The Boy Who Lit Up the Star

by Nik M.B.

A satirical Soviet coming-of-age book about an intimate friendship.



Sasha Gorky is a bitter, sexist ten-year-old Soviet boy who’s obsessed with becoming a ‘man.’ But to become a real man in the Soviet Union, you not only have to smoke, swear, shave your head, be nice to random chicks, and not kick other guys in the groin (even if it’s a classmate that really deserves it)—but you also have to...

Actually, what else is there that matters?

Nah, that’s pretty much it.

And Sasha follows these rules religiously, just like every other Soviet boy. So how is it possible that some goddamn American sissy like Luke can just show up one day, not having done any of those things, and still seem manlier than him? He needed to find out what the big deal was.

The Boy Who Lit Up the Star is a poignant, satirical coming-of-age tale where Sasha Gorky reminisces about that exact summer of 1986—now five years ago—when he formed his first and only intimate bond, only to spiral. Not because it was with an American boy, but because he realizes he’ll never be as happy as he was then.

496 pages, Paperback

First published December 26, 2025

About the author

Slow reader, slow writer, slow in general

Reviews

[Readergirl {hiatus}]

million of red roses by A. Pugatcheva ▶︎•|၊|။|||။၊|။||။||။ 1:27
*Turns up the volume*
*High pitched wailing and thrashing*

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

*Hour passes*
*Wailing continues*

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

Okay I'm never gonna do it if not now cuz my eyes are still blurry and I love them to fucking shreds and I want the next book soo bad in this moment rn. I don't want anything else.

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

FOR THE AUTHOR NIM CLICK HERE JST TELL ME WHATS IN THE LETTER JST LIKE WHISPER IT IN MY EAR I WONT TELL ANYONE I SWEAR I PROMISE NOT EVEN SENNY (SORRY SENNY THIS IS IMPORTANT) I'D STAY SHUT UP I PROMISE I PROMISE JST WHATS IN THE LETTER I HAVE TO HAVE TO KNOWWW

Ahem so

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

When the bitter soviet boy met the optimistic American one.... ݁₊ ⊹ . ݁ ⟡ ݁ . ⊹ ₊ ݁.

“Sasha.”
“Yeah Luke?”

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

This is genuinely one of the best things I've ever read i shit you not. And yk it's bad when all the words are there in your head like tumbling in the swirls of your mind but at the center there's a whirlpool that is this book that makes it impossible to reach those words and make it possible to write anything coherent about the book. This book is the center of my universe now and I'm jst a lowly speck that floats around transfixed in admiration of its brilliance. *I wish I had words to describe how much I love this book*

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

Sasha and Like both are such complex and well written people they're so multiple faceted and real and they have so much depth to them and it's impossible to read about them and not believe they're real. And it jst makes me went to hug my babiessss my lukesashaaaa 😭😭

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

In the beginning im afraid i didn't even like sasha and that might sound so odd to those lovely ears of your cuz I've jst been raving about them a little while ago but lemme elaborate- I didn't like him at first, he was mean and selfish and honestly rly rude. But the point it he's written to be that way he's made to be mean and rude becuz he's a person too and it's only slowly how we realize that he had always had his reasons to set up his walls, his inhibitions and his refusal to let anyone in and his obsession with becoming "a real man". but oh god sasha were you dense at times but I'm glad you got arnd in good GOOD time, yea you took your sweet sweet time didn't you

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

Lastly the ladies of this book- I love yulia. She's such a badass queen and even tho Sasha bullies the heck out of her all the time don't let anyone dim your glow girl you deserve it all all the good things.

Nastia I SOBBED FOR YOU I've always sobbed over the sad eldest daughters with the weight of the world on their young shoulders (all i can ever think about when I read such characters like her and olivia from wonder I can't help but think that you're me and I'm you) I love these beautiful women of mine there resilience and their grit and how they'd do anything to keep the family together and to keep everyone happy. They're so strong and so brave and so kind and I jst want to tell them that youre perfect and hug them for all eternity for the pain that they suffer I understand you

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

OKAY SO ALL THAT'S LEFT TO SAY IS THAT THIS BOOK IS SO CRIMINALLY UNDERRATED IF YOU DIDNT REALISE FROM ALL MY YAP LETS BLOW THIS THING UP TO COERCE ahem I MEAN MOTIVATE OUR LOVELY AUTHOR NIM TO WRITE THE SEQUEL (FASTER) CUZ I WOULD GENUINELY DIE NOT KNOWING YOU GUYS GOTTA HELP ME ABSOLUTELY BLOW THIS THING UP I SWEAR ITS AMAZING AND YOU WONT BE THE SAME PERSON AGAIN HELP A GIRLY OUT OKAY AHEM I MEAN IM SO GENUINELY CURIOUS YK FOR THE NEXT INSTALMENT OF THIS LOVELY BOOK i kid you not I WILL die if i don't get to know this

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

Was it possible the sun could offer something besides gentle, simmering rays of foolish
summer? Because in reality, even the sun wasn’t just bright and warm—it was scorching hot, waiting to burn anyone who got close enough. The sun would cup its hands to whisper a secret, and you would sit there and take it as its fingers burned through your face, just hoping that what you might hear would make those scars worth it.

⋆˚☆˖°⋆｡° ✮˖ ࣪ ⊹⋆.˚

ᯓ★𝐩𝐫𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝
My reasons to read this book-
1. Sennypop majorly glazed this books and I'm the biggest Senny glazer so i jst had to have it when I saw it (🎶I see it, I like it, I want it, I got it🎶 - random Ariana ref cuz why not) ...senny, notice me.
2. doomed Yaoi 😩
3. Sad. no further explanation required as far as I am concerned

[Sen (SIA)]

Second read:
Groan “just tell me” get me out of this car… let me out… I’m so scared for the sequel be kind to me Author Chan…

THANK YOU PRESSY FOR READING WITH ME ❤️❤️❤️❤️❤️


This is a sensitive subject for me… don’t talk to me I need space to think for a moment…

♬⋆.˚Purple Rain by Prince▶︎ •၊၊||၊|။||||။⁠၊|• 0:10 𝄞


𓇼 ⋆.˚ 𓆉 𓆝 𓆡⋆.˚ 𓇼

Ok it’s done… Ive been pestering this author for ages

IT ENDS LIKE THAT?! Nvm I don’t regret saying hurry up and write that sequel because I NEED one. We all know Senny loves a historical fiction and I normally understand why people avoid the genre but I might give this the TCFD treatment. Y’all gonna find me annoying af. Sometimes I worry that books rely too heavily on the romance but this book doesnt it makes sure that we care about more than that and we don’t just see Luke and Sasha as a couple but as two individual characters. THAT LAST LETTER IS HAUNTING ME THO PLEASE AUTHOR WHISPER WHAT IT IS IN MY EAR…. I am literally in the TikTok dms it’s like a battlefield.

One thing I also hear about a lot with books that are self published is that when publishing houses like publish them they lose their original cover and I think I would actually cry if I didn’t have this cover I feel so maternal to it. It’s a perfect cover 💔💔💔💔

I was so scared during most of this book and I was hiding from the ending but now I’m foaming at the mouth with excitement (or maybe the rabies has progressed to that stage) for the sequel and when it releases y’all already know that ya girl is dropping EVERYTHING even buddy reads to sit down and lock in.

Cmere Sasha I’m gonna give you the biggest hug ever… he’s literally my baby and I love him so much /ref. I’m gonna need more books on this in general like one that continues Luke and Sasha’s story but also one on Nastia and Vi might cure me or just like more on Luke and his life during the time that him and Sasha were sending letters back in forth. I know we did get like an idea of what happened but to know more and the definite would make me really happy.

It also mentions The Lost Boys and I LOVE vampires so I was literally the target audience for this book.

I HOPE YALL ENJOYED WATCHING ME READ THIS AND MY FREAK OUTS 👅👅👅❤️❤️❤️❤️

⊹ ࣪ ﹏𓊝﹏𓂁﹏⊹ ࣪ ˖

The emojis make sense when you read it promise

[superswagunicorn]

6 FREAKING STARS. this was so worth sleepless nights. I just read it and I already want to read it again. I’m not kidding or even trying to glaze this book. But this is probably my favorite book I’ve read this year. I got so pissed off every time I was to busy to read. Because the only thing that was going through my mind was this book. While reading this book I cried, giggled, rocked back and forth, and almost shit my pants. Which is obviously ideal reactions to a good book.

I love the characters with my whole heart. Sasha and Luke are such cutie patooties and I want to put them both in my pocket. Also them being relatable makes me love them even more.

A sequel? I NEED IT. preferably right now I am badly feining for a second book. Just so yall know the moment there is one. IM BUYING IT. I have my credit card ready. I honestly don’t care if I am busy I will be booking it to my room to lock in.

“Then tell me” YES PLEASE DO. tell US tell us NOW. I NEED TO KNOW IMMEDIATELY. WHAT DAFUQ DID HE WRITE IN THE LETTER. I AM GONNA RIP MY ORGANS OUT. I just need to know….please… PLEASE I CANT TAKE IT.

I feel like I’m two seconds away from dying and learning how to fly Idfk I think I’m tired and it’s getting to my brain


WHATS IN THE LETTER. (heh.. if anyone knows just uh hit me up )

Rips my hair out

Anywho, thank you so much Sen for recommending this book to me!! I will FOREVER be grateful 🥀

(I might redo this review cuz it kind of looks doo doo but to be fair I am tweaking while writing it so….)

[medlock]

The book is amazing, I can't even begin to describe it. Definitely one of my favorite reads ever!! The only bit of criticism I have is that there are a lot of grammatical/spelling related issues, especially after the 100 page mark. For example: Page 193, first line: "its bellow" instead of "it's below", and many others on different pages. I'd recommend getting these fixed by a professional who'd catch all the errors since this really breaks the immersion, which sucks since this book has such great imagery. With spelling errors fixed, this book is a 10/10 for sure! can't wait for the second book :)

[Joy]

An incredibly powerful and beautiful novel depicting the life of Sasha through adolescence as he experiences life in ways both unique and universal. I finished this book in one sitting because I simply couldn’t put it down. I am beyond excited for the sequel!
My absolute favorite lines would have to be: “This. This is what it means to feel homesick.” (190) and “What would I even tell them? That the sun set before summer was over?” (197) I feel like it captures Sasha and Luke’s relationship beautifully in all of its complexity and innocence.

[Penny]

This was one of the best books I have read in a while, it's something I have been looking for forever. Everything is just perfect. The storyline is easy to follow, all the characters have distinct personalities and ways of talking which makes everyone super easy to differentiate, and the plot is just amazing. The way this book was written made it very easy to get immersed in. I read it all in one sitting, and then a second time. Nik M.B, you truly did an amazing job. The end made me want to know what happens next immediately! I can't wait for book 2, and I believe it will be just as amazing as this book, maybe even better! This is a genuine 5/5 rating, if I could give it a 6 I would without a second thought! Take your time and make sure you're happy with what you create, Nik M.B, have an amazing journey in your career as an author, never give up and push through every challenge no matter how difficult it may seem. Good luck!

[Lucy]

i’ll take five more books and that backrooms story. please and thank you

[Dhita]

As I’m writing this, I haven’t finished reading the book. So far I have found it very engaging, but there are some major flaws. I’m aware the author is only 18 and the book was self published, but I’m 17 so I feel like I’m allowed to criticize. The most apparent issue is that book starts with letters addressed to Luke from Sasha. In every single letter, Luke is referred to as “He” and “Luke” instead of “you”. I have been able to ignore it for the most part. The second issue is that the tense of the story is inconsistent. I think this book has so much potential, but if you can’t ignore grammatical mistakes this probably won’t be for you.

[Piper Burns]

Planning to write a full review later, but this book is really good! I was following the author on tiktok for awhile and got the book as soon as it came out and i definitely don’t regret it.

Song on repeat while reading: Tired, Beabadoobee 🎵

Some of my favorite quotes:

“Was it possible the sun could offer something besides gentle, simmering rays of foolish summer? Because in reality, even the sun wasn’t just bright and warm—it was scorching hot, waiting to burn anyone who got close enough. The sun would cup its hands to whisper a secret, and you would sit there and take it as its fingers burned through your face, just hoping that what you might hear would make those scars worth it. “ (Pg. 90)

“At that moment, I would have chosen him to come with me over any gift in the world.” (Pg. 139)

“‘Jesus Christ you come from everywhere!’ ‘And from nowhere.’” (Pg. 154)

“But he said my name so softly that I didn’t even care if he meant it.” (Pg. 172)

“You know, I think if I’m still sad and lonely by the time I’m thirty, I’ll marry him.” (Pg. 200)

“I never told you this, but I began visiting Babushka’s dacha every possible moment, hoping it would feel the same when you were here.” (Pg. 208)

“I didn’t like summers anymore. I didn’t know if I liked you anymore either. I hated myself for even thinking of hating the idea of him.” (Pg. 209)

“God I missed you a lot. I don’t care if you don’t want to hear it because I’ll say it every time just because I can. Even if we were back there, I’d send letters saying it, cassette tapes with songs saying it, if I knew it was possible I’d save every birthday money, every stupid penny I earned babysitting a stupid mean eight year old cunt and every payout from selling music, and use it to make calls to tell you I miss you.” (Pg. 351)

“And you still do that thing where you stop writing and search the dictionary for hours for a stupidly over the top word, hoping it’s finally the one that can explain, even if just a little, of what you mean because you don’t want to go into detail about it yourself.” (Pg. 437) *oof this one hurts*

“Because of you, I think I became pretty good at reading between the lines.” “You don’t deserve to read in between lines.” (Pg. 437)

“I wrote because it was the only option, you wrote because it’s the easier one.” (Pg. 439)

[Camillaluvx]

“Then tell me.” HUH??? IT ENDS LIKE THAT??

I enjoyed this book a lot! However what drags it down a little is that there are small grammar mistakes NO SHAME TO THE AUTHOR AT ALL since I know this is a self published book and that the author was young when this was written. Also this is not my preferred writing style in general but still amazing and I found it very fun to read.

Also love the fact that it doesn’t follow the typical romance theme where they fall in love immediately and has no focus on anything other than that. I love that we get to see both Sasha and Luke as individual characters and that they aren’t rushed into anything. Love myself a good slow burn even if they don’t end up together in the end

NEED THE SEQUEL ON MY TABLE RN

[mcstermindzs]

Sarebbe belli non aver MAI imparato a leggere… Comunque ho TANTE cose di cui parlare. Prima di tutti we all miss Luke pre-lobotomy e se nel sequel non torna querelo qualcuno. GRAZIE A DIO ESISTE ANCORA GENTE CHE SCRIVE I VERI SLOWBURN!! “You were my starry eyed lover” e mi fermo qui. Yulia io ti amo e NON PENSAVO CHE L’AVREI MAI DETTO, ma actually (per la prima volta) preferisco il grumpy che fa scelte di merda al sunshine (sorry luke🙏🏼🙏🏼)

[Citlalli Vargas Contreras]

​4.5 stars

​i need the sequel immediately.

this book and ilya rozanov have officially pushed me to start learning russian.

​a beautiful coming-of-age story that explores the weight of friendship and fraternity, but more than that, it’s a delicate mapping of self-discovery, how we define ourselves through our fears and the people who orbit our lives.

[LegallyDead]

DNF @ 34%

There were just too many typos and incomprehensible sentences to force myself to push through the slow pace of the story (maybe I will continue it one day). Additionally, it confused me why the first part of the book is formulated as if it is a chronological collection of letters, when in reality, the "letters" are worded like diary entries.

I overall think it lacked any type of proofreading. The typos and grammar mistakes were way too prevalent after the 100 page mark.

[Celeste]

God finding this book was like breeding two axolotls in Minecraft and they make a blue one and in this case the two parents where catcher in the rye and Aristotle and Dante Discover the secrets of the Universe. I've spent my whole life searching for a book like this and I finally found it. There's no point in reading any other book after reading this masterpiece because you'll compare everything to it and it'll never be even remotely close.

[Nik]

Exquisite book

[leo]

I dnf it near the beginning of part 2, so I don’t know if I can say much.
It was a great book, beautiful for a debut book, but every book has its flaws.
(this is half personal bias, half feedback, again I love this author and the concept so this is not hate!)

firstly, I found the letters in the first part extremely hard to get through. in my opinion they sort of dragged and left me kind of bored, and I was unsure of what was happening a few times.

Again, I dnf it so this may pay off in the end, but I wasn’t entirely sure about the repetition of Sasha’s age, like if it had a meaning of sorts.

This may be a personal thing for me because I’m just not a huge fan of letter-based books (for example, I also found the perks of being a wallflower a bit boring to read as well.)

Lastly, this definitely needs an editor. I noticed a lot of grammatical inconsistencies and run on sentences which also turned me to dnf it.

No hate to the author of course! I never bash someone’s writing, it just has some work to do. Everything else aside it’s an interesting concept with so much creative room, so I’ll be waiting to read the sequel and I’d love to see some improvement :-)

[Kori Winquist]

I read some reviews on Goodreads before even going into the book and I saw a few comments saying there was a lot of grammatical errors so I was super hesitant to read because I didn't like grammatical errors in self published books. It made me lose the vision in my head. But when I sat down and read this book I couldn't put it down. I read every second of my day and good thing I had a break today because all I did was read. I felt so much emotion. It really felt like the characters popping out to me. What I call a good book is a book that makes me believe I'm watching a movie and this made me feel that way. I did get mad when Sasha talked about his time in the gang because all I wanted to know was how would he fix things with Luke and if he would ever read that letter but when I read the ocean scene and he kissed him on the forehead and they just sat there I was in awe! I NEED the sequel! I'm all here for Sasha and Luke and I WANT to know what happens. I felt so moved. You work is an amazing piece of art that I am putting on my favorites shelf. This was the first 5 star coming of age story I've read in a long time. Thank you Nik M.B. and I believe in you so much.

[Bryce Hanes]

I honestly think you got the world these characters are in and Sasha’s arc set up so well by the end of “A Boy”, and then hit the ground running immediately afterwards letting everything play out in a way that just felt natural. I just finished reading this and I genuinely can’t wait to see what you have planned for these boys in the future. (And read what Luke wrote in that letter) The dream scene and Sasha finally getting some closure from his conversation with Luke towards the end had me in tears, It was so bittersweet to finally see Sasha let go for a moment and be happy again. This was so beautifully written and easily the best book I’ve read in a long time and I would highly recommend it!

[Mori]

This might be one of the of not the best book I've ever read. The absolutely love the characters and the character development. Definitely a must read.

[Kaeli K]

I loved this book so much, Sasha and Luke are so precious to my heart and I need the sequel IMMEDIATELY

[Reader]

A beautiful book I’m obsessed, I love Sasha and Luke’s dynamic and the many layers they have to their relationship