I read to 50% and then skipped to the last two chapters.

I was 1000% here for the murder-y sounding synopsis. I expected a little more of a mystery type story than cutthroat ambition.

I didn’t really connect to either Kate or Marine. Both of their POVs sounded the same to me and a couple of times I had to go back to find out whose head I was in. All of the other characters are quite flat, no one felt fleshed out and if it’s on purpose, it did a great job of showing how the girls were alienated.

Plot wise...I don’t know. It seemed odd to me right from the start, but I was hoping I would settle into it. Since I didn’t really care for the MCs, I didn’t care about their journey. I will say that the ballet scenes felt authentic and the atmosphere of Paris was fantastic.

Overall, It seems that this book just wasn’t for me as I was disappointed.

FYI: in what I read of this book, there was depression, eating disorders, drug use, abortion, and thoughts of suicide.

**Huge thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for providing the arc free of charge**

Overall, this was an incredible book that brings to light the problems that young individuals face today. The writing was incredible and the pacing was flawless. The plot was heart-wrenching but it was also educative and heart-warming in some moments. The characters did more than tell their stories, they helped to bring awareness to problems that many individuals face. This book is not only an incredible read but an eye-opening one as well. Thank you so much to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of this book!

This is a compelling book about characters that felt three-dimensional and true to their age. While their actions at time were frustrating, they felt like realistic decisions that the characters would have made. I will certainly be purchasing this for my collection and recommending it to all the many teens who request books about dance!

I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

Bright Burning Stars was a pretty good ballet book. It definitely reminded me of Dance of Shadows a bit. In it, you will meet two best friends Kate and Marine (sometimes referred to K or M). They are enrolled into an elite ballet school that resides in Paris, France. Now this little class is severely cutthroat but it was a bit boring to read about. I just feel like the pacing was a bit all over the place. Then the characters would just act super weird and not really give an explanation - and I was bored for most of this book.

The friendship between Kate and Marine was meh to me. Yeah, they were besties to a point because they both wanted to be the best. Kate, at one point, was sabotaging the other girls in their class. She also tried to sleep her way to the top with the best guy dancer. It actually backfired on her and I didn't feel bad at all because the guy was a self-centered douche anyways. Plus two girls fighting over the same girl was just agonizing to read. I didn't care who ended up with who or what the heck was happening in this story either.

I feel like these girls are both dealing with serious issues that weren't really addressed by the adults in this book. It just kind of seemed overlooked which was rubbing me the wrong way. Plus their friendship didn't seem like a true friendship anymore which was a bit heartbreaking. Then with the ending, I was just kind of underwhelmed. I wanted something to happen that would have shocked me... but nothing did. It was just an okay kind of book that took me a long ass time to finish.

For some reason I find books or films about ballet to be utterly fascinating and alluring. Maybe because I took ballet classes for a year as a kid (before realizing that I should give up cause there was no way I’d ever be a ballerina with my lack of grace). I’m so obsessed with ballet that I even made my protagonist in CUT HERE, Lena one. This is to confirm that I was absolutely excited when I was finally given the ARC for Bright Burning Stars (I had requested it months ago and had only been given it a few weeks prior to publication date).

THINGS I LOVED ABOUT THIS NOVEL:
Friendships: The two protagonists, Marine and Kate have a very strong friendship. It actually is the core of the novel and despite the fact that they’re both aiming for “The Prize” aka becoming the exclusive etoile at the Opera National de Paris. “Rats” as the studying ballerinas are referred to in the novel, are so focused on the prize that they’d do anything to obtain it, and Kate is even willing to die for it. Slowly, bestfriends Marine and Kate begin to grow apart as things get more competitive and each wanting to snag the prize title for their own.

Relationships: I love how the author explores various types of relationships, such as showing one romantic relationship as gradually growing into something much more passionate than it initially was, and another romantic relationship that becomes tragically toxic fast.

Setting: Ever since I was little (maybe because I was obsessed with Marie Antoinette & Versailles) I’ve been in love with Paris. So, I’ll automatically favor any novel that takes place in the City of Lights. I was just a bit sad that we, the readers never get a chance to experience the city because we’re always stuck in the dance studios with the two protagonists.

Minor gripe: I wasn’t a fan of how abortion was handled in this book. Not because one of the protagonists decides to go over and beyond to terminate an unexpected pregnancy, but because of how simplistic it was written out to be. Sure, maybe drinking odd toxic herbal teas *can* induce an abortion, but I don’t like how easy it all was for the character. Since this is a YA and intended for teens, I don’t want teens thinking that if you’re pregnant that you can just forego a normal abortion AT A CLINIC and just drink herbal tea and wish everything will get taken care of, because in most cases that won’t work. Just putting that out there for the kids.

The Ending: There were only two ways the book could’ve ended and I assumed both possible endings. Ultimately, the author aimed for the safest one. Which is not to say that is was bad, but probably tragic loving me would’ve opted for the other much more unsettling ending. But seeing that it’s YA I can see why the novel would end on a much more hopeful note than not.

Overall, the novel had very lush and alluring elements to it and I was completely consumed by the story. If you love Paris, ballet, and strong friendships, then this book is for you.

*Thank you so much to NetGalley and Algonquin Young Readers for the digital copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!

There was just something about the blurb of Bright Burning Stars that caught my attention right away and I have been excited to finally read it. It's true that it turned out to be not entirely my cup of tea, but I do believe the right reader will enjoy this story immensely. Fans of more gritty and slow-paced YA contemporary romance will be in a treat with this ballet-inspired story mainly set within the Paris Opera Ballet School.

Why wasn't Bright Burning Stars a good fit for me personally? It's hard to put my finger exactly on the why, but I think part of the reason has to do with the sheer amount of cliche drama relating to both competition, jealousy, romance and friendship. All this drama made it hard for me to stay focused and I confess it took me longer than expected to actually reach the final page. On top of this we have what you can call multiple love triangles and more jealousy and drama resulting from that... And you all know by now how I feel about those pesky love triangles in the first place. I'm sure romance fans who don't mind a cliche or two will react different to this part of the story though. Another thing I didn't like was the fact how they skimmed over abortion and basically make it seem like you can just go to the pharmacy, get a little something as if you were buying a cure for a headache and solve your problems that way. I'm not going into the whole abortion discussion, but I do feel this gives the wrong message to teenagers about safe sex and having to face the consequences of your actions and mistakes. Trigger warnings are also in place for other sensitive themes including eating disorders, suicide and drugs. I understand the ballet world is brutal and unrealistic (and basically unhealthy) demands are made of the bodies of the dancers, and I do think this is well portrayed in Bright Burning Stars, but it can potentially trigger more sensitive readers so you've been warned.

The story is told with the help of a dual POV, where we get to know Marine and Kate and learn more about how the constant competition has changed their relationship and how their final year once again puts a lot of pressure on both their bodies and their minds. I'm not sure I actually liked them, especially since their is a lot of teenage drama, boy stuff and jealousy involved, but they do help address various issues related to the ballet world. Bright Burning Stars is mostly a character-driven story where we follow the development of Marine and Kate. The pace is considerably slow at times, but shouldn't be problem for those who enjoy this kind of story. I did wonder about the use of random French words in the text, as they didn't seem to add anything substantial to the story... And with a Paris setting aren't they speaking French all the time anyway in the first place? Instead of the French words, I think I would have liked to see more dancing and more descriptions of Paris and the school. But that could have been just me. Overall this was still a solid read, and while not my cup of tea, I can see how others could fall in love with Bright Burning Stars.

Normally I don't put a warning on books but I felt like this one needed it. This book has a lot of dark themes. They aren't all handled well. Proceed with caution.

Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small is told in a dual POV. Kate and Marine are best friends. They became instant friends their first year of training together. Due to the ruthless and cutthroat nature of the ballet school, these two deal with a lot of insecurities and disorders. Then of course you have to have a male student that they both crush on. There are a lot of difficulties to this friendship.

I felt like the plot was a little all over the place. I felt that thee was a lot of story arcs that weren't wrapped up so cleanly. I felt like the characters were extremely shallow. Here are my thoughts. It is great that A.K. Small wanted to tack all of these dark subjects but it would have been nice if we only have a couple vs the sixteen different dark themes. I also thought that the dark themes could have been handled better. Things magically being fixed and going away isn't practical so it would have been nicer to have a more realistic process for the issues.

A.K. Small definitely brought issues to the for front of readers minds. I just don't feel like she did anything but glorify the issues. The book itself is a pretty fast read and the characters are easy to get to know as they are pretty shallow. I do like dark themes being address just wish there was more substance and resolutions for them.

While I enjoyed this book it was still a little lacking for me. I was hoping for something a little more magical but this book is darker and harsher than I was expecting. That being said it does a fantastic job of pulling readers into the intense world of ballet and the near deadly competition and cutthroat fighting to get to the top. I loved the dance scenes and descriptions and thought that they were fantastic. While I didn’t like the gritty scenes and the drug use I can see how they might be necessary for an accurate portrayal of a ballet school. I did think there a couple weird plot things that didn’t quite make sense and made me raise an eyebrow. Overall I think if you are looking for a dark, gritty ballet story then this would be a great fit for you.

Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small is a lyrical dark and twisty book that took me by surprise!

Paris and the ballet? I was sold on this book upon hearing those two words! And what could be more dark and twisty than ballerinas doing everything in their power to succeed? This book, it really surprised me and the Slytherin in me loved it! It all felt very real and raw and the journey the characters go through to do what it takes to succeed had me on edge. The insight into the world of ballet was really eye opening and it felt real, like I was watching a movie almost. The writing overall was my favorite part, the author is very lyrical and it’s beautiful and haunting all at once.

The Quick Cut: Two girls who have been best friends since they started at their Paris Ballet school find the friendship strained by a boy. Chaos ensues when their individual lives get in the way of their friendship.

A Real Review:

Thank you to Algonquin for providing the ARC in exchange for an honest review.


Friendship is a fickle thing, so when you find it - it's something to preserve and care for. Love even in a friends fashion can be complex when it comes to telling the truth (even if it can hurt the other), bonding over similar circumstances, and trying to lean on one another when it matters. In the world of ballet, this type of bond is tested with Kate and Marine.

Kate and Marine have been best friends since they started Sixth Division at the Paris Opera Ballet House. Constantly living in the same room together, they've spent their lives working and sticking with each other as a team. That is until a boy nicknamed the Demigod comes between the two and their friendship starts to fray. Will their friendship ever be the same or is this the beginning of the end?

This book is broken up into three sections and each one is heavier than the next. I know that ballet is brutal, but it made me feel physically ill seeing it play out on the page. It definitely came across as realistic with a multitude of topics that definitely come with a trigger alert. SPOILER: this Book includes drug misuse, abortion, and food related disorders.

Kate comes off as far too competitive at times, but truthfully - the ballet is her first love. Marine is the opposite: not quite competitive but definitely the more dependent of the two when it comes to others. These girls go through so much separate and in many ways, grow up too fast. The ending puts a happy spin on it (thank goodness) otherwise this book would trip the so dark I need a few days to hide territory.

With a relatable story and a competitive world, this dark tale will speak to topics many run from.

My rating: 4 out of 5

Bright Burning Stars pulled me in with the first sentence and it didn’t let go.
I found it to be very well-written, I liked Small’s writing style. The voices she gave the characters suited the story well and I have to note that the multiple POV was pulled off really well. The plot was intriguing and well paced, I really enjoyed it - it just felt fresh to me. I thought the characters were beautifully written, the friendship between Kate and Marine and the way it developed felt way too real.
This book was surprisingly dark and heavy, but a quick read at the same time. The story was haunting, emotional, at times heartbreaking, and it was filled with twists that made it so enticing. It left me wishing there was more.
The story is about teens who are under a lot of pressure, all of them in a competition with one another. It deals with how they handle themselves and how they navigate through it. This was exceptionally well-executed, it seemed realistic, and I can’t help but think that Small’s personal experience with the world she described in this world might have played a big part in it.
Everything about this book was just so good. It’s one of those releases that shouldn’t be missed.

(3.5 stars)

Thank you to Algonquin Books for sending me a finished copy and for allowing me to participate in the blog tour. My review is 100% honest.

TW: eating disorder, dysmorphia, abortion, mental illness, discussions of suicide, emotional abuse, toxic relationships/friendships

Judging from the cover alone, the book gave me some Black Swan vibes. If you’ve seen the movie, you know how dark that movie was, so I expected this book to be pretty dark. It definitely didn’t go below those expectations.

The book is in two POVs: Kate and Marine, students enrolled in their final year at an elite ballet training school in Paris. They are in Division One, which is top notch. Only one boy and one girl can win. Obviously, there is unhealthy competition. Every man or woman for his or herself.

The friendship between Kate and Marine is immediate, but it wasn’t always “good”. There is a toxic environment surrounding them, but it’s really up to the reader to decipher that since Small doesn’t initially address it.

Let’s talk about Kate first. Her mother left her behind at a young age and this has led her to be insecure, jealous and incredibly sneaky and scheming. It’s borderline scary, but truthfully reminiscent of a mental illness. Like the toxic environment, the mental illness is never directly addressed. What’s worse is she uses her friendship with Marine to get what she wants and to make things go the way they should, in her mind. Regardless of being this way, she still seeks approval. She needs someone to tell her she is doing well or to just know that she is “accepted”, I suppose. Her entire character arc is flawed. I mean, it makes her character terribly interesting but some of things she goes through and does was a shocker. It was just like…what? Her ending was…odd. Without spoiling anything, it just didn’t seem real.

Marine is different. She used to have a fraternal twin, but he passed away. The twist is that her brother had the ballet dream, so she is completing it for him. This puts more pressure on her. Marine, while trying to accomplish all this, worries about her appearance and weight, even though she is described as “naturally thin”. I’m not sure what that means, though. Either way, an eating disorder is a cliche in the ballet world and Marine goes through this while she competes against others. Her disorder is never appropriately finished, in my view. She tries to solve it with romantic feelings and that is pretty uncomfortable. I’ve never dealt with an eating disorder myself, but using someone you have feelings for is not the way to go. Her ending was terribly disappointing, more so than Kate. I just wasn’t feeling it. 

I applaud Small for attacking such difficult topics, although the way they were handled and concluded was not healthy whatsoever. It painted a picture for readers that isn’t realistic or what should be taken away after reading this book. On a different note, this book was hard to put down. I don’t know if it was the dark tone that I fell for or just wanting to see how this plot progressed, but it was good regardless of the above. I think Small has something going here and she has plenty of potential in the literary world for young adults. It is possible, though, to incorporate real life (the correct way) with an interesting and dark plot.

Bright Burning Stars is a story of friendship and the dangers of overachievment. The characters are ballet dancers. As teenagers, they already have a multitude of issues to deal with due to hormones and the process of growing up mentally. Add to this the pressure placed upon ballet dancers. These girls must stay insanely thin, like starvation equals success. The dancing must be perfect always because it's essential to land a spot with a ballet company. I felt sympathetic toward the girls. It's all ridiculous. How can they be expected to live this way? I found the story fascinating. This made me think about the real pressure that teen dancers, musicians, etc. must face. The standards of achievement need reevaluating else these kids could die. They have no chance at normal lives. It's sad really. The story is well written and thought provoking. The characters will pull you in, and you will feel the brutal reality of their lives. Thanks to NetGalley for an arc in exchange for an honest review.

Unfortunately, I don't think this novel was for me. I'm not sure what Bright Burning Stars was trying to do. On the one hand, I loved that it did not shy away from the hard truths and dark topics it was addressing. The writing was good, and the plot was unputdownable. I literally could not stop reading this story. However, I really struggled to stomach the handling of several of the severe issues discussed. It's great to see certain heavy themes addressed, but when they're addressed I think it's also important to handle them well, and to provide a semi-conclusive viewpoint that allows the YA reader to take away a healthy worldview from the included dark themes. Let's discuss the topics, but also highlight their problems and the proper ways to handle them. Bright Burning Stars was missing this balance. I'd hesitate to recommend this to any teenager.

For a full look at my thoughts, please check out my Goodreads review (it was a bit long for NetGalley!): https://www.goodreads.com/review/show/2716651971.

Really great look at friendship, rivalry and the teenage years. Interesting, hooks you early on and you don’t want to put it down, you need to know what is going to happen next. All the signs of a great book and writer !

Thanks to netgalley and the publisher for a free copy for an honest opinion

I could not put this book down. I read it in one day. I really liked how the author wrote from both Kate and Marine's perspectives. It was a great insight into the complexity of their friendship and their complexity as individuals. There were not clear cut lines between good and bad, instead I learned about the struggles and flaws in two beautiful talented individuals.

First off, I know nothing about ballet or being in ballet school. My first school did require us to take ballet and I had to have little ballet slippers and that's as close to ballet as I got. Which means, I am no expert. But to be immersed in A.K. Small's Bright Burning Stars, you don't have to be an expert. The intensity experienced by these students could belong to any specialized group of athletes like gymnasts, skaters, or tennis players, or likewise musicians.

Marine and Kate have been friends for many years. They made a pact that they would tell each other everything. However, as decisions are coming to be made in their final year of being at the ballet school everything begins to unravel.

As Kate breaks rules, becomes a bit boy crazy and loses focus, Marine becomes equally fixated on her body, trying to get as thin as possible. Along the way, their friendship deteriorates as they too deteriorate.

Bright Burning Stars is not a joyous romp in the park. When characters are so fixated on a prize, it seems that they would do anything to attain it and if that fails and they don't, what's left? Imagine training for so many years only to have your dreams smashed. Small does an excellent job of making that emotion pervasive throughout Bright Burning Stars. There's a kind of desperation that feels alive here. It's all or nothing. If left with nothing, what then?
Once I got into the novel after a slow start, I found it hard to put down. I wanted to shake Kate for not seeing how history can repeat itself, especially with egotistical boys and men, but she is a teenager and a sheltered one at that. She gives in to compulsions and selfishness.

Marine frequently seems older, wiser, and even her last gesture speaks of someone a bit more mature than a teenager, someone who has embraced some wisdom through a health scare, seen treachery and deceit, and knows what her future should be.

Despite the topics and the situations, I didn't find this book overly laden with angst or melodrama--I appreciate that.

I would recommend Bright Burning Stars for YA readers who like their novels on the more intense side but not ones who have issues with sex, unwanted pregnancies, and drugs appearing in a novel. (There is no graphic sex.) Please use your discretion.
I received an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I was lucky to get an ARC from the author and digital copy from NetGalley. I thoroughly enjoyed this book. I enjoyed getting to know the characters, especially from their own points of view. I found myself siding with Marine and feeling frustration and anger towards Kate. This book does a good job of exploring the trials and tribulations of being a teenager and does a great job relating the difficult life of elite athletes and dancers. Overall, a very enjoyable and quick read.

Spoiler Alert: If you are struggling with an eating disorder or are in recovery from an eating disorder, this book might be triggering.

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<p>I'm a total sucker for a good ballet book. If you know me, this won't be surprising, since I took ballet lessons for more than six years and at one time, wanted to pursue dance professionally. So I'm always on the lookout for stories featuring ballerinas because I enjoy reading about dance and all the nostalgia that comes with it. </p>
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<p>The ballet terminology runs a bit thick in some places. I'm not sure how this would impact a reader unfamiliar with dance. Sometimes I think it would make certain scenes confusing because without a mental visual of what the characters are trying to do, it would be hard to grasp the significance of the scene. Thankfully, with Google and YouTube at our fingertips, it's pretty easy to look up the terms and see what the moves look like.</p>
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<p>BRIGHT BURNING STARS totally immerses its readers in a high-stakes world where only the top ballerinas remain in the elite program. An injury or indiscretion could mean the end for any student. So could gaining a few pounds too many. Pretty much any bad thing that could happen to a dancer, happens in this book. Pregnancy? Yup. Drug addiction? Check. Weight gain? Eating disorder? Yes. Heartbreak? Injury? Mental breakdown? It has those, too.</p>
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<p>One thing that was challenging for me reading this book was the way one character reacts to becoming pregnant. She feels it's a career-ender for her, doesn't want the baby, and takes some drugs while pregnant, too. While I know unwanted pregnancy is a real issue for some, it was hard for me to read after my own struggles with infertility. </p>
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It probably didn't help that I read those scenes while holding and nursing my baby, the one that for a long time, I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to have. So really, that's just one of those experiences where my story runs very contrary to the character's journey. I respect that not everyone feels the same about babies or pregnancy. And I've learned I probably need to update my mental list of things I can read for now. I had a really hard time connecting with Kate as a character, and I suspect that at least part of it came from my reaction to this part of her story.

But I loved Marine, though-- she's totally the best friend everyone wants to have, and the girl who carries too many burdens until they bowl her over. I definitely connected with her, and found myself really rooting for her to succeed and to stay smarter than some of the games happening around her.

Though the plot isn't very similar (beyond a bright young dancer reaching for stardom), BRIGHT BURNING STARS reminded me a little bit of the movie THE BLACK SWAN with Natalie Portman. It had the same kind of intensity and pressure and strong, talented character driven to the edge.

All in all, I'm glad I read BRIGHT BURNING STARS and particularly enjoyed Marine's character and her story.

This book was really well written. I enjoyed the story but I felt there was a lot happening at once. One of my main issues was the POV changing. I found myself confused at times wondering which POV I was reading. Certain times it took a few pages before I was able to understand who it was I was reading about.

Also, I felt like some of the drama was super exaggerated that parts seemed unrealistic.

Overall it was a good book and I do recommend it to people who enjoy dance and a lot of drama!