Review: WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE by Trish Doller

Title: WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE
Author: Trish Doller
Published: September 23, 2013
Series: N/A
Genre: YA contemporary
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA
POV: 1st person
Pages: 352
Format: e-ARC
Source: Netgalley
Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf

Stolen as a child from her large and loving family, and on the run with her mom for more than ten years, Callie has only the barest idea of what normal life might be like. She's never had a home, never gone to school, and has gotten most of her meals from laundromat vending machines. Her dreams are haunted by memories she’d like to forget completely. But when Callie’s mom is finally arrested for kidnapping her, and Callie’s real dad whisks her back to what would have been her life, in a small town in Florida, Callie must find a way to leave the past behind. She must learn to be part of a family. And she must believe that love--even with someone who seems an improbable choice--is more than just a possibility.

Trish Doller writes incredibly real teens, and this searing story of love, betrayal, and how not to lose your mind will resonate with readers who want their stories gritty and utterly true.

If there's one thing Callie has learned from her mother, it's how to run – and Callie is always running away from her problems. She can pack a suitcase in an amazingly short amount of time, and knows exactly what it takes to live on the move. But after her mother is arrested and Callie is sent to live with her father, running becomes a bit more complicated. With family, friends, and even a little romance in the works, leaving doesn't seem – or even feel – like an option. But, everyone has their demons, and Callie's mother won't be incarcerated for long...once she's out and Callie turns eighteen, Callie will have to decide where she truly belongs.

Doller amazed me with her debut, SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL, and succeeds in matching that excellency with her sophomore novel. WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE is intense on an emotional level, highlighting the awkward, heartbreaking, and adorable moments that are present in various relationships. The familial aspect is both saddening and heartwarming. The relationship between Callie and her mother is possessive and not quite what it should be. Her mother loves her, that much is obvious, but her actions do not always agree with that sentiment. But it's the slower relationships Callie forms in her new (and old) home that make the strongest impression. Family, romance, and friendship, it's highly enjoyable to watch Callie grow and heal from her past experiences. An incredibly touching and well-rounded story, WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE should be on the top of your to-read list.

Highlights: Family and friendship take center stage in this story. Doller gives readers an unflinchingly honest portrayal of the effects sexual abuse can have on a person. The romance was sweet and enjoyably slow to form. I enjoy how the story leaves that relationship in unclear, fuzzy place, but there is still some hope. And the characters were fantastic (Alex, Kat, Greg, Phoebe, Tucker, Joe, and so on). None are of them perfect, and they all make a strong, realistic impression. Humorous, heartwarming, and intensely emotional, this story has it all. 

Lowlights: *struggles* Any issues I had were small enough that I did not bother to write them down while reading.

Rating: The Royal Library, Top Shelf. I love WHERE THE STARS STILL SHINE, so it is going on the top shelves in the royal library where everyone can see it. I'd highly recommend this book, because it is an incredibly moving story. 

My Review of SOMETHING LIKE NORMAL

Review: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS by John Green

Title: THE FAULT IN OUR STARS
Author: John Green
Published: January 10th, 2012
Genre: YA Contemporary
Pages: 368
POV: 1st person
Publisher: Dutton
Format: Hardcover
Source: Borrowed (library); purchased collector's edition.
Rating: 5 out of 5

"Diagnosed with Stage IV thyroid cancer at 13, Hazel was prepared to die until, at 14, a medical miracle shrunk the tumours in her lungs... for now.

Two years post-miracle, sixteen-year-old Hazel is post-everything else, too; post-high school, post-friends and post-normalcy. And even though she could live for a long time (whatever that means), Hazel lives tethered to an oxygen tank, the tumours tenuously kept at bay with a constant chemical assault.

Enter Augustus Waters. A match made at cancer kid support group, Augustus is gorgeous, in remission, and shockingly to her, interested in Hazel. Being with Augustus is both an unexpected destination and a long-needed journey, pushing Hazel to re-examine how sickness and health, life and death, will define her and the legacy that everyone leaves behind."

I didn't think I would enjoy THE FAULT IN OUR STARS. In my mind, the reviews were so positive that there was no way it could possibly live up to all of that praise. I mean, come on. It seemed as if the entire universe loved this book! I enjoyed one of Green's earlier novels a few years back, but I was not overly impressed by Green's writing style in that story. So forgive me, but I was skeptical and went into this story expecting to be underwhelmed by the characters and the plot. But, I quickly realized that THE FAULT IN OUR STARS lives up to (and deserves) the hype once I began reading. And, upon finishing the last page and the last lines, I promptly burst into tears, solidifying this book as one of my favorite novels¹. 

I'm amazed at how developed and realistic all of the characters were throughout the story. From Hazel, our straight-forward and slightly snarky narrator, to the exuberantly amusing Augustus Waters, all of the characters are developed with their own quirks and traits. While there are mentions of cancer and death, this is more of a story about two teens who fall into like (and eventually, love) with each other, and it's both utterly sweet and sad. Anyone who is putting off reading this book, for whatever reason you have, give it a chance. Buy it, borrow it, or read it while sitting on the floor of your local bookstore, but do not let this story pass you by without at least checking it out once. Hilarious, heartbreaking, and entirely deserving of every single glowing, positive review it receives, THE FAULT IN OUR STARS is one exceptional story. 

Highlights: Hazel and Augustus are a couple of smart cookies who happen to have cancer, but they're also your typical teenagers. They make mistakes, they think they know everything, they obsess over awesome books, and they are utterly endearing. Green takes his time developing characters – for better or for worse – and I like how not everyone in this story has a perfect personality. An honest portrayal of family, friends,  and young love.  This story is excellent.

Lowlights: Not long enough? And the ending². *sighs* *hugs book*

1 I don't cry that often, so when a book makes me shed a tear (or multiple tears), I take notice. 
2 Thanks for completely BREAKING my heart and shattering my hopes, John Green. *grabs tissues*

Highlights / Lowlights: REQUIEM by Lauren Oliver

Title: REQUIEM
Author: Lauren Oliver
Series: Delirium #3
Genre: YA Futuristic, Dystopian
Published: March 5th 2013
Pages: 391
POV: 1st person, dual POV
Publisher: HarperTeen
Format: Hardcover
Source: Gifted from family

"Now an active member of the resistance, Lena has been transformed. The nascent rebellion that was under way in Pandemonium has ignited into an all-out revolution in Requiem, and Lena is at the center of the fight.

After rescuing Julian from a death sentence, Lena and her friends fled to the Wilds. But the Wilds are no longer a safe haven—pockets of rebellion have opened throughout the country, and the government cannot deny the existence of Invalids. Regulators now infiltrate the borderlands to stamp out the rebels, and as Lena navigates the increasingly dangerous terrain, her best friend, Hana, lives a safe, loveless life in Portland as the fiancée of the young mayor."

Highlights: I highly enjoyed the dual narration, switching from Lena to Hana's perspective gave a nice view of how different life is for both girls. Hana's voice is slightly detached due to her Cured status, so her perspective is a bit more fascinating to me than Lena's. The writing is, of course, as lovely as it always. Oliver has a way with words. I enjoyed the realism; people die and betray one another, and life isn't always perfect or nice for these characters. Life in REQUIEM is raw and heartbreaking, while also being stark and beautiful. All in all, REQUIEM is a vividly and beautifully written conclusion to the DELIRIUM trilogy that some readers will adore while others will struggle with the ending. 

Lowlights: I can enjoy open endings, but I don't think it works well in this book. (SPOILERS-Highlight to read) What happens to Hana after she leaves Fred? Does Fred die or does his house explode? What about Julian? What the bleep happened to Jenny (who was seen once by Hana and then never mentioned again) or Lena's Aunt or Lena's sister? What about the war? Will tearing down Portland's walls do anything to help the Invalids? I feel like Oliver led to me a door and told me to go on inside — but she forgot to give me to the key to unlock it, so I'm stuck twisting and turning the handle to a door that will never open, so I'll never see what's on the other side. Instead of giving answers, Oliver leaves readers with the unsatisfying taste of uncertainty. When I read a series or a trilogy, I expect a majority of the questions to be answered at the end.

Final Thoughts: While I did not love REQUIEM the way I adore Oliver's other works, I do think this trilogy is very worthwhile to read. The writing is gorgeous, but the (lack of an) ending brought the story down a few levels for me. 

Story Rating: 4 out of 5
Ending Rating: 2 out of 5
Overall Rating: 3.5 out of 5

 

 

The Tension of Opposites by Kristina McBride

The Tension of Opposites
Kristina McBride
May 25th, 2010
288 pages
Source - Publisher

When Tessa's best friend Noelle disappears right before the start of eight grade, Tessa's life changes completely--she shies away from her other friends and stops eating in the cafeteria. Now, two years later, Noelle has escaped her captivity and is coming home, in one piece but not exactly intact, and definitely different. Tessa's life is about to change again as she tries to revive the best-friendship the two girls had shared before Noelle--now Elle--was kidnapped; puts up a futile resistance to the charming new guy at school; pursues her passion for photography while trying to build the bravado to show her photos to the public; and tries to balance her desire to protect and shelter Elle with the necessity to live her own life and put herself first.

When Noelle, or now Elle, shows up after being kidnapped two years later, Tessa's world begins to change. The girl she used to know just isn't the same: she's harsher, more distant, and even looks different. But Tessa refuses to let their friendship drift away, even when at first Noelle wants nothing to do with her. I can't even imagine what both girls went through, and the people that have actually lived this. On the one side, you've got Tessa, who lost her best friend and consequently felt horrible and guilty about ever living her own life to the fullest. On the other, you have Elle, who lived through a life of hell.

The emotion in The Tension of Opposites is raw, real, and heartbreaking. This story isn't all dark, so fear not romance lovers, because a sweet boy makes an appearance as he tries to get Tessa to not only fall for him, but also live for herself. There are dark moments, but there are also enough cheerful, sweet moments to balance the novel out so you do not get overwhelmed.

Highlights: The plot definitely grabs you, and forces you to pay attention. The pages turn quickly with this debut novel, and McBride keeps you curious as to why Elle didn't escape sooner, and the answer really tugged at my heartstrings. McBride is capable of doing something spectacular: making you care about the characters.

Lowlights: Sometimes, Tessa seemed just a bit too bland. Sure, she was a photographer, but she needed more of a spark, a dash of a bit more personality. I also really wanted more about Elle, and more with the relationship between her and Tessa. 

Rating: 

Image from Goodreads, Summary from Egmont USA