A review by lizanneyoung
Glass Stars by Tasche Laine

4.0

 

CW

🟥 Kidnapping

🟥 Gun violence

🟥 Sexual harassment and groping

🟥 Cancer diagnosis and treatment

🟥 Trafficking

V is just about to start her freshman year of high school when everything takes a turn for the worse. Her best friend Emma doesn’t show up at school, which leads V on an investigative goose chase. When another incident in town happens, the teen can’t turn a blind eye, but between Emma’s disappearance and family stuff going on, she’s just trying to keep hope alive.

I wholeheartedly respect V’s confidence in her own abilities. Considering everything she is going through in a span of just a few weeks, I wouldn’t blame her for curling in on herself, especially at her age. However, her optimism about her friend is contagious, and even when you know the statistics aren’t in her favor, you can’t help but hope right along with her that everything will turn out for the better.

The pacing is quick and zany. It definitely feels like you’re in a 14-year-old’s mind in the best way. It meant I never had time to try and guess what V would do next, so I was always pleasantly surprised by the twists and turns the story takes. I was concerned for her at times because of the situations she ended up in, but that meant I connected with the character. 

As a YA book, this skews toward the younger end of the reader base, which is part of why I have included the number of CWs I have. If you are a fan of mysteries that take a million turns before the end, this is a series to add to your TBR.

A Must-Read If You Like

🟧 Nancy Drew in any form

🟧 Riverdale’s unconventional plot twists

🟧 Veronica Mars (V is certainly inspired by her)