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A review by wilder
Stars in Your Eyes by Kacen Callender
challenging
emotional
hopeful
reflective
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? No
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
3.0
3 / 5
Kacen Callender's writing really shines with Stars in Your Eyes. This is a story about trauma, healing, and learning to value yourself as a person. Callender focuses on themes of consent, boundaries, and becoming the person you want to be instead of what your family or society expects you to be.
The story is mostly told through the points of view of Logan and Matt, two Hollywood actors who are co-starring in a gay romcom. Spliced between their chapters are several forms of mixed media that help narrate the story further - YouTube video transcripts, Tweets, interviews - which were pretty interesting and gave some insight into the reactions of the general public as the story progressed. Callender puts a lot of emphasis on the fans and their shows of support (or lack thereof) as the characters hit speed bumps during the movie's filming.
I went into this expecting it to be a romance - its marketed as one, after all. Around the 80% mark I realized it probably shouldn't be advertised as one, at least not as its central focus. I never really felt chemistry with the two protagonists, at least I wasn't totally convinced of it for most of the book. Mental health is really where this book shines, I just wish I could've realized that from the beginning, as I spent a lot of my reading experience waiting to feel invested in the love story.
A lot of time and love went into Logan and Matt's characters, but if it didn't have on page sex scenes (which it does), I think this could've easily been an older YA read. It definitely felt like one to me. This isn't a negative thing, but I prefer romances that feel a little older. Logan and Matt are aged 23 and 25, but many times throughout I'd just assumed they were 18-20. A lot of the themes/messages felt a bit heavy handed too, contributing to that YA feel.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kacen Callender, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Kacen Callender's writing really shines with Stars in Your Eyes. This is a story about trauma, healing, and learning to value yourself as a person. Callender focuses on themes of consent, boundaries, and becoming the person you want to be instead of what your family or society expects you to be.
The story is mostly told through the points of view of Logan and Matt, two Hollywood actors who are co-starring in a gay romcom. Spliced between their chapters are several forms of mixed media that help narrate the story further - YouTube video transcripts, Tweets, interviews - which were pretty interesting and gave some insight into the reactions of the general public as the story progressed. Callender puts a lot of emphasis on the fans and their shows of support (or lack thereof) as the characters hit speed bumps during the movie's filming.
I went into this expecting it to be a romance - its marketed as one, after all. Around the 80% mark I realized it probably shouldn't be advertised as one, at least not as its central focus. I never really felt chemistry with the two protagonists, at least I wasn't totally convinced of it for most of the book. Mental health is really where this book shines, I just wish I could've realized that from the beginning, as I spent a lot of my reading experience waiting to feel invested in the love story.
A lot of time and love went into Logan and Matt's characters, but if it didn't have on page sex scenes (which it does), I think this could've easily been an older YA read. It definitely felt like one to me. This isn't a negative thing, but I prefer romances that feel a little older. Logan and Matt are aged 23 and 25, but many times throughout I'd just assumed they were 18-20. A lot of the themes/messages felt a bit heavy handed too, contributing to that YA feel.
Thank you to NetGalley, Kacen Callender, and Forever (Grand Central Publishing) for providing me with this ARC in exchange for an honest review.
Content Warnings
Graphic: Sexual assault
Moderate: Alcohol, Sexual assault, Biphobia, Sexual content, and Child abuse
Minor: Cancer, Classism, Cursing, Drug abuse, Drug use, Homophobia, Injury/Injury detail, and Medical content