What do you think?
Rate this book
To the outside world, Anna appears to be an ordinary high school senior...
Anna has a lot of questions. Should she pursue her desire to leave home for college and live out her dream of becoming a physicist? Or should she stay home and help care for her family, which has struggled ever since her father died in Afghanistan? Is her crush, Steve, really interested in her, or is he only using the highly intelligent Anna to try and boost his grades in school?
These questions, plus the ordinary trials and tribulations of high school, distract Anna from noticing some very... strange things that are beginning to happen to her.
For as long as Anna can remember, she has had a haphazard smattering of freckles on her arm. But these freckles are starting to change, and cause a series of unnerving hallucinations and odd side effects that only Anna seems to notice. When a strange shadow man starts to haunt her nights, she decides to go on a hunt for the truth to discover, once and for all, what is happening to her. The hallucinations continue growing stronger, however, and each new visit by the shadow man appears to become more and more threatening. Eventually, Anna realizes that she can no longer hide from her friends and family what is happening to her.
But as she shares her secret with those closest to her, Anna never imagines that her very life, and the lives of those she loves, will be put in jeopardy.
Who, or what, is Anna?
Anna has a lot of questions. Should she pursue her desire to leave home for college and live out her dream of becoming a physicist? Or should she stay home and help care for her family, which has struggled ever since her father died in Afghanistan? Is her crush, Steve, really interested in her, or is he only using the highly intelligent Anna to try and boost his grades in school?
These questions, plus the ordinary trials and tribulations of high school, distract Anna from noticing some very... strange things that are beginning to happen to her.
For as long as Anna can remember, she has had a haphazard smattering of freckles on her arm. But these freckles are starting to change, and cause a series of unnerving hallucinations and odd side effects that only Anna seems to notice. When a strange shadow man starts to haunt her nights, she decides to go on a hunt for the truth to discover, once and for all, what is happening to her. The hallucinations continue growing stronger, however, and each new visit by the shadow man appears to become more and more threatening. Eventually, Anna realizes that she can no longer hide from her friends and family what is happening to her.
But as she shares her secret with those closest to her, Anna never imagines that her very life, and the lives of those she loves, will be put in jeopardy.
Who, or what, is Anna?
374 pages, Paperback
First published August 29, 2013
18 people are currently reading
164 people want to read
About the author
Meghan Riley
3 books28 followersMeghan Riley graduated with a bachelor’s degree in English from the University of Maryland and immediately pursued her lifelong passion for the written word. Her debut novel, Anna, presented itself as a way for Riley to inspire teenage girls to expand their interests beyond the typical teenage quandaries, ultimately encouraging females toward an interest in science. She is currently hard at work on the next book in The Starseed Series.
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews
August 16, 2016
* I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
www.bookaholicbanter.com
This book was a very enjoyable read! From the very first page it started out so interesting. The writing style really captivated me and held my interest very well. It had plenty of twists and turns, romance, and just pure teenaged fun.
In the beginning of this story there were some very interesting elements going on and grabbed my attention. The middle of the story kind of started to just feel like a teenaged romance story to me instead of a science-fiction/fantasty and I felt myself starting to wonder what was going on. For a bit it was like the things that were happening to Anna were just forgotten for a while. It still held my interest because of how well it was written, I was just missing the magical/paranormal stuff that was going on.
In the last 100 pages the story really picked back up and started getting really exciting again and the element of mystery returned. It started to get really interesting! The entire story took an unexpected twist. People turned out to be not who I expected. The tables turned. Anna finds out things that will totally change her life forever.
You can tell that the author had a lot of fun writing this book and that she really put her heart and soul into the characters and the story. She took her time with the plot and didn't rush things. It was a pleasant change to actually get some background on these characters, and get to know them before just jumping in to the conclusion. This book was a great starter novel for the series. You really get to know the characters. I can't wait to dive back into the second book and see how this is all going to play out. I know it is going to be one exciting twist and follow-up.
Be forewarned that the ending is a huge cliff-hanger and you are going to want to read the next book Quintina immediately. The ending was done so well it is going to be impossible not to pick up the next book. If you love books about the universe, with an element of shock and surprise, some good, fun teenaged romance, you are really going to enjoy reading this book.
www.bookaholicbanter.com
This book was a very enjoyable read! From the very first page it started out so interesting. The writing style really captivated me and held my interest very well. It had plenty of twists and turns, romance, and just pure teenaged fun.
In the beginning of this story there were some very interesting elements going on and grabbed my attention. The middle of the story kind of started to just feel like a teenaged romance story to me instead of a science-fiction/fantasty and I felt myself starting to wonder what was going on. For a bit it was like the things that were happening to Anna were just forgotten for a while. It still held my interest because of how well it was written, I was just missing the magical/paranormal stuff that was going on.
In the last 100 pages the story really picked back up and started getting really exciting again and the element of mystery returned. It started to get really interesting! The entire story took an unexpected twist. People turned out to be not who I expected. The tables turned. Anna finds out things that will totally change her life forever.
You can tell that the author had a lot of fun writing this book and that she really put her heart and soul into the characters and the story. She took her time with the plot and didn't rush things. It was a pleasant change to actually get some background on these characters, and get to know them before just jumping in to the conclusion. This book was a great starter novel for the series. You really get to know the characters. I can't wait to dive back into the second book and see how this is all going to play out. I know it is going to be one exciting twist and follow-up.
Be forewarned that the ending is a huge cliff-hanger and you are going to want to read the next book Quintina immediately. The ending was done so well it is going to be impossible not to pick up the next book. If you love books about the universe, with an element of shock and surprise, some good, fun teenaged romance, you are really going to enjoy reading this book.
December 19, 2014
Review posted in Raves and Reads
To start off, the premise of the story is really good. Anna's freckles, her hallucinations and the weird effects on her body were downright interesting enough to grab someone's attention.
So why focus too much on her normal life?
Anna started off real good but towards the 20% of the book until the 70% of it, it was nothing but mundane. Cut those scenes and the book would still be good. Heck, it'd be a whole lot better.
The story had too much unnecessary details that kind of ruined the reading experience for me. It tried to cram experiences, new people and even prom into Anna's life.True enough, it gives Anna the authenticity for having experienced those things but it veered away from the book's promise. It was only until the end that I got a glimpse ( a glimpse!) of what Anna truly is.
I can't wait to read the second book as I am hoping for the explanations that this one wasn't able to give.
To start off, the premise of the story is really good. Anna's freckles, her hallucinations and the weird effects on her body were downright interesting enough to grab someone's attention.
So why focus too much on her normal life?
Anna started off real good but towards the 20% of the book until the 70% of it, it was nothing but mundane. Cut those scenes and the book would still be good. Heck, it'd be a whole lot better.
The story had too much unnecessary details that kind of ruined the reading experience for me. It tried to cram experiences, new people and even prom into Anna's life.True enough, it gives Anna the authenticity for having experienced those things but it veered away from the book's promise. It was only until the end that I got a glimpse ( a glimpse!) of what Anna truly is.
I can't wait to read the second book as I am hoping for the explanations that this one wasn't able to give.
April 29, 2016
*I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
My Synopsis:
Anna is about a typical high school teen who finds a strange scattering of freckles on her arm that has her maybe a bit concerned; and, because Anna is a typical teen, she can't help but also find herself distracted by her crush on Steve, her trouble-making adolescent brother, and an innate love for physics. But once Anna begins to experience hallucinations and horrible rashes/pain on her freckled-affected arm, she soon learns that maybe she doesn't know herself as well as she thought.
My Thoughts:
So, the first thing I thought I'd mention, was the fact that this book wasn't quite what I'd thought it to be when I'd read the original summary. I had been expecting much more in regards to fantasy, and for the book to touch on Anna's strange freckles more than just mentioning them a few times throughout. But strangely, I still really enjoyed this book. I found myself actually liking the rhythm, and though it read more like a contemporary, I didn't mind.
It's maybe about 75% through when the fantasy aspect finally starts to kick in, and things began to get more interesting. Unfortunately though, the book ends a bit abruptly, and we have to wait for book 2 to see what exactly is going on; but after this first book, I'm looking forward to seeing what happens next.
Overall, this was a pretty well-written book, and I liked that Meghan Riley seemed very well-informed when it came to science, and being that I've personally never been good with science, so everything she's written sounds right to me.
Now, in conclusion, I liked this book and can't wait to see what the next one has in store for Anna and her new discoveries! Definitely recommend!!
July 29, 2014
The biggest disappointment in reading Anna is that the story isn't quite what's advertised. The story, as suggested on the back cover, doesn't truly begin until the very end of the novel. There is a shadow man, yes, as the back cover titillatingly reveals, but he doesn't appear until 120 pages in, and even then it takes another 60 before Anna believes he is real. Really, what this novel is about is the life of a seemingly normal teenage girl named Anna who is only beginning to have somewhat weird things happen to her, but things that aren't so important as to make her forget about stuff like boys and the homecoming dance. And that's disappointing because this is a well-written book with better-developed characters than other, similar young adult novels, but its reluctance to get to the heart of its story will test the patience of its readers.
Anna is in her last year of high school at East Bank, and she can't wait to be done. Her father was killed in Afghanistan four years ago, and since then she has dropped substantially in popularity. She has only one friend, Heather. Her family is poor - they only have one cell phone for the entire house, and they have no internet and no computer. Anna's mom works as a waitress, and Anna herself works at a jewelry store. Her brother, Michael, locks himself in his bedroom playing video games and he also hangs out with kids who are into some shady activities. Anna often has to babysit him when her mom has to work, which limits her own social activities. Not that she minds. She is a good student who spends her time at home doing homework. She's very bright. In fact, her dream job involves astrophysics.
If you'll notice, that above plot summary does not involve any shadow persons. It also does not contain information about the story's main contents - a love triangle. Anna has a crush on the high school's star quarterback, Steve McCormick. Yet, of course, he has no idea she exists. That is, until she bumps into him one day and knocks his books all over the hallway. In helping him gather his things, Anna accidentally grabs the copy of Steve's physics midterm that is due the next day and only discovers this while at home. Having no access to the internet and, thus, no way to facebook him, Anna's only choice is to complete his assignment for him. When Anna tells this to Steve the next day, he becomes smitten with her, suddenly realizing the beauty behind the nerdy nobody. He asks if she will tutor him in physics and she ecstatically agrees.
Yet another boy appears. Anna joins an astronomy club through the East Bank Community College, where she meets Jared, a student from rival Milford. Jared, like Steve, is tall, handsome, athletic. Only, he plays lacrosse instead of football. He is instantly attracted to her, though she is too naive to notice. While Steve is a nice guy, perhaps a little too nice for a star quarterback (he doesn't even have an ego), Jared is also nice, but he has a little more personality. He's much more flirtatious, giving Anna the nickname of Copernicus due to her apparent astronomy genius. It seems the stuff of dreams (and cliche) that a nerdy girl with low self-esteem becomes the love interest of the two most popular boys of their respective high schools.
Now, I've given three paragraphs for plot details, when I generally stick with just one or two, and that's because there is a lot going on in this book. And I haven't even gotten to the shadow man parts. The problem is, this novel suffers a glut of plot. Anna has boy trouble. She also has a freckle formation on her arm that is shaped just like the constellation Pleiades. Her friend Heather is upset that her mom is remarrying and that Anna is being a selfish friend who won't listen to her problems. Michael is playing too many video games, and he's also getting into drugs and stealing. Anna's crush, Steve, is giving her mixed signals, and it's unclear whether he still has feelings for his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Jessica. Anna's mom is constantly under stress. Anna's arm becomes itchy and develops boils. Oh, and a shadow man visits her bedroom but her mom assures her it's just sleep paralysis.
Meghan Riley has a very pleasant, refined writing style. It helps make the book read smoothly despite all the details and plot points she throws the reader's way. There are moments that will make you chuckle, and many readers will likely fall in love with the romantic guessing game of "Who Will Anna End Up With?" I was enjoying this book immensely for a good chunk of it. But then I began to grow impatient. I began to flip to the back cover to remind myself what got me interested in reading it in the first place. This is a supernatural romance story that fails to utilize its own unique identity. In Twilight, Bella falls in love with the vampire Edward, thus making up the entirety of the plot. In The Hunger Games, Katniss is enlisted in a free-for-all death match that involves one boyfriend inside and one outside. In Divergent, Tris finds herself fighting an oppressive ruler while trying to sneak in a date with her own boyfriend. Anna, the novel and the heroine, is much smarter than all three of these, yet Riley fails to exploit her novel's unique identity. In the end, it's a story about Anna worrying about homecoming dance, about whether Steve really likes her or if she should go with Jared, and during those non-fantasy elements, it's just ordinary.
Anna is a heroine who I think is needed in the genre. She is smart. She is ambitious. The two guys she has a crush on are both very nice. She does not have a violent streak or any hints of masochism. Anna feels very real, much more fleshed out than the heroines I mentioned above. I like Anna. Not many young heroines seem to have much of an interest in being smart, yet Anna has a passion for astrophysics. She even talks passionately about facts and figures, the sort of things that would bore Bella or Katniss or Tris. Anna is a brilliant creation by Meghan Riley.
Yet in the end I have a tough time recommending this book. Those who enjoy such books as The Hunger Games and Divergent will have trouble enjoying this because of a lack of action. And while Steve and Jared make for nice romantic figures, the lack of a darkness within them also makes them less exciting. Finally, those intrigued by the premise will be sorely disappointed, as I was, when it takes Riley 350 pages to finally arrive at what was promised, but by then you will be too drained from having read Anna's ordinary life adventures. Things happen so quickly at the end that several questions arise that go unanswered, but I can't pose them without ruining what happens (and one of them is HUGE). I may or may not continue with the series, but my concern is that the sequel will follow the same formula as this - waiting until the end before it makes any meaningful advances in its story. I really hope Riley begins diving into her story proper before then.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
Anna is in her last year of high school at East Bank, and she can't wait to be done. Her father was killed in Afghanistan four years ago, and since then she has dropped substantially in popularity. She has only one friend, Heather. Her family is poor - they only have one cell phone for the entire house, and they have no internet and no computer. Anna's mom works as a waitress, and Anna herself works at a jewelry store. Her brother, Michael, locks himself in his bedroom playing video games and he also hangs out with kids who are into some shady activities. Anna often has to babysit him when her mom has to work, which limits her own social activities. Not that she minds. She is a good student who spends her time at home doing homework. She's very bright. In fact, her dream job involves astrophysics.
If you'll notice, that above plot summary does not involve any shadow persons. It also does not contain information about the story's main contents - a love triangle. Anna has a crush on the high school's star quarterback, Steve McCormick. Yet, of course, he has no idea she exists. That is, until she bumps into him one day and knocks his books all over the hallway. In helping him gather his things, Anna accidentally grabs the copy of Steve's physics midterm that is due the next day and only discovers this while at home. Having no access to the internet and, thus, no way to facebook him, Anna's only choice is to complete his assignment for him. When Anna tells this to Steve the next day, he becomes smitten with her, suddenly realizing the beauty behind the nerdy nobody. He asks if she will tutor him in physics and she ecstatically agrees.
Yet another boy appears. Anna joins an astronomy club through the East Bank Community College, where she meets Jared, a student from rival Milford. Jared, like Steve, is tall, handsome, athletic. Only, he plays lacrosse instead of football. He is instantly attracted to her, though she is too naive to notice. While Steve is a nice guy, perhaps a little too nice for a star quarterback (he doesn't even have an ego), Jared is also nice, but he has a little more personality. He's much more flirtatious, giving Anna the nickname of Copernicus due to her apparent astronomy genius. It seems the stuff of dreams (and cliche) that a nerdy girl with low self-esteem becomes the love interest of the two most popular boys of their respective high schools.
Now, I've given three paragraphs for plot details, when I generally stick with just one or two, and that's because there is a lot going on in this book. And I haven't even gotten to the shadow man parts. The problem is, this novel suffers a glut of plot. Anna has boy trouble. She also has a freckle formation on her arm that is shaped just like the constellation Pleiades. Her friend Heather is upset that her mom is remarrying and that Anna is being a selfish friend who won't listen to her problems. Michael is playing too many video games, and he's also getting into drugs and stealing. Anna's crush, Steve, is giving her mixed signals, and it's unclear whether he still has feelings for his on-again, off-again girlfriend, Jessica. Anna's mom is constantly under stress. Anna's arm becomes itchy and develops boils. Oh, and a shadow man visits her bedroom but her mom assures her it's just sleep paralysis.
Meghan Riley has a very pleasant, refined writing style. It helps make the book read smoothly despite all the details and plot points she throws the reader's way. There are moments that will make you chuckle, and many readers will likely fall in love with the romantic guessing game of "Who Will Anna End Up With?" I was enjoying this book immensely for a good chunk of it. But then I began to grow impatient. I began to flip to the back cover to remind myself what got me interested in reading it in the first place. This is a supernatural romance story that fails to utilize its own unique identity. In Twilight, Bella falls in love with the vampire Edward, thus making up the entirety of the plot. In The Hunger Games, Katniss is enlisted in a free-for-all death match that involves one boyfriend inside and one outside. In Divergent, Tris finds herself fighting an oppressive ruler while trying to sneak in a date with her own boyfriend. Anna, the novel and the heroine, is much smarter than all three of these, yet Riley fails to exploit her novel's unique identity. In the end, it's a story about Anna worrying about homecoming dance, about whether Steve really likes her or if she should go with Jared, and during those non-fantasy elements, it's just ordinary.
Anna is a heroine who I think is needed in the genre. She is smart. She is ambitious. The two guys she has a crush on are both very nice. She does not have a violent streak or any hints of masochism. Anna feels very real, much more fleshed out than the heroines I mentioned above. I like Anna. Not many young heroines seem to have much of an interest in being smart, yet Anna has a passion for astrophysics. She even talks passionately about facts and figures, the sort of things that would bore Bella or Katniss or Tris. Anna is a brilliant creation by Meghan Riley.
Yet in the end I have a tough time recommending this book. Those who enjoy such books as The Hunger Games and Divergent will have trouble enjoying this because of a lack of action. And while Steve and Jared make for nice romantic figures, the lack of a darkness within them also makes them less exciting. Finally, those intrigued by the premise will be sorely disappointed, as I was, when it takes Riley 350 pages to finally arrive at what was promised, but by then you will be too drained from having read Anna's ordinary life adventures. Things happen so quickly at the end that several questions arise that go unanswered, but I can't pose them without ruining what happens (and one of them is HUGE). I may or may not continue with the series, but my concern is that the sequel will follow the same formula as this - waiting until the end before it makes any meaningful advances in its story. I really hope Riley begins diving into her story proper before then.
*I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.*
August 26, 2018
I could not finish this book. It was too difficult to get in to. I tried and tried but just could not.
May 15, 2016
Self-proclaimed nerd and book geek, Anna Stuart struggles to navigate her senior year without being distracted by her crush on the most popular kid in school, her troublesome little brother, and strange freckles that seem to be giving her hallucinations. Anna dreams of becoming an astrophysicist, but how can she go far away for college when her mom is struggling financially and her brother can't stay out of trouble? She distracts herself from her worries by dreaming about Steve, the quarterback of the football team, and joining the Young Astronomer Program. But will it be enough to keep the visions away?
I want to make it clear that this book was way more about Anna and her high school troubles than it was about her freckles that happen to be in the shape of the constellation of Pleiades. Disclaimer: I recieved a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
One of the things I really liked about this book was that Riley used it as an opportunity to promote some things that don't get enough attention in our society. She addresses the fact that community colleges have a negative stigma but they sometimes have higher ranking programs than state schools. (The strange thing that went along with this, though, was that Anna got into Harvard and Berkely but she wants to go to her community college?!?!) Anyways, Riley also really promotes the sciences through Anna. Anna makes physics and astronomy sound easy and intriguing. Riley also builds the story up along the way to really shock the reader in the end.
Other than the fact that the book wasn't about what I thought it would be about, the book was good. Good, not great. The majority of the book was, like I said, a mostly contemporary young adult novel. The problem was that there was nothing extraordinary about Anna and her situation other than her freckles, which don't become a major part of the plot line until there are only 60 pages left of the book. She has boy troubles (alright), she worries about her brother getting into trouble (okay), and she works hard to get good grades to become an astrophysicist (pretty cool). But Anna's constant worries about climbing the social ladder bothered me. Here's this intelligent, grounded girl who has a caring best friend and a supportive mom. Even though she has so much going for her, all Anna can think about is her latest crush and what people might say about her at school. *yawn* I hope Meghan Riley will forgive me for being blunt, but Anna's life was downright monotonous to read about if you take out her strange hallucinations. If I wanted to read about high school hierarchies and common boy drama I wouldn't read at all, I'd pay more attention to people at school.
However, the events that occurred in the last 60 pages were very intriguing. Finally, the plot moved forward with Anna's hallucinations and there's finally some action. If these things had been brought up in the first 60 pages of the book I have no doubt I would have given this book a higher rating. By focusing too much on Anna's life before it gets exciting, Riley took away from her book what made it so unique.
I do think Meghan Riley holds extreme promise as a writer. Her writing style was very appealing for me, it was just what was written about that didn't hold my interest. Despite my issues with the plot, I found myself wanting to read more to see where things would go. I'm really glad I stuck through to the end because the way the first book ended definitely makes me want to read the second.
I want to make it clear that this book was way more about Anna and her high school troubles than it was about her freckles that happen to be in the shape of the constellation of Pleiades. Disclaimer: I recieved a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
One of the things I really liked about this book was that Riley used it as an opportunity to promote some things that don't get enough attention in our society. She addresses the fact that community colleges have a negative stigma but they sometimes have higher ranking programs than state schools. (The strange thing that went along with this, though, was that Anna got into Harvard and Berkely but she wants to go to her community college?!?!) Anyways, Riley also really promotes the sciences through Anna. Anna makes physics and astronomy sound easy and intriguing. Riley also builds the story up along the way to really shock the reader in the end.
Other than the fact that the book wasn't about what I thought it would be about, the book was good. Good, not great. The majority of the book was, like I said, a mostly contemporary young adult novel. The problem was that there was nothing extraordinary about Anna and her situation other than her freckles, which don't become a major part of the plot line until there are only 60 pages left of the book. She has boy troubles (alright), she worries about her brother getting into trouble (okay), and she works hard to get good grades to become an astrophysicist (pretty cool). But Anna's constant worries about climbing the social ladder bothered me. Here's this intelligent, grounded girl who has a caring best friend and a supportive mom. Even though she has so much going for her, all Anna can think about is her latest crush and what people might say about her at school. *yawn* I hope Meghan Riley will forgive me for being blunt, but Anna's life was downright monotonous to read about if you take out her strange hallucinations. If I wanted to read about high school hierarchies and common boy drama I wouldn't read at all, I'd pay more attention to people at school.
However, the events that occurred in the last 60 pages were very intriguing. Finally, the plot moved forward with Anna's hallucinations and there's finally some action. If these things had been brought up in the first 60 pages of the book I have no doubt I would have given this book a higher rating. By focusing too much on Anna's life before it gets exciting, Riley took away from her book what made it so unique.
I do think Meghan Riley holds extreme promise as a writer. Her writing style was very appealing for me, it was just what was written about that didn't hold my interest. Despite my issues with the plot, I found myself wanting to read more to see where things would go. I'm really glad I stuck through to the end because the way the first book ended definitely makes me want to read the second.
July 18, 2014
I received a copy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.
Anna is a science-fiction/paranormal YA novel and the first book in The Starseed Trilogy by Meghan Riley. It tells the story of your (apparently) ordinary teenage girl struggling with basic problems such as her high school experience and her crush on the most popular boys in her school, Steve. Only Anna is not ordinary. She has a set of freckles on her arm that resemble a constellation, which throughout the story turn out to be something else than freckles.
I liked the writing of this book, I felt like it was well written. In the second half of the book, things started to get more intense and I liked reading those chapters when Anna finally decides to take action and find out where all the strange things happening to her are coming from. Seeking help in those closest to her, Anna slowly begins to make connections and understand what is happening to her, but the realization might just put her life in danger.
I thought that this book was really slow in the beginning. Sure, it had to start with some insight on the main character's life but I felt like it just took too much to actually get to the central idea. However, once it did get to that part, it did feel like the book started to get more fast-paced and more interesting things started to occur. Another thing that really annoyed me was Anna's obsession with Steve in the beginning. Like Heather mentioned at some point, he was all she ever talked about, worrying about the stupidest little things over him. I get being in high school with getting your crush's attention as your number one worry but I felt like she was exaggerating. However, when her hallucinations and visions start to get worse (and after she discovers Steve might not be so nice after all), Anna does start to pay attention to more important things rather than her crush.
Overall, I liked the plot of this book. The apparitions of the Shadow Man were very intriguing, keeping the pressure high at several points throughout the book. I was actually very excited every time he appeared because I was curious to see what would happen next. I also liked the character of Jared a lot, that is until the big revelation in the ending. I was a bit disappointed with that plot twist, not because it wasn't good, but because I really liked Jared so you can only imagine my feelings when I found out the truth.
I give this book three stars simply because I think it can get a lot better since it has a lot of potential. I was a little bit intrigued by the ending, therefor I think I can say that I would like to check out the sequel as well, when it does come out. I think Ms. Riley did a great job with this book and it looks like the beginning of a very promising trilogy. I recommend Anna to fans of science-fiction and paranormal/mystery.
Anna is a science-fiction/paranormal YA novel and the first book in The Starseed Trilogy by Meghan Riley. It tells the story of your (apparently) ordinary teenage girl struggling with basic problems such as her high school experience and her crush on the most popular boys in her school, Steve. Only Anna is not ordinary. She has a set of freckles on her arm that resemble a constellation, which throughout the story turn out to be something else than freckles.
I liked the writing of this book, I felt like it was well written. In the second half of the book, things started to get more intense and I liked reading those chapters when Anna finally decides to take action and find out where all the strange things happening to her are coming from. Seeking help in those closest to her, Anna slowly begins to make connections and understand what is happening to her, but the realization might just put her life in danger.
I thought that this book was really slow in the beginning. Sure, it had to start with some insight on the main character's life but I felt like it just took too much to actually get to the central idea. However, once it did get to that part, it did feel like the book started to get more fast-paced and more interesting things started to occur. Another thing that really annoyed me was Anna's obsession with Steve in the beginning. Like Heather mentioned at some point, he was all she ever talked about, worrying about the stupidest little things over him. I get being in high school with getting your crush's attention as your number one worry but I felt like she was exaggerating. However, when her hallucinations and visions start to get worse (and after she discovers Steve might not be so nice after all), Anna does start to pay attention to more important things rather than her crush.
Overall, I liked the plot of this book. The apparitions of the Shadow Man were very intriguing, keeping the pressure high at several points throughout the book. I was actually very excited every time he appeared because I was curious to see what would happen next. I also liked the character of Jared a lot, that is until the big revelation in the ending. I was a bit disappointed with that plot twist, not because it wasn't good, but because I really liked Jared so you can only imagine my feelings when I found out the truth.
I give this book three stars simply because I think it can get a lot better since it has a lot of potential. I was a little bit intrigued by the ending, therefor I think I can say that I would like to check out the sequel as well, when it does come out. I think Ms. Riley did a great job with this book and it looks like the beginning of a very promising trilogy. I recommend Anna to fans of science-fiction and paranormal/mystery.
August 10, 2014
Anna Stuart has a typical life—a best friend, an annoying little brother and a serious crush on the school golden boy. But life starts to become not so typical when the freckles she’s always had on her arm, start to change and multiply. And they just so happen to be in the exact shape of a constellation of stars called the Pleiades. If that’s not strange enough, at night her freckles start it itch and bring on hallucinations of another world and she is also being stalked by a shadow man that seems to be making the dreams worse. She sees visions of a strange place with purple leaves and a man with striking blue eyes—of a place that feels so familiar. Visions that feel more like memories than anything else. Anna has to deal with all of this while taking care of her little brother and while getting closer to her dream guy, Steve, and not tipping off the world that she might actually be going crazy. Life has definitely gotten more complicated for the science loving Anna Stuart.
This story handles a lot of different storylines, that really pull together nicely in the end. Anna has so much going on in her life that everything seems a little hectic; but this book makes all those different aspects necessary and important, which is something I think a lot of books fail at. I loved how passionate Anna was about science—being a science geek myself, that really resonated with me. Anna is just your average teenage girl, trying to deal with a very abnormal situation. She shows great strength by the end of the book and really demonstrates her most shining quality—love for her family.
This book is not your typical paranormal read. It reads very much like a contemporary novel, with only a smattering of paranormal pieces until it all comes together in the very end. But it all worked out really well for the story. I think this book would be great for someone who is just branching out into the paranormal world. It gives you just enough without being too overwhelming. It had me guessing the whole time about what this story was really about. I loved how it wasn’t all laid out for you; you had to think a bit.
Overall this is an entertaining read that I think would appeal to a variety of readers. I would definitely continue this series and can’t wait to see what happens next!
This story handles a lot of different storylines, that really pull together nicely in the end. Anna has so much going on in her life that everything seems a little hectic; but this book makes all those different aspects necessary and important, which is something I think a lot of books fail at. I loved how passionate Anna was about science—being a science geek myself, that really resonated with me. Anna is just your average teenage girl, trying to deal with a very abnormal situation. She shows great strength by the end of the book and really demonstrates her most shining quality—love for her family.
This book is not your typical paranormal read. It reads very much like a contemporary novel, with only a smattering of paranormal pieces until it all comes together in the very end. But it all worked out really well for the story. I think this book would be great for someone who is just branching out into the paranormal world. It gives you just enough without being too overwhelming. It had me guessing the whole time about what this story was really about. I loved how it wasn’t all laid out for you; you had to think a bit.
Overall this is an entertaining read that I think would appeal to a variety of readers. I would definitely continue this series and can’t wait to see what happens next!
August 2, 2014
Not quite 4 stars, but since I don’t do half ratings 4 stars will suffice, and it was more Good than Okay.
Anna is a typical teenager, who loves astronomy and wants to become an astrophysicist one day. First off, this book read more like a YA/Contemporary with a little Science-Fiction thrown in. I’d hazard to say that 75% of this book was about Anna’s high school experiences and all around life in general. If you remove the ending and the few glimpses of the shadow man, then what you get is a good story about a girl who goes through what normal teen girls deal with on a daily basis. She is a smart girl who can’t wait to graduate and go off to college and conquer her dreams. Her home life is not really different, they are barely making it, but where does it say that the protagonist has to have it all? I really loved her character and the author did an amazing job with writing this part of the story.
Now, the description of this book had me thinking that this was going to be a sci-fi bonanza. Not even close. Anna has these freckles on her arm that are suddenly changing formation and she can’t decide if she is hallucinating a strange man following her. It takes some time for these aspects to come to fruition. That being said, it totally threw me off of what the plot is supposed to be about. I’m guessing that this book is more like a prequel for the next book because we only get a snippet of what The Starseed Series is about. Surely the world building and action will happen in the next book?
I’m not a fan of love triangles. I can’t stress that enough. Anna has these two handsome guys to choose from, Steve and Jared. Yes, even nerdy/geeky protagonists can have two swoon worthy guys pining for her affection. Who knew? If you take away the freckles on Anna’s arm and the shadow man, you have your basic contemporary novel. I love the writing style of this book but there are a plethora of things to deal with. I would like to read the next book to see if the author gives more to this story in terms of action and sci-fi because I didn’t feel like I was reading what the description says. Recommend? Probably, because it’s not a bad read. I may not have gotten what I expected but Anna’s story is written well.
Anna is a typical teenager, who loves astronomy and wants to become an astrophysicist one day. First off, this book read more like a YA/Contemporary with a little Science-Fiction thrown in. I’d hazard to say that 75% of this book was about Anna’s high school experiences and all around life in general. If you remove the ending and the few glimpses of the shadow man, then what you get is a good story about a girl who goes through what normal teen girls deal with on a daily basis. She is a smart girl who can’t wait to graduate and go off to college and conquer her dreams. Her home life is not really different, they are barely making it, but where does it say that the protagonist has to have it all? I really loved her character and the author did an amazing job with writing this part of the story.
Now, the description of this book had me thinking that this was going to be a sci-fi bonanza. Not even close. Anna has these freckles on her arm that are suddenly changing formation and she can’t decide if she is hallucinating a strange man following her. It takes some time for these aspects to come to fruition. That being said, it totally threw me off of what the plot is supposed to be about. I’m guessing that this book is more like a prequel for the next book because we only get a snippet of what The Starseed Series is about. Surely the world building and action will happen in the next book?
I’m not a fan of love triangles. I can’t stress that enough. Anna has these two handsome guys to choose from, Steve and Jared. Yes, even nerdy/geeky protagonists can have two swoon worthy guys pining for her affection. Who knew? If you take away the freckles on Anna’s arm and the shadow man, you have your basic contemporary novel. I love the writing style of this book but there are a plethora of things to deal with. I would like to read the next book to see if the author gives more to this story in terms of action and sci-fi because I didn’t feel like I was reading what the description says. Recommend? Probably, because it’s not a bad read. I may not have gotten what I expected but Anna’s story is written well.
May 26, 2016
**I received this book in exchange for an honest review**
I was so excited to read this book, the little snippet on the back didn't give away a lot so I didn't know where the story was going to go.
Synopsis:
The book starts out going through Anna's senior year of high school. She lives with her mom and younger brother, her father is deceased. She is very intelligent and is trying to get valedictorian and then go on to college for astrophysics. The author does an amazing job of knowing all of the scientific facts she puts into the book. I was amazed by the detail she would have Anna go into sometime. It is a lot of fun to see an intelligent female character who can just easily talk about scientific theories. She is not one of the "popular" people but she has a crush on the all star quarter back, Steve McCormick. I won't go into to much detail but some crazy stuff starts to happen to Anna and she thinks that she is going crazy or suffering from PTSD. I don't want to give away to much so I'll end it there.
Thoughts:
The story progresses very slowly, it was around page 200 that the author actually started to get into the story line. The majority of the characters were also very one dimensional. You don't see very much progress for any of them. I also got very angry with a lot of the reactions that Anna had or things that she did. To me she acted more of a freshman than a senior in high school. She was utterly obsessed with Steve and that got annoying. Once the story starts to pick up it is hard to put the book down. The author is also very good at making you feel what Anna feels though. That is one of the qualities of a good book. Actually being able to feel the same emotions and envision the scenery is needed in a book and the author nailed that part. I gave the book four stars because the ending was so good (THAT PLOT TWIST THOUGH) If it had picked up faster and there was more character development this would have gotten five stars. I would recommend this book but you only have to make it through 200 pages of Anna thinking about Steve and Michael being an annoying little brother. I can't wait to read the second book!
I was so excited to read this book, the little snippet on the back didn't give away a lot so I didn't know where the story was going to go.
Synopsis:
The book starts out going through Anna's senior year of high school. She lives with her mom and younger brother, her father is deceased. She is very intelligent and is trying to get valedictorian and then go on to college for astrophysics. The author does an amazing job of knowing all of the scientific facts she puts into the book. I was amazed by the detail she would have Anna go into sometime. It is a lot of fun to see an intelligent female character who can just easily talk about scientific theories. She is not one of the "popular" people but she has a crush on the all star quarter back, Steve McCormick. I won't go into to much detail but some crazy stuff starts to happen to Anna and she thinks that she is going crazy or suffering from PTSD. I don't want to give away to much so I'll end it there.
Thoughts:
The story progresses very slowly, it was around page 200 that the author actually started to get into the story line. The majority of the characters were also very one dimensional. You don't see very much progress for any of them. I also got very angry with a lot of the reactions that Anna had or things that she did. To me she acted more of a freshman than a senior in high school. She was utterly obsessed with Steve and that got annoying. Once the story starts to pick up it is hard to put the book down. The author is also very good at making you feel what Anna feels though. That is one of the qualities of a good book. Actually being able to feel the same emotions and envision the scenery is needed in a book and the author nailed that part. I gave the book four stars because the ending was so good (THAT PLOT TWIST THOUGH) If it had picked up faster and there was more character development this would have gotten five stars. I would recommend this book but you only have to make it through 200 pages of Anna thinking about Steve and Michael being an annoying little brother. I can't wait to read the second book!
February 11, 2018
Different but interesting
I was pleasantly surprised with "Anna". The storyline had a different approach to aliens that I found fascinating. Characters are well developed and interesting in a quirky way.
I enjoyed reading this so much that I will definitely be reading the next book in the series when it hits the bookshelf.
I was pleasantly surprised with "Anna". The storyline had a different approach to aliens that I found fascinating. Characters are well developed and interesting in a quirky way.
I enjoyed reading this so much that I will definitely be reading the next book in the series when it hits the bookshelf.
November 20, 2013
This is the first book ive read from this author but i really enjoyed it. I havent read a book about space in a while and never with such strong astronomy references but i found this book amazing.
First off, the story line was very interesting...once it started taking off. A lot of the book was describing Anna's day to day & i didn't find a lot of plot building at first. The synopsis gives hints about some supernatural elements...but when they surface in the book i found them sorta questionable. Towards the end however there is a huge twist and you realize exactly what's going on. I guess my description here may sound confusing...but once you start reading you'll probably understand. In the end, i very much appreciated all the detail and description that was put into the beginning of the story.
The characters were written awesome. My faves were Anna herself along with Steve and Jared (cough, cough). I also liked Heather and Andela. I disliked Michael and most of his friends, lol. As far as Anna's role, i think see was very well written and realistic. She has pretty strong morals and a love for science, which i can def appreciate. She did show slight signs of immaturity...but she is a teenager.
This author's writing overall was very detailed and descriptive. A few times she mentioned someones facial expression or outfit, which had nothing to do with the actual story line but it really does enhance my visual of the scene in my head. On the dreams and daydreams parts, i could clearly see, hear, smell & feel the scene. The author did an excellent job in that area.
Overall, i didn't really find anything wrong with the story. The ending was a slight cliffhanger....and of course, the next book isn't out. Haha, why do i always do this to myself? Lol. Im excited for book 2 though. Id recommended this to anyone who likes space books, science or ya in general. It does have a lot of astronomy and science but its overall story should have a wide appeal. There was no drinking or sex, only a slight reference to drugs.
First off, the story line was very interesting...once it started taking off. A lot of the book was describing Anna's day to day & i didn't find a lot of plot building at first. The synopsis gives hints about some supernatural elements...but when they surface in the book i found them sorta questionable. Towards the end however there is a huge twist and you realize exactly what's going on. I guess my description here may sound confusing...but once you start reading you'll probably understand. In the end, i very much appreciated all the detail and description that was put into the beginning of the story.
The characters were written awesome. My faves were Anna herself along with Steve and Jared (cough, cough). I also liked Heather and Andela. I disliked Michael and most of his friends, lol. As far as Anna's role, i think see was very well written and realistic. She has pretty strong morals and a love for science, which i can def appreciate. She did show slight signs of immaturity...but she is a teenager.
This author's writing overall was very detailed and descriptive. A few times she mentioned someones facial expression or outfit, which had nothing to do with the actual story line but it really does enhance my visual of the scene in my head. On the dreams and daydreams parts, i could clearly see, hear, smell & feel the scene. The author did an excellent job in that area.
Overall, i didn't really find anything wrong with the story. The ending was a slight cliffhanger....and of course, the next book isn't out. Haha, why do i always do this to myself? Lol. Im excited for book 2 though. Id recommended this to anyone who likes space books, science or ya in general. It does have a lot of astronomy and science but its overall story should have a wide appeal. There was no drinking or sex, only a slight reference to drugs.
July 27, 2014
Anna is a well written YA novel. Anna isn't your typical high school senior The first clue that you get the Anna isn't average, is the cluster of freckles on her arm that look like a cluster of stars. Anne is living the normal teen age life, trying to get through senior year, crushing on the most popular boy in school. You know all the teen age stuff that goes on. Her brothers annoying her and the popular cliché giving her hassle . But who knew her life was going to change forever. When the poor girl starts to hallucinate and sees the shadow man. Who is this shadow man and who is Jared and what is up with him Also does Steven really like her. You try and figure out who or what Anna actually is .
Meghan takes us on a journey through the life of a typical well not so typical teenager with a gift. Her characters are well written and life like. You feel like you are part of the family. Then she takes a twist and you want to find out who the man in the corner is that is watching over Anna and is she really hallucinating or is it real. You honestly don't really know who is actually a good guy and who is the bad guy.The characters are that well written. One minute you are loving Steve, thinking that he is such a sweet guy or is he jus using her. You really kind a want to smack him up the head a few times in the book. That makes a great character if you can love him one moment and then want to smack him upside the head in the next breathe,
The author has the angst of teenagers down pat, the flow of the book was great. It kept me turning pages all night, Even though it was a YA book to me I really liked it. It has romance, mystery and some sci fi aspects to it. It will keep your teens reading all night long. When they are trying to figure it all out. The author will keep you wanting more. So if you have a teen looking for something to read or if you just want a book to read while out relaxing by the pool , Check it out ,
April 26, 2016
Disclaimer: I received this book in exchange for an honest review.
I wasn't really sure what to expect when I began reading. I was pleasantly surprised. It's one of those books you can't put down, but not because of a bunch of crazy action but because you just want to know what happens next. Yet, it is slow to answer any questions. By the time you find out the reasons behind some of the things going on with Anna the book ends and you are left with a million more questions.
The book is basically about a teenage girl that notices the freckles on her arm are different (No spoilers) and might be the root of her problems. It focuses on her everyday interactions with her friends in school, her crush, her mother, and her brother. It has great flow and the conversations between the characters are not boring. However, I still don't know how I feel about the main character. Even though she has a strong sense of family and would clearly do anything to protect them, I don't know how I feel about her with her other relationships. Don't get me wrong, I like her, I just wished she acted different in certain situations.
What I like the most about the book is the astronomy aspect of it. Even though the story has a longs way to go to actually explain most things related to this topic, it's different. It's nice to have a YA book that doesn't just focus on supernatural or dystopian elements. The universe is enormous, and this premise seems promising.
Meghan Riley did a great job. Her use of imagery is great, you can see and feel what the main character is going through. The writing itself is great. I do wish that there was more answers and background relevant to the premise of the book and less everyday descriptions, but I still enjoyed the book. I can't wait for the sequel. I recommend this novel to fans of contemporary YA who don't mind sci-fi. Check it out!
I wasn't really sure what to expect when I began reading. I was pleasantly surprised. It's one of those books you can't put down, but not because of a bunch of crazy action but because you just want to know what happens next. Yet, it is slow to answer any questions. By the time you find out the reasons behind some of the things going on with Anna the book ends and you are left with a million more questions.
The book is basically about a teenage girl that notices the freckles on her arm are different (No spoilers) and might be the root of her problems. It focuses on her everyday interactions with her friends in school, her crush, her mother, and her brother. It has great flow and the conversations between the characters are not boring. However, I still don't know how I feel about the main character. Even though she has a strong sense of family and would clearly do anything to protect them, I don't know how I feel about her with her other relationships. Don't get me wrong, I like her, I just wished she acted different in certain situations.
What I like the most about the book is the astronomy aspect of it. Even though the story has a longs way to go to actually explain most things related to this topic, it's different. It's nice to have a YA book that doesn't just focus on supernatural or dystopian elements. The universe is enormous, and this premise seems promising.
Meghan Riley did a great job. Her use of imagery is great, you can see and feel what the main character is going through. The writing itself is great. I do wish that there was more answers and background relevant to the premise of the book and less everyday descriptions, but I still enjoyed the book. I can't wait for the sequel. I recommend this novel to fans of contemporary YA who don't mind sci-fi. Check it out!
May 31, 2015
First of all, let me start by saying that I'm not usually a big fan of the paranormal genre but the description intrigued me so I went ahead and took a chance on it.
I really enjoyed reading about Anna's life as a regular high school senior, her crush, her friends and everything that surrounded her. The beginning of the book was basically a great YA read in itself. Then, as the story progressed and strange things began to happen to her, the book felt more like a thriller in my opinion. I started reading faster, eager to find out what was going to happen and I could almost feel the suspense building up.
What I loved about the book was that, even though the things that were happening to Anna were not normal, it still felt like it was something that could've just happened to anybody. I think that's part of what makes this a great story. Usually I steer away from paranormal stories because I sometimes find it hard to relate to the characters, but that wasn't the case with Anna. This book has elements that will appeal to all audiences; YA, romance, paranormal, suspense -it has a little bit of everything.
Since Anna is the first book of the series, I didn't expect to get all the answers by the end of the book, but I was very satisfied with the ending. It wasn't an awful cliffhanger but it will leave you wanting more.
I'm so glad I took a chance on Anna!
P.S. A side effect of reading this book is that I now have a newfound interest in all things astronomy!
*I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review*
August 5, 2014
(I received a free copy of this book in exchange for a review).
(This review may contain spoilers).
Ideally, I'd give this book 3.5 stars. I felt that the science fiction aspects weren't as explored as well as they could have been and although the book itself was readable, I wavered a lot between liking Anna and not really liking her very much.
There were some things about Anna that I could really empathise with, but I kind of found myself disliking her a bit more when it came to the things about the boys. I think perhaps some of it was due to just getting a summary of her interactions with Steve when they realised they had so much in common.
The other characters in the book were a bit more interesting. By the end of the book, I found Jared to be quite intriguing. I would have liked to see more of the science fiction elements explored. The marks on Anna's arm weren't really shown as much as I felt they should be.
I also liked Anna's relationship with her mother and brother, although some of her interactions with them kind of made my head spin. I couldn't tell if she really cared about them or not.
I did think there were some cliched moments in this book. The nerdy girl who forms a relationship with the quarterback is something that's seen explored a lot, but I felt that Steve was a more conflicted character than Anna herself. I think I would have preferred to see the events from his perspective, or maybe even Heather's.
I probably would read the second book in the series, partly to find out what will happen to the characters, but also, I hope book two will have more of the science fiction elements explored in it.
(This review may contain spoilers).
Ideally, I'd give this book 3.5 stars. I felt that the science fiction aspects weren't as explored as well as they could have been and although the book itself was readable, I wavered a lot between liking Anna and not really liking her very much.
There were some things about Anna that I could really empathise with, but I kind of found myself disliking her a bit more when it came to the things about the boys. I think perhaps some of it was due to just getting a summary of her interactions with Steve when they realised they had so much in common.
The other characters in the book were a bit more interesting. By the end of the book, I found Jared to be quite intriguing. I would have liked to see more of the science fiction elements explored. The marks on Anna's arm weren't really shown as much as I felt they should be.
I also liked Anna's relationship with her mother and brother, although some of her interactions with them kind of made my head spin. I couldn't tell if she really cared about them or not.
I did think there were some cliched moments in this book. The nerdy girl who forms a relationship with the quarterback is something that's seen explored a lot, but I felt that Steve was a more conflicted character than Anna herself. I think I would have preferred to see the events from his perspective, or maybe even Heather's.
I probably would read the second book in the series, partly to find out what will happen to the characters, but also, I hope book two will have more of the science fiction elements explored in it.
September 24, 2014
Anna is a normal girl with normal problems, like getting accepted in university, taking care of her family and trying to get the golden boy Steve McCormick to like her. Little does she know that soon, these will be the least of her worries.
Most of the book deals with the main character's struggles to get noticed by Steve, despite her being a nerd, standing invisible in the high school background. She wants him to notice her not just as that smart girl in his Physics class but has doubts that he may be using her to get higher grades. Those doubts are only worsened when she overhears his friends talking behind her back. Enter Jared, the handsome guy in her Astronomers program who helps her through the disappointment with his kind and forward personality. But is that all there is to him? And what is the reason behind the strange phenomenons that Anna experiences more often than not?
The author, Meghan Riley, has done a great job describing the characters, the surroundings, and tying up all the loose ends. She has created a unique plot with intriguing ideas. The characters are believable and relatable, though a little predictable at times, and the dialogue flows smoothly and naturally.
I felt that the first ten or so chapters are rather slow-paced and had to put the book down a few times, but I am glad I continued reading. The ending was amazing - the scary but exciting turn of events made me want to get my hands on the next book and read it as soon as possible. I would recommend this book to all Teen fiction, Romance and Science Fiction fans, for there is something in there for everyone.
Most of the book deals with the main character's struggles to get noticed by Steve, despite her being a nerd, standing invisible in the high school background. She wants him to notice her not just as that smart girl in his Physics class but has doubts that he may be using her to get higher grades. Those doubts are only worsened when she overhears his friends talking behind her back. Enter Jared, the handsome guy in her Astronomers program who helps her through the disappointment with his kind and forward personality. But is that all there is to him? And what is the reason behind the strange phenomenons that Anna experiences more often than not?
The author, Meghan Riley, has done a great job describing the characters, the surroundings, and tying up all the loose ends. She has created a unique plot with intriguing ideas. The characters are believable and relatable, though a little predictable at times, and the dialogue flows smoothly and naturally.
I felt that the first ten or so chapters are rather slow-paced and had to put the book down a few times, but I am glad I continued reading. The ending was amazing - the scary but exciting turn of events made me want to get my hands on the next book and read it as soon as possible. I would recommend this book to all Teen fiction, Romance and Science Fiction fans, for there is something in there for everyone.
November 13, 2013
This was a well written YA book that built the suspense slowly, perhaps too slowly at times.
The story centres around Anna, a young girl in her senior year, who has some spots/freckles on her arm that look like a constellation of stars. This is the first clue that you get in the story about what will happen. A majority of the story revolves around Anna and her life as a teen and the normal everyday issues that can be associated with that, the crush on the popular boy, the popular girls in school (who are stereotypically not very nice!), does the boy like me, annoying younger brothers, what college can I get into etc.
For me the paranormal/fantasy aspect of the book was secondary to the everyday issues that Anna was facing in high school. I think the reason for this, for me anyway, was the fact that you don’t get any real explanations as to what is happening to Anna until right at the end of the story when we find out why all the weird things Anna was experiencing were happening.
This also helps resolve some of the things like does Steve really like Anna, what Jared is hiding and just who or what is the ‘Shadow Man’.
Unfortunately just as the book really gripped my attention it ended! So yes this is another cliff-hanger ending story. But I would definitely say this is a book to read for any teens out there into this genre, don’t get me wrong, adults will also enjoy this book but, in my opinion anyway, it will hold a teens interest more, hence my 4 star rating from an adults viewpoint.
The story centres around Anna, a young girl in her senior year, who has some spots/freckles on her arm that look like a constellation of stars. This is the first clue that you get in the story about what will happen. A majority of the story revolves around Anna and her life as a teen and the normal everyday issues that can be associated with that, the crush on the popular boy, the popular girls in school (who are stereotypically not very nice!), does the boy like me, annoying younger brothers, what college can I get into etc.
For me the paranormal/fantasy aspect of the book was secondary to the everyday issues that Anna was facing in high school. I think the reason for this, for me anyway, was the fact that you don’t get any real explanations as to what is happening to Anna until right at the end of the story when we find out why all the weird things Anna was experiencing were happening.
This also helps resolve some of the things like does Steve really like Anna, what Jared is hiding and just who or what is the ‘Shadow Man’.
Unfortunately just as the book really gripped my attention it ended! So yes this is another cliff-hanger ending story. But I would definitely say this is a book to read for any teens out there into this genre, don’t get me wrong, adults will also enjoy this book but, in my opinion anyway, it will hold a teens interest more, hence my 4 star rating from an adults viewpoint.
September 22, 2014
Disclaimer: I received a copy of this novel from the author in exchange for an honest and unbiased review.
My Summary: Anna is just a normal high school student: she has a crush, she does well in school, loves astronomy, hates her brother's drama ... all in all, your average teenager.
Or is she? When the freckles on her arm start to change, her whole life is thrown into chaos. Her freckles - which seem to be in the exact shape of the constellation known as the Pleiades - appear to be changing and moving, causing hallucinations and waking nightmares.
Is it all in her head, or is Anna really receiving visits from a shadowy stranger at night? Could she be more connected to the stars than she thought?
My Thoughts: This novel was really not what I thought it was going to be (based on the synopsis) but it was incredibly enjoyable all the same.
I really enjoyed the writing itself - Meghan Riley definitely knows her way around a sentence. The author's use of imagery was masterful, and I really liked the way the writing pulled you in from the start.
Anna herself was an extremely likable character. She faces all the typical issues most teens face, but with the added bonus of a mystery surrounding the freckles on her arm and a dark figure that seems to be appearing to her. The mystery element was very well done, and I'm definitely gonna keep my eye out for books two and three of the trilogy.
Final Thoughts: I recommend this novel to fans of contemporary YA who don't mind a litttle sci-fi and paranormal thrown into the mix. Check it out!
My Summary: Anna is just a normal high school student: she has a crush, she does well in school, loves astronomy, hates her brother's drama ... all in all, your average teenager.
Or is she? When the freckles on her arm start to change, her whole life is thrown into chaos. Her freckles - which seem to be in the exact shape of the constellation known as the Pleiades - appear to be changing and moving, causing hallucinations and waking nightmares.
Is it all in her head, or is Anna really receiving visits from a shadowy stranger at night? Could she be more connected to the stars than she thought?
My Thoughts: This novel was really not what I thought it was going to be (based on the synopsis) but it was incredibly enjoyable all the same.
I really enjoyed the writing itself - Meghan Riley definitely knows her way around a sentence. The author's use of imagery was masterful, and I really liked the way the writing pulled you in from the start.
Anna herself was an extremely likable character. She faces all the typical issues most teens face, but with the added bonus of a mystery surrounding the freckles on her arm and a dark figure that seems to be appearing to her. The mystery element was very well done, and I'm definitely gonna keep my eye out for books two and three of the trilogy.
Final Thoughts: I recommend this novel to fans of contemporary YA who don't mind a litttle sci-fi and paranormal thrown into the mix. Check it out!
July 19, 2014
REVIEW
The author has written a wonderful story for teens. The main character, Anna, a senior in high school who lives the normal teenager life but has some rather difficult decisions to make. Anna has some markings or spots on her arm that look like the constellation of the stars. This is where the suspense and mystery start. Anna went through all the everyday things every teenager goes through. Girlfriends, boyfriends, the popular kids that weren't really all that nice. She had younger brothers that were real annoying. Any teenage girl with younger or even older brothers knows how that feels. The background for the story was done through a narrative. The book was so well written that it flowed at the right pace. It wasn't too fast nor too slow. It allowed the reader to take in what was going on and not allow the reader to become confused.
The author keeps your interest throughout the book, leaving answers about Anna until the end. You can't wait until the end when you find out about Anna and if Steve likes Anna or not and will you learn about the "Shadow Man"? or will that be in the next book.? I believe the book would be interesting for teenagers, pre-teen and adults. The interest would probably linger for teenagers since it shows some of what their lives are like. Hopefully there will be another book after this one.
I received a complimentary copy of ANNA from the author, Meghan Riley for my view of the book. No other compensation took place.
The author has written a wonderful story for teens. The main character, Anna, a senior in high school who lives the normal teenager life but has some rather difficult decisions to make. Anna has some markings or spots on her arm that look like the constellation of the stars. This is where the suspense and mystery start. Anna went through all the everyday things every teenager goes through. Girlfriends, boyfriends, the popular kids that weren't really all that nice. She had younger brothers that were real annoying. Any teenage girl with younger or even older brothers knows how that feels. The background for the story was done through a narrative. The book was so well written that it flowed at the right pace. It wasn't too fast nor too slow. It allowed the reader to take in what was going on and not allow the reader to become confused.
The author keeps your interest throughout the book, leaving answers about Anna until the end. You can't wait until the end when you find out about Anna and if Steve likes Anna or not and will you learn about the "Shadow Man"? or will that be in the next book.? I believe the book would be interesting for teenagers, pre-teen and adults. The interest would probably linger for teenagers since it shows some of what their lives are like. Hopefully there will be another book after this one.
I received a complimentary copy of ANNA from the author, Meghan Riley for my view of the book. No other compensation took place.
January 4, 2015
I would like to start this review by thanking the author for contacting me to ask if would review her book in return for an honest review and I am so glad that I said yes because it was a fantastic book
The authors writing, character and plot development were all grate and engaging, It is for this reason that I gave the book a five star rating and will both recommend it to others and buy it as a gift for family members and friends who I think will enjoy it.
The book was about a teenage girl who was dealing with the changes that were occurring in some freckles that she had on her arm and the side effects that accompanied them, hallucinations and seeing a shadow man. As well all the usual things a teenager deals with, boys, friends, school and work (as her father has died so she has to help her mum to support the family).
The authors writing throughout this book was so enthralling that I wanted to read more and was also able to see things through Anna's eyes so really felt a connection to her.
I really hope that the Author contacts me again in the future to review any more of her books especially any future books that are part of the same series as this one. If she does I will snap her hand off because if the quality if writing in this her debue book is anything to go by then she's going to have a very long and successful career.
The authors writing, character and plot development were all grate and engaging, It is for this reason that I gave the book a five star rating and will both recommend it to others and buy it as a gift for family members and friends who I think will enjoy it.
The book was about a teenage girl who was dealing with the changes that were occurring in some freckles that she had on her arm and the side effects that accompanied them, hallucinations and seeing a shadow man. As well all the usual things a teenager deals with, boys, friends, school and work (as her father has died so she has to help her mum to support the family).
The authors writing throughout this book was so enthralling that I wanted to read more and was also able to see things through Anna's eyes so really felt a connection to her.
I really hope that the Author contacts me again in the future to review any more of her books especially any future books that are part of the same series as this one. If she does I will snap her hand off because if the quality if writing in this her debue book is anything to go by then she's going to have a very long and successful career.
May 20, 2014
A fantastic beginning to what looks to be a promising young adult and science fiction series. I’m a huge fan of both and I absolutely loved this read.
Before opening the book I knew that I was going to be introduced to a young adult novel. The story begins by focusing on freckles on Anna’s arm; freckles that are likened to a star cluster. The story from there takes a decidedly mundane turn to describe the life of a normal teenager with nothing really special about her, the stock fair of many young adult novels. The interesting thing though is that this mundanity is actually something of a plot twist. The author uses this seeming normalness to set you at ease and get you comfortable before she starts twisting reality around on you. What starts as a book about a teenage girl tutoring the football hero slowly starts to turn. Is there really a man watching her from the corner while she sleeps? Are the freckles on her arm really glowing green? Or is she hallucinating it all?
This story has all the elements of a good thriller that slowly twists your reality and boggles your mind.
Anna (Book One of The Starseed Series) is a well written, intriguing page turner that left me wanting for more. I can’t wait to read Book 2 ... I need to know what happens next.
Before opening the book I knew that I was going to be introduced to a young adult novel. The story begins by focusing on freckles on Anna’s arm; freckles that are likened to a star cluster. The story from there takes a decidedly mundane turn to describe the life of a normal teenager with nothing really special about her, the stock fair of many young adult novels. The interesting thing though is that this mundanity is actually something of a plot twist. The author uses this seeming normalness to set you at ease and get you comfortable before she starts twisting reality around on you. What starts as a book about a teenage girl tutoring the football hero slowly starts to turn. Is there really a man watching her from the corner while she sleeps? Are the freckles on her arm really glowing green? Or is she hallucinating it all?
This story has all the elements of a good thriller that slowly twists your reality and boggles your mind.
Anna (Book One of The Starseed Series) is a well written, intriguing page turner that left me wanting for more. I can’t wait to read Book 2 ... I need to know what happens next.
May 12, 2016
*i received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review*
I really didn't know much about this book going into it but the small initial synopsis did sound interesting. I was expecting a total YA sci-fi book but really it was more of a contemporary/sci-fi book, and I all I can say is I really enjoyed it! Even though the sci-fi element didn't come in full force till the end of the book, it did it in a way that brought everything thing together and that the contemporary elements were there for a reason. I also like how much I related to the main character, Anna, especially looking back on my high school years. Meghan Riley's writing is very detailed, easy to follow, and engaging throughout. However, sometimes I think there was a little too much detail and that some parts of the books were pretty irrelevant to the plot and could've been left out with more focus on the sci fi and main plot of the story. I definitely still would like to read the next book and continue with the series as the ending did leave me with a lot of questions and wanting more. Overall, it was a fun read!
I really didn't know much about this book going into it but the small initial synopsis did sound interesting. I was expecting a total YA sci-fi book but really it was more of a contemporary/sci-fi book, and I all I can say is I really enjoyed it! Even though the sci-fi element didn't come in full force till the end of the book, it did it in a way that brought everything thing together and that the contemporary elements were there for a reason. I also like how much I related to the main character, Anna, especially looking back on my high school years. Meghan Riley's writing is very detailed, easy to follow, and engaging throughout. However, sometimes I think there was a little too much detail and that some parts of the books were pretty irrelevant to the plot and could've been left out with more focus on the sci fi and main plot of the story. I definitely still would like to read the next book and continue with the series as the ending did leave me with a lot of questions and wanting more. Overall, it was a fun read!
August 26, 2014
I was really intrigued by the summary of this book and knew it would definitely be my kind of story. It had a lot of the elements of a YA book but had some good sci-fi/paranormal things thrown in.
The story revolves around Anna. She's a senior in high school who has always had a love of astronomy and really wants to become an astrophysicist after college. She is going through the normal things a high school student experiences at school (like trying to get her crush to notice her), when she discovers freckles starting to appear on her arm and she starts experiencing hallucinations at night including a mysterious shadow man.
This story did take almost too long for me to really go somewhere. My interest was kept throughout the book with what was going on with Anna's life, but it really only got super action-packed and exciting right toward the end. We were definitely set up with a good cliffhanger for book 2 and I'm really excited to see where Anna's story goes.
*Copy of book provided by author in exchange for review*
The story revolves around Anna. She's a senior in high school who has always had a love of astronomy and really wants to become an astrophysicist after college. She is going through the normal things a high school student experiences at school (like trying to get her crush to notice her), when she discovers freckles starting to appear on her arm and she starts experiencing hallucinations at night including a mysterious shadow man.
This story did take almost too long for me to really go somewhere. My interest was kept throughout the book with what was going on with Anna's life, but it really only got super action-packed and exciting right toward the end. We were definitely set up with a good cliffhanger for book 2 and I'm really excited to see where Anna's story goes.
*Copy of book provided by author in exchange for review*
August 22, 2014
I received a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Throughout Anna, it seems as if it's just a normal high school and Anna is a normal girl, except for a few odd incidents. I have to admit that I was looking for a bit more excitement. There was some but it seemed few and far between. I'm not saying the book wasn't good, just that at times it didn't capture my attention fully.
The writing was really good, and strong, including descriptions. Meghan Riley has created an strong book, and if you have any interest in Astrology than it would most definitely be your type of book as Anna is very interested in Astrology.
Throughout Anna, it seemed that for every answer I got to a question, a hundred more questions popped up. Which was slightly frustrating to say the least but it also keeps readers reading, to find the answers to their questions.
Anna is the first in the Starseed Series, and was released on August 29th, 2013.
Find this review and many others at Reading Shy With Aly
Throughout Anna, it seems as if it's just a normal high school and Anna is a normal girl, except for a few odd incidents. I have to admit that I was looking for a bit more excitement. There was some but it seemed few and far between. I'm not saying the book wasn't good, just that at times it didn't capture my attention fully.
The writing was really good, and strong, including descriptions. Meghan Riley has created an strong book, and if you have any interest in Astrology than it would most definitely be your type of book as Anna is very interested in Astrology.
Throughout Anna, it seemed that for every answer I got to a question, a hundred more questions popped up. Which was slightly frustrating to say the least but it also keeps readers reading, to find the answers to their questions.
Anna is the first in the Starseed Series, and was released on August 29th, 2013.
Find this review and many others at Reading Shy With Aly
February 20, 2014
Anna (Book One of The Starseed Series) by Meghan Riley is a great beginning of what promises to be an excellent science fiction series. As a YA novel and sci-fi book I really enjoyed it.
The author did an excellent job of weaving a tale of a teenager coming of age and coming to grips with the reality of her life. The story was very interesting and easy to follow. The pace was quick which made reading even easier. I really loved the end of this book (sorry no spoilers.)
Meghan riley did a great job of developing her lead character and each of the supporting characters. I found them very believable and easy to identify with. I like the way she continued to grow the characters throughout the book.
I really enjoyed Anna by Meghan Riley and I highly recommend it to all readers.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
The author did an excellent job of weaving a tale of a teenager coming of age and coming to grips with the reality of her life. The story was very interesting and easy to follow. The pace was quick which made reading even easier. I really loved the end of this book (sorry no spoilers.)
Meghan riley did a great job of developing her lead character and each of the supporting characters. I found them very believable and easy to identify with. I like the way she continued to grow the characters throughout the book.
I really enjoyed Anna by Meghan Riley and I highly recommend it to all readers.
[Please note: I was given a free copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.]
January 14, 2014
I read this for Round Table Book Reviews
I was a little disappointed with this book. It sounded so exciting, but took too long to actually get to the crux of the story.
Anna is a very intelligent young lady, who is torn between wanting to leave home & go to college, or stay at home & help her mother look after her young brother.
We also meet Steve, who Anna has a massive crush on. She starts helping him with his Physics work.
Along the way we get glimpses of what the story really could be. Anna starts having hallucinations & visits from a “Shadow Man” all relating to the “freckles” she has on her arm. By the time the really exciting stuff starts, the book ends.
The concept is excellent, but there was way too much detail on the school days, that the end seemed rushed.
However, I did like it & hope that # 2 has a bit more depth to it.
I was a little disappointed with this book. It sounded so exciting, but took too long to actually get to the crux of the story.
Anna is a very intelligent young lady, who is torn between wanting to leave home & go to college, or stay at home & help her mother look after her young brother.
We also meet Steve, who Anna has a massive crush on. She starts helping him with his Physics work.
Along the way we get glimpses of what the story really could be. Anna starts having hallucinations & visits from a “Shadow Man” all relating to the “freckles” she has on her arm. By the time the really exciting stuff starts, the book ends.
The concept is excellent, but there was way too much detail on the school days, that the end seemed rushed.
However, I did like it & hope that # 2 has a bit more depth to it.
January 27, 2014
**reviewed for around Table Book Reviews**
This story mainly revolves around Anna. She seems like just a normal girl in her senior year of high school. She has a set of spots, or freckles as her mom has always told her, on her arm that resemble a constellation. In the beginning we get a good idea of Anna's day-to-day routine.
For me, the plot took a little while to pick up. We start to really get into the meaning of everything and all of the plot twists towards the end of the book. So the author leaves a good opening for the next book. Towards the latter part of the story is also where I started to really get into the book. Hopefully we will find the answers to a lot of the questions in the next book that are left unanswered, especially about this "shadow man" character.
Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read.
This story mainly revolves around Anna. She seems like just a normal girl in her senior year of high school. She has a set of spots, or freckles as her mom has always told her, on her arm that resemble a constellation. In the beginning we get a good idea of Anna's day-to-day routine.
For me, the plot took a little while to pick up. We start to really get into the meaning of everything and all of the plot twists towards the end of the book. So the author leaves a good opening for the next book. Towards the latter part of the story is also where I started to really get into the book. Hopefully we will find the answers to a lot of the questions in the next book that are left unanswered, especially about this "shadow man" character.
Overall, I found this to be an enjoyable read.
November 4, 2013
I didn't know what to expect from this YA book, I was intrigued by the cover and the references to the stars in the sky. The teenage youth scenes and school setting were all very well written with plenty of descriptions which were easy to imagine. The storyline was interesting, Anna was brainy and interested in astrophysics. She had a realistic crush on the leader of the boys football team and I enjoyed the on/ off romance which they both shared. The suspense and star adventure built with the story, and I was guessing right up to the end between Jared, the shadow and Steve. A cliff hanger ending had me wishing for more. Bring on the next book in the series.
July 16, 2014
I received this book for a fair review.
Anna has a lot going on here. Her dreams of being an astrophysicist is coming close to fruition. And now her crush has asked for her help in physics. Now if only her freckles hadn’t started acting weird.
I didn’t care for this novel. It was well written, but I don’t care much for cliff-hangers. Not to mention teenage romance, or the angst resulting from the lack thereof.
Anna has a lot going on here. Her dreams of being an astrophysicist is coming close to fruition. And now her crush has asked for her help in physics. Now if only her freckles hadn’t started acting weird.
I didn’t care for this novel. It was well written, but I don’t care much for cliff-hangers. Not to mention teenage romance, or the angst resulting from the lack thereof.
Displaying 1 - 30 of 34 reviews