Title: The Stars Between Us | Author: Cristin Terrill | Publisher: Wednesday Books (2022)

The Stars Between Us by: Cristin Terrill

The Stars Between Us by: Cristin Terrill

Another one I’m going to keep short so it doesn’t seem like I’m ripping the book. I didn’t like it. The writing didn’t grab me at all, if anything I was kind of bored with it, it was just kind of basic. However my biggest issue is the characters. Flat, awful, boring. Our main character never has to be likeable in the sense that they have to be the perfect person. And in the beginning of the…

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This Chick Read: The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill

This Chick Read: The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill

Vika Hale longs for a different life than the one she has as a bartender on a struggling planet. When a billionaire dies Vika finds herself the ward of his heirs and living a glamorous life on a high society planet. A series of bombs endangers the lives of the heirs and she finds herself asking for help from other person that crosses both of her worlds, Sky Foster, assistant to the heirs that she…

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Review: The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill

Review: The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill

The Stars Between UsCristin TerrillWednesday BooksAugust 2, 2022 Amazon | Bookshop | Goodreads About The Stars Between Us There’s always been a mystery to Vika Hale’s life. Ever since she was a child, she’s had an unknown benefactor providing for her and her family, making sure that Vika and her sister received the best education they could. Now, Vika longs for a bigger life than one as a poor…

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The Stars Between Us - Cristin Terrill 

There’s always been a mystery to Vika Hale’s life. Ever since she was a child, she’s had an unknown benefactor providing for her and her family, making sure that Vika and her sister received the best education they could. Now, Vika longs for a bigger life than one as a poor barmaid on a struggling planet, but those dreams feel out of reach. Until one day Vika learns that her benefactor was a billionaire magnate who recently died under suspicious circumstances, and Vika has shockingly been included in his will. Invited to live on a glittering neighboring planet, Vika steps into a world she can hardly believe is real. The only blight on Vika's lavish new life is the constant presence of Sky Foster, a mysterious young man from Vika's past who works for her benefactors. She doesn't like or trust Sky, but when she narrowly escapes an explosion and realizes someone is targeting the will's heirs, Vika knows Sky is the only one who can help her discover the identity of the bomber before she becomes their next victim. As Vika and Sky delve into the truth of the attacks, they uncover a web of secrets, murder, and an underground rebellion who may hold the answers they've been looking for. But Sky isn't who he seems to be, and Vika may not escape this new life unscathed.

The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill | Book Review

The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill | Book Review

I am seriously a sucker for a gorgeous cover. The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill immediately drew my eye. The whole galaxy theme and the lovely purple dress were all the indication that I needed that this book should go on my TBR. Although I am not the biggest fan of space, I do like stories that are Dickensian in nature, so I picked this one up. Overall, I am glad to have read The Stars…

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I recently read a book that had a surprise incest reveal at the end, and thought I must inform you and your followers! It's called Here Lies Daniel Tate, and it's by Cristin Terrill. The incest is between a brother and sister, and it's nicely hinted at throughout the book (in that I was shipping them from the start and guessed that the storyline was going in that direction pretty quickly). I wouldn't say it's a positive portrayal of incest, in the end, but it was a fun read overall and I would recommend it. It wasn't at all on my radar as a book containing incest (isn't it great when it's just a surprise bonus?) so I thought I'd give it a signal boost here! :)

New canon! This is so exciting.

Plus I'm happy for you because surprise incest is always fun.

Here Lies Daniel Tate:

A young, street-savvy runaway looking for a place to call home realizes he might have conned his way into the wrong family in this fast-paced and thrilling novel from award-winning author Cristin Terrill. When ten-year-old Daniel Tate went missing from one of California's most elite communities, he left no trace. He simply vanished. Six years later, when he resurfaces on a snowy street in Vancouver, he's no longer the same boy. His sandy hair is darker, the freckles are gone, and he's initially too traumatized to speak, but he's alive. His overjoyed family brings him home to a world of luxury and comfort he can barely remember. In time, they assure him, he'll recover his memories; all that matters now is they're together again. It's perfect. A miracle. Except for one thing. He isn't Daniel Tate. He's a petty con artist who accidentally stumbled into the scam of a lifetime, and he soon learns he's not the only one in the Tate household with something to hide. The family has as many secrets as they have millions in the bank, and one of them might be ready to kill to keep the worst one buried.

Sounds like a fun read. Thanks so much for the recommendation!

Hello from Kate!

Hi there! I'm Kate, one half of two-sapphics-reading. I'm a playwright and novelist who writes about women and bisexuals (especially bisexual women) in all their various, wondrous, magical forms. I'm also an actress, daydreamer, voracious reader, introvert, klutz, dog-lover, and overuser of tape. Besides reading, I'm a big fan of Broadway musicals, Taylor Swift, the color yellow, sushi, plaid flannels, the bi pride flag, and coffee in all its forms. Speaking of coffee, the coffee cup is my symbol, so when you see posts marked with this ☕, that means I'm writing!

(Oh, and I have two adorable dogs. I love them with my whole heart, and you should too.)

(^ Penny and Scout!)

So who am I as a reader?

Favorite Genres: YA, Romance, Fantasy, Contemporary, Mystery, and Plays

Favorite Books: Anything by Becky Albertalli, The Lunar Chronicles by Marissa Meyer, Nimona by ND Stevenson, Amelia Unabridged by Ashley Schumacher, Perfect on Paper by Sophie Gonzalez, One Last Stop by Casey McQuiston, Six of Crows by Leigh Bardugo, and Cemetery Boys by Aiden Thomas.

What I Love to Re-Read (besides my favorites!): The Hunger Games by Suzanne Collins, Simon vs. the Homo Sapiens Agenda by Becky Albertalli, Fangirl by Rainbow Rowell, All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill, and Pride and Prejudice by Jane Austen.

Favorite Themes & Tropes: Found family, time travel, writer characters, coffee shop and bookstore and theater settings, magic in the real world, friends to lovers, slow burn romances, mutual pining, well-written banter, dialogue dialogue dialogue, sunny/grumpy dynamics, golden retriever boys, fiercely-protective-I-would-kill-for-you girls, lovers in denial, retellings, heists and lovable criminals, witches and ghosts and other Halloween-y vibes.

What Gives Me the "Reading Ick:" The dog dying, insta-love, "I can change them," excusing toxic/abusive behavior, emotionally unavailable men, boring/self-absorbed protagonists, cheating, biphobia, excusing discrimination of any kind, pedantic/preachy writing, toxic masculinity, girls hating on girls for no reason.

Last Book I Read: Sorry, Bro by Taleen Voskuni (bisexual Armenian rep!)

Currently Reading:

Astrid Parker Doesn't Fall by Ashley Herring Blake (a gift from Liv!)

Orpheus Girl by Brynne Rebele-Henry

Beach Read by Emily Henry

I'm the Girl by Courtney Summers

Reviews to come soon . . . Until then, drop a comment with what you're currently reading!

Talk soon! :)

(^ picture from @hellosunnycore's TOON ME! Piccrew)

(New Young Adult Releases Coming Out Today! (August 2nd, 2022)

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Have I missed any new Young Adult releases? Have you added any of these books to your TBR? Let me know!

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New Standalones/First in a Series:

How to Date a Superhero (And Not Die Trying) by Cristina Fernandez

You, Me, & Our Heartstrings by Melissa See

Bloody Fool for Love by William Ritter

Dauntless by Elisa A. Bonnin

It Sounds Like This by Anna Meriano

What’s Coming to Me by Francesca Padilla

Bad At Love by Gabriela Martins 

The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill

Don’t Go to Sleep by Bryce Moore 

Sadie Starr’s Guiding to Starting Over by Miranda Luby

The Brink by Holden Sheppard

Wild is the Witch by Rachel Griffin

New Sequels: 

My Imaginary Mary (Mary #2) by Cynthia Hand, Brodi Ashton, & Jodi Meadows

The King Will Kill You (Kingdoms of Sand and Sky #3) by Sarah Henning

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Happy reading!

Sometimes I forget how much I love a good thriller book but often times those are the ones that will haunt me years later. (Sadie by Courtney Summers and Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill in particular).

September Reading Wrap-Up!

1. Last Lesson by James Goodhand. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Last year, Ollie was a star pupil, popular and a gifted musician. Then, after the accident, everything changed. Now he's an outcast, a prime target of the school bullies who have made his life a living hell. Today - the last day of the school year - he's brought those bullies a gift. A homemade pipe bomb. What has driven a model student to plan an unspeakable revenge? And with the clock ticking down to home time, what can anybody do to stop him?

2. Fear by Michael Grant. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

As the young residents of Perdido Beach begin to better comprehend the truths of who they are and their relationships to one another, the Darkness finds a new way to be born, bringing their understanding of fear to a new level.

3. Release by Patrick Ness. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Struggling with his family's religious beliefs, an employer's inappropriate advances, and his unrequited love for his ex, Adam finds his life complicated when his best friend announces she's doing her senior year abroad.

4. The Taking of Jake Livingston by Ryan Douglass. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Sixteen-year-old Jake sees dead people everywhere. But he can't decide what's worse: being a medium forced to watch the dead play out their last moments on a loop or being at the mercy of racist teachers as one of the few Black students at St. Clair Prep.

5. Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill. ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

A young runaway is welcomed into the arms of an affluent family after he takes on the identity of the family's missing son, Daniel, only to slowly realize that the family knows more about Daniel's disappearance than they are letting on.

6. Then Again, Maybe I Won't by Judy Blume. ⭐⭐⭐⭐1/2

Unable to accept or explain his family's newly acquired wealth, his growing interest in sex, and a friend's shoplifting habit, thirteen-year-old Tony finds the pains in his stomach getting worse and worse.

Books!!! (2022 in reading)

ignore this! or don't! i'm making one of these each year to compare, purely for myself! my 2021 one can be found in the #stats tag on my blog if you are intrigued to see past versions of this post

how many books did I read? 50 <3 just barely. i read coraline on the morning of december 31st bringing up my book count from 49 to 50 lol. makes it so much easier for my tired brain to calculate percentages so God Bless

fiction or nonfiction? i read 94% fiction and 6% nonfiction lol you can guess

top genres? 34% of my reads were contemporary fiction, 24% were fantasy, and 18% were mystery/thriller.

how often did I use the library? 50% of the books I read were libraried or borrowed from a friend.

what were my star ratings? 2 star = 10%, 3 star = 32%, 4 star = 40%, 5 star = 18%, no 1 stars thank god (Camp came close lol).

(stopped counting format stats)

best books? The Lies of Locke Lamora by Scott Lynch, Rule of Wolves by Leigh Bardugo, Here Lies Daniel Tate by Cristin Terrill, and If We Were Villains by M.L. Rio.

worst books? camp and it ends with us.

reading goals for 2023? read at least 33 books, read at least 25 books by POC, read at least 5 books by disabled authors, read some Discworld, read more horror than I usually do.

Rating: 1/5

Book Blurb: Bridgerton meets Illuminae in this explosive, romantic space opera where danger and deception lurk behind glamour and wealth. Vika Hale longs for a better life than that of a barmaid on a struggling planet, but her dreams have always seemed out of reach despite the mysterious benefactor who bankrolled her education. When the elusive billionaire dies and names Vika in his will, she’s whisked away to a glittering and glamorous new world as the ward of his heir. Suddenly, her wildest dreams don’t seem so impossible. But when someone targets the will’s heirs in a series of terrifying bombings, Vika’s new life is thrown into uncertainty. Knowing that she may be next, Vika teams up with the one person she’d rather keep at arm’s length—her guardian’s mysterious new assistant, Sky Foster. She doesn't trust Sky, but he may be the only one who can help her discover the bomber’s identity before she becomes the next victim. As Vika grows closer to Sky, she realizes she may not escape these new threats unscathed. Sky is keeping a secret and it's one that could unravel everything. In The Stars Between Us, Cristin Terrill sweeps readers away to a world where secrets are currency and love is the most dangerous risk of all.

Review:

A girl who has been poor all her life finds herself as the candidate to be a bride for a billionaire’s son. Vika Hale is a barmaid, her family is poor and she dreams about so much more for herself. One day she discovers that she was named in the will of an elusive billionaire who has just died. She is named as the bride candidate to his son, Leo... except Leo Chapin has also just been killed in a bombing. Vika is then whisked away by the new heirs of the will to live with them, where she will experience luxury and opulence. In her new life she will get everything she’v ever wanted... except there is her employer’s new assistant Sky Foster who keeps watching her. She doesn’t trust him and despite the fact that the new heirs are also under attack and Sky is the only person who can help her find the identity of the bomber before the next victim. The closer she grows to Sky the more she realizes that there’s more to him and that he is hiding something. Sky Foster is hiding his real identity and he’s falling in love with the one girl he never expected. Together they’ll have to navigate this new playing field as well as solve a mystery that could place them both in danger. While the premise has potential the execution of the story was lacking for me, I think my biggest issue was Vika. She is extremely shallow and it’s hard to read from her or sympathize with her, while Leo on the other hand was a much more compelling and interesting character and even though we get to read from both their perspectives, I wish the story was more focused on his journey. Yes I can understand how Vika, a character who has grown up poor, would be selfish and cave under the luxury and wealth that’s landed in her lap, but she was just a bit much for me. The romance was eh, I would have rather them end up as friends instead but that’s just me feeling the lack of chemistry between them. Overall, this story didn’t work out for me but definitely give it a try if you’re looking for a romance with a splash of mystery.

*Thanks Netgalley and St. Martin's Press, Wednesday Books for sending me an arc in exchange for an honest review*

Books Read in August: 7 The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill ⭐⭐⭐⭐ Drums of Autumn by Diana Gabaldon ⭐⭐⭐⭐(#4 in Outlander series) The Love of My Life by Rosie Walsh ⭐⭐⭐⭐(Rosie Walsh also wrote Ghosted.) Properties of Thirst by Marianne Wiggins ⭐⭐(The afterword detailed the story of how this book actually came to be and the author’s life of resilience and was the best part of this book. ) Stay Awake by Megan Goldin ⭐⭐⭐⭐(Excellent thriller!) The Quickie by James Patterson ⭐⭐⭐(I love books with short chapters!) Extinct by Ike Hammill ⭐⭐⭐ Currently Reading The Push by Ashley Audrain 2022 Goodreads Reading Challenge: 57/80 #readin2022 #whatthebook #bookreviews #readersofinstagram #bookaholic https://www.instagram.com/p/CiATnM1ADum/?igshid=NGJjMDIxMWI=

The Stars Between Us book review

The Stars Between Us book review

The Stars Between Us by Cristin Terrill 400 pages published August 2nd, 2022 (more…)

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While our interview touches up Shakespeare, #Bridgerton, and #Batman, writer Cristin Terrill actually says the biggest influence on her young adult sci-fi space opera novel "The Stars Between Us" is Charles Dickins. 📖🪐💵💸💸💵💵