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Published On: May 8, 2020Categories: ReviewsTags: 10 Comments

Star-crossed lovers. A cross-country road trip. Contraband music. A soft alien boi. Dramatic pop stars. A forbidden library. All this and more can be found in Alechia Dow’s explosive YA Sci-Fi debut, The Sound of Stars, and if that doesn’t sound like music – nay, a whole symphony – to your ears, then maybe you should get them checked. Like, right now.

My Review of The Sound of Stars

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The Pros

👥The Characters!

So, on the one hand, we’ve got a black, demi-ace rebel librarian named Janelle who suffers from anxiety and hypothryroidism. On the other, is an impassioned alien commander named M0Rr1S with a forbidden love for pop music that’s going to get him killed. Put them both together, and you have a diverse pair of star-crossed lovers unlike any other. And I 1000.01% adored them both. They are unique, they are nuanced, and they are nothing short of unforgettable.

🎵📚The Pop Culture References!

If there’s one thing we readers love more than books, it’s books about books. And The Sound of Stars certainly delivers on that front. With references to many popular YA favorites such as The Hate U Give, Six of Crows, The Hunger Games, and (of course) Harry Potter, it was an utter delight to see all of my literary favorites woven seamlessly into the narrative. Celebrating the art that we humans create, Alechia Dow highlights the magic of both the written and the musical word in a way that spoke directly to my Right-Brained personality.

📖 RELATED POST: Read about another one of my favorite books about books!

💭The Themes!

When I initially picked this up, I was expecting an entertaining Sci-Fi romance between a literary-loving human and an alien with a penchant for pop music. What I wasn’t expecting was for that same story to be filled with compelling thematic substance and powerful political commentary. Consent, Racism, Classism – all of these hard-hitting and extremely relevant topics were artfully addressed in respectful and thought-provoking ways. Not only that, but the theme that hope and love can overcome fear and hate was an especially poignant message in light of the current world situation.

✍️The Writing!

Sometimes an author’s writing is so beautiful, so impactful, that it leaves you wanting to cross-stitch every single one of their words onto a throw pillow. To paint them all on a canvas and hang it from your bedroom wall. Just so that you can re-experience the literary magic every day, every time you look up. Alechia Dow’s writing is like that. Her style is not only adept and well-crafted; it is lyrical poetry. Here are just a few of my favorite quotes that prove my point:

  • “Life’s short, but it’s the longest thing you’ll ever do, so give more than you take and be kind.”
  • “A book can change someone’s world.”
  • “The idea of bringing stories to those in need outweighs my fear. Makes me a rebel. If I die for it…there are worse things to die for. And in my heart, I know I’m doing the right thing.”
  • “Cast aside your fear and fight for your future. Fight for freedom.”
  • “Janelle, there is no limit to love, nor is there a limit to potential.”
  • “We are alive. A story and a song. Neither of those things can die.”
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The Woes

🏃💨The Pacing!

A life-or-death adventure that starts out with engaging promise, The Sound of Stars begins to lag as Janelle and M0Rr1S embark on their cross-country journey to save mankind. Heartwarming scenes of lyric swapping, jukebox dancing, and starry storytelling bring an intimacy to the narrative that’s integral to the growth of the characters’ relationship. But these same scenes also slow down the action and result in a choppy Second Act that struggles to transition smoothly between story beats.

🏁The Ending!

While I can certainly get behind a thought-provoking, open-ended story, I am less inclined to enjoy a book where the last few chapters feel hastily sewn together. I don’t want a messy dash for the finish line, and I’m halfway inclined to think that The Sound of Stars falls into this category. Some of the big reveals feel unfinished; I wish that the author would’ve spent more time fleshing out these underdeveloped plot points.

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The TL;DR

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow may struggle at times to find its rhythm, but overall it is a magnetic Sci-Fi romance that shatters the genre’s established stereotypes with its diverse cast of characters. More than that, this noteworthy YA debut manages to expose the dark side of humanity, while simultaneously celebrating what makes it worth saving.

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TODAY'S WAFFLE RECIPE

The Sound of Stars

The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow: A Book ReviewFrom the Kitchen of: Alechia Dow
Ingredients:
  • Published by Inkyard Press on February 25, 2020
  • Classified as YA, Science Fiction, Romance
  • Cover design by Mary Luna
  • Obtained as an eBook
  • Cook Time: 432 pages
    Cooking Directions:

    Can a girl who risks her life for books and an alien who loves forbidden pop music work together to save humanity?

    Two years ago, a misunderstanding between the leaders of Earth and the invading Ilori resulted in the deaths of one-third of the world’s population.

    Seventeen-year-old Janelle “Ellie” Baker survives in an Ilori-controlled center in New York City. Deemed dangerously volatile because of their initial reaction to the invasion, humanity’s emotional transgressions are now grounds for execution. All art, books and creative expression are illegal, but Ellie breaks the rules by keeping a secret library. When a book goes missing, Ellie is terrified that the Ilori will track it back to her and kill her.

    Born in a lab, M0Rr1S (Morris) was raised to be emotionless. When he finds Ellie’s illegal library, he’s duty-bound to deliver her for execution. The trouble is, he finds himself drawn to human music and in desperate need of more. They’re both breaking the rules for love of art—and Ellie inspires the same feelings in him that music does.

    Ellie’s—and humanity’s—fate rests in the hands of an alien she should fear. M0Rr1S has a lot of secrets, but also a potential solution—thousands of miles away. The two embark on a wild and dangerous road trip with a bag of books and their favorite albums, all the while making a story and a song of their own that just might save them both.


    Colonization, Public Executions, Panic Attacks, Racial Discrimination and Microaggressions (Challenged), Alcoholic Parent, Confinement, Involuntary Drug Consumption, Violence.

    Purchase Your Ingredients:

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    Have you read The Sound of Stars?

    What are some of your favorite Sci-Fi romances?

    Share your thoughts in the comments!

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    10 Comments

    1. Amber May 9, 2020 at 12:03 am - Reply

      I love your blog so much! It’s so beautiful. I’m so happy to hear you enjoyed this! I bought this awhile go because it sounded good and the cover is GORGEOUS. I love it and all it’s shinyness. I haven’t read anyone talking about this book so your review made me so excited! I’m beyond excited to get around to reading it! I hope I can get to it soon! I’m sorry the ending wasn’t great. I hate when that happens. :(

      Amber @ Escape Life in the Pages

    2. Cam @ Camillea Reads May 9, 2020 at 5:32 pm - Reply

      I love how beautiful and easy your review format is! This book sounds great. I’ll check it at my local library!

    3. ash @ starlight strands May 10, 2020 at 5:33 am - Reply

      this book sounds so lovely (the cover is so beautiful as well ahh)!! it’s amazing that it contains pop culture references to some of our most treasured books. the characters sound so unique and unforgettable as well. 😊 i’m sorry that the pacing and ending wasn’t the best, though!

      i know i’ve said this before, but you are a literal blogging queen, Kat, and i am forever in love with your design and review format! 💖💖

    4. abichristinaa May 10, 2020 at 8:26 am - Reply

      Just wanted to say that I found your blog and I’m obsessed with it!! As for The Sound of Stars, it sounds like a good read! The characters seem like they’re really likeable and the writing style from what I’ve seen from the quotes is great! I hope the author does clarify if it’s a standalone or part of a series at some point :)

      Abi // http://www.abichristina.co.uk

    5. Destiny @ Howling Libraries May 10, 2020 at 5:15 pm - Reply

      This book sounds so good, and your post just made me so much more hyped for it. 😍 Amazing review!

    6. Shatarupa Dhar May 11, 2020 at 9:31 pm - Reply

      One is a YA, Keystone by Katie Delahanty and it’s the only sci-fi romance I’ve read. 😌
      It’s a heist story.

    7. […] Kat @ Novels & Waffles […]

    8. […] 💙 Kat @ Novels and Waffles […]

    9. Eleanor J. August 9, 2020 at 8:53 am - Reply

      I love your writing voice!!!! It’s so unique and amazing :D I enjoyed how well written your review was and how you expressed your honest opinions. Science fiction is the best genre in my opinion! From your post : “….manages to expose the dark side of humanity, while simultaneously celebrating what makes it worth saving.” reminded me so much of the Three Body Problem trilogy, which I recently finished reading and loved (and you can bet it further solidifies my high esteem for the sci-fi genre)!!!!! Thank you for sharing this with us!

    10. 2020 Book Blogger Awards Nominations! December 8, 2020 at 4:37 am - Reply

      […] Kat @ Novels and Waffles: IS ANYONE SURPRISED SHE DESERVES TO BE NOMINATED?! No, absolutely not, because Kat’s artistic talents aren’t only showed off through her amazing blog theme and layout that is incorporated into every single post she writes, but she also offers blog designing services and is a dream to work with (she did my own layout you see here and I couldn’t be more in love with it still, a year later). […]

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