Made of Stars (Stacy Cantor Abrams Collection Books)

by Kelley York

[Angie]

I received an ARC through NetGalley.

Wow. Made of Stars is pretty fantastic and refreshing! I wasn't completely sure what to expect going into it, but I knew I had to read it. It follows half-siblings, Hunter and Ashlin, as they spend a few months with their father and childhood best friend, Chance. They've known Chance forever, but soon they realize that they don't really know him at all. Who are his parents? Where does he live? Why does he randomly have bruises? His stories never really add up, but they love him anyway. Soon all of his lies are unraveled and his mother ends up murdered. Hunter and Ashlin want to help their friend, but aren't exactly sure how. Do they even believe that he didn't do it?

First of all, I absolutely loved how the author handled the romance in Made of Stars. It's sweet and heartbreaking and amazing. Hunter starts off with a girlfriend, trying to play at being "normal", but even she can tell that there's something more to his friendship with Chance. It's also clear that Ashlin has a crush on Chance, so she's understandably hurt when she realizes that his affections lie elsewhere. Watching Chance and Hunter open up to each other was incredible. There are no gay stereotypes or clichés anywhere in sight. In fact, Chance and Hunter are never labeled as gay at all. They're just two boys in love, and I think that was my favorite part.

I also really liked the unique family dynamics in Made of Stars. Hunter and Ashlin are the same age, have the same father, but different mothers. Each lives with their mother and a step-father, but always spend summers (and this Winter) with their biological father. It was very interesting to see a mixed family like this, especially where the siblings are super close despite hardly seeing each other. There was definitely a lot of love in this family. However, Ashlin and Hunter's voices were almost identical, so if it weren't for their names appearing before each chapter, I would probably have been confused as to who was narrating.

As for the plot, it seems to be split into two. The first half of Made of Stars is very much about getting to know Hunter, Ashlin, and Chance. It also really develops the romance between Hunter and Chance. It's quite slow, but I still enjoyed it. The second half is where things pick up and it takes on that darker suspenseful tone that I was expecting from the beginning. I found myself quite nervous once the murdered occurred and it's not quite clear who did it: Chance or his father. I felt so sad for Chance, and I had to keep reading to see if he made it out of this all right. That ending...dang.

So I loved Made of Stars and think everyone should go read it. It's so much more than a YA Thriller, and it's also so much more than an LGBT novel. While the first half seemed to drag in places, the second half felt way too short! I found myself completely invested in these characters' lives. I did want to get to know Chance a bit more, but he's even still a mystery to Hunter and Ashlin, so I think that's to be expected. I believe the author handled the abuse and LGBT themes wonderfully and never resorted to stereotypes or making anything too in-your-face. I highly recommend it.

Read more of my reviews at Pinkindle Reads & Reviews.