Review: Starstruck
Starstruck by Brenda Hiatt
Format: e-review copy
Rating: 3/5 stars
Part of a series: Yes! This is the first in the Starstruck series.
Nerdy astronomy geek Marsha, M to her few friends, has never been anybody special. Orphaned as an infant and reluctantly raised by an overly-strict “aunt,” she’s not even sure who she is. M’s dream of someday escaping tiny Jewel, Indiana and making her mark in the world seems impossibly distant until hot new quarterback Rigel inexplicably befriends her. As Rigel turns his back on fawning cheerleaders to spend time with M, strange things start to happen: her acne clears up, her eyesight improves to the point she can ditch her thick glasses, and when they touch, sparks fly—literally! When M digs for a reason, she discovers deep secrets that will change her formerly humdrum life forever . . . and expose her to perils she never dreamed of. Yes, the middle of nowhere just got a lot more interesting!
*I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
When I read the synopsis for Starstruck, I thought this was a book I could really see myself getting in to. I actually read the synopsis for the last book in the series first, so I knew the basics of all the things going on in Marsha's life, and I was interested enough to request the book to read and review. As it turns out though, this wasn't something I could get into. It's not that I didn't like it, I just didn't enjoy it as much as I wanted to.
The idea behind Starstruck was really fun and inviting for me. I loved the way Brenda Hiatt set up the Martian world. She not only included stuff about who the Martians are as a people and how their bodies work, but she went into Martian politics too. Learning about this world on Mars that Hiatt created was probably my favorite part about this whole reading experience.
I wasn't fond of the characters, though, nor was I fond of the romance between Marsha and Rigel (serious case of insta-love. I was not amused.), and it's incredibly difficult for me to like a book if the characters bother me, no matter how interesting the plot may be. Even though Marsha and Rigel are my age, I felt like they acted a lot more juvenile than most sophomores would. Marsha seemed much more concerned about making sure she and Rigel would always be together than she did about saving the world. I can understand boy-crazy, but boy-crazy to the point where said boy is all you care about becomes really annoying to read about.
The pacing was also a bit off for me. There were times when I felt the story was dragging on and on, and I was just waiting for that big something to happen. While nothing really big and exciting happened, there was more action in the second half of the novel.
The pacing was also a bit off for me. There were times when I felt the story was dragging on and on, and I was just waiting for that big something to happen. While nothing really big and exciting happened, there was more action in the second half of the novel.
Despite, what I feel anyway, were flaws in the main character, Starstruck was a pleasant read, though I may not be continuing the series. I would definitely recommend it if you're looking for a fun younger YA, maybe even MG, paranormal romance.
Thanks again to the author and Jay at Choosy Bookworm for the review copy. :)
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