I originally forgot to write a review about this book and have since re-read this.

Honestly was great still the second time around. The characters are relatable and the slow burn is burning! The cover is beautiful and the story leaves you wanting more.

The Stories Stars Tell
2 Stars

This book is about Emma a young teenager with catholic family and a great student trying to be perfect in every way she can, Emma is in love with Tanner, the typical party boy who uses every girl for physical pleasure just to leave them in the morning. These different personalities are the reason why Emma is not so sure to confess her feelings but she wants a change in her life, and that will come with confronting her feelings for Tanner.

I don't know what I was expecting with the book but it was not this....

First the things that I loved about the book where the gorgeous book cover, the interesting plot and of course the fascinating name of the book which gives me a vibe this book is about to be beautiful coming out of age romance story but it wasn't.

I gotta admit this book is incredibly fast-paced but and it was going all right and fitting right into my preferences but suddenly it all changed in the point of the story they got together. In a poor attempt the climax of the book always seemed to go straight to a sexual kind of obsession in their relationship so I kind of hated reading it, Maybe it was the way it had been described onto the pages, or maybe the characters didn't have anything else more important to say or think.
Nearly at the end of the book it became boring and I was trying to find a way to finish this immediately, the plot never got something interesting or added anything special or crucial. Even some bits of thing that might have been cool to see were dismissed like if it were very interesting to read more than half a book about this boys who almost always desperately needed each other, I'm not going to mention anything in specific just to not spoil.

To conclude my failed attempt at reading and enjoying the book, even to write a review seemed kinda odd, but I gotta give two stars at the book, at least it was interesting at first... until it wasn't.

I would love to recommend this book if you like fictional contemporary romances and some teenage (not so entertaining) drama.

Note:I would like to admit I received an ARC of this book Via Netgalley, and I would say I'm very grateful for it, thanks.

I had to DNF this one. It was good but I just wasn't getting attached to any of the characters or the plot. It was a slow burn, which I usually like but I just couldn't invest myself.

I know they say not to judge a book by its cover, but I couldn't help myself - this cover was stunning so I HAD to request. I'm glad I did. I love a slow burn and this one did NOT disappoint.

I really liked this book. The romance was the cutest. Bad boy and the good girl. This book had me feel every emotion out there. I definitely related to Emma and her anxiety and I felt like this book had a good representation of anxiety. Over all I highly enjoyed this book.

came for the lovely title and cover. stayed for the compelling story.

this is a slow burn, for sure. a slow burn with the romance, a slow burn with the character development, a slow burn with the plot. but once it warmed up, it really caught fire. the strength of this story is definitely how it respectfully handles the many issues and worries that plague those who are coming-of-age.

the only thing preventing me from rating this higher is the characters seem to be clichés of what the author thinks teenagers are supposed to be like. the whole virgin, goody-two-shoes girl and angsty, player boy are a bit too caricature for me, personally. this is also a bit lengthy for a YA book.

but overall, this is a solid story that honestly explores many important topics.

Thank you to Mixed Plate Press and NetGalley for an advanced reading copy of this book!

I loved Emma and Tanner's story. This book does an excellent job of drawing us into their romance while keeping it realistic. In this book, we don't get the usual fairytale ending exactly, but there's is a happy one that is very satisfying. And the author does an excellent job of portraying grief, sexuality, and toxicity in the contemporary world. I had not heard of this writer before, but I'll be sure to follow her upcoming releases moving forward!

What I nice surprised this was! I picked it up because of the beautiful cover. but it is way more than that. What I enjoyed about the book was the cute romance at its center., the friendships that we witness, and the way the story is told!

This is an easy read for a cozy afternoon at home!

This was a really sweet and enjoyable story for both YA and NA readers. The slow-burn romance was perfection and provided emotion within family and friends also.

first thing first, thank you for the arc. but, i honestly thought this book was decent since we did get to see these characters go threw real and like everyday issues. and with that being said, it honestly made them feel a little bit more real, since they did have these layer. and it honestly was cool to see that they didn't stray away from talking about the harder subjects, like sexual assault, losing a loved one, church, purity, and anxiety.

but, also i did not like the church in this book at all. did it have some conversation starters, i guess. but, i honestly hate talking about church in books, mainly cause i just have these issues with it in real life, so it doesn't translate well for me on page. so, i really just gloss over those parts though.

but, if you want a slow burn romance, and kind of a slow burn with some character development, i feel like you'd liked this book. and this book did know it's strengths, with talking about the harder topics, and didn't stray away from talking about them.

another thing that kind rubbed me the whole way was how the author thought teenagers were supposed to be either type a or type b. so, like everyone needs to be and remain a virgin. and also have to be this walking stereotype with a good girl and kind of a bad boy.

I absoultely loved reading this book! I preferred to read in Tanner's perspective rather than Emma's since she felt a bit too serious for me. I understood her desire to have sex with him and all but I felt like the religion part was a bit lost in sense of the book and the constant moving back and forth in the timeline was a bit confusing. Despite that, I definitely enjoyed reading this book and hope to see more in the future!

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

TW: sexual abuse, sexism, toxic relationships, alcohol, partying, sex
I liked this much more than I expected to! This gave me so many nostalgic feelings for the types of books I used to read in high school. The characters of Emma & Tanner were so flawed, but done in such a strategic way. This book touched on important topics such as conflicting ideas within Christianity/faith, feminism, women in society, the patriarchy, social anxiety, sexuality and more. This story truly captures the essence and raw emotion of coming to terms with your future after high school. I will say 2 cons I had with this book is that it is a tad long for a YA contemporary and towards the end there were a few plot points and characters I found to be quite random. Overall, highly recommend if you're looking for a good YA novel to pick up that's on the brink of New Adult, with a few steamy scenes and heavy topics.

The Stories Stars Tell by C.L. Walters is a sweet young adult romance that I enjoyed. Emma Matthews has lead a sheltered life, focusing on studying and being a perfect Christian daughter. Tanner James is the opposite focusing on parties and one night stands to escape from his brothers death. I love how these two come together, and they start to question everything. The one thing that could have improved this book is to condense and shorten it, over 500 pages is a long book for a young adult romance. Despite the length, I highly recommend this book, and I will be reading more books by this author.
I received a complimentary copy of this book. Opinions expressed in this review are completely my own.

This is a slow burn, for sure. a slow burn with the romance, a slow burn with the character development, a slow burn with the plot. but once it warmed up, it really caught fire. The strength of this story is definitely how it respectfully handles the many issues and worries that plague those who are coming-of-age.

The only thing preventing me from rating this higher is the characters seem to be clichés of what the author thinks teenagers are supposed to be like. the whole virgin, goody-two-shoes girl and angsty, player boy are a bit too caricature for me, personally. this is also a bit lengthy for a YA book.

But overall, this is a solid story that honestly explores many important topics.

Thanks to NetGalley and Mixed Plate Press for the ARC.

I always have a hard time when I don't like a book, especially because I'm not the type to not finish it, so it feels like I'm wading through molasses just to get to the end. Disliking literature always makes me feel bad, too.

I really wanted to like this book. I liked the premise, and YA is always a yes for me. There were parts of this book that I definitely loved, but after a certain point in the story, everything seemed just a bit repetitive, and I couldn't get past that. There were a few side characters I really did not like, and the main characters were a little one note.

One thing that might have been too much for me, as well, was the religious aspect. I have nothing against it, but I tended to gloss over those parts quicker than I maybe should have.

I'd been in kind of a reading slump when it came to contemporary themed books until this one came along. I couldn't find one I'd really get into until this. I loved the plot and the characters and the main underlying theme of this book which was different stereotypes on people. How people are categorized by certain things and are expected to always be that way and no one expects them to change or be able to or even expect too much of someone. It thoroughly made me cry at the end but sometimes some things are inevitable and done for the better. The story revolves around Tanner and Emma, Tanner being a typical playboy and Emma being the studious girl who hasn't really ever enjoyed life and is a pastor's daughter. Both of them really like each other and have more so for a year, since they first kissed and never spoke again. I don't really know how to put this story into words without ruining it because you HAVE to read this book, it's just one of those. I know that I really loved the story, the theme, the characters and pretty much everything about this book and it is a must-read.

I really loved this book! It is so relatable and deep. The characters are so unique and lovely. It is swoon worthy the love story and once you read it you dive in. I could not put this book down. I hoped there is a sequel and it would also make a great movie! I also love that the author included a playlist at the end.

It is a novel of overcoming and breaking stereotypes. If you are looking for an engaging reading and in which the protagonists have to go through different obstacles, this is the ideal

Thank you to #Netgalley and the publisher for the Arc in exchange for my honest review.

Two teens as different as can be, both on the same journey. Its a story that takes place over a few days and what a few days it is.

There are some points in the story where I felt like it was the same thing over and over Don't get me wrong, there were parts of the book that really REALLY resonated with me and made me miss my high school days and my first love. We were as different as can be. I do feel like part of the story repeated itself many times, but this still was a good read.

Emma and Tanner - the couple that never was... until the last two weeks of senior year! <u>The Stories Stars Tell</u> takes you through their whirlwind relationship during those fateful final days.
The chapters are arranged in countdown format, jacking up the tension and suspense as we tick off each remaining day before Emma and Tanner graduate high school, and Emma prepares to leave for college.
Emma, the epitome of a "devout Christian girl," has always had a thing for Tanner. Tanner was too messed up, living the wild party life, to appreciate someone like Emma. But at a party one night in junior year, Emma - totally drunk - kisses Tanner and confesses that, casting aside her strict religious upbringing, she came to the party solely for that purpose. She may well be ready to surrender her V-card to him. Tanner is intrigued by Emma, but he is a hot mess with a lousy reputation (he is an f-boy) and he should stay away from her. His own parents wanted nothing to do with him after his brother, Rory, died from cancer.
This was a sweet story. Lots of tender moments and the chemistry between these two was palpable, but this novel could have used a fair bit of editing. Other reviewers have made this observation, and I agree with them. There were many parts that were repetitive, such as Emma and Tanner's numerous internal observations about their growing feelings for one another, and the repeated confrontations with Griff that could easily have been reduced to one or two incidences.
Excerpts of the fictional book, <u>Kaleidoscope Concussion,</u> that Emma and Tanner were reading together were scattered throughout this story. I didn't try to make sense of all of them, but I suspected Griff and Emma were the fictionalized characters who were vying for the unnamed protagonist's attention. I think those excerpts could easily have been dispensed with. They were often obscure or ambiguous (if not a tad pretentious?) Why do many readers and critics tout a modern novel as being great when they have to struggle to make any sense of the wording? I go and read poetry for that!) Those excerpts didn't add much to the main story, except for a touch of foreshadowing here and there, but I think we all got a sense that Tanner and Griff were going to come to blows at some point.
The author is in love with words, as are Emma and Tanner. I always cringe when I see the word "myriad" in a story - but there, I like things to flow. I figure that using these uncommon words interrupts the action if you have to stop and look up what myriad or kush means. However, the banter between young Emma and Tanner was charming.
Emma and Tanner's parting was inevitable, not only because this is a standard trope, and this story had many of the standard YA tropes, but also because both of them kept alluding to its inevitability throughout the story. And yes, it did make sense to set each other free at this point in their very young lives. You meet so many interesting people in college. Some will impact the rest of your life. It was only fair that they gave each other the chance to date other people. I think that is a good message to give to young people. Even truly devoted couples fall in and out of love with each other, no matter how good the marriage may be. It takes maturity to work through the inevitable problems life throws at you. Why not give yourself a chance to grow up and experience life before you settle down with "the one"?
This was a very well written, riveting, if somewhat protracted, read. You will be emotionally exhausted by the end, but the final page leaves you with a smile on your face, never fear!!! (No spoilers, though!) Despite the use of the word myriad, I'm still rating this a 4 out of 5 star read. Enjoy!
My thanks to NetGalley, the author and publisher for an ARC of this novel in exchange for an honest review..