Beyond Falling Stars By Sherry Soule

Starlight Saga

Lost in Starlight * Under Sunless Skies * Beyond Falling Stars

*Honest Review Requested by Author in Exchange for Free eBook
Published: April 2017
Publisher: Disenchanted Publishing
Series: Starlight Saga #3
Website: Author’s blog
She’s Also on Wattpad
Amazon: Here
Goodreads: Here


Story

Get in the spaceship, we’re going to Reticuli.

Sloane and the gang have been through a lot. During all their troubles, they get news that the Lancasters are going to the alien planet Reticuli. It also just makes sense that everyone else can go too, so the whole cast goes to the two-sun beach planet. Once there, not much goes in Sloane’s favor - attempts on her life, a war with her new mother-in-law, and Hayden’s ex just not letting go.

Mystery

We have another round of trying to figure out a who is the person behind some nefarious deeds. In the last book I didn’t see it coming and I felt amazing at the reveal. This time, I thought, It’s definitely not X. Though wouldn’t it be funny if it is X? And…turns out that it is X, and it was still another awesome moment for me (NOOOOOO WAAAAAY!), especially because it’s a little more complicated than it seems.

Flow

For me, it wasn’t as fast of a read as the previous two in the series, but it still had that easy flow and nail-biting what will happen next anticipation. I haven’t had much time on my lunch break to read, so I’d get a few pages read and have to stop, and that was agonizing. The way it’s written keeps you hooked - I think it has something to do with the lack of purple prose and superfluous description, so the plot and general excitement keeps going.

Final Verdict

The whole series was fantastic. Alien-human hybrids, romance, action, a few mysteries - everything to keep you interested. This book did not disappoint and I highly recommend it along with the other two books. I have some more thoughts below if anyone wants to read them, but they contain spoilers.

I didn't make this.

SPOILERS

End of the Series

I have a few thoughts about how the end wrapped everything up.

The “Let’s not do it until marriage” message is a good message. Not one that I agree with, but for a YA audience it’s good. And they seem to be sticking it out, which I think fits better with the story. It's not controlling like Twilight, it's just what they have agreed to.

I didn’t always like Hayden. Maybe for a sixteen-year-old he’s a hotbad-boy, but I couldn’t get past his communication issues. I liked how he ended up though. Looks like no more communication issues by the end scene.

Writing about a girl’s weight is difficult, as we are currently in a difficult cultural climate about women’s body image. Do you celebrate loving your body no matter what the size, or do you advocate for health and therefore a smaller size? I like how Soule handled Sloane’s struggle. Most importantly, Sloane’s happy with herself. The fact that Hayden loves her is just icing on the cake. With her new life she seems to be more active, and she tries not to overindulge, and she is losing weight without making it an unhealthy obsession. On a personal note, I am a huge horror film, video game, novel, and art nerd. Along with my librarianship and writing jobs, I (and most people) have a largely sedentary lifestyle. It’s really easy to gain weight, and I totally did during high school and university. I had to take up running and exercising a dog every day to balance this out (lol). It's just one of those common things about life that happens and it's nice that there's at least one book out there that address it without making it the focus of the book (e.g. a book about a girl's weight loss journey or anorexia).

Under Sunless Skies by Sherry Soule

Starlight Saga

Lost in Starlight * Under Sunless Skies * Beyond Falling Stars

*Honest Review Requested by Author in Exchange for Free eBook

Published: July 14, 2016/April 2017

Publisher: Disenchanted Publishing

Series: Starlight Saga #2

Website: Author’s blog

She’s Also on Wattpad

Amazon: Here

Goodreads: Here

Introduction

A few weeks ago I was wondering if Sherry Soule wrote the sequel to Lost in Starlight, as I was thinking about what will happen to Sloane. Then, BAM, I get the news that the author is looking to get reviewers for the THIRD book in the series. I was floored! I know I’m in the running for the slowest writer ever, but she works fast, AND look at her goodreads listing of all the books she has authored (https://www.goodreads.com/author/show/4925996.Sherry_Soule).  

Sloane and Hayden have broken up, she gets a bombshell of news from her own family, and intergalactical organizations are causing her grief. This time around, Sloane has some mysteries to solve. First and foremost, she has a mysterious blackmailer threatening to leak her secrets, putting her and her family in danger.

Story

I was hooked on this book! I couldn’t stop reading because I NEEDED to know who the blackmailer was. I know some books make it obvious who the blackmailer is, and I DID NOT see this one coming. Everyone was acting so suspicious I couldn’t fathom who was behind it. It was an awesome experience that I haven’t felt in a while. There was also the aspect of will they/won't they get back together going on.  

This book feels to be more paranormal romance, with a light layer of sci-fi, and I enjoyed the atmosphere. The sci-fi is a backdrop and it’s unobtrusive. There's no attempt to explain crazy futuristic technology or science and I appreciate that.

Characters

Once again, I really like Sloane. I see her as the kind of girl that gets things done. She's a journalist for her school’s newspaper, a blogger, she has too many mysteries to count to figure out, and she still makes time for her friends. She pines over a boy and that drives me crazy, but in the end, she’s still just a teen. She has problems that are both relatable and paranormal, and the mix is perfect. The book is from her perspective and you get more of her interesting lines and thoughts.    

Two of my favourite quotes are:

If you stabbed me, I’d probably bleed frosting.

I’ll stop wearing black when they make a darker color.

Hayden angered me for about 70% of the book. LISTEN TO SLOANE SHE HAS SOMETHING IMPORTANT TO TELL YOU. I hate reading about on and off again relationships because I also hate them in real life. When an ex comes back after treating your heart like a cigarette butt and is like, hey, let’s get back together! Sure, entertain the idea. Then tell him it’s a good thinking point, as is the idea of setting him on fire.

It is realistic though. It happens all the time. A guy breaks up with you and you’re still totally in love, and you’re like I’M FINE, but secretly you hope he’ll take you back. As an adult I was screaming in my head that she needed to leave him be. He’s being a few shades of Edward Cullen/Christian Gray creepy. I wanted her to be the best kind of awesome she can be without him, and she was, though she was still pining for him. She was chasing him, which I hate, but this is a fictional character...and real people do this too. They do things we don’t like. It just made me want to shake her because she’s better than that, and punch him because he’s being mean and she deserves better.  

As for chasing boys:

(With the exception of the two with text denoting the possible creators at the bottom of the images, I have no idea who made these originally.)

Final Verdict

I highly recommend this book, and the first one in the series, for older teens who are looking for a fun romp with romance and sci-fi. Even if sci-fi isn't your thing, give these a try. These two books were written in an easy flowing way that are easy to get lost in. I have only read the first two books from this series, I am interested in checking out some of the author’s other books because I like the writing style.  

Fun (Maybe) and (Definitely Pointless) Fact:

I wore a lot of black back in the day. Then my mother told me to stop buying black clothes. So I switched to shades of darker blue...then she asked if I was in a blue cult. I know it’s more of a generational thing, but I would love to have Sloane as a daughter, as I know that there’s nothing inherently wrong with looking a bit different. But her mom seems pretty awesome too, even when she wants her daughter to be a little more “normal”. (Side note: Normal people worry me.)  I would have loved to read this as a teenager, and I would have been drooling over all the cool stuff Sloane has.   

Guest Post - Ten Random Facts about the Starlight Saga

Ten Random Facts about the Starlight Saga - #StarlightSaga

Today author, Sherry Soule has some exciting news to share with us! She will be publishing a brand new upper YA series: the “Starlight Saga” (paranormal romance with a Sci-Fi concept) with scorching-hot character chemistry and exciting suspense on June 26, 2014.  

To help promote this intergalactic love story, “LOST IN STARLIGHT,” Sherry is doing this fun guest post to share the news with fellow booklovers.

1.) I believe in the paranormal genre that aliens and science fiction type stories are going to be the next big thing. Add a little romance…even better. Vampires had their time, werewolves are overworked, and even though zombies are still going strong, I think extraterrestrials need some much needed love, too.

2.) My new YA / SyFy Romance novel, LOST IN STARLIGHT, is considered “soft” science fiction, and the storyline revolves more around the two main characters trying to overcome major obstacles to be together. It’s like an intergalactic version of Romeo and Juliet, with scorching-hot character chemistry right from the beginning. Hayden and Sloane share a strong attraction and mutual interest in one another and become best friends, which make the best love stories in my humble opinion.

3.) From the very first draft, I wanted to add something a little unique and special to Sloane’s quirky character. Thus, FRIGHT NIGHT BABBLE, her online newspaper column was born. (*Link to posts below) I think the short, humorous posts every few chapters adds a fun element to the narrative. My last few books were so angst-ridden and dark that I wanted to write something lighter, but still thrilling and romantic.

4.) The island that the characters live on is actually a real place within the San Francisco Bay Area. Although the name Winter Haven is fictional, the actual island is named Alameda, and it’s a lovely city to visit. I would love to live there! “Winter Haven” (Alameda) is located on Alameda Island and Bay Farm Island, and is adjacent to west of Oakland and within the East Bay.

5.) LOST IN STARLIGHT is the fastest book that I’ve ever written. It took me only about four months to write and do revisions. I had the idea in the back of my mind for about a year now, but it wasn’t until a short-lived TV show called “Star-Crossed” convinced me that alien love stories were super hot right now. And I was extremely lucky and blessed to have worked with some very talented writers that really helped me to shape the book into the thrilling storyline it is now.

6.) The Starlight Saga will be a trilogy; unless of course, it goes viral and readers clamor for more Sloane and Hayden adventures. Then I’ll happily keep writing more novels featuring this quirky and lovable cast of characters. (I know readers will fall in love with Hayden along with Sloane.)

7.) Sloane is by far my favorite character. Most authors admit that a little bit of themselves goes into each protagonist, but Sloane is near and dear to my heart. If a headstrong, gutsy, and imperfect heroine with an eccentric fashion sense appeals to you, then you'll love Sloane, too. 

8.) In LOST IN STARLIGHT, there isn’t the insta-love or love triangle that is popular in so many YA books nowadays. This is the real deal. The book is meant for older YA readers and does contain some mild language. The characters are all eighteen years old, except for Sloane who is only seventeen in this first book. 

9.) The names of the two main characters came to me instantly. They just seemed to fit perfectly. Some of the secondary characters had a few name changes during rewrites, but Sloane and Hayden’s never varied.

10.) One day, I was browsing images on a stock photo site and as soon as I saw the image of that purpled-haired girl (the girl featured on the book cover), I just knew that I’d found my “Sloane.” This image completely inspired me to write her story and make Sloane different from most YA heroines. Hayden’s image, featured on the front cover beside his darker haired younger brother, seemed to perfectly fit the character I had envisioned, too. 

So there you have it! Ten cool and random facts about the Starlight Saga!

VOLUME ONE: Starlight Saga

High school reporter Sloane Masterson knows she has one helluva story when she witnesses hottie Hayden Lancaster bending forks with his mind.

Like any good journalist, Sloane sets out to uncover the truth, even if it includes a little stalking. When the superhuman feats start to pile up and the undeniable heat rises between them, Hayden has no choice but to reveal his secret: he’s an alien hybrid.

They’re as different as night and day—she’s a curvy, purple-haired, horror junkie and he’s a smoking hot, antisocial, brainiac—yet the intense fascination between them refuses to go away. Even at Hayden’s insistence that dating each other is “off limits” and crazy dangerous, their fiery attraction threatens to go supernova.

Now Sloane’s dealing with creepy government agents, über snobby extraterrestrials, and a psycho alien ex-girlfriend out for revenge. After a crash course on the rules of interstellar dating, Sloane must decide if their star-crossed romance is worth risking her own life....

The LOST IN STARLIGHT eBooks can be purchased from Amazon, B&N, Kobo, & iBooks on June 26th.

The paperback edition from Amazon on June 16^th 2014.

Eager to read a sneak peek? http://www.wattpad.com/story/14214838-lost-in-starlight-syfy-romance

Places you can cyberstalk Sherry Soule:

Official Blog: http://www.sherrysoule.blogspot.com/

Twitter @SherrySoule: http://twitter.com/SherrySoule

Please add LOST IN STARLIGHT to your TBR on goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20707942-lost-to-starlight

Visit FRIGHT NIGHT BABBLE: http://frightnightbabble.blogspot.com/

Lost in Starlight by Sherry Soule

Starlight Saga

Lost in Starlight * Under Sunless Skies * Beyond Falling Stars

*Honest Review Requested by Author in Exchange for Free eBook
Published: June 26th 2014
Publisher:  Disenchanted Publishing

Series: Starlight Saga #1
Website: Author’s blog

First Five Chapters on Wattpad
Paperback Release date: June 16, 2014
Amazon: http://amzn.to/1i1gdRK
Read an Excerpt: http://sherrysoule.blogspot.com/2014/05/new-series-by-sherry-soule-starlight.html
Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20707942-lost-to-starlight

Introduction

                Sloane, journalist for her high school newspaper, horror fanatic, and alternative style aficionado, is spunky, and surrounded by like-minded friends. Hayden is a genius bad-boy and absolutely gorgeous. What started as a silly crush that could never cross the cliques of high school becomes dangerous when Sloane discovers Hayden’s secret.

Story

                There isn’t much plot; it’s primarily a romance story. Every event ultimately revolves around their love. Not that this is necessarily a bad thing if you care for romances. The first part of the book is the mystery of what Hayden is hiding, then the rest is mostly about them going on dates. They have a cute connection (even though it is rushed) and their love is forbidden from a lot of angles. Interspersed are moments of brief action until the climax, which had a satisfying amount of action that had me glued to my eReader. 

Genre

                I originally got excited about this book because it is something I probably wouldn’t have picked up myself. I do enjoy some sci-fi, though I am selective and mostly prefer dystopias (the MadAddam trilogy, 1984, Fahrenheit 451, I am Legend, The Chemical Garden Trilogy, The Hunger Games Trilogy, the Divergent Trilogy, etc.). Stories involving space and all the themes that come with it? Not really my cup of tea. But, as a librarian I need to be more open and be more familiar with a wide range of interests. What Lost in Starlight has is a story that I haven’t seen in YA lit before. I’ve seen similar (which I will not name because I don’t want to spoil anything here!) but nothing that handles the story like this.

                The one thing that bugs me about slapping a sci-fi sticker on this book is that it feels more paranormal than sci-fi. Conventions of sci-fi include technology (that may or may not be possible in the future) and scientific principals (you know, the kinds that I don’t understand), and I don’t recall these appearing in the book. It does, however, have the social commentary that I love, and it does it well.

To me, it feels more paranormal, and that’s ok. I think we need more variety in our paranormal literature, as vampires, werewolves, and witches are overdone.

Writing

                The writing comes from the main character’s POV. She has a bouncy way of describing everything, even when she is sad. At first, I found the writing engaging. Then it grated on me.

Fudge. With extra cherries. I’d totally forgotten.

Holy zombie guts.

Well, hello paranoia!

Is he seriously using big words to call me fat? Total douchebag move.

Sweet zombie babies!

It feels like a diary, which suits her just fine, considering. If this kind of writing is your thing, then you’ll love it. At times I was annoyed...yet I couldn't stop reading. Her voice is addicting.

Relationships

Very Mild Spoiler!

                This book gave a heroine a normal portrayal of teens – she had another relationship before the relationship that the book focuses on. I’m tired of all these YA books and their virginal teens. Teens are likely to have more than one relationship before finding the person who they are going to be with forever (if they even want to do that). Too many unrealistic people want to espouse the notion that teens do not have sex, and if they do, it’s because marriage is just around the corner. These kinds of people like to think that teens do not have random sexual encounters either. I don’t care if anyone is for or against it, but it happens.

                Not all heroines are pure white virgins that wait for their true love that they are fated to be with. I find this thought to be extremely detrimental to women – that their first time is going to be with THE ONE and they will get married and live happily ever after the end. So, I applaud the book for being realistic. She lost her virginity before and she is not with that boy anymore. Still, she is not throwing herself at Hayden just because sex isn’t a big deal anymore, and this also makes me light up with appreciation.    

Gripes

                You can’t Google everything! Sloane is supposed to be an intelligent student headed for greatness academically, so she’d know about trustworthy sites on the internet (especially if the librarian had ever had a library orientation). She’s a super-sleuth reporter, so she should know better. And what are the chances that enough specific information actually got on the internet? Also, by the story’s standards, I think the websites would have been pulled from the internet.

                In your last year of AP English class, it is highly unlikely that you would be reading Romeo and Juliet. I know the author wanted to draw a parallel with division between families and forbidden love, but this is just too easy to point out.

                The author mentions brands and stores (Manic Panic and Hot Topic) so much, it is almost like she is making fun of them. As a teen, I was a fan of alternative styles, and I didn’t recite the brand of every article of clothing I was putting on, nor did I ever have to remind myself that I was using Manic Panic’s Purple Haze. This also severely dates the content of the book, and it is possible that in a decade or so no one is going to know exactly what she is referring to. Also, portraying teens as being this into brand names make them seem like shallow scene kids who just want the look and the labels. Sloane says she’s into her own style…but it sounds like she’s into retro rockabilly. It would have been more interesting if she was actually creating her style.

                Too much emphasis was placed on the size of her chest. I know they can and will get unwanted attention, but it was nearly all the time. The end portion of the book had a scene about this, and it was just unbelievable that she would allow such an act to happen. Then again, it’s unbelievable that she would let a blatant pervert harass her. The girl has spunk and fire, yet she withers on this subject.

                There is a lot of fat-shaming happening to Sloane. However, this book likes to stereotype thin girls as terrible people, and that’s not fair, either. Her friends are the only girls I recall that are thin and nice. I get the impression fat-shaming is bad, but it’s ok to thin-shame. I don’t know if that’s a thing we’re culturally aware of yet, but I’m putting it out there. Of course girls who are thin are narcissistic Barbie dolls who try to steal your boyfriend.

Final Verdict  

                Overall, I recommend Lost in Starlight, especially to older teens who are into paranormal romance (that stress the romance). It is a unique read that touches issues that I’ve not seen in YA yet, and Sloane is an awesome character with real issues alongside the more fantastical ones. I know I pointed a lot of gripes in this review, but they are (mostly) minor. The book ended on a cliff hanger and I can’t wait to one day read the next installment!