Review Detail

DARK STARS by Danielle Rollins is the third book in her series of the same name. It begins with Dorothy needing to figure out how and why Ash’s death vision came to be and what her role was in it. Armed with new knowledge from the professor and her own time travel machine, Dorothy goes back in time once again to the events leading up to Mac’s takeover. She knows that she can’t change the past, but perhaps she’ll be able to stop the ominous future. The one where New Seattle no longer exists.

TWISTED FATES, the second book in the series, is a really strong set up for a lot of the plot threads in this finale. Some of them require suspension of disbelief that I was hoping would be clarified in this final novel—but they weren’t. That being said, the series overall is so entertaining that I’m pretty forgiving on this point. I also really care about the characters, particularly Dorothy, Ash, Roman, and the professor. Rollins does a great job at making us root for their successes, as well as dropping them in dire situations and letting them find their way out of them. She also excels at placing the reader in the scene. Her descriptions and ability to build mood and tone are both tangible and fascinating.

This novel is split into five different sections, each one dealing with a specific task in Dorothy’s journey. Because of this, the pacing of this book feels a bit slow as there are arcs culminating in different parts. As a result, it seems like the story is ending multiple times, but then it revs into something else. Yet, somehow, it doesn’t all culminate in a satisfying way. I still have so many questions and believe there is plenty of space for a fourth book. I want to see Ash and Dorothy come together and acknowledge their feelings for one another—not through a third party, know what happens with Mac after the confrontation, see if the time travelers ever go back from the future, and more.

That being said, if you’re looking for a fun and gritty time travel series, DARK STARS is a great one to add to your TBR list. It’s full of surprising twists and turns that will keep you guessing what’s next.