The Fallen Star (Fallen Star, #1)

by Jessica Sorensen

For eighteen year-old Gemma, life has never been normal. Up until recently, she has been incapable of feeling emotion. And when she’s around Alex, the gorgeous new guy at school, she can feel electricity that makes her skin buzz. Not to mention the monsters that haunt her nightmares have crossed over into real-life.

But with Alex seeming to hate her and secrets popping up everywhere, Gemma’s life is turning into a chaotic mess. Things that shouldn’t be real suddenly seem to exist. And as her world falls apart, figuring out the secrets of her past becomes a matter of life and death.

• ISBN10: 1939045029
• ISBN13: 9781939045027
• Publish Date: 9 September 2015 (first published 11 April 2011)
• Publish Status: Active
• Imprint: Borrowed Hearts Publishing, LLC
• Format: Hardcover
• Pages: 342
• Language: English

Reviews

[Linda]

Very, very slow-moving story, the characters are not very well developed, and the writing is full of repetitions. The Fallen Star could have told the same story exactly in only 150 pages, and then be the introduction to the series, rather than a full-length novel where nothing much happened in the first 70-75%. Not sure I'll continue with this one.

[Amber (The Literary Phoenix)]

** X-posted on The Literary Phoenix **

This book was difficult for me. There was a lot of dialogue - too much, for my tastes - and you could see the ending coming from a mile away. That's something I don't like in my books. I am investing significantly more time into them than I am into a movie - I want surprises! Sorensen didn't even try to surprise you. She all but told you the twist three or four times before making it happen.

Also, the co-conspirators, the sub characters... hated them! This is odd for me because usually I find the minor characters make the book. Not this time.

On to the good - I liked Gemma. Being typically against the protagonist, this was off for me... I liked her. I wanted not to, but I failed. Maybe because when I was her age I was listening to emo bands and yes, I was even driving a Mitsubishi Mirage! So I felt like I could relate. Also, she felt real. Not too deep, not too idealized, and despite what some other people have said, I didn't find her whiny. She does mope a bit after a supporting character, Alex (I don't like him; did I mention?), but it's hard to find a YA book these days without a love triangle.

Oh, and for those of you who love them, be forewarned - about halfway through, I was certain there was going to be a love triangle, and then delightfully, there was not. I was pleased. You may not be.

The plot. It was different. Not entirely original, but different, and different is refreshing. Sorensen gets points for that.

Overall, I couldn't decide to rate it low for all its frustrating aspects (and even a few glaring errors), or high because despite my greatest efforts, I was hooked. So I've rated it comfortably in the middle. I got it for free off Amazon and to be honest, I don't think that I'm going to pick up the sequel, but I enjoyed it for what it was.