About the Book
I received a free copy of this book from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. All expressed opinions are my own and do not reflect any stance or position held by the author or publisher. This did not affect my rating or review in any way.
The Sound of Stars by Alechia DowPublished by Inkyard Press on February 25, 2020
Pages: 432
Goodreads
Don’t miss this spectacular debut novel… Can a girl who risks her life for books and an alien who loves forbidden pop music work together to save humanity? This road trip is truly out of this world! A beautiful and thrilling read for fans of Marie Lu and Veronica Roth.
Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the deaths of one-third of the world’s population.
Seventeen-year-old Janelle “Ellie” Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. With humans deemed dangerously volatile because of their initial reaction to the invasion, emotional expression can be grounds for execution. Music, art and books are illegal, but Ellie breaks the rules by keeping a secret library. When a book goes missing, Ellie is terrified that the Ilori will track it back to her and kill her.
Born in a lab, M0Rr1S was raised to be emotionless. When he finds Ellie’s illegal library, he’s duty-bound to deliver her for execution. The trouble is, he finds himself drawn to human music and in desperate need of more. They’re both breaking the rules for the love of art—and Ellie inspires the same feelings in him that music does.
Ellie’s—and humanity’s—fate rests in the hands of an alien she should fear. M0Rr1S has a lot of secrets, but also a potential solution—thousands of miles away. The two embark on a wild and dangerous road trip with a bag of books and their favorite albums, all the while creating a story and a song of their own that just might save them both.
Our Review
This novel grabbed my interest from the moment I read the synopsis and I was double hooked once I saw that gorgeous cover! I mean, a romance with a demi-ace heroine and an alien male who is supposed to be emotionless? Yes, sounds great, sign me up.
Reading this book, it was clear that the author was trying to do a lot of important things. We have global warming messaging, thinly veiled commentary on the current political system in the United States, intense discussion of race relations, a budding romance, introduction of non-binary characters just as default, a “Chosen One” plot line, and a cross country road trip. This book had plots on plots on plots and I really admired what the author was incorporating into her story.
My primary issue, though, is that it seemed like maybe she was trying to do a bit too much within a single book. I felt like some of her messaging was diluted just because there was just so much and it wasn’t super subtle, which sometimes took me out of the story. If the author had focused on a single issue it could have let me really sink into the plot a bit more as a reader. As it was, it felt a bit disjointed and was a book that was easy to put down.
That said, I did love the main character. Ellie was such a book lover, which of course attracts me right away! She was a good friend and just so smart. I felt like I would like to hang out with her.
I also really adore forced proximity romances, where two characters are forced to be with each other for long periods of time. I enjoy watching relationships bloom in this way, and Ellie’s point of view felt very realistic to me as she struggled with whether she could really fall for M0Rr1S. There was a bit of suspension of disbelief, and the end felt a little too neatly wrapped up for me, but at the end of the day, I loved that aspect of this story.
I definitely look forward to reading more of Dow’s work. I think she has a really important point of view and obviously cares a lot about our world and letting that reflect in her work. I typically like that in novels, and can’t wait to see where she takes her writing next.
Giveaway
Don’t take my word for it — try this one out yourself! Enter here to win a giveaway for 1 copy of The Sound of Stars. This giveaway is US only! Good luck!
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