And All the Stars

Sep 24, 2012 Estara rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: everyone who likes the Touchstone trilogy ... well... everyone, really ^^

Recommended to Estara by: auto-buy author

Shelves: ebook, read-in-2012, favorites

How to do a non-spoilery review of this? I think I'll have to save a real review until my next read - which won't be long from now - when the book is actually out and I can squee and discuss with more people, so here are some bookpushy highlights that hopefully don't give too much away:

I wrote this on the Booksmugglers On The Smuggler's Radar post this week (cleaned for spelling errors :P)

It’s teenage apocalypse without dystopia! It’s got humour, it’s got an action plot of breathlessness, it’s g

...more How to do a non-spoilery review of this? I think I'll have to save a real review until my next read - which won't be long from now - when the book is actually out and I can squee and discuss with more people, so here are some bookpushy highlights that hopefully don't give too much away:

I wrote this on the Booksmugglers On The Smuggler's Radar post this week (cleaned for spelling errors :P)

It’s teenage apocalypse without dystopia! It’s got humour, it’s got an action plot of breathlessness, it’s got multi-racial characters of all sexual persuasions (it’s even got a cross-dressing, suave, successful actor – who doesn’t look like, but whose vibe reminded *me* of Tim Curry as Franknfurter when he’s at his charismatic best). There’s love in the face of utter adversity, there’s sacrifice, there’s a Three Musketeers leitmotif.

BRILLIANT BOOK! If the world were fair it should catapult Andrea Höst into fans' minds as much as Code Name Verity did Elizabeth Wein this year.

That last bit was added because I cried three times after the big plot reveal in the last third of the book and it was well earned crying because the book really grabbed me by the jugular and shook me - which is why I enjoyed reading the epilogue especially. Otherwise the two books share great characterisation and female friendship, but everything else is different (so fellow CNV lovers, don't expect this to be a WW2 exploration of the awesomeness of female friendship - it's a sf exploration of the awesomeness of friendship in general, female friendship included)

This is an ensemble book - like the Touchstone Trilogy but more so, even though we have a clear main heroine. The people Madeleine meets become incredibly important to her AND all contribute to the story and everyone we share more than one scene with is their own person, even when they're fairly quiet.

This book is told from third person and is not a diary-entry book which makes the action and dialogue more prominent and more immediate. It's also somewhat a love-letter to Sydney.

And during the build-up I could NOT believe that the page amount of the book could ever lead to a satisfying conclusion and not feel cut-off, but the author really managed it for my money.

I've read all her published books and for my money, this is the tightest book she's written so far (bear in mind that I'm a reader for character and emotion so plot and action fine-tuning usually fly past me). It's unputdownable from at least the point that the core group get together for good till the end.

It would be a GREAT movie or TV series. The sf bits of the story hint at a consistent world of their own, but the focus is square on the group of friends in adversity. And it's an encouraging book with an ending of sweetness mixed with a deeply-felt dollop of bitter to remember.

ETA: And a very big thank you to Andrea Höst, who sent me this not only early, but in response to me making her aware of about 10 mistakes left in 800+ pages of Touchstone Trilogy (no longer, because she's incorporated the corrections by now) which I had sent without being asked, may I add. A class act all around!(less)

21 likes · like · see review

Dec 30, 2012 Belle rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: netgalley, all-the-feelings, aussie-aussie-aussie, double-trouble, inner-teen, kick-ass-heroine, the-sky-is-falling, weird-science, invasion-of-the-body-snatchers

The first thing that attracted me to And All The Stars was the cover. Isn't it pretty? Reading the book made me appreciate it even more, because it actually depicts a character exactly as she's described, which is refreshing. The character in question is Madeleine, a budding artist who is caught in St James train station in the Sydney CBD when a massive spire erupts from the ground and spurts purple dust over the city. A purple dust that kills some, turns some green and others blue. Madeleine he...more

19 likes · like · see review

Sep 29, 2012 Andrea added it · (Review from the author)

Shelves: australia, apocalyptica, science-fiction

And All the Stars began as a discussion on Goodreads about another of my novels, Stray. Two readers, Flannery and Wendy Darling, were particularly taken with the first section of Cassandra's story, and encouraged me to write a survivalist or post-apocalyptic novel. I shrugged and said I don't write survivalist or post-apocalyptic novels...and promptly began thinking about what kind of survivalist or post-apocalyptic novel I would write, if I were ever to write such a thing.

33 likes · like · see review

Dec 29, 2012 Wendy Darling rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: aussies, dystopian-post-apocalyptic-utopian, sci-fi-or-futuristic, supportive-author, 2012-publication, october, own-dtb-tbr, 2012-favorites, read-2012, to-review, crush-worthy-boys, heroines-butt-kicking, made-my-heart-hurt, mature-ya, young-adult, survivalist, indie-author, aliens

Man, this book rocked my socks. And I cried! I freaking cried.

In the interests of full disclosure, I would have read this book, even if this hadn't happened:

But the fact that I crazily love it make it even more special.

Review to come.

70 likes · like · see review

Mar 15, 2013 TheBookSmugglers rated it 4 of 5 stars

And All the Stars caught me completely by surprise to the point where I must start this review with simply a: Wowza, that is one great Scifi YA book. A warning: it is impossible to talk about the book without including minor spoilers so if you don’t want to know details just know that in a nutshell: this is a good Scifi story featuring multi-racial characters with diverse sexual orientation (including a cross-dresser) in a complex ensemble cast that form a kick-ass team to fight for their lives....more And All the Stars caught me completely by surprise to the point where I must start this review with simply a: Wowza, that is one great Scifi YA book. A warning: it is impossible to talk about the book without including minor spoilers so if you don’t want to know details just know that in a nutshell: this is a good Scifi story featuring multi-racial characters with diverse sexual orientation (including a cross-dresser) in a complex ensemble cast that form a kick-ass team to fight for their lives. If you don’t mind minor details spoiled, please carry on reading.

When Madeleine comes to in the wreckage of St James Station, surrounded by fallen victims of whatever it was that destroyed everything around her and covered in weird (alien?) dust her only thought is to get up and to get out. Survive first, ponder later. Making her way to her cousin’s apartment in central Sydney is easier than she thought (as she walks through the empty streets, people barricaded behind closed doors and windows gasp in terror at her obvious exposure to…aliens?). Her parents seem to be safe back home and so Madeleine is alone in the apartment watching TV and the terrifying coverage of the Spires that spear through (up?) several cities across the globe, spreading clouds of dust. She wonders: what will be the effects of her close encounter with the dust? And so, the waiting game begins.

Then it hits her. The overwhelming hunger. The surge of power followed by paralysis. And the blue patches of velvety skin and impossible constellations that cover most of her body now.

With nothing to lose, Madeleine ventures outside in search of food and comes across a chef named Noi (also with patches of blue skin) who offers her warm scones, tea and company. They team up to find other Blues and come up with a plan for survival as the owners of the Spires finally decide to reveal their intentions.

Most of And All the Stars happens in the first few months of an Apocalyptic Earth in the first stages of contact with alien civilisations as a small group of teenagers band together to survive. As such, the book absolutely excels at exploring those first moments, the different possible reactions of each individual and how people cope with the scenarios vividly presented in the novel. Although it often shows what is happening in the world, the story is mostly confined to how those events affect this small group of people surrounding Madeleine and Noi – a group that comes to be called the Blue Musketeers. Because it is more of a character-driven than plot-driven story, And All the Stars is an intimate story of friendship, love, growing up and survival. The bond formed between Madeleine and Noi is beautiful; the ensemble cast fight together and each person contributes differently to the dynamics of the group meaning that there are no real heroes or heroines here although Madeleine is the clear point-of-view protagonist. She is an artist, a painter and her journey of self-discovery is really interesting – from her self-image to the firm acceptance of what her art means to her. What kind of respect she expects from those she loves with regards to the way she connects with her art when she is so absorbed by what she is doing that nothing else matters. And finally, there is also romance – romance that develops slowly but surely and which has truly heart-wrenching moments as well as some seriously great exploration of what it means to fall in love.

I loved how Madeleine accepts her feelings and her sexual awakening easily and how it was acknowledged that maybe “this is the end of the world, let’s party before it is too late” reaction to what was happening can be a part of it. I also loved the complexity of this love story and how it is equal parts wrong and right – and what it means that is wrong and right at the same time (I am being so cryptic as I don’t want to spoil too much. You will thank me for it). And kudos to the author for writing a lovely-yet-extremely-clumsy first-time sex scene that pulled at my heart strings.

Of course, this choice of what drives the story means that I felt that book lacked a certain gravitas when it came to the larger issues about alien invasion – like for example, even though the aliens look very different from humans, there is a clear shared…emotional sensitivity. For all that the aliens’ plan for Earth was completely messed-up and unfair, I never felt they were completely alien. Furthermore, And All the Stars has very abrupt, awkward transitions between certain scenes which led to a feeling of rushing under-developed storylines; and the resolution was perhaps far too easy considering the stakes involved.

Those things said, this is the second Andrea K Horst novel that I read and just like Champion of the Rose, And All the Stars features a creative, very unique premise. Given the amount of horrible stories one hears, it is hard to believe hers are all self-published novels. The writing is excellent, the number of copy-editing mistakes minor (and nothing that I haven’t found many times in traditionally published novels) and the characters are well-written, believable and so naturally mirroring the real diverse world we live in, it makes one want to read ALL THE BOOKS (just recently bought her Touchstone trilogy, which I hear, is amazing).

And despite being covered in cheese, the epilogue was so completely endearing, I ate it all up with gusto. Highly recommended. (less)

8 likes · like · see review

Dec 19, 2012 Keertana rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc-galley-and-first-reads, aussie, rainy-day-re-reads, swoooon, kick-ass-heroines

And All the Stars and I got off to a slow start. For some reason, it was nearly impossible to get me to pick this one up. Perhaps it was because I didn't think anything with aliens could captivate me the way Doctor Who does or perhaps it was the fact that whenever I tried to read past the first page, my mind just drew up a giant question mark. Either way, I encourage you all to give this novel a chance for, truly, it is spectacular.

One of the biggest downfalls this novel has going for it, in my...more And All the Stars and I got off to a slow start. For some reason, it was nearly impossible to get me to pick this one up. Perhaps it was because I didn't think anything with aliens could captivate me the way Doctor Who does or perhaps it was the fact that whenever I tried to read past the first page, my mind just drew up a giant question mark. Either way, I encourage you all to give this novel a chance for, truly, it is spectacular.

One of the biggest downfalls this novel has going for it, in my opinion at any rate, is its beginning. It throws you into an apocalypse at once, leaving you confused and puzzled for a few chapters before the pieces slowly begin to come together. While I know many readers love this method, I was rather thrown off by it, but as I kept reading, I became captivated with the story. Maddie, an artist aspiring to win a prestigious award, is on her way to her cousin's house to paint him for her competition. Suddenly, dust begins to coat the streets and before anyone can even begin to find their bearings at the strange occurrences, an alien invasion has happened. In it, Maddie and many others who were outside and infected have been split into two groups, distinguished by the rapidly changing color of their skin: Blues and Greens. Now, it is a race for both survival and a journey to band together to somehow save Planet Earth before their race dies out.

In And All the Stars, Host proves her worth as a writer by gently peeling back the multiple layers of her world. Maddie, a powerful Blue, meets and join Noi, who in turn is joined by another group of people who stay together and experiment with their developing abilities. None of them know who the aliens are, what they want, or what has happened to them, but they try to make the best of their situation. Each of these characters is very complex and Host depicts them in such a manner that the reader both simultaneously knows them and doesn't know them completely. As the narrator, Maddie is the most understandable of all the characters and I loved gleaning insight into her artistic mind, observant capabilities, and unique way of thought. Without even knowing it, I was slowly drawn into the characters of this tale, feeling for them and their plight in ways I didn't think were imaginable. It was this strong connection to the characters themselves that truly made this novel as astounding as it was for me. I found myself fist pumping, cheering, and generally joining them on their race for survival as newer and newer difficulties cropped up as their duration as Blues and Greens continued.

Fisher, one of the young men who joins Maddie and Noi, is an enigmatic and quiet person who Noi affectionately nicknames "Science Boy." Needless to say, I doubt there is anything more attractive than a nerd except a hot nerd and Fisher fits the bill perfectly. Maddie and Fisher's relationship was very slow, drawn-out, and extremely realistic. Both of them acknowledge that they may have never gotten together unless the apocalypse had occurred and furthermore, they don't even label their relationship as "love." Best of all, perhaps, is the fact that Maddie slowly begins to fall for Fisher because he understands her in a way no one else does, appreciating her artwork and taking the time to understand her unique persona that is built around that hobby. Maddie, much like us bibliophiles ourselves, is very easily drawn into the life of her art, tuning everything else out and remaining anti-social - until now. Thus, it is Fisher who understands her tendencies to be alone, to focus solely on her artwork, and her gradual change into a person who trusts and works with others as well. I found Maddie's entire journey to be very compelling and the outside perspective we were witness to from Fisher's reactions towards her was an eye-opener as well.

And All the Stars is a novel that will appeal to everyone. It has a beautiful, blooming romance that is done to near perfection; it has heart-pounding action and edge-of-your-seat suspense; it contains a healthy dose of sci-fi and intrigue that will keep you flipping the pages frantically; its narrator is a unique protagonist unlike any other; its secondary characters are well fleshed-out and real, but best of all, it's a story you are not likely to forget. It has plot twists, sacrifice, friendships, laughter, romance, fear, hope, distrust, betrayal...it's a perfect blend of everything and I have been rendered speechless by it. I can't recommend this novel enough and although this is only my first Host novel, it certainly will NOT be my last.

You can read this review and more on my blog, Ivy Book Bindings.(less)

12 likes · like · see review

Nov 13, 2012 Kevin rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: first-reads-arc, favorites, reviewed

Okay. I loved this. How has a major publishing company, NOT picked this up.

I know this story started off as pretty much an extended wish by some very fun bloggers, but thank goodness for these people. I really really loved it.

Basically And All The Stars, is a apocalyptic novel that works. This story didn't need extensive world building or mystery, because most of the facts of what happened were present right from the beginning. Madeleine the narrator, is a bit of an outcast and really starts...more Okay. I loved this. How has a major publishing company, NOT picked this up.

I know this story started off as pretty much an extended wish by some very fun bloggers, but thank goodness for these people. I really really loved it.

Basically And All The Stars, is a apocalyptic novel that works. This story didn't need extensive world building or mystery, because most of the facts of what happened were present right from the beginning. Madeleine the narrator, is a bit of an outcast and really starts to come out of her shell when survival is her top priority. It also helps when you meet people fighting for the same things, that are generally good people to associate with.

In this setting, these "alien-like" towers spiral from beneath the earth, and begin a takeover of epic proportions by these droid like things that I can only describe by small invaders floating around with a form of light as a face. But these things are not the only things that need to be avoided throughout the book, because when the takeover begins, anyone outside at the time begin to have some side effects. These side effects literally include them changing colors, blues and greens. Depending on your color there are other side effects, such as being controlled by outside sources, having special abilities to move people via the air or needing energy from other blues/greens to live at all. Maddy and her group of blues are constantly hiding an running from all of these different factors.

First off the characters, they were all so diverse and awesome in their own ways. I feel like with every book I read there are characters that just annoy me even if they aren't bad in anyway, that simply was not the case here. I adored their little group of misfits, and their interactions between each other. There is of course a few love interests between the group, that I also loved. Nothing was instant, and everything seemed real for the situation they were in.

Madeleine's love interest specifically takes a turn for the worst near the end of the novel, that really pulls at your heart strings, yet still gave you hope and a reason to cheer as the ending unraveled.

There was enough action and a whole bunch of suspense throughout. I feel like the author really separated this novel from being dystopian/apocalyptic, which was one reason I really loved it. The world crashing around the characters did not leave to a revolution or anything that could sway the story from what it really was.

Pan was probably my favorite character. He was generally hilarious, and his over the top acting moments killed me. He was the kind of person that doesn't falter when the group was in a particularly bad situation. His speech near the end of the book made me so happy and I may have actually cheered out loud. Whoops.

I really hope more people read this book, I think people will be pleasantly surprised. I literally had no idea what I was getting into, but I'm so happy I did.

I got this book via Net Galley. But I will be buying it for physical copy soon. It's that kind of a must have.

(less)

5 likes · like · see review

Oct 11, 2012 Tsana Dolichva rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

And All the Stars is the first novel I've read by Andrea K Höst, self-published Australian author. I usually only self-published books by authors previously known to me — there are so many books out there, one has to filter somehow. However, Höst caught my eye because I remembered her being the first self-published author to be shortlisted for an Aurealis Award (last year, for the 2010 award). The shortlisting is a pretty good indication that her writing doesn't suck. Add that to science fiction...more And All the Stars is the first novel I've read by Andrea K Höst, self-published Australian author. I usually only self-published books by authors previously known to me — there are so many books out there, one has to filter somehow. However, Höst caught my eye because I remembered her being the first self-published author to be shortlisted for an Aurealis Award (last year, for the 2010 award). The shortlisting is a pretty good indication that her writing doesn't suck. Add that to science fiction element and I was sold. My copy of And All the Stars was provided by the author through Netgalley.

The novel opens with an apocalyptic alien invasion. Spires, piercing the ground, appear in many large cities around the world, including Sydney where our protagonist, Madeline, lives. Madeline survives the impact of the spire piercing the train station she was just leaving only to be infected by the mysterious alien dust the spires belched out. The dust gives her, and those others who survive the infection, blue (or green) patches of skin and some super powers. Then the invasion begins in earnest.

When I first read the blurb I wondered whether it might bear some resemblance to The Orphans Trilogy by Sean Williams and Shane Dix because of the spires, but it didn't even a little bit. If anything it was more like Tomorrow When the War Began but with aliens and Sydney instead of foreigners and a small country town. Particularly with the teenagers versus the invaders theme.

Madeline starts off coping with the invasion alone, but that doesn't last long. She soon meets Noi, an apprentice chef, and they quickly team up with some boys from a boarding school who'd had the presence of mind to get organised after people got sick and started dying from the dust.

There is a lot to like about And All the Stars. The writing is strong and tight, the characters are delightfully varied, including a diversity of cultures and sexualities representative of modern Australia. I particularly liked the part where Höst took into account that many boarding school kids would be rich international students since the rich local students don't need to board. It has a realistic (read: slightly embarrassing) first-time sex scene, something which is often avoided in YA or over-idealised if it isn't. Although the science fictional element surrounding the aliens is on the soft side (their powers might as well be magic, although fields and electricity are mentioned), the methodology of the characters in working out how all the new stuff works is rigorously scientific.

The aliens were alien. Not little green men, but something more strange and other. Their actions were mysterious at first but, by the end when their motivations were known, they weren't so baffling as to be completely incomprehensible.

The setting — modern Sydney — also reflects real modern technology. A bunch of people die when the aliens come, but the survivors tweet information to each other and use youtube to share videos of useful things. Some TV news services keep going and the electricity stays on. Just because an apocalypse is in progress, doesn't mean that society collapses immediately. It takes time for our infrastructure to run out of resources or break down. It was nice to see aliens not arbitrarily disable everything for flimsy reasons.

I was concerned while I was reading that this would be the first book in a trilogy or series but it was entirely self contained. Which was a relief not because I wanted it to be over, but because I'm sick of stories needlessly drawn out into trilogies.

And All the Stars was a solidly good YA book. I recommend it to science fiction readers as well as fans of YA. I'll definitely some of the author's other books to my mental TBR pile.

5 / 5 stars

You can read more of my reviews on my blog, Tsana's Reads.(less)

4 likes · like · see review

Dec 04, 2012 Bonnie rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: aussie, dystopian-post-apocalyptic, ya, arcs-read, sci-fi, edelweiss-netgalley

Most dystopian's tend to be the story of what came after, of how the Earth had changed and how lives were transformed. In 'And All The Stars' we get a glimpse into the inner-workings of the change while it's actually happening and affecting people now. Strange clouds have spread across the skies of the city and sparkling dust is emanating from them.

'The rest, from just below her collarbone down, was an unbroken dark blue, studded with motes of light. Galaxies, nebulae and fiery novae. They weren...more

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 05, 2012 Sherwood Smith added it

Recommended to Sherwood by: Estara Swanberg

Madeleine, an artist, sneaked off on an art-related trip rather than going to school, when the world is attacked.

She finds herself in the wreckage of a station, wading through weird blue dust. She discovers a strange wall where there had not been one, and many victims of the forceful appearance of that wall, before she makes it to her cousin's to collapse.

She wakes up changed.

Eventually she goes out to find others, find out what's going on, and of course to seek help. But everyone is doing the...more

4 likes · like · see review

Oct 07, 2012 Laura (Kyahgirl) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: action-adventure, fantasy-alternate-history, favorite-authors, human-potential, sci-fi-fantasy, young-adult, thought-provoking

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. 3.5/5; 4 stars; B+

I really enjoyed many aspects of this book, especially the way the author depicts teenagers and young adults. She has a real gift for detailing the energy, curiosity, vulnerabilities and wild emotional highs and lows particular to people in this age group. The characters, Noi, Nash, Pan, and Madeline really were awesome. The lack of adult caretakers served to highlight how competent and effective a group of 'kids' can be. I also enjoyed the lack of gender and sexual stereotypes...more 3.5/5; 4 stars; B+

I really enjoyed many aspects of this book, especially the way the author depicts teenagers and young adults. She has a real gift for detailing the energy, curiosity, vulnerabilities and wild emotional highs and lows particular to people in this age group. The characters, Noi, Nash, Pan, and Madeline really were awesome. The lack of adult caretakers served to highlight how competent and effective a group of 'kids' can be. I also enjoyed the lack of gender and sexual stereotypes. And, most importantly, I really enjoyed the creative world building, the nature of the alien invasion, and the spires and conversion concept.

One of the challenges with any kind of sci-fi book is coming to understand what is going on enough to enjoy the story. In this book, I felt a bit too baffled at times to enjoy the story as much as I could have. Right about the time when the group was caught I was starting to feel frustrated that not enough was happening to move the story forward and I needed to understand more about what was going on. When Fisher, near the end, is doing the broadcast to explain the En-Mott's history, motivation I couldn't quite understand everything the author was trying to convey. However, it was very clear that the danger the occupants of earth faced was not going to go away until they were destroyed. That provided excellent impetus for the rebellion and attack they Blues mounted at the end.

One thing I really liked in this book was the dimension added when it was revealed that Theoden wanted to end the death and destruction and that he'd been kind of working as a double agent as he 'rode' Fisher. I love the idea that Maddie might have fallen in love with the alien as much as with the human. I also liked the revelation at the end that many of the moths weren't keen on the end goal and were just going along with their alien counterparts as part of the tide. Maybe I'm guilty of ascribing human values to aliens but that seems so much 'human nature' too. Very few people are really evil but many people don't have the ethical core and backbone required to go against the tide. (less)

4 likes · like · see review

Estara I think that's fair enough for the fact that all our science fiction - even the alien centered one - is still written by HUMAN writers. If you conside...more
updated Oct 07, 2012 08:45am

Laura (Kyahgirl) I really felt for Maddie AND Fisher when it became clear what had happened. It was an interesting and uncomfortable idea. I liked the aspect of Fisher...more
Oct 07, 2012 01:45pm

Estara You're welcome ^^. I agree that this scene between the two really made the eventual romance (which we really didn't see develop more) more believable...more
updated Oct 07, 2012 08:45pm

Feb 01, 2013 Lyn (The Heartless) rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: 2013, arc, fantasy, teen-lit

Read this review on Great Imaginations!
With a description that opens with an apocalypse and cupcakes, I was almost a little hesitant to begin to guess what kind of book I was getting into when I started. I really didn’t have high expectations for a story that added something so cutesy in the opening hook. However, I am thrilled to announce that I have found a story that really stands out on its own, and even now, I still have some trouble comparing it to anything else I have read.

I believe it is...more Read this review on Great Imaginations!
With a description that opens with an apocalypse and cupcakes, I was almost a little hesitant to begin to guess what kind of book I was getting into when I started. I really didn’t have high expectations for a story that added something so cutesy in the opening hook. However, I am thrilled to announce that I have found a story that really stands out on its own, and even now, I still have some trouble comparing it to anything else I have read.

I believe it is important to note that there is a chance that an editor could correct some of the technical problems, such as word usage and issues with the large chunks of dialogue. Even though I did enjoy this saga, I think it is important to point out that the writing could turn some people off of the story. The huge walls of dialogue and the choppy, truncated action scenes seemed to suggest that this was not the final draft of the story. At certain points in the book, I felt that the audience was finally able to piece together what was happening, and that the reader was treated as an outsider during critical plot development and pivotal points. Some of the action also tended to hit the chopping block, and during big struggles, it seemed that the action portions were not thoroughly fleshed out. One last thing: this is labeled as “young adult," but there is sex in the story as well – pretty descriptive sex, to boot.

With that out of the way, I’ll note that part of the appeal of this book was the boldness to step outside of the norm and try the apocalyptic story at a brand new angle. I was often pleasantly surprised and celebrated Höst for bringing in something with creativity, and quite frankly, a story that gives you a break from some of the checklist-driven tales in the young adult section. I fear to discuss in great detail some of the huge surprises and developments of And All the Stars, but I can flat out say that I never saw any of it coming. I rarely get a huge shock, and this book threw me for a HUGE loop. I was hit with something unexpected, terrible, and beautiful. Bravo, Höst, for going the extra mile and delivering one of the best book gut punches I have ever witnessed.

The characters were able to warm my heart in a short amount of time, and even though they all tend to follow the Maniac Pixie personality, each of the central characters did bring a certain flavor to the storyline. The main characters were able to carry the story when the plot sometimes appeared to be a bit lacking. Driven by character development and growth, And All the Stars drove forth the message about the undying human spirit without clubbing one over the head. Madeline, the reclusive and introverted protagonist, brought a level of bittersweet emotion to the entire plot. Her inability to open up and trust others only added to the tragedy of the entire story. The growth of her character, her struggles, and her triumph is a testament to Madeline’s struggle to overcome her own inner demons.

Overall, And All the Stars is an apocalyptic story that tests the endurance and the strength of people in times of need. If anything can be taken away after reading this book, it is that in the face of our greatest struggle, we must rely on trust in others, and in our own decision, to get us through the darkness.(less)

3 likes · like · see review

Jan 17, 2013 Heidi rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

In the last year or so I’ve been pushing myself to read more SciFi, but even still there’s one thing that I’ve always completely shied away from: aliens. I just…I don’t know, it’s not my thing I guess. I prefer my wizards and fairies and dragons, I’m not so much of the ‘take me to your leader’ ‘phone home’ crowd. But then I was seduced by a gorgeous cover (which accurately reflects the character it portrays–huzzah!), and raving reviews by friends (knowing this was dedicated to my buddies Wendy a...more In the last year or so I’ve been pushing myself to read more SciFi, but even still there’s one thing that I’ve always completely shied away from: aliens. I just…I don’t know, it’s not my thing I guess. I prefer my wizards and fairies and dragons, I’m not so much of the ‘take me to your leader’ ‘phone home’ crowd. But then I was seduced by a gorgeous cover (which accurately reflects the character it portrays–huzzah!), and raving reviews by friends (knowing this was dedicated to my buddies Wendy and Flannery didn’t hurt), and I was willing to go out of my box for And All the Stars.

I am oh so glad that I did. Höst has found that magical formula for using alien invasion to show humanity at their best that has heretofore only been seen by me in Doctor Who. She created a completely original apocalypse and populated it with one of the best exhibitions of friendship and endurance I have had the pleasure to read.

And All the Stars throws you directly into the action, and lets the world building flow naturally rather than slamming you with info dumps. The trade off is that for a good chunk of the book we as readers have little to no idea of what’s actually going on. We uncover the truth in time with our characters. Personally, I loved the mystery and the horror of uncertainty, but this may be a dealbreaker for some readers. I did find myself blinking in confusion on occasion during action scenes and from certain world building aspects, but I was so completely taken with the players in this character-driven plot that these stumbles hardly seemed to matter.

Our story is told through the eyes of Maddie, a young artist who is separated from her family and forced to find a way to survive an alien invasion. Caught at Ground Zero when an alien Spire rose from the ground in Sydney, Maddie finds herself more acutely affected than perhaps any other known survivor. But Maddie does survive, and not on her own–she survives by forming friendships with other teens she would otherwise never have met. United by fear, loss, and a need not just to survive, but to live as free beings, this group of teens bands together to form the Blue Musketeers and take on the apocalypse.

Yes, at times the Blue Musketeers were downright cheesy and idealistic, but sometimes a bit of idealism is all that rests between hope and giving up. I loved this group of friends. I loved knowing that most of this group would never have been friends even if they had met prior to the Spires rising from the ground, but that an event meant to divide and conquer could instead unite these young leaders with a cause. Watching people build unexpected relationships strengthened me as a reader, and these characters in their story–it gave them something to be happy about. Höst provides us with diversity (racial, sexual, identity, etc.) in the right way–it’s there because it exists in the real world. The diversity also helps to show us how it is possible to come through the experiences we face in And All the Stars.

And oh those experiences. Twists? This book has them. Höst managed to completely surprise me multiple times in quick succession. This is what I love about a well-done limited perspective narrative–we really don’t see it coming if they don’t see it coming. It’s also one of those rare stories where I love the side characters even more than those featured. Noi, who hides her pain so well and can set her mind to planning anything, Lee who can crack a joke or deliver a stirring monologue on queue, Emily who wants so badly to be a part of something–they’re all wonderful. But of course, the story couldn’t have been really told from any perspective but Maddie’s. Maddie who sees the world through an artist’s eye and is willing to open her heart in a time of chaos.

At times, emotional dialog seemed to be written rather than natural…but then upon finishing I also felt this made sense for the characters involved. Höst includes an epilogue flash forward, which I felt was unnecessary (I am one of those sick people who likes open endings), but I also feel it will satisfy many readers to know how things turn out down the road.

I laughed, I teared up, I got very angry, I fist pumped, and I even slow clapped un-ironically, and at the end of the day there isn’t much more you can ask for from a book.

Original review posted at Bunbury in the Stacks.(less)

9 likes · like · see review

Nov 26, 2012 Cherie rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Wow, wow, wow!

Where to start? I loved everything about this book. The plot, the characters, the settings, the pacing, the twist! Oh my gosh, the twist! This was my first read from Andrea K. Höst but it will definitely not be my last!

We begin the story with Madeleine waking up stuck in a precarious position after an apocalyptic event:

Madeleine Cost's world was a tight, close space, a triangular tube tilted so her head lay lower than her feet. Light reflected off metal, and there was barely room

...more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 06, 2012 Best rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: netgalley, read-in-2012, ebook, reviewed, science-fiction, young-adult, apocalypse, 3-stars, arc

(This review on B's Book Blog!)

Everyone here wants to do something in the abstract, but to get anywhere, to find a way to fight them, we're going to have to gamble everything.

A pretty refreshing read! And All the Stars, thankfully, isn't one of those YA dystopian books that are pervading the market.It's notpost-apocalyptic; it's takes place duringan apocalypse! Yay!

Interesting as it is, I'm not sure if I understood everything this book threw at me, because honestly, I skipped a dozen of pages....more

2 likes · like · see review

Oct 13, 2012 Jen rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: keepers

I can not WAIT for this book to come out. The premise sounds interesting and this author is a particular favorite of mine, so that bodes well for the book. :)

I never win anything and I won this!!! I am so stoked I may take tomorrow off of work just to read it in one shot.

Ok, I was good and didn't take off to read this. I'm roughly 44% of the way through it & am so wound up over what the characters are facing that I had to put it down. I tend to get severely emotionally invested in what I rea...more

2 likes · like · see review

Dec 06, 2012 Eleanor rated it 2 of 5 stars

Having been burned by too many bad indie-published novels to be tempted, I admit I bought And All The Stars on the strength of the tagline alone. Come for the apocalypse. Stay for cupcakes. Die for love. Gorgeous. Based on this, I expected the novel to be of a certain strange, discordant feel and it did not disappoint. For the first 25% anyway. I loved how it was this cathartic survivalist story of one girl pitted against the elements, covered in toxic glitter while people hidden behind glass wi...more

14 likes · like · see review

Nov 17, 2012 Heather K (dentist in my spare time) rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: young-adult, sci-fi, net-galley, dystopia, losing-the-v-card

THANK GOD! I've been reading some pretty mediocre young adult books recently and this was a breath of fresh air. This book is so different from what is out there. It is innovative and not dumbed down for a teen audience. Thank you Andrea Host!

The story takes place during an apocalypse. That's right, during. I don't want to get into spoilers or get overly descriptive in my review... which means I can't go into too many details. However, I was pleasantly surprised with how the story played out. Th...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jan 31, 2013 Aryn rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: young-adult, science-fiction-fantasy, netgalley, own, e-book, fiction

Firstly, this cover is friggin' gorgeous. I thought the little thumbnails I'd seen were beautiful, but when I blew it up for this review I realized how much detail I was missing, in the model's eyes, specifically. and all the stars, obviously refers to the stars under the model's left eye, but honestly the more I look at this cover, the more I like it - it also could have been a reference to the sparkle in her eyes, or even the freckles on her neck. Basically, the cover art gets a full five star...more

4 likes · like · see review

Feb 15, 2013 Nenia Campbell rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: x-2012s, netgalley, ya-baby-ya, gorgeous-covers, beautiful-words-lets-swim-in-them

You can read more reviews at my blog, The Armchair Librarian!

I'm always a little leery about reading indie books, which is ironic because I happen to be the author of some. But with all the drama going on lately, it just seems to be too much trouble with too little pay-off unless the author in question has developed a good reputation.

I received my copy of And All the Stars from netgalley for review. A lot of my friends had been gushing over it, and seeing all those good reviews popping up in my...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jan 12, 2013 Lydia rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: fantasy, sci-fi, teen

Premise: This lured me in because it sounded more fantastical than your typical grim apocalypse, and didn't disappoint in that respect.

Characters: The characters are all very smart, funny,likable and cleverly written, and their relationships and reactions feel genuine. My favourites in particular were the entertaining Pan, the sarcastic Min and energetic Noi. They seem to work very well together considering the pressure of their circumstances.

Plot: The reader is sucked right in as the book begin...more Premise: This lured me in because it sounded more fantastical than your typical grim apocalypse, and didn't disappoint in that respect.

Characters: The characters are all very smart, funny,likable and cleverly written, and their relationships and reactions feel genuine. My favourites in particular were the entertaining Pan, the sarcastic Min and energetic Noi. They seem to work very well together considering the pressure of their circumstances.

Plot: The reader is sucked right in as the book begins with the apocalypse having already started, and the reader is just as confused as Madeleine, discovering what has happened as slowly as she does. It has an almost fairy-tale feel with the sparkling dust and bodies turning starry blue or green; at least until the 'Moths' appear and start possessing the 'Blues', when it takes a more sinister turn. Despite a lot of hiding out which could easily get boring, Madeleine and her new friends actually have a lot more fun than might be thought in that situation, making the story quite light-hearted as romance develops between Maddie and Fisher, although it seemed to me that their lack of caution at a critical point is what got them into trouble. Towards the end there is a twist which I admit I didn't see coming at all, but after that the pacing suddenly picks up too much. Halfway through the final fight the next chapter skips to the day after without referring to any details, and then skips to several years later.

Other Comments: Though I really liked the writing style and voice and there was a lot of imaginative fuel with visualizing the descriptions of the Moths, Spires, and other creatures, there were a few downfalls, including the rushed ending, and a confusing possible plot hole. (view spoiler)(less)

1 like · like · see review

Dec 12, 2012 Leonie rated it 4 of 5 stars

I found this book via one of my groups here on Goodreads. I really enjoyed it. The concept was fascinating, and the characters were well written. The main protagonist was really interesting, and I was intrigued by the little threads of back story running throughout the book.

Occasionally I'd find myself wondering if I'd missed something, as there was the odd jump in the storyline, but generally the plot held together well. The unexpected twist towards the end was extremely well done, and one of t...more

1 like · like · see review

Nov 07, 2012 Dave Versace rated it 4 of 5 stars

Satisfying but not grim YA apocalypse-survival story, with weird powers, emotional drama and unusually thoughtful use of social media. Longer review to follow!

Longer review

And All the Stars by Andrea K. Höst is a YA apocalypse-in-progress adventure set in modern-day Sydney. As the story opens, teenager Madeleine Cost's plans to ditch school to conduct a portrait-sitting with her newly-famous cousin come to grief when a vast alien spike suddenly punches up from the earth. In the chaos that ensues...more Satisfying but not grim YA apocalypse-survival story, with weird powers, emotional drama and unusually thoughtful use of social media. Longer review to follow!

Longer review

And All the Stars by Andrea K. Höst is a YA apocalypse-in-progress adventure set in modern-day Sydney. As the story opens, teenager Madeleine Cost's plans to ditch school to conduct a portrait-sitting with her newly-famous cousin come to grief when a vast alien spike suddenly punches up from the earth. In the chaos that ensues in the shadow of the towering black spire, just one of many that have appeared around the world, Madeleine struggles to stay alive in a quarantine zone, gathers around herself a growing army of survivor and discovers unexpected side-effects of the disaster.

Post-apocalyptica seems to be a big thing in YA writing at the moment, but I think there's an untapped vein of possibilities in telling stories about the collapse of civilisation as it happens. AAtS maintains a constant, narrow focus on Madeleine and her friends as they establish themselves, build relationships and make survival plans. The strange worldwide catastrophe looms as a mysterious background presence, which makes it all the more threatening when it intrudes on the survivors. Like any good YA adventure, the key here is the relationships: the growing friendships, the petty arguments, the buildup of trust - and coping in the aftermath of tragedy and betrayal. For all of its strong emotions, AAtS never steps over the line into angsty melodrama, which I for one appreciated.

And All the Stars is a not-quite-cosy catastrophe. The characters' circumstances are dangerous and constrained, their fear of capture or worse is oppressive and justified, and their losses are keenly felt - but at the same time they have pretty good wifi and access to food and shelter. It makes for an odd - but not unbelievable - atmosphere, combining the tension and paranoia of survival in enemy occupied territory with a curiously larkish teenage high-spiritedness. Think 'The Famous Five Go to Stalingrad'!

Probably the most impressive thing about AAtS is that it's told and done in a single volume; the author has commendably resisted the urge to bloat the story out to a trilogy. The downside is that the resolution of the plot feels a bit rushed - towards the end, the acceleration to the climax after a slow expository scene feels almost hasty. In terms of the characters and their relationships, though, the end comes at just the right time. That said, I would happily inhale a sequel with these characters.
(less)

1 like · like · see review

Mar 26, 2013 Ornella rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorite-must-have, 2013-favorites

Isn't that cover beautiful? I actually read this one on cover alone. I'm usually not a fan of aliens but what the hell I decided to give it a go and I was not disappointed!

I'll admit at the start I was kinda lost. I had no clue what was going but maybe that was kind of the point since the MC is just as disoriented. Once things get going I finally started understanding what was going on.

I loved the characters in this book, the setting, the descriptions. The way they all worked together. How the g...more Isn't that cover beautiful? I actually read this one on cover alone. I'm usually not a fan of aliens but what the hell I decided to give it a go and I was not disappointed!

I'll admit at the start I was kinda lost. I had no clue what was going but maybe that was kind of the point since the MC is just as disoriented. Once things get going I finally started understanding what was going on.

I loved the characters in this book, the setting, the descriptions. The way they all worked together. How the group of kids started taking charge. They didn't all just give up and despair. No, they took an initiative and even started helping anyone they could find. Then they went right into finding and understanding the facts of what they were and could do now.

I loved when they got together and started making their strategies, everyone had a job to do and was in charge of their own thing. Of course at times I would think that damn these kids are really smart and not only that but their plans always seemed to work pretty damn well. Things started really heating up after the beach incident and then once the games started. That's when the metaphorical crap started hitting the fan xD

Madeline was amazing. They all were. Even after everything that she goes through she keeps going because she knows that they are all counting on her. It isn't just about her anymore it's everyone else as well.

I'm not saying this book was perfect, because it was at times a little too complicated to follow through, or maybe I was just too stupid to understand the whole problem about the aliens, cause even know I'm not 100% clear what was going on with them. There was also not enough background information on the rest of the world for my liking. There was some, just not enough. I didn't understand how no one else would help. I get that it was an airborne toxic substance but I don't know, I just would have liked a bit more explaining on that front.

This book was so addictive and entertaining and that ending! Almost actually cried. It was just so bittersweet. Everyone should give it a try.(less)

2 likes · like · see review

Feb 17, 2013 Nicole R rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: children-young-adult, 2013, sci-fi-fantasy, aliens

I loved And All The Stars! I was intrigued by the summary, and it's so much more than what I was expecting.

I thought the idea of aliens coming down, building the spires and people who are dyed blue and dyed green and the people who are left alone or are too scared to leave their homes. You're immediately thrown into this world where the En-Mott have a master plan, and you're literally watching everything unfold, but not completely understanding why they're here and what they're really up to.

And...more I loved And All The Stars! I was intrigued by the summary, and it's so much more than what I was expecting.

I thought the idea of aliens coming down, building the spires and people who are dyed blue and dyed green and the people who are left alone or are too scared to leave their homes. You're immediately thrown into this world where the En-Mott have a master plan, and you're literally watching everything unfold, but not completely understanding why they're here and what they're really up to.

And All The Stars was so hard to put down, and I loved how I wanted to keep reading so I could know what happened! It really is an interesting take on alien invasions, and I was taken by surprise so many times! And All The Stars was not predictable AT ALL, which was another great thing about reading it.

There's just something about reading the apocalypse AS it happens, instead of after it happens. It really is refreshing to see what's going on in real time, and there's also something about a group of people banding together, establishing new relationships and having to trust strangers while trying to survive something completely unknown and catastrophic.

I LOVED a lot of the details. You have some people who are dyed blue and are always really hungry, and they don't get along with the people who are dyed green. I loved the idea of the Spires that appeared at several places all over the world and the different cycles. Sometimes we don't get all of the details, and while that would normally bother me, it DIDN'T in And All The Stars. It just worked really well, and I liked how I didn't completely know what was going on.

The characters were great, and I loved Maddie. All of the characters were great, and one thing I really loved was that they were all drawn together because of what was going on and remained optimistic. At a time when a lot of people would have remained divided, they banded together to figure out their abilities and save the world before it's too late. I like that there's optimism and hope in a world where people were slowly becoming divided. I loved that they all had something to contribute and that they worked well together. You really did get a sense that they were in it together, and everyone was equally important. It's a nice change from a lot of other books where everything falls to one or two people. Maddie was a great narrator, and I'm so glad we got to see things through her eyes. She's such a creative person, and I loved how artistic she was, always drawing and sketching.

So, a couple more things! We have an epilogue, which I liked. You see how things are changing and getting better. I still have a lot of unanswered questions, and it's kind of fun to think about what will happen next. But there's a part of me that wants a sequel so I can revisit Australia and spend more time with these characters and see the aftermath of what's happened.

And Australia as the setting was also cool and unexpected. I would never think of setting an alien invasion/apocalypse in Australia but it was another thing that worked well. I can't really explain why I liked it being set in Australia, I just know I liked it!

Final Thoughts: And All The Stars is a breath of fresh air! I haven't come across anything like it, and it was such a fun book to read. It's an interesting mix of watching things unfold while not getting all of the details, but it works really well, because Maddie doesn't know all of the details, and her perspective is pretty limited. And All The Stars gets 5 stars!

*I received And All The Stars from NetGalley(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 29, 2013 Sho rated it 5 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: sci-fi, romance

Wow this is exactly what i love to read. Just the right amount of teenage friendship, love, angst and impressive courage were shown by the characters of the book, the Blue Musketeers.

It so reminded me of one of my absolute favorites Hoshimushi(by Takao Iwamoto ), an YA novel about 星虫 (star bug) which suddenly fall from the sky and stuck itself on people's forehead. The difference is that in Hoshimushi, the main character is a girl but a very "special girl" who is so good/perfect that you cannot...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 31, 2012 Pamela (slytherpuff) rated it 3 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: fantasy, mystery, netgalley, scary-shit, young-adult

See more of my reviews at Bettering Me Up.

A solid 3.5 stars.

The first thing I liked about the book was the addition of the description prior to the start of the story. I am someone who reads the jacket cover at several points while I'm reading a book. With a Kindle, it's impossible to view metadata, so this was a really nice touch.

Some of the language ventured into the purple prose and I had to re-read a few passages in order to understand what was going on:

The TV showed a van crammed full of

...more

1 like · like · see review

Feb 21, 2013 Rayne rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-oct, between-the-3-and-the-4, aliens, paranormal, sci-fi, stand-alone-novel, survival, there-s-romance-in-there-somewhere, victims-of-the-insta-love-monster, post-apocalyptic, young-adult

This is a difficult one to rate because, while I must admit I completely enjoyed the later half of the novel, And All the Stars and I got on to a very, veeeeery slow start. This is a relatively short novel, the type of novel I tear through in a couple of hours, a day at the most. And yet, it took me quite some time to get through it. Through almost 60% of the novel, I had made up my mind that it would be a 3 star rating, not because it was badly written or because the concept was not absolutely...more

1 like · like · see review

Dec 28, 2012 Ellie rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: book-revels

Original review posted on Book Revels

Madeleine Cost wants to win the Archibald Prize for portraiture and hopes for her famous cousin Tyler to be the subject. On her way to meet him, the unimaginable happens: Spires, vast towers covered in stars, appear in every major city in the world and spew dust that covers everything. Madeleine, coated in dust and unsure of the effects, must make her way out of the collapsed underground train station and figure out how to survive in this changed world.

To dis...more Original review posted on Book Revels

Madeleine Cost wants to win the Archibald Prize for portraiture and hopes for her famous cousin Tyler to be the subject. On her way to meet him, the unimaginable happens: Spires, vast towers covered in stars, appear in every major city in the world and spew dust that covers everything. Madeleine, coated in dust and unsure of the effects, must make her way out of the collapsed underground train station and figure out how to survive in this changed world.

To discuss the Spires and the reasons behind the apocalyptic setting of this story would be to reveal major spoilers and plot points and I don’t want to ruin it for anyone. Discovering what’s actually happening alongside Maddie and her friends is really enjoyable and I don’t want to deprive anyone of that experience. So I’ll start with the characters, because…oh, these characters. I love them so much. First, I love how this group features not only gay characters but also POC characters. On a deeper level, every character is so unique. Their personalities jump off the page, making me feel like I know each and every one of them. I wish they were real, because I really want to be friends with all of them. Maddie, Noi, Fisher, Pan, Nash, Min, Emily, Tyler, Gavin…I love them all.

Their group dynamic is what really made me fall in love with this book. From the very first moments when they all meet, their rapport is natural and familiar. These characters were obviously meant to be a part of each other’s lives. In some weird way, I’m almost glad for the apocalypse that forced them all together. They need each other, and support each other, in a way that feels right and perfect.

And the romance! Ah, such lovely romance. Maddie’s comes with a huge twist, and I loved seeing how she deals with it afterwards because it’s something that seems insurmountable.

Overall impression:
And All the Stars features a diverse cast of memorable and lovable characters that left me with a warm and fuzzy feeling after reading.(less)

1 like · like · see review

Jan 11, 2013 Meggy Meg Megan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: arc, netgalley-edelweiss, ahhh-great-romance, awesomesauce-charries, deep-thoughts-yo, feel-the-emotions, haunting, quite-interesting, swoon-worthy-love-interest, creativity-at-its-best, sci-fi-pa-favs, so-amazing-my-brain-will-pop, good-secondary-characters, 2012-favorites

"Fight. Always fight. No matter how impossible the odds, no matter who you've lost, how you've been hurt. If there doesn't seem to be a way out, look for one. If you seem to have come to an end, start afresh. Never, ever give up."
- uncorrected proof

I don't know if I'm the only one, but somehow, I have never really had that much interest for self-published books. I suppose that I had the same feeling when I first saw And All the Stars, but decided to give it a try anyway, because it had such an i...more

"Fight. Always fight. No matter how impossible the odds, no matter who you've lost, how you've been hurt. If there doesn't seem to be a way out, look for one. If you seem to have come to an end, start afresh. Never, ever give up."
- uncorrected proof

I don't know if I'm the only one, but somehow, I have never really had that much interest for self-published books. I suppose that I had the same feeling when I first saw And All the Stars, but decided to give it a try anyway, because it had such an intriguing synopsis (and we all know that I'm a huge sucker for sci-fi!). I am so glad that I did.

Diving into this book, I hardly knew what to expect. And All the Stars is set in Australia in the not too distant future, following the story of Madeleine Cost. She's waiting at the train station when suddenly, disaster strikes. The station collapses, but she miraculously manages to survive. No one know what has happened - and Höst keeps the reader in the dark throughout most of the beginning. Maybe that was what pulled me in, kept me reading.

The characters in this book all had very distinct personalities, which really helped in fleshing them out. I loved Madeleine, though I couldn't connect with her much and wish that the author had opened up more about her: her life and family before the apocalypse, instead of just focusing on the now. At times, I also found her a little confusing. Those were really the only problems I had with the characters overall. I loved Noi, Pat, Fisher, and the rest - and, of course, the sizzling chemistry between Madeleine and Fisher. The romance was definitely swoon-worthy!

I really loved how the author revealed absolutely nothing about where this book was headed. She kept the plot and story totally unexpected. In some cases, doing this doesn't work at all, but in And All the Stars, it added perfectly to the mystery and intrigue Höst had created in the beginning. There were so many possibilities that you couldn't help but read on greedily, hoping to gain more information. The twists - especially the major one near the climax - was so heartbreaking and shocking.

The only setback for this book was the writing. I haven't read many books by Australian writers, so I'm not entirely sure if their writing styles are different, but anyway, I found out that the way the book was written was slightly confusing. That in turn brought down the descriptions, which, though detailed, I couldn't really get.

To sum up...

PROS: Mesmerizing; so emotional; original plot idea; amazing characters; unexpected; great romance

CONS: Writing was slightly confusing

OVERALL: And All the Stars is definitely one of my favorite science-fiction reads of 2012! Filled with emotion, realistic characters, and totally unexpected, this book will whisk you off your seat and into its world. It also had one of the most satisfying endings I've read - ever. I highly recommend this! If you're a huge fan of the unexpected, then you'll enjoy it.

Want more reviews like this? Check out my YA book blog, Ink Skies!(less)

1 like · like · see review

title link	preview: And All the Stars
avg rating	preview: And All the Stars Goodreads rating: 3.96 (314 ratings)
small image	preview: click here [close]
med image	preview: click here [close]
BBCode	[url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13411999-and-all-the-stars?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book][img]http://d.gr-assets.com/books/1348833505l/13411999.jpg[/img][/url] [url=http://www.goodreads.com/book/show/13411999-and-all-the-stars?utm_medium=api&utm_source=blog_book]And All the Stars by Andrea K. Höst[/url]

And All the Stars

Friend Reviews

Lists with This Book

Community Reviews

new topic
Discuss This Book

combine
Other Editions (3)

Genres

Readers also enjoyed similar books

About Andrea K. Höst

Books by Andrea K. Höst

Share This Book

Share This Book on Your Website

Trivia About And All the Stars

Quotes from And All the Stars