Review by Booklist Review
Valdes' debut novel follows starship captain Eva Innocente and her crew as they attempt to navigate the many and varying threats plaguing them. A client falls through, leaving Eva with a ship full of psychic cats, and she must deal with her sister's apparent kidnapping by the Fridge, a cryostasis cartel joined by the fish-faced Glorious Apotheosis, an interstellar tyrant bent on revenge against her for turning down his romantic overtures. While running errands for the Fridge to try to secure her sisters' release, Eva must not only dodge the Glorious' relentless pursuit but also try to keep the reason for their bizarre new itinerary a secret from her crew especially her closest friend, medical officer Pink all while dealing with her budding feelings for her engineer, whose scent-based emotions are giving off some very clear signals. The mixture of space adventure and interpersonal relationships comes off as a more light-hearted take on the video game Mass Effect and should appeal to anyone looking for its particular brand of light, fun space opera.--Nell Keep Copyright 2019 Booklist
From Booklist, Copyright (c) American Library Association. Used with permission.
Review by Publisher's Weekly Review
Valdes's space opera misadventure of deceit and family ties is full of heart but slow to develop. Capt. Eva Innocente, a reformed rogue, has gotten herself on the right track, cruising the galaxy with the crew of the La Sirena Negra and taking up small legal jobs even though that means smaller profit. But after receiving a message that her sister, Mari, has been kidnapped by an intergalactic syndicate called the Fridge, Eva has to wager her ship, her crew, and her better life to get Mari back. Soon she's lying to her crew, fending off an angry suitor, and wrangling a cargo hold full of psychic cats. The intrigue, deception, and action somehow never quite rev up, but spirited characters and absurd humor hold this novel together as the plot trudges forward. Readers who get through the smaller early mishaps and into the meat of the book will find it satisfying. Agent: Quressa Robinson, Nelson Literary. (Sept.)
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Review by Library Journal Review
Captain Eva Innocente leads her crew on La Sirena Negra as a small-time cargo smuggler. One thing she has tried to hold true to is honesty and integrity in her business and dealings with her crew, especially after her notorious past. When her sister is kidnapped by syndicate the Fridge, she must perform dangerous, probably illegal services to pay ransom. But family is everything to her, and things get worse as the lies pile up, forcing Eva to test the loyalties of everyone around her. Added to this mess is a jilted emperor who will take Eva's death instead of "no," plus a hold full of psychic cats that find their way all around the ship. As Eva contends with the threats in front of her, she must face her failures, past and present, or lose everything she has built. Valdes's elegant writing is on point, with all the emotional buy-in that comes with a story about families. VERDICT Featuring memorable Cuban-descended characters, this engaging space opera debut delivers a story that dances between hilarity and seriousness, with all the joy and frustration psychic cats can bring to the mix.--Kristi Chadwick, Massachusetts Lib. Syst., Northampton
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Review by Kirkus Book Review
The snarky captain of a small cargo ship is sent on harrowing missions through space by the frightening syndicate holding her sister hostage.Capt. Eva Innocente and her small but talented crew traverse the galaxy in her beloved ship, La Sirena Negra, completing cargo runs for various clients. Eva may be a little rough around the edges, but who can blame her when her story begins with a shady customer ditching her with a cargo of troublemaking psychic cats (no, really) and no payment. But when Eva is contacted by a representative of the Fridge, a shadowy crime organization that has kidnapped her sister, Mari, the cats become the least of Eva's troubles. The Fridge orders Eva to complete a series of missions, each more dangerous than the last, in order to secure Mari's freedom. Eva is terrified for her sister's safety, but she's only barely in better shape herself. A sleazy alien emperor whose amorous advances she rejected will literally kill to have her, she lied to her crew about her sister's kidnapping, and, worst of all, she might have feelings for her engineer! Valdes is a debut author, but this zany, rollicking adventure doesn't show it. Jam-packed with weird aliens, mysterious artifacts, and lovable characters, there isn't a single dull page. Eva and her family are Latinx and often include unitalicized Spanish in their dialogue, a rare find in a genre that usually uses whiteness as the default.A tremendous good time and an impressive debut. Copyright Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.
