Review: The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne

The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne
Hardcover: 400 pages
Published: February 4th 2020 by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Purchase
Amazon | Barnes & Noble

Engagement season is in the air. Eighteen-year-old Princess Leonie “Leo” Kolburg, heir to a faded European spaceship, only has one thing on her mind: which lucky bachelor can save her family from financial ruin?

But when Leo’s childhood friend and first love Elliot returns as the captain of a successful whiskey ship, everything changes. Elliot was the one that got away, the boy Leo’s family deemed to be unsuitable for marriage. Now, he’s the biggest catch of the season and he seems determined to make Leo’s life miserable. But old habits die hard, and as Leo navigates the glittering balls of the Valg Season, she finds herself falling for her first love in a game of love, lies, and past regrets.

HOLY COVER LUST.

How a person feels about The Stars We Steal will likely depend entirely on what they expect going into it.

Sci-fi? Yes...but not heavy. Very light, actually. Just enough that it plays a role, but not enough to really make it FEEL like sci-fi.

Romance? Yes...but not heavy. Again, very light. The romance is the central theme of the story, but in a lot of ways it is a bit fluffy. Given the fact that it is ultimately the focus of the story - not the sci-fi aspects, not the politics, but the romance - I would personally prefer it be a bit more fleshed out.

Character driven? Yes. A rich group of main characters that you can't help but love...and hate. However I do feel the secondary characters fell a bit flat and could have used a bit more development, given the massive role they play in the outcome of the story.

Ultimately, I enjoyed The Stars We Steal. I think elements of it could have used more attention, but at the end of the day it was a quick and cute read that I would recommend...as long as you don't go in expecting anything heavy.

Cover: 5 | Characters: 3 | Plot: 3 | Pace: 3 | Creativity: 3

Review: Vengeance Road by Erin Bowman

VENGEANCE ROAD
by Erin Bowman
Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected publication: September 1st 2015
by HMH Books for Young Readers

When Kate Thompson’s father is killed by the notorious Rose Riders for a mysterious journal that reveals the secret location of a gold mine, the eighteen-year-old disguises herself as a boy and takes to the gritty plains looking for answers and justice. What she finds are devious strangers, dust storms, and a pair of brothers who refuse to quit riding in her shadow. But as Kate gets closer to the secrets about her family, she gets closer to the truth about herself and must decide if there's room for love in a heart so full of hate.

In the spirit of True Grit, the cutthroat days of the Wild West come to life for a new generation.

Awaken by Katie Kacvinsky Giveaway

Hey GCReaders!!

                We have a giveaway for you!!! In celebration of Middle Ground by Katie Kacvinsky (Book 2 of her Awaken Series) being released in paperback, Katie wants to give away a kindle ebook of Awaken to one lucky winner!! All you have to do is leave a comment below with your email address.  Below you will find information about the series! Good Luck!!

Published May 23rd 2011
by HMH Books for Young Readers

Amazon † B&N

Maddie lives in a world where everything is done on the computer. Whether it’s to go to school or on a date, people don’t venture out of their home. There’s really no need. For the most part, Maddie’s okay with the solitary, digital life—until she meets Justin. Justin likes being with people. He enjoys the physical closeness of face-to-face interactions. People aren’t meant to be alone, he tells her.

Suddenly, Maddie feels something awakening inside her—a feeling that maybe there is a different, better way to live. But with society and her parents telling her otherwise, Maddie is going to have to learn to stand up for herself if she wants to change the path her life is taking.

In this not-so-brave new world, two young people struggle to carve out their own space.

Published November 20th 2012
by Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

Amazon † B&N

For four weeks Maddie has been living in Los Angeles, trying to be good. But no matter how hard she tries, something inside her won't be sated. She can't live a life of half-truths and false pretenses. So one night, she says how she really feels.

That's all it takes. One night. One bad decision, and Maddie is thrown into a detention center where she's forced to undergo secretive treatment meant to squash her rebellious streak. The powers that be call it rehabilitation. Maddie calls it torture.

Alone, Maddie will not survive. But if she can find something to hold on to - an image of Justin, their love - maybe she can fight. And if she's really lucky, maybe she'll even win.

                                         Giveaway is open international.
                                         Leave a comment below with your email address to enter.
                                         Giveaway will end one week from today.

Review & Giveaway: Middle Ground by Katie Kacvinsky!

Middle Ground
By Katie Kacvinsky
Hardcover, 336 pages
Expected publication: November 20th 2012
By Houghton Mifflin Harcourt

GoodReads † Amazon † B&N

In this provocative cautionary tale for teens, the sequel to Awaken, seventeen-year-old Maddie’s rebellion against the digital-only life grows dangerous. Maddie is in Los Angeles, trying to stay out of trouble. But one night, a seemingly small act of defiance lands her in the place she fears the most: a detention center. Here, patients are reprogrammed to accept a digital existence. Maddie is now fighting for her mind, her soul, and her very life. Once again, Katie Kacvinsky paints a disturbing picture of our increasingly technology-based society.

Gosh, what do I say other than I love this series? So far everything I’ve read by Katie Kacvinsky has been WOW to me. I absolutely love her writing and the characters she creates.

In Awaken we were introduced to Maddie and her world. Maddie lives in a world where everything is done digitally. Walks on the beach, dates with other people, school, clubbing, everything. There is always a program for something. Maddie meets Justin, who happens to be the leader of a rebel group who are trying to bring the system down. They want things to go back to the way they were. I just want to say that Justin is one yummy character. Everything he does is just sexy. He is fearless and really good at what he does. Only those he allows to get close and know his true identity know who he is. The one person who can basically destroy him and everything he’s worked so hard for, is the one person he ends up falling in love with. Yes, that would be Maddie. 

I love how intense this series is, but yet Kacvinsky manages to throw in a pinch of romance. I thought Awaken was amazing, but Middle Ground blew me away. Maddie and Justin come closer to bringing the system down, their romance gets stronger, and Maddie and her father find themselves somewhat on the same page. I can’t even begin to tell you how many times while reading I wanted to just pull my hair because I was so nervous that things would fall apart for Maddie and her plans would crumble. She made new friends and every time I kept wondering, friend or foe? This series is unpredictable and raw. I absolutely love it!

Katie Kacvinsky knows just how to suck you into her world and into her characters. I hate that I have to wait so long for the next book, but at the same time that would mean the series is coming to an end, and I don’t want it to end. Not sure if it’s just three books or more to be honest, but I am hoping it’s more than three. This is one series that deserves about twenty books. Some deserve to end, but this one, please no!

I love it!

5 out of 5 Stars!

Thanks to Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, we have a copy of Awaken, Middle Ground, and Katie's contemporary YA, First Comes Love to giveaway. Woohoo!

a Rafflecopter giveaway