The Sound of Stars features an adorable cinnamon-roll alien boy, music, stories, and a fierce ownvoices heroine--what's not to love?? I knew as soon as I heard about this book that I wanted to get it in my face immediately, and it didn't disappoint! I loved how Ellie was willing to risk her life to loan out her books (and the hope they brought with them), and the deep but complicated relationships she had with her home and the people around her. There was also a very neat twist that I liked a lot late in the story.

If you're considering reading (or preordering) The Sound of Stars, do it!

I wasn't a huge fan of this book. While it was well-written, I just didn't enjoy it. I was hoping I would, the blurb made it seem so interesting, yet I did not find it so once I started reading it, unfortunately. I know there are many that will love this book, I was just not one of them.

This book has my whole heart. Alechia Dow weaves together a sci-fi that is both full of love and hope for humanity's better future, yet never forgetting the long road we have to get there. It's a love letter to the people, stories, and music that made us feel less alone when life was at its worst, as well as the potential of what humans could be.

Earth has already been conquered by aliens, the Ilori. Human expression - including all forms of art - have been outlawed, and the penalty is execution. Ellie lives in a prison-like center controlled by the Ilori, and she runs a secret lending library from the basement, risking her life to keep a spark of hope alive in her community.

M0Rr1S, a young commander from the lower class of lab-made Ilori, finds himself drawn to human expression and human music, even though he was raised to be emotionless. When M0Rr1S accidentally discovers Ellie's library, he also finds himself drawn to Ellie. He seeks her out, and they develop a tentative friendship full of distrust. As their lives entangle, M0Rr1S reveals he may have a way to free humanity from the rule of the Ilori, but they must learn to trust each other as they encounter obstacles, hatred, and division from Ilori and humans alike.

At its core, this is such a sweet and loving story. Ellie and M0Rr1S are kind, art-loving souls who only want to live in peace. As part of the journey, they learn to better love themselves and each other.

But they're forced into the middle of a war where neither side is blameless. Ellie's experience as a young Black girl before the invasion was far from idyllic, and humanity was unable to unite and fight the takeover because of division and hatred. Often in sci-fi, the problems of the modern world are waved over, presumed to be fixed by the march of progress, but here they are still real and palpable, even in the middle of an existential intergalactic threat.

This book, however, wholeheartedly and lovingly embraces diversity in its pages. This is an ownvoices story with a Black protagonist. Ellie is also demi-asexual, and this is probably the first time I have seen demisexuality - an identity I share and struggled with for many years - discussed and accepted on the page. Ellie's chronic illness and anxiety disorder come into play continuously through the book, and it's one of the best representations of an anxiety disorder that I can speak to. There's also amazing body positivity, multiple characters of color, and supporting nonbinary characters both Ilori and human. This book left me with such a clear feeling of being seen and accepted, and I hope other readers will find that in this story.

The Sound of Stars broke my heart and put it back together again, and I cannot recommend it highly enough to everyone else.

"Life's short, but it's the longest thing you'll ever do, so give more than you take and be kind."

*3.5 stars

This is a super cute story about a book-loving teen and a music-loving alien finding common ground after an alien takeover of earth and how that relationship evolves during a rebellion, but "mostly about love."

I wasn't a fan of the podcast, song, and magazine article inserts, though they did link into the story at the end. I found it kind of distracting and it made it so the storyline didn't run as smoothly.

I loved that this featured a strong, black, female main character. I also loved that the story touched on everyday injustices, inequality and was incredibly LGBTQ inclusive. I also really enjoyed the book, movie, and music references.

Appreciative to have received an ARC of this book courtesy of Inkyard Press and Harlequin. It was a fun read and if there's a sequel, which I believe that there will be, it will definitely be added to my TBR list.

"Sometimes love needs only a moment to blossom, and it lingers forever."

I really enjoyed this sci-fi/romance about a teenage girl who starts off as a book smuggler in a world where aliens are in the process of colonizing humans, and ends up being a key to humanity's salvation. That she happens to be bi-racial, anxious, demi, and plus-sized is mostly incidental to the plot but enriches her character and makes her feel fresh and complex.. When she meets an alien boy who struggles with his participation in the oppression and they bond over music and literature, the story turns into a slow-burn romance road trip and ends with an interesting and action-packed twist. The book had nice meditations on race, love, literature, and music and its positive LGBTQ+ rep is appreciated.

*I received an early copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Well that was...disappointing. I don't know what exactly I was expecting, but that was not it.

Now before I go any further, I do want to say that there was nothing wrong with this book. It had action, compelling characters, and an interesting story that I'm sure will speak to the targeted audience. But the story moved so slowly. I think it took me more than half the book to feel truly engaged to the story itself, and the second half was honestly a blur. I don't know if that was due to the fact that I was just ready to be done with the book or not, but it felt as though on one page they were in one place and the next they were somewhere else.

The relationship between the two main characters, Ellie and Morris, is definitely what you would call a slow-burn. Honestly, it takes Ellie most of the novel to warm up to him, and Morris makes no secret of his love for her. Ellie can't seem make sense of her feelings for him, mostly due to the fact that he is a member of the alien race that rounded up and enslaved humanity. They meet because of her illegal library full of contraband books and he stumbles upon it and reads one of her books.

How Ellie and Morris get together and start their adventure were also a little fuzzy for me. I don't want to go into details because the novel doesn't come out until later this month. That aspect of The Sound of Stars, however, felt very rushed. I think the pacing in this novel was all over the place. Also, the ending...I was expecting this to be a stand-alone, but apparently there is a sequel? I think the novel was initially set up as a stand-alone, but there will be a second coming out, and I don't know how I feel about it.

Maybe others will feel differently. I do think this novel is going to appeal to teenagers. The two characters, and especially Ellie, will be relatable. Ellie speaks like a teenager and doesn't sound like an adult like so many protagonists in Young Adult today. She's socially awkward, introverted, and determined and has many flaws but shines through in spite of them.

When this novel comes out I think it will be a hit among its targeted audience. Maybe that's why it did not appeal to me as much as I initially thought it would. I would like to send a huge thank-you to Netgalley and Inkyard Press for providing me with my e-galley version.

This review will post on February 2, 2020. It will be published on Goodreads, as well as my blog thatwritergirl.net

Two years ago, the Ilori invaded Earth, leaving Janelle "Ellie" Baker and her family in a building controlled by Ilori scientists and guards in the once great New York City. As the Ilori reshape the landscape of New York City and work to remove the pollution in the atmosphere for the eventual arrival of Ilori leadership, Ellie fights to stay alive while also maintaining an illegal library. When M0Rr1S "Morris" finds one of Ellie's books, he realizes that not only does he want to keep her secret but he wants to get to know her better and learn if she has access to any music, which is his favorite form of human expression. Together, the two end up leaving New York City and taking a journey through the heartland toward California, encountering humans and Ilori who both threaten and help them on their way. Against the prophetic lyrics from The Starry Eyed, Ellie's favorite band, the two seek to save both of their races while being hunted.

For a YA tale, Dow's novel does contain quite a number of familiar tropes: enemy to love interest, protagonists as outsider, "chosen one" protagonist, dystopian world, and absent parents. However, the combination of these tropes works to create a moving story that shows the importance of listening and acceptance. Dow's main points can be read as commentary on our changing world and the racial, immigrant, and partisan issues that are prevalent and are defining much of the national discourse. Since the Ilori are also trying to colonize Earth and its inhabitants as a vacation destination, there also seemed to be an unfavorable analysis of capitalism.

Despite all that is placed upon them, the bulk of the story revolves around Ellie and Morris finding that they have more commonalities than differences that allow them to create a genuine connection. Told from dual perspectives, Dow shows how art, like music and books, can bring individuals together and allow them to empathize with each other. As the narrative progresses, the threat of an Ilori vaccine administered to humans hangs over them and the role that they each have to play in order to save humanity and labmade Ilori also provides a backdrop for their own love to develop.

Overall, I genuinely enjoyed this novel. I guessed the narrative makeup of the middle after a few plot points emerged, but I was surprised by the ending since it didn't take the path I expected. Currently, it appears that Dow doesn't have plans for a sequel, but I feel like if she were to delve back into this world there would be more to explore. As a reader, I would hop on board if only to find out what happens to Ellie and Morris.

I was given this book for free from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

This book reads like it popped straight out of the golden age of YA but with a much more discerning eye. If you like paranormal romance, good representation, a new take on dystopian novels, strong girls, cinnamon roll boys, and musical roadtrips, then this book is waiting for you.

I couldn't quite believe the attention to detail and how real the novel felt despite the sci fi and fantasy elements.

I've never been this delighted by a true debut. The book is gorgeous, and I can't wait for more. Definitely an author to keep your eye on.

I received a copy of this book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

This book was incredible! It was a little slow for me to start and I kept on having to stop which will be explained in the podcast episode on the 11th
But yes, I loved Elle and Morris. I loved the world building and the characters are so believable!

This book hit all the heartstrings in all the right ways.

I wasn’t sure what to expect when I started this book - a YA dystopia, a social commentary maybe, an inevitable human/alien romance probably. These types of stories can go either way for me, and it really depends on the execution and the characters. To my pleasant surprise, this book turned out to be all of these things and more - a classic save-the-world romp with a unapologetically queer spin, adorably nerdy in places and filled with deeply relatable characters. Honestly, it was the characters that really sold me on this one: I love that the main characters are flawed, nuanced, and awkward. Ellie’s introversion and self-judgment, Morris’s attempts to blend in and process his emotions - these traits and personal journeys kept me engaged in both POVs. (Also I am admittedly a sucker for characters who are not human trying to understand/emulate/become more humans, so Morris quickly became my favorite!!)

Speaking of characterization, one thing I really appreciated about this book was the representation: many of the characters are LGBTQIA, and the Ilori specifically state their gender identities and ask others to do the same, which I found refreshing and valuable. I have never read anything else that normalized gender as a spectrum and elimination of the gender binary concept so naturally and so well. I also really loved that Ellie’s pansexuality(?) was respected and in no way erased, even as she ended up in a “straight-passing” relationship. I would love to see more authors portray LGBTQIA characters in this way.

The plot was a little disorganized/predictable, but it was detailed enough to keep my interest. I was a little surprised at the ending - I’d hoped the story would come to more of a resolution, but at the same time I understand why the author chose to end it so openly and if they do write a sequel I will definitely read it!

All in all, this was a fun read with well-developed characters and an unexpectedly poignant heart, and I look forward to reading more from this author in the future!

I had a really hard time getting into this book. In fact I stopped reading it about 10 pages in, I just couldn't keep reading. I only read for pleasure, and this wasn't my kind of pleasurable read. I may try it again in the future, but for now it just didn't work out. Thanks to #netgalley for the advanced copy. #thesoundofstars

Thank you Netgalley and Publisher for the arc!

3.3/5 stars

The Sound of Stars is a sci-fi novel set in a future where emotional expression is not allowed, which makes music and books illegal. Our two main characters are Janelle: a human girl with a secret library, and M0Rr1S, a lab made 'emotionless' alien.

It is their forbidden love of music that brings the two together and on the run.

I had a hard time getting into the novel at first, but it did pick up about halfway through. I really liked the main characters and I love reading stories with aliens who are friends with humans in it. I can't say that the whole music gimmick was my favourite- but I know it would work for a lot of people.

All in all I think this novel is alright. It's not perfect but it is enjoyable and has an interesting plot.

Boy, do I love a good sci-fi with an alternative format! As soon as I cracked the book open (figuratively, of course) and saw the transcript on the first page, I was hooked. It was fast paced with a great plot and very memorable characters. What I loved the most was that it was a striking standalone. It was so satisfying to read the whole way through, and I can't recommend it enough.

**I received an advanced copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.**

I have been looking forward to this book since I heard about it, early in 2019, because it mixes two things I love - expression through art and Sci-Fi. I loved the way the book's core theme seemed to be that people can get through just about anything as long as they have those creative outlets. Books, music, art, etc. The Ilori knew that, stamping down those pieces of "contraband" to squash the humans' hope - but Ellie wouldn't let the impending threat of death stop her from having her library. Even Morris, an Ilori himself, is fascinated by music, and will risk everything to experience it.

The characters have so much stacked against them - but they still find something that brings them together and OH MAN they are shippable. I love them.

Threaded in with the story is timely commentary on power dynamics and political control. Ellie is black, and reflects on her experience there while also comparing it to her new life underneath the Ilori.

I can't wait to see this book out in the world!!

The Sound of Stars surprised me.

I wasn’t quite sure what to expect, but what I found was a heartwarming story about love, hope, and how forbidden books and music can bring two people together.

Morris is an alien, part of an invasion force to subdue the humans on Earth, with a love of music-something his race has taken away from him. Ellie is a human girl with a forbidden library of books-something the aliens have taken away from her. Human expression=bad news for these aliens. Morris and Ellie are are drawn together for their love of these things, and find themselves on the run together in a race to save humanity, and each other.

This was such a sweet book, full of twists and surprises that kept me guessing as to what would happen next. Sometimes these twists would come out of the blue, with no indication beforehand of what was going to happen (that I was aware of), so it did feel a bit jarring at times plot-wise. However, I was okay with that, and it doesn’t detract from the story. If anything, it keeps you on your toes!

I found the idea that this book starts post-alien invasion was unique. Most alien invasion stories start out with the actual invasion. This book starts out with the humans having lost, and what that looks like. The aliens were also really interesting, with their abilities and the way they look. Their social structure is also a fascinating part of the book.

My favorite part of this book was towards the end, with the Starry Eyed. That was a fantastic twist! I’d love a spin off novel about the Starry Eyed. Just going to put that out there!

I’d also love to see someone put together a soundtrack of all the music mentioned in this book. This is definitely a book that needs a soundtrack.

If you’re looking for a science fiction, pop culture fueled romance, this is the perfect book for you!

Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read The Sound of Stars as an eARC in exchange for an honest review.

Five: 
The number of weeks until The Sound of Stars hits shelves. 

Four: 
I don't care if it's beFOUR or after the World ends, nobody is borrowing Lady Midnight. 

Three: 
The 'older than 3 months' section Netgalley moved my arc to because it took me entirely too long to actually read this book. 😩 

Two: 
“I’m Ilori and, sometimes, it feels like I’m human, too. I’m of two worlds.” 
 *Insert Hannah Montana 'Best of Both Worlds' gif*

One: 
The amount of times Alechia got a Red, White & Royal Blue reference in.  JSKSKSJSKS

The Sound of Stars is author Alechia Dow's debut novel. 

(quote)The Sound of Stars is about love and… annihilation.(quote)

I mean... basically. It is a mixture of Science Fiction, Dystopian, and Contemporary. In my opinion, it leans a little more to the Contemporary side. I've actually sat down to read it a few times, and I should have easily already finished it. I'm a mood reader, though. And because I recently read my arc of The First 7 and enjoyed it, I thought it was about time to tackle another Alien Invasion. I hate that it took me so long because it really is a good book. It was fun and full of Pop Culture references that read like a love letter to fandom. They got a little cheesy and over the top at times and there were times the story became a bit preachy, but it was an important message, still, full of hope and love. Ellie is very relatable. If she weren't fiction, I'm positive we would be friends. H-E-L-L-O amazing anxiety rep. 😍

The Sound of Stars is a mash up of The Love Interest, The Ten Thousand Doors of January, Amid Stars and Darkness, Defy the Stars, Partials, and The Hate U Give. Trust me. Check it out. 😉 

***Thank you to Inkyard Press, Harlequin Teen, and Netgalley for providing me with a review copy.***

I had such a mixture of emotions while reading this one. Like most of the sci fi and fantasy books I've read it took a little while to get into this story. There was some info dump in the beginning but the story got better once Ellie and Morr1s went on the run even though at times the pace would ebb and flow.

I enjoyed the world building in this story. I felt like Alechia Dow put a lot of thought into developing the Illori and the labmades. And she wrote some beautiful things about the problems in our world including climate change, corrupt governments, and race relations. There were quotes in this story that really touched me. And I love how she contrasted all the bad in the world with the good things like community, family, and art.

While I loved that this book pretty much had it's own soundtrack sometimes the book and music references could be a little overkill. I did like the song lyrics by the fictional band The Starry Eyed before every chapter. But there were references to YA books I did not recognize at all and it was a little strange when Ellie would go on to tell Morr1s a story and provide us a synopsis of a book and we were supposed to guess which one it was. Other times Morr1s and Ellie would break out into song or be focused on music and dancing when I was focused on the danger they were in.

Everything having a label was a little too much for me at times as well. Sometimes I would think "Are we really still this obsessed with labeling everything in the future instead of letting people be who they want to be?"

Morr1s and Ellie were a cute couple. He was a little cheesy at times but he had a big heart and it was nice to see a male love interest in YA so open with his emotions and not trying to play the cool guy. She was a very different kind of heroine for me. She wasn't like other girls but not in the obnoxious way often seen throughout these stories.

3.5 rating for me.

This book. This. Book.

The Sound of Stars follows main characters Janelle (human) and M0rR1S (Ilori) during the alien invasion of Earth by a race called the Ilori. Lovers of books, music, and art, Janelle and Morris meet and connect immediately. Embarking on a road trip to save themselves and humanity, the two bond over the universalities that connect them and the forms of expression they both love.

Right away, I loved this book. About seventy pages in, I preordered it. Janelle was a massive bookworm and having her reference the YA books I read was so fun. She was strong and brave and ace and loveable. I was slightly less attached to Morris, but I've always loved SciFi for the opportunities for the invention of wild and beautiful new worlds, and through Morris, Dow was able to do this in a fun way.

The book was also peppered with mini-chapters about Janelle's favorite band: The Starry Eyed. We get song lyrics, podcast episodes, and interviews about them, and I actually found that to be a delightful inclusion.

I think the stars just kind of aligned for me with this book. One of my absolute favorite childhood books was The True Meaning of Smekday, and this book felt A Lot like that one, in the diverse, slightly older targeted way I've always wanted. I'm also the kind of person who not only always has to be listening to music while she reads, but the person who has to listen to The Right music, and I nailed it with this one (Dow even references the band I chose later as inspirations for The Starry Eyed (: So, like. Listen to M83 with this one just sayin).

The reason this book is four stars instead of five is the action. Dow did really well with the slower, more slice of life scenes. The action, though, felt rushed and half-baked, at times. Because of this, the climax of the book kind of fell flat for me, and the last 25% or so had me kind of losing the insane "Ilovethisbooksomuch" energy that I'd had for the entire book up until that point.

All in all, I highly recommend this book. I really, genuinely loved it, even despite its flaws. A big round of applause for our first entry on the "Favorite Books of 2020" list.

I liked the soundtrack in this book, such as The Cure and Fleetwood Mac. Great song choices.
However, I'm not into alien books or books about the destruction of the human race.

Sorry.
Thank you for the ARC.

Ellie Baker lives in a world where an invading alien species has taken over Earth, rounded up the majority of humans and banned all creative outlets, in an attempt to dampen humanity. When she accidentally befriends one of the aliens, they must travel across the country to implement the plans of an underground alien rebellion intent on saving humans, the Earth and the Galaxy.

The Sound of Stars was another weird one for me. I really enjoyed the book. The story was interesting and well written. The characters were flawed but had growth. That being said, it literally took me forever to actually get invested in the story. I can usually bust out an enjoyable story in a few days. The Sound of Stars took me a few weeks. I’m not sure why. By all accounts, it doesn’t make sense (Insert Cronk with line graph here)

The way that Dow wove the Starry Eyed into the story was awesome. I sorta guessed at their importance around a little over half way through and it was rad to see my predictions come true.

All in all, I really liked The Sound of Stars and would recommend it to any sci-fi/rebel with a cause sort of fans!