Gr 7 Up--Vega, 17, lives in the valley under the protection of her mother; however, one day she sees a sign in the sky and is compelled to venture out of the valley to help save mankind. An illness is spreading and people are dying. After her mother dies, she and her father leave the protection of the valley. Her father carries medicine while Vega carries the secret that she is the Last Astronomer and must find The Architect to save the world from demise as Earth is no longer safe. Ernshaw wastes no time drawing readers into the story and creating tension as the plot thickens. With an ominous tone throughout as the characters meet outlaws, scavengers, and theorists, the story moves at breakneck speed. Readers will not leave this one on the shelves. The author has created an original idea allowing readers to think about astronomy and how it relates to the Earth in an easy-to-read novel with intriguing characters. This appears to be the first book of what has the potential to be a popular series. Characters are fair-skinned and described as freckled with dark hair. Others are not described but envisioned with weathered and rugged features. VERDICT Highly recommended. A great addition to any YA collection and for readers who enjoy wondering about the night sky.--Karen Alexander

Ernshaw, the best-selling author of The Wicked Deep (2018), spins a magical, romantic tale of teen girl Vega, secret inheritor of the title of Last Astronomer, searching for a way to save the planet and people she loves. Vega has never left her home valley, heeding warnings from her late mother, but when cosmic omens inspire her to venture out, she soon discovers why she had been forbidden: a devastating plague is spreading death and destruction. This refreshing apocalyptic fairy tale features unique characters and emotional plotlines that add a host of new worlds to the genre. When Vega's identity is exposed and her safety compromised, she must team up with friends Cricket and Noah to escape her pursuers and find the key to saving her people. What ensues is a wild adventure beneath the stars, wherein Vega must choose whether she will share the knowledge she was born to protect or use her gifts to help those in need.

Seventeen-year-old Vega, the Astronomer, must partner with the fabled Architect to save a world ravaged by a fictional plague in this slow-burning, atmospheric romance by Ernshaw (Winterwood). Vega's mother is the Astronomer, a custodian of celestial knowledge whose powers are passed matrilineally through the generations. Vega, who has never left their isolated rural valley, knows she will one day inherit the mantle, but it occurs sooner than expected when, after a sign in the stars foretells an omen, Vega's mother dies, leaving her alone to venture beyond the valley. Vega seeks the Architect, a man tasked with leading her on a destined quest to save humankind from the consumption, a lethal illness. While she was expecting the Architect to be a learned philosopher, she instead finds charming teenage Noah. Together the duo must contend with supply scarcity, extreme and dangerous weather, and violent fanatics who are hunting for the Astronomer. Mystery and romance unfurl at an unhurried clip, and Vega's absorbing first-person narration lends immediacy to this existential tale, which evokes an old western feel and hints at a larger potential world. Vega is described as having copper-colored skin. Ages 14--up. Agent: Jess Regel, Helm Literary. (Nov.)

A girl carries a lifesaving secret on her skin. Seventeen-year-old Vega's life has been one of secrets whispered to her by her mother, mysteries passed down through generations of astronomer daughters and the marks of the Astronomer tattooed onto their necks. Vega and her parents live in a remote valley, hiding from the dangerous outlaw Theorists who believe the Astronomer has the answer to the consumption, a mysterious, rapidly spreading illness. But Vega's mother is dying of the consumption, and after a century of waiting, a sign appears in the sky as two eastern stars finally align. As the Last Astronomer, Vega must find the Architect so they can travel to the sea and save humanity before it's too late. But the Architect is not quite what Vega expected. Noah is young like her and equally haunted by the secrets they carry and the mission they share. As they run away from those who wish to do them harm, Vega and Noah's journey and personal connection feel inevitable from the start. With a vibe reminiscent of old Westerns, this evocative, slow-moving novel unveils its secrets little by little with unconvincing worldbuilding that wobbles on the central reasoning for the Astronomer-Architect setup. The love story between Noah and Vega is rushed and unearned, and the characters are barely developed. Vega and Noah are assumed White. Atmospheric but ultimately underwhelming. (Science fiction. 14-18) Copyright (c) Kirkus Reviews, used with permission.