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Stargazer (Evernight #2)

by Claudia Gray (Goodreads Author)

3.84 of 5 stars 3.84 · rating details · 28,758 ratings · 1,096 reviews

The vampire in me was closer to the surface...

Evernight Academy: an exclusive boarding school for the most beautiful, dangerous students of all—vampires. Bianca, born to two vampires, has always been told her destiny is to become one of them.

But Bianca fell in love with Lucas—a vampire hunter sworn to destroy her kind. They were torn apart when his true identity was revea...more

Hardcover, 329 pages

Published March 24th 2009 by HarperTeen

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Mar 05, 2009 Marcy Jo rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: myalltimefaves, reading-challenge-2009

So it seems that 2009 is "The Year of the ARC" around here. Two of the books that I was most eager to have in my grubby little hands (which both are set to release on the same day, March 24th 2009, my husband's birthday) I managed to swing ARCs of in contests held by their authors. Pretty cool, right? I thought so, too. The first book as you know because I haven't shut up about it was CITY OF GLASS by Cassandra Clare.

The second book was STARGAZER by Claudia Gray. I will preface this review by s...more So it seems that 2009 is "The Year of the ARC" around here. Two of the books that I was most eager to have in my grubby little hands (which both are set to release on the same day, March 24th 2009, my husband's birthday) I managed to swing ARCs of in contests held by their authors. Pretty cool, right? I thought so, too. The first book as you know because I haven't shut up about it was CITY OF GLASS by Cassandra Clare.

The second book was STARGAZER by Claudia Gray. I will preface this review by saying that I loved EVERNIGHT. I really, really loved it. The characters, the plot, the worldbuilding, the twists, and very most of all, the emotional connect.

As much as I loved EVERNIGHT, STARGAZER was even better!

The book opens at the start of the new school year, months after Bianca and Lucas are separated. The author does a great job of the time progression, both the initial one, and during the several scenes of the book where we fast forward a month or more. You never have that feeling that a narrator is standing over your shoulder booming out "two months later." The transitions are seamless, and really progress the story and help to advance the plot and make the struggles more believable.

The relationships between the characters get more complex and convoluted, and we learn more about the pasts of a few key people. I really enjoyed the exploration of the ties that bind the characters, as well as the non-preachy statement that the plot makes about perceptions and the dangers of moral absolutism. Themes of identity and growth are also touched on, and are handled well in a way that will resonate with younger and more mature readers alike.

But the most important thing about any book is the characters. If you don't connect to them and care about what happens to them, then it doesn't matter how brilliant the plot is. If you don't love and hate them, then it's all in vain. I was absolutely absorbed in the story of Bianca and Lucas and (everyone's favorite vampire) Balthazar. They're written in a way that makes them real, that makes them jump off of the page. Every time I was forced to put this book down for any length of time I found that my mind was still with them. You care about these characters. They matter. I was so sad to read the final page and realize that it will be awhile before I can find out what will happen to them next!

The end of the book left my dying for more. Seriously. The wait is going to be painful.

STARGAZER has firmly sealed the EVERNIGHT books in my list of favorite series. Highly recommended to everyone. These books are suspenseful and fun and romantic and wistful all at the same time. I can't wait to get my hands on the third book in this series!(less)

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Feb 13, 2009 Karin rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: youngadult, vampires, 2009-reads

Bianca is determined to make it through the year even though without Lucas it is going to be hard. She has made it her mission to find out why Evernight is accepting human students so Lucas can tell his superiors and his mission will be complete. Evernight is completely safe and she wants the Black Cross, a group of vampire hunters, to back off and drop their investigation.

Bianca’s vampire instincts are getting closer to the surface. She needs more and more blood to stay satisfied and her parent...more

7 likes · like · see review

Mar 22, 2009 Kristi (The Story Siren) rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: own-arc, books-i-own, signed-arcs, signed-books

I really liked Evernight. I mean I really really liked it! Loved it even! And as much as I loved Evernight– Stargazer is even better!

I don’t want to go into the plot too much and really go into what happens because a lot happens! And you’re really going to want to discover it all for yourself!

In my review of Evernight, I mentioned that I would like to learn more about Balthazar, and I was happy to see happen in this novel. The plot becomes even more complicated if you can believe that. Gray thr...more

2 likes · like · see review

Mar 29, 2009 Jessica rated it 5 of 5 stars

I was a little disappointed with the ending, but at the same time I can't wait to see what happens in the next book.

Overall, it was even better than Evernight, and I didn't think that was possible. While there was still the emotional relationship between Bianca and Lucas, we got to see quite a bit more of Balthazar. I found myself wondering where his story was going to next by the end of the book. I can understand the feelings Bianca has for Lucas, but part of me wishes that she would give Balt...more

6 likes · like · see review

Jun 15, 2012 Amelia rated it 1 of 5 stars · review of another edition Recommends it for: People who like Twilight

Shelves: painful-reads, my-brain-cells-just-died, i-was-curious, based-on-mythology, boring-boring-boring, the-plot-went-on-a-holiday, 2012, romance, slow-moving-read, vampires, young-adult, irritating-love-interest, so-much-angst, wanted-to-murder-the-heroine, bland, twu-lurv, creepy-obsession-with-love-interest, gary-stu, mary-sue

I thought Bianca was selfish. Really. Selfish. And infatuated with Lucas. Those are the two main reasons why I didn't find this any more enjoyable to read than 'Evernight'.

Truth be told, I only read this book because I don't like to leave a series hanging; I may as well finish it.

Okay, this is the book in a nutshell: Bianca had secret meetings with Lucas, finds out that her parents are lying to her, freaks out at them, gives them the silent treatment, and then runs away with Lucas.

Me: O_____O

Se...more

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Mar 26, 2009 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I definitely thought this book was worse than the first one. I wouldn't say it was bad. It just really wasn't that good a sequel. I'm still giving it 3 stars because, while I didn't think it was great, I didn't hate it or want to put it down. It was still the same easy-to-read story the last one was.

Bianca is back at school. She's still the same boring character she was before, but now there is no pretending she is painfully shy. She whines about Lucas more or less from the beginning. She gets a...more I definitely thought this book was worse than the first one. I wouldn't say it was bad. It just really wasn't that good a sequel. I'm still giving it 3 stars because, while I didn't think it was great, I didn't hate it or want to put it down. It was still the same easy-to-read story the last one was.

Bianca is back at school. She's still the same boring character she was before, but now there is no pretending she is painfully shy. She whines about Lucas more or less from the beginning. She gets a letter from him and goes to meet him in a nearby town. There she discovers a young girl vampire and she helps her get away from Black Cross. This is just the beginning of the wangst that follows for Bianca as she has to decide to give up everything she is and everyone she loves for Lucas and his ideals.

Balthazar (the only really likable character in the whole book) discovers her coming back from her meeting with Lucas. He's going to tell her parents but when Bianca tells her side of the story, we find out that the vampire girl Bianca saw was his sister Charity. He wants to help Charity so he agrees to hide all this from everyone. In fact, they set up this whole plan of pretend-dating so he can look for Charity and Bianca can meet up with Lucas.

But Bianca still has to find out why humans were admitted to Evernight after so long. She doesn't really find out so much as the information falls into her lap via Vic. After several encounters with wraiths, or ghosts, she finds out that all the human students lived in haunted houses. Mrs. Beverly has been ghost hunting. So eventually we get this whole back story about wraiths and vampires hating each other... and that they really try to stay away from each other.

So why are wraiths attacking Evernight now? The answer is our very own super special Bianca. In order for her parents to have a baby (and why they wanted one so bad as all this is never explained), they made a deal with some wraiths. The wraiths took over her parents' bodies and made a baby. Then they decided they wanted her to be a wraith, not a vampire. So, they decided to try to kill her. There was absolutely no hint of anything like this in the first book and it seemed like the whole wraith thing was thought of after that book was written. And it seemed completely separate from the rest of the story.

So back to Charity... she's gotten in with a bad crowd and they've steered her in the wrong direction. Now the sweet little sister is killing people and liking it. She sets them up for a big showdown with Black Cross. In the end Bianca gets stuck with Black Cross just so she can be with Lucas. She's fully aware that she's becoming more like a vampire all the time and they will kill her if they find out... but it's true love or something so she's willing to risk it.

I get the first love thing in these books and usually I don't mind it at all but I don't believe Bianca and Lucas for one minute. Supposedly he confronts the fact that he "loves" her despite her being a vampire rather than loving her for who she is... but the relationship doesn't change much after this epiphany. They have nothing in common. They have opposite views. Bianca basically has to decide that she doesn't want to be a vampire ever so she can be with him. She'd even go into lockdown with vampire hunters. It really seemed like a one-sided relationship with Bianca doing all the giving. What did Lucas have to sacrifice?

What made me not hate the book was Balthazar. I liked him and I liked the time he and Bianca spent together when she wasn't whining about Lucas. I also liked the little bit of humanity the author gave to Courtney before chopping her head off.(less)

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Jul 08, 2012 Carolina Riojas rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites, books-i-own, re-read, favorite-series, spanish, paranormal, ghosts, vampires, books-crush

WHY BIANCA WHYYY??!!!!
I think that this book, the second one, wasn't one of my favorites books of the series i do like but the decisions that Bianca made OUCHHHHH!! Huh-uh.

This book is absolutely not like "Twilight" or another vampire book. Its not that "vampiristic" yeahh... It is about vampires but it has another paranormal stuffs.

In this second book all the dark secrets came to light when i read the true mi hands were like *shaking* and i was like "OMG!! OMG!!! OMG!!! And i star screaming a...more

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Jan 04, 2010 ~Tina~ rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: bite-me, own, favorites, read-2010

This was so much better then Evernight!

Stargazer continues the story of Bianca who as to find a way to survive at Evernight without Lucas. Though she's apart from him, there love is still very much alive and soon enough she plots ways to be with him again. Bianca isn't that shy, unknowing girl we read in Evernight, she's finally embracing who she is and the friendship between her and fellow Vampire, Balthazar, has made feel less alone.
Eventually the two come together and devise a plan to help e...more

2 likes · like · see review

Jun 08, 2011 Nan rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: vampires, young-adult, romance

After reading Evernight last year, I've been impatiently awaiting the arrival of Stargazer. My patience was certainly rewarded.

It's hard to write about this novel in a way that does not spoil the surprises of the first. I won't even try to summarize the plot, because I do really hate spoilers of that magnitude. And those surprises are part of what makes Evernight work so very well.

It's enough, I think, to say that this book complicates the story in several meaningful ways. Bianca has always been...more

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Jun 24, 2009 Heather rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009, ya, paranormal-romance

Stargazer was a major improvement to Evernight, in fact, I almost forgot about the stupid plot twist in Evernight, no easy feat, because it was a big one. I wish there had been more of Lucas, but was glad to read about Balthazar. Bianca grew up a bit in this book; therefore, she redeemed some of her previous ignorance. The author also explored Raquel and Bianca's relationship a bit more for which I was grateful. I was also happy to see that Vic was no longer perceived as unintelligent and was in...more

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Dec 01, 2011 Hollyevans rated it 4 of 5 stars

As her second year at Evernight Academy begins, Bianca wants nothing more than to see her boyfriend, Lucas, again. But the distance between them - she the daughter of two vampires, he a trained vampire hunter - makes her wonder if they'll ever be together.
So when Lucas manages to get a message to her, arranging to meet in secret, she's willing to do anything to make that happen. Even if it means sneaking around the school trying to discover the secret Lucas's family so desperately wants to disc...more

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Nov 26, 2011 Molly Jo rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2009-books

Stargazer picks up at the beginning of Bianca's second year at Evernight Academy, the night before the students arrive. Bianca and Lucas are apart, so she'll have to rely on the support and friendship of Balthazar, Raquel and Vic to get her through the year. She is still determined to see Lucas, though, even if it means living a life of secrets and lies. But as she flirts dangerously with the world of the vampire hunters, she soon discovers she's not the only one keeping secrets...
(That was half...more Stargazer picks up at the beginning of Bianca's second year at Evernight Academy, the night before the students arrive. Bianca and Lucas are apart, so she'll have to rely on the support and friendship of Balthazar, Raquel and Vic to get her through the year. She is still determined to see Lucas, though, even if it means living a life of secrets and lies. But as she flirts dangerously with the world of the vampire hunters, she soon discovers she's not the only one keeping secrets...
(That was half my own synopsis, and half from the back of the book.)

Now my thoughts.

First, I love a strong lead character, male or female. This year, I've mostly read about females and Bianca fits right into that category. She's gone through her entire life knowing she's fundamentally different from everyone around her, even at Evernight Academy. As she "matures", both as a teenage girl and as a vampire, she continues to remain separate from "the group." Stargazer is very much a coming of age story as Bianca develops, both physically and emotionally, and struggles to discern her true identity. Developing into a vampire is a whole new kind of puberty!

Since Lucas is no longer a student at Evernight, Bianca must rely on her other friends, thus deepening their relationships. We also learn about the pasts of several characters, which always helps the reader to understand their personalities and actions. I felt that several of the "minor" characters became more integral to the plot and more important to Bianca. This brought relational struggles into sharp relief, such as the difference between infatuation/lust and love, and increased the reader's involvement and devotion to the characters. There were scenes that had me frustrated with each character and scenes that made me love them more. Is that not why we read and what makes an amazing author? If I wasn't invested in these characters, I wouldn't be desperately longing for the third book!

In addition to coming of age and identity, the themes of trust and acceptance also play an important role. Since their introduction in Evernight, they have continued to have prominence in Stargazer. The danger in trusting too soon, without assurance that the person is worthy, has the power to make or break a relationship. It's a struggle that occurs in new relationships and those that have already developed. Characters also grapple with acceptance, whether they are longing to be accepted or display difficulty accepting others. Emphasis is given to the gray areas, causing those who see only black and white to reevaluate their point of view. These are also real life struggles that everyone deals with at some time or another. It makes the characters relatable and translates a fantasy into our everyday lives.

One of my favorite elements of any novel is when the characters have to work together to come to a resolution. The male isn't so macho that he has to rescue the damsel in distress. The female isn't such a femme fatale that she won't accept help from the male. They must discover their individual strengths first and then determine how they fit together to comine forces. Only then will they be able to "save the day." This has begun in places throughout Evernight and Stargazer already, but I hope that we will see much more of this element with the conlcusion of the series.

I highly recommend this book, and the Evernight series, if you haven't started it already! It's fun, suspenseful, romantic and entertaining on so many levels. I was so sad to put it down and leave these characters. The conclusion of Stargazer will leave you desperate for more. I'm currently feeling awe and frustration toward Claudia for leaving us with such an amazing cliffhanger!

Please leave comments after you read Stargazer and tell me what you think! I can't wait to compare notes!

And, yes, I'm still torn in my undying love for Lucas and Balthazar. Sorry, Edward, I'm going to be stuck at Evernight Academy for awhile!! (less)

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Nov 17, 2011 Aine rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: paranormal-vampires-etc

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I really, really enjoyed this book. I started it as something to read before bed, couldn't put it down, and finished it in one night. It's a well written book with an interesting story, and the female lead is far less annoying than she is in some other popular vampire books (not naming names of course...Bella...Elena...). I also like the unique vampire mythology, that borrows a lot from the traditional Dracula/Anne Rice sort of vampire while at the same time adding its own very original twists.

T...more

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May 08, 2011 Debora rated it 2 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Shelves: ceduti-venduti, ebook

A differenza di quanto sostenuto dalla maggior parte delle lettrici io mi ritrovo a pensare che questo secondo libro della saga sia decisamente peggiore del primo. Tutti gli elementi di forza del primo romanzo sembrano aver perso la loro forza e quindi, in linea di massimo, queste trecento pagine scivolano via senza colpire o coinvolgere.

I personaggi sono piatti, molto piatti. Incredibile costatare che l’unico personaggio un po’ interessante è stato proprio quello che, in genere si dovrebbe odia...more A differenza di quanto sostenuto dalla maggior parte delle lettrici io mi ritrovo a pensare che questo secondo libro della saga sia decisamente peggiore del primo. Tutti gli elementi di forza del primo romanzo sembrano aver perso la loro forza e quindi, in linea di massimo, queste trecento pagine scivolano via senza colpire o coinvolgere.

I personaggi sono piatti, molto piatti. Incredibile costatare che l’unico personaggio un po’ interessante è stato proprio quello che, in genere si dovrebbe odiare: la bulletta della situazione. Peccato, visto la fine che fa.

Il carismo di Lucas sembra dissolto nel nulla, il caratterino ribelle di Bianca è privo di spessore e Balthazar… beh, forse è l’unico che si salva anche se ho trovato davvero PESSIMA la trovata dell’autrice di affibbiargli un amore del passato che assomiglia a Bianca per giustificare la sua attrazione per la mezza-vampira. Ottima tattica fargli poi riconoscere che, no, non è innamorato di Bianca, no? Evitiamo di distogliere le fan dalla coppia perfetta e predestinata Bianca/Lucas.

Il romanzo contiene delle idee carine e nuove per giustificare l’esistenza di Bianca, non metto in dubbio che sia un tocco di originalità. Peccato che sembra di star ad osservare i fatti da lontano, come osservatori di una colonia di formiche che ci incuriosisce ma non ci tocca. Non so, davvero, ma questa volta il libro non mi ha MINIMAMENTE coinvolta.

E il finale? Bianca NON sa cosa diventerà se non accetterà di uccidere (e diventare così vampiro)… Come le viene in mente di mollare tutto e fare finta, letteralmente, di niente? Non ha pensato che, la mancanza di scelta, potrebbe consistere nella reazione violenta che potrebbe scaturire dall’astinenza? O meglio, come diavolo pensa di evitare di essere vampiro se già adesso la sete le fa perdere il controllo?

E in tutto questo che fai? Ti ficchi, in incognito forzato, in casa del nemico? E pensare che quando Lucas le ha detto che non avrebbe MAI accettato di diventare vampiro io pensavo che avesse finalmente capito…(less)

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Mar 24, 2009 Jess (The Cozy Reader) Kennedy rated it 5 of 5 stars

Shelves: author-signed

This post will be the review only. I will post the contest this weekend as I am having a crazy week.

Stargazer (Evernight Academy, Book 2) by Claudia Gray
HarperTeen (March 24, 2009)
329 pages (Hardcover)

Originality: 19!
Characters: 20!
Writing: 19!
Setting: 10!
Plot: 19!
Passion: 10!
Grade: 97/100!

NEW! Cover Bonus Points: 2/5!
99/100!

Inside flap description:

The vampire in me was closer to the surface . . .

Evernight Academy: an exclusive boarding school for the most beautiful, dangerous students of all--v...more

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Aug 03, 2012 Kristy ConQueso rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2012-has-been-a-weird-year, deadly-undead, paranormal-whatsits, romantical, vampires-werewolves-fairies-oh-m, whiskey-tango-foxtrot, ya-all-day, series

After reading (& severely disliking) Evernight, I probably wouldn't have bothered to read Stargazer had I not already had it ready to go. While it's still not the best thing I've ever read, it is a hell of a lot better than the first.

In addition to vampires and maybe halfbreed vampires, now we have wraiths running around Evernight Academy. And that is awesome.

I know we're probably not supposed to like the wraiths, but I do. I do so hard. Those things are ruthless and fun, just going around...more

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Jun 08, 2012 Melissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

(I will keep this review as spoiler-free as I can, but if you haven't read the first book yet, proceed with caution.)

While I certainly enjoyed Evernight, the first book in Claudia Gray's trilogy, I definitely think that Stargazer was a better read. Gray shows quite a bit of improvement with this story and leaves us hanging, anxiously waiting for Hourglass (due out in March).

Gray directed more focus on vampire and other paranormal lore and I think that definitely added to the interest of the over...more

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Jan 05, 2012 Diana R. rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Creo que es el libro que más me ha gustado de la serie. Y es que aquí Grey nos empieza a meter cosas bastante descabelladas, he de decir, pero por alguna extraña razón tienen perfecto sentido para la historia, es decir, lo sabe manejar de una manera tan natural que no te puedes imaginar la historia de otra manera.

Para empezar, la separación de los personajes principales y la entrada de Balthazar para completar el triángulo amoroso me encantó. Conocemos más al personaje y se le da tanta importanc...more

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Nov 03, 2011 Kirsti rated it 3 of 5 stars

It may appear odd that I add this book before the first, but when I joined Goodreads I had already read the first. To be honest, nothing about the book stood out in my mind even though I'd read it only a few weeks before. At first, I had to stop and think when reading the first few chapters; who was this character/ what was their connection to the main character, Bianca? It took a while to remember, but when I did, this book was a vaguely interesting read.

Bianca is my main problem with this stor...more

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Oct 30, 2011 Amanda rated it 4 of 5 stars

Stargazer, a sequel to Evernight by Claudia Gray is a Twilight resembling romance about a stubborn teenage vampire named Bianca. In Evernight, the gothic boarding school that Bianca attends. Evernight is not an average boarding school; the majority of the students are vampires with the exception of a few humans. Of course this pivotal piece of information isn’t found out until the middle of the first book. To summarize the first book , Bianca moved into Evernight because both of her parents beca...more

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Oct 20, 2011 Evk rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: ya-p

spíš 3,5/5, protože tento díl byl o něco lepší než první

Claudia Gray píše neuvěřitelně lehce a čtivě, ale na jejím příběhu mi vadí několik skutečností. Vůbec nejdivnější je, že se Bianca téměř o nic nezajímá, nemůže přece být 16 let upír a nic o tom nevědět. Jaktože upíří, kteří vznikli někdy, když Kain zabil Abela, nenapsali tuny knih o svém "údělu", které by mohla přečíst. Proč se od rána do večera nevyptává a nezajímá se o ostatní upíry, kteří se údajně měli narodit jako ona? Když jsou nesmrt...more

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Sep 07, 2011 Kristi rated it 2 of 5 stars

Let me begin by saying that I didn't like Evernight very much. The word that I have been unable to detach from it is "bearable". So, I went into Stargazer not expecting much, and at first, it looked like it was going to be just as bad as Evernight. However, as the book progressed, I found that I was actually interested in what was happening between the characters. In Stargazer, there are many more plots to follow: Bianca is slowly turning into a vampire, the Lucas-Bianca relationship, the Baltha...more

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May 26, 2011 Erin rated it 3 of 5 stars

Shelves: dark, love-geometry, paranormal, your-love-is-stupid, big-romance

I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'd read the first book in the series, Evernight, and enjoyed it more to make fun of than for its own merit. I started this book in the same manner-- snarking at every little thing that I felt was snarkable. Obviously there was plenty to choose from, from Bianca's silly Twilight-like obsession to the melodrama with which the story is told. But around a third of the way through, I was surprised to find that I wasn't able to mock it anymore. It was too enth...more I was pleasantly surprised by this book. I'd read the first book in the series, Evernight, and enjoyed it more to make fun of than for its own merit. I started this book in the same manner-- snarking at every little thing that I felt was snarkable. Obviously there was plenty to choose from, from Bianca's silly Twilight-like obsession to the melodrama with which the story is told. But around a third of the way through, I was surprised to find that I wasn't able to mock it anymore. It was too enthralling!

This is a definite improvement on the first book, and I think that's a promising sign. I only hope that Gray continues this pattern throughout the series, because she's set it up to be pretty interesting, not to spoil anything.

My absolute favorite thing was Vic + Ranulf. I nearly died laughing. Oh, Ranulf. Please be in all the other books.

I may have said this in my Evernight review, but it still holds. I don't read much vampire stuff, because it looks stupid to me, but I appreciate how dark this story is compared to the one vamp story I have read. You know the one. Not only are the vampires dangerous and blood-thirsty, but they prove it. They drink blood. They kill. They are freakin' scary. And the sexuality associated with vampires appears as well, which is another difference between Evernight and that-other-series. This is much closer to how I feel vampires should be written.

(view spoiler)(less)

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Jan 17, 2011 Alana Kelly rated it 3 of 5 stars

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. I know some people will think I’m being cynical, but I’m tired of reading books for young girls that promote the idea that love is something that should be valued above all other things: family, friends, honesty, hopes and dreams. These authors make the characters one dimensional by promoting such blind indifference to the rest of their lives.

In the books, Bianca lies continuously to everyone around her so she can be with Lucas. Yet, she never wonders if that dishonesty might be a sign that she...more I know some people will think I’m being cynical, but I’m tired of reading books for young girls that promote the idea that love is something that should be valued above all other things: family, friends, honesty, hopes and dreams. These authors make the characters one dimensional by promoting such blind indifference to the rest of their lives.

In the books, Bianca lies continuously to everyone around her so she can be with Lucas. Yet, she never wonders if that dishonesty might be a sign that she and Lucas aren’t meant to be together.

Why? Because Gray, much like Stephanie Meyer, made the idea of them not being meant to be together completely implausible. Of course Lucas and Bianca are meant to be together. They’re teenagers who’ve only spent a short time together. He’s possessive and she’s self-conscious. He’s only controlling because he wants to “protect” her. How could they be anything besides “soul mates” or “mates for life” or any of the equally ridiculous “we’ll love each other forever” euphemism writers like to use?

I can’t help but feel like we’re doing a huge disservice to our daughters by teaching them that everything will be okay if you get a boyfriend. It doesn’t matter if you have to lie or steal or abandon you’re family, so long as he promises to stay with you forever everything will be okay in the end. These books are no better then the white horse fairy tales that have ruined relationships for women everywhere.

It’s just so silly. Bianca is so angry that her parents lied to her (in Stargazer) without any regard to her own lies. Her parents lie isn’t even that bad (at least in the world of vampires). Instead, it should have made Miranda guilty for being so sanctimonious when they proved, once again, how much they love her and would have done anything to have her.

But we can’t have that now can we?

So instead, the lie is used as the reason Bianca won’t ever become a vampire. Pretty convenient. It also seems unlikely when Bianca is already drinking more blood and even killed a mouse without realizing.

I also felt that Stargazer ended poorly. After the huge fire and the possible death of most of the people she knows, including her parents, Bianca doesn’t question leaving Lucas even for a second. Of course not. Instead she decides to join a group of vampire killers without any thought to how she’s going to survive without blood or how she’ll handle being inside churches. Not to mention how hard it’s gonna be to hide a hazy reflection when she’s not getting blood regularly.

Or the fact they might have just killed her family. (But who needs family when you have “hope?” Family schmamily. It’s just another hurdle in the way of true love right?)

And just because Bianca and Lucas are together, doesn’t mean the book has been wrapped up. What about the wraiths? What about her parents? Why was Mrs. Bethany hunting ghosts? What will happen to the humans around her when the wraiths find her? How will she get blood? What will she do when her parents track her down (which seems very likely if they survived)? What about Balthazar? What will the humans do when they find out the truth?

Stargazer ultimately felt like the middle book. There were too many lose ends and not enough character development (even thought the relationships did become more complex). I understand that series books don’t answer all the questions in each book, but there could have been much more closure in this book (at least a chapter with Bianca actually questioning throwing her life away with the Black Cross). A writer’s imagination and talent should be what makes me want to pick up the next book. Not a ton of cliff hangers.

I also thought the climax was a bit…well anti-climatic.(less)

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Dec 30, 2010 Karissa rated it 4 of 5 stars

This is the second book in the Evernight series. There are supposed to be four books in the series. This book was much like the first book for me. If you liked the first book you will like this one. It is beautifully written, the first part is kind of boring and nothing happens, and then the last few chapters are so packed with action it's amazing.

Bianca is returning to school after a grueling summer separated from Lucas. Upon returning to school she finds out that she is being haunted by wraith...more

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Nov 27, 2010 Laura rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: 2010

Im zweiten Band der Reihe um Bianca und Lucas nimmt Bianca große Gefahren auf sich, um ihn wiedersehen zu können. Sie hintergeht ihre Lehrer und ihre Eltern, um das Gelände der Academy unbemerkt verlassen zu können und bekommt dabei Hilfe von dem Vampir Balthasar. Während Bianca Pläne schmiedet, wann sie Lucas wiedertreffen kann wird ihre Schule von unheimlichen Geistern heimgesucht. Außerdem versucht sie herauszufinden, wieso die Schulleitung plötzlich Menschen aufnimmt. Als die Gefahr, die von...more Im zweiten Band der Reihe um Bianca und Lucas nimmt Bianca große Gefahren auf sich, um ihn wiedersehen zu können. Sie hintergeht ihre Lehrer und ihre Eltern, um das Gelände der Academy unbemerkt verlassen zu können und bekommt dabei Hilfe von dem Vampir Balthasar. Während Bianca Pläne schmiedet, wann sie Lucas wiedertreffen kann wird ihre Schule von unheimlichen Geistern heimgesucht. Außerdem versucht sie herauszufinden, wieso die Schulleitung plötzlich Menschen aufnimmt. Als die Gefahr, die von den Geistern ausgeht, ins Unermessliche steigt, entdeckt Bianca ein unglaubliches Geheimnis aus ihrer Vergangenheit. Ihr Vertrauen in ihr gewohntes Umfeld wird dauerhaft erschüttert. Sie zweifelt an ihrem Schicksal als Vampirin. Während einem schrecklichen Kampf in der Evernight Academy muss sie sich für eine Seite entscheiden.

In "Stargazer" ist die Figur der Bianca um einiges unabhängiger und selbstsicherer geworden. Außerdem kommt ihre vampirische Seite immer öfter zum Vorschein. Der Vampir Balthazar nimmt nicht mehr nur eine Nebenrolle ein. Er ist aufopferungsvoll und hilft Bianca (wenn auch nicht immer ganz selbstlos) wo er kann. Aber natürlich ist er kein Ersatz für den leidenschaftlichen Lucas. Man fiebert regelrecht mit, wenn Bianca auf ein erneutes geheimes Treffen wartet. Auch wenn diese Treffen nie eine unbeschwerte Stimmung aufkommen lassen, hofft man doch, dass Bianca und Lucas wieder zueinander finden.
Die Figur der Charity ist sehr interessant und bringt Abwechslung mit einer Prise abgrundtiefer Bösartigkeit in die Geschichte ein.
Das Auftauchen einer neuen Spezies kommt recht unerwartet und man weiß diese Geister nicht so recht in die Handlung einzuordnen. Genauso ist es mit den Gründen für das Aufnehmen von Menschen. Die Verwirrung macht die ganze Sache sehr spannend und auch die Action kommt nicht zu kurz.
Das Ende erfolgt etwas abrupt und lässt viele Fragen offen. Das Bianca plötzlich tagelang ohne Blut auskommt, nachdem sie vorher Schwierigkeiten hatte, ihren Durst vor ihrer menschlichen Mitbewohnerin zu verstecken, erscheint mir etwas unlogisch.

Ein spannendes, kurzweiliges Buch über eine junge Vampiranwärterin, die noch gar nicht weiß, ob sie überhaupt eine Vampirin werden will.(less)

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Sep 30, 2010 Liz rated it 4 of 5 stars · review of another edition

Stargazer was an excellent follow up to Evernight. In this one, Lucas and Bianca were separated and they had to sneak out to see each other. It wasn’t as easy as it sounded, and Bianca had to pretend to be in a relationship with Balthazar to be allowed to leave the grounds, much to Lucas’s dismay. There were quite a few arguments in this book and I liked the fact that Bianca and Lucas fought because it showed that not everything is fine and dandy all the time and that relationships are never alw...more

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Jun 10, 2010 Paula rated it 4 of 5 stars

I read the first book, 'Evernight' of the Evernight series in April of this year. I did enjoy the book to a point but I did think the story had potential, which was not being used and I was in two minds about reading the sequel, 'Stargazer', the continuing story of Bianca Olivier and her love, Lucas Ross, two different people who are facing their destinies but I wanted to know what was going to happen to Bianca and Lucas next.

'Stargazer' is definitely a turning point in the series, the story is...more

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Jun 04, 2010 Cary rated it 4 of 5 stars

Shelves: favorites

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here. After reading "Evernight" I rushed to get this book which is the second installment in the series. I was very pleased with the amount of suspense this book provided. In the beginning Bianca isn't half as hesitant about attending the academy as she was the previous year. She is beginning to come around about becoming a vampire more and more. The story tears away from all of that to reveal an even bigger secret that is mind blowing. The horror of the particular situation she finds herself in is a...more

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Mar 19, 2010 Kathy Cordero rated it 5 of 5 stars

Para aquellos que solo quieren saber que tal esta el libro sin que les de muchos detalles, les puedo decir que esperen del libro: suspenso, amor, amistad, engaños y huidas inesperadas…es un libro muy completo que tiene todo lo que se necesita para que sea una buena historia de vampiros. Sobre la traducción debo decir que tiene sus errores como siempre pues no se hace por profesionales pero les digo que es muy buena, no tiene problemas en el orden de las oraciones ni nada de eso, se disfruta bien...more

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About Claudia Gray

Claudia Gray is not my real name. I didn't choose a pseudonym because my real name is unpleasant (it isn't), because I'd always dreamed of calling myself this (I haven't) or even because I'm hiding from the remnants of that international diamond-smuggling cartel I smashed in 2003 (Interpol has taken care of them). In short, I took a pseudonym for no real reason whatsoever. Sometimes this is actual...more

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Quotes from Stargazer

“How did you learn all this?"
Vic sighed. "See, while you spend all your time making out with Balthazar, and Raquel stays holed up with her art projects, and Ranulf's off studying his Norse myths again, i do something else. Something crazy. Something strange. I call it 'talking to other people.' Through this miraculous process, I am sometimes able to learn facts about two or three other human beings in a single day. Scientists plan to study my method."
~Vic” — 121 people liked it

“ Huging my pillow to my chest, I told myself, At least soon you won't have so much time to miss him. Soon school will start again, and then you'll be busier.
Wait. Am I reduced to HOPING for school to start?
Somehow, I have discovered a whole new level of pathetic.” — 105 people liked it

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Stargazer (Evernight #2)

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