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738 Days #2
Starlight Nights
At twenty-three, Calista Beckett is trying to overcome her early fame and fortune. The former savior of the world on Starlight is now a freshman at college--miles away from L.A. and her former existence. She sees it as her start to a new life, a normal life, one where she won't make the same mistakes she made before--a brush with heroin addiction and losing her freedom to her controlling mother, thanks to a court order.
Eric Stone played her older brother, Byron, on Starlight. But she's been in love with him pretty much since they kissed--her first kiss--while auditioning. When Eric shows up on campus out of the blue asking her to return to California for a role, Calista's struck immediately by two things: first, in spite of everything that's happened, she still feels something dangerous for him, and second, she's absolutely determined not to let him ruin her life again.
Only Eric's not giving up so easily.
Eric Stone played her older brother, Byron, on Starlight. But she's been in love with him pretty much since they kissed--her first kiss--while auditioning. When Eric shows up on campus out of the blue asking her to return to California for a role, Calista's struck immediately by two things: first, in spite of everything that's happened, she still feels something dangerous for him, and second, she's absolutely determined not to let him ruin her life again.
Only Eric's not giving up so easily.
400 pages, Hardcover
First published January 9, 2018
8 people are currently reading
920 people want to read
About the author
Stacey Kade
17 books1,593 followers**Stacey Kade also writes as S.A. Barnes. Her latest release is DEAD SILENCE, coming from Nightfire Books on 1/25/22.**
The daughter of a minister and a music teacher, Stacey Kade grew up reading Harlequin romances on the sly in the basement. Kade is the author of two young adult series (The Ghost and Goth trilogy and the Project Paper Doll series) and two young adult contemporary standalone novels. 738 DAYS and STARLIGHT NIGHTS, her contemporary romance duo for adults, both received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly.
Kade lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, Greg, and their three dogs.
The daughter of a minister and a music teacher, Stacey Kade grew up reading Harlequin romances on the sly in the basement. Kade is the author of two young adult series (The Ghost and Goth trilogy and the Project Paper Doll series) and two young adult contemporary standalone novels. 738 DAYS and STARLIGHT NIGHTS, her contemporary romance duo for adults, both received starred reviews from Publishers Weekly.
Kade lives in the Chicago suburbs with her husband, Greg, and their three dogs.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews
February 23, 2018
This is a book I never would have picked up on my own and yet I'm so glad I did...
AKA I'm glad it was sent to my house via subscription box, meaning I actually didn't pick it out...but, you know, whatever.
As ya'll know, I have read a LOT of romance.
HOWEVER...I don't typically go for straight up contemporary romance.
If it doesn't involve vampires, shape shifters, witches, aliens, motorcycle clubs, sports, complete psychopaths, full on erotica, some kind of dark element, or warriors with swords and/or kilts...I'm just usually not all that interested, quite frankly.
Because standards.
...As rough and low as those standards may be.
So a book with a cover like this, with a blurb like this, and with a story line like this would just simply never, ever, EVER in a million years make it into my hands through my own machinations.
Enter PageHabit.
I've been dabbling in a few different book subscription boxes over the last few months.
Oddly enough, this also happened to coincide with me getting into the whole "minimalist" movement and getting rid of a LOT of stuff. Which is saying a lot considering I was fairly clutter free to being with.
That said, I have majorly cut down on my spending, mostly my formerly overboard and entirely ridiculous amount of online shopping kind of spending.
But alas, I cannot lie...
I missed the high of receiving the packages.
Yes, super lame.
And yet...still super fucking true.
So I figured spending the money on a couple book boxes a month felt less...superfluous than wasting my money on yet another purse, pair of shoes, or completely overpriced pair of running tights when I already have plenty of all of the above.
And, not gonna lie, the shopping high of opening a surprise mystery box that you know at least involves a book is ridiculously addicting.
I'm like a toddler at Christmas in a sea of Fisher Price, people. It's pathetic and completely immature, really.
But it is what it is.
And I digress.
A lot.
The book.
This arrived in my PageHabit box a month (or two) ago and I was like, huh, ok. Bleh.
But then I was reorganizing my bookshelves (again...because this is another way I have channeled the joy of reorganizing new purchases I no longer receive) and I read the back of this book and decided to force myself to read it.
So, that night, figuring I wouldn't love it, I cracked this open after work and before bed.
Which led to this status update...
https://www.goodreads.com/user_status...
And the rest was history.
I really liked this book.
I enjoyed the characters and the second chance element.
I enjoyed all the OTT drama and angst.
Oh, the angst.
I wanted to punch the main female character in the face a few times, but I figured she was metaphorically allowing so many other people in the book to do it for me (thus my annoyance) that I was miraculously able to hold myself back.
That said, if you are in the mood for a second chance kind of book about Hollywood and the perils of fame and overindulgence, check this one out.
I will definitely be checking more of from this author.
In fact, I already ordered the book involving the other character from the TV show mentioned in this book.
Because, well, #MinimalismFailure as applied to books.
Obviously.
AKA I'm glad it was sent to my house via subscription box, meaning I actually didn't pick it out...but, you know, whatever.
As ya'll know, I have read a LOT of romance.
HOWEVER...I don't typically go for straight up contemporary romance.
If it doesn't involve vampires, shape shifters, witches, aliens, motorcycle clubs, sports, complete psychopaths, full on erotica, some kind of dark element, or warriors with swords and/or kilts...I'm just usually not all that interested, quite frankly.
Because standards.
...As rough and low as those standards may be.
So a book with a cover like this, with a blurb like this, and with a story line like this would just simply never, ever, EVER in a million years make it into my hands through my own machinations.
Enter PageHabit.
I've been dabbling in a few different book subscription boxes over the last few months.
Oddly enough, this also happened to coincide with me getting into the whole "minimalist" movement and getting rid of a LOT of stuff. Which is saying a lot considering I was fairly clutter free to being with.
That said, I have majorly cut down on my spending, mostly my formerly overboard and entirely ridiculous amount of online shopping kind of spending.
But alas, I cannot lie...
I missed the high of receiving the packages.
Yes, super lame.
And yet...still super fucking true.
So I figured spending the money on a couple book boxes a month felt less...superfluous than wasting my money on yet another purse, pair of shoes, or completely overpriced pair of running tights when I already have plenty of all of the above.
And, not gonna lie, the shopping high of opening a surprise mystery box that you know at least involves a book is ridiculously addicting.
I'm like a toddler at Christmas in a sea of Fisher Price, people. It's pathetic and completely immature, really.
But it is what it is.
And I digress.
A lot.
The book.
This arrived in my PageHabit box a month (or two) ago and I was like, huh, ok. Bleh.
But then I was reorganizing my bookshelves (again...because this is another way I have channeled the joy of reorganizing new purchases I no longer receive) and I read the back of this book and decided to force myself to read it.
So, that night, figuring I wouldn't love it, I cracked this open after work and before bed.
Which led to this status update...
https://www.goodreads.com/user_status...
And the rest was history.
I really liked this book.
I enjoyed the characters and the second chance element.
I enjoyed all the OTT drama and angst.
Oh, the angst.
I wanted to punch the main female character in the face a few times, but I figured she was metaphorically allowing so many other people in the book to do it for me (thus my annoyance) that I was miraculously able to hold myself back.
That said, if you are in the mood for a second chance kind of book about Hollywood and the perils of fame and overindulgence, check this one out.
I will definitely be checking more of from this author.
In fact, I already ordered the book involving the other character from the TV show mentioned in this book.
Because, well, #MinimalismFailure as applied to books.
Obviously.
January 15, 2018
Title: Starlight Nights
Author: Stacey Kade
Genre: Contemporary
Publication Date: January 9, 2018
I was NOT prepared for this book. AT.ALL.
I feel emotionally and mentally drained after having read this beauty of a book.
Talk about captivating a reader from the get go..huh? I was hooked into this book from the very first chapter and finished it in one sitting. I will say that this is definitely not an instant gratification kind of book... It's almost a slow burn but with the satisfaction of giving us all the 'feels', before the big bang (yes, pun intended hahaha). You can feel the tension, the attraction, the bloody frustration radiating through the pages of this book.
I am a sucker for a tortured soul love romance. Is that healthy? Probably not... but the heart wants what it wants. eh.
Eric and Calista are beautiful together and even before they become a couple (I doubt that THAT'S a spoiler...right?), the chemistry is real and evident. The hopeful heart in me wants nothing more than for these two to throw caution to the wind and just be together...but that won't make a good book now would it? Eric and Calista's love story is messy, gritty, filled with angst.. It's perfect for us readers! Hahaha.
Will it sound weird if I said that their life feel as though it was happening right in front my eyes.. their whole world unraveling ... ok... that sounds creepy hahaha... I think the proper word to disturb it would be..it felt true to life. hahahaha
I hope you give Starlight Nights a try and I hope you add it to your TBR list... It's a wonderful contemporary romance that I highly recommend.
Happy Reading!
For more reviews and giveaways follow my blog at www.jemimajamir.com
February 5, 2018
Mini review:
DNF
I received this e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have noticed a pattern with Kade’s contemporaries: they are a bit too dramatic for my liking. Although I still give them a try regardless. Seeing as I thoroughly enjoyed her previous series.
With this book in particular I actually liked Calista. She was realistic and I really related to her. It was Eric that I did not like. I am so through off reading about the love interests knowing they suck as a person and doing nothing about it.
I understand you can’t change over night and it takes time. But it felt like Eric wasn’t even trying. He would do or say something nice to Calista then act like a jerk. It’s very frustrating.
The only reason I’ve given it 2 stars is because of Calista and Beth. Do not recommend.
DNF
I received this e-arc via Netgalley and the publisher in exchange for an honest review.
I have noticed a pattern with Kade’s contemporaries: they are a bit too dramatic for my liking. Although I still give them a try regardless. Seeing as I thoroughly enjoyed her previous series.
With this book in particular I actually liked Calista. She was realistic and I really related to her. It was Eric that I did not like. I am so through off reading about the love interests knowing they suck as a person and doing nothing about it.
I understand you can’t change over night and it takes time. But it felt like Eric wasn’t even trying. He would do or say something nice to Calista then act like a jerk. It’s very frustrating.
The only reason I’ve given it 2 stars is because of Calista and Beth. Do not recommend.
Read
February 8, 2018UPDATE (2/7/18): Thank you so much to everyone who has read and reviewed STARLIGHT NIGHTS! <3 I so appreciate it!
Also, for anyone who hasn't read Amanda and Chase's story (738 DAYS), the first book set in this world, it's currently on sale as a Kindle book for $2.99. I have no idea how long that will last but it's on for now. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/738-Days-Novel...
UPDATE (10/20/17): Starlight Nights is available on Netgalley! Please go request and review! Also, if you haven't already, consider joining my newsletter (link is below) because we're including a giveaway for a paper copy of the ARC in the next issue. Open internationally!
UPDATE (9/10/17): Pass pages are done! Which means, I think we'll be hearing news about ARCs soon. I'm also mulling ideas for giveaways and fun ways to share excerpts. If you guys have ideas, let me know! I am SO excited for you guys to read this book!
Also, I do (finally) have a newsletter. I promise not to bombard you with emails if you sign up.
Newsletter subscribers will get access to exclusive giveaways and such, plus the latest news on upcoming books, release dates, excerpts, etc.
UPDATE (7/19/17): Description has been updated to help clarify the story a bit more. And we now have a tagline! Usually my taglines are too punny or lame, but this one is mine and I'm so proud: "It's hot under the lights...and hotter behind the scenes." :DDDD
The final book cover will reflect the new tagline.
Also, Starlight Nights was mentioned in Publishers Weekly Fall Review--how awesome is that? So excited!
Status: Copy edits are done and pass pages are coming soon!
Not a review, just ramblings from the author. :) So excited for this book to be out! I LOVED writing Eric and Calista's story. Also to clear up some confusion, STARLIGHT NIGHTS was originally called STARLIGHT CURSE. I've updated the title everywhere on here (and combined versions), I think, but if you see it elsewhere, that's what's going on.
Status: The book is done and we're heading to copy edits soon!
Also, I can confirm that you will see Amanda and Chase (738 DAYS) in this story. They are secondary characters, but they play a significant role. And you'll get an update on where they are in life. :)
Also, for anyone who hasn't read Amanda and Chase's story (738 DAYS), the first book set in this world, it's currently on sale as a Kindle book for $2.99. I have no idea how long that will last but it's on for now. Here's the link: https://www.amazon.com/738-Days-Novel...
UPDATE (10/20/17): Starlight Nights is available on Netgalley! Please go request and review! Also, if you haven't already, consider joining my newsletter (link is below) because we're including a giveaway for a paper copy of the ARC in the next issue. Open internationally!
UPDATE (9/10/17): Pass pages are done! Which means, I think we'll be hearing news about ARCs soon. I'm also mulling ideas for giveaways and fun ways to share excerpts. If you guys have ideas, let me know! I am SO excited for you guys to read this book!
Also, I do (finally) have a newsletter. I promise not to bombard you with emails if you sign up.
Newsletter subscribers will get access to exclusive giveaways and such, plus the latest news on upcoming books, release dates, excerpts, etc.
UPDATE (7/19/17): Description has been updated to help clarify the story a bit more. And we now have a tagline! Usually my taglines are too punny or lame, but this one is mine and I'm so proud: "It's hot under the lights...and hotter behind the scenes." :DDDD
The final book cover will reflect the new tagline.
Also, Starlight Nights was mentioned in Publishers Weekly Fall Review--how awesome is that? So excited!
Status: Copy edits are done and pass pages are coming soon!
Not a review, just ramblings from the author. :) So excited for this book to be out! I LOVED writing Eric and Calista's story. Also to clear up some confusion, STARLIGHT NIGHTS was originally called STARLIGHT CURSE. I've updated the title everywhere on here (and combined versions), I think, but if you see it elsewhere, that's what's going on.
Status: The book is done and we're heading to copy edits soon!
Also, I can confirm that you will see Amanda and Chase (738 DAYS) in this story. They are secondary characters, but they play a significant role. And you'll get an update on where they are in life. :)
June 2, 2018
2.75* Despite the undoubtedly pretty unhealthy relationships featured, there’s no denying this was an entertaining read. It wasn’t the best book I’ve ever read and I doubt I’ll remember it in a years time but despite myself, I’d be lying if I said its cliche, cheesy suspense and plot wasn’t addictive.
August 24, 2018
In this companion to 738 DAYS, Chase and Amanda Grace make brief appearances. The headliners are Calista and Eric, Chase’s former costars. Both Calista and Eric have controlling, emotionally abusive parents. They’re also both sober addicts (though they never go to meetings or have cravings and addiction is used to make the characters more flawed and wounded). Each thinks they aren’t good enough for the other and each secretly loves the other.
Much of STARLIGHT NIGHTS reads like a soap opera, get close, pull away, get close pull away. Eric’s father and Calista’s mother are one dimensionally awful. The end is predictable from the blurb. I did feel satisfied with the ending, though often bored with the repetitive plot.
STARLIGHT NIGHTS isn’t terrible, but it isn’t very good either.
Much of STARLIGHT NIGHTS reads like a soap opera, get close, pull away, get close pull away. Eric’s father and Calista’s mother are one dimensionally awful. The end is predictable from the blurb. I did feel satisfied with the ending, though often bored with the repetitive plot.
STARLIGHT NIGHTS isn’t terrible, but it isn’t very good either.
November 7, 2017
I literally could not stop reading this.... Dear Stacey Kade please give me more new adult like this!!! sexy, Sweet, complicated characters and a story that had me turning pages all day! I love Callie & Eric just as much as I loved Amanda and Chase.
So, so good!!
Full review to come!
So, so good!!
Full review to come!
January 27, 2018
To see full review click here.
I’ll be blunt I like Stacey Kade. However, none of her books are really what I’d consider to be “favorites”. She has interesting concepts, the ships are usually okay, but there’s usually a quality about them that makes them fade into the back of my mind after reading them.
Like, the last Stacey Kade book I read looked like it had been loosely based off of the Cleveland kidnapping story with Hollywood thrown in for a good measure. I enjoyed it, but the book didn’t really stick with me.
Starlight Nights is a companion sequel to that book-meaning it’s another NA set in Hollywood. It’s not bad per say. But it contains a God awful ship and I got annoyed with both characters wanting to shake them and tell them you’re mother fucking adults. Now act like it.
It’s bad when a romance novel’s romance fails to deliver. And that’s what happens here. However, surprisingly it did not end my enjoyment of the book. That being said, I cringed whenever I read Calista (Callie) and Eric’s interactions.
Let’s me be blunt, Eric is a douche. A douche, douche, douche canoe who would normally be the bad boyfriend in a Hallmark movie.
Hell, Eric’s fiancee-yes, he is attached to get married at the beginning of this thing-could pretty much have a Hallmark movie of her own. I can just see in now, coming to Hallmark Countdown to Christmas 2018 A Veterinarian for Christmas: Dr. Katie goes back to her own town for Christmas after her douchey boyfriend ditches her for a size two actress. When an old boyfriend’s Corgi Beagle (is that better, Patty) needs emergency surgery and Dr. Katie is the only vet there because Hallmark Reasons, Dr. Katie finds herself her reconnecting with her past. Movie is complete with Hallmark gazebo and Christmas lights and an adorable Beagle wearing bows.
Faux Hallmark movie with Christmas Beagles aside, I really thought Eric could be the douche character in a Hallmark movie. In fact, I was pretty sure after closing this book that five pages post epilogue Callie was going to wake up and dump his ass.
I just hated him that much.
Not only is he a cheater-because he was totally eye fucking Callie when he was with Katie-he manipulated Callie and was just as bad as Callie’s mother and his father.
Really, this book more or less to me was Callie’s story. It was about her finding out who SHE was. That was what kept me reading the book. Seeing her and Eric together at the end made me sort of dislike the book much to my disgust. It was what bogged down the book more than anything else.
I’ll be frank about it, I’m always in the mood for a good redemption story, where a character is able to overcome rather impossible looking obstacles and all that jazz and I do think Callie did overcome a lot.
Her mother is just God awful. In fact, she had me in lawyer mode when reading this wondering how any judge in their right mind ever thought of giving her guardianship of her daughter-I’m pretty sure California, like most other states have laws about how a ward’s funds and can be used but what do I know I only practice law in two states that aren’t California.
I wish more attention would’ve been spent on Callie’s down spiral. It kept being mentioned, but save for her accident with Chase it is really only a blip on the radar. As for Chase and Amanda, it’s been so long since I read their story their cameos didn’t really do much to excite me.
Eric’s story on the other hand…
Um, okay.
It sort of parallels Callie’s story in some ways. But while I felt Callie got her shit together, I felt like Eric more or less just sort of was given a hand out and we were told that he got his shit together (he really didn’t).
Is it really sad that I just skimmed his sections. Hell, I rooted for Katie-future star of A Veterinarian for Christmas than him. Wait a minute…you know what would’ve made for a better ship. Scratch Katie going back to her hometown, instead she and Callie get it on. And yeah, I know there wasn’t that much chemistry between those two characters either, but there was more between them than Eric and Callie.
I keep going back to that God awful ship in this review. And I guess I’m doing that because Eric/Callie was the main reason this novel failed for me. But God did I despise this ship. It is everything I don’t want in a relationship. Yes, it’s obvious that the two characters are physically attracted to each other but that’s it.
I’ll give it to Kade, she at least attempts to give them a backstory-though the transitions into flashbacks could’ve been handled much better. Since it was sort of jarring how one moment the story would be in the present and then it would swiftly transition to the past.
Overall, it’s hard for me to recommend this book, but I did enjoy it enough (which I still can’t pinpoint why exactly). The ship is just toxic. If there’s anything about it that’s making me enjoy it, perhaps it’s Callie’s arc. It was nice seeing her get her act together, she just really needs to ditch the boyfriend. ’cause girl, you’re in danger.
I’ll be blunt I like Stacey Kade. However, none of her books are really what I’d consider to be “favorites”. She has interesting concepts, the ships are usually okay, but there’s usually a quality about them that makes them fade into the back of my mind after reading them.
Like, the last Stacey Kade book I read looked like it had been loosely based off of the Cleveland kidnapping story with Hollywood thrown in for a good measure. I enjoyed it, but the book didn’t really stick with me.
Starlight Nights is a companion sequel to that book-meaning it’s another NA set in Hollywood. It’s not bad per say. But it contains a God awful ship and I got annoyed with both characters wanting to shake them and tell them you’re mother fucking adults. Now act like it.
It’s bad when a romance novel’s romance fails to deliver. And that’s what happens here. However, surprisingly it did not end my enjoyment of the book. That being said, I cringed whenever I read Calista (Callie) and Eric’s interactions.
Let’s me be blunt, Eric is a douche. A douche, douche, douche canoe who would normally be the bad boyfriend in a Hallmark movie.
Hell, Eric’s fiancee-yes, he is attached to get married at the beginning of this thing-could pretty much have a Hallmark movie of her own. I can just see in now, coming to Hallmark Countdown to Christmas 2018 A Veterinarian for Christmas: Dr. Katie goes back to her own town for Christmas after her douchey boyfriend ditches her for a size two actress. When an old boyfriend’s Corgi Beagle (is that better, Patty) needs emergency surgery and Dr. Katie is the only vet there because Hallmark Reasons, Dr. Katie finds herself her reconnecting with her past. Movie is complete with Hallmark gazebo and Christmas lights and an adorable Beagle wearing bows.
Faux Hallmark movie with Christmas Beagles aside, I really thought Eric could be the douche character in a Hallmark movie. In fact, I was pretty sure after closing this book that five pages post epilogue Callie was going to wake up and dump his ass.
I just hated him that much.
Not only is he a cheater-because he was totally eye fucking Callie when he was with Katie-he manipulated Callie and was just as bad as Callie’s mother and his father.
Really, this book more or less to me was Callie’s story. It was about her finding out who SHE was. That was what kept me reading the book. Seeing her and Eric together at the end made me sort of dislike the book much to my disgust. It was what bogged down the book more than anything else.
I’ll be frank about it, I’m always in the mood for a good redemption story, where a character is able to overcome rather impossible looking obstacles and all that jazz and I do think Callie did overcome a lot.
Her mother is just God awful. In fact, she had me in lawyer mode when reading this wondering how any judge in their right mind ever thought of giving her guardianship of her daughter-I’m pretty sure California, like most other states have laws about how a ward’s funds and can be used but what do I know I only practice law in two states that aren’t California.
I wish more attention would’ve been spent on Callie’s down spiral. It kept being mentioned, but save for her accident with Chase it is really only a blip on the radar. As for Chase and Amanda, it’s been so long since I read their story their cameos didn’t really do much to excite me.
Eric’s story on the other hand…
Um, okay.
It sort of parallels Callie’s story in some ways. But while I felt Callie got her shit together, I felt like Eric more or less just sort of was given a hand out and we were told that he got his shit together (he really didn’t).
Is it really sad that I just skimmed his sections. Hell, I rooted for Katie-future star of A Veterinarian for Christmas than him. Wait a minute…you know what would’ve made for a better ship. Scratch Katie going back to her hometown, instead she and Callie get it on. And yeah, I know there wasn’t that much chemistry between those two characters either, but there was more between them than Eric and Callie.
I keep going back to that God awful ship in this review. And I guess I’m doing that because Eric/Callie was the main reason this novel failed for me. But God did I despise this ship. It is everything I don’t want in a relationship. Yes, it’s obvious that the two characters are physically attracted to each other but that’s it.
I’ll give it to Kade, she at least attempts to give them a backstory-though the transitions into flashbacks could’ve been handled much better. Since it was sort of jarring how one moment the story would be in the present and then it would swiftly transition to the past.
Overall, it’s hard for me to recommend this book, but I did enjoy it enough (which I still can’t pinpoint why exactly). The ship is just toxic. If there’s anything about it that’s making me enjoy it, perhaps it’s Callie’s arc. It was nice seeing her get her act together, she just really needs to ditch the boyfriend. ’cause girl, you’re in danger.
January 16, 2018
Being that this was my first Stacey Kade book I didn't really know what to expect from it. I did end up enjoying Starlight Nights a lot but it still had a few problems.
First of all, I loved how flawed the characters in this book were. Calista started out as this weak girl who didn't know how to control her life and Eric was kind of a douchebag but I ended up loving how much they grew in this books and I loved their development. I also loved that they didn't try to change each other but instead they ended up accepting each other flaws while trying to be better people. I also liked their relationship even if at a certain point I couldn't see those two working their issues out. Their lives were really messed up. Talking about messed up lives... I despise Calista's mom and Eric's dad. They are both such terrible people. I hated how much they did to hurt their kids and let me tell you that those two frustrated the hell out of me... I really wanted to throw my phone to the wall in some situations.
As I said before, this was my first Stacey Kade book so I didn't know what to expect from her writing. I ended up enjoying it but I have to say that it's a book that started out quite slow and it took me a little bit to get used to. However, the thing I liked the least in the writing was the flashbacks. Don't get me wrong, flashbacks can be amazing to understand the plot but sometimes it would be too sudden and I would end up confused.
Overall, this ended up being an enjoyable read. I really liked the plot and the setting and while I still had a few problems with this book I still think it would be a great read to anyone who loves to read these type of romances.
First of all, I loved how flawed the characters in this book were. Calista started out as this weak girl who didn't know how to control her life and Eric was kind of a douchebag but I ended up loving how much they grew in this books and I loved their development. I also loved that they didn't try to change each other but instead they ended up accepting each other flaws while trying to be better people. I also liked their relationship even if at a certain point I couldn't see those two working their issues out. Their lives were really messed up. Talking about messed up lives... I despise Calista's mom and Eric's dad. They are both such terrible people. I hated how much they did to hurt their kids and let me tell you that those two frustrated the hell out of me... I really wanted to throw my phone to the wall in some situations.
As I said before, this was my first Stacey Kade book so I didn't know what to expect from her writing. I ended up enjoying it but I have to say that it's a book that started out quite slow and it took me a little bit to get used to. However, the thing I liked the least in the writing was the flashbacks. Don't get me wrong, flashbacks can be amazing to understand the plot but sometimes it would be too sudden and I would end up confused.
Overall, this ended up being an enjoyable read. I really liked the plot and the setting and while I still had a few problems with this book I still think it would be a great read to anyone who loves to read these type of romances.
December 8, 2018
Callie versucht irgendwie auf eigenen Beinen zu stehen und sich dem Griff ihrer Mutter zu entziehen, die meint zu wissen, was das Beste für sie sei - meistens soll Callie dafür Rollen übernehmen, die sie nicht möchte. Und gerade studiert sie an einer kleinen Universität, wird aber noch als Außenseiterin behandelt, da will Eric sie wieder ins Geschäft bringen und zwingt sie fast zu dieser Entscheidung. Man kann richtig fühlen, wie schwer es ihr fällt, sich wieder in diese Welt zu begeben, die ihr so viel Stress gemacht hat. Sie schauspielert zwar gerne, aber die Umstände sind einfach oft anstrengend. Zum Beispiel wenn man sich in einen Kollegen verliebt und der einen immer wieder verletzt.
Callie hat ein sehr sanftes, freundliches Gemüt, aber ihre Mutter, die Situation mit Eric sowie auch der restliche Druck machen sie ziemlich fertig und daher mochte ich sie umso mehr.
Beide Hauptcharaktere stehen unter Druck und hegen Selbstzweifel, aber Eric ist da noch eine Nummer für sich und gehört zu der Art, die immer alle von sich stößt, weil er so große Angst hat. Das ist so häufig ein Motiv in Romance, dass es mich schon etwas enttäuscht hat. Dabei hat Eric großes Potential, weil er schon ein komplexer Charakter ist.
Seine Problemquelle ist sein Vater, dem das Geschäft wichtiger ist als der Erfolg oder das Glück seines eigenen Sohnes. Dieser Vater passt sehr gut zu Callies Mutter, denn beide sind auf ihren eigenen Vorteil bedacht und manipulieren ihre eigenen Kinder nach Belieben, ohne Rücksicht auf Verluste. Immer wieder dachte man sich "das tut jemand doch nicht seinem Kind an" und dann stimmt es doch, damit konnte mich die Geschichte eine Weile schockieren, aber ich fand es dann auch sehr frustrierend, weil es immer wieder fast die gleiche Situation war.
Im Moment ist Eric in festen Händen, was schon zusätzliche Spannung einbringt, denn er ist schon ziemlich glücklich damit. Da fragt man sich die ganze Zeit, wie Callie und er da zusammenfinden sollen.
Fazit
Mir hat "Starlight Nights" ziemlich gut gefallen, weil es schon spannend und sehr gefühlvoll war, aber einige Situationen schienen sich zu wiederholen und das hat mich ziemlich frustriert.
Callie hat ein sehr sanftes, freundliches Gemüt, aber ihre Mutter, die Situation mit Eric sowie auch der restliche Druck machen sie ziemlich fertig und daher mochte ich sie umso mehr.
Beide Hauptcharaktere stehen unter Druck und hegen Selbstzweifel, aber Eric ist da noch eine Nummer für sich und gehört zu der Art, die immer alle von sich stößt, weil er so große Angst hat. Das ist so häufig ein Motiv in Romance, dass es mich schon etwas enttäuscht hat. Dabei hat Eric großes Potential, weil er schon ein komplexer Charakter ist.
Seine Problemquelle ist sein Vater, dem das Geschäft wichtiger ist als der Erfolg oder das Glück seines eigenen Sohnes. Dieser Vater passt sehr gut zu Callies Mutter, denn beide sind auf ihren eigenen Vorteil bedacht und manipulieren ihre eigenen Kinder nach Belieben, ohne Rücksicht auf Verluste. Immer wieder dachte man sich "das tut jemand doch nicht seinem Kind an" und dann stimmt es doch, damit konnte mich die Geschichte eine Weile schockieren, aber ich fand es dann auch sehr frustrierend, weil es immer wieder fast die gleiche Situation war.
Im Moment ist Eric in festen Händen, was schon zusätzliche Spannung einbringt, denn er ist schon ziemlich glücklich damit. Da fragt man sich die ganze Zeit, wie Callie und er da zusammenfinden sollen.
Fazit
Mir hat "Starlight Nights" ziemlich gut gefallen, weil es schon spannend und sehr gefühlvoll war, aber einige Situationen schienen sich zu wiederholen und das hat mich ziemlich frustriert.
January 13, 2018
“Starlight Nights”, the first book that I read this year was fantastic! It was like a soap opera with how many storylines it had. There was a love story, a selfish parent story, a drugs story, a friendship story, along with more. The book is long enough to fit all those different stories too as it’s 400 pages.
"Starlight Nights" is the second book in a series of linked contemporary standalone novels. I say linked because there’s a character featured as a side character who’s a main character in the first book 738 Days by Stacey Kade, too. I read this as a standalone, though and it was fine.
Netgalley were kind enough to grant me a review copy of “Starlight Nights” so it’s thanks to them as well as the publisher that I’ve been able to read and review this...
Calista and Eric are the main characters. “Starlight Nights” is told from both of their perspectives. The first chapter is a Calista chapter, though so I’d say that her story takes precedence, just, over Eric’s. We see Callie grow throughout the novel. First of all, she’s a student with no backbone to stand up to anyone, while Eric is trying to control his own life, but even he has issues, standing up to his father.
Both Calista’s mother and Eric’s father are the antagonists in “Starlight Nights”. They’re trying to stop their children from having control. They think they know what’s best for them, which just isn’t true. Both Callie and Eric have to work together to live as they want. Can they, though?
There are detailed sex scenes so “Starlight Nights” for a younger reader. I’d say a mature 16+ year old could read this. There’s also a drugs storyline as well as bad language throughout Starlight Nights.
5 Stars!
Spoilers Below...
First we see Calista in college. She’s studying accounting to try and move away from her career as an actress.
“Desperation and lack of other marketable skills collide in an ugly way sometimes—that’s why I want my degree, my nice, safe accounting degree, a fallback plan”
This shows that Calista wants to be something different than an actress. Her mom is very pressurising. She wants to see Calista succeed as an actress. Nothing else will do.
“My mother is infuriating, controlling and sometimes a bitch”
This describes how Callie sees her mother throughout Starlight Nights, perfectly. Lori is the worst character I’ve ever read about in a contemporary novel. It’s almost as if she hates her daughters. She’s got three of them, none of whom she treats well or right. Zinnia, the second daughter is treated almost as badly as Callie. It’s just because Callie is the oldest that she’s treated the worst.
“Zinnia keep your head up. It shows confidence and hides your double chin, darling”
shows that Lori really doesn’t care about hurting her daughters’ feelings. She says things like this to Callie too. She’s more of a manager than a mother. Callie even refers to her as her “manager” at one point in the novel.
Another important point to review is how Eric is engaged to Katie, who obviously isn’t Callie. Katie isn’t a very nice character either, I found. She’s a vet but this point isn’t really expanded on at all, except that she and Eric have a dog that she doesn’t seem to care about. It’s Eric that loves and cares for the animal. To be honest, I hated Katie as well as Lori. Katie is just as bitchy to Eric as Lori is to Callie. She tries to tell Eric that his career isn’t important and she tries to get Eric to talk to his father because she’s got the perfect family who talk all the time.
“My parents aren’t like yours”. Katie doesn’t get it. She speaks to both her parents on a regular basis. And her brothers and sister”
She wants to show Eric that if he tries his relationship will improve with his father. But that just isn’t the case. We see some scenes with his father and he’s just as evil and twisted as Lori, maybe even worse. Katie doesn’t really know what she’s talking about, I don’t think. Just because she’s got a great family life doesn’t mean everybody does.
The last point that I want to cover here is of course, the romance between Callie and Eric. This is one of my favourite romances, I’ve read, and I’ve read A LOT! I thought it was done really well. It’s not all perfect, hearts and flowers so it’s very realistically done, even though the story is set in a Hollywood like setting. As I said above, both Callie and Eric have many trails facing them being happy together. Can they find their happily ever after? You’ll have to read to find out!
What did I like about “Starlight Nights”?
I liked that the novel was like a soap opera in book form.
I liked that the characters all had a different interesting quality. Some good, some twisted.
I liked how we saw the events of Starlight Nights from both the female and the male lead characters. We often only see from one perspective. It was interesting to see the events play out for both Callie and Eric and both of their reactions to the events.
I liked that the story mainly focused around the romance between Callie and Eric.
What didn’t I like about “Starlight Nights”?
I didn’t like how the book was based around the film industry. I, personally found some of the film elements mentioned difficult to understand but this will be different for every person.
That’s literally the only thing I disliked about the book and the setting is not made a huge deal of, anyway.
I loved “Starlight Nights”! I know it’s only the beginning of the year, but I think it will be in my top reads of the year!
Stand by for my next review, coming soon...
"Starlight Nights" is the second book in a series of linked contemporary standalone novels. I say linked because there’s a character featured as a side character who’s a main character in the first book 738 Days by Stacey Kade, too. I read this as a standalone, though and it was fine.
Netgalley were kind enough to grant me a review copy of “Starlight Nights” so it’s thanks to them as well as the publisher that I’ve been able to read and review this...
Calista and Eric are the main characters. “Starlight Nights” is told from both of their perspectives. The first chapter is a Calista chapter, though so I’d say that her story takes precedence, just, over Eric’s. We see Callie grow throughout the novel. First of all, she’s a student with no backbone to stand up to anyone, while Eric is trying to control his own life, but even he has issues, standing up to his father.
Both Calista’s mother and Eric’s father are the antagonists in “Starlight Nights”. They’re trying to stop their children from having control. They think they know what’s best for them, which just isn’t true. Both Callie and Eric have to work together to live as they want. Can they, though?
There are detailed sex scenes so “Starlight Nights” for a younger reader. I’d say a mature 16+ year old could read this. There’s also a drugs storyline as well as bad language throughout Starlight Nights.
5 Stars!
Spoilers Below...
First we see Calista in college. She’s studying accounting to try and move away from her career as an actress.
“Desperation and lack of other marketable skills collide in an ugly way sometimes—that’s why I want my degree, my nice, safe accounting degree, a fallback plan”
This shows that Calista wants to be something different than an actress. Her mom is very pressurising. She wants to see Calista succeed as an actress. Nothing else will do.
“My mother is infuriating, controlling and sometimes a bitch”
This describes how Callie sees her mother throughout Starlight Nights, perfectly. Lori is the worst character I’ve ever read about in a contemporary novel. It’s almost as if she hates her daughters. She’s got three of them, none of whom she treats well or right. Zinnia, the second daughter is treated almost as badly as Callie. It’s just because Callie is the oldest that she’s treated the worst.
“Zinnia keep your head up. It shows confidence and hides your double chin, darling”
shows that Lori really doesn’t care about hurting her daughters’ feelings. She says things like this to Callie too. She’s more of a manager than a mother. Callie even refers to her as her “manager” at one point in the novel.
Another important point to review is how Eric is engaged to Katie, who obviously isn’t Callie. Katie isn’t a very nice character either, I found. She’s a vet but this point isn’t really expanded on at all, except that she and Eric have a dog that she doesn’t seem to care about. It’s Eric that loves and cares for the animal. To be honest, I hated Katie as well as Lori. Katie is just as bitchy to Eric as Lori is to Callie. She tries to tell Eric that his career isn’t important and she tries to get Eric to talk to his father because she’s got the perfect family who talk all the time.
“My parents aren’t like yours”. Katie doesn’t get it. She speaks to both her parents on a regular basis. And her brothers and sister”
She wants to show Eric that if he tries his relationship will improve with his father. But that just isn’t the case. We see some scenes with his father and he’s just as evil and twisted as Lori, maybe even worse. Katie doesn’t really know what she’s talking about, I don’t think. Just because she’s got a great family life doesn’t mean everybody does.
The last point that I want to cover here is of course, the romance between Callie and Eric. This is one of my favourite romances, I’ve read, and I’ve read A LOT! I thought it was done really well. It’s not all perfect, hearts and flowers so it’s very realistically done, even though the story is set in a Hollywood like setting. As I said above, both Callie and Eric have many trails facing them being happy together. Can they find their happily ever after? You’ll have to read to find out!
What did I like about “Starlight Nights”?
I liked that the novel was like a soap opera in book form.
I liked that the characters all had a different interesting quality. Some good, some twisted.
I liked how we saw the events of Starlight Nights from both the female and the male lead characters. We often only see from one perspective. It was interesting to see the events play out for both Callie and Eric and both of their reactions to the events.
I liked that the story mainly focused around the romance between Callie and Eric.
What didn’t I like about “Starlight Nights”?
I didn’t like how the book was based around the film industry. I, personally found some of the film elements mentioned difficult to understand but this will be different for every person.
That’s literally the only thing I disliked about the book and the setting is not made a huge deal of, anyway.
I loved “Starlight Nights”! I know it’s only the beginning of the year, but I think it will be in my top reads of the year!
Stand by for my next review, coming soon...
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
September 11, 2018
Stacey could write an ad for a toaster and it would somehow find chemistry and leap off the page. That’s how all her books are...characters that stay with you and steamy scenes that hook you!
In 738 Days (which you've all read, right? Because it is AMAZING), we meet Calista and Eric while we are riding the rollercoaster that is Amanda and Chase's relationship. Stacey must have been reading our minds when she decided Calista and Eric needed their own book! Fans of 738 Days will be happy to hear Chase and Amanda make an appearance. For all of you new to the series, you do not have to have read 738 Days to read Starlight Nights. I just highly recommend that you do.
If you watch the news, you can see the detriments of young stardom. Abuse by adults runs rampant and the underdeveloped youth brain leads to some not great coping skills and decisions. Starlight Nights is an inside look into the teen TV stars we all adore. Starlight Nights is a version of "where are they now" coupled with what is their future?
I loved Calista and Eric's tension. They had some growing up to do but we see how that all plays out. Plus, if you know Stacey is a romance writer, you have some assurance that everything happens for a reason.
If you love a little angst, a lot of steam, and a story you can't put down, Starlight Nights is the perfect book for you!
PS What about that second party scene AMIRITE
In 738 Days (which you've all read, right? Because it is AMAZING), we meet Calista and Eric while we are riding the rollercoaster that is Amanda and Chase's relationship. Stacey must have been reading our minds when she decided Calista and Eric needed their own book! Fans of 738 Days will be happy to hear Chase and Amanda make an appearance. For all of you new to the series, you do not have to have read 738 Days to read Starlight Nights. I just highly recommend that you do.
If you watch the news, you can see the detriments of young stardom. Abuse by adults runs rampant and the underdeveloped youth brain leads to some not great coping skills and decisions. Starlight Nights is an inside look into the teen TV stars we all adore. Starlight Nights is a version of "where are they now" coupled with what is their future?
I loved Calista and Eric's tension. They had some growing up to do but we see how that all plays out. Plus, if you know Stacey is a romance writer, you have some assurance that everything happens for a reason.
If you love a little angst, a lot of steam, and a story you can't put down, Starlight Nights is the perfect book for you!
PS What about that second party scene AMIRITE
never-finished
November 22, 2017DNF 25% + skimming. I loved the first in this series but this book is decidedly NOT FOR ME. I would stab this book and this guy in the eye if I could! Callie deserves something much better. If you hate love triangles, save yourself and stay far away from here.
SPOILERS BEWARE
SPOILERS BEWARE
January 11, 2018
3.5 stars
*This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Originally posted at For What It's Worth on 1/11/18: http://www.fwiwreviews.net/2018/01/re...
Eeeep! This NA book is all kinds of messy, complicated and angsty. Decidedly NOT a Karen kind of book – yet I enjoyed it anyway (with a few quibbles).
Eric and Calista played siblings on the hit teen show, Starlight and Caslita had always harbored a crush on Eric. After a wild party at Eric’s house one night where everything that can go wrong does – a heartbroken Calista flees the Hollywood lights and her controlling stage mom for a quiet college life where she’s trying, but struggling, to fit in with everyone else. The other students either treat her as a star and want autographs or think Calista is a snob and thinks she’s better than everyone else.
Eric shows up at college out of the blue one night asking her to act in his first indie project – a movie he’s making based on Calista’s favorite book and he does it in a way that doesn’t leave her many options but to go along with the whole thing, despite her not wanting to return to that life.
Her mother has squandered all the money Calista made while acting, controls her looks and diet, and when Calista dares to push back, even a little, her mom uses her past mistakes, inexperience and younger sisters against her, threatening to drag them into acting against their will or that they will all be homeless and it will be her fault. Calista is a girl desperate for control over her own life yet Eric uses it against her.
He's an asshole. He really is. He uses Calista’s manipulative mother against her to get his own way. He does have her best interest at heart and thinks returning to acting will help her but yeah - not a great first impression of the love interest.
This was REALLY difficult to read and tough to watchEric pulling the same crap on her all while yelling at her to stand up to her mom.
Eric is desperately trying to get out from under the weight of his disapproving father. He wants be known for his own acting/directing/producing skills and not be thought of as the rich kid who got all his breaks because of his famous dad. He really is trying to get his life straightened out and make it on his own reputation but it makes him desperate to get Calista on board.
Eric is already in a relationship but sparks fly once he and Calista reconnect causing them both to reevaluate their life choices and who their really living for.
It gets ugly at times. The parents are awful, the things Eric did in the past are awful, watching Calista be a doormat is awful.
So why did I like it anyway? To be perfectly honest I don’t know! lol I’ve always been a fan of Stacey Kade’s writing since her YA The Ghost and the Goth trilogy and even though her writing has gotten much darker with this NA series, I still empathize with the characters. I felt a lot of anger but I got where everyone was coming from. Didn’t agree…but understood.
I also allow some leeway with this being a Hollywood/acting story. We all see the headlines and how much pressure young actors go through. I guess I gave them some slack to get their shit together but I can see how readers would throw this book against a wall as well.
Personally, despite not approving of a lot of their actions, I thought they both come from the same place – their love of acting, their awful parents – and could understand each other in a way that no one else could, flaws and all, and made each other better. Eventually.
There were a few things I didn’t love though. For one – Calista is so in love with Eric and while I love a good redemption arc, I don’t think he quite earned it yet. And I would have loved to see them grow more on their own first before coming together again. This did happen a bit for Calista but it was mostly off page and felt tacked on but I would have rather skipped a few of the steamier scenes and seen the work they had to do on themselves in a way that showed it instead of telling.
One last note – I see some readers feel there’s a love triangle and I guess…yeah. I HATE love triangles and I’ll do a little spoiler here so you can see why I didn’t think it was and you can decide for yourself
This isn't going to be the book for everyone. But if you like messy, complicated characters and romance, second chances and behind the scenes/Hollywood scandal kind of stories this one is for you. Even when I'm not fully on board with the characters actions, I love Kade's writing so much that she wins me over anyway.
*This book was provided by the publisher in exchange for an honest review
Originally posted at For What It's Worth on 1/11/18: http://www.fwiwreviews.net/2018/01/re...
Eeeep! This NA book is all kinds of messy, complicated and angsty. Decidedly NOT a Karen kind of book – yet I enjoyed it anyway (with a few quibbles).
Eric and Calista played siblings on the hit teen show, Starlight and Caslita had always harbored a crush on Eric. After a wild party at Eric’s house one night where everything that can go wrong does – a heartbroken Calista flees the Hollywood lights and her controlling stage mom for a quiet college life where she’s trying, but struggling, to fit in with everyone else. The other students either treat her as a star and want autographs or think Calista is a snob and thinks she’s better than everyone else.
Eric shows up at college out of the blue one night asking her to act in his first indie project – a movie he’s making based on Calista’s favorite book and he does it in a way that doesn’t leave her many options but to go along with the whole thing, despite her not wanting to return to that life.
Her mother has squandered all the money Calista made while acting, controls her looks and diet, and when Calista dares to push back, even a little, her mom uses her past mistakes, inexperience and younger sisters against her, threatening to drag them into acting against their will or that they will all be homeless and it will be her fault. Calista is a girl desperate for control over her own life yet Eric uses it against her.
He's an asshole. He really is. He uses Calista’s manipulative mother against her to get his own way. He does have her best interest at heart and thinks returning to acting will help her but yeah - not a great first impression of the love interest.
This was REALLY difficult to read and tough to watchEric pulling the same crap on her all while yelling at her to stand up to her mom.
Eric is desperately trying to get out from under the weight of his disapproving father. He wants be known for his own acting/directing/producing skills and not be thought of as the rich kid who got all his breaks because of his famous dad. He really is trying to get his life straightened out and make it on his own reputation but it makes him desperate to get Calista on board.
Eric is already in a relationship but sparks fly once he and Calista reconnect causing them both to reevaluate their life choices and who their really living for.
It gets ugly at times. The parents are awful, the things Eric did in the past are awful, watching Calista be a doormat is awful.
So why did I like it anyway? To be perfectly honest I don’t know! lol I’ve always been a fan of Stacey Kade’s writing since her YA The Ghost and the Goth trilogy and even though her writing has gotten much darker with this NA series, I still empathize with the characters. I felt a lot of anger but I got where everyone was coming from. Didn’t agree…but understood.
I also allow some leeway with this being a Hollywood/acting story. We all see the headlines and how much pressure young actors go through. I guess I gave them some slack to get their shit together but I can see how readers would throw this book against a wall as well.
Personally, despite not approving of a lot of their actions, I thought they both come from the same place – their love of acting, their awful parents – and could understand each other in a way that no one else could, flaws and all, and made each other better. Eventually.
There were a few things I didn’t love though. For one – Calista is so in love with Eric and while I love a good redemption arc, I don’t think he quite earned it yet. And I would have loved to see them grow more on their own first before coming together again. This did happen a bit for Calista but it was mostly off page and felt tacked on but I would have rather skipped a few of the steamier scenes and seen the work they had to do on themselves in a way that showed it instead of telling.
One last note – I see some readers feel there’s a love triangle and I guess…yeah. I HATE love triangles and I’ll do a little spoiler here so you can see why I didn’t think it was and you can decide for yourself
This isn't going to be the book for everyone. But if you like messy, complicated characters and romance, second chances and behind the scenes/Hollywood scandal kind of stories this one is for you. Even when I'm not fully on board with the characters actions, I love Kade's writing so much that she wins me over anyway.
May 7, 2018
3.5.
I've been leaning towards 4 stars (which is how it'd be categorized on my blogs since I don't have half tags) because I really enjoyed the ending. BUT I definitely did have some issues with this. This book drove me CRAZY for the first 70-80% but the ending, when the MC Final-fucking-LY stands up for herself, I was very pleased. I kind of feel like that's what kept me reading when I normally would have chucked this kind of book aside and read something else. I knew it HAD to be coming eventually. And Stacey Kade did not disappoint!
VERDICT: This was my first book by Kade.... and I'll be checking out the book that came before this one even though the couple in that one is featured in this one, which makes some of their storyline spoiled. So.... that says something right? This was definitely a page-turner, very easy to plow straight through. I just prefer my heroines to be a lot stronger, or at least become stronger a lot faster than this one.
I've been leaning towards 4 stars (which is how it'd be categorized on my blogs since I don't have half tags) because I really enjoyed the ending. BUT I definitely did have some issues with this. This book drove me CRAZY for the first 70-80% but the ending, when the MC Final-fucking-LY stands up for herself, I was very pleased. I kind of feel like that's what kept me reading when I normally would have chucked this kind of book aside and read something else. I knew it HAD to be coming eventually. And Stacey Kade did not disappoint!
VERDICT: This was my first book by Kade.... and I'll be checking out the book that came before this one even though the couple in that one is featured in this one, which makes some of their storyline spoiled. So.... that says something right? This was definitely a page-turner, very easy to plow straight through. I just prefer my heroines to be a lot stronger, or at least become stronger a lot faster than this one.
January 8, 2018
Read full review HERE
I wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, but I ended up enjoying it.
THE POSITIVE:
♥ The story and the plot. I really really enjoyed the story. I found it unusual and fresh.
♥ The characters. Both main characters were so so broken and that made them so interesting. I ended up really loving Calista and Eric, which was unexpected, because they messed up so much, and I wanted to shout at them so many times to stop and thing and do stuff differently. But there is an ENORMOUS character development, so YAY.
♥ The play of the fandom. I really liked to see it included, the strength of the fandoms and ships and how the industry might use it to get success.
THE NEGATIVE:
♦ I really liked the story, but the way it was told was confusing. There is no clear line between the present and the past events told, which made it confusing. I hope that on the final version we get a divider or a difference in the font. Because the speech pattern was the same, and sometimes I wasn’t quite sure if I was reading past or present events.
♦ The pace was a bit too slow at the beginning, which made the book feel a bit inconsistent.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Much more than I was expecting at first. I would only tweak the pace and the way the past/present is set up. Otherwise, I cannot fault this book. The characters are flawed and end up being perfect for each other. Great story.
I wasn’t sure what to expect of this book, but I ended up enjoying it.
THE POSITIVE:
♥ The story and the plot. I really really enjoyed the story. I found it unusual and fresh.
♥ The characters. Both main characters were so so broken and that made them so interesting. I ended up really loving Calista and Eric, which was unexpected, because they messed up so much, and I wanted to shout at them so many times to stop and thing and do stuff differently. But there is an ENORMOUS character development, so YAY.
♥ The play of the fandom. I really liked to see it included, the strength of the fandoms and ships and how the industry might use it to get success.
THE NEGATIVE:
♦ I really liked the story, but the way it was told was confusing. There is no clear line between the present and the past events told, which made it confusing. I hope that on the final version we get a divider or a difference in the font. Because the speech pattern was the same, and sometimes I wasn’t quite sure if I was reading past or present events.
♦ The pace was a bit too slow at the beginning, which made the book feel a bit inconsistent.
Overall, I really enjoyed this one. Much more than I was expecting at first. I would only tweak the pace and the way the past/present is set up. Otherwise, I cannot fault this book. The characters are flawed and end up being perfect for each other. Great story.
January 9, 2018
4.5 stars!
"We’re always clawing our way out of someone else’s definition of us."
Starlight Nights is full of flawed characters, second chances, and smoking hot romance. Do you even need more reasons than the above?! Starlight Nights is a new adult, romance, and is the sequel to 738 Days, but it follows different characters, and can be read as a standalone. However, 738 Days was a rollercoaster ride of emotion and I highly recommend it, and those characters are revisited in the sequel!
These angsty, brooding, and broken characters are exactly what I love in my second chance romances. Both of these tropes are my absolute favorite. Calista was a 16 year old, teenage actor on the super popular Starlight TV show, and fell in love with her coworker, Eric. Eric was an older established actor, who’s father is a huge TV producer in Hollywood. Their chemistry was so persuasive that not only is there still a massive fandom surviving on fanfiction written about them, but the TV show even explored and alternate universe plot to get them on screen romantically.
Of course I mentioned that these characters were broken. So much pain, and lack of love and support for these characters. They all screwed up big time. Including Calista. She decides to try and go to college and avoid her former life, but even in this small town, they all still treat her as different. Eric wants to prove himself as a producer without his father’s help and buys the rights to one of Calista’s favorite books. He hopes to make a web series and help Calista come back to Hollywood.
Of course these two have been stifling their feelings for each other and they are so captivating, everyone can sense their magnetism. But they both are dealing with serious family and personal baggage, especially with each other, and Chase their 3rd former co-star. They all need each other and they need to help work through their pasts and move towards the future.
Now I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how delicious and sizzling the romance is between Calista & Eric. I mean whoa. But they both are dealing with extremely serious issues including mental abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, and overall the tabloid issues we as non-Hollywood types hear about in the papers. They have a lot going on, and most of the time they aren’t talking to each other either. Hell I had serious issues even liking Eric’s character, but I understood him and they all deserved their redemption.
Without giving anything away, I had one small issue with one of the romantic relationships in the story. I understood the conflict it brought into the story, but I feel like, I would have been fine without it. I know super vague, but it is a spoiler and I don’t want to influence anyone’s reading experience.
So let me sum this up, this is a perfect example of exactly what I want in my new adult romance. Broken, flawed characters, full of self-exploration and development. Sweet and smoking hot romance, and the hope and strength that love can overcome even the worst of ourselves. Starlight Nights has it all.
"We’re always clawing our way out of someone else’s definition of us."
Starlight Nights is full of flawed characters, second chances, and smoking hot romance. Do you even need more reasons than the above?! Starlight Nights is a new adult, romance, and is the sequel to 738 Days, but it follows different characters, and can be read as a standalone. However, 738 Days was a rollercoaster ride of emotion and I highly recommend it, and those characters are revisited in the sequel!
These angsty, brooding, and broken characters are exactly what I love in my second chance romances. Both of these tropes are my absolute favorite. Calista was a 16 year old, teenage actor on the super popular Starlight TV show, and fell in love with her coworker, Eric. Eric was an older established actor, who’s father is a huge TV producer in Hollywood. Their chemistry was so persuasive that not only is there still a massive fandom surviving on fanfiction written about them, but the TV show even explored and alternate universe plot to get them on screen romantically.
Of course I mentioned that these characters were broken. So much pain, and lack of love and support for these characters. They all screwed up big time. Including Calista. She decides to try and go to college and avoid her former life, but even in this small town, they all still treat her as different. Eric wants to prove himself as a producer without his father’s help and buys the rights to one of Calista’s favorite books. He hopes to make a web series and help Calista come back to Hollywood.
Of course these two have been stifling their feelings for each other and they are so captivating, everyone can sense their magnetism. But they both are dealing with serious family and personal baggage, especially with each other, and Chase their 3rd former co-star. They all need each other and they need to help work through their pasts and move towards the future.
Now I would be remiss if I didn’t mention how delicious and sizzling the romance is between Calista & Eric. I mean whoa. But they both are dealing with extremely serious issues including mental abuse, drug and alcohol abuse, and overall the tabloid issues we as non-Hollywood types hear about in the papers. They have a lot going on, and most of the time they aren’t talking to each other either. Hell I had serious issues even liking Eric’s character, but I understood him and they all deserved their redemption.
Without giving anything away, I had one small issue with one of the romantic relationships in the story. I understood the conflict it brought into the story, but I feel like, I would have been fine without it. I know super vague, but it is a spoiler and I don’t want to influence anyone’s reading experience.
So let me sum this up, this is a perfect example of exactly what I want in my new adult romance. Broken, flawed characters, full of self-exploration and development. Sweet and smoking hot romance, and the hope and strength that love can overcome even the worst of ourselves. Starlight Nights has it all.
December 22, 2018
Dieses Buch war tatsächlich ganz anders als gedacht, und das in einem guten Sinne!
Wie ihr vielleicht wisst, war ich nicht der größte Fan des ersten Bandes, weil mir dort alles zu schnell und vor allem zu einfach ging. Dies war hier aber gar nicht der Fall. Ich finde wirklich, dass man eine extreme Verbesserung der schriftstellerischen Leistungen erkennt, wo ich nur den Hut ziehen kann.
An sich gibt der Klappentext nicht sehr viel her, und auch wenn er überhaupt nicht falsch formuliert wurde, hatte ich doch ein ganz anderes Bild vor Augen. Für mich wirkte es eher so, als würden Calista und Eric sich im Erwachsenenalter kennenlernen, über eine ganz kurze Zeit - vielleicht einen Abend - begleiten, und dann schlagartig wieder trennen, bis sie sich ein paar Monate wieder treffen, und so weiter und so fort ... Aber so ist es gar nicht, sondern viel, viel besser!
Die beiden kennen sich schon sehr lange, und sind praktisch gemeinsam erwachsen geworden. Zusammen mit unserem Protagonisten Chase aus dem ersten Teil (daher besteht auch der Zusammenhang der Reihe, was ich vorher nicht wusste) haben sie nämlich eine der bekanntesten und beliebtesten Teenie-Serien gedreht. Cassie war damals gerade mal sechzehn Jahre alt und verliebte sich wie auf den ersten Blick in Eric, der sie aber immer nur als das kleine Mädchen sah.
Nach einem Schicksalsschlag, der sie nach ein paar Jahren trifft, trennen sich ihre Wege schlagartig, aber wiederum drei Jahre später steht Chase auf einmal wieder vor Calistas Tür. Calista, die vorher vollkommen auf die falsche Bahn abgedriftet ist und sich später vollkommen aus der Öffentlichkeit herausgezogen hat, soll nun die Hauptrolle in einer Serie spielen, die Erik produzieren möchte. Und nicht nur das, sie sollen gemeinsam eine Liebesbeziehung verkörpern, aber lässt sich dies mit den Gefühlen vereinbaren, die Callie plötzlich wieder vollkommen durchströmen? Immerhin ist Erik auch verlobt, also sollte es das doch, oder etwa nicht?
Diese Geschichte hatte eine unglaublich tolle Umsetzung! Das Geschehen setzt im "Jetzt" ein, in dem Callie sich gegen die Schauspielerei und für einen normalen Collegeabschluss entschieden hat, während sich immer wieder Flashbacks in die Köpfe unserer beiden Protagonisten einschleichen, die langsam nacherzählen, was Schlimmes zwischen den beiden vorgefallen ist. Das war total spannend, weil man natürlich unbedingt wissen wollte, was denn die damalige starke Anziehung zwischen den beiden kaputt machen konnte. Mir stand auch wirklich der Mund offen, als der Leser dann erfuhr, worum es sich handelte. Da es mittlerweile über ein halbes Jahr her ist, dann ich From Scratch gelesen habe, kann ich nicht mehr genau beurteilen, ob man im ersten Teil schon einen Hinweis darauf bekommt, oder dies vielleicht sogar schon vollkommen gelüftet wurde. Ich persönlich konnte mich jedenfalls nicht (mehr) daran erinnern, weshalb ich dann auch wirklich ein wenig schockiert war. Dementsprechend konnte mich dieser Spannungsaufbau total überzeugen!
In Bezug auf die Liebesgeschichte nimmt das Buch aber wirklich einen sehr, sehr ruhigen und langsamen Handlungsstrang auf, was man wahrscheinlich mögen muss. Wenn dies gut umgesetzt ist (wie zum Beispiel bei Berühre mich. Nicht.), bin ich davon ein absoluter Fan, und so war es auch hier! Von der ersten Seite an ist das Prickeln, das Lodern, die Spannung zwischen den Protagonisten absolut spürbar. Ich war sofort zu hundert Prozent auf die beiden fokussiert und so kann man auch sagen, dass die Geschichte und die Annäherung der beiden mich definitiv nicht kalt gelassen hat.
Besonders gut gemacht fand ich auch die Repräsentation in Bezug auf Eriks Verlobung. Wir haben es in der Geschichte keinesfalls mit Betrug zu tun, nicht mal ansatzweise, was wirklich fantastische Werte vermittelt.
Insgesamt muss ich aber sagen, dass mir die ersten beiden Drittel besser gefallen haben als das letzte. Ich kann nicht genau sagen warum, aber irgendwie war für mich später an manchen Stellen die Luft ein wenig raus.
Calista selbst mochte ich auch von Anfang an sehr, sehr gern. An manchen Stellen im Buch war sie mir zwar ein wenig zu ruppig in ihrem Verhalten (entschuldigt die Ausdrucksweise, aber mir fällt einfach kein passenderer Begriff ein), aber ansonsten war sie eine tolle Protagonistin, mit der man voll und ganz mitfühlen konnte. Sie ist eigenwillig, mutig, nimmt kein Blatt vor den Mund und auch ihre Entwicklung ließ einen am liebsten laut jubeln wollen.
Eric war sogar ein noch größerer Sympathieträger, auch wenn ich nach der Enthüllung des Schicksalsschlages ein wenig zu schockiert war und dies immer noch verdauen muss. Ich habe irgendwie immer noch ein etwas komisches Bauchgefühl, wenn ich daran denke, aber vorher war ich definitiv hin und weg von ihm!
Zusätzlich hatte das Buch so wunderwunderschön geschriebene Stellen, die mich absolut umgehauen haben! Und das waren nicht nur ein-, zweimal, in denen mich die Worte der Autorin, vom Hocker haben kippen lassen. Nein, fast in jedem Kapitel reihte sich ein Spruch ein, der mir absolut unter die Haut gegangen ist und mich berühren konnte. Wahnsinn, wie toll ihr Schreibstil sich entwickelt hat, und wie gut die Übersetzung die Gefühle einfangen konnte. On Point!
Wenn wir aber schon mal bei der Übersetzung sind, muss ich mal wieder einen Kritikpunkt einbringen, der mir beim LYX.digital-Verlag immer und immer wieder ins Auge sticht, und mich mittlerweile ein wenig nervt. Wieso gibt es so viele Rechtschreibfehler? Nur weil es ein eBook ist, das sich vielleicht nicht so gut verkauft wie die Printausgaben, die im Laden ausliegen, heißt das doch nicht, dass da weniger Mühe und Aufwand reingesteckt werden kann. Vor allem weil die Bücher, sowohl dieses hier als zum Beispiel auch die Hidden Legacy-Reihe, so viel Potenzial haben!
Beim Cover wird ja diesbezüglich auch nicht gespart, denn hier sieht man mal wieder, was die Coverdesigner aus dem LYX-Verlag zu bieten haben. Ich frage mich wirklich, ob es da einen geheimen Wettkampf gibt, wie man sich immer und immer wieder übertrumpfen kann. Ein großes Kompliment an dieser Stelle!
Fazit:
Ein kleiner verborgener Schatz in der New Adult-Welt. Man merkt deutlich, was für einen Sprung die Autorin vom Vorband bis zu diesem gemacht hat.
Wie ihr vielleicht wisst, war ich nicht der größte Fan des ersten Bandes, weil mir dort alles zu schnell und vor allem zu einfach ging. Dies war hier aber gar nicht der Fall. Ich finde wirklich, dass man eine extreme Verbesserung der schriftstellerischen Leistungen erkennt, wo ich nur den Hut ziehen kann.
An sich gibt der Klappentext nicht sehr viel her, und auch wenn er überhaupt nicht falsch formuliert wurde, hatte ich doch ein ganz anderes Bild vor Augen. Für mich wirkte es eher so, als würden Calista und Eric sich im Erwachsenenalter kennenlernen, über eine ganz kurze Zeit - vielleicht einen Abend - begleiten, und dann schlagartig wieder trennen, bis sie sich ein paar Monate wieder treffen, und so weiter und so fort ... Aber so ist es gar nicht, sondern viel, viel besser!
Die beiden kennen sich schon sehr lange, und sind praktisch gemeinsam erwachsen geworden. Zusammen mit unserem Protagonisten Chase aus dem ersten Teil (daher besteht auch der Zusammenhang der Reihe, was ich vorher nicht wusste) haben sie nämlich eine der bekanntesten und beliebtesten Teenie-Serien gedreht. Cassie war damals gerade mal sechzehn Jahre alt und verliebte sich wie auf den ersten Blick in Eric, der sie aber immer nur als das kleine Mädchen sah.
Nach einem Schicksalsschlag, der sie nach ein paar Jahren trifft, trennen sich ihre Wege schlagartig, aber wiederum drei Jahre später steht Chase auf einmal wieder vor Calistas Tür. Calista, die vorher vollkommen auf die falsche Bahn abgedriftet ist und sich später vollkommen aus der Öffentlichkeit herausgezogen hat, soll nun die Hauptrolle in einer Serie spielen, die Erik produzieren möchte. Und nicht nur das, sie sollen gemeinsam eine Liebesbeziehung verkörpern, aber lässt sich dies mit den Gefühlen vereinbaren, die Callie plötzlich wieder vollkommen durchströmen? Immerhin ist Erik auch verlobt, also sollte es das doch, oder etwa nicht?
Diese Geschichte hatte eine unglaublich tolle Umsetzung! Das Geschehen setzt im "Jetzt" ein, in dem Callie sich gegen die Schauspielerei und für einen normalen Collegeabschluss entschieden hat, während sich immer wieder Flashbacks in die Köpfe unserer beiden Protagonisten einschleichen, die langsam nacherzählen, was Schlimmes zwischen den beiden vorgefallen ist. Das war total spannend, weil man natürlich unbedingt wissen wollte, was denn die damalige starke Anziehung zwischen den beiden kaputt machen konnte. Mir stand auch wirklich der Mund offen, als der Leser dann erfuhr, worum es sich handelte. Da es mittlerweile über ein halbes Jahr her ist, dann ich From Scratch gelesen habe, kann ich nicht mehr genau beurteilen, ob man im ersten Teil schon einen Hinweis darauf bekommt, oder dies vielleicht sogar schon vollkommen gelüftet wurde. Ich persönlich konnte mich jedenfalls nicht (mehr) daran erinnern, weshalb ich dann auch wirklich ein wenig schockiert war. Dementsprechend konnte mich dieser Spannungsaufbau total überzeugen!
In Bezug auf die Liebesgeschichte nimmt das Buch aber wirklich einen sehr, sehr ruhigen und langsamen Handlungsstrang auf, was man wahrscheinlich mögen muss. Wenn dies gut umgesetzt ist (wie zum Beispiel bei Berühre mich. Nicht.), bin ich davon ein absoluter Fan, und so war es auch hier! Von der ersten Seite an ist das Prickeln, das Lodern, die Spannung zwischen den Protagonisten absolut spürbar. Ich war sofort zu hundert Prozent auf die beiden fokussiert und so kann man auch sagen, dass die Geschichte und die Annäherung der beiden mich definitiv nicht kalt gelassen hat.
Besonders gut gemacht fand ich auch die Repräsentation in Bezug auf Eriks Verlobung. Wir haben es in der Geschichte keinesfalls mit Betrug zu tun, nicht mal ansatzweise, was wirklich fantastische Werte vermittelt.
Insgesamt muss ich aber sagen, dass mir die ersten beiden Drittel besser gefallen haben als das letzte. Ich kann nicht genau sagen warum, aber irgendwie war für mich später an manchen Stellen die Luft ein wenig raus.
Calista selbst mochte ich auch von Anfang an sehr, sehr gern. An manchen Stellen im Buch war sie mir zwar ein wenig zu ruppig in ihrem Verhalten (entschuldigt die Ausdrucksweise, aber mir fällt einfach kein passenderer Begriff ein), aber ansonsten war sie eine tolle Protagonistin, mit der man voll und ganz mitfühlen konnte. Sie ist eigenwillig, mutig, nimmt kein Blatt vor den Mund und auch ihre Entwicklung ließ einen am liebsten laut jubeln wollen.
Eric war sogar ein noch größerer Sympathieträger, auch wenn ich nach der Enthüllung des Schicksalsschlages ein wenig zu schockiert war und dies immer noch verdauen muss. Ich habe irgendwie immer noch ein etwas komisches Bauchgefühl, wenn ich daran denke, aber vorher war ich definitiv hin und weg von ihm!
Zusätzlich hatte das Buch so wunderwunderschön geschriebene Stellen, die mich absolut umgehauen haben! Und das waren nicht nur ein-, zweimal, in denen mich die Worte der Autorin, vom Hocker haben kippen lassen. Nein, fast in jedem Kapitel reihte sich ein Spruch ein, der mir absolut unter die Haut gegangen ist und mich berühren konnte. Wahnsinn, wie toll ihr Schreibstil sich entwickelt hat, und wie gut die Übersetzung die Gefühle einfangen konnte. On Point!
Wenn wir aber schon mal bei der Übersetzung sind, muss ich mal wieder einen Kritikpunkt einbringen, der mir beim LYX.digital-Verlag immer und immer wieder ins Auge sticht, und mich mittlerweile ein wenig nervt. Wieso gibt es so viele Rechtschreibfehler? Nur weil es ein eBook ist, das sich vielleicht nicht so gut verkauft wie die Printausgaben, die im Laden ausliegen, heißt das doch nicht, dass da weniger Mühe und Aufwand reingesteckt werden kann. Vor allem weil die Bücher, sowohl dieses hier als zum Beispiel auch die Hidden Legacy-Reihe, so viel Potenzial haben!
Beim Cover wird ja diesbezüglich auch nicht gespart, denn hier sieht man mal wieder, was die Coverdesigner aus dem LYX-Verlag zu bieten haben. Ich frage mich wirklich, ob es da einen geheimen Wettkampf gibt, wie man sich immer und immer wieder übertrumpfen kann. Ein großes Kompliment an dieser Stelle!
Fazit:
Ein kleiner verborgener Schatz in der New Adult-Welt. Man merkt deutlich, was für einen Sprung die Autorin vom Vorband bis zu diesem gemacht hat.
November 7, 2017
ARC received via netgalley. Full review to come.
January 9, 2018
"I'd never understood why people called it 'falling' in love. You either love someone or you don't, like an on/off switch. End of story. But in that second, I get it. Because suddenly it's not the floor tilting anymore, it's my whole world. And I'm sliding helplessly toward feelings that are way bigger than I am."
FINAL DECISION: Choices, mistakes, second chances. Calista and Eric do not have an easy uncomplicated path to one another and I loved it. They are flawed and struggling and they don't figure everything out by the end of the book and that was perfectly okay with me. I loved this book almost as much as 738 DAYS.
THE STORY: Calista Beckett has lived a lot in her twenty-three years. After a wildly successful stint as a teenager on the show Starlight, she fell into a heroine addiction. Now sober, she is trying to build a new life for herself as a student at a midwestern college. Eric Stone comes back into her life wanting her to star in his new web series based on a book that Calista loves. Eric played Calista's brother in Starlight but there has been something between them since Eric gave Calista her first kiss at her audition for Starlight. She fell in love with him that day but their relationship has ended up giving her nothing but pain.
OPINION: Sometimes books and characters just capture my attention despite flaws that might otherwise make me dislike them. Eric and Calista are definitely flawed characters. Their romance is rocky and before the epilogue, I was barely convinced that they would be able to overcome the years of mistakes that they had made with one another.
For people so young, history weighs heavily on these two. This book is all about second chances. About how choices and mistakes can overwhelm and how love is not always something positive. Yet by the end of this book, I felt the distance the characters had traveled and the welcome epilogue shows that they finally found a way to deal with one another in a positive affirming manner.
Calista is a young woman who has already made many mistakes and is threatened by an overbearing mother who uses her love to keep her under her thumb. Calista has become the breadwinner for her family and the mother is desperate to keep things together. Torn between wanting to live her own life and her responsibilities to her mother and sisters, Calista has to learn to assert herself even when she will disappoint others.
Eric also has family problems. Abandoned by his mother, dealing with a father who wants to control and crush him, Eric struggles with abandonment issues. These are a pair that seem destined to be at cross purposes: Calista fears control; Eric fears loss.
These characters are flawed and make very human mistakes. They backslide. They succumb to their fears and the easy way out. They are definitely not perfect. Some readers might find this a difficult read because the flaws and failures of these characters are on full display. They struggle and sometimes flail in their relationship with one another and with others. Yet this is the very reason that I ended up loving this book. The journey of these characters gave me a sense of their accomplishment by the end of the book.
As I began this book, I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to like these characters. Eric, especially, seemed at times arrogant and a jerk; Calista seemed weak. But as I got to see these characters change and fail and succeed and determine their path, I found myself liking not only them but the possibilities of their relationship.
This is a book that will be on my keeper shelf and along with 738 DAYS be one that I will revisit again and again.
WORTH MENTIONING: For fans of 738 DAYS, the epilogue of this book is definitely worth reading.
CONNECTED BOOKS: STARLIGHT NIGHTS is the sequel to 738 DAYS. It is not necessary to read that book first as this operates as a standalone. However, readers of 738 DAYS will get to see what is going on with Amanda and Chase.
STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.This review was originally posted on Top10RomanceBooks.com
FINAL DECISION: Choices, mistakes, second chances. Calista and Eric do not have an easy uncomplicated path to one another and I loved it. They are flawed and struggling and they don't figure everything out by the end of the book and that was perfectly okay with me. I loved this book almost as much as 738 DAYS.
THE STORY: Calista Beckett has lived a lot in her twenty-three years. After a wildly successful stint as a teenager on the show Starlight, she fell into a heroine addiction. Now sober, she is trying to build a new life for herself as a student at a midwestern college. Eric Stone comes back into her life wanting her to star in his new web series based on a book that Calista loves. Eric played Calista's brother in Starlight but there has been something between them since Eric gave Calista her first kiss at her audition for Starlight. She fell in love with him that day but their relationship has ended up giving her nothing but pain.
OPINION: Sometimes books and characters just capture my attention despite flaws that might otherwise make me dislike them. Eric and Calista are definitely flawed characters. Their romance is rocky and before the epilogue, I was barely convinced that they would be able to overcome the years of mistakes that they had made with one another.
For people so young, history weighs heavily on these two. This book is all about second chances. About how choices and mistakes can overwhelm and how love is not always something positive. Yet by the end of this book, I felt the distance the characters had traveled and the welcome epilogue shows that they finally found a way to deal with one another in a positive affirming manner.
Calista is a young woman who has already made many mistakes and is threatened by an overbearing mother who uses her love to keep her under her thumb. Calista has become the breadwinner for her family and the mother is desperate to keep things together. Torn between wanting to live her own life and her responsibilities to her mother and sisters, Calista has to learn to assert herself even when she will disappoint others.
Eric also has family problems. Abandoned by his mother, dealing with a father who wants to control and crush him, Eric struggles with abandonment issues. These are a pair that seem destined to be at cross purposes: Calista fears control; Eric fears loss.
These characters are flawed and make very human mistakes. They backslide. They succumb to their fears and the easy way out. They are definitely not perfect. Some readers might find this a difficult read because the flaws and failures of these characters are on full display. They struggle and sometimes flail in their relationship with one another and with others. Yet this is the very reason that I ended up loving this book. The journey of these characters gave me a sense of their accomplishment by the end of the book.
As I began this book, I wasn't sure that I was going to be able to like these characters. Eric, especially, seemed at times arrogant and a jerk; Calista seemed weak. But as I got to see these characters change and fail and succeed and determine their path, I found myself liking not only them but the possibilities of their relationship.
This is a book that will be on my keeper shelf and along with 738 DAYS be one that I will revisit again and again.
WORTH MENTIONING: For fans of 738 DAYS, the epilogue of this book is definitely worth reading.
CONNECTED BOOKS: STARLIGHT NIGHTS is the sequel to 738 DAYS. It is not necessary to read that book first as this operates as a standalone. However, readers of 738 DAYS will get to see what is going on with Amanda and Chase.
STAR RATING: I give this book 5 stars.
NOTE: I received an ARC of this book via Netgalley in order to prepare a review. I was not required to write a review or to write a positive review. All opinions contained herein are my own.This review was originally posted on Top10RomanceBooks.com
December 18, 2017
This book had me all sorts of messed up. I was constantly torn between being angry and resentful for at everyone in Calista's life, like her mentally abusive and controlling mother, and even to an extent Eric, and being so unbelievably sad for what Calista has to go through and the situation she is stuck in. I have not read 738 Days, which tells the story of Amanda and Chase prior to this book but either one can be read as a standalone I was told. Stacey Kade does a great job of filling in the pieces you might need about each character's background and connection all while giving you amazingly realistic characters. Their issues were real. Not just some typical YA/NA high school/college drama with boys and drinking. These were issues child stars face today. The glamour of it all hides a nasty underbelly of drugs, drinking, manipulation, and parties that stripe people of their humanity when subjected to it over and over and over again.
Is Calista and Eric's love a perfect faerie tale? No. Not even close. Actually, from the very beginning I had issues with Eric's character and thought he was extremely scummy. BUT, there is a lot of redemption and character growth in this story, growth that I think is vital to see in a realistic way. Things do not neatly fix itself and get contained in neat little boxes in this story. It is a constant uphill battle for Calista to get the change she deserves and for that I applaud Kade. Because after all, you can't save anyone if you can't save yourself.
Would I buy this book? Yes
Would I recommend it? YES!
Would I re-read it? Yes
Is Calista and Eric's love a perfect faerie tale? No. Not even close. Actually, from the very beginning I had issues with Eric's character and thought he was extremely scummy. BUT, there is a lot of redemption and character growth in this story, growth that I think is vital to see in a realistic way. Things do not neatly fix itself and get contained in neat little boxes in this story. It is a constant uphill battle for Calista to get the change she deserves and for that I applaud Kade. Because after all, you can't save anyone if you can't save yourself.
Would I buy this book? Yes
Would I recommend it? YES!
Would I re-read it? Yes
October 27, 2018
Cover:
Das Cover ist traumhaft und passt genau zum Inhalt und Titel des Buches.
Meine Meinung:
Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du ist der 2 Band der Reihe, ist aber in sich abgeschlossen. In Band 1 geht es zwar um Chase dem 3 im Bunde des Trios, es kann aber unabhängig voneinander gelesen werden.
Calista ein junges Mädchen, sie war ein aufstrebender Teeniestar bis alles den Bach runterging. Sie nahm Drogen, Alkohol und wurde von dem Mann betrogen, den sie am meisten geliebt hat. Sie wollte und konnte nicht mehr so sein wie früher. Bis sie Eric wieder traf.
Puh, dieses Buch war schon ziemlich harte Lektüre und zeigt uns, wie es hinter den Kulissen im Showbusiness aussieht. Es zeigt die Schattenseiten und wie die Eltern ihre Kinder behandeln nur um an Ruhm zu gelangen. Die Kinder die so aufwachsen und unter enormen Druck standhalten müssen. Das typische Bild was man so auch im Fernsehen zusehen bekommt.
Aber hinter dem ganzen kommt eine eigentlich seichte Liebesgeschichte hervor. 2 Menschen die einander schon früher gefunden haben, aber sich immer und immer wieder gegenseitig wehtun. Es ist eine Achterbahn der Gefühle mit den beiden. Soviel Leid, Schmerz, Trauer, Hass, Liebe und Sehnsucht! Wahnsinnig gefühlvoll.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist locker und leicht. Sie bringt die Emotionen so echt rüber. Man fiebert das ganze Buch mit den Protagonisten mit. Das Buch wird aus Sicht der beiden Protagonisten in der Ich- Perspektive erzählt. So hatte ich Einblick in deren Emotionen und Gefühle die teilweise wirklich nicht leicht waren. Aber das ganze sehr gefühlvoll rübergebracht haben.
Fazit:
Mit Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du konnte mich die Autorin vollstens überzeugen. Es ist so fesselnd und packend. Ich habe mit den Charakteren bis zum Schluss gebangt und geweint. Sehr emotional. 5 von 5 Feen von mir!
Das Cover ist traumhaft und passt genau zum Inhalt und Titel des Buches.
Meine Meinung:
Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du ist der 2 Band der Reihe, ist aber in sich abgeschlossen. In Band 1 geht es zwar um Chase dem 3 im Bunde des Trios, es kann aber unabhängig voneinander gelesen werden.
Calista ein junges Mädchen, sie war ein aufstrebender Teeniestar bis alles den Bach runterging. Sie nahm Drogen, Alkohol und wurde von dem Mann betrogen, den sie am meisten geliebt hat. Sie wollte und konnte nicht mehr so sein wie früher. Bis sie Eric wieder traf.
Puh, dieses Buch war schon ziemlich harte Lektüre und zeigt uns, wie es hinter den Kulissen im Showbusiness aussieht. Es zeigt die Schattenseiten und wie die Eltern ihre Kinder behandeln nur um an Ruhm zu gelangen. Die Kinder die so aufwachsen und unter enormen Druck standhalten müssen. Das typische Bild was man so auch im Fernsehen zusehen bekommt.
Aber hinter dem ganzen kommt eine eigentlich seichte Liebesgeschichte hervor. 2 Menschen die einander schon früher gefunden haben, aber sich immer und immer wieder gegenseitig wehtun. Es ist eine Achterbahn der Gefühle mit den beiden. Soviel Leid, Schmerz, Trauer, Hass, Liebe und Sehnsucht! Wahnsinnig gefühlvoll.
Der Schreibstil der Autorin ist locker und leicht. Sie bringt die Emotionen so echt rüber. Man fiebert das ganze Buch mit den Protagonisten mit. Das Buch wird aus Sicht der beiden Protagonisten in der Ich- Perspektive erzählt. So hatte ich Einblick in deren Emotionen und Gefühle die teilweise wirklich nicht leicht waren. Aber das ganze sehr gefühlvoll rübergebracht haben.
Fazit:
Mit Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du konnte mich die Autorin vollstens überzeugen. Es ist so fesselnd und packend. Ich habe mit den Charakteren bis zum Schluss gebangt und geweint. Sehr emotional. 5 von 5 Feen von mir!
March 2, 2018
I got this book in a PageHabit subscription I’m trying.
This is not my preferred genre — YA angst. I’m struggling to put my thoughts down because there’s parts I liked, and one quote that resonated in me like a bell. But there are also parts I didn’t like. So I think I’m going to think on it a bit and come back to rewrite my review.
This is not my preferred genre — YA angst. I’m struggling to put my thoughts down because there’s parts I liked, and one quote that resonated in me like a bell. But there are also parts I didn’t like. So I think I’m going to think on it a bit and come back to rewrite my review.
October 27, 2018
Ein schreckliches Ereignis brachte die Schauspielfreunde Calista und Eric auseinander. Dabei sind sie die Einzigen, die sich gegenseitig Hoffnung schenken können, wenn sie schon im Keim von ihren übergriffigen Familien erstickt wird. Doch Callie will nach dem frühen Ende ihrer Karriere nichts mehr als ein normales Leben – bis Eric wieder in ihrem Leben auftaucht. Seine Anziehungskraft ist nicht geringer geworden, und als er Callie eine Traumrolle in einer Serie anbietet, muss sie zustimmen – doch da wäre noch ein kleines Problem: Eric ist inzwischen verlobt …
Diese Rezension fängt mit einem langen Seufzer an. Denn auf „Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du“ hatte ich mich wirklich gefreut. Das Thema der Hollywood-Beziehungen hatte ich schon lang nicht mehr in Liebesromanen und gerade unter dem Aspekt der Gefahren, an denen Kinderstars leiden, fand ich es umso interessanter. Eigentlich wollte ich bei dem neuen Roman von Stacey Kade einfach nur zum Schmachten gebracht werden, und anfangs sah es auch prima aus – bevor das Buch seinen Reiz verloren hat.
Was ich der Geschichte zugutehalten kann, ist der wirklich interessante Einstieg. Wir erfahren ein wenig über Calistas College-Leben, das von ihrer ehemaligen Skandalen und der Ausgrenzung aufgrund ihres früheren Ruhms geprägt ist, und man fiebert mit, ob Eric es schafft, sie für eine Rolle in seiner neuen Serie „Fly Girl“ zu engagieren. Ich fand den Einstieg locker und leicht und hätte mir gewünscht, dass es länger so bleibt. Vor allem die Wortgefechte zwischen Callie und Eric haben mir gut gefallen, dass sie ihm oft Kontra geboten hat und einen Plan hatte, wo ihr Leben hinführen soll.
So viel dazu. Denn danach ging es leider stetig bergab und von meiner anfänglichen Euphorie, weil ich die beiden geshippt habe wie einige ihrer Fans auch, blieb nicht viel übrig. Seite für Seite erfährt man mehr über Callies und Erics Vergangenheit am Set der Serie Starlight, über das Ereignis, das ihre Leben für immer veränderte, über Erics neue Beziehung und die Familien, die beide behandeln wie den größten Dreck. Und langsam kam bei mir Langeweile auf. Die Autorin verstrickt sich immer stärker in Wiederholungen, ein Klischee wurde ans nächste gereiht. Ich hatte mir anfangs gewünscht, dass sich der Hauptteil des Buchs am Set von „Fly Girl“ abspielen würde und man so richtig in die Hollywood-Welt eintauchen könnte, aber das ist leider nicht eingetreten. Stattdessen wurde die Schauspielerei eine totale Nebensache – lieber ergehen sich die Charaktere im seitenlangen gegenseitigem Anschmachten und wieder Wegstoßen.
Die Gründe für das Wegstoßen? Eric denkt, er sei nicht gut genug für Calista. Oh, come on. Ich bin ehrlich, ich kann diese Art von bösem Bad Boy nicht mehr lesen, dessen einzige böse Seite darin besteht, dass er Selbstzweifel hat und die Protagonistin so stark verletzt wie nur möglich. Eric ist kein Boyfriend zum Anschmachten, aber auch nicht so gefährlich und böse, wie er sich selbst immer darzustellen versucht. Gut, er trinkt gern mal und hat ausschweifende Partys gefeiert. Und das soll nun böse gewesen sein? Mir hat sich schlicht und ergreifend nicht erschlossen, was ihn und Calista die ganze Zeit daran hindert, einfach einzusehen, was jeder andere im Buch auch sieht: Dass sie offenbar das perfekte Paar sind, das einander retten kann.
Ich möchte hier jetzt nicht davon anfangen, dass diese Beziehung der beiden sehr konstruiert wirkt und die Funken für mich spätestens ab der Hälfte endgültig erloschen waren. Im Endeffekt baut die Beziehung drauf, dass sie eine gemeinsame Vergangenheit haben und ja so unsterblich ineinander verliebt sind – was die Autorin nicht müde wird, ständig wieder zu betonen. Diese Gefühle der Verliebtheit kamen aber absolut nicht bei mir an. Und zeitgleich fahren die Charaktere so eine seltsame Doppelmoral, dass ich sie einfach nicht verstehen konnte. Eric hasst Calistas Mutter, will sie seit Jahren von ihrer Tochter fernhalten, benutzt sie dann aber wieder, um Calista in „Fly Girl“ reinzukriegen und stößt sie damit zurück in ihre extrem toxische Familie? Wo passt das bitte zusammen? Und fangen wir mal nicht davon an, dass Dr. Katie, die Tierärztin und Erics Verlobte, einfach das unnötigste Plot Device des ganzen Buches ist. Sie ist nur dazu da, um Calista besser wirken zu lassen, verbündet sich mit Erics Vater, will ihn zum besseren Menschen machen … Dieses irrsinnige Bild, dass eine Beziehung jemanden retten und zum besseren Menschen machen kann, wird hier wirklich voll ausgeschlachtet.
Calista ist für ihr Alter extrem naiv und unwissend, und ich kaufe die Erklärung, dass das an ihrer kontrollierenden Mutter liegt, keiner erwachsenen Frau ab. Callie ist am Anfang des Buchs im Studium und studiert sogar etwas Wirtschaftliches – aber sie darf kein eigenes Konto führen? Hat noch nie eins besessen und kennte ihre eigene Sozialversicherungsnummer nicht? Also bitte! Callie ist die perfekte Damsel in Distress – förmlich dazu konzipiert, von Eric gerettet zu werden und ihm dafür dankbar zu sein, obwohl er sie selbst oft genug richtig dreckig behandelt.
Ich sage es mal so: Der Schreibstil war in Ordnung, und es hätte ein cooles Buch werden können, wenn man tiefer an Hollywoods Oberfläche, am Dreh, an den Beziehungen am Set gearbeitet hätte. Aber diese Umsetzung mit den Charakteren, die für mich weder geistige Reife noch irgendeine Art von Tiefe gezeigt haben, hat mir das Buch verdorben. Ich habe mich wirklich riesig auf „Starlight Nights“ gefreut, aber es hat wohl nicht sollen sein.
Diese Rezension fängt mit einem langen Seufzer an. Denn auf „Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du“ hatte ich mich wirklich gefreut. Das Thema der Hollywood-Beziehungen hatte ich schon lang nicht mehr in Liebesromanen und gerade unter dem Aspekt der Gefahren, an denen Kinderstars leiden, fand ich es umso interessanter. Eigentlich wollte ich bei dem neuen Roman von Stacey Kade einfach nur zum Schmachten gebracht werden, und anfangs sah es auch prima aus – bevor das Buch seinen Reiz verloren hat.
Was ich der Geschichte zugutehalten kann, ist der wirklich interessante Einstieg. Wir erfahren ein wenig über Calistas College-Leben, das von ihrer ehemaligen Skandalen und der Ausgrenzung aufgrund ihres früheren Ruhms geprägt ist, und man fiebert mit, ob Eric es schafft, sie für eine Rolle in seiner neuen Serie „Fly Girl“ zu engagieren. Ich fand den Einstieg locker und leicht und hätte mir gewünscht, dass es länger so bleibt. Vor allem die Wortgefechte zwischen Callie und Eric haben mir gut gefallen, dass sie ihm oft Kontra geboten hat und einen Plan hatte, wo ihr Leben hinführen soll.
So viel dazu. Denn danach ging es leider stetig bergab und von meiner anfänglichen Euphorie, weil ich die beiden geshippt habe wie einige ihrer Fans auch, blieb nicht viel übrig. Seite für Seite erfährt man mehr über Callies und Erics Vergangenheit am Set der Serie Starlight, über das Ereignis, das ihre Leben für immer veränderte, über Erics neue Beziehung und die Familien, die beide behandeln wie den größten Dreck. Und langsam kam bei mir Langeweile auf. Die Autorin verstrickt sich immer stärker in Wiederholungen, ein Klischee wurde ans nächste gereiht. Ich hatte mir anfangs gewünscht, dass sich der Hauptteil des Buchs am Set von „Fly Girl“ abspielen würde und man so richtig in die Hollywood-Welt eintauchen könnte, aber das ist leider nicht eingetreten. Stattdessen wurde die Schauspielerei eine totale Nebensache – lieber ergehen sich die Charaktere im seitenlangen gegenseitigem Anschmachten und wieder Wegstoßen.
Die Gründe für das Wegstoßen? Eric denkt, er sei nicht gut genug für Calista. Oh, come on. Ich bin ehrlich, ich kann diese Art von bösem Bad Boy nicht mehr lesen, dessen einzige böse Seite darin besteht, dass er Selbstzweifel hat und die Protagonistin so stark verletzt wie nur möglich. Eric ist kein Boyfriend zum Anschmachten, aber auch nicht so gefährlich und böse, wie er sich selbst immer darzustellen versucht. Gut, er trinkt gern mal und hat ausschweifende Partys gefeiert. Und das soll nun böse gewesen sein? Mir hat sich schlicht und ergreifend nicht erschlossen, was ihn und Calista die ganze Zeit daran hindert, einfach einzusehen, was jeder andere im Buch auch sieht: Dass sie offenbar das perfekte Paar sind, das einander retten kann.
Ich möchte hier jetzt nicht davon anfangen, dass diese Beziehung der beiden sehr konstruiert wirkt und die Funken für mich spätestens ab der Hälfte endgültig erloschen waren. Im Endeffekt baut die Beziehung drauf, dass sie eine gemeinsame Vergangenheit haben und ja so unsterblich ineinander verliebt sind – was die Autorin nicht müde wird, ständig wieder zu betonen. Diese Gefühle der Verliebtheit kamen aber absolut nicht bei mir an. Und zeitgleich fahren die Charaktere so eine seltsame Doppelmoral, dass ich sie einfach nicht verstehen konnte. Eric hasst Calistas Mutter, will sie seit Jahren von ihrer Tochter fernhalten, benutzt sie dann aber wieder, um Calista in „Fly Girl“ reinzukriegen und stößt sie damit zurück in ihre extrem toxische Familie? Wo passt das bitte zusammen? Und fangen wir mal nicht davon an, dass Dr. Katie, die Tierärztin und Erics Verlobte, einfach das unnötigste Plot Device des ganzen Buches ist. Sie ist nur dazu da, um Calista besser wirken zu lassen, verbündet sich mit Erics Vater, will ihn zum besseren Menschen machen … Dieses irrsinnige Bild, dass eine Beziehung jemanden retten und zum besseren Menschen machen kann, wird hier wirklich voll ausgeschlachtet.
Calista ist für ihr Alter extrem naiv und unwissend, und ich kaufe die Erklärung, dass das an ihrer kontrollierenden Mutter liegt, keiner erwachsenen Frau ab. Callie ist am Anfang des Buchs im Studium und studiert sogar etwas Wirtschaftliches – aber sie darf kein eigenes Konto führen? Hat noch nie eins besessen und kennte ihre eigene Sozialversicherungsnummer nicht? Also bitte! Callie ist die perfekte Damsel in Distress – förmlich dazu konzipiert, von Eric gerettet zu werden und ihm dafür dankbar zu sein, obwohl er sie selbst oft genug richtig dreckig behandelt.
Ich sage es mal so: Der Schreibstil war in Ordnung, und es hätte ein cooles Buch werden können, wenn man tiefer an Hollywoods Oberfläche, am Dreh, an den Beziehungen am Set gearbeitet hätte. Aber diese Umsetzung mit den Charakteren, die für mich weder geistige Reife noch irgendeine Art von Tiefe gezeigt haben, hat mir das Buch verdorben. Ich habe mich wirklich riesig auf „Starlight Nights“ gefreut, aber es hat wohl nicht sollen sein.
June 26, 2019
⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ OMG this is sooooo good! I’m in love with both Calista and Eric! It’s insane and blowing my mind on how few people read this masterpiece! It’s so well-written and beautiful that I just want to cry. Everything floats fluently that makes the chemistry even more real. Not to mention the really hot sex scenes. Oh, boy.
8/10 worth the read!
8/10 worth the read!
October 13, 2018
„Ich werde den einzigen Menschen verlieren, der mir jemals das Gefühl gegeben hat, gut genug zu sein, so wie ich bin. Dass ich nicht mehr brauche, nicht dünner sein muss oder hübscher oder schlicht besser in irgendeiner Form.“ (Calista in Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du)
Worum geht’s?
Jahrelang standen Calista und Eric gemeinsam für die Serie Starlight vor der Kamera. Eric bedeutete für Calista Freund und Familie zugleich, denn mit ihrer kontrollsüchtigen Momagerin Lori fehlte Calista dies und Erics superbekannter Vater macht seinen eigenen Sohn immer nur nieder. Doch eine schicksalshafte Nacht mit einem dramatischen Ausgang treibt Eric und Calista nicht nur auseinander, sondern Calista auch tief in den Abgrund. Jahre später, als sie sich wieder gefangen hat und sich die Freiheit erkämpft hat, zur Uni zu gehen, steht Eric plötzlich vor der Tür. Er will mit ihr eine Serie drehen und dadurch, dass er Lori mit ins Boot geholt hat, bleibt Calista nichts anders übrig, als mit ihm zu gehen. Doch viele Aspekte ihrer gemeinsamen Vergangenheit scheinen sie immer wieder einzuholen…
„Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du“ gehört zu „From Scratch – Alles neu mit dir“, kann jedoch auch ohne Vorkenntnisse gelesen werden, da es hierbei um einen anderen Aspekt der Geschichte geht.
Gestaltung / Schreibstil
Das Buch umfasst 33 Kapitel, einen Prolog und einen Epilog. Die Kapitel sind abwechselnd aus der Sicht von Eric und aus der Sicht von Calista geschrieben, jeweils in der Ich-Perspektive. Der Schreibstil ist jugendlich mit übersichtlichen Sätzen. Man ist sehr schnell im Buch drin und die Geschichte liest sich sehr flüssig.
Fazit
Starlight Nights ist wahrlich eine Achterbahnfahrt. Nachdem wir im Prolog das erste Zusammentreffen von Calista und Eric vorgestellt bekommen, startet die eigentliche Geschichte unmittelbar mit dem Aufeinandertreffen von Calista und Eric an der Uni. Nach vielen Jahren der Funkstille ist er plötzlich da und möchte mit ihr eine Serie drehen. Aus dieser Ausgangssituation entwickelt sich unglaublich viel Drama. Das Buch fesselt einen direkt. Es gibt etwas, was die beiden miteinander verbindet, aber man erfährt erst schleichend im Verlauf des Buches, was passiert ist, warum diese schicksalshafte Nacht sie auseinandergebracht hat und wie sehr Calista von all dem in den Abgrund gerissen wurde. Hierbei werden weitere Nebenstränge aufgebaut, die allesamt hervorragend ausgearbeitet sind und in einem angemessenen Gleichgewicht zur Haupthandlung stehen, diese aber auch entsprechend unterstützen.
Stacey Kade hat zwei wunderbare Charaktere kreiert. Eric und Calista glänzen, weil sie nicht perfekt sind. Immer wieder verzweifeln sie an sich selbst, am jeweils anderen, an den Erwartungen Dritter und jedes Mal hat man Angst, dass sie wieder von irgendwem in den Abgrund gerissen werden. Das Buch ist durchweg eine emotionale Berg-und-Tal-Fahrt, der Leser fliegt getrieben von Hoffnung nur so durch die Seiten. Jedes Mal, wenn man endlich mit einem Lächeln dort sitzt, wird man eines Besseren belehrt und es tritt wieder eine Figur auf, die alles vernichten muss, gelegentlich sogar Calista oder Eric selbst. So bleibt es bis zur letzten Seite spannend.
Starlight Nights ist einfach durchweg eine starke Leistung. Man merkt bereits von Anfang an die Spannungen – positiv und negativ – zwischen Calista und Eric. Die Einflüsse von Erics Vater und Loris Mutter treiben Eric und Calista immer wieder an ihre Grenzen und oftmals scheint es so, als würden sie daran zerbrechen. Das tun sie zwischenzeitlich auch. Und das ist herrlich realistisch. Man fühlt mich beiden mit, aber hat zugleich Angst, dass sie sich gegenseitig in den Abgrund reißen. Calista, die ewig behütet und bevormundet wurde, weiß nicht einmal, wie man ein Konto eröffnet. Zugleich hat sie die Last, ihre komplette Familie ernähren zu müssen. Mehr als einmal macht ihre Mutter ihr deutlich, dass Calista Loris Leben versaut hat und dafür jetzt gefälligst aufkommen soll. Und Calista macht und tut. Man sitzt als Leser dort und es wird einem schwer ums Herz. Dann kommt Eric und man hat Hoffnungen, dass er Calista hilft. Doch Eric selbst ist selbst noch nicht von der jahrelangen Behandlung seines Vaters geheilt. Und dann ist da auch noch eine weitere Person, die in seinem Leben mittlerweile eine Rolle spielt. Oder spielt Eric vielleicht eher seine bisher schwerste Rolle mit seinem neuen Leben?
Positiv erwähnt werden muss aber auf jeden Fall, dass das komplette Buch realistisch bleibt. Viele Bücher haben komplett zerstörte Charaktere, die sehr schnell plötzlich wieder in Ordnung sind, und Storylines, die viel zu schnell und einfach ihr gutes Ende finden. Starlight Nights hat dies nicht. Einzig als ich den Epilog zu lesen begann, war mein erster Gedanke: Echt jetzt? Bitte nicht schon wieder dieses typische Klischee-Ende. Aber auch hier wurde ich eines Besseren belehrt.
Dieses Buch war eine Wohltat, absolut fesselnd zu lesen und wunderbar emotional mit der richtigen Mischung aus „ich muss gleich weinen“ und „ich strahle vor Glück“-Momenten.
[Diese Rezension wurde auf Grundlage eines Rezensionsexemplars erstellt, welches mir freundlicherweise von NetGalley.de und dem LYX Verlag zur Verfügung gestellt wurde. Meine Meinung zu dem Buch ist hiervon unberührt]
Worum geht’s?
Jahrelang standen Calista und Eric gemeinsam für die Serie Starlight vor der Kamera. Eric bedeutete für Calista Freund und Familie zugleich, denn mit ihrer kontrollsüchtigen Momagerin Lori fehlte Calista dies und Erics superbekannter Vater macht seinen eigenen Sohn immer nur nieder. Doch eine schicksalshafte Nacht mit einem dramatischen Ausgang treibt Eric und Calista nicht nur auseinander, sondern Calista auch tief in den Abgrund. Jahre später, als sie sich wieder gefangen hat und sich die Freiheit erkämpft hat, zur Uni zu gehen, steht Eric plötzlich vor der Tür. Er will mit ihr eine Serie drehen und dadurch, dass er Lori mit ins Boot geholt hat, bleibt Calista nichts anders übrig, als mit ihm zu gehen. Doch viele Aspekte ihrer gemeinsamen Vergangenheit scheinen sie immer wieder einzuholen…
„Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du“ gehört zu „From Scratch – Alles neu mit dir“, kann jedoch auch ohne Vorkenntnisse gelesen werden, da es hierbei um einen anderen Aspekt der Geschichte geht.
Gestaltung / Schreibstil
Das Buch umfasst 33 Kapitel, einen Prolog und einen Epilog. Die Kapitel sind abwechselnd aus der Sicht von Eric und aus der Sicht von Calista geschrieben, jeweils in der Ich-Perspektive. Der Schreibstil ist jugendlich mit übersichtlichen Sätzen. Man ist sehr schnell im Buch drin und die Geschichte liest sich sehr flüssig.
Fazit
Starlight Nights ist wahrlich eine Achterbahnfahrt. Nachdem wir im Prolog das erste Zusammentreffen von Calista und Eric vorgestellt bekommen, startet die eigentliche Geschichte unmittelbar mit dem Aufeinandertreffen von Calista und Eric an der Uni. Nach vielen Jahren der Funkstille ist er plötzlich da und möchte mit ihr eine Serie drehen. Aus dieser Ausgangssituation entwickelt sich unglaublich viel Drama. Das Buch fesselt einen direkt. Es gibt etwas, was die beiden miteinander verbindet, aber man erfährt erst schleichend im Verlauf des Buches, was passiert ist, warum diese schicksalshafte Nacht sie auseinandergebracht hat und wie sehr Calista von all dem in den Abgrund gerissen wurde. Hierbei werden weitere Nebenstränge aufgebaut, die allesamt hervorragend ausgearbeitet sind und in einem angemessenen Gleichgewicht zur Haupthandlung stehen, diese aber auch entsprechend unterstützen.
Stacey Kade hat zwei wunderbare Charaktere kreiert. Eric und Calista glänzen, weil sie nicht perfekt sind. Immer wieder verzweifeln sie an sich selbst, am jeweils anderen, an den Erwartungen Dritter und jedes Mal hat man Angst, dass sie wieder von irgendwem in den Abgrund gerissen werden. Das Buch ist durchweg eine emotionale Berg-und-Tal-Fahrt, der Leser fliegt getrieben von Hoffnung nur so durch die Seiten. Jedes Mal, wenn man endlich mit einem Lächeln dort sitzt, wird man eines Besseren belehrt und es tritt wieder eine Figur auf, die alles vernichten muss, gelegentlich sogar Calista oder Eric selbst. So bleibt es bis zur letzten Seite spannend.
Starlight Nights ist einfach durchweg eine starke Leistung. Man merkt bereits von Anfang an die Spannungen – positiv und negativ – zwischen Calista und Eric. Die Einflüsse von Erics Vater und Loris Mutter treiben Eric und Calista immer wieder an ihre Grenzen und oftmals scheint es so, als würden sie daran zerbrechen. Das tun sie zwischenzeitlich auch. Und das ist herrlich realistisch. Man fühlt mich beiden mit, aber hat zugleich Angst, dass sie sich gegenseitig in den Abgrund reißen. Calista, die ewig behütet und bevormundet wurde, weiß nicht einmal, wie man ein Konto eröffnet. Zugleich hat sie die Last, ihre komplette Familie ernähren zu müssen. Mehr als einmal macht ihre Mutter ihr deutlich, dass Calista Loris Leben versaut hat und dafür jetzt gefälligst aufkommen soll. Und Calista macht und tut. Man sitzt als Leser dort und es wird einem schwer ums Herz. Dann kommt Eric und man hat Hoffnungen, dass er Calista hilft. Doch Eric selbst ist selbst noch nicht von der jahrelangen Behandlung seines Vaters geheilt. Und dann ist da auch noch eine weitere Person, die in seinem Leben mittlerweile eine Rolle spielt. Oder spielt Eric vielleicht eher seine bisher schwerste Rolle mit seinem neuen Leben?
Positiv erwähnt werden muss aber auf jeden Fall, dass das komplette Buch realistisch bleibt. Viele Bücher haben komplett zerstörte Charaktere, die sehr schnell plötzlich wieder in Ordnung sind, und Storylines, die viel zu schnell und einfach ihr gutes Ende finden. Starlight Nights hat dies nicht. Einzig als ich den Epilog zu lesen begann, war mein erster Gedanke: Echt jetzt? Bitte nicht schon wieder dieses typische Klischee-Ende. Aber auch hier wurde ich eines Besseren belehrt.
Dieses Buch war eine Wohltat, absolut fesselnd zu lesen und wunderbar emotional mit der richtigen Mischung aus „ich muss gleich weinen“ und „ich strahle vor Glück“-Momenten.
[Diese Rezension wurde auf Grundlage eines Rezensionsexemplars erstellt, welches mir freundlicherweise von NetGalley.de und dem LYX Verlag zur Verfügung gestellt wurde. Meine Meinung zu dem Buch ist hiervon unberührt]
February 20, 2019
Einst war Calista der Star vor der Kamera.
Jeder wollte sein, wie sie.
Nur Calista irgendwie nicht.
Doch ihrer Mutter zuliebe, lebte Calista deren Träume aus.
Mit zunehmendem Alter begann sie jedoch von anderen Dingen zu träumen.
Träume, die ihr eine glückliche Zukunft mit ihrem Co-Star Eric aufzeigten.
Doch mit steigendem Ruhm, kamen auch die Schattenseiten
und eine tragische Geschichte nahm ihren Lauf.
Jahre danach, steht Eric plötzlich wieder vor ihr
und ermöglicht ihr die eine Chance, von der Calista nie zu Träumen wagte …
ebenso wie die Möglichkeit ihm wieder nahe zu sein … müsste sie dazu nur nicht in vor die Kamera zurückkehren ...
Mit „Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du“ kehrt man noch einmal ins Starlight-Universum von Autorin Stacey Kade zurück.
Das Cover ist wieder schlicht, aber sehr schön gestaltet
und somit unglaublich toll anzuschauen!
Der Klappentext und die Vorkenntnisse aus „From Scratch – Alles neu mit dir“
weckten mein Interesse an die Geschichte von Calista und Eric.
Der Schreibstil ist angenehm und leicht,
und nimmt den Leser somit direkt ins Geschehen hinein.
Dieses wird sowohl aus Calistas als auch Ericas Perspektive erzählt.
Zudem gibt es immer wieder Rückblicke auf ihre gemeinsame Vergangenheit.
Die Story beginnt mit dem allerersten Aufeinandertreffen von Calista und Eric,
das ich einfach nur unglaublich süß und magisch fand. <3
Mit dem Zeitsprung in die Gegenwart
verfliegt etwas von diesem angenehmen Zauber.
Die Stimmung verändert sich zu angespannt
und man fühlt sich, wie auf einem Minenfeld, bei dem jeder falsche Schritt,
eine Katastrophe auslösen könnte.
So zumindest muss sich auch Calista fühlen.
Obwohl sie endlich bereit ist, ein neues Leben anzufangen,
scheint einfach nichts nach Plan zu laufen.
Vor allem, ihre Mutter hindert sie stets daran,
ihren eigenen Weg zu gehen und bedrängt sie, sich ihrem Willen zu beugen.
Und da Calista mit zum Teil unberechtigten Schuldgefühlen kämpft,
ergibt sie sich dem einfach.
Trotzdem man die Wandlung in Calista bemerkt,
musste ich manchmal genervt die Augen verdrehen,
weil ich auf ihren Ausbruch gewartet habe,
der meiner Meinung nach viel zu spät kam!
Eric ist ihr da leider auch keine allzu große Stütze.
Auch er nutzt seine Bindung zu Calista,
und den Ehrgeiz ihrer Mutter, für seine Pläne aus.
Oftmals handelt er sehr selbstlos und ehrgeizig,
zeigt dann jedoch auch wieder seine liebevolle und charmante Art.
Auch, wenn er es nie zugeben würde,
leidet Eric wohl sehr, unter sein familiäres Umfeld,
was auch so manche eigensinnige Aktion von ihm erklären könnte ...
Die Geschichte von Calista und Eric
ist sehr berührend.
Doch obwohl ich vom Beginn so begeistert war,
empfand ich die negative Stimmung
und all die Last, die Calista aufgebürdet wird,
als sehr erdrückend.
Dadurch ließ sich auch die Story nicht mehr so locker
dahin blättern, weshalb sie im 2. Drittel sehr langatmig wurde.
Nichtsdestotrotz, ist es eine sehr emotionale Geschichte,
bei der vor allem die negativen Gefühle
- beunruhigend, angespannt beklommen, traurig etc. -
Einfluss nehmen.
Die Liebesgeschichte ist süß, geht jedoch zum Teil
in der schweren Bürde, der Calistas Leben ausgesetzt ist, unter.
Ich vergebe 4 von 5 Sterne.
Mein Dank gilt dem LYX Verlag für die Bereitstellung des Rezensionsexemplars via NetGalley!
Jeder wollte sein, wie sie.
Nur Calista irgendwie nicht.
Doch ihrer Mutter zuliebe, lebte Calista deren Träume aus.
Mit zunehmendem Alter begann sie jedoch von anderen Dingen zu träumen.
Träume, die ihr eine glückliche Zukunft mit ihrem Co-Star Eric aufzeigten.
Doch mit steigendem Ruhm, kamen auch die Schattenseiten
und eine tragische Geschichte nahm ihren Lauf.
Jahre danach, steht Eric plötzlich wieder vor ihr
und ermöglicht ihr die eine Chance, von der Calista nie zu Träumen wagte …
ebenso wie die Möglichkeit ihm wieder nahe zu sein … müsste sie dazu nur nicht in vor die Kamera zurückkehren ...
Mit „Starlight Nights – Immer wieder du“ kehrt man noch einmal ins Starlight-Universum von Autorin Stacey Kade zurück.
Das Cover ist wieder schlicht, aber sehr schön gestaltet
und somit unglaublich toll anzuschauen!
Der Klappentext und die Vorkenntnisse aus „From Scratch – Alles neu mit dir“
weckten mein Interesse an die Geschichte von Calista und Eric.
Der Schreibstil ist angenehm und leicht,
und nimmt den Leser somit direkt ins Geschehen hinein.
Dieses wird sowohl aus Calistas als auch Ericas Perspektive erzählt.
Zudem gibt es immer wieder Rückblicke auf ihre gemeinsame Vergangenheit.
Die Story beginnt mit dem allerersten Aufeinandertreffen von Calista und Eric,
das ich einfach nur unglaublich süß und magisch fand. <3
Mit dem Zeitsprung in die Gegenwart
verfliegt etwas von diesem angenehmen Zauber.
Die Stimmung verändert sich zu angespannt
und man fühlt sich, wie auf einem Minenfeld, bei dem jeder falsche Schritt,
eine Katastrophe auslösen könnte.
So zumindest muss sich auch Calista fühlen.
Obwohl sie endlich bereit ist, ein neues Leben anzufangen,
scheint einfach nichts nach Plan zu laufen.
Vor allem, ihre Mutter hindert sie stets daran,
ihren eigenen Weg zu gehen und bedrängt sie, sich ihrem Willen zu beugen.
Und da Calista mit zum Teil unberechtigten Schuldgefühlen kämpft,
ergibt sie sich dem einfach.
Trotzdem man die Wandlung in Calista bemerkt,
musste ich manchmal genervt die Augen verdrehen,
weil ich auf ihren Ausbruch gewartet habe,
der meiner Meinung nach viel zu spät kam!
Eric ist ihr da leider auch keine allzu große Stütze.
Auch er nutzt seine Bindung zu Calista,
und den Ehrgeiz ihrer Mutter, für seine Pläne aus.
Oftmals handelt er sehr selbstlos und ehrgeizig,
zeigt dann jedoch auch wieder seine liebevolle und charmante Art.
Auch, wenn er es nie zugeben würde,
leidet Eric wohl sehr, unter sein familiäres Umfeld,
was auch so manche eigensinnige Aktion von ihm erklären könnte ...
Die Geschichte von Calista und Eric
ist sehr berührend.
Doch obwohl ich vom Beginn so begeistert war,
empfand ich die negative Stimmung
und all die Last, die Calista aufgebürdet wird,
als sehr erdrückend.
Dadurch ließ sich auch die Story nicht mehr so locker
dahin blättern, weshalb sie im 2. Drittel sehr langatmig wurde.
Nichtsdestotrotz, ist es eine sehr emotionale Geschichte,
bei der vor allem die negativen Gefühle
- beunruhigend, angespannt beklommen, traurig etc. -
Einfluss nehmen.
Die Liebesgeschichte ist süß, geht jedoch zum Teil
in der schweren Bürde, der Calistas Leben ausgesetzt ist, unter.
Ich vergebe 4 von 5 Sterne.
Mein Dank gilt dem LYX Verlag für die Bereitstellung des Rezensionsexemplars via NetGalley!
January 12, 2018
Starlight Nights, Stacey Kade
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Romance
My first Stacey Kade read - and wow - a story that was perfect fp
or me. I'd love to read the first book 738 days, but its not on kindle :-(
You don't need to read that though to enjoy this one, the books are connected by characters but each stand alone.
I love the rock/film star trope, and poor Callie and Eric (and Chase, who has minor appearances) have a past in the Film world.
Callie has been pushed by her mother from a very young age into performing, she's essentially the family cash cow, until everything went wrong and her world collapsed. Now she's at college pursuing a career in accountancy.
Eric was very close to Callie, they starred in the same series and along with Chase from 738 days they were a little unit, almost a family. Until they weren't.
Now Eric is trying to make his own way, to escape from his acting past, to stand on his own and not be overshadowed by his awful-but-famous producer father.
Callie and Eric both have the most awful parents, Callie's mother tries to micromanage her career for financial gain, Eric's father tries everything he can to derail Eric's career. No wonder they're such confused people.
Callie's finding it hard to escape her past, making friends isn't easy, she can't seem to escape the jealousy others have, even though they have no idea how her life was, that she's not some rich ex-star playing at college.
I really like Callie, she made some awful mistakes but her heart is good, she loved Eric, was close to Chase, adores and is so protective of her younger sisters, even worries about her mum and stepdad.
Its the way her mum is now pushing them, controlling every facet of their lives that has her taking part in Eric's latest film, a web based series set around what was her favourite novel. She doesn't want to go back to acting, but wants to save her sister from the pressure their mother will use to push her if Callie doesn't go back to restart the money flow.
Eric, well, he's one confused guy. I liked him, could see that he had strong feelings for Callie even though he just wouldn't admit them to himself.
And then a good way into the book we learn more about the events of the night that separated the three and it was heartbreaking, gutting, really made me feel the emotions.....
Its the perfect read for me though was a little slow to get going. that's my only real criticism, that its a magical tale but took a while for me to get to know and feel for the characters.
It's got great characters, a terrific story with some people I can really get behind to dislike. I need those unpleasant characters as a foil for the ones I love, else for me the story becomes just too sweet, too sickly. I want angst too and got it, in spades, perfectly balanced with highs, to stop the story being a misery-fest ;-) I demand a lot from stories...
The final tick box for me is the HEA - or at least a solid happy for now,and here's its perfect, a great epilogue that shows us a glimpse of the future for the trio.
Stars: five, a story I loved and will definitely re-read.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
Review from Jeannie Zelos book reviews
Genre: Romance
My first Stacey Kade read - and wow - a story that was perfect fp
or me. I'd love to read the first book 738 days, but its not on kindle :-(
You don't need to read that though to enjoy this one, the books are connected by characters but each stand alone.
I love the rock/film star trope, and poor Callie and Eric (and Chase, who has minor appearances) have a past in the Film world.
Callie has been pushed by her mother from a very young age into performing, she's essentially the family cash cow, until everything went wrong and her world collapsed. Now she's at college pursuing a career in accountancy.
Eric was very close to Callie, they starred in the same series and along with Chase from 738 days they were a little unit, almost a family. Until they weren't.
Now Eric is trying to make his own way, to escape from his acting past, to stand on his own and not be overshadowed by his awful-but-famous producer father.
Callie and Eric both have the most awful parents, Callie's mother tries to micromanage her career for financial gain, Eric's father tries everything he can to derail Eric's career. No wonder they're such confused people.
Callie's finding it hard to escape her past, making friends isn't easy, she can't seem to escape the jealousy others have, even though they have no idea how her life was, that she's not some rich ex-star playing at college.
I really like Callie, she made some awful mistakes but her heart is good, she loved Eric, was close to Chase, adores and is so protective of her younger sisters, even worries about her mum and stepdad.
Its the way her mum is now pushing them, controlling every facet of their lives that has her taking part in Eric's latest film, a web based series set around what was her favourite novel. She doesn't want to go back to acting, but wants to save her sister from the pressure their mother will use to push her if Callie doesn't go back to restart the money flow.
Eric, well, he's one confused guy. I liked him, could see that he had strong feelings for Callie even though he just wouldn't admit them to himself.
And then a good way into the book we learn more about the events of the night that separated the three and it was heartbreaking, gutting, really made me feel the emotions.....
Its the perfect read for me though was a little slow to get going. that's my only real criticism, that its a magical tale but took a while for me to get to know and feel for the characters.
It's got great characters, a terrific story with some people I can really get behind to dislike. I need those unpleasant characters as a foil for the ones I love, else for me the story becomes just too sweet, too sickly. I want angst too and got it, in spades, perfectly balanced with highs, to stop the story being a misery-fest ;-) I demand a lot from stories...
The final tick box for me is the HEA - or at least a solid happy for now,and here's its perfect, a great epilogue that shows us a glimpse of the future for the trio.
Stars: five, a story I loved and will definitely re-read.
ARC supplied for review purposes by Netgalley and Publishers
January 16, 2018
Calista/Callie was in college but still didn’t fit in. Calista was a former tv star. A Maxim It Girl four years ago. Callie knows she already had working against her and she had to try to face it. Callie s now a regular person and she wants to care. At twenty three Calista is the oldest freshman at Blake College. Callie still had three and a half years of college, she was studying to be an accountant. Callie needed to blend in and make this work. The guys here are only interested in the stuff Callie was rumored to have done and with whom. While an actor Callie had a brush with heroin and she had lost her freedom to her controlling mother through a court order. Callie had been a working child actor and her mom had been her manager for the first eighteen years of Callie’s life Callie supported her family and her mother had pushed her to be an actor and to keep acting. . Prisoners had more freedom than Callie used to have. The other college girls felt they had to compete against Callie. Callie is terrible at making friends as she had years of homeschooling. Callie loves Eric . He had helped her get a part on Starlight when she really needed a job but had never kissed anyone and Eric showed her how to get through it and shortly after she had fallen in love with Eric even if he hadn’t known. before even though she was sixteen. Callie was reluctantly invited to a party at a Frat house and when she goes sees Eric at the Frat house and he says he just wants to talk to her. Callie had been in a car accident with Eric and had several surgeries to right her arm that had been shattered.. After seeing Eric at her college Callie knew she still felt very strongly for Eric but she will be a lot more careful and not let him ruin her life. Eric is already an established actor and his father is a huge producer in Hollywood but always derails s Eric’s career. Eric wants to be prove himself as a producer without his father’s help. Eric buys the rights to Callie’s favorite book . He hopes to make a web series and help Callie to come back to Hollywood. Callie doesn’t want to go back to acting but she knows her mother will push her sister to act if Callie doesn’t go back to supporting the family.
I liked this book a lot. I loved Eric and Callie together . This had my attention form the beginning to end. It did drag at times for me but not enough for me to stop reading this. I did get confused at times between the present and the past. I did love how Callie and Eric grew throughout this book. There was realism in my opinion in this book. This book choked me up at times. I didn’t like Eric for awhile but as he grew I changed my opinion of him. Both callie and Eric were broken and I felt made this book more interesting. There is : young actors, a first kiss, malipination, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, mental abuse, secret love, personal baggage, love triangle. Ruined life, college, family baggage, tabloid interference, and so much more in this book. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend
I liked this book a lot. I loved Eric and Callie together . This had my attention form the beginning to end. It did drag at times for me but not enough for me to stop reading this. I did get confused at times between the present and the past. I did love how Callie and Eric grew throughout this book. There was realism in my opinion in this book. This book choked me up at times. I didn’t like Eric for awhile but as he grew I changed my opinion of him. Both callie and Eric were broken and I felt made this book more interesting. There is : young actors, a first kiss, malipination, drug abuse, alcohol abuse, mental abuse, secret love, personal baggage, love triangle. Ruined life, college, family baggage, tabloid interference, and so much more in this book. I loved the characters and the ins and outs of this book and I recommend
Displaying 1 - 30 of 84 reviews