Winner of an International Latino Book Award
A dancer driven to succeed.
A musical prodigy attempting to escape his pa...
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reviews
Apr 22, 2011
Janina
rated it: 
Yawn. Sorry, but this book is boring me to death. I am really disappointed. I had pretty high expectations for it – silly me – and those weren’t met at all. I made it until around page 160, skimmed the next 100 pages and then ‘read’ – leaving out a few sentences/ paragraphs every now and then – until the end, simply because I wasn’t willing to give up on it entirely.
The premise sounded so intriguing to me: A modern retelling of Carmen, including a heroine who loves to dance and works h More...
The premise sounded so intriguing to me: A modern retelling of Carmen, including a heroine who loves to dance and works h More...
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Feb 20, 2012
Arushi
rated it: 
It’s scary. Being in the center of that much love. So scary - and thrilling and...potent. And I know it goes both ways. My hold on him is as strong as his is on me. He’ll never leave.
When the stars go blue is the story of a Latina ballet dancer, Soledad. She was brought up by her Cuban grandmother ever since her mother just abandoned her and disappeared off to somewhere. About to graduate from her High School for the Performing Arts, Soledad has the whole summer planned She know More...
2 comments
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Mar 26, 2011
DNF. I tried. I picked it up over and over again, but I was bored to death. In all fairness, had I paid closer attention to the summary when I pre ordered it rather than drool over the lovely cover and the fact it's a Latina heroine, I would have known it wasn't for me. It's just a love story and then a love triangle. Not action packed enough for me and I wasn't really feeling the romance because it seems to have popped up out of thin air and just suddenly within a day... too unbelievable fo
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(2 people liked it)
Feb 19, 2012
Maggie
rated it: 
I can say, beyond a shadow of a doubt, that there has never been a contemporary romance I enjoyed more than When the Stars Go Blue. Coming from someone who reads so little romance to begin with, perhaps that is an uninformed compliment. Maybe it was just that this book was perfect for me. But considering how smart, sassy, and just plain brilliant it was, I'm fairly certain I'm not wrong.
Three things that made this book above and beyond for me? One, the fact that Soledad isn't a torture More...
Three things that made this book above and beyond for me? One, the fact that Soledad isn't a torture More...
Apr 03, 2011
Miss
rated it: 
Umm why do I read so much paranormal YA again? Clearly all the best authors are writing contemporaries. I am in love with this book. I meant to just read the first chapter in the book store to see if I liked the writing and I ended up sitting down and reading through the whole thing in a few hours.
This came along at a good time for me. Lately I’ve been really frustrated with the state of YA romance. Why does so much of it suck? There are very few YA relationships that haven’t pinged me More...
This came along at a good time for me. Lately I’ve been really frustrated with the state of YA romance. Why does so much of it suck? There are very few YA relationships that haven’t pinged me More...
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Feb 18, 2011
Tahleen
rated it:
Soledad, incredibly talented dancer and recent high school graduate, knows exactly what she wants for her future. The summer after graduation, she plans on teaching at a ballet studio and, come January, will move to NYC to make her dream of dancing professionally a reality. But then an incredible opportunity presents itself: to play Carmen, the passionate gypsy of opera fame, in a drum and bugle corps for the entire summer on a tour of the country. Plus, she'll be spending time with the intoxica
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Jan 09, 2011
Kyleigh
rated it:
I don’t know why I continually go into non-paranormal YA books with such low expectations, but I sure need to stop because I keep getting blown away. The synopsis is rather vague so I didn’t really know what to expect, but I am very glad I read this.
There are so many odd coincidences in this book that relate to my life. The MC is Cuban. My Spanish teacher is Cuban. Soledad and her grandma speak Spanish on and off. I understood all of it! (most of the time…) They made references to Pr More...
There are so many odd coincidences in this book that relate to my life. The MC is Cuban. My Spanish teacher is Cuban. Soledad and her grandma speak Spanish on and off. I understood all of it! (most of the time…) They made references to Pr More...
Oct 20, 2010
Ashley
rated it:
Originally reviewed on my blog, Books from Bleh to Basically Amazing.
When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer is all the cover suggests it to be- stunningly beautiful.
It is the story of Soledad, and passionate and gifted dancer, hurt by her past but full of life and love, and ready to give. It is the story of Jonathan, an intense and brilliant musician, damaged by his past and present and scared of the love he's giving. It is the story of Carmen, a sultry gypsy who jilts her More...
When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer is all the cover suggests it to be- stunningly beautiful.
It is the story of Soledad, and passionate and gifted dancer, hurt by her past but full of life and love, and ready to give. It is the story of Jonathan, an intense and brilliant musician, damaged by his past and present and scared of the love he's giving. It is the story of Carmen, a sultry gypsy who jilts her More...
Apr 06, 2011
Doret
rated it:
18 yr old Soledad has just graduated from a performing arts High School in Miami. She studied dance her entire life. Soledad was going to spend the saving up money to move to NYC. Soledad impulsively changes her plans when, Jonathan, another recent graduate offers up a new dance challenge and his heart.
Jonathan is a trumpet player and a member of the Florida Raiders drum and bugle crops. During the summer they compete against other drum crops. This year the all male team will be doin More...
Jonathan is a trumpet player and a member of the Florida Raiders drum and bugle crops. During the summer they compete against other drum crops. This year the all male team will be doin More...
Feb 03, 2011
Angela
rated it:
While I was in the middle of reading this, I absolutely couldn't put it down. I was thrilled that Soledad and Jonathan's relationship started pretty much right away...since I hadn't read the back to realize this was the beginning of the dreaded love triangle. But it started off passionate and sexy and I was in love.
And all through Soledad's passionate affair with Jonathan and the new world of drum and bugle corp performance, I was right there with her, soaring with her highs and abso More...
And all through Soledad's passionate affair with Jonathan and the new world of drum and bugle corp performance, I was right there with her, soaring with her highs and abso More...
Nov 22, 2010
Kelly
rated it:
Soledad Reyes is a dancer. She mostly does ballet, but she’s also a fan of Latin dancing. After high school, she wants to work at a dance studio, save money and then go to New York and audition for dance companies there. That plan’s derailed when she meets Jonathan, who encourages her to audition for the role of Carmen for a drum and bugle corps. The corps will be traveling all summer, and it’ll be the opportunity of a lifetime. It’s not what she’s used to, but after seeing the corps perfor
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Feb 20, 2012
Haleema
rated it: 
This one was one of the most bizarre books I've ever read. At some points, I couldn't decide whether I liked it or not.
The writing was beautiful. It flowed so remarkably, with perfect details and word choices. I enjoyed every part of it, especially when Ferrer described Soledad's dancing.
However, the protagonist was an obvious Mary Sue. She's an exquisite dancer just at the age of eighteen. She's beautiful, tall, lean, and graceful. Everyone seems to love her. But there More...
The writing was beautiful. It flowed so remarkably, with perfect details and word choices. I enjoyed every part of it, especially when Ferrer described Soledad's dancing.
However, the protagonist was an obvious Mary Sue. She's an exquisite dancer just at the age of eighteen. She's beautiful, tall, lean, and graceful. Everyone seems to love her. But there More...
Sep 17, 2010
Sarah
rated it:
When the Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer is a story that made a very strong impression on me. I've been lucky, this is the second book in a row I've read with a strong and resilient female protagonist.
Synopsis: Dance is Soledad Reyes’s life. About to graduate from Miami’s Biscayne High School for the Performing Arts, she plans on spending her last summer at home teaching in a dance studio, saving money, and eventually auditioning for dance companies. That is, until fate intervenes in More...
Synopsis: Dance is Soledad Reyes’s life. About to graduate from Miami’s Biscayne High School for the Performing Arts, she plans on spending her last summer at home teaching in a dance studio, saving money, and eventually auditioning for dance companies. That is, until fate intervenes in More...
May 05, 2011
Kerri
rated it:
Caridad Ferrer writes an intense story about passion - passion for dance, for music, for love. She paints a very realistic glimpse of the life of a serious dancer. She gives the Carmen-like story a modern day twist by throwing in the thrilling world of the competitive drum and bugle corps. Then to add spice she writes in a budding young romance where she allows the reader to get to know the two lead characters (Soledad and Jonathan) so well that we experience every wonderful and not so wonderful
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Dec 19, 2010
Erica
rated it:
If you do not know Carmen, you may not have the biases I did coming into the book. See, I don’t really like that character that much, but I do love dancing, so I decided to put aside my biases (as much as I could) and just read.
At first I struggled with the writing. It felt choppy to me, and I had to re-read sentences to understand what was going on. When that happens occasionally, I tend to blame myself, but when it happens regularly throughout the course of the book, there’s something More...
At first I struggled with the writing. It felt choppy to me, and I had to re-read sentences to understand what was going on. When that happens occasionally, I tend to blame myself, but when it happens regularly throughout the course of the book, there’s something More...
Dec 15, 2010
April
rated it:
Originally posted here: http://www.goodbooksandgoodwine.com/2010...
When The Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer rocked my face off. THERE IS DANCING. THERE IS MARCHING BAND. IT IS DRRRRRTY. Yes, drrrty. I’m pretty sure that’s a word circa Christina Aguilera. Anyways, I kind of want to see way more reviews for When The Stars Go Blue because it is fantastic.
This book is basically a retelling of the opera Carmen. Which is interesting, because in the book main character Soledad da More...
When The Stars Go Blue by Caridad Ferrer rocked my face off. THERE IS DANCING. THERE IS MARCHING BAND. IT IS DRRRRRTY. Yes, drrrty. I’m pretty sure that’s a word circa Christina Aguilera. Anyways, I kind of want to see way more reviews for When The Stars Go Blue because it is fantastic.
This book is basically a retelling of the opera Carmen. Which is interesting, because in the book main character Soledad da More...
Jan 23, 2011
Audrey
rated it:
read the full review on my blog, holes In My brain
WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE swept me off my feet: it was a beautiful and raw novel with such a strong main character and a well-developed plot. Soledad is a dancer; she’s not a tiny anorexic ballerina, she’s a ball of energy and power, and the author successfully conveyed her character and ambitious personality so that I felt complete in tuned with her. Within the first few chapters I completely fell in love with her strength and realism.
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WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE swept me off my feet: it was a beautiful and raw novel with such a strong main character and a well-developed plot. Soledad is a dancer; she’s not a tiny anorexic ballerina, she’s a ball of energy and power, and the author successfully conveyed her character and ambitious personality so that I felt complete in tuned with her. Within the first few chapters I completely fell in love with her strength and realism.
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Feb 28, 2011
Janssen
rated it:
Kelly told me the ending on this dragged and she was right. . .it took a long long time to wrap up. In some ways I liked this book - I thought that Soledad was likable and I desperately wanted things to go right for her. I thought the whole corps thing was fun. But I thought Jonathan kind of changed at the drop of a hat and that annoyed me.
I expected it to be nothing but romance, but it really had a lot of other things going on, which I appreciated, although sometimes there were jus More...
I expected it to be nothing but romance, but it really had a lot of other things going on, which I appreciated, although sometimes there were jus More...
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Nov 07, 2011
Carolina
rated it:
I'm not much for romance-dominated stories, but I'm a sucker for "Carmen" and was really curious how the plot would be adapted for a contemporary teen setting. And I say, good job Ms. Caridad Ferrer! :D I really enjoyed the ride, and was glad to see that Soledad was not a heroine who let herself be completely dominated by her relationship, like some other YA heroines I've come across. She was very invested in her relationship, but still retained a sense of strength, which I really appr
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Jan 13, 2011
Allison (The Allure of Books)
rated it:
This is a very intense and passionate novel. Which makes sense, as it is a retelling of the opera Carmen. Even though it might spoil some of the plotline in the book, I think it is a good idea to read up on a general outline of the opera before reading - to help you appreciate the spirit of the retelling.
A lot of books and movies attempt to explain the intensity and drive of serious dancers. Our MC, Soledad, is a very determined and talented dancer. She ends up taking a part dancing More...
A lot of books and movies attempt to explain the intensity and drive of serious dancers. Our MC, Soledad, is a very determined and talented dancer. She ends up taking a part dancing More...
Dec 30, 2010
Maria
rated it:
this was a very great read, i loved the cover and picked it up. I didn't see the ending coming, it was intense and gives you a glimpse of the life of teenage performers and the pressure they receive from their families. Soledad and Johnathan's relationship captures your attention from the start, and you become so aware of their feelings that you start to notice the change with in each other. Like I said you will never, never see this ending coming. I read this book in one sitting, it was a page
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Jan 10, 2012
Martha
rated it:
As I read this book I tried to determine the plot: abusive relationship, fatal illness, or summer fun. I liked the characters especially Mamacita with her Tarot cards, her nail shop, and her lover. I also like Raj with his insight kept subtly under wraps yet revealed insightfully to the reader. I'm not sure I really liked the story because I couldn't figure out where it was heading. The writing was frequently redundant.
Given my lack of personal enthusiasm, I do believe we have an audience f More...
Given my lack of personal enthusiasm, I do believe we have an audience f More...
Feb 25, 2011
Jill
rated it:
This modern retelling of Carmen is full of sultry sensuality, color, and rhythm. And uniquely from other adaptations of Carmen, it has a bittersweet coming-of-age young love theme layered into the mix.
I loved how the author reworked Carmen to make the ending transformative, and I loved the affectionate look at the Miami Cuban culture. The author does an excellent job in portraying jealous, possessive attachment and the mixed response it can elicit. There is plenty of tension in this More...
I loved how the author reworked Carmen to make the ending transformative, and I loved the affectionate look at the Miami Cuban culture. The author does an excellent job in portraying jealous, possessive attachment and the mixed response it can elicit. There is plenty of tension in this More...
Sep 30, 2010
Christianne
rated it:
This retelling of the opera Carmen, with some twists on the original, is such a contrast to "Jane," the retelling of Jane Eyre that I read last week. This book is beautifully written. I could feel the chemistry between Soledad and her lovers. I could understand the characters and their motivations.
Soledad is a strong woman, a good role model for teen girls I think: Disciplined, driven, with good heart, in touch with her emotions.
This book has it all for teen gir More...
Soledad is a strong woman, a good role model for teen girls I think: Disciplined, driven, with good heart, in touch with her emotions.
This book has it all for teen gir More...
Mar 28, 2011
Paulette
rated it:
This review has been hidden because it contains spoilers.
To view it, click here
Apr 18, 2011
Michelle
rated it:
A modernization of Bizet’s Carmen, Ferrer has created a richly drawn story of a young dancer who joins a drum and bugle corp as it’s principle dancer. The plot is compelling; the two main characters intriguing. This story, however, is not for the faint of heart. There is palpable seduction and sensuality….some serious sexy times. Moreover, there is no shortage of angst to be had.
At it’s root this is a story of abuse (domestic, physical and emotional). The abuse of a son by his f More...
At it’s root this is a story of abuse (domestic, physical and emotional). The abuse of a son by his f More...
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Apr 27, 2011
Alyssa
rated it:
WHEN THE STARS GO BLUE is nothing if not passionate and intense rolled into one. I was eagerly awaiting diving into Ferrer’s 2010 release after hearing quite the buzz about it, and was equally thrilled to find it at the library.
I’m glad I borrowed this book because I definitely won’t be revisiting it any time soon.
It wasn’t bad. I just didn’t like the characters. Soledad was too rocky for me, even for a dancer. Actually, I was anticipating a strong heroine when I started More...
I’m glad I borrowed this book because I definitely won’t be revisiting it any time soon.
It wasn’t bad. I just didn’t like the characters. Soledad was too rocky for me, even for a dancer. Actually, I was anticipating a strong heroine when I started More...
May 30, 2011
Ms. Ferrer's writing is simply beautiful and quite hilarious. Soledad's voice comes through clearly and Ms. Ferrer has captured a teen voice believably. Soledad's thoughts are hilarious and I really liked how she dealt with her conflicting feelings over Jonathon and Taz. Also, although she is a little heavier than the other dancers, I liked that she didn't strive to become a twig.
I also really enjoyed Soledad's relationship with her grandmother. It's sweet, realistic, and kind of fun s More...
I also really enjoyed Soledad's relationship with her grandmother. It's sweet, realistic, and kind of fun s More...
Dec 15, 2010
Nely
rated it:
What originally grabbed my attention when I first heard of When the Stars Go Blue was the fact that the story takes place in Miami. Being a South Floridian all my life I knew that recognizing all the landmarks mentioned throughout the book would make reading this story even more enjoyable.
Aside from the awesome setting, I loved the world of dance depicted in these pages. Soledad breathes and lives... dance - it is her world... and Ms. Ferrer expertly captures the ups and downs tha More...
Aside from the awesome setting, I loved the world of dance depicted in these pages. Soledad breathes and lives... dance - it is her world... and Ms. Ferrer expertly captures the ups and downs tha More...
Sep 12, 2010
Abby
rated it:
All Soledad has ever wanted to do was be a dancer and now that she's graduating from a top performing arts school in Miami, she plans to head to New York for auditions... until Jonathan steps into her life and gives her an offer that will change everything. Jonathan is a lead trumpet player in a competitive horn and drum corps and they're performing music from Carmen this summer. They need a talented dancer to play the role of Carmen and he's basically offering the part to Soledad. It's somet
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