We’ve reached the final week of the fourth annual Self-Published Science Fiction Competition (SPSFC4), and Team Tar Vol On is ready with our final three scores. After joining with Space Girls and Red Stars in the semifinals to advance Accidental Intelligence, Bisection, and On Impulse, we have now read the three books selected by the other semifinal group of Peripheral Prospectors and Ground Control to Major Tom. As always, remember that our tastes are idiosyncratic, and every book that has made it this far has gotten glowing reviews from several readers. Whether we like or dislike a book, we’ve tried to do our best to capture our thoughts in a way that helps readers figure out which books will hit for them.
Today, we’re looking at the queer hopepunk novel with elements of cyberpunk and romance, Yours Celestially by Al Hess.
Azrah’s Review and Rating
I think the romance subplots were both really sweet but the handful of platonic relationships present and how Sasha’s character developed with and through them really carried his side of the story in particular for me. All the while there is this lawsuit plotline going on in the background and it ties everything together in a really satisfying way by the end.
I do feel like because the story as a whole is more on the cosy/slice of life side of things the “life or death” stakes didn’t feel too dire but the underlying messages rooted in love, hope and togetherness still resonate strongly all in all making this a really good read.
Azrah has rated Yours Celestially 7/10. For more, check out her full review.
Champ’s Review and Rating
Al Hess’s voice is electric. It’s alive. It’s frantic in the best way, like a big broken water fountain shooting out gold.
The way Hess writes is dynamic and attention grabbing, but it’s a lot. The story itself is high concept in all the right ways; why not combine resurrection, AI, digital afterlife, love, grief, identity, and second chances? The story moves quick and doesn’t hold your hand. You’re dropped straight into this glitchy, emotionally-loaded world with no user’s manual, and I appreciated that. There’s a rawness, a surreal honesty, and a barely controlled chaos to it all.
Metatron is a standout. That kind of character could’ve been too weird, too conceptual for some, but I bought it. I wanted to buy it. Hess commits fully, and that commitment makes it work.
But some of Sasha’s more grounded relationships didn’t land the same way. As the book moved past the midpoint, the why and how of those personal connections, started to unravel a bit for me. They didn’t feel fully earned. While the emotional stakes were there, the development wasn’t always along for the ride, these threads felt a little loose.
Still, the heart of the book beats strong. It’s warm, weird, inclusive, and emotionally resonant in a way that lingers. If you’ve gotten this far, I think you already have a good sense of whether this one’s for you. If you’re ready for something high concept, fast moving, and dynamically written from a bold, unique voice, go for it.
Champ has rated Yours Celestially 7.5/10.
Dave’s Review and Rating
I had high hopes for this book. The premise of a metaphysical romance involving a biblical angel and digital resurrection seemed fresh and full of potential. I enjoy speculative fiction with religious or metaphysical undertones and was drawn to the idea of a soul navigating its second life while dealing with a love-sick AI angel.
To the book’s credit, the worldbuilding is imaginative and rich. The intersection of resurrection technology with questions of identity, grief, and emotional connection is compelling. The political backdrop of the resurrection program added another cool layer. I liked how the author handled Sasha’s emotional experience, at least initially.
Unfortunately, I never got engaged. While Sasha had moments of relatability, I found it hard to connect with the relationships that drive the plot. Despite the book’s focus on love and connection, the interactions felt flat, repetitive, and emotionally unconvincing. As a result, the romantic arc didn’t land.
Still, I admire the ambition of this book. The author is exploring imaginative themes, and readers who vibe with the voice or connect more deeply with the characters may find it a rewarding read. For me, though, Yours Celestially was more conceptually interesting than emotionally satisfying.
Dave has rated Yours Celestially 5.5/10.
Erin’s Review and Rating
Sometimes people need to ask the hard questions, like “What would I do if I were forced to psychically echo a lovesick AI responsible for caring for the minds of the temporarily dead?”
The premise was great, and executed reasonably well, but the story would have been elevated if the MCs romance plot was a little more compelling, and if some of the details were justified slightly more convincingly.
Erin has rated Yours Celestially 7/10.
Jay’s Review and Rating
Yours Celestially is a short, easy, and optimistic read. It doesn’t shrink back from trauma, but it always highlights a way forward, with a focus on friendship and solidarity. The romantic subplots are a bit too fast-paced for my liking, but the overall story is heartwarming nonetheless. If cozy fiction is meant to indicate small-scale stories with a persistently optimistic bent–rather than a total absence of conflict–then call this one cozy. It’s easy to see why this made the finals, and after completing all six finalists, it’s one of a clear top two in my book.
Jay has rated Yours Celestially 7.5/10. For more, check out his full review.
Josh’s Review and Rating
I can see how others in SPSFC judging liked Yours Celestially enough to make it a finalist – it’s got an interesting concept and is genuinely cute at times, and ends on a nice hopeful note. But my struggles with the main protagonist made it so I couldn’t connect with it and I would’ve DNFed it myself if it wasn’t a finalist.
Josh has rated Yours Celestially 6/10. For more, check out his full review.
Official Scores
| Azrah | 7 |
| Champ | 7.5 |
| Dave | 5.5 |
| Erin | 7 |
| Jay | 7.5 |
| Josh | 6 |
| Team | 6.75 |