The Native Star by M.K. Hobson
My rating: 4 of 5 stars
As soon as I finished this book, I immediately rated it 3.5 stars in my head. After a few more hours, as I sit down to write a review, I think it deserves 4 stars.
The characters, the alternate-history world of the Wild West (or is it the Weird West??), the magic system, and the plot all came together to make a very engaging read. So engaging that I read the entire book in less than 24 hours.
The whole heroine who holds the secret to world salvation/devastation is not a new plot device, but it worked in Native Star. It’s a fun romp with pleasant characters, a sweet romance, no blush-worthy mentions of naughty bits, and giant evil mutations.