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The Stars Never Rise Duology #1
The Stars Never Rise
Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.
When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.
To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?
Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.
When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.
To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?
Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.
368 pages, Hardcover
First published June 9, 2015
161 people are currently reading
20766 people want to read
About the author
Rachel Vincent
66 books9,785 followers[Note: Though Rachel's blog entries are cross posted here, she does not frequent Goodreads. The best ways to contact her are FB, Twitter, or her Wordpress blog. PLEASE DO NOT SEND HER MESSAGES HERE. SHE DOES NOT CHECK THEM.]
A resident of Oklahoma, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.
A resident of Oklahoma, Rachel Vincent has a BA in English and an overactive imagination, and consistently finds the latter to be more practical. She shares her workspace with two black cats (Kaci and Nyx) and her # 1 fan. Rachel is older than she looks-seriously-and younger than she feels, but remains convinced that for every day she spends writing, one more day will be added to her lifespan.
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May 15, 2015
Holy shit, this was entertaining. Not perfect - there were some issues I had - but seriously, who cares when a book is this unputdownable?
"The Unclean were hiding in plain sight, among us. Breeding their own hosts. Existing right under the Church’s nose."
The Stars Never Rise is a fast-paced, gritty blend of dystopia and urban fantasy. Set in a future America that has been ravaged by demons who possess human bodies and some other creepy zombie-like monsters called Degenerates, a new governing body has emerged - The Unified Church.
The Church demands strict obedience, punishes sins and, in return, sends its trained exorcists out to defend civilians from the demonic threat. Nina Kane, however, is a little bit more concerned about making enough money to feed herself and her sister, Melanie. Their mother is a drug addict who stumbles home at dawn and sleeps throughout the day, so Nina must do whatever she can to survive and provide for them. But when Melanie reveals a secret that could have dire consequences for the whole family, it sparks a series of events that will change both their lives forever.
Aside from just being enjoyable as hell, the book has many things I love: sisters looking out for each other, great secondary characters, a touch of humour amid the action and nastiness. Not to mention a heroine I really liked, who was flawed and tough:
"If I was going down, I would go down fighting."
Hell yeah, girl.
I will also talk about some of the minor complaints I had, though it should be noted that even the problems I had with this book have huge BUTs after them.
Firstly, I thought the first and last thirds of the book were really strong but that third in the middle was weaker. I would say the budding romance comes far behind everything else, but it seems to be a necessary component of every YA novel these days, so it did come into play. When the love interest was first introduced, I was a bit bored and couldn't wait to get back to the serious stuff. However - here's the BUT - the author actually really surprised me. There's a romance happening in this series but it's... not what I first thought. To be honest, I've never read one quite like it. So maybe not so much of a negative after all.
My second issue was also kind of "fixed" later on. Basically, the character of Devi is introduced as a typical mean girl who seemed to dislike Nina for no good reason. I hate it when authors create female characters for the sole reason of adding a bit of girl-on-girl hate/jealousy angst. BUT, she's not the throwaway character I worried she might be. In fact, I'd say she's a source of some much-needed bitchy, hilarious cynicism. And she's pretty much the smartest character in the whole book. Looking forward to seeing more of her in the next installment.
I don't think it's difficult to see some of the "reveals" coming, but the characters, the action and the sheer pull of the author's writing are so good that I didn't really care. I also really like that the ending doesn't feel like a cliffhanger but, at the same time, opens up the story and the world of the novel into something bigger and scarier. It made me even more excited for the sequel.
There's potential for a really great series here. Here's hoping for even more action, more surprises and more of these characters being funny and awesome in the next book. Also, I think there's a great opportunity for discussion about what it really means to be human... I hope the author takes advantage of that.
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"The Unclean were hiding in plain sight, among us. Breeding their own hosts. Existing right under the Church’s nose."
The Stars Never Rise is a fast-paced, gritty blend of dystopia and urban fantasy. Set in a future America that has been ravaged by demons who possess human bodies and some other creepy zombie-like monsters called Degenerates, a new governing body has emerged - The Unified Church.
The Church demands strict obedience, punishes sins and, in return, sends its trained exorcists out to defend civilians from the demonic threat. Nina Kane, however, is a little bit more concerned about making enough money to feed herself and her sister, Melanie. Their mother is a drug addict who stumbles home at dawn and sleeps throughout the day, so Nina must do whatever she can to survive and provide for them. But when Melanie reveals a secret that could have dire consequences for the whole family, it sparks a series of events that will change both their lives forever.
Aside from just being enjoyable as hell, the book has many things I love: sisters looking out for each other, great secondary characters, a touch of humour amid the action and nastiness. Not to mention a heroine I really liked, who was flawed and tough:
"If I was going down, I would go down fighting."
Hell yeah, girl.
I will also talk about some of the minor complaints I had, though it should be noted that even the problems I had with this book have huge BUTs after them.
Firstly, I thought the first and last thirds of the book were really strong but that third in the middle was weaker. I would say the budding romance comes far behind everything else, but it seems to be a necessary component of every YA novel these days, so it did come into play. When the love interest was first introduced, I was a bit bored and couldn't wait to get back to the serious stuff. However - here's the BUT - the author actually really surprised me. There's a romance happening in this series but it's... not what I first thought. To be honest, I've never read one quite like it. So maybe not so much of a negative after all.
My second issue was also kind of "fixed" later on. Basically, the character of Devi is introduced as a typical mean girl who seemed to dislike Nina for no good reason. I hate it when authors create female characters for the sole reason of adding a bit of girl-on-girl hate/jealousy angst. BUT, she's not the throwaway character I worried she might be. In fact, I'd say she's a source of some much-needed bitchy, hilarious cynicism. And she's pretty much the smartest character in the whole book. Looking forward to seeing more of her in the next installment.
I don't think it's difficult to see some of the "reveals" coming, but the characters, the action and the sheer pull of the author's writing are so good that I didn't really care. I also really like that the ending doesn't feel like a cliffhanger but, at the same time, opens up the story and the world of the novel into something bigger and scarier. It made me even more excited for the sequel.
There's potential for a really great series here. Here's hoping for even more action, more surprises and more of these characters being funny and awesome in the next book. Also, I think there's a great opportunity for discussion about what it really means to be human... I hope the author takes advantage of that.
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June 11, 2015
“We are endless, Nina. We are legion.” The demon stood straighter and frowned, as if my lack of a reaction disappointed her. “We outnumber the grains of sand on the beach, the drops of water in the ocean. The seas in hell rage with us, rising and falling in waves, cresting and crushing one another. We bleed and moan and starve, yet we cannot die. We think of nothing but escape, yet there is nowhere to go. Nowhere but here. And for every one of us that breaks through, anchored in your world by the souls we devour, there are thousands still waiting, begging, fighting for the chance. Every time one of us fails in that endeavor, another will rise to take its place. You. Cannot. Win.”This was a surprisingly good read. Initially, I wasn't too sold on the whole dystopian-America-turned-Puritan-society, but I didn't have much trouble with suspension of disbelief because the book itself was so enjoyable and fun as a whole.
In short: likable main character, very little romance, and demon-hunting goodness. This was a rollicking ride of a book.
“The Day of Great Sorrow.” Her face paled, and she chewed in solemn silence for several seconds before elaborating. “The day the number of stillbirths officially surpassed the number of live births. A day of mourning the world over. The Day of Great Sorrow led to the realization that the well of souls had run dry, which led to the discovery of demons among us. Which then led to the Great Purification, undertaken by the Unified Church, and the dissolution of all secular government in the Western Hemisphere. Right?”Well, the future of the United States sucks. Demons decimated (and still is decimating) most of the world, we discovered that there were souls! But the souls are in limited supply. Thanks to the discovery of demons, the Church is like "HA! We told you!" and now has all the power, and as a result, we're ass-backwards into the days of the Puritans. Purity is prized, your life is controlled, you need permission to do pretty much anything, and if you're unlucky, they'll sterilize you when you're a teen if you're seen to be a potentially unfit parent. Life is really, really awful.
And it's even worse for Nina. Her mom is a deadbeat druggie, and considering there are strict laws about being a parent and being, well, an employed parent, Nina and her sister Melanie are fucked if the Church discovers them. Nina struggles a lot, food is hard to get, bills are difficult to pay, and sometimes she has to resort to selling herself to make ends meet.
“Fine. Take it off.”It won't be this way forever, Nina has decided to devote her life to the church, just so she can protect Melanie...but like most things in life, things don't happen as planned. For one thing, Melanie made a big mistake.
My teeth ground together as I unbuttoned my blouse. I closed my eyes so I wouldn’t have to see him, but I couldn’t avoid hearing the way his breathing changed. The way his inhalations hitched, his exhalations growing heavier and wetter with each button that slid through its hole.
“Take it off,” he repeated when I reached the last button.
Eyes still closed, I let the material slide off my shoulders, down to my elbows. His feet shuffled on the concrete floor, and I squeezed my eyes shut tighter. A second later, his fingers were there, greedy and eager. They pushed at the remaining material, shoving my bra up, squeezing, pinching.
I let it happen. I had no other way to pay.
“Please don’t say ‘Fornication is a sin.’ ” More tears rolled down her swollen cheeks. “I know fornication is a sin. Please don’t be mad at me right now, Nina. I need your help.”As if life wasn't bad enough, her sister's pregnant, Nina gets attacked by a demon, and then next thing she knows, she's running for her life with the church, demons, and pretty much eeeeeveryone on her ass.
She's not alone...there are a band of rogue exorcists out there, including a boy who had helped her before while she was attacked by a demon. She doesn't know if she can trust him, or them...
I had no home. I had no clothes except what I was wearing. I had no food except what belonged to Finn. I had no information except what had come from him. And I had nowhere to go and no one to trust. There was nothing left. Except Finn.But it doesn't look like she has any choice. Nina is not helpless. She has powers of her own, powers that are yet to be discovered. And together, Finn and Nina and their team are going to kick some demon ass.
“The degenerate from this morning was only the first. More will find you, and you can’t take them all on by yourself. You need us, Nina. You need us every bit as much as we need you.”
Mutated and emaciated, they formed a rough line facing ours. I counted ten. Some stood, too tall and angular, as if they’d somehow been stretched. Others squatted, a complication of limbs and joints that seemed to be put together all wrong, from mismatched human parts.This book was so much fun. The romance was so light, the main character not a twit, and not constantly distracted by fluttering hearts and feelings.
I liked the fact that she didn't slut-shame her sister, and she didn't despise herself for selling her body to keep them fed. A girl's gotta do what a girl's gotta do to survive. This was a really good, gritty depiction of a harsh world and the unsavory choices that one has to do to make it through to the end.
I feel like my life is a book, and someone turned the page before I was ready, and now I can’t follow the story.
July 31, 2017
After: Well then. Guess that gif still stays true to my general feelings towards this aggressively bland book after all.
*adds to list of deceptively gorgeous book covers trash*
_______________
Before: But why are his goddamn deep green eyes mentioned in the BLURB?
*adds to list of deceptively gorgeous book covers trash*
_______________
Before: But why are his goddamn deep green eyes mentioned in the BLURB?
December 13, 2016
This book was pretty awesome!
Um, how do I do this review without spoilers? This is one that needs spoilers to get to the - oh forget it, I will just pretend and no one will really know what's going on unless they read the book!
Sooooooooooooooooooo, Nina Kane and her sister Melanie live in New Temperance with their mom who is doped out all of the time. They (mainly Nina) has to get them stuff to pay the bills and feed them. Pretty much she bargains and steals. Anyhoo, the town is run by the church and the exorcists. . . . they are not good church people or good exorcists, that's all I'm going to say there.
Also there are demons around that will try to kill you and they are called: degenerates. They are called this for a reason but you can read about that too. They come in a not so narly package or they can come put together all kinds of wrong.
Either way, you don't want these things getting you!
One particular night one tries to get Nina and this boy appears and saves her with some bright light thing. <--Not telling.
Then Nina ends up meeting Finn again later on when she's attacked again, some stuff goes down and her sister Melanie is carted off because she has sinned. And Finn takes Nina with him to tell her about herself and to meet his band of merry boys and girls.
You have Maddock, Reese, Devi and Grayson. They are all really good friends and they have some things in common, but ole Finn has something about him that is cray, sad and cool all at the same time!
Anyway, I really enjoyed this book and I hope others will as well ♥
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
Um, how do I do this review without spoilers? This is one that needs spoilers to get to the - oh forget it, I will just pretend and no one will really know what's going on unless they read the book!
Sooooooooooooooooooo, Nina Kane and her sister Melanie live in New Temperance with their mom who is doped out all of the time. They (mainly Nina) has to get them stuff to pay the bills and feed them. Pretty much she bargains and steals. Anyhoo, the town is run by the church and the exorcists. . . . they are not good church people or good exorcists, that's all I'm going to say there.
Also there are demons around that will try to kill you and they are called: degenerates. They are called this for a reason but you can read about that too. They come in a not so narly package or they can come put together all kinds of wrong.
Either way, you don't want these things getting you!
One particular night one tries to get Nina and this boy appears and saves her with some bright light thing. <--Not telling.
Then Nina ends up meeting Finn again later on when she's attacked again, some stuff goes down and her sister Melanie is carted off because she has sinned. And Finn takes Nina with him to tell her about herself and to meet his band of merry boys and girls.
You have Maddock, Reese, Devi and Grayson. They are all really good friends and they have some things in common, but ole Finn has something about him that is cray, sad and cool all at the same time!
Anyway, I really enjoyed this book and I hope others will as well ♥
MY BLOG: Melissa Martin's Reading List
February 12, 2017
TO THE BOOKSTORE 2015!
August 17, 2016
3.5
"She's not stupid."
"Colossally naive, maybe. Recklessly opstimistic, definitely. But not stupid."
Which, to me, is nothing but a nicer wording for 'she's inconceivably stupid'.
But I can assure you that, in spite of my uncontrollable pull towards sarcastic remarks, The Stars Never Rise was for me an interesting, fun and entartaining read, and I recommend it. Not wholeheartedly or passionately, maybe, but I do recommend it. It's a good book to spend your time with.
I'm sure many of you have heard about this book. If you have, most certainly you have also heard something -or more than just something- about the romance. I agree that it is the most peculiar, odd, bizzare aspect of the book -though still now I can't decide whether in a positive or negative sense- and that if you have no clue as to what I am talking about but you also think you may read the book in the future, the you must steer clear of spoilers. Believe me, you do not want to spoil yourself a revelation this big. I learned everything while reading, had also the pleasure to guess what the deal was a good bunch of pages before the great discover, and I am glad it went this way. It was extremely, extremely fun. And disturbing. Especially disturbing.
But we'll talk about it in a minute.
•The plot is not praticularly brilliant nor includes any unexpected turn of events: it's rather mediocre and predictable, but even so not annoying or excessively dumb. It was just fine.
•Same be said about the characters. They are all pretty entertaining and easy to connect with, and each of them has at least a bit of characterization, so I actually had a good time in their company.
Nina, the main character, is maybe the one I found most hard to stand, because, gosh, she is slow. Wake up, lady, make that little brain of yours work a little faster. Im' not the biggest fan of her sister Melanie either.
My favorite, instead, is Finn, the love interest- but again, I'll get there soon.
•One of the truly interesting aspects of the book is the world-building. The idea that somewhere exists a well of souls which can run dry, as it actually happened in the book, is fascinating and wonderful. On the other hand, I feel that Vincent's description (be it direct or indirect) of the reality Nina lives in is a little too vague, even superficial at times.
Moreover, while I get why the Church is in charge of everything and acts as a real and actual government, I felt the lack of the religious system upon which a Church is meant to be founded. More than once, Nina and her friends point out that for their whole life they are though obedience and faith; but faith in what, or better, who? God is never mentioned, but if the demons are told to be evil because they are 'unholy', that it is implied the existence of a 'holy' someone who give humans the strenght to fight evil. So, as a matter of fact this book features a Church which doesn't even pretend to act in behalf of one or more gods/superior entities, whom are never, not even once, put into play. This Church and his adepts may as well belong to the Flying Spaghetti Monster's creed, as far as we know. And it may be me, but this omission kind of weakens the whole thing.
•And last but not least, the romance.
First of all, with this book Rachel Vincent made the history of insta-love. She totally redifined this concept. It's like this: they meet for three seconds during which he saves her life, they meet again in the very same day and he saves her life again, she collapses and sleeps for seven hours, she wakes up and they kiss.
I am not joking.
And that is just the first of a fair number of kisses.
But clearly that was not surreal enough, because, people, meet Finn: he is a . So, you see? Not disturbing at all .
Now, seriously, I was truly and deeply pissed off by the whole insta-insta-insta-superinsta-love thing, but that other issue is so much creepy as to be eerily interesting. Finn is a sweet, nice guy, actually- except when he does horrible and scary things like . This disgusted me pretty much.
Anyway, if for nothing else, I'll pick up the sequel just to know how it will end between the two of them. I have a certain theory concerning the ending of the series, and it's a really grim, cruel and, again, disturbing theory. I hope I am wrong, but I cannot deny that, if I'm right, that would also mean Vincent's going to end this duology with a bang.
"She's not stupid."
"Colossally naive, maybe. Recklessly opstimistic, definitely. But not stupid."
Which, to me, is nothing but a nicer wording for 'she's inconceivably stupid'.
But I can assure you that, in spite of my uncontrollable pull towards sarcastic remarks, The Stars Never Rise was for me an interesting, fun and entartaining read, and I recommend it. Not wholeheartedly or passionately, maybe, but I do recommend it. It's a good book to spend your time with.
I'm sure many of you have heard about this book. If you have, most certainly you have also heard something -or more than just something- about the romance. I agree that it is the most peculiar, odd, bizzare aspect of the book -though still now I can't decide whether in a positive or negative sense- and that if you have no clue as to what I am talking about but you also think you may read the book in the future, the you must steer clear of spoilers. Believe me, you do not want to spoil yourself a revelation this big. I learned everything while reading, had also the pleasure to guess what the deal was a good bunch of pages before the great discover, and I am glad it went this way. It was extremely, extremely fun. And disturbing. Especially disturbing.
But we'll talk about it in a minute.
•The plot is not praticularly brilliant nor includes any unexpected turn of events: it's rather mediocre and predictable, but even so not annoying or excessively dumb. It was just fine.
•Same be said about the characters. They are all pretty entertaining and easy to connect with, and each of them has at least a bit of characterization, so I actually had a good time in their company.
Nina, the main character, is maybe the one I found most hard to stand, because, gosh, she is slow. Wake up, lady, make that little brain of yours work a little faster. Im' not the biggest fan of her sister Melanie either.
My favorite, instead, is Finn, the love interest- but again, I'll get there soon.
•One of the truly interesting aspects of the book is the world-building. The idea that somewhere exists a well of souls which can run dry, as it actually happened in the book, is fascinating and wonderful. On the other hand, I feel that Vincent's description (be it direct or indirect) of the reality Nina lives in is a little too vague, even superficial at times.
Moreover, while I get why the Church is in charge of everything and acts as a real and actual government, I felt the lack of the religious system upon which a Church is meant to be founded. More than once, Nina and her friends point out that for their whole life they are though obedience and faith; but faith in what, or better, who? God is never mentioned, but if the demons are told to be evil because they are 'unholy', that it is implied the existence of a 'holy' someone who give humans the strenght to fight evil. So, as a matter of fact this book features a Church which doesn't even pretend to act in behalf of one or more gods/superior entities, whom are never, not even once, put into play. This Church and his adepts may as well belong to the Flying Spaghetti Monster's creed, as far as we know. And it may be me, but this omission kind of weakens the whole thing.
•And last but not least, the romance.
First of all, with this book Rachel Vincent made the history of insta-love. She totally redifined this concept. It's like this: they meet for three seconds during which he saves her life, they meet again in the very same day and he saves her life again, she collapses and sleeps for seven hours, she wakes up and they kiss.
I am not joking.
And that is just the first of a fair number of kisses.
But clearly that was not surreal enough, because, people, meet Finn: he is a . So, you see? Not disturbing at all .
Now, seriously, I was truly and deeply pissed off by the whole insta-insta-insta-superinsta-love thing, but that other issue is so much creepy as to be eerily interesting. Finn is a sweet, nice guy, actually- except when he does horrible and scary things like . This disgusted me pretty much.
Anyway, if for nothing else, I'll pick up the sequel just to know how it will end between the two of them. I have a certain theory concerning the ending of the series, and it's a really grim, cruel and, again, disturbing theory. I hope I am wrong, but I cannot deny that, if I'm right, that would also mean Vincent's going to end this duology with a bang.
June 10, 2015
(Source: I received a digital copy of this book for free on a read-to-review basis. Thanks to Harlequin (UK) Limited and NetGalley.)
"This is your fault."
This was an interesting paranormal story, and there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming.
I felt quite sorry for Nina; being sterilised at the age of 15, having a mother who really didn’t care about her at all, and having to wash and wear other people’s clothes just to make ends meet was obviously hard for her, especially when she had a younger sister to look after too.
“We laundered them on Monday afternoon, wore them throughout the week to supplement our own hand-me-down, piecemeal collection of school clothes, then laundered them again over the weekend in time to deliver them fresh and clean on Monday morning.”
The storyline in this book was about demons and the church, in a world where many people had died through having a demon possess them and eat their soul, and there were some really weird restrictions over the act of birthing a baby because of a shortage of souls, and some quite shocking things going on in general.
“It had been more than a century since the Unified Church and its army of exorcists wiped the bulk of the great demon horde from the face of the earth – the face of America, anyway.”
There were some interesting twists thrown into this story, and they were good, but they were really, needed to try and combat the slow pace and info-dumping in this. I felt like there was a lot of information thrown in here, that didn’t really answer the questions I actually wanted answering! The world building was quite interesting, and not really like anything I’ve read before, but it did slow the book down.
“Nearly a third of the girls in my class were declared unfit. We were sterilised that afternoon, in matching white hospital gowns.”
There was a bit of romance, but this too was complicated by a very strange plot twist!
“I’m not sure why I kissed him back.”
The ending to this was a bit of a cliff-hanger, but I hope that the next book will have a faster pace, and a little less unnecessary information.
6.25 out 10.
"This is your fault."
This was an interesting paranormal story, and there were a couple of twists that I didn’t see coming.
I felt quite sorry for Nina; being sterilised at the age of 15, having a mother who really didn’t care about her at all, and having to wash and wear other people’s clothes just to make ends meet was obviously hard for her, especially when she had a younger sister to look after too.
“We laundered them on Monday afternoon, wore them throughout the week to supplement our own hand-me-down, piecemeal collection of school clothes, then laundered them again over the weekend in time to deliver them fresh and clean on Monday morning.”
The storyline in this book was about demons and the church, in a world where many people had died through having a demon possess them and eat their soul, and there were some really weird restrictions over the act of birthing a baby because of a shortage of souls, and some quite shocking things going on in general.
“It had been more than a century since the Unified Church and its army of exorcists wiped the bulk of the great demon horde from the face of the earth – the face of America, anyway.”
There were some interesting twists thrown into this story, and they were good, but they were really, needed to try and combat the slow pace and info-dumping in this. I felt like there was a lot of information thrown in here, that didn’t really answer the questions I actually wanted answering! The world building was quite interesting, and not really like anything I’ve read before, but it did slow the book down.
“Nearly a third of the girls in my class were declared unfit. We were sterilised that afternoon, in matching white hospital gowns.”
There was a bit of romance, but this too was complicated by a very strange plot twist!
“I’m not sure why I kissed him back.”
The ending to this was a bit of a cliff-hanger, but I hope that the next book will have a faster pace, and a little less unnecessary information.
6.25 out 10.
July 9, 2015
THAT ROMANCE.
Okay, you're probably wondering out of all the things this book has the first two things I mention are: "THAT. ROMANCE."
Well, it's true, that, because holy mother of all things bizarre: THAT ROMANCE.
I thought it was... interesting. It was certainly unique. I'll get to this later, though.
If there is one word that would describe this book in general, it would be entertaining. Imagine a post-apocalyptic world where 80% of the lands are considered wastelands, where billions died fighting off demons from hell. They won the war, and now what they have is a shattered land ruled by the iron fist of the Church who may or may not be who they say they are, AND a group of teenage exorcists on the run who is hunted at every turn. It may probably not sound like it, but this book was insanely always on the go. There is honestly almost never a dragging, dull moment - the book keeps on throwing a twist here, twist there, and the occassional creepy vibes.
Was this book creepy? I'd say it was effectively atmospheric. As soon as the book started until a little less than halfway, as I started getting to know the world and the ruling body that was the Unified Church and how they were so... cult-like, it gave me the legit spooky feels. I started imagining the bleak way of things here and it just felt so bloody scary. GOOSEBUMPS, MAN. GOOSEBUMPS. Add to that the demons that invade people's bodies in order to consume their soul, and degenerates which are demons that have been stuck in a body for too long that it has made them sliiightly insane, you get a pretty action-packed book.
I did have an issue with the world-building, though. It felt too... vague. Yes, I enjoyed the backstory of the Church and everything, and how they ruled things around here, but I couldn't really picture the wider scope of the setting. There are a lot of abandoned towns, there are wastelands, only a few tens of thousand people are left since the war decades ago, gas is a rarity, and yet you can have pizza delivered? O_o I need this aspect to be more solid, and I hope in the next book, I'll be getting a clearer picture.
And then, there's Finn, the love interest, who has amazing green eyes that we keep getting reminded of over and over in the span of the book.
All things considered, though, this was a very intense and entertaining book. I'll definitely continue!
Okay, you're probably wondering out of all the things this book has the first two things I mention are: "THAT. ROMANCE."
Well, it's true, that, because holy mother of all things bizarre: THAT ROMANCE.
I thought it was... interesting. It was certainly unique. I'll get to this later, though.
If there is one word that would describe this book in general, it would be entertaining. Imagine a post-apocalyptic world where 80% of the lands are considered wastelands, where billions died fighting off demons from hell. They won the war, and now what they have is a shattered land ruled by the iron fist of the Church who may or may not be who they say they are, AND a group of teenage exorcists on the run who is hunted at every turn. It may probably not sound like it, but this book was insanely always on the go. There is honestly almost never a dragging, dull moment - the book keeps on throwing a twist here, twist there, and the occassional creepy vibes.
Was this book creepy? I'd say it was effectively atmospheric. As soon as the book started until a little less than halfway, as I started getting to know the world and the ruling body that was the Unified Church and how they were so... cult-like, it gave me the legit spooky feels. I started imagining the bleak way of things here and it just felt so bloody scary. GOOSEBUMPS, MAN. GOOSEBUMPS. Add to that the demons that invade people's bodies in order to consume their soul, and degenerates which are demons that have been stuck in a body for too long that it has made them sliiightly insane, you get a pretty action-packed book.
I did have an issue with the world-building, though. It felt too... vague. Yes, I enjoyed the backstory of the Church and everything, and how they ruled things around here, but I couldn't really picture the wider scope of the setting. There are a lot of abandoned towns, there are wastelands, only a few tens of thousand people are left since the war decades ago, gas is a rarity, and yet you can have pizza delivered? O_o I need this aspect to be more solid, and I hope in the next book, I'll be getting a clearer picture.
And then, there's Finn, the love interest, who has amazing green eyes that we keep getting reminded of over and over in the span of the book.
All things considered, though, this was a very intense and entertaining book. I'll definitely continue!
October 9, 2017
first read: September 13 & 14, 2015
first reread: October 8, 2017
Wow, just...wow. This book was pretty fantastic. The beginning was slow....and I didn't think I was going to like it, but somewhere before I hit page 100 I just couldn't tear myself away from the pages!
I did think that quite a bit of it was predictable, I guessed a lot of things [and I was either right, or at least partially so], but overall, I really felt a lot of originality on this one. I mean....Its like demons, zombies and a little bit of old school Church + exorcism. I don't believe I've ever read anything from this author before, so I am not altogether sure of her writing style, but I'd definitely say that this book was well written, and even though I thought the plot was kind of iffy - [definitely one that you can get totally right, or totally wrong] - this was done beautifully.
Some things confused me....while other things were just a total mindfuck. I am really looking forward to book two, and I am [as always] sad that it won't be out until June
I definitely think this one is worth the read, and not just because of that fucking amazing cover
come find me:
www.facebook.com/ReadsAsh
IG: ash.reads Twitter: @ReadsAsh
first reread: October 8, 2017
Wow, just...wow. This book was pretty fantastic. The beginning was slow....and I didn't think I was going to like it, but somewhere before I hit page 100 I just couldn't tear myself away from the pages!
I did think that quite a bit of it was predictable, I guessed a lot of things [and I was either right, or at least partially so], but overall, I really felt a lot of originality on this one. I mean....Its like demons, zombies and a little bit of old school Church + exorcism. I don't believe I've ever read anything from this author before, so I am not altogether sure of her writing style, but I'd definitely say that this book was well written, and even though I thought the plot was kind of iffy - [definitely one that you can get totally right, or totally wrong] - this was done beautifully.
Some things confused me....while other things were just a total mindfuck. I am really looking forward to book two, and I am [as always] sad that it won't be out until June
I definitely think this one is worth the read, and not just because of that fucking amazing cover
come find me:
www.facebook.com/ReadsAsh
IG: ash.reads Twitter: @ReadsAsh
June 9, 2015
I think someone gave Rachel Vincent license to do whatever the hell she wanted in this book, and she went for it. Hard, and with heck of a good result. While the whole demons and religious fanaticism has been done before, maybe to death, Rachel Vincent comes out of the left wing swinging a tale so dark and rich it allows you to sink into the very depths of the reading experience.
The Stars Never Rise is one of those titles that stays with you long after you finish it. I keep going back to it and thinking of the characters, the world, the fucked up relationship between the mother and her girls, the boy with the deep green eyes... It all just comes together to effortlessly that it just marks the beginning of what is to become another great series under Rachel Vincent's name.
Nina tries to be the good sister, the one that does everything the church asks for in order to not stand out. If she were to stand out then the church might notice how her mother checked out long ago, and the only person making sure her sister is kept alive is herself. She may pose as a good girl, but inside she is all fire. She does what needs to be done, and she doesn't like her world's rules not one bit. But she will sacrifice everything for her sister, even if her sister might take it a little for granted. Mellie is a wild child, that acts first with her heart without consulting with her head. Mellie and Nina are there for each other however, no matter what happens, and that is what sisterhood is all about.
The twists and turns of this dark world are enthralling. You don't know if to hate the church or grudgingly respect that they are doing what they can to keep humanity's population alive, and this is something that our main character struggles with.
I love how unique, I guess you can say, is the romance in this title. I don't want to give anything away, but Rachel Vincent sure threw us a curve ball. It made my day, and I am sure it will also make yours. Though I am a little weary of how fast Nina and Finn's attraction worked, it worked way too fast, but then it kind of slowed down so I guess that makes it okay? I don't know and I don't care because both Nina and Finn are awesome characters and they should have it all.
I cannot wait for the sequel to this book! Give me more demons, exorcists, Nina, complicated relationships, and Finn!
OLD UPDATE:
Rachel Vincent posted a sneak peek of The Stars Never Rise on Facebook...
Well, let's just say...
The Stars Never Rise is one of those titles that stays with you long after you finish it. I keep going back to it and thinking of the characters, the world, the fucked up relationship between the mother and her girls, the boy with the deep green eyes... It all just comes together to effortlessly that it just marks the beginning of what is to become another great series under Rachel Vincent's name.
Nina tries to be the good sister, the one that does everything the church asks for in order to not stand out. If she were to stand out then the church might notice how her mother checked out long ago, and the only person making sure her sister is kept alive is herself. She may pose as a good girl, but inside she is all fire. She does what needs to be done, and she doesn't like her world's rules not one bit. But she will sacrifice everything for her sister, even if her sister might take it a little for granted. Mellie is a wild child, that acts first with her heart without consulting with her head. Mellie and Nina are there for each other however, no matter what happens, and that is what sisterhood is all about.
The twists and turns of this dark world are enthralling. You don't know if to hate the church or grudgingly respect that they are doing what they can to keep humanity's population alive, and this is something that our main character struggles with.
I love how unique, I guess you can say, is the romance in this title. I don't want to give anything away, but Rachel Vincent sure threw us a curve ball. It made my day, and I am sure it will also make yours. Though I am a little weary of how fast Nina and Finn's attraction worked, it worked way too fast, but then it kind of slowed down so I guess that makes it okay? I don't know and I don't care because both Nina and Finn are awesome characters and they should have it all.
I cannot wait for the sequel to this book! Give me more demons, exorcists, Nina, complicated relationships, and Finn!
OLD UPDATE:
Rachel Vincent posted a sneak peek of The Stars Never Rise on Facebook...
Well, let's just say...
August 20, 2016
***Review posted on The Eater of Books! blog***
The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent
Book One of The Stars Never Rise series
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: June 9, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Copy sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.
When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.
To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?
Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.
What I Liked:
I'm so glad I decided to binge-read this duology! The publisher sent me an unsolicited copy of this book (which did not affect my opinion in any way), and then book two, and I knew that was a sign. I've had my eye on this series for a while, but never pushed myself to read it. I'm glad the opportunity was presented to me though, because I enjoyed the series!
Nina Kane is coming up on seventeen years old, and something is happening to her. One night, while sneaking back home after a grueling night of work, she comes face-to-face with a demon - and incinerates it with her hands. Nina discovers that she is an exorcist - a real one - and what the Church have parading around as exorcists are not real. In fact, the Church has been lying to everyone for years, feeding lies about demons and exorcists and souls. Now, Nina must find a way to rescue her fifteen-year-old pregnant sister, who the Church took because of her pregnancy, and because they want to use her to draw Nina back. Nina must run for her life in order to save Mellie, and she joins with Finn and a team of real exorcists who are determined to decimate the demon hordes.
When I first saw that this book was about exorcists, I was a little nervous. I was thinking of those old-fashioned exorcisms, in which a person is tied down and there is a priest and he yells "Come out of him, Satan!" or something. And I didn't particularly want to read a book about this. So I was excited to see that Vincent's type of exorcism is fire, shot from the exorcist's hands. Which is neat!
Nina is so strong, so independent, and has had such a difficult life already. With her mother's health declining, Nina has been taking care of herself, her mother, and her sister. When Nina finds out that Mellie is pregnant, panic sets in a little. Pregnancy must be planned and licensed, and Nina did neither of those things. And when Nina kills a demon, who happened to be her mother, the Church comes after Nina in order to silence her. Crazy, right?
I like Nina and respect her so much. My heart broke for her, and the hard decisions she had to make. But I love how strong she is, and how this strength translates into her exorcist abilities in a way. Nina is a kickbutt exorcist, with training. Meeting Finn and the gang made Nina stronger.
Finn is a weird character, and I won't get into that. But I like him. He's the love interest, and I think he and Nina are great together. Finn is playful and flirtatious, but it's clear that he likes Nina from the get-go.
Other characters include Maddock, who is sweet but a little troubled, Devi, who is mean and territorial (and also Maddock's girlfriend), Reese, who is big and tough, and Grayson, the only one who isn't an exorcist (she's also Reese's girlfriend). I liked all of these secondary characters, even Devi (who is annoying but also hilarious at times).
This book focuses on Nina's transition into exorcism, as well as rescuing Mellie, and uncovering secrets that the Church has been hiding for so long. We all know how shady and cruel the Church is, but it runs so deep. Demons and the Church are more connected than our characters thought!
You can probably already tell, but this is a dystopia/post-apocalyptic type of world, with the Church as the "leader", and the war with demons being the "apocalypse" (or the "before" part). From the start, we as readers don't trust the Church.
The romance is weird (and it's because of something with Finn), but it's cute. No love triangle or anything like that, but it's a weird one. I liked it though. Finn and Nina work around limitations, and you can pretty much see where that thing will go. Which will probably happen in book two, and it'll make the romance even better!
So I liked the characters. I liked the romance (it was a little slow, and sometimes weird, but cute). I liked the story (so much action, fleeing, etc.!). Overall, a really great book!
What I Did Not Like:
Like I said, the thing with Finn and the romance is weird. Not necessarily awful, but weird. When I first read that, I did a mental double-take. Weird! But anyway, it was fine in general, but weird too. I would have liked to see more between Finn and Nina physically, too!
Would I Recommend It:
I was a little concerned about the whole exorcism concept, but it's totally not what you think it will be! Vincent's version of exorcism is very different. So if that's a thing that's worrying you, don't let it. I liked this book and I see why it did well. I'd recommend it!
Rating:
4 stars. A good start to the duology. I'm glad I get to binge-read the books, because the ending of this book makes me want book two now. Not quite a cliffhanger, but still a hooking ending. This was my first YA book by Vincent, and it was pretty great!
The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent
Book One of The Stars Never Rise series
Publisher: Delacorte Press
Publication Date: June 9, 2015
Rating: 4 stars
Source: Copy sent by the publisher
Summary (from Goodreads):
Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.
When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.
To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?
Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.
What I Liked:
I'm so glad I decided to binge-read this duology! The publisher sent me an unsolicited copy of this book (which did not affect my opinion in any way), and then book two, and I knew that was a sign. I've had my eye on this series for a while, but never pushed myself to read it. I'm glad the opportunity was presented to me though, because I enjoyed the series!
Nina Kane is coming up on seventeen years old, and something is happening to her. One night, while sneaking back home after a grueling night of work, she comes face-to-face with a demon - and incinerates it with her hands. Nina discovers that she is an exorcist - a real one - and what the Church have parading around as exorcists are not real. In fact, the Church has been lying to everyone for years, feeding lies about demons and exorcists and souls. Now, Nina must find a way to rescue her fifteen-year-old pregnant sister, who the Church took because of her pregnancy, and because they want to use her to draw Nina back. Nina must run for her life in order to save Mellie, and she joins with Finn and a team of real exorcists who are determined to decimate the demon hordes.
When I first saw that this book was about exorcists, I was a little nervous. I was thinking of those old-fashioned exorcisms, in which a person is tied down and there is a priest and he yells "Come out of him, Satan!" or something. And I didn't particularly want to read a book about this. So I was excited to see that Vincent's type of exorcism is fire, shot from the exorcist's hands. Which is neat!
Nina is so strong, so independent, and has had such a difficult life already. With her mother's health declining, Nina has been taking care of herself, her mother, and her sister. When Nina finds out that Mellie is pregnant, panic sets in a little. Pregnancy must be planned and licensed, and Nina did neither of those things. And when Nina kills a demon, who happened to be her mother, the Church comes after Nina in order to silence her. Crazy, right?
I like Nina and respect her so much. My heart broke for her, and the hard decisions she had to make. But I love how strong she is, and how this strength translates into her exorcist abilities in a way. Nina is a kickbutt exorcist, with training. Meeting Finn and the gang made Nina stronger.
Finn is a weird character, and I won't get into that. But I like him. He's the love interest, and I think he and Nina are great together. Finn is playful and flirtatious, but it's clear that he likes Nina from the get-go.
Other characters include Maddock, who is sweet but a little troubled, Devi, who is mean and territorial (and also Maddock's girlfriend), Reese, who is big and tough, and Grayson, the only one who isn't an exorcist (she's also Reese's girlfriend). I liked all of these secondary characters, even Devi (who is annoying but also hilarious at times).
This book focuses on Nina's transition into exorcism, as well as rescuing Mellie, and uncovering secrets that the Church has been hiding for so long. We all know how shady and cruel the Church is, but it runs so deep. Demons and the Church are more connected than our characters thought!
You can probably already tell, but this is a dystopia/post-apocalyptic type of world, with the Church as the "leader", and the war with demons being the "apocalypse" (or the "before" part). From the start, we as readers don't trust the Church.
The romance is weird (and it's because of something with Finn), but it's cute. No love triangle or anything like that, but it's a weird one. I liked it though. Finn and Nina work around limitations, and you can pretty much see where that thing will go. Which will probably happen in book two, and it'll make the romance even better!
So I liked the characters. I liked the romance (it was a little slow, and sometimes weird, but cute). I liked the story (so much action, fleeing, etc.!). Overall, a really great book!
What I Did Not Like:
Like I said, the thing with Finn and the romance is weird. Not necessarily awful, but weird. When I first read that, I did a mental double-take. Weird! But anyway, it was fine in general, but weird too. I would have liked to see more between Finn and Nina physically, too!
Would I Recommend It:
I was a little concerned about the whole exorcism concept, but it's totally not what you think it will be! Vincent's version of exorcism is very different. So if that's a thing that's worrying you, don't let it. I liked this book and I see why it did well. I'd recommend it!
Rating:
4 stars. A good start to the duology. I'm glad I get to binge-read the books, because the ending of this book makes me want book two now. Not quite a cliffhanger, but still a hooking ending. This was my first YA book by Vincent, and it was pretty great!
June 9, 2015
Interesting. Different but at the same time had a familiar feel but I can't put my finger on what books it reminds me of. If you enjoyed the Soul Screamers series as I did I think you will like this series. Souls play a big role in this series as well.
I loved the world building although it pushes a bit too far into religion for me. Even with the paranormal twist religion plays a major role. In this role demons began possessing people and they began eating the souls. Exorcism was proven and therefore the church took over power. With the church having power everyone has to follow the churches rules and they are strict! Sins are punished brutally. They even burned one teenager to death in front of the town. Parenting licenses are required to procreate. Souls have been decimated due to the demon attack so there are not enough souls to go around. An elder has to donate their soul for a child to not be stillborn. A lot of crazy stuff!
Nina is a year away from 18. She takes care of her younger sister since their mother has checked out and doesn't care for them much. She is willing to do anything for her sister. Then she starts questioning the church and everything that has happened after she sees Finn exorcise a demon that only church officials should be able to do. Finn was very intriguing. Not sure how I feel about him. I'm honestly not sure I could ever be with him personally but Nina is a pretty open person. Definitely want and need to learn more about him before I can fall for him but I do know he is a good person doing the best he can. I also liked all his rebel anathema friends. The ending is really only the beginning. Doesn't end on a huge cliffhanger. It was a bit too predictable for me. I wanted at least one revealing to be surprising but I predicted everything. Still enjoyable but I just wanted a little bit more. It is the first book and I know with the Soul Screamers series it just got better and better so the next book will hopefully blow my mind a bit more.
I loved the world building although it pushes a bit too far into religion for me. Even with the paranormal twist religion plays a major role. In this role demons began possessing people and they began eating the souls. Exorcism was proven and therefore the church took over power. With the church having power everyone has to follow the churches rules and they are strict! Sins are punished brutally. They even burned one teenager to death in front of the town. Parenting licenses are required to procreate. Souls have been decimated due to the demon attack so there are not enough souls to go around. An elder has to donate their soul for a child to not be stillborn. A lot of crazy stuff!
Nina is a year away from 18. She takes care of her younger sister since their mother has checked out and doesn't care for them much. She is willing to do anything for her sister. Then she starts questioning the church and everything that has happened after she sees Finn exorcise a demon that only church officials should be able to do. Finn was very intriguing. Not sure how I feel about him. I'm honestly not sure I could ever be with him personally but Nina is a pretty open person. Definitely want and need to learn more about him before I can fall for him but I do know he is a good person doing the best he can. I also liked all his rebel anathema friends. The ending is really only the beginning. Doesn't end on a huge cliffhanger. It was a bit too predictable for me. I wanted at least one revealing to be surprising but I predicted everything. Still enjoyable but I just wanted a little bit more. It is the first book and I know with the Soul Screamers series it just got better and better so the next book will hopefully blow my mind a bit more.
Want to read
April 13, 2013This sounds so cool!!!!!!!!!!! I can't wait until 2015!!
It's like chasing a dream (though it is really just a butterfly)
It's like chasing a dream (though it is really just a butterfly)
October 1, 2016
Thanks Giulia for this book!
------------------------------------------------
Alright, so this was sadly a disappointing read. I read the excerpt for this story a couple of months ago and absolutely loved it because of that it was a really, really cool dystopian idea. Then I received it for Christmas and was incredibly excited to read it, but it did not turn out as great as I had hoped.
First there's the insta-love. When that happened I was about to DNF the book.
Second there's the fact that the events in this book take place over a total of 3 days, if I counted it correctly - and most of the time is spent sitting around in an abandoned apartment doing nothing. There's no progress at all.
The end was kind of good, however, which is the reason why I did not rate it 1 star. But I still won't continue this series. It brought it up to two stars, just about, but there were too many "ugh"-moments for me to be interested in reading more about this world and these characters.
May 2, 2017
This book is about souls and demons and exorcists, and I loved every second of it.
From beginning to end it was full of fast-paced action, an awesome, demon-slaying team, and a sassy heroine who maybe wasn't the most original, but she sure was a lot of fun to read about.
Nina has the kind of voice that I've heard in a lot of other YA books with female narrators, but that doesn't mean I disliked her. I really enjoyed her strong, fierce, and spunky character that had just a touch of humor—I just wish she'd been a bit more distinctive instead of fitting so perfectly into the "tough, unstoppable, hardcore heroine" category. It would've been nice if a few more details had been added to distinguish her from other awesome female characters in YA books.
I loved, loved, LOVED the action scenes. Nina's rogue team of exorcists had me mentally cheering them on the whole way as they destroyed hoard after hoard of demons, and because of their monster-killing powers, their abilities to fight, run, and hear are enhanced. Even the parts where they were just sitting at their hideout, stocking up on food, regaining their strength, or planning their next attack, were awesome. They were a gang of tough and hilarious teen exorcists.
The Stars Never Rise really reminded me of a couple Rachel Hawkins books—Hex Hall and Rebel Belle—and the Percy Jackson series. They all had the same fun, thrilling, entertaining vibe, but they didn't skimp on darker subplots or good messages, either.
I liked the surprises, the strong sisterly bond between Nina and Melanie, and I was even able to enjoy the romance. This book was just great all the way around. It might not be the most unique YA book I've ever read, but I sure felt like I got a few good hours' worth of action-packed excitement from it.
From beginning to end it was full of fast-paced action, an awesome, demon-slaying team, and a sassy heroine who maybe wasn't the most original, but she sure was a lot of fun to read about.
Nina has the kind of voice that I've heard in a lot of other YA books with female narrators, but that doesn't mean I disliked her. I really enjoyed her strong, fierce, and spunky character that had just a touch of humor—I just wish she'd been a bit more distinctive instead of fitting so perfectly into the "tough, unstoppable, hardcore heroine" category. It would've been nice if a few more details had been added to distinguish her from other awesome female characters in YA books.
I loved, loved, LOVED the action scenes. Nina's rogue team of exorcists had me mentally cheering them on the whole way as they destroyed hoard after hoard of demons, and because of their monster-killing powers, their abilities to fight, run, and hear are enhanced. Even the parts where they were just sitting at their hideout, stocking up on food, regaining their strength, or planning their next attack, were awesome. They were a gang of tough and hilarious teen exorcists.
The Stars Never Rise really reminded me of a couple Rachel Hawkins books—Hex Hall and Rebel Belle—and the Percy Jackson series. They all had the same fun, thrilling, entertaining vibe, but they didn't skimp on darker subplots or good messages, either.
I liked the surprises, the strong sisterly bond between Nina and Melanie, and I was even able to enjoy the romance. This book was just great all the way around. It might not be the most unique YA book I've ever read, but I sure felt like I got a few good hours' worth of action-packed excitement from it.
October 10, 2015
Reviewed by: Rabid Reads.
Religion is always a slippery slope in fiction, but Rachel Vincent used it well in THE STARS NEVER RISE, and in doing so created a compelling dystopian world that I’m sure to want to visit again and again. There was a steady flow of twists which was good because although none of them were stumpers, they kept things interesting, and other than the bizarre love interest, I thought that this was a smashing kickoff. Definitely recommended!
I’ve read the majority of this author’s books, and as a general rule I prefer her adult stories; however this series debut has left me eyeing the remainder of the untapped SOUL SCREAMERS installments that are sitting on my Kindle. I loved how dark the universe was from the very public executions of sinners, to the shortage of souls for newborns. Vincent painted an extremely dire picture that only continued to darken as the plot advanced.
There is little room for error in New Temperance because if the Church doesn’t burn you at the stake, the hellspawn will devour you. And, survival just so happens to be one of the best cures for naive Young Adult characters which bolstered Nina, Devi, Reese, Maddock, and Finn’s likability immensely. The only one that I had an issue with was Mellie, but she’s in tenth grade, and not really part of Kane’s band of rogue exorcists.
Now, what to say about ‘the boy’; I knew that there would be a romantic thread, and quite possibly a triangle, so I was prepared for both, and while there was insta-love, Finn’s nature came with its own unique set of complications. I’m sure that his backstory is cool, I can’t wait to read about his exploits, and doubtless his skill set will come in handy; however his special circumstances make relationships… challenging
Guy trouble notwithstanding, the YA genre needs more books like THE STARS NEVER RISE.
Religion is always a slippery slope in fiction, but Rachel Vincent used it well in THE STARS NEVER RISE, and in doing so created a compelling dystopian world that I’m sure to want to visit again and again. There was a steady flow of twists which was good because although none of them were stumpers, they kept things interesting, and other than the bizarre love interest, I thought that this was a smashing kickoff. Definitely recommended!
I’ve read the majority of this author’s books, and as a general rule I prefer her adult stories; however this series debut has left me eyeing the remainder of the untapped SOUL SCREAMERS installments that are sitting on my Kindle. I loved how dark the universe was from the very public executions of sinners, to the shortage of souls for newborns. Vincent painted an extremely dire picture that only continued to darken as the plot advanced.
There is little room for error in New Temperance because if the Church doesn’t burn you at the stake, the hellspawn will devour you. And, survival just so happens to be one of the best cures for naive Young Adult characters which bolstered Nina, Devi, Reese, Maddock, and Finn’s likability immensely. The only one that I had an issue with was Mellie, but she’s in tenth grade, and not really part of Kane’s band of rogue exorcists.
Now, what to say about ‘the boy’; I knew that there would be a romantic thread, and quite possibly a triangle, so I was prepared for both, and while there was insta-love, Finn’s nature came with its own unique set of complications. I’m sure that his backstory is cool, I can’t wait to read about his exploits, and doubtless his skill set will come in handy; however his special circumstances make relationships… challenging
Guy trouble notwithstanding, the YA genre needs more books like THE STARS NEVER RISE.
December 13, 2015
4-4.5 stars
The Stars Never Rise is my first Rachel Vincent book and it's one "hell" of a fun time! Fast-paced, exciting, chilling, and most importantly - unique. In this dystopian future, the Church now rules what was once the United States. After the war against the Unclean (aka demons), many souls were wiped out of existence, and now it's a matter of preserving the remaining souls against demonic possession. The people are trapped behind walls and beneath oppressive restrictions, but they are safe... or so they think. A story about demons is nothing new, but the author throws in plenty of twists to the point that nothing about this felt derivative. Plus, her writing is just so engaging. I read this book in almost one sitting, completely hooked by the story line. There were parts that flat out disturbed me, parts that had me on the edge of my seat, and others that had me tearing up. I didn't expect such careening emotions, but it's wonderfully anchored by the book's lovable characters.
Nina, whose fierceness and courage I liked very much, has just discovered she's a born exorcist. Forced to go into hiding, she joins a small band of fugitive teens who must stay out of sight of Church officials and who are looking to rid their world of demons. They're an eclectic bunch, none more unexpected than Finn, Nina's love interest. I'll let you discover his role on your own; it's bound to surprise you, and you can add it to the growing list of what makes this book so creative. While the romance isn't exactly easy, I still fell hard for Finn and was rooting for him and Nina all the way. I think they make an adorable pair.
I'm so excited to see where Rachel goes with the sequel. The ending was a bit clunky for me, but overall this was such an addicting thrill ride, and I can't wait for more!
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
The Stars Never Rise is my first Rachel Vincent book and it's one "hell" of a fun time! Fast-paced, exciting, chilling, and most importantly - unique. In this dystopian future, the Church now rules what was once the United States. After the war against the Unclean (aka demons), many souls were wiped out of existence, and now it's a matter of preserving the remaining souls against demonic possession. The people are trapped behind walls and beneath oppressive restrictions, but they are safe... or so they think. A story about demons is nothing new, but the author throws in plenty of twists to the point that nothing about this felt derivative. Plus, her writing is just so engaging. I read this book in almost one sitting, completely hooked by the story line. There were parts that flat out disturbed me, parts that had me on the edge of my seat, and others that had me tearing up. I didn't expect such careening emotions, but it's wonderfully anchored by the book's lovable characters.
Nina, whose fierceness and courage I liked very much, has just discovered she's a born exorcist. Forced to go into hiding, she joins a small band of fugitive teens who must stay out of sight of Church officials and who are looking to rid their world of demons. They're an eclectic bunch, none more unexpected than Finn, Nina's love interest. I'll let you discover his role on your own; it's bound to surprise you, and you can add it to the growing list of what makes this book so creative. While the romance isn't exactly easy, I still fell hard for Finn and was rooting for him and Nina all the way. I think they make an adorable pair.
I'm so excited to see where Rachel goes with the sequel. The ending was a bit clunky for me, but overall this was such an addicting thrill ride, and I can't wait for more!
This review can also be found at Love at First Page.
December 31, 2015
Also reviewed on Sophie Reads YA
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This is no way impacted in my view.
Wow, this book was perfect in every single possible way. The Stars Never Fade tells the story of Nina Kane, a 16 year old living in a dystopian world unlike any I have ever read before. Over 100 years ago the Demons ravaged the world, leaving only a few settlements intact, though they had consumed the souls of many who'd perished. As such, there is now a severe shortage of souls, leading to many still born pregnancies. To combat this problem, the Church have taken control, and a whole multitude of sins are severely punished in order to ensure that the remaining population are pure and worthy of the souls they use.
Considering I have read a lot of dystopian novels, I was quite pleasantly surprised to discover how unique and fresh the concept was in this novel. I'm not a religious person, but to see the controlling nature of a society run wholly by ecclesiastics was a definite shock to my system. As the book progressed, the church government became an even larger part of the plot, and there were twists and turns at every moment. The biggest plot twist involving the church was so shocking that I definitely hadn't seen it coming, which is a nice surprise.
Nina was a perfect teenage protagonist: strong, a little angsty, and imperfect. There was definite character development with her, and I can't wait to see how she progresses in further instalments. Finn was a great male character; whilst he was a love interest for Nina, that's not all he was. There were layers to his character, which is shown throughout the course of the book, and he, and the rest of the group, were there for Nina when she needed them.
Overall a really enjoyable novel, and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of YA dystopian/fantasy.
I received an Advance Reader Copy from the publisher via NetGalley. This is no way impacted in my view.
Wow, this book was perfect in every single possible way. The Stars Never Fade tells the story of Nina Kane, a 16 year old living in a dystopian world unlike any I have ever read before. Over 100 years ago the Demons ravaged the world, leaving only a few settlements intact, though they had consumed the souls of many who'd perished. As such, there is now a severe shortage of souls, leading to many still born pregnancies. To combat this problem, the Church have taken control, and a whole multitude of sins are severely punished in order to ensure that the remaining population are pure and worthy of the souls they use.
Considering I have read a lot of dystopian novels, I was quite pleasantly surprised to discover how unique and fresh the concept was in this novel. I'm not a religious person, but to see the controlling nature of a society run wholly by ecclesiastics was a definite shock to my system. As the book progressed, the church government became an even larger part of the plot, and there were twists and turns at every moment. The biggest plot twist involving the church was so shocking that I definitely hadn't seen it coming, which is a nice surprise.
Nina was a perfect teenage protagonist: strong, a little angsty, and imperfect. There was definite character development with her, and I can't wait to see how she progresses in further instalments. Finn was a great male character; whilst he was a love interest for Nina, that's not all he was. There were layers to his character, which is shown throughout the course of the book, and he, and the rest of the group, were there for Nina when she needed them.
Overall a really enjoyable novel, and I would definitely recommend it to lovers of YA dystopian/fantasy.
February 9, 2017
First of all, Julia thanks for bearing my annoying messages about this book. XD
Wow this book was awesome. It wasn't one of the best things I've read, but enjoyable and definitely leaving me for more.
An evil church?
A mysterious boy with green eyes?
A secret to hide?
Demons?
Hell yeah I'm going to be in for it.
I am just quickly going to say that it was fast paced. Even though the first half was a bit slow, the second half definitely makes up for it. A likeable MC and a very unique love interest.
I hated Devi. The definition of a bitch. Sorry, but I don't like her.
Other than that, Finn is mine. Back off ladies.
Give it a try guys. I'm sure you'd like it.
Wow this book was awesome. It wasn't one of the best things I've read, but enjoyable and definitely leaving me for more.
An evil church?
A mysterious boy with green eyes?
A secret to hide?
Demons?
Hell yeah I'm going to be in for it.
I am just quickly going to say that it was fast paced. Even though the first half was a bit slow, the second half definitely makes up for it. A likeable MC and a very unique love interest.
I hated Devi. The definition of a bitch. Sorry, but I don't like her.
Other than that, Finn is mine. Back off ladies.
Give it a try guys. I'm sure you'd like it.
June 4, 2015
What a surprisingly pleasant read this was. This book wasn't perfect but it’s plot sure hell was original. The author embroidered her plot with exquisite details that just arouse you to keep reading till you reach the last page!
This is a fast-paced book that you are going to have a hard time putting down. And when you get to the end you’re GOING TO BE eager to know more. So I’m surely going to read its sequel. There are a lot of questions and I can’t wait for them to be revealed.
I’ve never read anything of this author’s but I think I’m going to amend.
Like I said the most amazing thing about this book was it’s originality. I’ve read many fantasies, mostly ya, but never something this twisted and mind blowing. When you read the plot and you see that the Church is ruling the world you get wrapped up in curiosity.
Can’t help admiring this author for taking such a taboo argument, like the church, and using it to create a fascinating YA fantasy.
While reading I felt like I was thrown back in time, during the first crusade, during the dark ages. The truth untold and mostly masked, the sins, the tithe and so much more has marked the church trough history. Well in this book there are punished sins, tithes, obedience, ignorance that keeps the civilians at bay. That alone is mind blowing!
Now let’s take a step back otherwise I’m going to sound confusing. This book is about a world, our world set in the future, ruled by the church, the Unified Church, and it’s main job is to make sure that the poor civilians get to live a sinless life. They also want to guarantee the survival of human race since it’s future is threatened by demons.
Demons. If you stand against the Unified Church
Well we have demons on one side, with it's degenerates (demons who have possessed a human body for so long, not getting the chance to change host, that they degenerate), and the Unified Church on the other side.
I think this series has a lot of potential and can only improve. It's characters, main and secondary, are well developed and can become even more amazing. I didn't really love the main heroine, Nina, since at times she pissed me off. Other then her love for her sister, her personality was at times childish and annoying... but she kind of grows during through out the book. Well she is forced to once the truth is out and she discovers who she really is. And at the end we start to like her, so there is some potential there. She can become a real kick-ass heroine.
Okay I'm going to end this review saying that the love part surprised me. Finn. I thought I got things figured out at the beginning but I was startled to find out the truth. I never ever read anything like that. And that's the main reason I want to read the sequel, I want to know how things are going to work out!
At the end this was a Great Read and I recommend it to all ya fantasies lovers and not ^^
This is a fast-paced book that you are going to have a hard time putting down. And when you get to the end you’re GOING TO BE eager to know more. So I’m surely going to read its sequel. There are a lot of questions and I can’t wait for them to be revealed.
I’ve never read anything of this author’s but I think I’m going to amend.
Like I said the most amazing thing about this book was it’s originality. I’ve read many fantasies, mostly ya, but never something this twisted and mind blowing. When you read the plot and you see that the Church is ruling the world you get wrapped up in curiosity.
Can’t help admiring this author for taking such a taboo argument, like the church, and using it to create a fascinating YA fantasy.
While reading I felt like I was thrown back in time, during the first crusade, during the dark ages. The truth untold and mostly masked, the sins, the tithe and so much more has marked the church trough history. Well in this book there are punished sins, tithes, obedience, ignorance that keeps the civilians at bay. That alone is mind blowing!
Now let’s take a step back otherwise I’m going to sound confusing. This book is about a world, our world set in the future, ruled by the church, the Unified Church, and it’s main job is to make sure that the poor civilians get to live a sinless life. They also want to guarantee the survival of human race since it’s future is threatened by demons.
Demons. If you stand against the Unified Church
Well we have demons on one side, with it's degenerates (demons who have possessed a human body for so long, not getting the chance to change host, that they degenerate), and the Unified Church on the other side.
I think this series has a lot of potential and can only improve. It's characters, main and secondary, are well developed and can become even more amazing. I didn't really love the main heroine, Nina, since at times she pissed me off. Other then her love for her sister, her personality was at times childish and annoying... but she kind of grows during through out the book. Well she is forced to once the truth is out and she discovers who she really is. And at the end we start to like her, so there is some potential there. She can become a real kick-ass heroine.
Okay I'm going to end this review saying that the love part surprised me. Finn. I thought I got things figured out at the beginning but I was startled to find out the truth. I never ever read anything like that. And that's the main reason I want to read the sequel, I want to know how things are going to work out!
At the end this was a Great Read and I recommend it to all ya fantasies lovers and not ^^
June 8, 2015
I had the pleasure of reading an e-ARC of The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent, provided via NetGalley. It was a fantastic Paranormal/Dystopian hybrid, a combination that made for a completely captivating read.
The pacing of the story is extremely brisk, with action and plot twists abundant from the first chapter. This had me tripping over the words, unable to read fast enough to find out which direction the story and characters would take next. Often leading to me rereading paragraphs, due to my own impatience.
A balance between action and satisfying world building was perfectly struck. I often find fast paced books have to sacrifice some of the intricacy that lends itself to a fully realised fictional world, in order to carry the plot at a certain speed. Here the author managed to handle this like a pro. She found creative ways to dole out information to the reader, without it ever slowing down the story.
It boasted a colourful cast of characters, both lead and secondary. I found myself especially attached to the protagonist, Nina. The author conveyed her tough, yet sympathetic nature through a multitude of strong actions, reactions and an endearing narrative. Her burning desire to protect and nurture those she cares for was extremely well established, which had me rooting for her to triumph at every crazy turn.
It wouldn’t be a YA book without an obligatory romance for the protagonist. Though what looked at first glance to be a typically cliche romance, soon became something quite unconventional and original. The ideas and obstacles this romance raised has a great deal of potential to explore in subsequent books. I’m not a huge advocate of romance in books, because I often find them lacking or too easily given, so for me to be excited about a romance’s prospects is a refreshing change.
Overall, this was a thrilling start to a new series with lots of action, originality, and crazy revelations to offer. My only complaint? I have to wait a year for the sequel, The Flame Never Dies.
The pacing of the story is extremely brisk, with action and plot twists abundant from the first chapter. This had me tripping over the words, unable to read fast enough to find out which direction the story and characters would take next. Often leading to me rereading paragraphs, due to my own impatience.
A balance between action and satisfying world building was perfectly struck. I often find fast paced books have to sacrifice some of the intricacy that lends itself to a fully realised fictional world, in order to carry the plot at a certain speed. Here the author managed to handle this like a pro. She found creative ways to dole out information to the reader, without it ever slowing down the story.
It boasted a colourful cast of characters, both lead and secondary. I found myself especially attached to the protagonist, Nina. The author conveyed her tough, yet sympathetic nature through a multitude of strong actions, reactions and an endearing narrative. Her burning desire to protect and nurture those she cares for was extremely well established, which had me rooting for her to triumph at every crazy turn.
It wouldn’t be a YA book without an obligatory romance for the protagonist. Though what looked at first glance to be a typically cliche romance, soon became something quite unconventional and original. The ideas and obstacles this romance raised has a great deal of potential to explore in subsequent books. I’m not a huge advocate of romance in books, because I often find them lacking or too easily given, so for me to be excited about a romance’s prospects is a refreshing change.
Overall, this was a thrilling start to a new series with lots of action, originality, and crazy revelations to offer. My only complaint? I have to wait a year for the sequel, The Flame Never Dies.
August 31, 2016
Oh my goodness, I absolutely freaking LOVED this book! It was so badass and unlike anything I've read before. Demons, exorcists and degenerates made for one hell of a story that I just couldn't put down. I loved everything about the concept, it drew me in from the very beginning and kept me constantly guessing as to what could possibly happen next. I also quite enjoyed that certain parts of the story (I won't say which so as not to spoil it) mirror society in a startling way, it made the story all that more enjoyable. Really I couldn't have loved this book more and I'm absolutely dying to get my hands on the next in the series!
June 20, 2015
ARC kindly provided via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
If I had to give one reason why I liked this book so much, I would have to go for originality. I've read lots of fantasy YAs and I'm sure there are people who have read much more than I have, but I think this book manages to surprise and be a breath of fresh air in a genre that is almost saturated. Degenerates -possessed people- isn't something you easily come across in YAs, or at least I know I haven't. TSNR is a very well-developed book. I found the whole concept quite disturbing, and I imagined the degenerates look and move like really fast zombies or that girl from the Grudge.
Creepy! See what I mean?
But I don't have to give only one reason for liking the book. I loved the countless twists. The story took all kinds of unexpected turns I never saw coming.
For once, we have a heroine that is not the strongest creature on this planet. She has her share of special abilities, of course, but she's not better than everybody else. In fact, she's quite flawed (and I love flawed characters), but nice and relatable at the same time.
Throw in a cute (and quite unique I have to say) love interest and there you have it! A very, very good mix. In all honesty, I wasn't wowed by the romance, nice as it was -it all happened a bit too fast for me- but it's not what this book is about anyway.
It's been a while since I read this book. Letting weeks pass between reading and reviewing a book is always a bad idea, but I'm going through a very hard period in my life - and I can't help but feel that this influences my ratings.
In any case, this is highly recommended! If you're a fan of the genre, you are definitely going to enjoy this. :)
If I had to give one reason why I liked this book so much, I would have to go for originality. I've read lots of fantasy YAs and I'm sure there are people who have read much more than I have, but I think this book manages to surprise and be a breath of fresh air in a genre that is almost saturated. Degenerates -possessed people- isn't something you easily come across in YAs, or at least I know I haven't. TSNR is a very well-developed book. I found the whole concept quite disturbing, and I imagined the degenerates look and move like really fast zombies or that girl from the Grudge.
Creepy! See what I mean?
But I don't have to give only one reason for liking the book. I loved the countless twists. The story took all kinds of unexpected turns I never saw coming.
For once, we have a heroine that is not the strongest creature on this planet. She has her share of special abilities, of course, but she's not better than everybody else. In fact, she's quite flawed (and I love flawed characters), but nice and relatable at the same time.
Throw in a cute (and quite unique I have to say) love interest and there you have it! A very, very good mix. In all honesty, I wasn't wowed by the romance, nice as it was -it all happened a bit too fast for me- but it's not what this book is about anyway.
It's been a while since I read this book. Letting weeks pass between reading and reviewing a book is always a bad idea, but I'm going through a very hard period in my life - and I can't help but feel that this influences my ratings.
In any case, this is highly recommended! If you're a fan of the genre, you are definitely going to enjoy this. :)
January 14, 2021
I’m about to break one of my rules: rating a book 5 stars for entertainment. This didn’t personally affect me like many other 5-star reads, but damn if it wasn't an amazing ride.
One word: ADDICTING.
You know what I love? When authors take two overused genres, mix them together, drop the silly tropes and work their magic.
And so a hybrid is born!
Truth is, paranormal and dystopian are some of my favorite things to read when it’s done right. I give both these genres a tough time and like to nitpick at how cliché they are.
After reading hundreds of them, they all feel formulaic and that’s why I’ve reached more toward contemporaries this year.
But when these books are well-written, the result is amazing.
It’s almost always addicting and surprising, the kind of stories you read in one sitting.
Every once in a while a book surprises me, a beautiful hybrid that gives me everything I want and hope for originality in YA. This is that book.
The stars never rise is a paranormal novel set in the future. It features demons, and the world is run by a church who punish those who sin. The exorcists have extinguished most of the creatures, but still the town of New Temperance is unsafe.
Our main character Nina lives with her younger sister and addict mother, trying to hide her home situation from the church. Money is running low and it's too much for her to handle.
It’s only a year left before Nina turns 18 and can start a new life far away, but then her sister reveals a secret that puts them all in danger.
This is just a short rundown of the start of the book, in reality so much happens, I could barely catch my breath.
There are demons and magic and so many secrets. It’s the most addicting, fast-paced and possibly most entertaining book I’ve read all year.
It's like all those common plots baked into one book become unique? I can see shades of several YA books here, and yet I was never bored or rolling my eyes. I haven't seen this particular take on a paranormal dystopian before, and that's what made me appreciate The stars never rise so much.
We enter a very dark world, where small kids are forced to kneel outside in the rain several hours because their tongue slipped, where our MC trades the only thing she thinks has of worth for food, where there is no escape.
On one side there is the church who will punish those who sin, on the other are the rogue demons ready to use their bodies as vessels.
It's a little scary, very engaging and well-rounded.
Although the characters aren't the strongest part of this book, I still really enjoyed them. They're believable, as teens who have had to fend for themselves and are now on the run. It's hard for the group to stick together, but they all matter and have a solid backstory.
The twists and turns are thrown at you, and I was overwhelmed by how amazing it was.
I found the plot to be very refreshing and full of surprises. I flew through it and can't wait for the sequel.
There's not an excessive amount of world-building or facts about demons.
Perhaps the best thing about this is how balanced it felt. No dull moments, characters or cheap plot devices.
I stayed up late at night reading because I was so worried about the faith of these poor kids!
Highly recommended to most people who crave a good paranormal book, or just an unputdownable read.
One word: ADDICTING.
You know what I love? When authors take two overused genres, mix them together, drop the silly tropes and work their magic.
And so a hybrid is born!
Truth is, paranormal and dystopian are some of my favorite things to read when it’s done right. I give both these genres a tough time and like to nitpick at how cliché they are.
After reading hundreds of them, they all feel formulaic and that’s why I’ve reached more toward contemporaries this year.
But when these books are well-written, the result is amazing.
It’s almost always addicting and surprising, the kind of stories you read in one sitting.
Every once in a while a book surprises me, a beautiful hybrid that gives me everything I want and hope for originality in YA. This is that book.
The stars never rise is a paranormal novel set in the future. It features demons, and the world is run by a church who punish those who sin. The exorcists have extinguished most of the creatures, but still the town of New Temperance is unsafe.
Our main character Nina lives with her younger sister and addict mother, trying to hide her home situation from the church. Money is running low and it's too much for her to handle.
It’s only a year left before Nina turns 18 and can start a new life far away, but then her sister reveals a secret that puts them all in danger.
This is just a short rundown of the start of the book, in reality so much happens, I could barely catch my breath.
There are demons and magic and so many secrets. It’s the most addicting, fast-paced and possibly most entertaining book I’ve read all year.
It's like all those common plots baked into one book become unique? I can see shades of several YA books here, and yet I was never bored or rolling my eyes. I haven't seen this particular take on a paranormal dystopian before, and that's what made me appreciate The stars never rise so much.
We enter a very dark world, where small kids are forced to kneel outside in the rain several hours because their tongue slipped, where our MC trades the only thing she thinks has of worth for food, where there is no escape.
On one side there is the church who will punish those who sin, on the other are the rogue demons ready to use their bodies as vessels.
It's a little scary, very engaging and well-rounded.
Although the characters aren't the strongest part of this book, I still really enjoyed them. They're believable, as teens who have had to fend for themselves and are now on the run. It's hard for the group to stick together, but they all matter and have a solid backstory.
The twists and turns are thrown at you, and I was overwhelmed by how amazing it was.
I found the plot to be very refreshing and full of surprises. I flew through it and can't wait for the sequel.
There's not an excessive amount of world-building or facts about demons.
Perhaps the best thing about this is how balanced it felt. No dull moments, characters or cheap plot devices.
I stayed up late at night reading because I was so worried about the faith of these poor kids!
Highly recommended to most people who crave a good paranormal book, or just an unputdownable read.
April 18, 2017
This is an action packed novel that will keep you turning pages. A unique premise and pretty strong characters, this is definitely a promising start to a series. 3.5 stars
This book takes place in a somewhat dystopian future, where the government is the Church, and society is now strictly controlled and must uphold almost puritan-like values. On top of that, there are demons that possess people and also exorcists. It’s quite the world.
Nina has it even worse than most people, since her mother is a drug addict. When Nina discovers her younger sister is pregnant (which is illegal), everything goes haywire and Nina finds herself in the company of a group of ragtag rogue exorcists.
So yeah, there is a ton going on here, at least plot wise. It’s definitely one that had me interested the whole time, wanting to get some answers.
The religious aspect scared me a bit, as I’m not one who really likes religion mixed in with fantasy, but it’s weaved in well here.
The first few chapters, I was nervous about this one. There’s a lot of setup and world building that has to be done quickly, but once it got into the plot it started to become quite an entertaining story.
The characters are pretty strong, Nina included. I loved the group, I loved Melanie, and Nina’s love for her sister. Only critique there is the bit of girl hate towards Devi, who seemed to be the token bitchy female character.
The romance is not my favorite thing. It’s very quick, borderline instalove. It’s not bad, but definitely one of the weaker aspects of the story.
Also, does anyone know what this title has to do with anything?
Hoping the second book continues growing in quality. This series has a lot going for it, so I would recommend for those who like fast paced stories with a lot of plot.
This book takes place in a somewhat dystopian future, where the government is the Church, and society is now strictly controlled and must uphold almost puritan-like values. On top of that, there are demons that possess people and also exorcists. It’s quite the world.
Nina has it even worse than most people, since her mother is a drug addict. When Nina discovers her younger sister is pregnant (which is illegal), everything goes haywire and Nina finds herself in the company of a group of ragtag rogue exorcists.
So yeah, there is a ton going on here, at least plot wise. It’s definitely one that had me interested the whole time, wanting to get some answers.
The religious aspect scared me a bit, as I’m not one who really likes religion mixed in with fantasy, but it’s weaved in well here.
The first few chapters, I was nervous about this one. There’s a lot of setup and world building that has to be done quickly, but once it got into the plot it started to become quite an entertaining story.
The characters are pretty strong, Nina included. I loved the group, I loved Melanie, and Nina’s love for her sister. Only critique there is the bit of girl hate towards Devi, who seemed to be the token bitchy female character.
The romance is not my favorite thing. It’s very quick, borderline instalove. It’s not bad, but definitely one of the weaker aspects of the story.
Also, does anyone know what this title has to do with anything?
Hoping the second book continues growing in quality. This series has a lot going for it, so I would recommend for those who like fast paced stories with a lot of plot.
August 7, 2015
4.5 stars
It's official, I will read anything this woman writes. This is the third series I've read of hers and they've all been amazing.
The Stars Never Rise was entertaining as hell. It was a mix of urban fantasy and dystopia and it was amazing.
Set in a future America, The Unified Church has risen after humans lost a war with the demons, A.K.A. the Degenerates. After the war the remaining humans move to towns which are governed by the Church. Life there is very strict, the Church punishes people who sin and demands obedience from everyone there.
Nina Kane is a sixteen year old girl who's main concern is making enough money and keeping her and her sister, Melanie, safe especially since their mother is a deadbeat druggie. When Melanie reveals a secret that leads her to being taken by the Church and puts Nina in danger, Nina finds herself running from both demon and humans with a group of fugitives.
I really, really liked Nina.
Nina was a brave, bold, and kick-ass heroine. She loves her sister fiercely and does whatever it takes to keep them both fed, even if whatever it takes means selling herself.
Another thing I really liked about this book was the romance... because it's not your typical romance. I won't say too much about it, let's just say I've never really seen anything like it.
The only reason this got four instead of five stars was because there were a few parts in the middle that maybe dragged on for a little bit longer than was necessary, but other than that this book was damn near perfect. Since I have to wait practically a year for the next book, it was great that the ending wasn't really a cliffhanger. It just set up the series for the next scarier sequel. And I'm really excited.
It's official, I will read anything this woman writes. This is the third series I've read of hers and they've all been amazing.
The Stars Never Rise was entertaining as hell. It was a mix of urban fantasy and dystopia and it was amazing.
Set in a future America, The Unified Church has risen after humans lost a war with the demons, A.K.A. the Degenerates. After the war the remaining humans move to towns which are governed by the Church. Life there is very strict, the Church punishes people who sin and demands obedience from everyone there.
Nina Kane is a sixteen year old girl who's main concern is making enough money and keeping her and her sister, Melanie, safe especially since their mother is a deadbeat druggie. When Melanie reveals a secret that leads her to being taken by the Church and puts Nina in danger, Nina finds herself running from both demon and humans with a group of fugitives.
I really, really liked Nina.
"If I was about to die, I wasn't going to go out face down in the dirt"
Nina was a brave, bold, and kick-ass heroine. She loves her sister fiercely and does whatever it takes to keep them both fed, even if whatever it takes means selling herself.
"Take it off,” he repeated when I reached the last button.
Eyes still closed, I let the material slide off my shoulders, down to my elbows. His feet shuffled on the concrete floor, and I squeezed my eyes shut tighter. A second later, his fingers were there, greedy and eager. They pushed at the remaining material, shoving my bra up, squeezing, pinching.
I let it happen. I had no other way to pay.
Another thing I really liked about this book was the romance... because it's not your typical romance. I won't say too much about it, let's just say I've never really seen anything like it.
The only reason this got four instead of five stars was because there were a few parts in the middle that maybe dragged on for a little bit longer than was necessary, but other than that this book was damn near perfect. Since I have to wait practically a year for the next book, it was great that the ending wasn't really a cliffhanger. It just set up the series for the next scarier sequel. And I'm really excited.
July 14, 2015
#COYER challenge hunt item number 73: Read a book set at least 20 years in the future (5 points)
Quite fast paced, and set in a very bleak future, The Stars Never Rise is a solid start to Vincent's new series.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
Quite fast paced, and set in a very bleak future, The Stars Never Rise is a solid start to Vincent's new series.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
August 3, 2015
Holy Moly.
I was looking for a new, fresh and badass book to read and I have found it. I have been a huge fan of Rachel Vincent's novels! This book just topped the list. The concept of this story was epic. The whole instead of organ donors its soul donors, due to there not being enough to go around, thanks to the horrible demons. I love the exorcist theme, I haven't seen this much in YA and it was so refreshing! The writing in this book is what I love to see in YA. Its dark, gritty, and isn't afraid to shy away from real issues and shocking moments. This book felt so real! it felt like this whole situation could really happen and thats just testament to Rachel's slick writing.
I loved the twists and turns involving characters in this book. Finn is one of my favourite lead males of this year. His situation was so AWESOME and interesting to read (all will be revealed). I loved Nina's character! She was brave and her love for her sister was so powerful. I loved the fight scenes and action of it all.
If you guys are looking for a new fresh YA to read I would recommend this one! <3
I was looking for a new, fresh and badass book to read and I have found it. I have been a huge fan of Rachel Vincent's novels! This book just topped the list. The concept of this story was epic. The whole instead of organ donors its soul donors, due to there not being enough to go around, thanks to the horrible demons. I love the exorcist theme, I haven't seen this much in YA and it was so refreshing! The writing in this book is what I love to see in YA. Its dark, gritty, and isn't afraid to shy away from real issues and shocking moments. This book felt so real! it felt like this whole situation could really happen and thats just testament to Rachel's slick writing.
I loved the twists and turns involving characters in this book. Finn is one of my favourite lead males of this year. His situation was so AWESOME and interesting to read (all will be revealed). I loved Nina's character! She was brave and her love for her sister was so powerful. I loved the fight scenes and action of it all.
If you guys are looking for a new fresh YA to read I would recommend this one! <3
April 17, 2023
Rereading to finish the duology
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