Made of Stars
Author: Jenna Voris
Publisher: Viking Books for Young Readers
Inspired by the lawless love story of Bonnie and Clyde, Jenna Voris’s heart-stopping tale of passion and crime will have readers seeing stars.
Shane and Ava are a team. He steals the aircraft, she charms their mark and together they take what they need. Not even their distracting chemistry could get in the way. Until Shane is caught and left to rot on a prison moon. Now, freshly escaped from confinement and simmering with anger, he has his sights set on their biggest job yet.
Cyrus just graduated from the flight academy with a shiny new position lined up reporting to a well-respected general. On his very first assignment, he stops the outlaws in their tracks—or he would have if his annoyingly handsome co-pilot, Lark, hadn’t fallen for Ava’s deception.
When Shane uncovers a top-secret plot that would leave his and Ava’s home world at the mercy of Cyrus’s military leaders, he makes it his mission to thwart them at all costs. It isn’t long before the two of them make interstellar headlines with each new heist. And thanks to a chance run-in with the rebels, Cyrus is caught between two versions of the truth. He must pick a side—and fast. Because Shane and Ava will bring the planet to its knees . . . or die trying.
From start to finish, this book is full of passion and emotion. The plot is less than original, but the author did a great job cutting through sentiments by making readers feel every word, weight, pain and struggle of the characters.
The mood is consistent throughout, the perspective of two separate characters pretty well done. However, the plot, which I think is over-used in this genre, feels prolonged in trying to be different or add something new. It could have benefitted from some chapters being compressed into one.
Despite that, I enjoyed the characters’ character. They are perfectly built, developed and portrayed. I got to love some of the personality in the story, especially of the three main characters. Dialogue and reactions feel real and unscripted.
The ending is not really what I expected, nor surprising (to say the least) but unique in its way. It gives bookworms something to process after reading.
Overall, it is a well written, well executed story. The author made a good effort narrating the plot in a somewhat original manner; it lives up to its Bonnie and Clyde claim.
- Kevin Velayo