Review: Made of Stars by Kelley York

Made of Stars
by Kelley York
Published by Entangled Teen 
Publication Date: October 1, 2013
Pages: 320
Source: Netgalley
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(from Goodreads)

When eighteen-year-old Hunter Jackson and his half sister, Ashlin, return to their dad’s for the first winter in years, they expect everything to be just like the warmer months they’d spent there as kids. And it is—at first. But Chance, the charismatic and adventurous boy who made their summers epic, is harboring deep secrets. Secrets that are quickly spiraling into something else entirely.

The reason they've never met Chance’s parents or seen his home is becoming clearer. And what the siblings used to think of as Chance's quirks—the outrageous stories, his clinginess, his dangerous impulsiveness—are now warning signs that something is seriously off.

Then Chance's mom turns up with a bullet to the head, and all eyes shift to Chance and his dad. Hunter and Ashlin know Chance is innocent...they just have to prove it. But how can they protect the boy they both love when they can’t trust a word Chance says?


My Thoughts

Ever since Made of Stars cover reveal appeared in my blog feed, I've wanted to read it. The stunning cover caught my attention and the synopsis kept it. I love character driven stories and Kelley York is a new-to-me author so that was another reason I wanted to read it.

One of the many things that I like about Made of Stars is the sibling relationship between Hunter and Ashlin. I don't think that I've read any other story about half-siblings who were not raised in the same household, and this dynamic helped to shape the story. They looked forward to no longer spending time apart. I think a lot of this had to do with they both were escaping environments where there was a level of expectation - to keep it together, to maintain, and they saw each other as freedom. 

Another thing that I liked about Made of Stars is that it is written in alternating points of view. This writing technique is a favorite of mine, but it really suits this story because we get to read the inner struggles of both Hunter and Ashlin. Both of them are at pivotal points in their lives - graduating high school and preparing for college, falling in and out of love, but also we get to understand how their relationships with Chance are changing and what they think about that. 

What affected me most about this story was the idea of how can you help someone who won't receive your help. Hunter and Ashlin know that Chance needs their help but he is evasive, defensive, and elusive which leads to a lot of inaction on Hunter and Ashlin's part. When is the right time to take a stance, to step in, to make someone accept your help? And when is it too late? Made of Stars had me asking a lot of questions - mainly what would I do?

I really enjoyed this book a lot. It may not have come across clearly in this review, but it was definitely worth reading. It kept me captivated from start to finish. I recommend this book for readers who like character driven stories, alternate POVs, and don't mind reading books that leave you with just as many questions as answers. 

Disclaimer: I requested this novel for review from NetGalley and this review is based on the Advance Readers Copy.  I did not receive any compensation for providing this review other than the ARC provided. Thoughts and opinions are my own.