• 18 September 2018
• Book #1 in the #Stars Trilogy
• Military-coming-of-age-dramance
• Book #1 in the #Stars Trilogy
• Military-coming-of-age-dramance
★★★★★
4.5 Stars
International bestselling
author Anna Todd returns with a gripping novel about a young woman's journey
towards love, and the obstacles life throws up at every turn.
Karina knows the harsh realities of military life. And like
anyone who has grown up around an army base, she knows the background noise
that follows a soldier home from war. That's why she's forging her own quiet
life in her own little house. But she hasn't turned her back on her family.
She's the glue that holds them together--when her father is deployed, when her
brother, Austin, has another brush with the law.
Karina knows that she has to look after herself, that she
can't always fix what's broken. But when Austin's behavior worsens and her
father's reactions grow more extreme, Karina feels her own edges beginning to
fray. That's when she meets him--a closed book she's desperate to open.
At just twenty, Kael is a handsome, brooding soldier
struggling with the aftermath of two tours in Afghanistan. He's emotionally
damaged and closed off. Quiet doesn't begin to describe him. But as Karina gets
used to his stable presence, she finds it hard to ignore the way he makes her
feel. In their time together, she finds the stillness she has always wanted and
never found. She lets down her guard. And she lets herself fill in the blanks
about this mysterious man.
But illusions quickly made are quickly shattered. That's when
Karina has to find her own courage--to untangle the truth from the lies, and
decide what she's going to do about it.
After a chapter in 2019, we go back to 2017. Karina is 20 years old. She's just left home - her dad and new step-mom's place - a little while ago, and now she's more or less happily living her life and working at a massage place.
Enter Kael. He's just back from Afghanistan today and he needs a massage real bad. Not that he said any of that to Karina. He's not what you might call a talker.☺
But he's a buddy of Karina's roomie's husband - so he's staying at their place for the night ...
The new guy in her life is unfortunately not the only exciting thing Karina has to deal with. Her family is a tiny little bit challenging too .... and Kael's military past and present also have to be dealt with.
Enter Kael. He's just back from Afghanistan today and he needs a massage real bad. Not that he said any of that to Karina. He's not what you might call a talker.☺
But he's a buddy of Karina's roomie's husband - so he's staying at their place for the night ...
The new guy in her life is unfortunately not the only exciting thing Karina has to deal with. Her family is a tiny little bit challenging too .... and Kael's military past and present also have to be dealt with.
What will happen with Karina & Kael?
WILL THERE BE A HAPPILY EVER AFTER???
BUY THE BOOK TO FIND OUT!
Even though you won't yet find out - but book #2 will be with 2019!
WILL THERE BE A HAPPILY EVER AFTER???
BUY THE BOOK TO FIND OUT!
Even though you won't yet find out - but book #2 will be with 2019!
I remember way back when Anna posted the first Chapter on Wattpad - I read it, even though I hate Wattpad. But I just had to read it after all her teasing about it. And I remember loving it!
I didn't read any more on Wattpad, I stayed strong and now I finally have the book!
AND I LOVED IT!
It has this slow and sad and heartbreaking mood throughout. But we also see some adorable smiley moments from Karina and Kael. I just adored those two. I had to keep on reading just to see Kael smile! LOL!
It takes Karina ages until she even gets a word out of Kael. He's a silent thinker. But he doesn't mind her talking. Non stop. Adorable.
But of course we just know that there's a lot of baggage behind Kael's silence. He doesn't talk about 'work' - about the war. And he doesn't share much about anything else. And we just want to know allll the things about him.
I loved Kael and Karina's conversations. She talks, he listens ... and I think that they're both falling in love a little bit more with every word she says and he doesn't.
It's all really sweet ... but also very heartbreaking, because we know by reading the first chapter, that there won't be a happy end for those two anytime soon. The past. Family. Secrets. Military. War. Heartbreak? No idea what will happen - but I just know that it won't be easy for them or us ....
But of course we just know that there's a lot of baggage behind Kael's silence. He doesn't talk about 'work' - about the war. And he doesn't share much about anything else. And we just want to know allll the things about him.
I loved Kael and Karina's conversations. She talks, he listens ... and I think that they're both falling in love a little bit more with every word she says and he doesn't.
It's all really sweet ... but also very heartbreaking, because we know by reading the first chapter, that there won't be a happy end for those two anytime soon. The past. Family. Secrets. Military. War. Heartbreak? No idea what will happen - but I just know that it won't be easy for them or us ....
I also like that the story is real close to the current times in terms of military and racism and it's also inspired by Anna's real-life story.
(Back now after finishing - and yup. Cliffy. Not a realllly bad one - nobody got shot or anything, but it's so not finished. And I'm tempted to almost call it borderline criminal what Anna and the publisher did. Not telling people they're not buying a standalone, but book #1 in a trilogy? Not nice at all, because I wouldn't have bought the book if I had known. I have to read a series once all books are out. That's obviously why they did it, to make more money. Not ok!)
Another tiny little thing. The writing. While very beautiful at times. Sometimes it's very confuzzling. Anna jumps through the days so weirdly. Something happens and then Karina's walking home and tells about what happened last night and suddenly it's a while later and she's telling us about another thing. I was really confused at times. And sometimes I didn't know who was talking.
And the whole slowness of the whole book - the relationship.... it was a bit too slow and uneventful for my tastes. It all just blubbers along so slowly and silently. Like lying in the sun next to a little creek with a bit of a slow John Mayer song softly playing in the background. I know, I'm weird. Nothing happens almost all through the book, not even a kiss, and then suddenly they're dating and lying in bed? And it all happens within a week. It's so very weird. Which is making more sense, now that I know there will be three books about K+K.
And then the thing, the secret, the 'lying'? I didn't think it was all that bad? Karina mega-exaggerated about the whole thing. But I have to remember that they're all only 20 years old. So they're allowed to react immature.
Maybe another editor should've gone over the book again. There were some things that a really good editor would've changed.
BUT - still - even though this book and the people responsible made me mad in the end - I still loved Kael and Karina so very much! And I can't wait to read the second book - even though I might have to read this one again to remember what happened - I HATE THAT! ☺
THE BRIGHTEST STARS was such a heartbreakingly beautiful & adorable love story!
Run to your nearest amazon for your own Kael - this one is MINE!!!!
Run to your nearest amazon for your own Kael - this one is MINE!!!!
♥ Giveaway ♥
Win a Day With Anna! 🇺🇸 ONLY!
Anna is celebrating the special edition paperback of THE BRIGHTEST STARS sold exclusively at Target Stores with a Golden Ticket Sweepstakes!
Two (2) Winners will each receive:
- Three (3) days and two (2) nights hotel accommodations in Los Angeles, CA
- One (1) round trip ticket to Los Angeles, CA for Winner and one (1) guest.
- Ground transportation to and from the airport and hotel in Los Angeles, CA.
- A fun-filled activity with Anna Todd
- One (1) copy of each of the After book series, The Brightest Stars and Nothing More/Nothing Less signed by Anna Todd
For more information on how to enter, visit: http://www.annatodd.com/contest-rules/
↓ Links to the Book & Author ↓