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3.41 AVERAGE
3.41 AVERAGE
This was a book I found due to one of many "retelling" lists.
I read [b:For Darkness Shows the Stars|8306761|For Darkness Shows the Stars (For Darkness Shows the Stars, #1)|Diana Peterfreund|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1338529086l/8306761._SY75_.jpg|13155802] years ago and loved it. When I found out that it was a retelling of Persuasion, I tried to read the original, only I just couldn't get through it. I find that I like the storylines of Jane Austen's works, but just can't sit through reading them. Since this book was also a retelling of the story, I was sure I'd like it.
The bones of the original story are there-broken engagement due to family influences, boy leaves and comes back more prosperous, boy and girl are reunited, but it doesn't work out right away. However, this retelling takes place aboard spaceships, with digidecks and politics that didn't play as much of a part in the original or the other retelling.
I've seen where a lot of people compare this to the Bachelor, but since I don't watch the show, I can't quite get that pairing. The main other book I found similar was [b:Mockingjay|7260188|Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)|Suzanne Collins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1586722918l/7260188._SY75_.jpg|8812783], mainly because the main character's aunt has definite President Coin vibes.
Honestly, it was okay, but I'm glad I borrowed it from the library instead of purchasing it.
I read [b:For Darkness Shows the Stars|8306761|For Darkness Shows the Stars (For Darkness Shows the Stars, #1)|Diana Peterfreund|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1338529086l/8306761._SY75_.jpg|13155802] years ago and loved it. When I found out that it was a retelling of Persuasion, I tried to read the original, only I just couldn't get through it. I find that I like the storylines of Jane Austen's works, but just can't sit through reading them. Since this book was also a retelling of the story, I was sure I'd like it.
The bones of the original story are there-broken engagement due to family influences, boy leaves and comes back more prosperous, boy and girl are reunited, but it doesn't work out right away. However, this retelling takes place aboard spaceships, with digidecks and politics that didn't play as much of a part in the original or the other retelling.
I've seen where a lot of people compare this to the Bachelor, but since I don't watch the show, I can't quite get that pairing. The main other book I found similar was [b:Mockingjay|7260188|Mockingjay (The Hunger Games, #3)|Suzanne Collins|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1586722918l/7260188._SY75_.jpg|8812783], mainly because the main character's aunt has definite President Coin vibes.
Honestly, it was okay, but I'm glad I borrowed it from the library instead of purchasing it.
Book #7 of Popculture readathon. Book with a retelling and stars on the cover/title.
More of a 3.5.
This was about Leo and Elliott. This was a retelling of Persuasion set in the same dystopian sci fi universe created in Brightly Burning. I was having a hard time figuring out how they were connected. But I did manage to realize that these events happened before Brightly Burning. I really enjoyed Brightly Burning so I was looking forward to this. Now, it's been awhile since I read Persuasion, but I felt like she changed a lot more of the elements in this (I confirmed by looking at the plot summary of Persuasion). Burning Brightly lined up with Jane Eyre beautifully. This was a little bit more doing it's own thing. I liked Leo though. I saw Anne in her. The romance was good, but the rest of the plot was a little all over the place for me. But also a couple of characters with different sexuality, so that rep was unexpected but great to add. I enjoyed it, but not as close of a retelling as I hoped.
But more Persuasion retellings please!
More of a 3.5.
This was about Leo and Elliott. This was a retelling of Persuasion set in the same dystopian sci fi universe created in Brightly Burning. I was having a hard time figuring out how they were connected. But I did manage to realize that these events happened before Brightly Burning. I really enjoyed Brightly Burning so I was looking forward to this. Now, it's been awhile since I read Persuasion, but I felt like she changed a lot more of the elements in this (I confirmed by looking at the plot summary of Persuasion). Burning Brightly lined up with Jane Eyre beautifully. This was a little bit more doing it's own thing. I liked Leo though. I saw Anne in her. The romance was good, but the rest of the plot was a little all over the place for me. But also a couple of characters with different sexuality, so that rep was unexpected but great to add. I enjoyed it, but not as close of a retelling as I hoped.
But more Persuasion retellings please!
This was a very fun read! Lots of romance, great outer space setting, and a touch of political intrigue as well. Recommended for grades 7 & up.
ARC provided by publisher
ARC provided by publisher
I received a digital ARC from Edelweiss of this title for an honest review.
Princess Leonie has to marry someone rich to save her family's spaceship since her father has squandered all their money. However, she has another idea to save them if she can just get someone to buy into her idea. But in the meantime, she must go on with the charade to look for a husband. But when her ex-fiance suddenly appears, she's thrown for a loop.
I adored Donne's Brightly Burning and I love The Stars We Steal just as much. I love that we have a clever, confident heroine who is taking charge of her future. She's empathetic to problems outside of her sphere of knowledge, but she values her family above all. The Stars We Steal grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go!
Princess Leonie has to marry someone rich to save her family's spaceship since her father has squandered all their money. However, she has another idea to save them if she can just get someone to buy into her idea. But in the meantime, she must go on with the charade to look for a husband. But when her ex-fiance suddenly appears, she's thrown for a loop.
I adored Donne's Brightly Burning and I love The Stars We Steal just as much. I love that we have a clever, confident heroine who is taking charge of her future. She's empathetic to problems outside of her sphere of knowledge, but she values her family above all. The Stars We Steal grabbed me from the beginning and didn't let go!
I debated what to rate this, either a 4 or a 5. It wasn't my favorite book ever and I wanted to like it more than I did, but I like Alexa and the cover is divine.
I've never read any Austen but have read both of Alexa's books now. I enjoyed the first more than this one. It was good, but I felt like it could have been better. I waffled between liking and disliking the characters. I felt it was super predictable, but I suppose as a light re-telling that's to be expected? I dunno. It just wasn't what I was expecting. Still, it was really enjoyable.
I've never read any Austen but have read both of Alexa's books now. I enjoyed the first more than this one. It was good, but I felt like it could have been better. I waffled between liking and disliking the characters. I felt it was super predictable, but I suppose as a light re-telling that's to be expected? I dunno. It just wasn't what I was expecting. Still, it was really enjoyable.
The Stars We Steal was Persuasion in space, with heavy nods to The Selection. While it was a pleasant enough escapist read, it really didn't wow me as I thought it might.
Our main character, Princess Leonie - known as Leo - is used to trying to do the right thing. It's for this reason that she broke off her engagement to Elliott, the boy she loved, as her family didn't feel the match was appropriate. It's for this reason that she spends her days trying to come up with ways to save her family/people from poverty. And it's for this reason that she's desperately unhappy.
We begin with Leo and her sister being strong-armed to take part in the annual ball, an attempt to arrange a good match for families of a certain level in society. The whole process is crazy, and it brings out the worst in many of the characters, all desperate to make their mark.
While the description of the dating and the developing relationships between characters was entertaining enough, it was clearly a vehicle to explore some of the bigger issues in the novel. Unfortunately, since there wasn't a lot of info about the world given, this didn't really leave me with much of a lasting impression.
Many of the characters were superficially depicted, and I found Elliott and Leo infuriating. Everyone could see how things would end up...apart from them. And I found the 'stunning revelation' at the end rather obvious. However, what comes next could be rather more interesting.
Our main character, Princess Leonie - known as Leo - is used to trying to do the right thing. It's for this reason that she broke off her engagement to Elliott, the boy she loved, as her family didn't feel the match was appropriate. It's for this reason that she spends her days trying to come up with ways to save her family/people from poverty. And it's for this reason that she's desperately unhappy.
We begin with Leo and her sister being strong-armed to take part in the annual ball, an attempt to arrange a good match for families of a certain level in society. The whole process is crazy, and it brings out the worst in many of the characters, all desperate to make their mark.
While the description of the dating and the developing relationships between characters was entertaining enough, it was clearly a vehicle to explore some of the bigger issues in the novel. Unfortunately, since there wasn't a lot of info about the world given, this didn't really leave me with much of a lasting impression.
Many of the characters were superficially depicted, and I found Elliott and Leo infuriating. Everyone could see how things would end up...apart from them. And I found the 'stunning revelation' at the end rather obvious. However, what comes next could be rather more interesting.
I am now convinced that Alexa Donne should probably not be writing romance. She is not a terrible writer, and her plots are generally pretty inoffensive, perhaps even compelling, but between this book and Brightly Burning, it's clear that she doesn't (can't?) write compelling romances.
The good: Great conflict. Scenes were very engaging, and I flew through the book because of this! The main character was actually super likeable, which was surprising to me, because most YA romance FMC's are...not. At all. I also appreciate that the romance wasn't toxic, even if it was a bit frustrating.
The negative: I didn't feel that the romance was strong. For most of the book, I felt absolutely nothing for it. I was actually disgusted by Elliot's behavior so much, especially the "revelation" that Leo had about him and his "business", that I knew if she ended up with him in the end, I would be frustrated. And, of course she would. The book was so predictable, I had no doubt, my personal feelings aside. I didn't feel much for any of the characters, really. None of them had any depth, so how could I feel one way or another towards them? I also feel that the pacing was not the best. There were many concepts, storylines, themes, backstories that were setup that went nowhere and weren't explored. It seemed that there were a lot of scenes that did generally the same thing, just a bunch of dramatic scenes that did nothing to further the plot. But then the plot was super rushed together all at once at the end and it felt very abrupt and ruined any emotional involvement that I could have had. Speaking of the ending, there barely WAS one. It seemed that the main conflict got resolved super easily, with hardly any opposition. There were even a few storylines that didn't really get resolved.
The good: Great conflict. Scenes were very engaging, and I flew through the book because of this! The main character was actually super likeable, which was surprising to me, because most YA romance FMC's are...not. At all. I also appreciate that the romance wasn't toxic, even if it was a bit frustrating.
The negative: I didn't feel that the romance was strong. For most of the book, I felt absolutely nothing for it. I was actually disgusted by Elliot's behavior so much, especially the "revelation" that Leo had about him and his "business", that I knew if she ended up with him in the end, I would be frustrated. And, of course she would. The book was so predictable, I had no doubt, my personal feelings aside. I didn't feel much for any of the characters, really. None of them had any depth, so how could I feel one way or another towards them? I also feel that the pacing was not the best. There were many concepts, storylines, themes, backstories that were setup that went nowhere and weren't explored. It seemed that there were a lot of scenes that did generally the same thing, just a bunch of dramatic scenes that did nothing to further the plot. But then the plot was super rushed together all at once at the end and it felt very abrupt and ruined any emotional involvement that I could have had. Speaking of the ending, there barely WAS one. It seemed that the main conflict got resolved super easily, with hardly any opposition. There were even a few storylines that didn't really get resolved.
I received an eARC of this book via the Publisher. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of this review.
Jane Austen in space….yes please! The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne is a modern-day, futuristic retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. While the year isn’t specifically stated, you can assume it’s been a few hundred years since the people of Earth took off in their spaceships they now call home. That’s a long time in space, and that’s a long time for ships to begin to breakdown, and for society to reevaluate itself which is precisely what is happening here. The Stars We Steal is a story of romance, deception, and class division that will appeal to all audiences.
Leonie Kolburg, or Leo, is a princess of a nearly defunct ship. She hates her title. Because of it, she lost the one person that made her feel normal. The title is little more than a status symbol anyways. Leo’s family, along with many others, are near destitute. Years in space with no form of income and lots of expenses is finally taking its toll. With the Valg Season upon them, Leo’s father is forcing her to marry, not for love but money. She must find a wealthy husband to secure her family’s financial freedom. Otherwise their ship (and titles) will be gone.
While attending the Valg Season, Leo talks her father into staying in the Royal chambers aboard the Scandinavian, the ship hosting this year and her mother’s home ship. In doing this, they can rent out their ship and make a little money. What Leo doesn’t count on is her former fiance and his new friends renting it. Elliot is now a wealthy, successful captain of a whiskey ship, and like Leo, is entering the Valg Season. But Elliot’s motives aren’t entirely pure.
What is the Valg Season? It’s like a coming out party (think Victorian England) for society. The bloodlines on the ships are running a little too thin. If you don’t want to marry a cousin or other relative, you enter the Valg Season which lasts a few weeks. Glittering balls, speed dating, dinners and dancing, among many other events fill up the weeks so the eligible candidates have a chance to mingle, meet and choose a spouse.
I’ll be honest, this aspect of the book while seeming to be the main plot (at least from the blurb) actually doesn’t take up as much as one would think. I expected more from it and had hoped to learn more about why they’re in space. In truth, it could have been set on Earth or another planet and the storyline not changed. The plot really focuses on the romance and the mystery surrounding Elliot’s return.
While I really liked Leo, the other characters fell flat for me, even Elliot. There were many times I had to check to see who Leo was interacting with because there was no depth. There is however plenty of representation from race to sexuality. It was as if the author had a list she could that she was checking off….lesbian check, asian check, mocha skin color check. Maybe it was just me, but it felt off and forced, and honestly the characters could have been any skin color or sexual orientation and it wouldn’t have impacted their story.
Overall I’m torn. I really enjoyed some aspects of The Stars We Steal. I loved Leo, her tenacity and forward thinking (because for this to be set so many years in the future, I felt as if I’d stepped back in time). I enjoyed how Donne weaved her own tale through Austen’s Persuasion. There is enough of the original story that it made me smile. However, if like me you are looking for a space opera, or at least a science fiction, this isn’t it. Yes, they are on a ship in space, but that’s the extent of it. The Stars We Steal is a unique take on social status and inequality set in the beautiful expanse of space. If you enjoy light science fiction with a little romance, I recommend it.
This review first appeared on Mom with a Reading Problem. To see it and other reviews, follow the link.
Jane Austen in space….yes please! The Stars We Steal by Alexa Donne is a modern-day, futuristic retelling of Jane Austen’s Persuasion. While the year isn’t specifically stated, you can assume it’s been a few hundred years since the people of Earth took off in their spaceships they now call home. That’s a long time in space, and that’s a long time for ships to begin to breakdown, and for society to reevaluate itself which is precisely what is happening here. The Stars We Steal is a story of romance, deception, and class division that will appeal to all audiences.
Leonie Kolburg, or Leo, is a princess of a nearly defunct ship. She hates her title. Because of it, she lost the one person that made her feel normal. The title is little more than a status symbol anyways. Leo’s family, along with many others, are near destitute. Years in space with no form of income and lots of expenses is finally taking its toll. With the Valg Season upon them, Leo’s father is forcing her to marry, not for love but money. She must find a wealthy husband to secure her family’s financial freedom. Otherwise their ship (and titles) will be gone.
While attending the Valg Season, Leo talks her father into staying in the Royal chambers aboard the Scandinavian, the ship hosting this year and her mother’s home ship. In doing this, they can rent out their ship and make a little money. What Leo doesn’t count on is her former fiance and his new friends renting it. Elliot is now a wealthy, successful captain of a whiskey ship, and like Leo, is entering the Valg Season. But Elliot’s motives aren’t entirely pure.
What is the Valg Season? It’s like a coming out party (think Victorian England) for society. The bloodlines on the ships are running a little too thin. If you don’t want to marry a cousin or other relative, you enter the Valg Season which lasts a few weeks. Glittering balls, speed dating, dinners and dancing, among many other events fill up the weeks so the eligible candidates have a chance to mingle, meet and choose a spouse.
I’ll be honest, this aspect of the book while seeming to be the main plot (at least from the blurb) actually doesn’t take up as much as one would think. I expected more from it and had hoped to learn more about why they’re in space. In truth, it could have been set on Earth or another planet and the storyline not changed. The plot really focuses on the romance and the mystery surrounding Elliot’s return.
While I really liked Leo, the other characters fell flat for me, even Elliot. There were many times I had to check to see who Leo was interacting with because there was no depth. There is however plenty of representation from race to sexuality. It was as if the author had a list she could that she was checking off….lesbian check, asian check, mocha skin color check. Maybe it was just me, but it felt off and forced, and honestly the characters could have been any skin color or sexual orientation and it wouldn’t have impacted their story.
Overall I’m torn. I really enjoyed some aspects of The Stars We Steal. I loved Leo, her tenacity and forward thinking (because for this to be set so many years in the future, I felt as if I’d stepped back in time). I enjoyed how Donne weaved her own tale through Austen’s Persuasion. There is enough of the original story that it made me smile. However, if like me you are looking for a space opera, or at least a science fiction, this isn’t it. Yes, they are on a ship in space, but that’s the extent of it. The Stars We Steal is a unique take on social status and inequality set in the beautiful expanse of space. If you enjoy light science fiction with a little romance, I recommend it.
This review first appeared on Mom with a Reading Problem. To see it and other reviews, follow the link.
I knew o had to read this qhen the description made me think it was a YAscifi reteling of Austin's Persuasion (my favorite Austen book). And it was! But there were also nods to several of Austin's other works.
I enjoyed the story even tho there were times when I got annoyed with the MC. One of the plot twists is pretty easy to spot qhen it comes up the first time as well.
Overall I liked the new take on the story and the setting. Will definitely look for other books by this author!
I enjoyed the story even tho there were times when I got annoyed with the MC. One of the plot twists is pretty easy to spot qhen it comes up the first time as well.
Overall I liked the new take on the story and the setting. Will definitely look for other books by this author!
Overall I really liked it but the ending felt a little rush and I missed we had gotten before background on Leo and Elliot’s first relationship. It was an enjoy experience and would recommend if you are looking for an easier read that still has some depth.