The Girl From Mars: A Starstruck Novel

Starstruck #5

by Brenda Hiatt

We’re going where??


Kira’s life in Nuath is getting better and better. She’s a rising star on a prestigious sports team and the guy she’s been crushing on has just started to notice her. When her parents decide to move to technologically backward Earth for the good of their underground Martian colony, Kira is aghast—and furious. Will life on Earth be the nightmare she anticipates or will she discover a future there beyond anything she can imagine?
The much-anticipated continuation of the electrifying Starstruck series, where teen romance blends with science fiction to open a whole new world of action, adventure and discovery!

Genres: Science Fiction, Young Adult

322 pages, Kindle Edition

Published June 13, 2017

About the author

Brenda Hiatt is the New York Times and USA Today bestselling author of sparkling romantic adventure. She's written twenty-five novels (so far), including sweet and spicy historical romance, time travel romance, humorous mystery, and her young adult science fiction STARSTRUCK series. Brenda began in traditional publishing with Harlequin, HarperCollins and Avon Books and later made a transition to indie publishing as she began getting rights back to her older books. So far, she hasn't been sorry! She is an active member of Romance Writers of America and Novelists, Inc, where she has served as president. In addition to writing, Brenda is passionate about embracing life to the fullest, to include scuba diving (she has over 60 dives to her credit), Taekwondo (where she is working toward her 4th degree black belt), hiking, traveling…and reading, of course!
Learn more at http://brendahiatt.com

Reviews

[Jacqueline · Rating 5 out of 5]

Star struck series

The girl from mars was amazing and so good I read it all within 24hrs of starting it! As all the books in the series I wasn't able to put it down! As always Brenda did NOT disappoint and kept me wanting more! I pray and beg that she will continue with this series it has become my favorite series EVER! This is not the first time I have said that either so THANK YOU so much Brenda!

[Dana · Rating 5 out of 5]

I absolutely loved The Girl From Mars. I thought it was perfect to show a different viewpoint during M’s start as Sovereign, and the overlap helped me remember some of what happened in Starfall because it has been a while since I read that one. Kira suspicious and opinionated nature had me smiling during her rants regarding politics, and I enjoyed her growth as she became aware of the truth through Sean, Molly, and M. The romance between Kira and Sean was sweet and couldn’t have been written better. I really hope for another book continuing Kira and Sean’s story, but I could see another book featuring a new couple also working well for the next in series.

[Jeri · Rating 4 out of 5]

I love this series but this one wasn't my favorite. Definitely improved as I got into the story. It was a little confusing to start back before the last book ended and re-read the events, even though they were from a different perspective. The beginning of the book also feels so negative with the main character not liking the other characters we've learned to love! I've never wanted to argue with the main character of a story before like I did this one.

[Jennifer Gladen · Rating 5 out of 5]

Well Done! I didn't think I was going to enjoy this book without being in M's head, but I was wrong. I still didn't like Keira as much as I did M through most of the story, but she does grow on you and she has some redeeming qualities. Definitely worth the read and I have a feeling this book will be important in the over all story arc.

[Mary Strand · Rating 5 out of 5]

Kira has a chip on her shoulder the size of a boulder ... but her growth arc in this novel is huge and genuine and believable. Great drama toward the end, and cool that it's hard to figure out how they can possibly save the day. Fun read!

[Sue Gosland]

Kira was a star on Mars, a prodigy on the Caidpel field, when her family decides to move to Earth and move to Jewel, Indiana, where the new leader of Mars, Princess Emileia has lived. The colony of Mars is running out of energy, and needs to get more people to move. Kira doesn't want to leave, but as a minor, has no choice. When she gets to the compound in Montana, she meets people whom she thinks is working to change to system from within and agrees to work with them once she gets to Jewel. Of course, it doesn't go the way she expects. She meets Sean O'Gara, who she's supposed to get information from. She begins to realize she's been lied to, but can she get out of the deal before anyone gets hurt? And what is this attraction she feels every time she and Sean touch?

I really enjoyed this expansion of the series.

[Miki · Rating 5 out of 5]

It's a clean YA series that captures you by a great story! It starts out so different from what I was expecting from this series. It also fixes a situation with a character I've been wanting to see happy! Good sci-fi read!

[Olasunkanmee · Rating 2 out of 5]

Not gonna lie, found Kira a little annoying most of the time. The book felt like a novella that was too long.

[Phyllis · Rating 5 out of 5]

I have loved each of the books in this series! This story takes place concurrently with the last couple of books in the Starstruck series, but should be read after them.

Kira is against the Royals, and for good reason. She used her fame on the prestigious traveling sports team to help spread messages against Faxton, but now that he has been defeated, her life is lacking purpose other than her sport. Just as she has been given a renewed purpose, her life is upended when her parents announce that they will be moving to, of all the backward places, earth!

I was so glad to read this next book in the series. Coming from Kira’s perspective as one who has lived her entire life on Mars and now has to move to Earth was a fun contrast to the previous books in the series. Now, in addition to the language that Ms. Hiatt has created for the people of the Mars colony, she has added a sport that doesn’t exist here on earth. I love her imagination and the way she makes Science Fiction feel so possible and real.

This book is told in the present tense, which I have seen done badly many times, but it is done so well here I didn’t even realize it until I was almost done with the book.

This review was originally posted on Among the Reads

[Sara · Rating 3 out of 5]

I got this book for free, and then found out it was the second of series. Nevertheless it was fairly easy to follow. It is a YA book with switching first person narrators, principally the girl and boy who are the love interest. It’s semi-near future with the girl and others living on Mars but having to immigrate back to Earth for a variety of reasons. Interestingly Mars is run more like a kingdom with a young woman as the “Sovereign.” There is political and environmental intrigue. But then all of these young folks act pretty much like highschoolers. I’m not a huge fan of YA romances nor SF. This book was pretty good, though; it was good enough for me to finish. But I’m not gonna read the rest of them. People that like YA books will probably find this one and it’s series fairly well written.

[Alison Beechner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I'm so glad there was one for Sean! I was really hoping there would be. I never thought his temperament seemed right for M. This one was hard because I spent 60% of the book really really disliking Kira's judgmental personality. I kept having to remind myself she was only around 16 years old, though I usually hold my fictional teenagers to higher standards. I digress. This one was good though since it wasn't all relationship and still had a lot of interesting scenes.

[Laura]

***TRIGGER WARNING: Extremely brief mention of past sexual assault and murder of two people in Kira's home village, but it took me off guard since the violence mentioned in previous installments were more vague. I DNF'd this, so I don't know if there's anything else to be aware of before getting into this. ***



DNF for me on this one. Really good writing, as per usual, but I just don't like Kira. I'll keep coming back to the books with M and Rigel, though.

[Lyn Sweetapple · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is the best book in the Starfall series. It is a complete story. The pace and amount of teenage angst work well together. Earlier stories seemed rushed so the jumping from one persons POV to another does not work as well as it does in this novel.

[Malissa · Rating 4 out of 5]

An enjoyable continuation

If M and her friends... Although the main character initially put me off I continued on and watched as a narrow-minded individual struggles against the truth and her own issues to find herself and her love.

[Carol L. Caldwell · Rating 5 out of 5]

This was a great part of the Starstruck series, filling in places and letting us see M from another point of view (all of the viewpoints have been great). I really enjoyed where the story led to and am anxious to read more, more, and more!

[Mary · Rating 5 out of 5]

Obsessed

This book Carrie’s on where The Starstruck Novels lead off. It answers some questions I had and made me happy that Hiatt decided to continue the series but in a different way. I can’t wait to read the next book.

[Lisa Boyer · Rating 3 out of 5]

This book is ok. I really perfer M and Rigel as the central characters but it does set up a convenient out for someone else.

[Katrina Ramirez · Rating 4 out of 5]

Interesting

[Kenneth L · Rating 5 out of 5]

Loved the whole series and wish there was more. Little bit teeny but but clean challenging back story

[Aizlynne · Rating 5 out of 5]

I can relate to Kira so much in my reality of 2020 American politics. Finding yourself at odds with your parents politically is so stressful. Though she may be misguided, Kira is a girl of great integrity that is not afraid to stand up for and act on what she believes. I was really excited at the prospect of Sean getting a happy ending here. Ironic that their relationship faces the same prejudices that he ragged M and Rigel for so much.

[Laura Davidson]

Starstruck #5

I was a bit dubious about this book after reading the others, as I absolutely adored M's & Rigel's story, but it was nice to read it from another point of view, So when Kira reluctantly leaves Mars you see how resentful she becomes towards M until she meets Sean then her whole view of the Sovereign changes...such a lovely story as the author brings the two world's together perfectly. It's a must read!!!!!