Sing Down the Stars

The Celestine Series #1

by L.J. Hatton, Josin L. McQuein

When the aliens came, they didn’t attack—they just hung in the sky. After a year of human hysteria, they left and the rains began. Ever since, some girls have been born with unusual abilities. The fifth daughter of Magnus Roma, creator of the extraordinary circus called The Show, Penn was born a Celestine: she can call down the stars. Her newborn cries brought burning hail that killed her twin brother. For sixteen years Penn has hidden her power by assuming the life of her twin, just as her four older sisters (who can manipulate the elements) have hidden from the Wardens’ Commission in plain sight as circus performers.

Then, one explosive night, Penn loses everything. The wardens want to protect Earth from anything alien. Her sisters are taken, and The Show is destroyed. To save her family, Penn must do the unthinkable and use the power she’s been taught to suppress. She’ll travel to the very heart of her world’s darkness and discover the truth about her terrifying gift.

Genres: Science Fiction, Fantasy, Young Adult, Dystopia, Steampunk, Young Adult Fantasy, Teen

352 pages, ebook

First published October 6, 2015

About the author

L.J. Hatton is a Texan, born and raised. She sometimes refers to the towns she’s lived in by the movies filmed in them, and if she wasn’t working as a professional pretender, she’d likely be holed up in a lab somewhere doing genetics research.

She is also the author of Sing Down the Stars, the first volume in her Celestine series.

Also see Josin L. McQuein.

Reviews

[Anne · Rating 4 out of 5]

Well, this was a pleasant surprise!
Action packed, interesting, well-written, and fairly original to boot!
And to say I wasn't expecting much out of this one would be an understatement. I read the blurb on NetGalley and requested it pretty quickly. But once I got a good look at that cover, my insides froze up & my fingers refused to slide it open on my Kindle. I should know (better than most!) not to judge a book by its cover, but...



Yes, that sounds snobby and awful, but I wanna cry every time a good book gets lost in the Cover Wars. And this was a good book! It shouldn't be hidden behind a cover that makes readers squeamish.
Question: Does anyone else tend to pass on fantasy or sci-fi books with covers that are drawn?
Maybe it's just me, but I have this weird aversion to them. In my mind, they represent the b-movies of literature, and I can't quite move past my prejudice. So, if anyone out there knows of a good therapist...



Just me? Fine.
The only real problem I had with the writing was that I couldn't quite tell what was happening sometimes. Now, this didn't happen enough to really bother me, but, occasionally, the descriptions of what was going on were sort of hazy. Kind of like the author didn't know how to describe what was going through her mind, or maybe was so caught up in the story she was telling, she just assumed we could see the vibrant picture as well as she could. And that's honestly a compliment. I've never read a story that combined these elements in this way. Sure, aliens visit & some people get special powers has been done before, but this book mixed it up enough that I was pretty impressed. It had this sci-fi/steampunk/magical feel to it with the circus thrown in for good measure. It was just...creative.



As far as Penn's character goes, there were times I wanted to shake her for being stupidly stubborn. There's a time to be defiant, and there's a time to wait for your opportunity to be defiant. Apparently, she didn't know the difference between the two, and it annoyed me. If you're greatly overpowered, there's no shame in backing down for a bit, and maybe taking inventory of your options. If you don't, you'll just end up getting your ass kicked AND looking like an idiot.



However, it wasn't a deal-breaker, because the story itself was interesting enough on its own to hold my attention. Plus, after a while, I started to admire the kid's spunk. Sorta.
Ok, I'm botching this review, because it looks like I'm doing nothing but complaining about a book I gave 4 stars.
Let me try this again...
This was fun to read, at no point was I bored, and I can't wait to get my hands on the next one!
Better, right?
Anyway, if you've been on the fence about Sing Down the Stars, I'd encourage you to give it a shot.

I received a digital copy from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.

[Mauoijenn · Rating 5 out of 5]

Holy Shit, this book is FUCKING AWESOME!!



I have to admit. This might be the first NetGalley ARC that I was totally blown away by. The writing is beautiful and the characters are real like. I totally tuned out the world when I opened this gem up on my tablet. I could not put it down. I have already added it to my list of books I must purchase. If you like sci-fi and young adult, you should give this one a try.

[Josin McQuein · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is my book, so of course I love it. It's also the first one published under my legal name rather than my pen name. It's also the little book that could because it just kept going and going, refusing to give up on publication.

It's gone through genre shifts, time frame and setting shifts. Everyone changed nationality at least once and most of the characters have played musical chairs with their lines. I'm so excited for this one to hit your hands!

[Dichotomy Girl · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was provided to me on Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.

I tried really hard to get into this one, because the premise was really fascinating, but I got tired of forcing myself to keep going with the hope that it would eventually pick up steam. I try really hard to finish the books that I am so kindly given on netgalley, but I finally had to put this one aside.

[Emmeline (The Book Herald) · Rating 3 out of 5]

I received this ARC from Skyscape via NG in return for an honest review

"When they came, it wasn't with flying saucers or rockets. They weren't hulking monsters or Roswell Greys. They were more like Jellyfish - bioluminescent blobs of goo that spread out across the sky. The brought the rain...

umm, ugh....errr. okay.

Let's go straight to the plot:

"Since the Great Illusion, anything different was in danger of being called alien. To be touched was to be more than human, but somehow less than human too."

Penelope was born on a night with the stars twinkling within the cosmos,
and when she let out her first cry, the stars fell.
haunted by the life she took, the very same night she drew her first breath,
Penelope is what the people would call touched.
She has a power that is never before seen,
she is a celestine.
Being the fifth daughter of Magnus and Eva Roma,
She must hide her abilities at all cost.
Never has anyone heard of 5 touched daughters,
and so, Penelope sheds her identity everyday and becomes Penn- the baby 'brother' of the family.
"I became a ghost in my own body, hiding behind the boy I killed."
Penelope must never let her true identity out, even as her father goes missing...
Let the show begin.

Okay I really, really wanted to be totally and absolutely blown away by this book, I really did.
I was hoping and praying and begging....but it didn't really happen.

I liked it, but I wouldn't say its a particular favourite of mine.

First, let us have a moment of silence to acknowledge the awesomeness of this cover! To be perfectly honest, that cover was a major incentive of my reading this book.

Anyway. This book began pretty slow for me, and really confusing at first. I was, however, fascinated by the concept of the 'Medusae' who hung from the sky while 'humanity' went insane.
And so, humanity bounced back but anything that was different, strange or unexplained was seen through superstitious lenses.
Therefore, the world is controlled by 'Wardens' who seek out those with strange, uncanny powers.

So we meet Penelope who is lamenting the loss of her identity and describing the life at 'the show' it's like a circus but way, way cooler.

"It didn't seem fair. He only had to die once; Penelope was murdered every night before The Show.

i liked this story, it was intriguing and action filled. However, i didn't love it...I'm a bit bummed because i thought there would be more of 'BOOM' factor to it. But I was actually (and I hate to say this) I was getting bored throughout the book.

Another thing is that although Hatton has a fascinating writing style, boy was it confusing! I actually had a hard time visualizing what she was trying to make me see. And the more confused I became, the less enjoyment was gained.

so I liked it, but I didn't love it.

Have a go at it, it might be more your thing!

Stay Awesome my lovelies!

-The Book Herald
Check out my blog- The Book Herald Blog (Help the little people!)
tweet me @thebookherald

[April · Rating 2 out of 5]

It's The Darkest Minds but with a circus train. I don't know which series came out first. I didn't like The Darkest Minds, either.

Don't read if you know anything about physics. Like....anything, at all. There's too much suspension of disbelief required, with some slow blinking and deep sighing involved. I'm still puzzling out some parts, trying to make it work.

Just a little silly point I spent too much time thinking about: at one point the narrator mentions the "kinetic weight of the air" increasing. wtf does that mean. There's no such thing as kinetic weight. It doesn't even make sense just looking at the words. I think she meant kinetic energy. lol. It's okay, sometimes we get words mixed up.

There's some plot holes and the writing is confusing. Not sure what exactly is happening most of the time and I eventually gave up trying to parse it out. There were some stylistic moments that I really liked, introspective points. I hope Hatton nurtures those moments in her writing more in the future.

Characterization was okay. None of the characters are very surprising or complex. Main character/narrator is actually kind of annoying af. But that doesn't take points away from the book. I like that she was a whiny, insecure, unreasonable, self righteous brat for half the novel. More writers should be willing to make unlikable main characters. But the payoff from the rest of the book has to be worth it.

It was meh to me. Quick read. Had its moments in the sun, had its moments in the mud. There's more books in this series (at least one more, I haven't looked), but I'm not invested enough in the story or characters to make any more detours off my reading list for them. Not right now anyway. My opinions of books tends to shift as time passes so maybe I'll wake up in 2017 and realize this is the only series in the world that deserves publication and I'll forego toilet breaks and showers to read the rest of the series.

[Viking Jam · Rating 4 out of 5]

https://koeur.wordpress.com/2015/09/1...

Publisher: Skyscape

Publishing Date: October 2015

ISBN: 9781503946569

Genre: Fantasy

Rating: 4.4/5

Publisher Description: When they arrived, they spread across the sky like a sea of jellyfish—silent, unknown, alien. When they left, a year later, it seemed as if nothing had changed. But soon, certain girls were born with peculiar abilities—inhuman abilities. An international commission was formed to investigate…and fear began to spread. Families were swept from their homes and, one by one, any girl that was different disappeared.

Review: Wow, this novel was all over the place, temporally. Penn goes from carnie life to traveling vast distances in an instant while raining down hell fire. It verges on the edge of steampunk with animatrons that are perhaps more than just mechanical to an alien visitation that left an imprint on humanity.

“So why you no give 5 stars!?” The only fall down was Penn. She has all these powers at her disposal but fails to use them in crucial moments like defending herself. She goes from creating earthquakes, raining down flaming meteors and controlling robotics to getting slapped around, knocked out and placed in bindings by two wardens. Repeatedly. Really? Major fail there. She also fails to really develop as a character with the movement. She is all spit and vinegar from beginning to end without any real depth. Instances that would impact someone emotionally are evident, but there is no lasting impression as she just moves on and into what concerns her at the moment. Additionally, although minor, was the lack of logical scene progression in some areas.

What this gives in spades is creative world building and a solid cast of supporting characters. A pretty damn good read.

[Joyce · Rating 4 out of 5]

Luck brought me to this book. I had just registered for Netgalley, and I wanted to request a book (because the people with ARCs always seem so cool) - this happened to be the first book I saw with the book granted on request.

I’ll be honest. If not for the novelty of ARCs, I would not have read it. The cover isn’t all that pretty, and the description practically promises a Speshul Girl with a Speshul Destiny who will probably have anger management issues. What can I say? The YA market isn’t exactly known for its originality.





I put those gifs in just because I can.

Pockets of people all over the world were suddenly blessed or cursed with abilities that had never been seen outside children’s stories. The first gifted girl was born the day the Medusae disappeared. More followed, all girls. Always girls.

The premise of this book is that, in the aftermath of a strange alien invasion (in which they don’t do anything but stare and judge us from Above), babies start being born with strange abilities. Not all, just some. The first child born to such parents have control over first. The second, water. Third, earth. Fourth, air.

Guess which number Penn is?

Fourth daughters were rare, but fifth were unheard of. If the Commission even suspected that I wasn’t a boy, it wouldn’t matter what my father offered them in exchange. They would stop turning a blind eye to our unnaturalness; all of his inventions combined weren’t worth the oddity of me.

Because, duh, what kind of story would this be if the main character weren’t special in some glaringly obviously way?



Some authors are suited for slow-paced, atmospheric novels. Laura Hatton isn’t one of them. She writes action, and she writes it well. The book jumped from one scene to another at a rapid pace – and, whilst it didn’t leave me breathless, it certainly made for a very quick read.

I was the daughter of Magnus Roma. I was the fifth daughter of Magnus Roma. I was Celestine.

Penn is a strong character. Never once does she grow meek or subservient, never once does she lose sight of her ultimate goal, and never once does she hesitate to use her powers. But, you know, patience and weakness are not the same things. Biding your time to hatch the perfect escape plan doesn’t mean you’re giving in to your enemies. You don’t have to win every battle to win the war.

I spat on him. It was something Jermay had taught me, and a habit Evie had tried to break me of for years. Jermay had said that any boy worth his trousers could spit at least three feet straight out; Warden Arcineaux was a lot closer. “Penelope, no,” Birch whispered. Arcineaux wiped his face with his sleeve, then grabbed my hair, bending my neck backward.

Roma teeters on the line between impulsive and TSTL. There were several times when I thought, okay, if she continues doing that, I’m going to lower the rating, but somehow, she always manages to rein herself in.

Water and wine flew out, flooding over the sides of the table and staining the white cloth the color of blood. The tank cracked, but its walls were thick enough to hold.

The officials’ attention snapped back to me, their jaws tight and twitching as they leapt up.

“Must have been a really big bird,” I said.

If I’d had a glass in my hand, I would have tipped it at them, but I made do with tearing the leg off my dinner and taking a bite. “Not as fresh as what you catch on the run, but it’ll do.”

“Get her out of here,” Warden Nye ordered.

I was still chewing when Greyor hoisted me out of my seat.

Well, most of the time anyway.

My only (other?) complaint about this is: the romance. And I’m not even talking about the love triangle. In this aspect, it’s strongly reminiscent of Unwind, where there is no hint of the romance happening and then BOOM! suddenly, they start exchanging spit and their ‘I love you’s.



This is one of those books where I have a lot to complain about, and yet still give four stars to. If you ask me why I liked it, I couldn’t point to exhibits A, B, C, and D, and conclude with a sweeping flourish about how, because of all the evidence above, it deserves the rating I gave it. My only explanation for my rating is that, despite having no evidence to support my feelings, it was good. I enjoyed it. Aside from the occasional TSTL moments, I had fun.



I would definitely recommend it. I think the premise is one of the more interesting ones I’ve come across, and, unlike other novels of its genre, there was no particular moment where I paused to wonder if the main character had been dropped on the head as a child.

High bar standards, people.

But, yeah, read it.

[☆Stephanie☆ · Rating 5 out of 5]

**I received a copy of this book free from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review**

Wow. I wasn't sure about this book at first because the premise was a bit strange. There are these alien jellyfish-looking things that come to Earth and apparently cause abilities in girl children born during their appearance. Wind, water, fire, earth...all elements that these "touched" children can control. Penn (aka Penelope) is a fifth born daughter, a Celestine. She can call down the stars in a blaze of glory: enough so that when born (the first of two twins), she accidentally killed her unborn twin brother and mother right after. She hides with her sisters as a boy, knowing full well that if others discover she is a fifth daughter, a rare circumstance with powers unimaginable, she and all her family will be in great danger.
Following me yet? I know, there's a lot going on. And it happens as you read, so you feel a little lost at first. To add to the confusion, the world is a little steampunk now: technology mixed with brass and gears. Penelope travels with a circus train that lays its own track: she has her father's inventions that are magic and metal rolled into one. It's a little surreal, but the writing is good, and the next thing you know, belief is suspended and you are along for Hatton's ride. She fills you in when you start to get overwhelmed; I couldn't say I really felt like I was on sure footing until about 30% through the book. The laws of physics seemed to keep changing. You kind of have to throw all you know of common sense out the window and just believe. It's a leap of faith, but Hatton doesn't disappoint.
I won't spoil the book, but it gets pretty intense. I liked it though I don't think it is for all audiences. I think you have to be willing to place your faith in the author's hands, and that can be hard to do; however, Hatton is a capable narrator and gives you a life raft just went you think you're about to sink. You've gotta have faith while reading Sing Down the Stars. I did, and I was rewarded for my patience and trust.
I was lucky enough to find that the second book, Call Forth the Waves, was on NetGalley as well, and it was five days from being archived. I was relieved. The book ends kind of on a cliffhanger, and you know me...I have to know how it ends. I hope Hatton continues to amaze me, because she has done a terrific job of it so far.
A five star rating from me: I don't know if all will agree, though. This one is hit or miss in my opinion. You're either gonna love it or hate it. I can't imagine a mediocre reaction to this book.
Onward to book two!!

[starryeyedjen · Rating 3 out of 5]

Disclaimer: I won a copy of this book from the author. This does not affect my opinion of the book. I also purchased a copy of the audiobook.

This book was such a hodgepodge of things that I'm not really sure where to start. I liked it, but if I'm being honest, I'm still more than a little confused about it. But based on the way it read -- or the way I listened, rather :) -- it sounds like it's the first book in a series, so I guess it's okay to be a little confused.

With Sing Down the Stars, there's something for everyone. Aliens. A circus. Special abilities. Robots. Golems. Evil warlord-type characters. You name it, it's probably included. Well, almost. In this first book, there is zero romance. There are hints of it, but it's not even remotely swoony. Not a deal breaker, especially since the friendships and familial connections are so intense, but always good to put that out there.

I'd like to see the kinds of dreams this author has if this is the stuff she writes about. I read her other series under her pen name, and I felt the same way after it, too. Her books are so fast-paced and intense and a little mind-blowing.

This book is all over the place. It's honestly probably the kind of book I should have read instead of listening to, but I've had the paperback she sent me for a couple of months now and it looked like I'd never have a chance to read it, so I caved and bought the audio while Audible was having their member sale. Anyway, I just mean that this is the kind of book where it would have been more helpful to me if I had been able to flip back-and-forth when I needed confirmation or more information to help me wrap my head around what was happening. Especially with all those sisters and the other performers.

Still, I enjoyed the audiobook, and I'm definitely curious where the story goes from here.

[Ashley (Bound to Love YA) · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5 Stars
This book left me with mixed feelings. On one hand, I loved the intricate world that the author built - I mean, there are even worlds within worlds. There's a dystopian-post-alien-invasion Earth, a faux-Victorian atmosphere, and an eerie circus all rolled into one. There's a little something for everyone: Magic, sci-fi, elementals straight out of Avatar the Last Airbender... I'm not even really sure if there's anything out there to confidently compare it to.

What got under my skin, though, was that it was a little hard to follow at times. The author has this HUGE imagination and I feel like this world could have been unique and intricate - on terms with outside-the-box authors like Laini Taylor - but it just wasn't quite executed. The style, though well written, became very confusing at times. It was as if someone is trying to describe a dream they had, but can't quite put it into words.

On the whole, though, this was a very interesting book - I don't compare people to Laini Taylor lightly. I may have had to flip back a couple of times to figure out exactly what was happening, but I was always very intrigued and will excitedly read the next in this series.

*Disclaimer: I was given a free copy of this title by the publisher in exchange for an honest review*

[Cathleen · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received an ARC from the Publisher, Skyscape and Netgalley in exchange for my honest review.

Visited by aliens that spread across the sky and a year later they left as suddenly as they appeared. Then girls were born with peculiar and inhuman abilities. In fear, a commission was created to investigate. Families would disappear and any girl that was found to be different would never be seen again.

Penn and her four sisters were all born with special powers. Their father created a circus that kept them hidden and safe from the scrutiny of the Commission. Until the day her sisters were taken and the circus was destroyed. Penn runs away and with the help of friends, she meets along the way, she sets out to find her family.

Such an amazing story and well written. For anyone who enjoys a good science fiction/fantasy, put this on your TBR list.

[Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a great new young teen series that has fantasy, science fiction and magic combined to charm the most reluctant reader. When the earth was circled by alien ship the newborn children were born with some hidden powers. Society becomes afraid of the children and sends wardens to collect them and hold them in prisons. Penn and her sisters live in THE SHOW, a magical circus that travels. When the wardens raid the train and takes prisoners the fight becomes personal to Penn and she unleashes her powers to get her family back. I think kids will love this book and have them looking forward to book 2.

[Tanya Roberts-boeske · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book had me from the beginning. Fast paced, well developed characters that you become attached to from the get-go. Interesting beyond compare, and a thrilling new world that I haven't seen before. Love Love Love it! I am anxious for the next book, so L.J. put your wonderful powers of writing in action and get us more more MORE!

[Lolly's Library · Rating 4 out of 5]

3.5 stars

I've seen some people label this book "derivative" and I'm not sure how they're coming to this, unless they haven't read the book and are simply copying the reviews of others. Are there certain plot-points that are similar to other YA novels, especially in the broad-in-scope dystopia genre? Well, yes, of course. Show me any book, in any genre, that doesn't share similar plot-points to another book in the same genre: it's bound to happen. That said, while there are similarities to other YA and YA-dystopian novels - a protagonist who's motherless and/or fatherless, a protagonist who's discovering brand-new powers, a protagonist fighting against an oppressive government and/or pseudo-military organization, and a protagonist dealing with *sigh* a love triangle (I think that's a law for writing a YA novel of any genre) - the storyline itself is quite different to anything else I've ever read. This is definitely not a book that's easy to pin down, genre-wise, and it's definitely not a dull or boring book. It's not full steampunk, but has steampunk elements. It's a surprising mix of action-adventure, sci-fi, fantasy, romance, dystopia, which should be overwhelming, but Hatton manages to make it all work.

Um, sort of work.



While many of the concepts and characters were unique and quite creative, some of the descriptions and/or the history behind them weren't fully fleshed out, as if even Hatton didn't know what she was trying to say or how she wanted to say it. It was hard to visualize some of what was written because it wasn't fully visualized on the page. I understand the whole "leave it to the reader's imagination!" impulse, which is fine for some things. But when you're describing technical or fantastical or alien creations, please, be more specific.


Can you resist begging kitty? Can you?

Yet, conversely, a great deal of the book seemed to crawl for me, the action either delayed or interrupted because -and this will sound as if I'm being deliberately contrary - the prose was overwritten. There were many parts of the book where scenes could've been removed or compressed in order to make the action go faster and the story tighter.

However, most of the issues I had with the book could all be traced back to the main character, Penelope, aka "Penn," the fifth daughter of Magnus Roma. According to the rules of this world, after the alien Medusae came and sent out the rains which altered some of Earth's children, no family dared to have five daughters. For the first daughter carried the power of fire. The second daughter, water; the third daughter manipulated earth and the fourth, if a family carried on that far, did the near impossible and controlled the very air. But a fifth daughter was unheard of, for the fifth daughter was known as a Celestine, able to call down the stars themselves. No-one had five daughters in the same family. Except Magnus Roma, and he named the fifth one Penelope. So to hide Penelope and her sisters from the Commission, the agency developed to seek out those girls changed by the Medusae, Magnus created The Show, a traveling circus, hiding the girls' talents in plain sight, and "Penn," the boy who Penelope must pretend to be. Penelope hates Penn. And, frankly, at times so did I. (Although Penelope wasn't much better.) Both Penelope and her alter-ego are creatures of impulse, of pure instinct like a wild animal. Instead of listening, of learning, of adapting so that she wouldn't have to rely on instinct, Penn always ran away. Which makes the fact that she manages to survive the entire length of the book shocking, considering how many times she's leapt into a new, unknown situation and trusted that a parachute or safety net would appear. And that makes it problematic for the reader, because every time we're introduced into a situation or to a character which might answer a few of our questions - Why is Penn so important? Who is Magnus Roma? Why does Warden Nye behave the way he does toward Penn? - Penn never stays around to let the characters explain, to let us find out what the hell is going on. Instead, she takes her magical, mechanical, space-and-time leaping coat (like a TARDIS in a leather coat, which is pretty cool, actually) and runs away. Again. And again. And again. It's only when she's sidelined by an injury that she actually stays put and even then it's a close thing - she still tries to run away, making her injury worse, naturally. I wanted to reach into the pages and throttle the little twit. Repeatedly.

As to the required love triangle of the book, while there are two boys working for Penn's attention, the romance itself isn't fully developed. I think there was a kiss or two, but for the most part the "romance" kind of limps along in a very forgettable, unnoticeable way until it suddenly it rears its head, as though the author remembered, “Hey, I'm supposed to have them kissing here, right?”



That said, out of all this mess, I'd be interested in reading the second book (especially since there wasn't a real finality to the end of this one; the threads of the story were loosely gathered together, but not tied up, giving an obvious lead-in to a sequel, which is kind of annoying but certainly tantalizing). And I do love the originality and creativity Hatton has shown in some of her characters (Birch, one corner of the Penn love triangle [which is never actually a triangle, unless the boys in it start falling for each other, but I digress] who can also manipulate plants), her bio-mechanical creations (the golems Xerxes and Bijou are awesome, I wish I could have one of each for myself), and the lifestyle of the world in reaction to the Medusae's appearance (which has regressed to a sort of Neo-Victorian design in both technology and clothing). Sing Down the Stars is flawed, for sure, but it's also entertaining, with enough promise and potential to be worth a read.

[Burn After Reading · Rating 1 out of 5]

This book is a hot mess of confusion... Singing down the stars? how? Just please... I don't have a clear understanding of this world and the events that took place in the book, the writing was messy and all over the place. There was no clarity. Penn's power is that she can pull stars from the sky and send them crashing down to earth in the blink of an eye, which really makes no sense to me, especially since there aren't catastrophic results when doing so. At one point I think she moves the moon, how does this happen without devastating effects? I am still unsure what penn is actually capable of as she does other things than just pulling masses from out of the sky but we don't really know why or how because the author does a piss poor job of explaining things with any real clarity. The author also does a pretty bad job at making you like any of her characters, I mean seriously I would not care if they all died, so yeah I did not like this book

[MagicMe41 · Rating 3 out of 5]

While enjoyed this book, I was continually confused by the writing, something will happen and I’d have to reread to see how the character got there, like it’s missing an in-between. I enjoyed the characters and the plot was mostly clear, and I think the different powers and how the characters got those powers is very interesting, but I couldn’t really tell what I was supposed to be feeling, like, am I supposed to like this character, am I supposed to be upset by this scene? In general, while the book isn’t bad, it’s just kind of confusing.

[Leigh Collazo · Rating 4 out of 5]

Hundreds more YA/MG reviews at Mrs. ReaderPants!

I'm starting this review with the disclaimer that steampunk isn't really my cup of tea. It is a unique genre that has its following, but for me, it's just too weird. That said, I did not know this was steampunk when I requested it for SLJ review. So I am going to try to be as fair as possible considering I had to slog through a genre I'm not a huge fan of.

WHAT I LIKED: It's unique. Penelope's father, Magnus Roma, invents these crazy animals and contraptions that have personality and can be endearing. I especially liked Klok, this metal robot-man who cannot speak out loud but does have human-like emotions. He only wants to protect Penelope, no matter the cost. Xerxes, a metallic griffon, is also easy to like, even though I was totally confused as to how he had "a part of Magnus's soul."

The characters. There are lots of them, and most are either Magnus's inventions or circus performers. Practically all of them have a sordid background, be they thievin' orphans or mute fake mermaids or heavily-tattooed snake men with Oxford educations.

There is a ton of action, something I always love. This book has so much action that it's almost too quick, as though LJ Hatton is telling us the story in one long, excited, fast-talking breath. It did feel a bit too much like telling rather than showing, but I think many young readers would like the pacing and the fact that there is hardly any slow-down in action.

For some reason, this book has a Wizard of Oz feel to it, which is kind of cool. Maybe it's in how Klok reminds me of the Tin Woodman, or maybe it's how Penelope/Penn is on a long journey to find her way home. Maybe it's the cast of endearing, quirky circus characters who accompany her along the way. Whatever it is that makes it feel like Oz, I loved it.

WHAT I DIDN'T LIKE: It took me forever to get into. For the first several days I had the book, I could barely get through a whole page before falling asleep. I started over twice. I forced myself to read maybe the first 60 pages. Thankfully, it does pick up once the train is attacked, but it sure took a lot of set-up to get there.

I was confused, and there is a lot left unexplained. Is this set in the future or the past? Why do some women wear corsets? I get that they are Luddites who fear technology, but what does that have to do with wearing a comfortable pair of jeans? How did Penelope's father manage to survive (and hide) five powerful girls when other families could barely survive one? How is the circus a good disguise? Am I to believe no one ever suspected these girls were touched?

Precious little romantic tension. I get that this isn't a romance--it's a fantasy adventure with steampunk and some awesome characters. But that first kiss between Penelope and Jermay happens so quickly I thought maybe Penelope was dreaming. These best friends liked each other for so long before the story that it seemed too easy that they just talk about it and BAM! Kissing happens. Jermay knew Penn was a girl all along, but she's been living as a boy for her entire life. It seems like it would take some time for Penelope and others around her to adjust to her girlness. The kissing happens less than a day after Penn becomes Penelope. The relationship is very sweet, and there is a possible set-up for a love triangle in the sequel, but I would have loved to see more romantic tension in this one, too.

That cover. Yuck. It's all psychedelic and trippy with the stars and the fire and the girl with long hair (Penelope's hair is very short). It does not make me want to read the book. I don't think the target audience will pick this up based on the front cover. In fact, the cover is so bad that this will probably be in my "Love the book, hate the cover" booktalk that I do every year.

THE BOTTOM LINE: It's one of the more unique books I've read, and I'm sure many readers will like it. The writing is solid, and the characters well-defined. While it wasn't really my thing, I have no doubt that steampunk fans will love it.

STATUS IN MY LIBRARY: I am planning to get this. I can definitely "sell" it in my library (it will need me to sell it--I don't see my boys picking it up without my prodding). 

READALIKES: For Darkness Shows the Stars (Peterfreund); The Wizard of Oz (Baum)

RATING BREAKDOWN:

Overall: 4/5--not my thing, but steampunk fans will love it
Creativity: 5/5--VERY unique
Characters: 5/5--memorable, unique characters
Engrossing: 3/5--I had a hard time getting into it, but there is a ton of action
Writing: 4/5--no argument that it's well-written
Appeal to teens: 3/5--it's steampunk; it seems my students either love it or hate it
Appropriate length to tell the story: 4/5--a bit hard to get into, but the action doesn't stop


CONTENT:

Language: none
Sexuality: mild; some mild kissing, brief and nondescript mention of past selling of girls, presumably as prostitutes
Violence: mild; fantasy violence, fighting
Drugs/Alcohol: none

[Haylee Burke · Rating 2 out of 5]

I was excited to read this book, but felt like it fell pretty short of what I expected. Almost did not finish, but I powered through and forced myself to read through the last 1/3 of the book.

[Amanda [darjeeling_and_jade] · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review first published on [a cup of tea and an armful of books]

Sing Down the Stars is one of those books that had an amazing premise. I loved the idea of aliens as jellyfish-like Medusae that hung threateningly in the sky and yet never attacked. They left after a year, seemingly leaving the Earth untouched, or so everyone thought. In fact, their presence wasn’t felt until girls started being born, girls with the power over elements. Families with girls disappear and whether it is by choice or Commission led is debatable. Penn and her family have been hidden in plain sight for her entire life. Soon it may not be enough, as things seem to be pulling at the seams. Sing Down the Stars had everything that was interesting in a young adult science fiction novel: people with abilities, interesting technologies, and an organization that has dubious desires and plans. The problem is that it went beyond that and tried to have just a bit too much in the book.

While reading Sing Down the Stars I felt as though I was reading several different books. Everything was connected by a common issue, but because there were several ideas and problems put forth in the novel, I couldn’t put a finger on what it was truly going to be about until later chapters. I know that this will be a series, but even for a first novel it seemed all over the place. It was fascinating to read about this world, but it was muddied by focusing on things that didn’t really make sense or was purely conjecture on Penn’s part. I wanted to know more facts, and they weren’t always given to us. It was one of the reasons I didn’t get engrossed in the novel the way I expected to. Another was the lack of characters.

Although there were more characters in the novel than just Penn, they weren’t in it as much as I would have liked. Her four sisters, whose personalities are shaped by their gifts, were characters I was interested in. Unfortunately, they disappeared into the place where characters go to grow and never came back out. Most of their character growth was given to us by Penn, and she wasn’t an entirely reliable character. The only characters who had okay character growth were Penn, although some of it was questionable, and Birch. I can count on one hand then things I know about the characters who are in the Commission, and most of them are synonyms for “bad.” I would have loved to see the Warden with a bit more. I’m a huge advocate of writing how villains see the world, because there’s always a reason for their actions. Even if we’re meant to hate them, I want to see how their views became warped. Overall, this is a novel that I would have loved to see with more point-of-views.

My main problem became how much was crammed into one character. Penn Roma is the protagonist in the series, so she is meant to be special. She has the power to “sing down the stars,” and at first, that was the power that she used. It had been set up early in the novel that girls are the ones who are touched from the visitation of the Medusae. Something occurred in the year that the aliens came, but it wasn’t until much later–when girls with the touch were being born–that people realized what had happened. The first is born with the power of flames; the second with the control of water; the third can move rocks; and the fourth, rare girl can move the winds. Penn is the fifth girl, an impossibility. As such, it’s understandable that her power is different. Unfortunately, I felt that she was given too much. Her powers continued to build and change as the events in the novel progressed to the climax, and with it my incredulity grew. One or two changes I was able to believe as long as they were within her gift’s boundaries; when Penn’s powers became a way for her to get out of or change every single problem she happened upon, it became more of a deus ex machina move.

Overall, this was a really good idea. Although it was similar to Avatar: The Last Airbender, I was able ignore the similarities most of the time. Sing Down the Stars moved a bit quickly through the problems and that kept me at a distance. Things like the Hounds, gifted girls who are trained hunters forced to use their gifts to capture and neutralize their own kind were pretty unique to the world. Those things should have had more of a focus. Aliens and power over elements have been done; Sing Down the Stars‘ flaw was that it didn’t really dig into what made it different.

3 stars.

I received a copy of this title from NetGalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review. Sing Down the Stars will be published on October 6th, 2015.

[Shannon L. Gonzalez · Rating 5 out of 5]

Book Review: An Imaginative Dystopian Y/A phantasmagoric tale!
Sing Down the Stars

by Laura Hatton

Its Airbender abilities meets Steampunk tech, meets Hunger Games Government, meets Divergent females, meets Alien influence and its all wrapped up in one novel. Author Laura Hatton writes a fantastic tale about Penn who was born a Celestine. Aliens came to Earth hovering above in the atmosphere but never landing on terra firma. Then they left and it began to rain. No one knew there was something in that rain because ever since that day girls were born with unusual abilities.

Penn’s story is unusual because she is the fifth daughter. The Warden’s Commission watched to see if a first daughter had any abilities and on occasion it’d be one of the four elemental abilities; fire, water, earth, air. If there were subsequent daughters, they’d have a different ability than the first daughter. It was even rarer after a second daughter to have a third and fourth. So in Penn’s case her parents had five daughters, making her one of a kind in addition she can call down the stars. She was born a twin, but her brother tragically died when she cried and burning hail poured from the skies because of her untrained ability. A Celestine has all four elemental abilities plus more.

At 16 years old, she has to pretend to be her twin. Her father Magnus Roma runs a whimsical circus called The Show in which he can hide in plain sight the abilities of his daughters as circus performers. That is until a particular warden decides he wants to end this show. Penn’s sisters are abducted and the circus her father built is destroyed. Penn is whisked away to safety by her father’s mechanical creations. Her father built into the circus tents a special protection much like a Faraday cage to control the severity of Penn’s power. When the circus is destroyed, she has to learn to control her ability without the help of her father or her sisters. She is in search of her father to find answers and to regroup with the circus survivors that were to rendezvous at the safe house.

So much happens in this exciting tale as she undergoes her journey to find out who she really is and why has her family been protecting her for so long. She learns the reason the Warden Commission is really after her. Along her journey she tries to rescue her sisters and others like her. There are so many unexpected twists that the reader quickly wants her to succeed and to get away again and again from the clutches of the narrow-minded wardens.

It is a fantastic, entertaining read with hopes of sequels to come. It’s thrilling in all the right places, and captures your attention to ride along in Penn’s pocket through her struggles and triumphs.

For more information about L.J. Hatton visit her Amazon Author Page at:

http://www.amazon.com/L.J.-Hatton/e/B...

FTC Disclaimer: I was given an ARC of this title through Net Galley for review purposes only. No other compensation was awarded.

[Jacqui · Rating 4 out of 5]

With the upsurge of young adult books currently being made into movies, I decided to see what the level of offering is at the moment-and was not disappointed.
The 5th daughter shouldn't be. After the jellyfish-like aliens hung in the sky for a year causing human hysteria, they left; seemingly without effect. Certain children were then born with abilities. Abilities to manipulate elements. Certainly something the wardens want checked and under their control. Magnus and Iva Roma have four special daughters able to control the elements of fire, water, wind and earth. The 5th daughter that shouldn't be, Penelope, has assumed the guise of her twin brother who she accidently killed the night she was born and caused the stars to rain down. For years the girls have been hiding in plain sight performing in The Show-a circus performance that defies ordinary illusion. Now, the wardens have made their move, and in one night Penelope's life and that of her family and friends is thrown to the winds of change. To fight back she must enlist the aid of new partners and their capabilities, and tap into the celestine power she has been forced to damp down throughout the years. Unable to previously control the immense power, can Penelope unleash her abilities and safely use them to find and free those she loves?
What I really enjoyed about this book was the author's ability to describe situations and people so descriptively, that the imagery in my head was vivid and graphic. She gave the main characters well thought out personalities (bearing in mind it's a young adults book), and was able to weave the myriad of sub plots together convincingly. The editing was done well and the story flowed comprehensively. What's not to like about a story that has unicorns and gryphons! The only thing that didn't resonate entirely well with me was how some scenes seemed implausible. I'm not talking about scenes where magic happened and you need to suspend belief, but where a character was standing somewhere and the next minute they had gotten past guards and were hiding in another place (not due to magic). I suppose sometimes you just have to believe enough for the scene to happen.
I would highly recommend this book and praise the author on creating a tale that will be able to be stretched over a series, yet keep you enthralled in each book but still wanting more.

[Anastasia · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a digital copy of the book from Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.

Sing Down the Stars was an amazing and well-written book. I really liked the plot and how it had enough twists and turns to keep me interested for its entire duration.

It centres around Penn, the daughter of the ringmaster (and creator) of a famous Circus, the Show, and a girl with the ability to sing down the stars, literally. That is the aftermath of an alien invasion that caused a lot of children, especially girls, to be born with special abilities. These children, though, are chased by the Comission and when Penn's Father suddenly disappears and the Circus is attacked, she and her friends must go on the running seeking the only safe place for them, the Hollow.

I loved how action-packed and fast paced this book was! There wasn't a moment where I thought the plot was going too slow or that nothing was happening. I was also fascinated by this world, where everyone had chosen to take a step back to the past, fake Victorian as the book says, because most now feared technology.

Penn, was also a very nice character to read about. She's definitely strong, and driven by her will to protect her friends and family. But, she's also very reckless and impatient which makes for a bad combination. There were moments that I loved her character and others where I was really frustrated with her.

Lastly, the romance wasn't really anything special. It was there, but I realised at the end of the book, that I hadn't really noticed it much and it also came out of nowhere at some points, like the author had remembered that Penn has a love interest so she would briefly mention him in a paragraph and then continue on.

Overall, Sing Down the Stars was a really fun and quick read. It had its flaws but you should really pick it up if you're in the mood for fantasy/science-fiction.

[Patty · Rating 5 out of 5]

My first impression of this book...

Oh my...I loved the description...I hated the cover! I have such a fondness for dystopian fantasies and the moment I really began reading and focusing on the clever and sometimes scary creatures in this book...I loved it.


What was going through my head as I read this book...

This family of daughters is in hiding but they are hiding in plain sight! These jelly fish like alien creatures sort of came down from the sky...actually hovered in the sky...and while they didn't seem to do anything...certain families were changed...certain girls were changed. Penn/Penelope...who is a girl hiding as a boy...but hiding in plain sight...remember...has incredible powers that must not be revealed. She has sisters with powers, too. This hiding idea involves a circus and lots of mechanical assistants. There are also wardens...who are always on the look out for anything different. The father of these girls is essential to this circus plan but he is missing! This is when this book became delightfully irresistible for me. Everyone is on the run and previously plotted plans are not working out. Penn is separated from her family. And...somehow...and in some way...she has to save them.


My most memorable characters/situations...

I loved Penn and Klok and Xerxes...I loved every creature in this book. The details are awesome and the pictures in my head of everyone and everything were vibrant...but a tad scary, too.

My thoughts for potential readers of this book...

Readers who loved The Night Circus and who also love The Lunar Chronicles should be thrilled and delighted with this book. It ends with a question and a quest and an adventurous start for the second book!

[Ruby · Rating 5 out of 5]

Jellyfish aliens that send rain down from the sky, unique powers that give their bearers abilities to control the elements, metal creature that come to life, and a dangerous group trying to study and dissect them all... interested yet?!

Sing Down the Stars is an epic story filled with intrigue, a fresh storyline, and unbelievable fun characters. Pen is the fifth daughter of Magus, the metal man. She is also compatible of calling down fire from the sky, though it's not perfected yet. Forced to be a 'boy' to protect her identity, she and her four sisters perform in The Show, a circus designed to hide their powers in plain sight. Her companions are also touched, like the man who loves snakes, the girl with the beautiful voice, and the magicians. Magnus, her metalworking father created monsters to protect them... a dragon, a gryphon, and a host of others. It works well until disaster strikes.

This book held my attention through its entirety, and will definitely make it to my reread pile. The characters both human and metal were endearing and memorable, Xerxes being my favorite. The mystery keeps you guessing to the end and the writing style will appeal to both young adults and adults alike. I sure hope there is sequel.

[gremlinkitten · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have no words. I absolutely loved this book. It had a sympathetic protagonist who grew throughout the book, a unique world, fully-fledged characters, and great pacing. It's part fantasy, sci-fi, Techpunk (my term for a modern-type of Steampunk), thrown into a modern or slightly futuristic world. I'm sorry, but I cannot be objective about Sing Down the Stars. It's probably not perfect but I don't care, the only thing I can even remember is the action at the beginning felt muddled to me. That's it. Otherwise, I whipped through the book whenever I had the chance and was riveted. Riveted! I tell you! And maybe a bit rabid as well. I want the next book now. I NEED the next book or I feel I might have a coronary. The book is so fantastic and the world so different than anything else I've come across that I just want to shove it in everyone's face and tell them to read it! I don't know when the last time that's happened with a book. Even if you're iffy about the synopsis, try it, sure maybe you won't like it (what are you? Crazy?!), but what do you have to lose? Besides money, but than there are libraries.

[roxi Net · Rating 5 out of 5]

So cool!!! Carnie life, aliens, the supernatural and kinda steampunk mixed together made a very cool read and I know I'll re-read the book since I devoured it most-likely missing a few things (you know how it is).

Penn (Penelope) Roma -yes, Roma's a hint- is hidden as the only 'boy' among four other sisters in a post-alien visited world. Each girl born after the aliens' visit has a remarkable trait over an element. It's extremely rare for a third girl to be born, much less a fifth girl, which is why Penn's father Magnus, creates The Show to hide his children under the guise of illusion.

Penn's stubbornness, her unusual ability to call down the stars and her love of family and friends make her a remarkable character. Once her world is destroyed, she will stop at nothing to right it, especially if it means ignoring words that would help

[Jesi · Rating 4 out of 5]

*** ARC received via Netgalley in exchange for an honest review***

Sometimes a book resonates with you long before you read it. Hutton's Sing Down the Stars is a DYSTOPIAN scify like no other. I've read a ton of books where the main character has to hide their true identity, gender, for various reasons, none touched me the way Penn's story did. The more you learn about her world, the more your heart will break. If there was one thing I didn't like about it, it would be the way things seemed to go around in a circle for Penn. She would find a way to escape and bam be back where she started before the reader even knew what was going on. There were times where it felt whole scences were skipped to better for in Hutton's word count

[Henry Lazarus · Rating 2 out of 5]

Penn Roma (really Pennelope) is really in hiding in the magical circus her father built. After the jelly fish like aliens grazed Earth’s atmosphere, some families had daughters with magical powers, and Penn’s sisters each control one of the four elements. But Penn, as the fifth daughter can Sing Down the Stars (paper from Skyscape) and the authorities are rounding up people with power to control the situation. Penn’s father has kept them safe with his inventions and his negotiations with those authorities, but when he doesn’t return one day, the Circus is destroyed and Penn’s sisters captured. Only if Penn can master her abilities to somehow rescue her sisters in a floating habitat where bureaucrats oplan to bring back the rain that brought the powers in the first place. Fun.

[Teresa]

*e-Arc provided by Netgalley*