What do you think?
Rate this book
Under Shifting Stars
This novel follows twins Audrey and Clare as they grapple with their brother's death and their changing relationships – with each other and themselves.
Audrey and Clare may be twins, but they don’t share a school, a room, a star sign, or even a birthday. Ever since their brother Adam’s death, all they’ve shared is confusion over who they are and what comes next.
Audrey, tired of being seen as different from her neurotypical peers, is determined to return to public school. Clare is grappling with her gender fluidity and is wondering what emerging feelings for a nonbinary classmate might mean. Will first crushes, new family dynamics, and questions of identity prove that Audrey and Clare have grown too different to understand each other—or that they’ve needed each other all along?
Audrey and Clare may be twins, but they don’t share a school, a room, a star sign, or even a birthday. Ever since their brother Adam’s death, all they’ve shared is confusion over who they are and what comes next.
Audrey, tired of being seen as different from her neurotypical peers, is determined to return to public school. Clare is grappling with her gender fluidity and is wondering what emerging feelings for a nonbinary classmate might mean. Will first crushes, new family dynamics, and questions of identity prove that Audrey and Clare have grown too different to understand each other—or that they’ve needed each other all along?
272 pages, Hardcover
First published September 29, 2020
23 people are currently reading
2639 people want to read
Ratings & Reviews
Friends & Following
Create a free account to discover what your friends think of this book!
Community Reviews
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews
June 30, 2020
The ARC of this book was provided by the publisher via Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Clare and Audrey are two twin sisters who grow apart after their older brother dies in a tragic car accident. I believe things between them weren't good even before, but that's definitely the breaking point and that's what we see in this novel, the two of them dealing with the ghost of their brother and trying to understand themselves and to salvage their relationship.
There's also more to this story, Audrey, who's neurodiverse, is trying to fit in at her new school, a place where she feels like she doesn't truly belong. Meanwhile Clare is trying to understand her own gender identity.
I don't want to spoil the ending of this novel, I just wanna say that I appreciated how the themes included in this book were dealt with, I think the author did a great job and I'm sure I will definitely read more by her in the future.
Clare and Audrey are two twin sisters who grow apart after their older brother dies in a tragic car accident. I believe things between them weren't good even before, but that's definitely the breaking point and that's what we see in this novel, the two of them dealing with the ghost of their brother and trying to understand themselves and to salvage their relationship.
There's also more to this story, Audrey, who's neurodiverse, is trying to fit in at her new school, a place where she feels like she doesn't truly belong. Meanwhile Clare is trying to understand her own gender identity.
I don't want to spoil the ending of this novel, I just wanna say that I appreciated how the themes included in this book were dealt with, I think the author did a great job and I'm sure I will definitely read more by her in the future.
March 1, 2021
I-
The author liked my review wait-
————————-
Why you should read this book (aka why I emotionally fell apart)
-AUDREYS NEURODIVERGENCY
-as a neurodivergent person this rep was very accurate and genuinely meant so much to me. This is the first time that I’ve read a book where another neurodivergent character plays games in their head like me, and the sensory issues (which I only recently learned are an actual part of ADHD and I feel so fucking validated) and the panic that she feels when forced to break from her routine. PLS THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IVE SEEN MYSELF ACCURATELY REPRESENTED IN MEDIA IM SOBBING
-the lack of quotation marks in dialogue in her chapters were actually really smart, because I feel like it’s a good representation of what it’s like for a lot of neurodivergent people and made the things flow together and hard to separate. Unfortunately, I have ADHD so EVERYTHING FLOWED TOGETHER AND IT WAS HARD TO TELL WHAT WAS WHAT. Nevertheless, I think it was a good choice.
-the unapologetic queerness of this book, is so so important and this seems like a book geared toward like middle-school ish readers WHICH IS SO FUCKING IMPORTANT
-but genuinely. Taylor was amazing I love them, and they were so incredibly brave and stood up for themselves and were so deeply kind 🥺🥺
-and Chloe oh my god Chloe. (Side note: the teenager rep/what it feels like to be a teenager is so incredibly accurate it’s nice to see it in ya instead of philosophical geniuses. *stares at John Green* *who I actually rlly like but STILL*) her figuring out her identity was so raw and real and I emphasized with her a lot. I’m so proud of her, she is so brave and I hope that she only gets good things in life because it’s what she deserved.
-and Adam. Even tho Adam was dead during the book he felt like a prominent character and at his core he was so kind and brave and he knew what he was and didn’t change it for anybody, and accepted both his siblings for who they were and loved and supported them. I wish I have an older brother like him honestly. Alas, I am the eldest sibling and I do a shitty job at it, so apologies to my sister who is the one who made me read this and probably also wants an Adam. I’m going through a lot of Shit TM rn but I still love you.
-the parents definitley bothered me at many points, but I feel like they’re an accurate representation of parents of teens, especially in this day and age. Trying, but still kind of messing up. I hope they’ll get there eventually. Shoutout to the parents and to the author for writing relatable family dynamics
-I am a very tired person and also I really have to go read instead of thinking about reading but that’s it for now!!! See you at my next long, incoherent ramble!!!
—————————————
This was actually,,, very enjoyable and aspects of it meant a lot to me
The author liked my review wait-
————————-
Why you should read this book (aka why I emotionally fell apart)
-AUDREYS NEURODIVERGENCY
-as a neurodivergent person this rep was very accurate and genuinely meant so much to me. This is the first time that I’ve read a book where another neurodivergent character plays games in their head like me, and the sensory issues (which I only recently learned are an actual part of ADHD and I feel so fucking validated) and the panic that she feels when forced to break from her routine. PLS THIS IS THE FIRST TIME IVE SEEN MYSELF ACCURATELY REPRESENTED IN MEDIA IM SOBBING
-the lack of quotation marks in dialogue in her chapters were actually really smart, because I feel like it’s a good representation of what it’s like for a lot of neurodivergent people and made the things flow together and hard to separate. Unfortunately, I have ADHD so EVERYTHING FLOWED TOGETHER AND IT WAS HARD TO TELL WHAT WAS WHAT. Nevertheless, I think it was a good choice.
-the unapologetic queerness of this book, is so so important and this seems like a book geared toward like middle-school ish readers WHICH IS SO FUCKING IMPORTANT
-but genuinely. Taylor was amazing I love them, and they were so incredibly brave and stood up for themselves and were so deeply kind 🥺🥺
-and Chloe oh my god Chloe. (Side note: the teenager rep/what it feels like to be a teenager is so incredibly accurate it’s nice to see it in ya instead of philosophical geniuses. *stares at John Green* *who I actually rlly like but STILL*) her figuring out her identity was so raw and real and I emphasized with her a lot. I’m so proud of her, she is so brave and I hope that she only gets good things in life because it’s what she deserved.
-and Adam. Even tho Adam was dead during the book he felt like a prominent character and at his core he was so kind and brave and he knew what he was and didn’t change it for anybody, and accepted both his siblings for who they were and loved and supported them. I wish I have an older brother like him honestly. Alas, I am the eldest sibling and I do a shitty job at it, so apologies to my sister who is the one who made me read this and probably also wants an Adam. I’m going through a lot of Shit TM rn but I still love you.
-the parents definitley bothered me at many points, but I feel like they’re an accurate representation of parents of teens, especially in this day and age. Trying, but still kind of messing up. I hope they’ll get there eventually. Shoutout to the parents and to the author for writing relatable family dynamics
-I am a very tired person and also I really have to go read instead of thinking about reading but that’s it for now!!! See you at my next long, incoherent ramble!!!
—————————————
This was actually,,, very enjoyable and aspects of it meant a lot to me
November 7, 2020
Want to see more bookish things from me? Check out my Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCfer...
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
2.5/5 Stars
Audrey and Clare are twins who were best friends growing up. After the death of their older brother, Adam, things haven't been the same. Audrey is neuro-diverse and is struggling with being accepted by those around her and adjusting to her new school. At the same time, Clare is questioning their gender and sexual identity, while growing closer with a new student named Taylor.
This book just didn't work for me, solely because I wasn't a big fan of either sister. I didn't like the way Audrey was portrayed... She was capable of being treated like an adult and it frustrated me when she was babied by those around her. I also couldn't connect with Clare either. She was so rude to her sister, even before Adam's death, and it just made me angry. I also wasn't a fan of any of the supporting characters (other than Taylor). I just felt that a lot of these characters were very one-dimensional and made it hard to connect to them. I did like the exploration of gender identity and sexuality and think it was portrayed in a very relatable way. I also love how supportive the parents were in this towards both daughters, although like I said previously, I wish they treated Audrey more like an adult. I also like how both sisters grieved their brother in a different way, which led them to their different paths towards their growth and self-acceptance. I also really liked Taylor, and think that they were a great addition to the story. A lot of teenagers won't have a Taylor in their life to help guide them through their self-discovery as Clare did, so it was nice to see that relationship grow.
*I received a copy of this book from the publisher in exchange for my honest review*
2.5/5 Stars
Audrey and Clare are twins who were best friends growing up. After the death of their older brother, Adam, things haven't been the same. Audrey is neuro-diverse and is struggling with being accepted by those around her and adjusting to her new school. At the same time, Clare is questioning their gender and sexual identity, while growing closer with a new student named Taylor.
This book just didn't work for me, solely because I wasn't a big fan of either sister. I didn't like the way Audrey was portrayed... She was capable of being treated like an adult and it frustrated me when she was babied by those around her. I also couldn't connect with Clare either. She was so rude to her sister, even before Adam's death, and it just made me angry. I also wasn't a fan of any of the supporting characters (other than Taylor). I just felt that a lot of these characters were very one-dimensional and made it hard to connect to them. I did like the exploration of gender identity and sexuality and think it was portrayed in a very relatable way. I also love how supportive the parents were in this towards both daughters, although like I said previously, I wish they treated Audrey more like an adult. I also like how both sisters grieved their brother in a different way, which led them to their different paths towards their growth and self-acceptance. I also really liked Taylor, and think that they were a great addition to the story. A lot of teenagers won't have a Taylor in their life to help guide them through their self-discovery as Clare did, so it was nice to see that relationship grow.
July 10, 2020
I loved this book so much. We follow twins Audrey and Clare as they navigate their lives ten months after there brothers death.
Audrey deals with not only the grief of losing her brother but also dealing with her ADHD and Autism and feeling like she doesn’t belong in the school she is in.
Clare deals with questioning herself and her gender along with the grief of her brother.
Clare and Audrey deal with a lot in this book. Both of them grow and develop as people. I feel like their individual character growths felt done right.
This is also the first book I have read that takes place in Canada and it takes place I a city I have visited which is Calgary.
Overall this story is a great coming of age story about two teens trying to figure themselves out.
Audrey deals with not only the grief of losing her brother but also dealing with her ADHD and Autism and feeling like she doesn’t belong in the school she is in.
Clare deals with questioning herself and her gender along with the grief of her brother.
Clare and Audrey deal with a lot in this book. Both of them grow and develop as people. I feel like their individual character growths felt done right.
This is also the first book I have read that takes place in Canada and it takes place I a city I have visited which is Calgary.
Overall this story is a great coming of age story about two teens trying to figure themselves out.
September 21, 2020
Audrey and Clare are non identical twins whose older brother recently died. Audrey goes to a SEN school, and Clare to a mainstream school. Clare is figuring out her identity, and pulling away from her sister, whilst Audrey feels left behind, and is desperate to prove that she can return to Clare's school.
The book is told through both Audrey and Clare's perspectives, with alternating chapters. I liked Audrey immediately. I'm always happy to see a neurodivergent main character, and I thought Audrey was well written and relateable. Her voice sounds a little less mature than Clare's, but it's still clear that she's a teenager, with teenage feelings and desires. Her chapters have no speechmarks, which threw me a little at first, but once I got used to it, it just added to her voice. It took me longer to warm to Clare. I think this was because she is quite hurtful towards Audrey near the beginning of the book. However, after a few chapters I really came to like and understand her.
Under Shifting Stars tackles big topics in an engaging and understandable way. The story is about grief, growing up, sex, gender, school, teenage relationships and learning who you are. Audrey and Clare process their grief in two different ways, and I thought that both were explored well. Clare deals with homophobia, transphobia and losing friends, and Audrey deals with ableist bullying and feeling like she doesn't fit in at her school. I also thought the portrayal of gender identity discovery was very authentic and well written. The twin connection, and growing apart as you grow up reminded me a little of Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson, which I read as a child, although the two stories are otherwise very different.
This book is really sad. It made me cry! It started sad, and, because it was dealing with grief, there was a lot of sadness all of the way through. But it was also a really lovely, moving story. I really cared about all of the characters, and I was rooting for them in their journeys. Both Audrey and Clare get to discover themselves and learn and grow. I highly recommend this book for older teens, and also adults.
The book is told through both Audrey and Clare's perspectives, with alternating chapters. I liked Audrey immediately. I'm always happy to see a neurodivergent main character, and I thought Audrey was well written and relateable. Her voice sounds a little less mature than Clare's, but it's still clear that she's a teenager, with teenage feelings and desires. Her chapters have no speechmarks, which threw me a little at first, but once I got used to it, it just added to her voice. It took me longer to warm to Clare. I think this was because she is quite hurtful towards Audrey near the beginning of the book. However, after a few chapters I really came to like and understand her.
Under Shifting Stars tackles big topics in an engaging and understandable way. The story is about grief, growing up, sex, gender, school, teenage relationships and learning who you are. Audrey and Clare process their grief in two different ways, and I thought that both were explored well. Clare deals with homophobia, transphobia and losing friends, and Audrey deals with ableist bullying and feeling like she doesn't fit in at her school. I also thought the portrayal of gender identity discovery was very authentic and well written. The twin connection, and growing apart as you grow up reminded me a little of Double Act by Jacqueline Wilson, which I read as a child, although the two stories are otherwise very different.
This book is really sad. It made me cry! It started sad, and, because it was dealing with grief, there was a lot of sadness all of the way through. But it was also a really lovely, moving story. I really cared about all of the characters, and I was rooting for them in their journeys. Both Audrey and Clare get to discover themselves and learn and grow. I highly recommend this book for older teens, and also adults.
October 1, 2020
4.5 stars
This book was so good. It followed this pair of twins and how they are both dealing with the loss of their brother as well as discovering themselves.
This story was just executed so well. The way the characters progressed throughout the story was just flawless and I could not have seen it done any better. I felt that the author put them in the perfect situations for us to get to know them well and for us to see their relationships.
The author made me feel all the right things and the writing just conveyed such a poignant story and it really portrayed such realistic relationship. I really liked how the author managed to pull off writing such amazing characters and the development is just *chef's kiss* amazing.
The whole cast of characters I felt were slightly one-dimensional and I wished there was a bit more development in one of the characters but I didn’t really mind. I guess my only problem was one of the love interests as I just found them to a bit too perfect and it juxtaposed with all of the flawed characters in the book. They just didn’t really fit in the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It pulled at my heartstrings and I was just so emotionally invested in this novel. I am definitely interested in reading more from this author.
This book was so good. It followed this pair of twins and how they are both dealing with the loss of their brother as well as discovering themselves.
This story was just executed so well. The way the characters progressed throughout the story was just flawless and I could not have seen it done any better. I felt that the author put them in the perfect situations for us to get to know them well and for us to see their relationships.
The author made me feel all the right things and the writing just conveyed such a poignant story and it really portrayed such realistic relationship. I really liked how the author managed to pull off writing such amazing characters and the development is just *chef's kiss* amazing.
The whole cast of characters I felt were slightly one-dimensional and I wished there was a bit more development in one of the characters but I didn’t really mind. I guess my only problem was one of the love interests as I just found them to a bit too perfect and it juxtaposed with all of the flawed characters in the book. They just didn’t really fit in the story.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book. It pulled at my heartstrings and I was just so emotionally invested in this novel. I am definitely interested in reading more from this author.
November 3, 2020
I really really loved this. I didn’t have very many expectations going into it, but I definitely wasn’t expecting it to be as touching as it was.
It’s really interesting to see how each of the twins are grieving their brother’s death. They both grieve in very different, but also very similar ways. I found that really interesting.
I’ve never read a book with a genderfluid person! I’ve read a few books with characters who have different gender orientations, but never someone who is fluid on the spectrum. I really enjoyed reading Clare’s perspective and her discovering that about herself.
I really like Taylor! I think the way the author writes them was wonderful! I don’t think I’ve read a book with a non-binary character who we didn’t know their assigned sex at birth. I LOVED this. I think this is a beautiful way to introduce someone to the idea of a non-binary person. This is one of the reasons I think this book would be wonderful for those pre-teens who are ready to bridge the gap between middle grade contemporary to YA contemporary!
I also haven’t read a book with a character who is the specific type of neurodivergent that Audrey is. I think a lot of readers who are autistic might relate with Audrey a lot. (Though they never label Audrey’s neurodiversity as autism, she does have some of the characteristics, as well as a panic disorder and OCD qualities.)
This was a very refreshing book with beautifully unique characters that I definitely recommend!
It’s really interesting to see how each of the twins are grieving their brother’s death. They both grieve in very different, but also very similar ways. I found that really interesting.
I’ve never read a book with a genderfluid person! I’ve read a few books with characters who have different gender orientations, but never someone who is fluid on the spectrum. I really enjoyed reading Clare’s perspective and her discovering that about herself.
I really like Taylor! I think the way the author writes them was wonderful! I don’t think I’ve read a book with a non-binary character who we didn’t know their assigned sex at birth. I LOVED this. I think this is a beautiful way to introduce someone to the idea of a non-binary person. This is one of the reasons I think this book would be wonderful for those pre-teens who are ready to bridge the gap between middle grade contemporary to YA contemporary!
I also haven’t read a book with a character who is the specific type of neurodivergent that Audrey is. I think a lot of readers who are autistic might relate with Audrey a lot. (Though they never label Audrey’s neurodiversity as autism, she does have some of the characteristics, as well as a panic disorder and OCD qualities.)
This was a very refreshing book with beautifully unique characters that I definitely recommend!
June 21, 2020
An Advanced Reader’s copy has been provided to me by NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
This review is going to be a little different. As a general rule I try to avoid as much spoilery information as possible, but in order to give an accurate review and my true feelings on this book please be aware of spoilers.
I want to start by saying as much as I researched I could not find much information about this author. I believe this is the author’s debut and not an ownvoices author for non binary gender fluid representation.
If anyone finds information stating otherwise, please correct me.
I felt more like I was being educated on my own identity then following someone’s story. And the beginning parts that were following the character’s development into their identity made me feel gross.
Everyone who is non binary will have a different experience and different feelings, so please remember this review is how I personally felt as a gender fluid individual.
The Good: Let’s start with the easy part, what this book is about. Under Shifting Stars follows the perspectives of twins Audrey and Clare as they navigate coping with the death of their brother, high school and the relationship they have with each other.
What this book does right, the writing is absolutely beautiful. Never once did I feel a lull or that characters were bleeding into each other. The voices were very strong and individualized and I think this book could have been one of the best books I had ever read had things gone slightly different. The parents were written extremely well and you could feel the heaviness in each family member of the loss of the brother. Half of the book is done in Audrey’s perspective, changing point of views every chapter. I loved everything about the way it was written and the unique perspective. Audrey is, I believe, said to be ADHD and on the Autism spectrum, so though I enjoyed her point of view very much I am not an ownvoice reader for that and cannot attest to it’s accuracy.
The Meh: And then we have Clare. Clare is the other perspective in this book as she goes through her experience learning about gender and how she wants to identify. One of the ways she explored is through research, there’s a lot of Google and some terminology. I thought this was good, but there was too much of the details. I felt like I was being educated on LGBTQ+ terminology and that’s not really a bad thing, but not what I want out of my book. I would have rather definitions been in a glossary format if they are to be included at all. Or even as chapter starters. If I wanted to be educated I would have picked up a nonfiction book and honestly it sucks looking for representation in a character and having to have story taken away for it.
The Gross: Another way Clare explores gender identity is through her dead brother. Some of the flashback scenes were great, but let’s talk about what Clare does in present that makes me feel sick to my stomach. Clare’s brother Adam has not been dead a year yet and she goes into his untouched room find his old phone and locate a home video porn of Adam and his girlfriend. That Clare decides to watch repeatedly pretending she is Adam in the scenario. This is not referenced once, but a few times before Clare deletes the video. Clare then goes back into a room after a bit of time passes and takes her dead brother’s clothing to wear. Then again back into the room and takes the ID out of his wallet and eventually sneaks into a bar using it.
I can relate a bit having taken some of my brother’s old clothing myself when I was trying to find who I was, however my brother isn’t dead. It made my skin crawl.
I just felt really gross reading everything and it angers me slightly as well because growing up non binary I was told all the time that I was having an identity crisis or just a tomboy and this to me presents more of someone trying to be their brother and not like him. Which is something also said directly to Clare by someone bullying her and brought up really old feelings. There is also a lot more bullying that happens that I had to forward through because it was just too familiar and painful.
The second half of the book does get a lot better and had so much character development, however between feeling gross from the beginning with Clare watching the video, to the all too real bullying and the already heavy atmosphere of the book I just felt really drained and exhausted reading this.
This review is going to be a little different. As a general rule I try to avoid as much spoilery information as possible, but in order to give an accurate review and my true feelings on this book please be aware of spoilers.
I want to start by saying as much as I researched I could not find much information about this author. I believe this is the author’s debut and not an ownvoices author for non binary gender fluid representation.
If anyone finds information stating otherwise, please correct me.
I felt more like I was being educated on my own identity then following someone’s story. And the beginning parts that were following the character’s development into their identity made me feel gross.
Everyone who is non binary will have a different experience and different feelings, so please remember this review is how I personally felt as a gender fluid individual.
The Good: Let’s start with the easy part, what this book is about. Under Shifting Stars follows the perspectives of twins Audrey and Clare as they navigate coping with the death of their brother, high school and the relationship they have with each other.
What this book does right, the writing is absolutely beautiful. Never once did I feel a lull or that characters were bleeding into each other. The voices were very strong and individualized and I think this book could have been one of the best books I had ever read had things gone slightly different. The parents were written extremely well and you could feel the heaviness in each family member of the loss of the brother. Half of the book is done in Audrey’s perspective, changing point of views every chapter. I loved everything about the way it was written and the unique perspective. Audrey is, I believe, said to be ADHD and on the Autism spectrum, so though I enjoyed her point of view very much I am not an ownvoice reader for that and cannot attest to it’s accuracy.
The Meh: And then we have Clare. Clare is the other perspective in this book as she goes through her experience learning about gender and how she wants to identify. One of the ways she explored is through research, there’s a lot of Google and some terminology. I thought this was good, but there was too much of the details. I felt like I was being educated on LGBTQ+ terminology and that’s not really a bad thing, but not what I want out of my book. I would have rather definitions been in a glossary format if they are to be included at all. Or even as chapter starters. If I wanted to be educated I would have picked up a nonfiction book and honestly it sucks looking for representation in a character and having to have story taken away for it.
The Gross: Another way Clare explores gender identity is through her dead brother. Some of the flashback scenes were great, but let’s talk about what Clare does in present that makes me feel sick to my stomach. Clare’s brother Adam has not been dead a year yet and she goes into his untouched room find his old phone and locate a home video porn of Adam and his girlfriend. That Clare decides to watch repeatedly pretending she is Adam in the scenario. This is not referenced once, but a few times before Clare deletes the video. Clare then goes back into a room after a bit of time passes and takes her dead brother’s clothing to wear. Then again back into the room and takes the ID out of his wallet and eventually sneaks into a bar using it.
I can relate a bit having taken some of my brother’s old clothing myself when I was trying to find who I was, however my brother isn’t dead. It made my skin crawl.
I just felt really gross reading everything and it angers me slightly as well because growing up non binary I was told all the time that I was having an identity crisis or just a tomboy and this to me presents more of someone trying to be their brother and not like him. Which is something also said directly to Clare by someone bullying her and brought up really old feelings. There is also a lot more bullying that happens that I had to forward through because it was just too familiar and painful.
The second half of the book does get a lot better and had so much character development, however between feeling gross from the beginning with Clare watching the video, to the all too real bullying and the already heavy atmosphere of the book I just felt really drained and exhausted reading this.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 19, 2020
What I liked the most about this novel was that it addresses really difficult themes at an earlier stage than most YA books and I think that is extremely necessary. Teens don't just become sexual, thinking, feeling beings once they hit sixteen and they need stories like these to make them feel less alone earlier.
"Under Shifting Stars" focuses on a set of fraternal twins, Audrey who is neurodiverse, and Clare that starts to question her/his gender identity and sexual orientation. On top of that their entire family is still reeling from their brother's death a few months before and dealing with their grief and guilt.
Both Audrey and Clare have to deal with bullying and the anxieties of being a teenager and not feeling comfortable relying on parents or other authority figures for everything at the same time they see friendships crumble and have to deal with their own mistakes and perceived weaknesses.
The writing style is very unique, mostly because of the absence of dialogue punctuation but it's never hard to understand and I liked that so many hard-hitting themes such as alternative learning, grief, changing family dynamics, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, bullying, and high school social dynamics were dealt with and discussed.
Thank you to HMH Books For Younger Readers and Edelweiss+ for this DRC.
"Under Shifting Stars" focuses on a set of fraternal twins, Audrey who is neurodiverse, and Clare that starts to question her/his gender identity and sexual orientation. On top of that their entire family is still reeling from their brother's death a few months before and dealing with their grief and guilt.
Both Audrey and Clare have to deal with bullying and the anxieties of being a teenager and not feeling comfortable relying on parents or other authority figures for everything at the same time they see friendships crumble and have to deal with their own mistakes and perceived weaknesses.
The writing style is very unique, mostly because of the absence of dialogue punctuation but it's never hard to understand and I liked that so many hard-hitting themes such as alternative learning, grief, changing family dynamics, gender identity, sexual orientation, neurodiversity, bullying, and high school social dynamics were dealt with and discussed.
Thank you to HMH Books For Younger Readers and Edelweiss+ for this DRC.
December 30, 2020
This was kinda a weird one for me.
RTC
RTC
July 25, 2020
Under Shifting Stars is a book I so deeply wanted to love. LGBTQIAP representation is something so important to me and when I saw this book had not only a non binary character in but also a gender fluid character in i was so excited to dive in, unfortunately I didn’t like it.
One of my main issues was the writing style, I just found it to be so disjointed and jarring especially in Audrey’s POV. The characters definitely didn’t feel the same as each other but I didn’t really enjoy the writing style for either of them.
I did on the other hand, like the way grief was handled in this book. It broke my heart watching these two having to go through this loss and how it effected them and their family. Apart from the scene with Claire when she finds the video, that made me feel so sick to my stomach. But, other than that it was handled with so much care and respect and I loved that about it.
Overall. I just did not like this book and I am sad about it. I thought it would be a favourite of the year but it just fell so completely flat for me. I do commend the author for having diversity in their book as well as dealing with some heavy topics but it just wasn’t for me. Although, I know some people will read it and absolutely love it which is great!
One of my main issues was the writing style, I just found it to be so disjointed and jarring especially in Audrey’s POV. The characters definitely didn’t feel the same as each other but I didn’t really enjoy the writing style for either of them.
I did on the other hand, like the way grief was handled in this book. It broke my heart watching these two having to go through this loss and how it effected them and their family. Apart from the scene with Claire when she finds the video, that made me feel so sick to my stomach. But, other than that it was handled with so much care and respect and I loved that about it.
Overall. I just did not like this book and I am sad about it. I thought it would be a favourite of the year but it just fell so completely flat for me. I do commend the author for having diversity in their book as well as dealing with some heavy topics but it just wasn’t for me. Although, I know some people will read it and absolutely love it which is great!
September 23, 2020
So excited for September 29th - publication day!!!
January 4, 2021
this was... beautiful.
not too complicated or too dramatic but very unique and also very important. there are a lot of things going on, and i think all of them were handled quite masterfully.
wouldn't say it was an "absolute favourite" kind of a five-star but it reached some places in me and people should definitely read this!!
not too complicated or too dramatic but very unique and also very important. there are a lot of things going on, and i think all of them were handled quite masterfully.
wouldn't say it was an "absolute favourite" kind of a five-star but it reached some places in me and people should definitely read this!!
April 21, 2020
Received a digital copy from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review.
(No spoilers here, don't worry!)
I loved this book. It was about grief, identity, self-discovery, and finding ones place in the world in the midst of it all.
Looking forward to more from this author in the future!
(No spoilers here, don't worry!)
I loved this book. It was about grief, identity, self-discovery, and finding ones place in the world in the midst of it all.
Looking forward to more from this author in the future!
December 19, 2020
“It’s not a trend. We’ve always been here. We just finally feel safe enough to make that known.”
A book by an Albertan author set in Alberta with a gender fluid MC, a non-binary love interest, and a neurodivergent MC? YES PLEASE! I loved this book so much!
This story follows twin sisters Clare and Audrey as they deal with growing up, growing apart, and finding themselves. Clare is trying to figure out her gender identity (she still prefers to use she/her pronouns) while also falling for a non-binary classmate. Audrey is struggling with being an outsider to her sister and others because of being neurodivergent. This book is about both sisters finding their place in the world while also figuring out just how much they need each other despite growing apart.
First of all, I just have to highlight again that this is a story set in Alberta from an Albertan author! I didn’t know this when requesting this book, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that out when reading. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything to come out of my home province before, especially a book that takes place here. I especially appreciated that this book features the 2013 flood that devastated the province, especially the Calgary area in which the book takes place. I also loved that both girls go to french bilingual schools like I did growing up here. It just felt like getting a slice of home in a book and I really adored that.
This book was a wonderful read! More YA books need to have gender fluid and non-binary rep, especially as main characters. I also appreciated how Audrey was portrayed and how her chapters didn’t have quotation marks to emphasize the fact that she’s neurodivergent. Also, reading about her discovering the joys of LARPing just made me so happy. Audrey was definitely my favourite character in this book since she just seemed so sweet and Clare honestly treated her like garbage for a chunk of the book. I empathized with Clare, but she still made me so mad sometimes with how ableist she was towards Audrey.
I had a couple little gripes with this book, like both romance side plots felt a little underdeveloped. Also, for how progressive this book was the author still used the word “bipolar” to describe the weather and that just rubbed me the wrong way. It’s 2020, we don’t need to be using mental illnesses to describe things. On top of this, I felt like this book was pretty white. I don’t remember a character of colour in the whole book, so that’s not great.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The diverse gender representation was on point and I appreciated having a neurodiverse MC. A couple things could have been handled better, but as a whole this was an enjoyable read. I’m excited to see what this author has in store for the future!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group for giving me this eARC in exchange for an honest review*
A book by an Albertan author set in Alberta with a gender fluid MC, a non-binary love interest, and a neurodivergent MC? YES PLEASE! I loved this book so much!
This story follows twin sisters Clare and Audrey as they deal with growing up, growing apart, and finding themselves. Clare is trying to figure out her gender identity (she still prefers to use she/her pronouns) while also falling for a non-binary classmate. Audrey is struggling with being an outsider to her sister and others because of being neurodivergent. This book is about both sisters finding their place in the world while also figuring out just how much they need each other despite growing apart.
First of all, I just have to highlight again that this is a story set in Alberta from an Albertan author! I didn’t know this when requesting this book, but I was pleasantly surprised to find that out when reading. I don’t think I’ve ever read anything to come out of my home province before, especially a book that takes place here. I especially appreciated that this book features the 2013 flood that devastated the province, especially the Calgary area in which the book takes place. I also loved that both girls go to french bilingual schools like I did growing up here. It just felt like getting a slice of home in a book and I really adored that.
This book was a wonderful read! More YA books need to have gender fluid and non-binary rep, especially as main characters. I also appreciated how Audrey was portrayed and how her chapters didn’t have quotation marks to emphasize the fact that she’s neurodivergent. Also, reading about her discovering the joys of LARPing just made me so happy. Audrey was definitely my favourite character in this book since she just seemed so sweet and Clare honestly treated her like garbage for a chunk of the book. I empathized with Clare, but she still made me so mad sometimes with how ableist she was towards Audrey.
I had a couple little gripes with this book, like both romance side plots felt a little underdeveloped. Also, for how progressive this book was the author still used the word “bipolar” to describe the weather and that just rubbed me the wrong way. It’s 2020, we don’t need to be using mental illnesses to describe things. On top of this, I felt like this book was pretty white. I don’t remember a character of colour in the whole book, so that’s not great.
Overall, I really enjoyed this book! The diverse gender representation was on point and I appreciated having a neurodiverse MC. A couple things could have been handled better, but as a whole this was an enjoyable read. I’m excited to see what this author has in store for the future!
*Thank you to Netgalley and Houghton Mifflin Harcourt Children’s Book Group for giving me this eARC in exchange for an honest review*
June 27, 2021
(4.5ish) this book made me so emotional and I just really connected w these characters
January 20, 2023
the 1 thing I really didn't like was the didn't "" For most of the book so I had a hard time figuring out when they were talking
September 23, 2020
I received an advanced copy of Under Shifting Stars from NetGalley, so that I could share my review with you!
Audrey and Clare might be twins, but they share very little. They don’t attend the same school, don’t live in the same room, and they definitely don’t understand each other. The only thing they seem to have in common is the grief they are experiencing after their brother’s sudden death. When he died, it severed the last ties between the twins, leaving them adrift in their own worlds. Audrey is desperately tired of being treated differently because of her neurodiversity. The only path she sees forward is changing who she is completely, so that she can match who the world wants her to be. Meanwhile, Clare is struggling with their gender identity, wondering what it means that some days they wake up feeling more like a boy than a girl. When searching online, they find the term, “gender-fluid,” which makes more sense than anything else so far. Clare and Audrey both feel alone and misunderstood, but maybe their friendship will save them both.
You can get your copy of Under Shifting Stars on September 29th from HMH Books for Young Readers!
What I enjoyed most about this book was its writing style. I found the story to be incredibly readable, and quite compelling. I often struggle with dual-voice stories, as I usually become lost trying to tell the characters apart, but Alexandra Latos absolutely nailed it with Under Shifting Stars! The characters felt well-thought-out and distinctive in their personalities and voices. It was an especially refreshing read due to the fact that I felt equally engaged by both of the main characters.
My Recommendation-
If you enjoy stories with unique dual-perspective voices, you should read Under Shifting Stars! This book would be a good fit for readers searching for a fictional story dealing with gender fluidity, the difference between sexuality and gender, and the challenges and triumphs of neurodiversity.
Audrey and Clare might be twins, but they share very little. They don’t attend the same school, don’t live in the same room, and they definitely don’t understand each other. The only thing they seem to have in common is the grief they are experiencing after their brother’s sudden death. When he died, it severed the last ties between the twins, leaving them adrift in their own worlds. Audrey is desperately tired of being treated differently because of her neurodiversity. The only path she sees forward is changing who she is completely, so that she can match who the world wants her to be. Meanwhile, Clare is struggling with their gender identity, wondering what it means that some days they wake up feeling more like a boy than a girl. When searching online, they find the term, “gender-fluid,” which makes more sense than anything else so far. Clare and Audrey both feel alone and misunderstood, but maybe their friendship will save them both.
You can get your copy of Under Shifting Stars on September 29th from HMH Books for Young Readers!
What I enjoyed most about this book was its writing style. I found the story to be incredibly readable, and quite compelling. I often struggle with dual-voice stories, as I usually become lost trying to tell the characters apart, but Alexandra Latos absolutely nailed it with Under Shifting Stars! The characters felt well-thought-out and distinctive in their personalities and voices. It was an especially refreshing read due to the fact that I felt equally engaged by both of the main characters.
My Recommendation-
If you enjoy stories with unique dual-perspective voices, you should read Under Shifting Stars! This book would be a good fit for readers searching for a fictional story dealing with gender fluidity, the difference between sexuality and gender, and the challenges and triumphs of neurodiversity.
October 6, 2020
*1.5 Stars* ... this book was NOT IT
April 14, 2023
Solid 2 stars! This is probably my longest Goodreads review, oh my. GOD. This book was absolutely excruciating to get through. I hated Claire for most of the story, which was GRATING with her being a POV, because outside of her relatable scenes on her gender expression and discovery(and some stuff about her sexuality) she was frustratingly mean. Like, I get it, you don’t want to get bullied and want to fit in, but in the final act her genuine surprise at any of her actions leading to…woe is me, CONSEQUENCES?, was so frustrating. Aubrey was subpar neurodivergent representation, being somewhat relatable at best(I am on the spectrum), and borderline offensive at worst. It took me a while to realize there were no quotations in her POV chapters to represent how she didn’t know if what she said was inside or outside her head at times, but it made reading more difficult. Her thoughts were also relatively simple, to the point where I had to check the tags to see if this was a middle grade or not. (It’s not. I get that the protagonists are only in their freshman year of high school, so there’s not that much of a difference, but she had…7th grader whimsy in some of her internal monologues. I hated it.) There were times in which I couldn’t tell if the infantilization of her was an ableist move on behalf of the parents or the author, thankfully it was more of the former towards the end but, I feel as if there should’ve been an extra reader for the autistic rep because some kind of author bias seeped in(at least to me during my reader experience). It speaks volumes I had to ask myself that question at all because the lines should not be blurred on something as egregious as that.
The only reason that this book isn’t one star is because of a) the thoughtful queer representation, b) how some of the explorations of grief were handled, c) Audrey being respected as a teenager and not a kid in the final act(with the narrative also starting to reflect that, imo), and Claire becoming more of a bearable person lol. Every side character felt one-note, except for Taylor, but even our POVs got repetitive in their gimmicks after a while: Audrey, the “freak” and the “weirdo” who desperately wants to be otherwise; Claire, the “perfect one” who’s secretly “not perfect” and panicking at the realization that her true self isn’t what others want to see or envision her as.
The only way I can see someone benefitting from reading this book is if they’re new to learning about the LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent communities and want to be a little more knowledgeable or familiar on their identities and struggles. Like one of those little pamphlets you find that are short and give you a few basics on different places or subjects. But, that has it’s own issues.
I am curious to see how the original short story version of this was, though. Maybe it was strengthened by Claire lacking a POV, maybe it was significantly weakened because solely focusing on Audrey would mean amplifying the issues I had with the neurodivergent representation to a 10.
The only reason that this book isn’t one star is because of a) the thoughtful queer representation, b) how some of the explorations of grief were handled, c) Audrey being respected as a teenager and not a kid in the final act(with the narrative also starting to reflect that, imo), and Claire becoming more of a bearable person lol. Every side character felt one-note, except for Taylor, but even our POVs got repetitive in their gimmicks after a while: Audrey, the “freak” and the “weirdo” who desperately wants to be otherwise; Claire, the “perfect one” who’s secretly “not perfect” and panicking at the realization that her true self isn’t what others want to see or envision her as.
The only way I can see someone benefitting from reading this book is if they’re new to learning about the LGBTQ+ and neurodivergent communities and want to be a little more knowledgeable or familiar on their identities and struggles. Like one of those little pamphlets you find that are short and give you a few basics on different places or subjects. But, that has it’s own issues.
I am curious to see how the original short story version of this was, though. Maybe it was strengthened by Claire lacking a POV, maybe it was significantly weakened because solely focusing on Audrey would mean amplifying the issues I had with the neurodivergent representation to a 10.
July 16, 2020
(5.5/10) – ⭐⭐⭐
I was provided with an advanced reader copy by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Under Shifting Stars is one of those books that has both things that really didn’t work for me, and things that were done really well, evening out as a lower-end three star rating.
While I’m an advocate for diversity in YA, I’m not a huge fan of first-person POVs when the author does not have true firsthand experience with what the characters are dealing with. In this book, we have two such POVs – there’s Clare, who is trying to figure out how she feels about her gender, and Audrey, who is neurodiverse. That’s quite a bit to tackle in one relatively short book, and in my opinion the author didn’t pull it off that well. Neither of these POVs felt authentic to me, and are quite clunky in places. Instead of seamless representation, we have more of a [insert google search results here] feel that I didn’t gel with, and I found myself wishing the author would’ve limited herself to the grief theme that runs through all of this.
Because that part was, in my opinion, done really well. The relationship between these twins was already becoming strained, and after the death of their brother Adam seems to have snapped altogether. Reading about their struggles to reconnect with each other after a shared loss when neither seems able to look beyond their own grief was very recognizable to me, and I would’ve loved to read about just that. Especially when it also affects the siblings’ relationship with their parents, and the relationship between the parents themselves. There was so much to explore there, but it became more of a sub-theme crushed by the other things the author tried to accomplish within these pages.
Under Shifting Stars also falls on the younger side of the YA spectrum, which might have influenced my overall enjoyment a bit. That’s not the books fault – let’s not forget the target audience here – but I’m very much an upper-YA/adult reader at heart. If you’re someone who enjoys both middle grade and YA, this might not bother you at all.
All in all, a read that managed to scrape together a passing grade, but not one that will stick with me or one that I’ll reread.
I was provided with an advanced reader copy by the publisher through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review. All thoughts and opinions are my own.
Under Shifting Stars is one of those books that has both things that really didn’t work for me, and things that were done really well, evening out as a lower-end three star rating.
While I’m an advocate for diversity in YA, I’m not a huge fan of first-person POVs when the author does not have true firsthand experience with what the characters are dealing with. In this book, we have two such POVs – there’s Clare, who is trying to figure out how she feels about her gender, and Audrey, who is neurodiverse. That’s quite a bit to tackle in one relatively short book, and in my opinion the author didn’t pull it off that well. Neither of these POVs felt authentic to me, and are quite clunky in places. Instead of seamless representation, we have more of a [insert google search results here] feel that I didn’t gel with, and I found myself wishing the author would’ve limited herself to the grief theme that runs through all of this.
Because that part was, in my opinion, done really well. The relationship between these twins was already becoming strained, and after the death of their brother Adam seems to have snapped altogether. Reading about their struggles to reconnect with each other after a shared loss when neither seems able to look beyond their own grief was very recognizable to me, and I would’ve loved to read about just that. Especially when it also affects the siblings’ relationship with their parents, and the relationship between the parents themselves. There was so much to explore there, but it became more of a sub-theme crushed by the other things the author tried to accomplish within these pages.
Under Shifting Stars also falls on the younger side of the YA spectrum, which might have influenced my overall enjoyment a bit. That’s not the books fault – let’s not forget the target audience here – but I’m very much an upper-YA/adult reader at heart. If you’re someone who enjoys both middle grade and YA, this might not bother you at all.
All in all, a read that managed to scrape together a passing grade, but not one that will stick with me or one that I’ll reread.
April 25, 2021
Under shifting stars was a very enjoyable read which deals with some very topical and relatable themes - grief, familial relationships, sexuality, gender identity, and friendship. It was multi-dimensional - educational, thought provoking, sad, optimistic, and at times funny. The characters and dialogue gripped me and I was always turning the next page instead of putting it down. I liked how it was split into the parallel lives of the twins Claire and Audrey, as this helped to provide different perspectives of two people going through similar scenarios but whose outlooks were different given their individual characteristics. I think this book is especially a great read for those younger (or older) adults who are struggling with feelings of confusion about who they really are, their relationships with their family, or about the more difficult events in life such as the death of someone close. It is a thoughtful book and I am that much more informed for reading it.
March 18, 2021
"Sometimes bad things happen and we wonder why they happen to us and what we did wrong. But we did nothing wrong."
January 18, 2021
under shifting stars was a novel that i really wanted to love. i was very interested in the themes of gender identity and sexual orientation, in addition to the other themes about grief and neurodiversity. i say i wanted to like this book, but to be fairly simple, there were many things that made me uncomfortable. as i am not a writer (this is obvious) i will be compiling short lists of what i liked and disliked about the ARC i read.
what i liked:
- audrey's character: i connected to audrey a bunch of times throughout the story which honestly made me really happy (i can't comment on whether she was a good character in terms of portraying neurodivergent people, but she has a really nice personality imo)
- audrey's relationship with calvin: i thought their friendship was super fun and light hearted and i wish i saw more of them in the story
- clare's relationship with taylor: again, another relationship that was fun with how well they communicated. i do think it was a ~bit~ rushed, but the book itself is fairly short
- taylor's character: taylor's character seemed the most fleshed out among all the supporting characters; i really liked how supportive and understanding they were when dealing with clare's gender crisis
what i did not like (and also detested):
- the amount of times clare mentioned her (dead) brother when talking about her sexuality or just any conversation with sexual connotations; i thoroughly uncomfortable with the amount of times she watched those videos of her brother and his girlfriend (which were basically porn) and there is an entire sentence that hated with my entire gut but will not mention for the sake of anyone reading this (its gross)
- clare's character: to be brief, she was a bitch to audrey for no reason. it made me angry how she never stood up for her sister despite feeling "guilty" when she witnessed her getting bullied
- audrey being babied because of her neurodivergency; plain and simple, it felt weird that just because she thought differently than most people she was treated like a baby despite her being 15. this gets discussed in the book but it went on for 90% of it and it felt degrading to say the least
- the adults in this book are kinda terrible; the twins' mom invalidated each of their feelings a couple times and i didn't like that; it just made me angry
despite everything that i liked and disliked, i did like the ended. i also enjoyed all the flashbacks and memories of their brother, adam, that were sprinkled within the book. the writing tripped me up a bit with the lack of quotations in all of the audrey pov chapters, but i believe i understand their purpose. i think this book had a lot of potential to be a higher star read, but i think clare's continuous mention of her brother when discussing sex was my main issue.
what i liked:
- audrey's character: i connected to audrey a bunch of times throughout the story which honestly made me really happy (i can't comment on whether she was a good character in terms of portraying neurodivergent people, but she has a really nice personality imo)
- audrey's relationship with calvin: i thought their friendship was super fun and light hearted and i wish i saw more of them in the story
- clare's relationship with taylor: again, another relationship that was fun with how well they communicated. i do think it was a ~bit~ rushed, but the book itself is fairly short
- taylor's character: taylor's character seemed the most fleshed out among all the supporting characters; i really liked how supportive and understanding they were when dealing with clare's gender crisis
what i did not like (and also detested):
- the amount of times clare mentioned her (dead) brother when talking about her sexuality or just any conversation with sexual connotations; i thoroughly uncomfortable with the amount of times she watched those videos of her brother and his girlfriend (which were basically porn) and there is an entire sentence that hated with my entire gut but will not mention for the sake of anyone reading this (its gross)
- clare's character: to be brief, she was a bitch to audrey for no reason. it made me angry how she never stood up for her sister despite feeling "guilty" when she witnessed her getting bullied
- audrey being babied because of her neurodivergency; plain and simple, it felt weird that just because she thought differently than most people she was treated like a baby despite her being 15. this gets discussed in the book but it went on for 90% of it and it felt degrading to say the least
- the adults in this book are kinda terrible; the twins' mom invalidated each of their feelings a couple times and i didn't like that; it just made me angry
despite everything that i liked and disliked, i did like the ended. i also enjoyed all the flashbacks and memories of their brother, adam, that were sprinkled within the book. the writing tripped me up a bit with the lack of quotations in all of the audrey pov chapters, but i believe i understand their purpose. i think this book had a lot of potential to be a higher star read, but i think clare's continuous mention of her brother when discussing sex was my main issue.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 13, 2020
Big thanks to NetGalley and the publisher for my e-ARC. Alexandra Latos’ ‘Under Shifting Stars’ has been a heartfelt and amazing real book.
Having younger siblings, twins, who are so different from each other and yet have this unique connection, I love reading about twins. And ‘Under Shifting Stars’ has not disappointed on this account. The interchanging narration between Audrey and Clare allows the reader to see both sisters through each other eyes, and witness first-handed what they are going through. While in the beginning, I wasn’t sure whether I liked the formatting of dialogues in Audrey’s chapter, I’ve grown fond of it as the story progressed. It has given a unique insight into Audrey’s feelings and the way she thinks and behaves.
‘Under Shifting Stars’ is a story that handles so many heavy but important topics: grief and discovering your identity among others. When we meet Audrey and Clare, they are going through so much - they are grieving their older brother’s death, who has passed away in the tragic accident. That affects their already strained relationship as well as the way they interact with anyone else around them. While the book includes typical teenage angst and rebellion at moments, it also puts an emphasis on family, friendship and being yourself. Adam’s death haunts the whole family, and both Audrey and Clare need to learn how to move forward without forgetting their brother. Throughout ‘Under Shifting Stars’, they also discover more about themselves. I especially loved Clare’s portrayal - how she accepts that it’s okay to definite herself as gender-fluid and that ultimately it’s more important to be yourself than fitting in high school.
It has been such a full story, with so many topics and issues coming into play, and making both Audrey and Clare’s portrayal more real. It’s one of the most interesting YA contemporaries I have read recently.
Having younger siblings, twins, who are so different from each other and yet have this unique connection, I love reading about twins. And ‘Under Shifting Stars’ has not disappointed on this account. The interchanging narration between Audrey and Clare allows the reader to see both sisters through each other eyes, and witness first-handed what they are going through. While in the beginning, I wasn’t sure whether I liked the formatting of dialogues in Audrey’s chapter, I’ve grown fond of it as the story progressed. It has given a unique insight into Audrey’s feelings and the way she thinks and behaves.
‘Under Shifting Stars’ is a story that handles so many heavy but important topics: grief and discovering your identity among others. When we meet Audrey and Clare, they are going through so much - they are grieving their older brother’s death, who has passed away in the tragic accident. That affects their already strained relationship as well as the way they interact with anyone else around them. While the book includes typical teenage angst and rebellion at moments, it also puts an emphasis on family, friendship and being yourself. Adam’s death haunts the whole family, and both Audrey and Clare need to learn how to move forward without forgetting their brother. Throughout ‘Under Shifting Stars’, they also discover more about themselves. I especially loved Clare’s portrayal - how she accepts that it’s okay to definite herself as gender-fluid and that ultimately it’s more important to be yourself than fitting in high school.
It has been such a full story, with so many topics and issues coming into play, and making both Audrey and Clare’s portrayal more real. It’s one of the most interesting YA contemporaries I have read recently.
October 25, 2020
Neurodiverse and LGBT+ rep? Count me in.
This story is an emotive one that will leave you reaching for hot chocolate, praying that these siblings can move past their prior lives.
Audrey and Clare are twins who recently lost their brother, there is blame between them, anger and sadness as with any close relative death.
It’s interesting to see a portrayal that deals with this in a diverse manner; with the exploration of self and the relation between how neurotypical and neurodiverse people handle greif.
Audrey is non neurotypical, Clare neurotypical and on the LGBT spectrum so there’s great representation and diversity in both voices in this book.
The author handles gender and sexuality exploration in a really emotive way that took me back to being a teen. Great rep with non binary and queer characters throughout.
Honestly it’s one of my more memorable reads this year, I sped through this because it’s written beautifully and you find yourself with questions answered in every chapter.
It is a fairly emotionally heavy read, and one perhaps for a day in where you can curl up and just be lost in the world it presents.
One thing I did mark this down for was my slight dislike of one of the love interests who -I don’t know- just felt rather unreal / lacked emotional depth.
This story is an emotive one that will leave you reaching for hot chocolate, praying that these siblings can move past their prior lives.
Audrey and Clare are twins who recently lost their brother, there is blame between them, anger and sadness as with any close relative death.
It’s interesting to see a portrayal that deals with this in a diverse manner; with the exploration of self and the relation between how neurotypical and neurodiverse people handle greif.
Audrey is non neurotypical, Clare neurotypical and on the LGBT spectrum so there’s great representation and diversity in both voices in this book.
The author handles gender and sexuality exploration in a really emotive way that took me back to being a teen. Great rep with non binary and queer characters throughout.
Honestly it’s one of my more memorable reads this year, I sped through this because it’s written beautifully and you find yourself with questions answered in every chapter.
It is a fairly emotionally heavy read, and one perhaps for a day in where you can curl up and just be lost in the world it presents.
One thing I did mark this down for was my slight dislike of one of the love interests who -I don’t know- just felt rather unreal / lacked emotional depth.
August 26, 2020
I received a free copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Under Shifting Stars is the story of two twins whose relationship fell apart after their brother died. Clare is struggling with her self identity and sexuality and Audrey is tired of being considered different from her neurotypical peers. On top of that, Audrey blames herself because she thinks she was the cause of her brother's death since he was coming to pick her up from a disastrous karate lesson.
I LOVED this book. I could relate to both characters and I enjoyed watching them grow and find their way back to each other. Even if I'm an only child, books about sisterhood always make me tear up, because I can only imagine how lovely it would be to have someone who just gets you.
I loved how supportive Clare and Audrey's parents were, we definitely need more positive representation!
The writing style kept me hooked and the characters were well-rounded so I would definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for a book about sisterhood, grief and self-discovery.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.
Under Shifting Stars is the story of two twins whose relationship fell apart after their brother died. Clare is struggling with her self identity and sexuality and Audrey is tired of being considered different from her neurotypical peers. On top of that, Audrey blames herself because she thinks she was the cause of her brother's death since he was coming to pick her up from a disastrous karate lesson.
I LOVED this book. I could relate to both characters and I enjoyed watching them grow and find their way back to each other. Even if I'm an only child, books about sisterhood always make me tear up, because I can only imagine how lovely it would be to have someone who just gets you.
I loved how supportive Clare and Audrey's parents were, we definitely need more positive representation!
The writing style kept me hooked and the characters were well-rounded so I would definitely recommend this to anyone who's looking for a book about sisterhood, grief and self-discovery.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for allowing me to read an early copy.
December 2, 2020
I enjoyed reading this novel about two sisters who are learning to embrace who they truly are. As a teacher I appreciated Audrey's story. I know students who have felt her frustration and wanted to escape their "bubble" to interact with peers who they perceive as "normal." Her journey felt realistic and only a bit preachy.
However, If I buy a copy of this book for my classroom it is for Clare. For members of the LGBTQ+ community, the author's handling of Clare may seem pedantic as readers get to see every single moment in her quest to try to express and define her gender identity. However, this is a character that young readers facing the same dilemmas will appreciate. Will Clare be the beloved nb character that will stand the test of time? Probably not, but that doesn't mean that readers won't appreciate the same we we appreciated I am J or Luna when they first came out.
However, If I buy a copy of this book for my classroom it is for Clare. For members of the LGBTQ+ community, the author's handling of Clare may seem pedantic as readers get to see every single moment in her quest to try to express and define her gender identity. However, this is a character that young readers facing the same dilemmas will appreciate. Will Clare be the beloved nb character that will stand the test of time? Probably not, but that doesn't mean that readers won't appreciate the same we we appreciated I am J or Luna when they first came out.
June 3, 2021
as a twin, i love books about other twins! Under Shifting Stars is a book that deals well with grief, mental health challenges, and neuroatypicality. the challenges the characters face are very heavy and well written. unfortunately, this book also relied heavily on the "manic pixie dream" trope for the one MC's love interest. many characters are painted as very one-sided (popular kids, LARPers, etc) in a way that didn't feel authentic to the novel being narrated by two teens living among and being a part of these groups. 2.5/5.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
December 17, 2020
Audrey and Claire are non identical twins. Audrey is different to her neurotypical peers and is tired of being seen as such and just wants to fit in and go to the same school as her twin again. Clare is popular and seems to life under control. When their brother Adam dies in a car accident the girls lose their bond with blame and guilt and reprisals. Clare is trying to grieve and come to terms with her changing view of the own gender and starts to wear Adams clothes cuts her hair, just trying to find out who she is. Audrey blames herself for Adams death and thinks if she can just go back to Clare's school all will be well.
This is really interesting book about grief, gender, acceptance, bullying, ADHD and autism I enjoyed the duel perspective narrative and feel the characters journeys are authentic and not tick box exercise to include diversity. They are clear and well constructed characters. This was an emotional read and did make me cry towards the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book to review
This is really interesting book about grief, gender, acceptance, bullying, ADHD and autism I enjoyed the duel perspective narrative and feel the characters journeys are authentic and not tick box exercise to include diversity. They are clear and well constructed characters. This was an emotional read and did make me cry towards the end.
Thank you to NetGalley and the publishers for my copy of this book to review
Displaying 1 - 30 of 166 reviews