Actual rating: 4.5 stars: I cannot speak as to how accurate the representation in this book is...other than the anxiety/panic attack rep, but there is bisexual and gender fluid representation in this book. I liked how Blake touched on subjects and I feel approached them in a real world way. They felt authentic. There was negative and positive in the representation, just as there was with the sexual assault and rape in the story. Not that Blake did right and wrong, but rather, in the story, characters respond to these themes in both negative and positive ways and I feel that is what made it feel authentic. I think the story and characters were very complex and fleshed out and I connected with them very easily. I connected with Mara and how she was pulled in 8 million different directions. I connected with every emotion she was feeling, even if I don't have a first person perspective of what she was actually going through. I read this book 7 months prior to its publication but I cannot wait to hear everyone talk about it. I think it is a very important book to have out there and hope that everyone loves it as much as I do. I docked a half star because I wasn't largely a fan of the ending and I felt that there wasn't closure to some things I would have liked closure to as a reader. I do think that Blake did that purposefully and it is 100% her prerogative to do so. It didn't upset me by any means, but I wish there would have been a teensy bit more.

I will share this full review on Goodreads and on my blog, Rocky Top Real Talk, a week prior to publication.

Unfortunately I’ve been unable to read this book, the file type is not compatible with my devices and unable to download. So sorry.

I had a hard time with this galley. It continually froze and then adobe digital would shut down. Unfortunately, I was not able to read the book.

While I'm of the opinion that any book that challenges society's attitude to rape culture is a worthy addition to the literary world, if you read a lot of them you'll soon see how they all start to look the same. The message they send is important, but it's always the same message from the same point of view. Girl Made of Stars stood out to me because it was from a perspective I don't think I've ever seen before. Mara's twin brother has been accused of raping one of her best friends. Mara's struggle of who to believe, how to come to terms with what you believe and what to do about it afterwards is one that had me asking "what on earth would I do in this situation?". Blake captures the nuances and conflicting emotions perfectly. Excellent read.

Found it difficult to read and abandoned after a number of chapters. Not for me, but it is perfect for other readers.

Owen and Mara are twins, and have always shared everything with each other. Until Owen is accused of rape by his girlfriend, Mara's friend Hannah. Girl Made of Stars deals with the aftermath of the accusation and how the community reacts (spoiler: most of them don't believe her!). What was most interesting was how Mara reconciles the image of someone she loves doing something so unspeakably awful (thankfully she at least believes Hannah) and I think this gives the book a very unique perspective. It was especially interesting in the wake of current events, where countless people I previously admired are being exposed as doing awful things - how do you separate the two, and should you?

Very similar to Asking For It by Louise O'Neill but from the perspective of a friend of the accused, for this reason it's a much easier read but I don't think that's necessarily a good thing - books on this subject *should* be difficult.

(I received a copy of this from the publisher in exchange for an honest review)

Hi there, sorry. I should never have asked for this book. I saw the cover and got excited thinking it was a graphic novel. Honestly, there is nothing about the subject matter that interests me beyond being totally creeped out. I read Speak and that was hard enough. This seems like it would be harder than that. I am glad the book is out there, but I am not going to put myself through it. Sorry. Please forgive me for requesting it. I should have paid closer attention.

This was a beautiful and harrowing read. It deals with the aftermath of sexual assault, with consent and shame and keeping secrets and <i>not</i> keeping secrets, and of course, victim blaming. But the girls in this book aren't victims; they're survivors.

Told from Mara's point of view, we see family bonds and friendships tested as each person deals with the far-reaching effects of the crime. The subject matter is handled in a sensitive but frank manner, and as Mara deals with secrets she's been keeping about her own past, she realises her own voice and fierce independence.

I would definitely be interested in reading more from this author; the writing was lyrical and raw all at once.

<i>*Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing me with an ARC of this book.*</i>

Couldn’t download this book to my Kindle. I’d love to read this if it comes in Kindle format

This was my first experience with Ashley Herring Blake and I must say this made me want to read anything she writes. From the get-go, I was sucked into the book and each character. I did not want to put this book down even when I went into work but I had to. HAHA!

The book starts off with the bond between twins Mara and Owen. Which sets the tone for the rest of the book. Owen is then accused of raping his girlfriend, which is one of Mara’s friends at a party they attended. Then it all goes downhill from there. Mara is faced with could my brother actually do this or is my friend lying. RIGHT? How utterly heartbreaking is that?????!!! Though the story is about the tragic subject of sexual assault and what society makes of it, it also dives into love, friendship, and hope.

This story was beautifully tragic. I loved the writing style and how I felt I was right there with Mara feeling her pain. The author wrote this book with such care and consideration to a hard subject that sadly happens too often. Thanks for letting me read this!!!

This is SUCH an important book. I cannot wait to see it change the world.

Unable to download file to read, tried via adobe app on phone and ipad, and also tried on computer with no luck. Absolutely gutted as this did sound like a really good book.

If I can download in the future then I will read it as it did sound really good.

can't give it a star rating as I couldn't get the file to open, so don't look at the book as 1 star I honestly don't know what the book was like as I couldn't read.

So sorry but I cannot download the link in order to read, I'm not sure if there is a problem on my end, but I tried with my kindle, phone and desktop, all of which will not download. Still very interested in reading this book though, if the file works for me in the future I'll happily read so I may edit my review.

This book was SO amazingly good. I would give it 10 stars if I could! I knew it would be and I was dying to get an ARC which I did. Thank you NetGalley. Mara and Owen are twins and they are very close. Owen is accused of raping one of Mara's friends and the entire situation basically tears their family apart, her friendships with not only her friend but others and obviously her relationship with her brother. Mara tries SO hard to believe that Owen didn't do it but she can't quite convince herself. She has a secret that she has been keeping inside for three years that she finally has to let out to help herself heal and start healing her family as well. The writing in this book is amazing as the author has such a way with words and developed amazing characters and a gripping plot which kept me interested even after the book ended. I will look for more books from her for sure. This is a heart breaking story about the fallout from sexual assault. It is an extremely important topic and hard to read about even in a fictional situation. The author handles the topic and consequences so deftly that it made reading this book a little hopeful and definitely more understanding of this subject. Thank you again to NetGalley for letting me have this book. I ABSOLUTELY loved it!

Apologies I am not able to read and review a download book file