Where the Stars Still Shine
Author: Trish Doller
Series: None
Genre: Young Adult, Contemporary, Romance
Release Date: September 24, 2013
Publisher: Bloomsbury USA Childrens
Summary:
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.
By turns heartbreaking and hopeful, this sweet and sexy romance offers a whole new take on happily ever after…
First Sentence: Yellow light slashes the darkness as Mom sneaks into the apartment again.
My Review:
Simply put: Where the Stars Still Shine was a huge disappointment.
I enjoyed reading Trish Doller’s Something Like Normal. It was heartwarming, emotional, and made me tear up like crazy because of all the feels. When I heard that she was writing a new book – Where the Stars Still Shine – I knew, without a doubt, that I would read it as soon as I got my hands on it. To make things even better, Where the Stars Still Shine focused on a topic I’m really interested in – what if you’re kidnapped as a kid and then returned back to your family? What happens then?
Grandchild, daughter, friend, a girl a normal boy would date – a growing list of people I don’t know how to be. (76-77)
The main character Callie in Where the Stars Still Shine is impossible to like. Yeah, I felt sorry for her and what she had to go through. I also knew that I am supposed to feel sorry for her throughout the book, but the problem is, I just didn’t. Callie’s story didn’t tug on my heartstrings, it didn’t even make me tear up once. Instead, Callie made me feel constantly annoyed throughout the book. It was so hard to sympathize with Callie – who could really sympathize with someone who lashes out at innocent people because they were lucky enough that they weren’t kidnapped as a kid? Callie’s habit of implicitly reminding people that she wasn’t as lucky as them also rubs me the wrong way. It’s not like they will ever forget that, especially after spending years looking for her.
I can’t sit here and pretend I’m a normal girl when my whole life has been so f—ed up. Greg and Phoebe haven’t slept in the backseat of their car, or eaten all their meals from a vending machine because their mothers forgot to buy groceries. And the only monsters Tucker and Joe will ever have to contend with are the imaginary kind that are banished in the light. (37-38)
There were parts of the book where you were supposed to feel sorry for Callie because people hurt her (in their defense, they don’t know they hurt her because Callie is more sensitive than other people because she was kidnapped when she was a child). However, during the parts where you were supposed to feel sorry for Callie and her entire situation, sympathizing with her, I felt sorry for the people who not knowingly hurt her instead, something I think that the author did not intend for us readers to feel. It’s just being around Callie is like you’re constantly walking on eggshells – you just don’t know what little thing can tick her off in a big way.
I’ve also heard from other people that Where the Stars Still Shine has insta-love in it, and that made me very nervous. I went into the book hoping for the best and hoping that maybe, just maybe, I won’t see it that way, but I was wrong – Callie and Alex’s relationship is based on insta-love. Remember when I said in my review of 3:59 by Gretchen McNeil that 3:59 has the worse insta-love ever? Well, I take that back, Where the Stars Still Shine has the worse case of insta-love ever. Why? Well, to make matters even worse (like insta-love wasn’t bad enough already), Callie and Alex’s relationship is based on their looks alone. Callie likes Alex because he’s mega-hot, so hot that girls drool over him all the time. Alex likes Callie because she’s hot too. When they first had sex, they literally knew nothing about each other except for how they looked like and each other’s name.
Except this time I lie back on the seat, looking at him from upside down, and wonder if this is how my mom felt when she first met Greg. About how quickly someone can go from being a stranger to someone you feel as if you can’t do without. (261)
I honestly don’t know why Alex likes Callie. Alex is depicted as a guy that can get any girl he wants; he sleeps with them and then leaves them. When Callie appears into his life, suddenly, he’s all into Callie and only Callie. Alex can care less about any other girl. What makes Callie so special, that by one glance, one look, he falls in love with her? Is it because she’s “hot” like other people said she is?
Which brings me to my next point – I feel that Where the Stars Still Shine makes a huge deal on how you look and whether you’re pretty or not. It’s a constant theme that runs throughout the book: Callie and Alex’s relationship revolves around how they look as explained above, Kat (a character from the book) is obsessed with her looks and applying makeup, Connor is instantly interested in dating Callie the second he saw her because she’s hot (don’t worry, there’s no love triangle here), and the importance of switching clothes and putting on makeup at a friend’s house because your parents refuses to let you dress like that. Basically, Where the Stars Still Shine revolves around pretty people and the importance of being pretty, giving me the sense that it’s trying to give off the message that it’s important to be pretty or else no one will like you or something along the lines of that.
As for the whole being kidnapped as a kid and brought back years later plot of Where the Stars Still Shine, I felt that it has been done already. Throughout the book, I felt like I read a similar book/watched a similar movie or television show that has the exact same plot that Where the Stars Still Shine has.
[MILD] SPOILER: Has anyone else read a book or watched a television show or movie where the mother kidnaps the child and was caught by the police for her kidnapping crime because she drove a stolen car/drove a car without a license plate/was speeding in the car too fast? And then the mother was sent to jail, let out for some reason (like bail), and comes back to stalk her daughter/son? That sounds very familiar to me and no, it’s not because that’s the plot of Where the Stars Still Shine.
Overall, Where the Stars Still Shine was a huge disappointment, especially when you compare it to Trish Doller’s first book, Something Like Normal. Where the Stars Still Shine is the book where I found myself lowering it’s rating more and more as I type up my review.
Will I recommend this book? No, unless you don’t mind insta-love and the points I made in my review. Will I read any other books written by Trish Doller? Not likely.
Nooooooooooooooo :(
So bummed that you didn’t enjoy it. I know for a fact that a few other people didn’t enjoy it. I think you either really love it or you really dislike it.
The insta-love makes me really nervous so I will definitely be going into reading this one with some trepidation.
Alexia @ Adventures in Reading recently posted…Book Blogger Challenge-Week 6
Sadly, yes. ):
That’s what I think too. I’ve seen reviews like mine that really dislike the book while other reviews are praising the book like crazy.
Ha ha, be careful of the insta-love. I couldn’t stand it. >___< Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Crap!! I was so excited for this book and this is the third negative review I’v seen on it.
I think thing that would annoy me the most would have to be the looks thing. I read a book a while back that had the same thing in it. Every single character was just obsessed with their looks, and this annoyed me so freaking much!!
Great review Kelly :D
Kimberly recently posted…Predictions and Hopes (3) Ignite Me by Tahereh Mafi
Third negative review?! I’m glad I’m not the only one who doesn’t like this one then. I hate to be the black sheep.
Oh, I read another book like that focused on looks. I was just so tired of it at the end. Way to teach people that no, you shouldn’t judge people by how they look. Beautiful people can be ugly in the inside too you know.
Thanks Kimberly! (:
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I guess I can see your point about Callie and Alex, but I don’t know, it works for me. For me, the only thing wrong with WTSSS was that there wasn’t enough of them. I haven’t read a lot of books about kidnap victims being brought home but I’d totally love to read them if you’d recommend it.
Aly @ My Heart Hearts Books recently posted…Incarnate (Review)
Ha ha, guess we have totally different opinions on that one. ;D
Hmm, as of now, I can’t think of any, but I know I’ve read a lot of them when I was in middle school. :l
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I’ve heard everyone raving about this book, and it’s actually a bit refreshing to see someone get snarky about it. I can understand Callie’s volatility, after what she’s been through, but insta-love is what really puts me off. I’ll tread carefully whenever I pick this one up ;)
Kayla @ The Thousand Lives recently posted…ARC Review: Damselfly by Jennie Bates Bozic
Ha ha, I hope I wasn’t TOO snarky about it. :P
Yeah, I understood Callie too, but at the same time, it was just a little too much. I mean, you can only take too much of a bad attitude no matter how understanding you are right?
Where the Stars Still Shine’s insta-love is the scariest one yet.
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I read ‘Something Like Normal’ and I was VERY disappointed because I had HIGH expectations for that book, and in the end it was not at all what I expected =( I didn’t read ‘Where the Stars Still Shine’ yet and I have no desire to read it ( yep, the disappointment with the other book was HUGE lol ). Idk, maybe someday I’ll give it a chance, but not anytime soon.
great review!
I enjoyed Something Like Normal. I didn’t love it, but I did enjoy it.
Ha ha, I recommend that you stay away from Where the Stars Still Shine. Trust me, it’ll be a bigger disappointment than when you read Something Like Normal.
Thanks Kassi! (:
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I’m so sorry that you didn’t enjoy it. I reviewed it this week and loved it! But, you made some really good points in your review, and I can definitely see why you didn’t enjoy it. I think it’s the kind of book that’s either love it or hate it with little in between. Great review.
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I’m glad you absolutely loved this one Jillyn! Too bad I couldn’t feel the same way about this one. :l
Yeah, Where the Stars Still Shine is definitely a huge hit or miss book.
Thanks! (:
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Awwwwwww! I’ve been dying to read this one! I haven’t heard anything about its insta-love so I guess I’m happy that I’m warned but nooooooooooooooo :( I will probably still read this one because I’ve been dying to read it. Thanks for the truthful review!
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Yeah, the insta-love is pretty bad. D:
But I hope you’ll enjoy this one, especially since you’re dying to read it! (:
And no problem! ;D
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
Good review! Too bad this book was a miss. I like the girls name lol. ;)
Thanks Cali! (:
Yeah, I really wanted to like this one.
Ha ha, of course you do. ;D
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
It’s always hard to like a book if you dislike the MC, especially when it comes to a story about such a subject. Callie also sounds like someone I would dislike. I hate it when they act all whiny and sad whenever they can. And ugh, books with much emphasis on looks never go well with me.. Great review and I’m sorry it was so disappointing!
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Definitely. But on the other hand, there are some books where the main character was a jerk that I enjoyed reading, so I guess it really depends on the book.
You will dislike Callie – she runs so hot and cold randomly. I just cringe when I think about it.
Books focused on looks don’t do much for me either. In fact, I just get annoyed because looks aren’t everything.
Thanks Mel! (:
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I love the title of this book and have been looking forward to reading it, but I hate with insta-love and the character’s looks like I’ll have trouble with. Bit disappointed but loved the review.
I like the title of this one too and was looking SO forward to reading it. I was so disappointed to find out that it was full of insta-love and focuses mainly on character’s looks.
I’m glad you love the review Ashfa! (:
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Best Books To Read For Halloween
I KNOW RIGHT. I just couldn’t get into this book. I mean, Callie was just impossible to understand, let alone connect with, and the romance was way too flimsy. I still gave it three stars because the writing was really good, but the other aspects of the book were definitely a bit shaky.
We appear to be the black sheep though- so much 5 starrage going on for this book.
Nara recently posted…The Liebster Award
I KNOW. You weren’t kidding about the insta-love. BLAHHH.
Callie was the main problem too. Her actions just annoyed me.
The writing was good, but on the other hand, I’ve read better. When I was done with Where the Stars Still Shine, all I could think of was GO AWAY INSTA-LOVE. LIKE SHOO. -waves hands frantically-
Hey, at least we found each other! -clings onto you-
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<3 <3
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<3<3<3
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Bookish Things I Am Thankful For
The premise sounds really great but I think all the flaws that you point out would ruin it for me.
Yeah, sadly, I can’t overlook all the flaws in this one. It was all just too much for me to overlook. >____< Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Bookish Things I Am Thankful For
Where The Stars Still Shine is one of those books that caught my interest because of the pretty cover. I just felt like I had to read the book (even if I haven’t yet). But now I’m most likely to rethink that decision since you rated it a 2 1/2 out of 5. Some of the points you pointed out made me wonder whether I really wanted to read this book. Sometimes insta-love is cool, but sometimes I do get sick of it. I think I’m going to have to think about it more. Good thing I have a lot on my TBR to decide just yet :]
Sadly, the cover of Where the Stars Still Shine does nothing for me. ):
Yeah, insta-love is a bother. Insta-love in paranormal books might be okay 10% of the time for me, but in contemporaries, they just don’t work AT ALL for me because contemporaries are supposed to be real life realistic. :l
Kelly recently posted…Top Ten Bookish Things I Am Thankful For
It really is sad that a book where the MC is kidnapped at such a young age doesn’t even have the capacity to make you FEEL. This is one of those books that you should be crying over, wanting too grab the MC and just give her a big old hug. It royally ticks me off that she throws it in peoples faces. That just isn’t okay. I can’t even begin to understand how she feels, but I do know that making other people feel guilty for not having to go through it is just not cool. At all. While I love the cover, and I LOVED Something Like Normal, I think this is a book that I am better off skipping!