There Once Were Stars by Melanie McFarlane
Releases on April 26th, 2016
Publisher: Month9Books
Synopsis:
Peace. Love. Order. Dome. That’s the motto that the Order has given the residents of Dome 1618 to live by. Natalia Greyes is a resident of Dome 1618, a covered city protected from the deadly radiation that has poisoned the world outside for four generations. Nat never questioned the Order, until one day she sees a stranger on the outside of her dome. Now Nat wants answers. What else might her government be hiding from the good and loyal people of Dome 1618?
My Review:
There Once Were Stars was a breath of fresh air from all the other Dystopian/Sci-Fi stories I have read lately. It is the first book in a new trilogy. It had all the elements: adventure, mystery, horror, and romance. It was a compelling read that hooked me from the first page and reeled me in! It was mysterious in a way that it never gave answers away immediately and always kept me wondering and guessing if a character was good or bad, why certain things were happening, and what the outcome would be. The world building was phenomenal, the characters were drawn so vividly, and the descriptive writing was done so well, that a movie played in my head. I didn’t want to put this book down for one second. I felt like if I did, I was going to miss something important.
I loved Natalia! She was a strong female heroine. She didn’t give up easily. She knew how to get a job done. She didn’t let anyone sway her from her own decisions. Her Grandfather was a sweet, caring man whose love for Natalia showed immensely. Her Grandmother on the other had, was a little harsh. She seemed to only be worried about herself. She wasn’t always the sweetest to Natalia but I think it was because she was weak and afraid. Natalia’s long-time friend Jak was a little pushy at times, and a little infatuated but he would do absolutely anything for Natalia. I loved Evan! He was a guy I would definitely be interested in. He was strong and commanded attention!
The romance in this book developed very well. It wasn’t overdone and there is so much room for more! I am in high hopes for a second novel. I feel like this story was only the beginning and that there is so much more that can happen. This is definitely a book I would love to have a physical copy of for my shelves so I can read it all over again. I didn’t want this story to end. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of Divergent, The Walking Dead, or any apocalyptic types of books.
I read late into the night with this one – grabbed a cup of coffee and cuddled up in bed. Make sure you are in a comfy spot with a drink and snacks when you read this one because once you open to that first page you are going to be in it for the long haul and I can guarantee you aren’t going to want to get up for anything.
I will be doing an interview with the author soon. If you have any questions you would like her to answer, comment below and maybe your question will be featured in the interview. I will choose a couple. 🙂
About the Author:
Whether it’s uncovering the corruption of the future, or traveling to other worlds to save the universe, Melanie McFarlane jumps in with both hands on her keyboard. Though she can be found obsessing over zombies and orcs from time to time, Melanie has focused her powers on her upcoming YA trilogy: THERE ONCE WERE STARS and her YA urban fantasy series: SUMMONER RISING.
Connect with Melanie:
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Melanie is hosting a giveaway! Be sure to click the rafflecopter link below.
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Thank you for reviewing!
My pleasure! 🙂