Stars and Smoke by Marie Lu is a well developed and intriguing spy novel where a teen pop idol turned international spy works to bring down dangerous criminals with secret agent Sydney Cosette. Winter and Sydney make the perfect protagonist duo in this novel and the plot is so captivating and intriguing. Though at first they don't get along, eventually they learn to lean on each other and work to their respective strengths and be each other's safe harbor. I really enjoyed this fast faced read and the action/adventure aspects of the story. Even though there were times that the story feels a bit predictable, the plot was still fun and engaging and keeps you hooked and wanting to read more. Stars and Smoke is a bit of a different read than Marie Lu's other works but will still resonate with her fan base. It is jam-packed with action and adventure!