Made of Stars by Kelley York Published by Entangled Teen on October 1, 2013
Pages: 320
Format: eARC
Source: Publisher
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When eighteen-year-old Hunter Jackson and his half sister, Ashlin, return to their dad' s for the first winter in years, they expect everything to be just like the warmer months they' d spent there as kids. And it is—at first. But Chance, the charismatic and adventurous boy who made their summers epic, is harboring deep secrets. Secrets that are quickly spiraling into something else entirely.
The reason they've never met Chance' s parents or seen his home is becoming clearer. And what the siblings used to think of as Chance's quirks—the outrageous stories, his clinginess, his dangerous impulsiveness—are now warning signs that something is seriously off.
Then Chance's mom turns up with a bullet to the head, and all eyes shift to Chance and his dad. Hunter and Ashlin know Chance is innocent...they just have to prove it. But how can they protect the boy they both love when they can' t trust a word Chance says?
“Even the stars are lies.
They sparkle so brightly, but their shine takes years to reach us.
……………
Maybe I, too, am a star that has already burned out, and nobody has realized it yet.”
Made of Stars was not what I was expecting. I can’t tell you exactly what I was expecting when I saw the title and skimmed the synopsis, but it was along the lines of a Sci-Fi or romance book. MOS is a hauntingly sentimental, contemporary portrait of our three main characters: Hunter, Ashlin, and Chance. The story is beautifully woven between Hunter and Ashlin’s POV’s, and then Chance’s at the very end. This book is like a snap-shot in time of life defining, and life altering moments in our MC’s lives.
Hunter and Ashlin are half-siblings who have shared their summers since childhood with Chance, the boy who lives near their father’s home. Two years go buy since the two last visited their father, and they are 18 when they make their way back to the place that holds so many fond memories for them. All of them having to do with Chance. As each chapter unfolds, we witness Hunter and Ashlin’s fond feelings for Chance make them question everything they know about him, and about themselves.
MOS is as beautiful as it is tragic, and it’s the kind of story that you read and think, ” These people could be my neighbors…..I knew someone like this….. I’ve experienced this….” I wouldn’t be surprised to see MOS made into a Lifetime Movie Channel film. The stream of consciousness from the characters flows seamlessly between POVs, and I felt a connection to everyone. Kelley York’s writing is beautiful and haunting. This book was left-field from anything I have read, and I enjoyed the experience. I felt like I shared an emotional bond with the charcters; they felt alive. If you enjoy contemporary stories, situations, and settings, than this book is a must read.
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