Ms. Lam, Ms. May... I hate you! Why do you have to do things like eat and sleep and live your lives? Why can't you just write all the time and make me happy?! Seriously - your grocery lists would be readily accepted. "Seven Devils" is just sooooooo good... better than good... The characters are beyond awesome, the plot is intense, the writing is out of this world (and probably beyond this galaxy). I laughed, I snorted, I gasped, and a few tears escaped. "Seven Devils" has everything I want in a book (and some extras that I didn't know I wanted), and then gift wraps it... with a sparkly bow. Can I give this book 6 stars? Please?! My thanks to the authors, publisher, and NetGalley for an advance copy to review. This review is entirely my own, unbiased, opinion.

My thanks to Orion Publishing Group Gollancz for an eARC via NetGalley of ‘Seven Devils’ by Laura Lam and Elizabeth May. Although I hadn’t encountered Elizabeth May’s work before this, I did recently read Laura Lam’s ‘Goldilocks’ and was very impressed. This is the first part of their feminist space opera duology. It follows the exploits of a group of resistance fighters seeking to overthrow an evil galactic empire! A few years ago Eris had faked her death, leaving behind her old life as the heir to the ruthless Tholosian empire. Soon after she is recruited by the Novantaen Resistance, an organization opposed to the empire's voracious expansion. Her latest assignment is to infiltrate a spaceship carrying a deadly cargo. For the mission she is partnered with hotshot mechanic Cloelia (Clo) with whom she shares a troubled history. Still, they are under strict orders from resistance leader, Kyla, to play nice for the good of the mission. When they locate the ship, they discover three fugitives on board with firsthand knowledge of the empire's inner workings. They are Nyx, a former empire soldier, Rhea, a courtesan, and Ariadne, a young genius raised by the Oracle, the AI that keeps the empire’s population docile. Together, these five women possess both the knowledge and capabilities to bring the empire to its knees. Well, that’s the plan - what could possibly go wrong? This was a superb science fiction adventure complete with aliens, evil siblings, a very scary AI, plenty of action, diverse representation, and a bit of romance. The narrative viewpoints were split between the five main characters with the occasional flashback. The title refers to a popular curse in the galaxy as well as being adopted by its kick-ass seven characters: the main five and two supporting ones including a ‘good dude’. It’s very much a space romp with snappy dialogue and fantastic world building. The authors have also provided content warnings on their website as both the language and violence are strong. I loved it from start to finish. Once I realised how brilliant ‘Seven Devils’ was going to be, I bought its audiobook edition and combined listening with reading for an immersive experience. I will be eagerly awaiting the conclusion.

I received a copy from the publisher When I first heard about this it was described as a “feminist space opera” and honestly that’s all I needed to know. I’m thrilled to say, this lived up to my very high expectations! This features a great plot. We have a group of women from very different backgrounds, escaping the Tholosian Empire and fighting for the Novantaen Resistence. The story kicks off as Eris and Clo are sent on a mission to infiltrate a ship, and there they find three fugitives escaping the planet below. They face twists and turns along the way, and the story really keeps you pulled in and on your toes. But what makes this novel shine is it’s cast of characters. It’s such a diverse group of women (in many different ways). Eris is a trained killer and the former heir to the galaxy, who faked her own death to join the rebellion. Clo grew up in the drug fueled slums. Nyx a highly trained solder. Rhea a cortisan to the elite. And Ariadne the young technical genius. I’m normally wary of multiple POVs as there’s usually some you enjoy more than others. But I honestly loved every one, and loved every character. There is a fantastic range of representation here. And although I can’t comment on how good the representation is, what I can say is that it all felt very natural and nothing was made a big deal of. It’s great to see diversity like this that’s just part of who the characters are and not the focus of the story. This includes: f/f romance, trans rep, ace rep, a panic attack. Overall, I really adored this book and am desperate for the sequel! In the meantime, I definitely will be checking out previous work from these authors. I really enjoyed the writing style!

Wow what a jam packed, shootin and spying and just damn right female bad asses. This is how you make excellent strong female characters. Yes they are each of them broken in their own ways but it’s how they each strive to break free and believe in choice rather than mindlessly brainwashed and follow orders. This is an amazing work and I hope there is more coming from these two incredible authors. I cannot wait to get my hands on this book. Absolutely marvellous.

I found Seven Devils to be a bit of a mixed bag. The blurb made it sound like exactly the book I'd been waiting my entire life for, but when I finally got my hands on it I found it difficult to get into. I'm not sure quite why - the characters are diverse and fantastically written, and the plot is fast paced and engaging. Maybe I struggled with the world building at the start? As the book progressed, I really did get pulled into it and found it impossible to put down. I definitely started getting a Guardians of the Galaxy vibe from it, with that same clever rebel feel. If it had been like that from the beginning I would have certainly rated it five stars, but unfortunately I felt I'd really had to earn getting to the good bit! Not everybody will struggle with the beginning though, so if you like sci-fi, found families and adventure, grab this book now! I received a free copy from the publisher in exchange for an honest review.