March 3, 2025
Calamity
by Constance Fay
When I first picked up Constance Fay’s Calamity, it wouldn’t be a lie to say it was because I was actively judging a book by its cover. I wasn’t super into the sci-fi genre last year, but Calamity‘s topic caught my attention and seemed interesting enough to read. It turned out to be a thrilling romance that blended intergalactic adventure with a touch of space-mafia politics. Being a huge Star Wars fan, the space-mafia side of the book was exactly what I needed to stay engaged. If you’re into sci-fi with a romantic subplot and fun, witty banter, Calamity is up your alley.
The story follows a girl named Temperance Reed, otherwise known as Temper. I’ll admit, when I first saw the strange names, I was a bit thrown off, but they grew on me after a while. Temper is an “exile” from one of the wealthiest and most powerful family groups that control everything in the galaxy. She’s the captain of an inherited scout ship named Quest and is fiercely loyal to her crew. Temper’s life takes a turn when she receives an offer from the Escajedas, one of the top five families, to scout a desert planet called Herschel 2.
The catch? She has to take one of their sons, Arcadio Escajeda, with them for security. The two travelers face strange cultists, erupting volcanoes, and a spicy bond that starts to form between them. The book is written in almost a “Wattpad-ish” way, which I always find easy to read since those stories don’t make things too complicated.
I finished the book in a single day, so it can definitely keep you hooked! Calamity centers around exactly what the title describes — a catastrophic event. It isn’t a one-trick pony either, as the Uncharted Hearts series has a currently available second book, Fiasco, with the third one, Chaos, planned for release in March. These sequels focus on different characters from Temper’s crew, who you learn to love just as much. If you’re looking for a book to get you into the sci-fi genre, Calamity could be an awesome choice!