I WOULD GIVE THIS BOOK ALL THE STARS IN THIS UNIVERSE ✨

"But they don't know that rebels are made in the worst of circumstances, and even death can't stop the. Us."

This is my first 5 star read of the year and I'm going to go ahead and say that it will have a spot in my top 10 reads of the year as well. I can't even begin to describe how enamoured I am with The Sound of Stars! I have a complete review up on my blog but here's a short summary of my thoughts.

I absolutely love every scene in this freaking book. The Sound of Stars had a plot that kept me guessing every single event that would occur. The plot twist towards the end is one that I didn’t expect although I did predict a very tiny portion of it, I was pleasantly surprised. I had a major crisis when I was left only with 100 pages. I was dreading the end of the book because I simply didn’t want to let go of such a beautiful story.

"If music is a story, it comes alive with love. The more love it has, the more likely the story will never end."

Oh and I must talk about some of the amazing themes incorporated into the book, especially consent. This book shows us that consent matters in every way. There are so many incredible book and song references scattered around the book! At several points, I just squealed at the pop culture references. I think the biggest compliment I can give The Sound of Stars in terms of writing is that I felt I was inside the book. The rest of the world just didn't exist. Many times sci-fi and fantasy novels tend to confuse me with the world-building and information dumps, but Alechia Dow is a master.

With recent discussion about the lack of support for sci-fi in YA, THE SOUND OF STARS came out at the right time. After aliens invaded Earth and essentially wiped out all resistance, it's only a matter of time before humans become hosts for their invaders. Janelle "Ellie" runs a forbidden library in her NYC apartment; the aliens destroyed all cultural production that can inspire humans to rebellion. Morris, an alien involved in the take-over, has a secret: he loves music. When Morris discovers Ellie's trove, he reads Angie Thomas's The Hate U Give and is inspired. Ellie and Morris join forces and escape, heading to California to try to undo the damage the aliens have wrought on earth and save humanity. I love a lot of elements of the book - the references to YA fiction and all the music - and I think the slow-burn romance between Ellie and Morris. There were moments where the pacing was a bit slow and there were several secrets that get revealed over time that I think could have been better explained/communicated. Dow does an excellent job writing diverse characters - Ellie is on the ace spectrum - and her writing is really strong when discussing racism and Ellie's experience navigating predominantly white spaces before the alien invasion. The ending has a twist I didn't see coming and if there is a sequel, I would definitely read it!

This story is set in the future, when aliens have invaded Earth. Humans were destroying the planet, so the aliens, called the Ilori, came to Earth. The Ilori started to vaccinate people so they could control them. They also banned all art forms. Janelle ran an illegal library in her building, where she met an alien, M0Rr1S, who liked illegal music. They escape New York and have to travel across the country to safety.

I really enjoyed this story. The premise of books being banned is a popular thread in books. It shows how important and persuasive books and art can be, because they are often banned if they have controversial ideas.

The one thing I didn’t really like was the plotline about the singers. There were some random interviews and articles about a band called the Starry Eyed. That storyline joined with the main narrative at the end, but I wish it had more of a connection with the plot.

This was a great story.

Thank you Inkyard Press for providing a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I liked the idea behind this book. There were definitely some unique takes to a dystopian world, although the format and worldbuilding seemed a lot like the books that already exist (reminiscent of the Hunger Games and Divergent, etc.).
The romance between Ellie and Morris had a few swoony moments--could have been developed a little deeper but was not bad.
The ending was satisfying and wrapped up the story well.

Thank you to NetGalley, Alechia Dow, and Harlequin TEEN for the opportunity to read The Sound of Stars in exchange for an honest review.

An alien race called the Ilori have invaded Earth. After a miscommunication between Earth and Ilori leaders, one-third of the human population has been terminated. Two years later, the Ilori rule ruthlessly, executing anyone who doesn’t follow the rules, just to make a show of their seriousness of the predicament and to keep the humans from potentially rebelling.

All forms of art have been banned, including books and music, because apparently, books might harbor the secrets to building weapons that may vanquish the Ilori. Realistically, books and music trigger feelings in people, and that is something the Ilori do not want to happen.

Ellie loves books. She has about sixty books of various genres that she keeps hidden under a blanket on a mattress on the floor in a basement storage unit in her apartment building. If the Ilori find out, they will hang her. Not only are the books important to her, but if she can get enough information on the people around her, she will lend them out so that people can find some pleasure in this post-alien invasion life.

MoRr1S (Morris) is a labmade Ilori, a non-natural born of his species, a lesser, looked-down upon version. Even though it is against the rules, he loves music. When the Ilori invaded, all art was destroyed…well, except the books and music, among other art forms, that were hidden by people (like Ellie’s books). So there is still music out there, but it is hard to come by. When MoRr1S finds Ellie’s book stash, he picks up a copy of The Hate U Give (by Angie Thomas) and ends up choosing to read it, opening up a whole new world of wonder for the labmade Ilori. While the missing book has Ellie on edge, MoRr1S has every intention of communicating with her. He finds her interesting, and a potential source for getting more music.

When Ellie is found out and close to execution, MoRr1S saves her and they embark on their own strange journey together, for both are immersed in a situation that will end in their deaths, if either of them is ever caught.

Predictably, this is a Romeo and Juliet type of story, as MoRr1s falls for everything about Ellie, and despite Ellie’s grudge against Ilori, cannot help but falling for MoR1S in return. As they discover what feeling love actually means, Ellie must come to terms with MoR1S’s fiance, 0rsa, a non-feeling, cold-towards-humans Ilori.

Along their adventure, the two listen to a band called The Starry Eyed, of which on of their songs is called “The Sound of Stars.” The lyrics have meaning to the characters as well as the book title, so there are some interesting connections to make there.

Overall, a story that I really enjoyed. It seemed generic, but interesting enough to feel different. The one thing that throws me is the ending. I enjoyed the ending and feel like this can definitely be a stand-alone novel, but there seems to be a possibility of a second one. Regardless, I like to see this as a stand-alone, even if it didn’t end quite how I would have liked for a stand-alone novel, though the end left some solidity and positivity with enough for me to have a feeling of what happens next without having to read what happens next. A quick, fun, immersive read.

Imagine a world in which artistic expression and appreciation is banned. In The Sound of Stars, just such a world exists. Two years after a third of the earth’s population was wiped out because of a misunderstanding between representatives of the earth and the invading Ilori, things that trigger human emotion (music, books, and art) are now illegal.
Ellie lives in New York City, one of the areas controlled by the Ilori. Deep in her family’s storage unit, Ellie maintains a secret—and illegal—library. But one day, she finds one of the books missing. If the Ilori’s have found her library, she’s at risk of being executed. She soon finds however, that the book was found by M0Rr1S (“Morris”), a manufactured alien, who, though created to be emotionless, was raised by a mother who encouraged him to embrace his feelings. M0Rr1S, who has already discovered a love of music, is enthralled by Ellie’s library. Ellie and M0Rr1S are drawn together by their love of books, music, and soon find themselves racing against time in an effort to save humanity.
The Sound of Stars drew me in pretty quickly with the prologue, but I found it a bit confusing when the interview sections were mixed in. Ultimately, it all came together, and is a solid and engaging story about love, rebellion and aliens as well as an insightful commentary on overcoming preconceived ideas about others and appreciating our differences.
*I received a copy of The Sound of Stars from Inkyard Press and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review*

I had to wait a few days to write this review because I had to talk with a friend who also read it and gather my full thoughts. I know I say this a lot but, which any book there were things I liked and things I didn’t. I think it’s pretty even on what I liked and what I didn’t.
This story follows Ellie who is a human living in a distant future where the world has been taken over by aliens. I really liked Ellie. She’s an avid reader and managed to hide her books and lend them out to others that living in her building. She lends books and follows the motions to get through the day. I believe she’s pansexual, though that word is never actually used. But she does say that gender doesn’t matter if she feels a deep connection to a person.
We also follow Morris, which is spelled with numbers in his language. He’s an alien that’s developed the “vaccine” that his superiors plan to use on the human race. He has a secret too. He loves music, though he’s not supposed to. I liked Morris because he wanted better for his people. He wasn’t in agreement with the things they were making him do and he was working toward dismantling the system.
I thought the concept of the aliens was really interesting. But there was a lot I didn’t understand about them. They seemed almost like cyborgs but I feel like it wasn’t very well explained. There were also other aliens that we met and their species (?) wasn’t explained very well either. Though I did see the identity of the other aliens coming from a mile away.
Another problem I had with this book was that it was a bit repetitive and over political. Our main character is black and lived in the Upper East Side before the alien invasion so she dealt with a lot of racism. I’m all about these sort of topics because they’re real and relevant, but she mentioned it about a hundred times. I think it would have been okay to mention a few different events. But she thought about and talked about the same events over and over.
Overall, I had a good time reading this book. Right up until the ending. If there’s going to be another book (ive not seen it announced anywhere or anything) I’m more okay with the ending, but the final action scene seemed rushed and the events after were even more rushed. There wasn’t really a resolution either. I’m really hoping it has a sequel because if not, the whole goal they were working toward was never achieved. So if there will be another (which I will be asking when I see this author at the NoVaTeen Book Festival) I can accept the ending but if not then I will definitely be lowering my rating. This was a fun science fiction book, but it has a few issues.

"If we get separated and you have to choose between life and joining us, choose life, okay? Live. Live for us. Breathe for us. Survive for us."

Janelle Baker aka Ellie is a 17 year old girl who survived a alien invasion. The aliens are named Ilori. Most of the population is gone. It's Ellie, her parents, and a select few. Human emotions are nonexistent....and are punishable with execution! Ellie however, is a rule breaker and believes everyone should have access to literature. She keeps a secret library, but when a book goes missing...Ellie fears the Ilori will find it, track it back to her, and she could be killed.
We then meet M0Rr1s (Morris). Morris was created in a lab to feel absolutely nothing. When he finds Ellie's lab, her greatest fear comes true. Morris has to take her to be executed. But something remarkable happens. Morris finds himself attracted to music...human music. Their love for art brings them together and embarks them on a journey. A journey filled with music and books. The premise of the book is set in the future. I really dig the banned books theme to it. It reminds me of fahrenheit 451 meets Judge Dredd vibes. Dow did a great job with this book. Thank you to Inkyard press and Netgalley for a copy of this book in a exchange for a honest review.

This book is, without a doubt, one of the most beautiful books I have ever read.

I'm struggling to figure out how to review this one, because it is such a masterpiece and no review of mine could ever do it justice.

I want to touch briefly on the lot before I move onto all of my favourite parts. Personally I thought the plot was perfect, but I think you need to know what you’re getting into to. This book isn’t action packed and full of explosions. The plot was engaging, but it was also very much a back burner part of the story. It was there, and it was well done, but it wasn’t front and centre. This book was first and foremost about the characters. (but also that TWIST. The ending left me shook y’all)

I also want to really highlight the writing. It was so subtly gorgeous. I read this book very slowly, I large part because I couldn't help but linger over every word. I love pretty writing, and fall in love with writing styles easily, but it's rare for me to feel quite the need to take in every single perfect word the way I did with this one. The writing transported me into another world, and I spent the entire time in awe of it.

The world building was masterful as well. The book took place in the aftermath of an alien invasion, but due to the way it was done I felt like I was learning to understand the way the world worked after the invasion along with the characters. I didn't always understand, but I was never confused - instead it was a very purposeful thing.

The Sound of the Stars also had a lot of social and political commentary, and I applaud Alechia Dow for her brilliant handling of that. It dealt heavily with the more subtle themes of colonialism, and also had outright discussions about consent, and discrimination, and the violence that marginalized people face.

I also want to appreciate the representation. Our main character is a bi demi black girl, and the other main character is implied to be demi as well. There was also a large side character who was nonbinary.

And then, of course, that leads into the characters. The characters y’all. I do not have the words for how much I love these characters.

Firstly we have Morris. He is the literal sweetest bean ever. I love him so much. He’s a little bit confused about the whole feelings thing, but he also loves so fiercely. He adores music, and passionately believes in freedom. He always tries his best to do the right thing, even if he screws up sometimes. Also he just wants a friend and he’s so soft and sweet and I LOVE HIM

Secondly we have Janelle, or Ellie. Y’all I do not have the words for how much I love Ellie. I do not have words. She is just… an icon. She is so fucking messy, but that’s what makes her so wonderful. Ellie isn’t your typical heroine trying to save the world - she isn’t really sure if humanity even deserves saving. She’s angry and she’s hurt and she’s passionate and she will do anything for her family and her books, and to hell with the rest of the world. She is one of the most real protagonists I’ve read in a long time, and I adore her.

Thank you to Netgalley and publisher for a copy of this arc for an honest review

As much as I loved the concept of this book, it just didn’t work for me , it may be a story that would translate better for me on screen than on paper. I’m sure there is an audience for this book, based on all the great reviews, it isn’t something I enjoyed .

What a fun read— how can I not like a story in which the protagonist runs a secret library because she knows what a lifeline books can be? I enjoyed the mix of science fiction and romance. There were some pacing issues that would have benefited from a little tightening up, but overall an enjoyable and original read.

Thank you, NetGalley and Harlequin TEEN, for the electronic ARC.

One in three are dead. The others live under the thumb of human-alien hybrids, the lab-made Ilori. The invasion was just the beginning, and while humanity stands at the precipice of a soulless gulag, a girl named Ellie sprouts a seed of defiance. Rather than live as an imprisoned drone, Ellie runs a hidden, underground library to bring stories and hope to the other prisoners in her area of this new, post-apocalyptic world. On a fateful day, one of the lab-made Ilori, Morris, discovers her secret. Lucky for Ellie, Morris's human half feels lonely and likes to jam out to great music, and thus a friendship is born from shared humanity.

I enjoyed the focus on mutual interests in The Sound of Stars. I also liked that Morris, split literally between human and Ilori in his DNA, felt drawn to humanity because of artistic expression, and felt diminished by the "true" Ilori's disdain for their lab-created hybrids. Other positives included touching on interesting books and social topics. I do feel like many threads remain unexplored, and I'm hoping that if there's a sequel that the story can provide some more answers. Pick this one up if you're looking for a tale about courage in the face of adversity and the bonding of "enemies" over shared interests. Skip if you like your novels to wrap up nice and tidy.

I received this book as an Advanced Reader's Copy (ARC) through NetGalley. It will be published February 25, 2020. I received this copy free in exchange for my honest review.
Earth is invaded by the Ilori when Janelle Baker was 15. Janelle is now 17 and she lives in an Ilori prison camp, and she is a librarian of sorts. She loans and finds books for fellow prisoners she calls her patrons. Which Janelle has to do super secretly, because if she is caught sharing books she could be executed by the Ilori. Janelle’s Dad works for the Ilori on the half-solutions program, a monthly mood-enhancing vaccine that turns humans into obedient Ilori servants. Jaenelle’s mother has become a drunk. Commander M0Rr1S is a labmade Ilori, he is the head scientist working on a vaccine. The Ilori plan to cleanse Earth of its pollution for their own habitation, for the true Ilori and make their new colony a truly immersive experience, a vacation planet. M0Rr1S loves human music, and is searching the basement for more of it when he finds Janelle’s library. This kicks off an adventure full of mistrust and earned trust, and finding common ground between species that are never meant to live next to each other. I really enjoyed he characters, and yes it was dystopian sort of, it wasn’t the end of the world. I felt like Dow wanted to write about hope, hope that the world could be different if we set aside some of our prejudice and hate. This was a good book, and I hope there is a sequel.

LIKES:
One of the things that fascinated me the most about The Sound of Stars is how the story positions itself as a “message from the future” for current-day society. Even though this book is very much fantasy/science fiction, it has its moments where you could mistake it for realistic fiction.

One of the biggest drivers for the Ilori invasion was the fact that the Earth was being destroyed by humans and the Ilori recognized that they could reverse the damage. In this sense, The Sound of Stars is very much a cautionary tale for the possible future of climate change and political corruption on our own Earth.

This portion of the book yields an interesting perspective for the main character Janelle who is living at the cusp of the world as she knew it and what it is rapidly becoming. I really enjoyed this dynamic of the book and its evocative nature. Relating it to real life, this whole “living on the cusp” idea may mirror how the oldest living generations of the world feel right now. What societal norms were like for them in their youth and what they are now are most likely vastly different.

This dynamic also made me wonder what I would do if the world still had a chance to recover. Or, more realistically, what am I doing now that the world is increasingly reaching a precarious state.

Finally, I wanted to make space to appreciate Morris as a conflicted antagonist. The ARC of his character was laid out fluidly and the progression of his changing mindset fit well with the story. Morris’ character fits the schema someone, who for one reason or another, refuses to conform to societal demands. And because he is a Ilori robot with these complicated emotions, Alechia Dow cleverly painted a unique, futuristic tale of the human condition through a non-human main character.

Also: black curvy female main character representation!

DISLIKES:
With all of that being said, I still unfortunately did not enjoy this book to the fullest extent possible. My issues mainly consisted of the romance between Janelle and Morris, and the fact that this book seemed to drag on. Here is a direct quote from my review notes on December 17th:

“This book dragged on and on and on. There were so many subplots that served the sole purpose of adding length to the story and it became very irritating to be incessantly told what needed to be done time and time again.”

From what I remember, Ellie is constantly regurgitating the motivation for the story. We need to save the world. We have to save the world. We have to get to this place. We have to talk to this person. This is frustrating as a reader because I know what the motivation of the story is. I can comprehend where the plot is going without the main character telling me over and over.

Another point I made in my notes is that there seemed to be a trend of “romantic” moments between Ellie and Morris followed by another perilous subplot. Again and again. Do you see a trend? Because I do.

Overall, I enjoyed the thought-provoking nature of The Sound of Stars, but beyond that, I had great difficulty getting invested in the story. The book felt very repetitive and became tedious to read. That said, there are a lot of conversations to be had about society that are presented in this book, and I’d still encourage anyone who likes critically analyzing fiction to give it a read!

🖤Book Review🖤

The Sound Of Stars by Alechia Dow
⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
Ah! I don't even know where to start! I was so excited about this book, and am so glad it didn't disappoint. The cover drew me in, but then the plot kept me.

The first couple of chapters I had a difficult time connecting, but that quickly resolved. I became connected to Ellie, she reminded me so much of myself as a teenager. She is totally obsessed with books and has a great understanding of music. She is a little different and isn't too great at socialization. It's me. In a book.

I also really love that her character is written as a diverse one! She's a black girl and also describes herself as Ace at one point. The author ties in a lot of gender, sexuality, and race issues into the story. It's done in such a way though, that it doesn't take away from anything but just adds more depth to the characters.

Morris, M0Rr1S, is a labmade Illori brought to Earth to develop a vaccine to give to the humans. This vaccine pretty much leaves humans as husks, ready for the true Ilori to inhabit. He finds human music very interesting, and it makes him feel. Something that Ilori are not raised to do.

I loved the way these two come together and how the entire story unfolds. The chapters switch back and forth between the two characters, giving us both of their points of view.
This is very much a YA Sci Fi Love story. Be prepared because it is full on YA love. It is full of plot twists, music, books, and alien/human rebellion.

I need the next book, like, now. It left me needing more!

If you love Sci Fi and YA, this is definitely the book for you!

Electricity-powered Ilori attack Earth and subjugate humans as part of their expanding their reach across the galaxy. Janelle “Ellie” Baker keeps an illicit library. When another type of Ilori, a labmade named Morris, returns one of Ellie’s missing books, their friendship and connection sends them on a journey far from New York to neutralize a vaccine which could spell doom for the human race.

The music and references to other young adult novels are absolutely spot on. Dow deftly peppers them through the narrative, especially when connecting them to both the oppression brought by the Ilori, but also the rage that comes from injustices plaguing our world today. I appreciate Ellie’s musings of if humanity really is worth saving, especially given her lived experience as a Black girl in the United States. It gave her character so many layers as a heroine who wants to protect the things that matter to her most, rather than becoming a hero whose triumph saves the world.

The presentation of anxiety in this book is so spot-on. Even as Ellie gathers her courage to save her family and runs cross-country with Morris, her anxiety maintains a steady presence. It’s always there and doesn’t get magically cured by the end.

Definitely give this book a read for an alien invasion narrative in which humans find resistance in protecting their stories, music, and the people they love.

This book is so quotable, it’s ridiculous.

Holy Crap! The Sound of Stars was amazing. The diversity, world building, characterization and romance was absolutely perfect.

The main character, Janelle, is a demi-ace, black female who has a special kind of magic all her own. The ultimate nerd, she created a library of hope for her fellow humans in New York City. A library of contraband and allowed people to have the ability to escape the horrid reality they were in with books.

Morris, the other main characters, is an alien. A labmade Ilori to be specific. And he was utterly adorable. I want to protect him and hug him and love him. So much. Morris was innocent in a lot of things but he was a blatant rebel when it came to music and then he discovered books.

The two of them were rebels in a world where rebels died. The epic adventure they go on is absolutely awesome with confrontations on both sides with either species and the relationship between Janelle and Morris deepened and I loved it so much.

I had never, at least to the best of my recollection, read a book with an Asexual main character. Which is a little sad. But so to me it seemed like the story moved a little slow. Despite the fact that it was world building a little more epic than Throne of Glass, the pace of the story, to me, seemed a little bogged down. Then again it was switching from POV each chapter and there was background and a little bit of a language barrier to overcome but still. On the whole, the premise was interesting and inventive. I absolutely loved it.

The Sounds of Stars is filled with references to books and music as well as thinly veiled political statements. The story itself felt a little long but it was fun nonetheless. There were more than a few times that I found myself reading with a smile on my face.

"Don't miss this spectacular debut novel... Can a girl who risks her life for books and an alien who loves forbidden pop music work together to save humanity? This road trip is truly out of this world A beautiful and thrilling read for fans of Marie Lu and Veronica Roth.

Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the deaths of one-third of the world's population.

Seventeen-year-old Janelle "Ellie" Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. With humans deemed dangerously volatile because of their initial reaction to the invasion, emotional expression can be grounds for execution. Music, art and books are illegal, but Ellie breaks the rules by keeping a secret library. When a book goes missing, Ellie is terrified that the Ilori will track it back to her and kill her.

Born in a lab, M0Rr1S was raised to be emotionless. When he finds Ellie's illegal library, he's duty-bound to deliver her for execution. The trouble is, he finds himself drawn to human music and in desperate need of more. They're both breaking the rules for the love of art--and Ellie inspires the same feelings in him that music does.

Ellie's - and humanity's - fate rests in the hands of an alien she should fear. M0Rr1S has a lot of secrets, but also a potential solution - thousands of miles away. The two embark on a wild and dangerous road trip with a bag of books and their favorite albums, all the while creating a story and a song of their own that just might save them both."

I totally identify with anyone willing to risk their lives for books!

Can I give a million points for all the seriously impressive nonbinary representation in this story? I loved the premise, and I know the teens in my life will as well. Seriously, if you have a bookworm/emo loving music fan in your world, you'll have to insist that they read this right away- it'll check all their boxes!