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  Some books are worth losing sleep over.

Yesterday I won a blog giveaway (see, they’re worth entering!) and the prize was an ebook of my choice.  I decided upon These Broken Stars.  It’s been on my wishlist and it seems that every blog I visit has been talking about it.  From the second I started reading this book, I was completely and utterly mesmerized.  These Broken Stars was unlike any other I’ve read, both in character development and in plot sequence.  It has a sci-fi feel with the romance built right in.  The story just evolved into an amazing work of art in the descriptions of the settings and moods of the characters.  There were times that I was so completely lost in the book that I didn’t realize I was swatting my children away like flies while trying to maintain my trance-like state of reading.  Finally my duties as a mother won out; I reluctantly put the book down and dragged myself away.  Once everyone in the house was asleep, I scampered back to the couch to re-enter this magical world created by authors Amie Kaufman and coauthor Spooner.  

I could imagine the landscape described in this story as though it were painted in front of me.  The heartache of the characters became mine.  I even ended up liking Lilac LaRoux.  If this book doesn’t turn into a movie, Hollywood is losing its mind.   Just enough information was given throughout the book to keep me wondering what was going on.  It wasn’t a predictable story which helped to hold my interest.  The chapters alternate between Tarver’s and Lilac’s points of view.  At first that was a bit distracting but it became the catalyst to really understand the characters.  The end of the book felt a little rushed.  I needed a bit more closure, but that didn’t stop me from jumping up and hitting the “Loan this book” link right away so my sister could bask in These Broken Stars and all its glory!

My only complaint about the book was the use of a few high-level swear words.  While it was done in the right context (Tarver is, after all, a military man) it holds me back from recommending it to my 6th grade students.  The more mature end of 12 year olds would probably take it in stride; the book would be extremely engaging for that age group.  This is easily one of the best books I’ve read.  I hope you’ll take the time to read it, too!

Does this sound like a book you would enjoy?