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Feb 08, 2008

Angie rated it:

Linda Collison's Star-Crossed reminded me of a mixture of The Witch of Blackbird Pond and a more mature The True Confessions of Charlotte Doyle. Like Kit and Charlotte, sixteen-year-old Patricia Kelley is forced into a radically new life, but remains stubbornly determined to shape it to her will. Orphaned, illegitimate, and penniless, Patricia stows away on a British merchant ship bound for Barbados. She was born there and is certain her father left her his sugar plantation before he died. She i More...

1 comment like (3 people liked it)

Aug 29, 2011

Debbie rated it:

No, no, no, and...no. The story was okay. The characters were decent. I learned a lot of interesting facts about how medicine was practiced in the late 1700's and about how a ship is run. So there were SOME good qualities to this book, but not enough for a good review. One star means "didn't like it", so that is what I gave it. A lot of language. Too much talk of prostitutes and crude talk of women in general. Although there was nothing explicit, there were many sexual situati More...

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Mar 24, 2008

Liz rated it:

I loved this book. I loved the personality of the heroine to begin with, but she just got better and better as she matured and gained experience. I LOVED the love stories. I loved that it wasn't the typical boy meets girl, they meet obstacle and then overcome...It was much more creative, unexpected, and fulfilling. I can't wait for the next book. ( no fantasy in this one, but there was some historical facts that were interesting)

0 comments like (2 people liked it)

Mar 03, 2008

Dianne rated it:

This is one of those stories that your mind wanders back to again and again. Very solid writing, with what (I felt) was a realistic portrayal of the times and what the heroine went through. It's one I would buy for my library. It's youth fiction, and has some grown-up themes to it. Overall, I enjoyed it immensely and recommend it whole-heartedly.

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Aug 02, 2010

Tara rated it:

This felt more like an adult novel than YA to me. I liked it, but sure wish there had been more pirates.

Patricia is an illegitimate daughter of an English Barbados plantation owner. When she gets word that her father has died, she leaves her English boarding school and having not a penny to her name, boards a merchant ship and stows herself away, hoping to reach Barbados to claim her father's plantation.

Not the brightest crayon in the box, but she has guts. Natural More...

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Mar 29, 2010

Trish rated it:

How interesting that I've picked random books off the shelf all to do with women in the 18th century. What stifling rules of society they had to live by and what lengths some went to in order to survive in the world of men. Such secrecy, though, and living in constant fear of being found out. Even when the safe route is taken, the fate of women always depended on the men they were bound to. I'm glad that I live in a time where I can wear pants if I want to. I can get a job and own property. I ca More...

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Aug 23, 2010

Vanessa rated it:

I came across this book at the library and took it with me on vacation. I'm so glad I did! While classified as YA, it's very heavy in history and I didn't think it read like your typical young adult novel.
Set in the mid 18th century, the story follows a young girl, Miss Kelly in her quest to win back the sugar plantation of her childhood in the Barbados. With little resources and nothing for her in England, Kelly stows away on a ship bound for the Caribbean.

The main chara More...

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Aug 14, 2007

Alohamaren2 is currently reading it

I am house-sitting for this author here in Hawaii...this novel whisks you away from page one...adventure, romance and ocean living...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Nov 06, 2011

Charisa rated it:

Star-Crossed was a pretty good book. Definitly not for people who are squimish, as the details regarding sickness and injuries are kind of graphic. But I loved the main character, Patricia. I felt really bad for her, but I'm glad she was able to take matters into her own hands and attempt at carving out a future for herself without the aid of a man, which was nearly impossible in the eighteenth-century. What drew me was the cover art for this book; it is breathtaking. The story wasn't what I tho More...

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Sep 05, 2011

Ellen rated it:

Wow, is all I can say! I was recommended this book from cheap reads on facebook. It was a cheap book for the e-reader. It sounded interesting, so I downloaded it from barnes and nobel.

Well this story did not disappoint. It was predictable to a point, but the ending was not what I expected. There was a lot of adventure on the ocean,between sicknesses, storms, castaways, pirates, wars. The heroine was not your typical young lady! I cannot say enough. I would recommend this one t More...

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Jun 13, 2011

Margaret rated it:

STAR CROSSED by Linda Collison tells the seafaring adventures of an ambitious young lady born in Barbados, but growing up in England.

Patrica Kelley struggles against herself, the elements and emotional relationships, while trying to establish herself (albeit disguised as a youth) as mate to a ship’s surgeon. Set at sea and in the West Indies in the 1760s, STAR CROSSED is a very enjoyable read.

I note from Linda's Facebook page that there is also a sequel - Surgeon's Mate. More...

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Dec 05, 2009

Summer rated it:

In Star-Crossed, Patricia is the bastard daughter of a sugar-cane plantation owner in Barbados. Her mother was an Irish slave girl who died shortly after Patricia was born. Her father sent her away to an English boarding school but when he dies suddenly of an infection, Patricia decides her only option is to go back home. Without her father's support she doesn't have the money to book passage aboard a ship. She then sneaks on board a boat with prostitutes that's going towards a ship Patricia bel More...

2 comments like (2 people liked it)

Aug 18, 2010

Richard rated it:

I started reading nautical fiction, specifically C.S. Forester’s Hornblower series, as a teenager. The Hornblower novels, while meant for adults, were great “boy books,” full of adventure and action, with a hero with just enough self doubt and angst for a teenager to relate to. The readers of most nautical fiction seem to be primarily boys and men, which is not surprising for a genre whose heroes and villains are overwhelming male. Is there room for female readers and indeed a female heroine More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

May 12, 2008

Jennifer rated it:

Reviewed by Emylee for TeensReadToo.com

Patricia Kelley, a former pupil at Wiltshire Boarding School for Gentlemen's Daughters, has recently been orphaned at the impressionable age of sixteen. Left with nothing but her wits and the promise of her deceased father's estate in the Barbados, she sneakily stows away on the Canopus, a seemingly distinguished merchant ship. She does not stay hidden for long, and soon must earn her passage on the Canopus by training to become the surgeon's ma More...

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Mar 28, 2008

Nian rated it:

I picked up this book because of the title. The words star-crossed reminds me of William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet (“a pair of star-crossed lovers”). I’m not a fan of tragedies and huge dramatics like soap operas (though if it’s toned down a bit, I don’t mind) but the inside flap made the book sound interesting. Of course, it helps that I’m a fan of historical fiction (not a big fan, but just enough) as the setting is 18th Century England.

Never been the one to worry about anythi More...

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 12, 2011

Althea rated it:

This tale of a young woman who stows away on a ship in hopes of gaining an inheritance overseas reminded me in some particulars of L.A. Meyer's 'Jacky Faber' novels. However, where Meyer's over-the-top tales cruise on their own high-spirited energy, the more down-to-earth tone of "Star-Crossed" serves to point out some of the events' unlikeliness. Still, can there really be too many tales of girls leaving their stuffy schools, running off to sea, and finding adventure, independence and More...

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Mar 11, 2010

Stephanie rated it:

I enjoyed this book. It wasn't my typical book I read, although it was still historical fiction. It was fascinating to read about ship life, and how the life of a 17th century ship surgeon was. Most intrigueing was how the life of the main character evolved from the very first page to the end. FYI: It is a teen book but I'd recommend it for older teens if not adults due to a couple mature parts.

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Jan 07, 2011

Jennifer rated it:

This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers. To view it, click here

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Nov 06, 2008

Kricket rated it:

after her father dies, patricia kelley is unable to remain in the boarding school he paid for. she plans a trip to barbados to claim the plantation he promised her, and stows away on a ship. when she is discovered, the ship's surgeon, Dr. MacPherson, allows her to stay on board by training her as his assistant. patricia makes friends, falls in love with a sailor called brian dalton, and arrives in barbados to claim her plantation. her father, however, sold it to pay off debts before he died. pat More...

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Dec 22, 2008

Amanda rated it:

Definately an interesting and suspensful read of a teenage girl in the 1800's as she travels across the ocean in a ship, discovering love and many different worlds than the proper and dream-filled world she has been living in. It was a good read, but not one of my favorites. For some reason it didn't stick with me.

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Jul 16, 2011

Jenny rated it:

Patricia is such an interesting character. On one hand you just hate her - she's shallow, immature, selfish, and I almost put the book down on multiple occasions. However, this is one of those rare books where you can actually see the heroine grow up. Did it take awhile? Oh yes, in fact I'd say it took too long - it was nearly the end before you decided maybe you liked her. But it was an interesting journey; one where she learned so very much. The other characters were a bit underplayed, and I w More...

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Jul 15, 2011

Rima rated it:

Considering I wrote a book about 18th century pirates, it probably comes as no big surprise that I loved this book. Linda Collison knows her seafaring, let me tell you. And she manages to weave that nautical knowledge into a wonderful story about a teenage girl whose misfortunes lead her to disguise as a man and become surgeon's mate aboard a frigate.

Don't be fooled by its "YA" market -- this is a book for adults as well, and just about anyone who loves a good adventure sto

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Sep 05, 2010

Sara rated it:

I really liked this story about a girl in difficult circumstances who does her limited best to make a life for herself. Lots of adventure onboard ships, ship wrecks, war, marriage, career, and the difficulties of being a woman with no family or connections in the 18th century.

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Aug 01, 2011

Hannah rated it:

historical figures which was cool. kinda slow in the beginning. then really slow. picks up near the end and then....it ends. kind of a let down. there was to much detail during boring parts that took a long time and then once it got cool the book was over.

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Apr 17, 2010

Anna rated it:

Ok, this book started out with promise, but more than half the way through, my brain was going blah blah blah... It seemed like the author had no original ideas... an older scottish doctor, I mean has anyone else read Christy? It just went on and on, and I got really bored. There's a small chance I'll ever take the time to finish this...

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Jul 22, 2008

Renee rated it:

Patricia Kelley stows away on a ship bound from England to the Caribbean in order to claim her inheritance from her dead father. After her discovery, Patricia becomes a nurse by day in order to stay on board the ship, though at night she dons sailor’s clothes and works as a sailor. She becomes torn between the different social classes as well as the desires of her heart verses her mind. Because the author has filled the 18th century with historical details, the setting breathes life into a qu More...

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Dec 22, 2008

Andrea rated it:

This is one of those books where you have high hopes and it kindof doesnt materialize to anything. The book started out okay, but left to many things open. It wasnt even very well written. I finished it just to say that i finished it.

0 comments like (1 person liked it)

Dec 31, 2011

Samantha rated it:

It was ok but the relationships of the characters seemed so disjointed. I did like reason about all of the medical remedies from back then, but all together not that great of a read.

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May 06, 2010

Celeste rated it:

I'd give it a low 4---but I didn't want to cheat the author out of a better rating....I actually ended up liking the book...even though it started out a bit slow. I didn't love the main character--but I liked her, and wanted to know what would happen to her.

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Feb 27, 2010

Lindsay rated it:

A great book that was a little intense, but different than your average run-of-the-line pirate girl book, I suppose. And, uh, yeah. Nice romance ^__^ that's all i have to say

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