty. Weslie was raised in the dust-ridden ruins of Earth and won a golden ticket aboard Boundless. They are forced together in a one-off assignment, until sparks fly.
A journey into the darkness, aboard Boundless (humanity’s most opulent starliner), featuring first love, a battle of wills, impossible choices and a journey that does not go as planned.
Jupiter is the golden boy of Mars elite and his future is bound by duty. Weslie was raised in the dust-ridden ruins of Earth and won a golden ticket aboard Boundless. They are forced together in a one-off assignment, until sparks fly.
July 27, 2025
Thank you to Entangled and Net Galley for this ARC!
I am not okay with how this book ended! So much left open. I need a sequel!
I really enjoyed the book and the mystery. This book kept me guessing and I guessed wrong a few times!
I am also a sucker for a romance so I loved that aspect of this book.
I loved so many of the characters from ILSA, who was hilarious, to Jupiter, the heir struggling under the weight of his new role.
Such a well done book!
I am not okay with how this book ended! So much left open. I need a sequel!
I really enjoyed the book and the mystery. This book kept me guessing and I guessed wrong a few times!
I am also a sucker for a romance so I loved that aspect of this book.
I loved so many of the characters from ILSA, who was hilarious, to Jupiter, the heir struggling under the weight of his new role.
Such a well done book!
July 9, 2025
Idk why but this gave me Zenon girl of the 21st century mixed with Titanic vibes hahaha. I freaking loved it! It’s well written, creative and very intriguing. I loved how strong and brilliant Weslie is and loved everything about Jupiter. It does end on a bit of a cliffhanger but I’m so excited to read the next book!!
May 11, 2025
I received the ARC for this book at Yallwest and was immediately drawn in by the premise since Titanic is one of my favorite movies. This book brought in the perfect amount of Titanic inspiration while giving it a great sci-fi twist and keeping the themes surrounding classism. It really has a little bit of everything: a sweet romance, interesting family dynamics with a dash of politics, a space mystery, and a semester-at-sea sort of academic setting!
Overall the biggest strength of this book is the pacing; I found it compulsively readable and I had no problem finishing it in a single day. The characters have distinct personalities and you can’t help but root for them. I was pleasantly surprised when I got closer to the end that there would be a sequel and I’m intrigued by all the plot threads that haven’t been wrapped up yet!
Overall the biggest strength of this book is the pacing; I found it compulsively readable and I had no problem finishing it in a single day. The characters have distinct personalities and you can’t help but root for them. I was pleasantly surprised when I got closer to the end that there would be a sequel and I’m intrigued by all the plot threads that haven’t been wrapped up yet!
July 24, 2025
Yay!! I’ve been waiting for this book forever. It definitely lived up to expectations. I loved the dual perspective. Such a quick read and great pacing!
Displaying 1 - 30 of 230 reviews