The Stars Among Us

by Sanja Srdić Jungić, Sanja S. Jungic, Neven Divjakinja (Translator)

Nora is as shocked as her friends and family when she quits a perfectly good job to become an extra in a Hollywood movie being filmed in Dubrovnik. She hopes it will help her move on from a painful break-up and give her breathing space to find out what she wants to do with her life.

To Nora’s delight she discovers that she loves every minute in her new “temporary” career. It doesn’t hurt either that the handsome assistant director, Ivor, takes more than a passing interest in her. But then events take a dramatic and unforeseen turn when Lucas Winter, world-famous actor and Nora’s teenage heart-throb, unexpectedly arrives on set…

The Stars Among Us is inspired by the author's real-life experience of being an extra on the set of HBO's Game of Thrones. Perfect for fans of Sophie Kinsella, Lindsey Kelk and Susan Elizabeth Phillips.

Genres: Romance

351 pages, Paperback

First published March 21, 2019

About the author

Sanja S. Jungic is a young Croatian author whose debut novel, Zvijezde medu nama, was published in Croatia in 2019. The novel gained a lot of attention due to fact that it was inspired by Sanja’s real life experience on the set of
mega-popular show Game of Thrones. This prompted Sanja to write her second novel, Ti si moje sve (You are My Everything), whilst having Zvijezde medu nama translated by renowned Croatian translator Neven Divjakinja for international audience. She lives in Zagreb with her husband Saša and their pets Toya, Cecilije and Egidije.

_____________________________________________

Sanja Srdić Jungić rođena je 1988. u Zagrebu. Magistrirala je komunikologiju na Hrvatskim studijima.

Pisanjem se bavi odmalena, a nakon stečenog iskustva u novinarstvu, odnosima s javnošću i organizaciji događanja, od 2017. radi kao voditeljica marketinga u jednome knjižarskom lancu.

2019. objavila je roman prvijenac Zvijezde među nama, koji je odjeknuo u javnosti zbog radnje povezane s megapopularnom serijom Igra prijestolja u kojoj je autorica statirala. Ti si moje sve njezin je drugi roman.

Živi sa suprugom Sašom i njihovim ljubimcima Toyom, Cecilijem i Egidijem.

Reviews

[Ana Jembrek · Rating 5 out of 5]

Ne znam za vas, ali ja sam u jednom trenutku svog života bila zaluđena chick lit romanima. Bilo je to kada sam studirala na Muzičkoj akademiji. Ovisno o razini stresa i raspoloženju, čitalački sam se pomamljivala ili za klasicima ili za ljubićima, a chick lit mi je među ljubavnom literaturom bio najdraži. U to sam vrijeme otkrila Sophie Kinsellu, nakon što mi je netko poklonio njezinu knjigu “Znaš li čuvati tajnu?”. Tu sam knjigu pročitala desetke puta, i polako je postala moja comfort knjiga – ona knjiga kojoj se okrećem kada mi je potrebna utjeha i mir.

I jako dugo nisam pročitala išta slično toj knjizi, u smislu da me tako dotakne, razveseli, uzbudi i obuzme. Sve do ove knjige, do “Zvijezde među nama”, domaće autorice Sanje Srdić Jungić.

Knjigu sam udahnula u dan i pol, i nisam mogla vjerovati koliko je dobra ideja, koliko pršti humorom i dobrim dijalozima, koliko je priča zanosna i koliko je dobro ubola nišu koja kod nas još uvijek zapravo ne postoji – hrvatski chick lit, i to onaj koji je pronašao način da u jednu domaću priču uvede svo obilje otmjenosti i glamura kojima se žanr diči u svom originalu.

Priča prati djevojku Noru koja usred krizice dvadesetih godina daje otkaz na poslu i odluči statirati na filmu koji se, prema predlošku njezinog najdražeg romana, snima u Dubrovniku. Ovaj dio neodoljivo podsjeća na neki drugi stvarni projekt ekranizacije koja se snimala u Dubrovniku, a to i ne čudi, pošto je Sanja godinama osobno radila kao statistica na snimanjima “Game of Thrones” serijala u Dubrovniku. Rezultat je izuzetno uvjerljiv i detaljima bogat prvi dio knjige u kojoj zaista imamo osjećaj kao da smo na setu nekog velebnog snimanja.

Nora tamo ima sasvim prigodni meet-cute s Lucasom Winterom, hollywoodskim glumcem za kojim je luda od tinejdžerske dobi. Mislim da već vidite kuda sve to vodi, a ja vam ne želim baš previše spojlati knjigu. 🙂

Sanja fantastično slijedi i poštuje pravila (a bome i klišeje) žanra. Knjiga pršti dobrom kemijom, humorom i obratima, a mislim da je Sanja stvorila i jedan od najzrelijih i najuspješnijih ljubavnih trokuta od kad je literature, bar sam ga ja doživjela tako. Također, Sanja je stvorila žensku chick lit heroinu koja nije robinja svojih nesigurnosti, već si dozvoli i sasvim opravdane trenutke samosvijesti i samopouzdanja. You go, girl!

– Lucas…
– Nora? – pitao je glasom punim nade.
– Odjebi. – rekla je ledenim tonom i izašla iz kupaonice.

O ovoj knjizi imam samo riječi hvale, guštala sam u prvom čitanju, guštala u drugom, i nadam se da ću se ovoj knjizi još koji put vratiti. Nema sumnje, Sanja Srdić Jungić hrvatska je Sophie Kinsella.

Vas ohrabrujem da knjigu kupite, čitate, poklanjate. Podržimo mladu autoricu koja je na početku imala samo san o pisanju knjige, a ovih dana joj se objavljuje prvi roman (!!!). To je tek pola puta, ostatak je na nama, na publici i na čitateljima.

Originalnu recenziju možete pročitati ovdje: https://knjigesumojsvijet.com/2019/02...

[Natalie all_books_great_and_small · Rating 4 out of 5]

I received a gifted copy of this book to read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Zooloos Book Tours.

The Stars Among Us is a heartwarming story about Nora. After breaking up with her boytlfriend and suffering heartache and confusion about what she wants, Nora decides to quit her job and work as an extra in a movie being filmed in Dubrovnik.
Whilst on set, Nora meets her childhood crush in the flesh! They have an amazing time together, but once Noras time is up, reality hits her - she's now jobless and still unsure of what she wants to do with her life. Lucas (the childhood crush) can't seem to get Nora out of his mind!
Both have decisions and choices to make,but will they involve each other?!
I loved this light read. It had the perfect amount of humour and the characters were so lovely!
I can't wait to see what Sanja has up her sleeve next!

[Jo-oo · Rating 1 out of 5]

Najgora knjiga koju sam u zivotu pročitala, na trenutke mi je bilo neugodno te dijaloge čitati koliko su bezvezni. Žali Boze visokih ocjena koje ima ne znam kako. Romani iz Glorije su Ruska književnost za ovo.

[Carbonbased Bookworm · Rating 4 out of 5]

Imam tu jednu frendicu koja ima skroz super smisao za humor. Onaj witty tip humora koji ja jako cijenim. Znate, pomalo bahat ali kjut i domišljat.

Ona voli čitati romance i chick-lit, ja preferiram sf & fantasy, ali tu i tamo nađemo poneku knjigu koju obje cijenimo (ne računajući Harry Pottera).
Otkad je znam, već nekih godinu i po, barem 3-4 puta se dogodilo da sam joj dramila kako me je naživcirala ova ili ona romance/chick-lit knjiga koju smo imali za book club i kako mi ti žanrovi ne sjedaju, itd.

Malo je reći da pojma nisam imala kako, sve to vrijeme, ona radi na izdavanju baš ove knjige.
Kad sam konačno saznala, bilo je "Ups!" :D
Mada, da vam kažem iskreno, sve i da sam znala vjerojatno me ne bi posve spriječilo u ranije spomenutom negodovanju oko žanra, haha.

Bilo kako bilo, odlučih pročitati knjigu - djelomično jer znam Sanju, djelomično zbog njenog ranije spomenutog smisla za humor, djelomično jer je jedan dio radnje inspiriran njenim iskustvom statiranja na snimanju Game of Thrones u Dubrovniku.

Moram priznati da, iako mrzim naljepnice na knjigama, najradije bih zalijepila sticker preko onog jeftinog blurba kojeg je izdavač odlučio staviti na naslovnu stranu.

Ne računajući taj mali detalj, knjiga mi je bila zabavna.
Ispostavilo se da se može unutra naći dosta zanimljivosti čak i ako niste ljubitelj dotičnog žanra:
- vješto je iskoristila svoje znanje i iskustvo o filmskoj industriji (sa spomenutog statiranja)
- humor je odlično prenijela u pisani oblik, što rezultira kvalitetnim i živahnim dijalozima kakvi se rijetko kad nađu u debitantskim romanima
- drugi dio knjige tematizira jedan zanimljiv sociološki aspekt današnjeg društva - neću reći koji jer spoilers, ali moram priznati da je mene potaknuo na razmišljanje (unatoč tomu što je prikazan dosta poletnom formom kakvu ovaj žanr zahtijeva)

[Katy · Rating 2 out of 5]

Ovo je toliko jeftino lose da sam osjecala susramlje citajuci. Ipak dajem dvojcicu za trud jer je autorica uspjela ubaciti sve kliseje u pricu ne zakidajuci nas patetikom u nijednom paragrafu.

[Branko Matijašević · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zgodan glumac. Snimanje holivudskog filma. Vrištave obožavateljice. Blistavo more. Romantična priča.

Svi ovi pojmovi zvuče kao sastavnica modernog svjetskog chick-lit bestselera, no u jednome biste ipak bili u krivu. “Svjetski, a naše” bio bi pravi opis romana “Zvijezde među nama” koji je izašao iz tipkovnice ni manje ni više nego domaće debitantice Sanje Srdić Jungić.

Hrvatska književnost po prodaji (a vjerojatno i čitanosti) već je dulje vrijeme u sjeni svjetske, uz povremene iznimke u vidu gotovo megapopularnih autora poput Kristiana Novaka, trenutno pomalo omražene, ali iznimno kupovane Ane Bučević, Davora Rostuhara, Zlatka Dalića, pa čak i tinejdžerice Nike Ilčić. Navedeni su po prodaji u vrhu domaćih autora, a opet je za sve njih, osim Kristiana Novaka, specifično isto – bili su popularni i prije no što su napisali knjigu, stoga je prodaja njihovih knjiga išla nešto lakše nego što to ide „samo“ autoru.

Zašto Hrvati ne vole čitati domaće uratke? Dalo bi se tu napraviti jedno pravo stručno istraživanje, no najočitiji razlog proizlazi iz hrvatskog kompleksa da je strano uvijek bolje. Čitatelji će tako manje tražiti hrvatske autore, izdavači će ih manje izdavati i promovirati, a sami autori će manje pisati. Dodatna otegotna okolnost je što hrvatski autori ne vole pisati u žanrovima. Često su njihovi uratci „na granici“ s trilerom, „na granici“ s ljubavnim romanom, „na granici“ sa self-helpom, a hrvatski je jezik u pisanom obliku dosta tvrd, nemaštovit i neromantičan. Ipak, u atmosferi u kojoj se iz nekog razloga gura mnijenje da Hrvati ne čitaju (možda čitaju manje od ostalih naroda, ali svakako čitaju), i dalje ima autora koji rade po svom i ne dopuštaju da ih pomalo crna statistika obeshrabri. Jan Bolić, koji je zbog bolesti svoj roman napisao samo jednim prstom, ili Dinko Mihovilović, zagrebački intelektualac i informatičar koji se gotovo preko noći prometnuo u pisca, dobar su primjer mladih autora koji pišu drugačije i od kojih hrvatska književnost ima velika očekivanja i u budućnosti.

A odnedavno im se pridružila i Sanja Srdić Jungić. Kada se spomene hrvatski chick-lit teško da ćete se sjetiti predstavnika tog žanra, barem u posljednjih deset godina. Razlog tome je jednostavan – nije ga ni bilo. Je li to zato što autori bježe od pisanja ljubavnih romana jednako kao čitatelji od domaćih uradaka, zato što nitko dovoljno ne cijeni sam žanr ili zato što nitko nije ni pokušao provesti formu chick-lita u Hrvatskoj također bi bila tema zanimljivog istraživanja. „Zvijezde među nama“ je pak predstavnik žanra u pravom smislu riječi.

Mlada junakinja Nora nezadovoljna svojim životom odlazi na drugi kraj Hrvatske kako bi bila dijelom holivudskog filma snimljenog po popularnom romanu. Ne obazire se pritom na šefa, koji joj nije htio dati godišnji pa je morala dati otkaz na poslu, roditelje ili najbolju prijateljicu koji sumnjaju u njene životne odabire. Ona ima misiju – skupiti što je više moguće iskustva kako bi jednom mogla biti dio neke veće produkcijske kuće. Pa makar i najobičnijim statiranjem, što ju je zapalo po njenom dolasku u Dubrovnik. Ipak, stvari nisu toliko crne. Na setu ima veliku podršku u obliku mladog redatelja Ivora koji joj je iz nekog razloga naklonjen, a da bi stvar bila bolja uskoro im se pridružuje i njena simpatija iz tinejđerskih dana, svjetski poznati glumac Lucas Winter.

Iako ima deset godina više no zadnji put kada je obraćala pažnju na njega i slinila pred njegovim posterima, Lucas je poput vina samo još bolji i ljepši. Kako će zadobiti njegovu pozornost? Nora se time ne zamara. Ta nije ona poput ostalih statistica koje se krevelje na setu i dobacuju mu samo kako bi svrgnuo pogled na njih. Ona i dalje radi svoj posao, no udarac koji slučajno dobiva u glavu odjednom će promijeniti sve. Kada se ustanovi da upravo slavni glumac stoji iza tvrdog štita koji joj je razbio arkadu, započet će neobično prijateljstvo između Lucasa i Nore.

Koliko je ono održivo uz obožavateljice koje bi doslovno ubile za pet minuta njegovog društva te hoće li se osim prijateljstva između njih izroditi nešto više pročitajte u chick-lit hitu „Zvijezde među nama“. Knjiške blogerice prepune su riječi hvale, čak i one koje inače nisu ljubiteljice žanra, a često se naglašava i sposobnost autorice da iz škaljivih situacija napravi komičnu, kao i to da zabavnim dijalozima, ponekom psovkom te vrućim scenama zadrži čitateljevu pažnju do samog kraja romana.

[Lana Grgić · Rating 5 out of 5]

Likovi koje morate zavoljeti! Zabavno, dinamicno, duhovito i bas ono sto ocekujete od vrhunskog chick lit romana.

[Donna Morfett · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is not my normal genre, and not one I would willingly read. However, after reading a really intense full on book, this was actually a lovely break from crime, and I enjoyed every page.
Nora, the main character, is great fun. She is young, and feisty, and sarcastic, independent, and ambitious. Despite not exactly knowing what she wants to do in life, she goes out and pushes for breaks.
When she meets the handsome man of her teenage dreams, she cant believe her luck, until he knocks her out that is. When their romance begins to blosson, you can tell its the real thing, and are willing them to get together.
With Lucas being a world famous movie star, things are clearly not plain sailing, especially with the viscious Lisa in the background.
I liked the peripheral characters in this book, Lucas's family a particular favourite, and Lea, Nora's best friend.
This book talks about what life is like in the movie and tv industry, and it is interesting to see the other side, the hard work and distinct lack of glamour that is involved.
I was totally hooked once the story got going, and was invested in the characters and hoped that certain people would get together, and others would have a nasty accident as they were so repulsive.
The setting, partly Croatia, and partly Hollywood, adds another level to the overall feeling and atmosphere. There is a lot of beaches and sunlit dinners.
Thoroughly enjoyed this and would read more by this author.

[Nicola Hancock · Rating 5 out of 5]

This brilliant book is split into two amazing parts. I immediately loved Nora yet wasn’t sure what happened with her heartbreak but knew when Ivor was rocking up this could be something cute and serious. It was instantly a different plot for me, however one I liked and enjoyed from the get go.

Starting in a set based in Croatia. The friendship that formed between Nora and Rylee made me smile. There was a lot of really nasty stuck up bullies on the set and Rylee was the nicest of all. I really enjoyed how the book was pieced together, I really thought the writing style was great.

Then, shock, twist unexpected person appears. You instantly panic and think about Ivor. Your taken on this journey of love. But who will Nora end up with?

The author does an exceptionally good job at connection with the characters. You feel sorry for Nora, you have hope for her and determination and sometimes you do find yourself getting frustrated with her too.

The book leaves you feeling butterflies, this is a romcom that I wouldn’t expect it to be from the cover. It’s definitely one that will take you into dreamland and what ifs and maybes.

[Kerry https://likeherdingcatsblog.wordpress.com Robinson · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stars Among Us is such a cute and light-hearted romance which is perfect for escaping with on those days when you just want to do nothing but read and get lost in a book.
I love that it is set in Croatia as this is a setting I often come across and I know from a short visit there it is beautiful.
Nora is a cute character although I really felt worried for her when she gave up her job etc. for a chance to be an extra on the show. I loved her spirit of adventure and her gutsy move and was really excited for her when she met her teen crush Lucas – I mean, who wouldn’t love to do that! The trope ‘will they? won’t they?’ and am always excited for the outcome. There was also the added question mark over Nora’s relationship with Ivor and how that would go which added to the excitement.
An enjoyable and feelgood novel with a superb setting and a great weekend ‘getaway’.

[Sophie Narey (Bookreview- aholic) · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is quite like a lot of other romcom books I have read that have such an easy readability, but this one had something fresh about it that made you keeping reading and loving it . It is a very easy to read kind of book.

The characters in the book are lovely to read about , Nora and Lucas are two people that throughout the book you will them to work. Even with Nora's past coming to creep up on her. The book flows nicely and keeps at a medium kind of pace.

Overall it was a good read and had a beautiful cover that compliments the story very well.

[Sanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

Easy going chic lit novel about one love doomed to fail from the very start, but somehow it keeps on going.

Nora is a young girl who, after a painful breakup goes to Dubrovnik to work as a statist in a Hollywood movie. On the set, she meets her teenage crush-famous actor named Lucas Winter. After a little incident on the set, with the little help from destiny, Nora meets Lucas way better than she thought it was possible.

Two weeks on the set with Lucas feels like a dream come true, but then she must come back to reality. She's unemployed, without any thought what she wants to do in her life. On the other side, Lucas cannot forget Nora. She is unique, unlike any other girl he has ever met. Even thought he is 10 years older that she is, when he is with her, he feels like a teen once again.

Lucas must decide what is more important in his life. Career and an image he projects to the public or true love and his own happiness, but Nora's past relationships often comes between them.

Novel full of passion, perfect chick lit you read in a day. Characters are funny, easy going, well described. I liked it a lot and hope Sanja's next novel will be as good as this one.

[Marilena Dužman · Rating 5 out of 5]

Zabavno, zabavno i zabavno. Opuštajuće i zanimljivo. S krajem koji me dugo držao napetom.
Ooooo, zašto, Sanja??? Ali drugačije nije ni moglo biti, zar ne?

[Eclectic Review · Rating 4 out of 5]

It's very rare that I get to read a story set in Croatia on a movie set no less. Nora has quit her job to be an extra in a movie based on one of her favorite books. So she is staying in a questionable part of town in an apartment filled with roaches and getting up in the middle of the night to hear the other extras complain about their day. Not Nora. She loves being in a different costume every day and to the jealousy of the other women on set, she has a great camaraderie with the handsome assistant director, Ivor.

And then she is accidentally knocked out with a shield by the American actor Lucas Winters. A man she has had a crush on since her teenage years. He's arrogant and a bit of a dick which she calls him out on. That is part of their attraction. She sees him as a human being and not the actor. And he sees something in her that evokes trust and someone he can have in his life. Their fun texts and sarcastic banter is delightful and enjoyable. Until he confesses, that he has a fake girlfriend in the States and due to their contract in a TV show, Nora cannot be seen in public with him. Is it a game-changer?

I like Nora's strength and bravery as she leaves her home and moves to California with a man she has only known for a month. Nora puts up with a lot as Lucas forces Tina (fake girlfriend) on her. Being disrespected and pushed to the background is just something any normal person would not continue, and when Lucas gives her the latest shocking news with Tina, I cheered Nora on as she dumped his ass and moved on with her life. Lucas is so full of himself and needs to grow up. For Pete's sake, he is almost 40 years old and a millionaire and letting people tell him what to do. He did help Nora find a job she adored as a casting director and he did confess his feelings to her first, but he deserved everything Nora threw at him when he made a huge mistake.

Nora returns to Croatia and meets Ivor again on a new movie set which sparks feelings they had before Lucas came into the picture. Months go by and Ivor and Nora connect and become engaged. Ivor is a sweetheart and so forgiving. He is the catalyst who opens Nora's eyes to her true feelings leading to a very bittersweet ending.

I highly recommend this intriguing romantic comedy with compelling characters and a behind-the-scenes look at the making of a movie and a TV show.

Thank you to Ms. Jungic for giving me the opportunity to read this book with no expectation of a positive review.

[Bookworm Blogger · Rating 4 out of 5]

I’d like to thank Zoe for Zooloo’s Book Tours for contacting me to take part in this blog tour.

The Stars Among Us was an incredibly quick read for me. I found the book so easy to absorb and quickly found myself swept up in Nora and Lucas’s romance. From the moment our two lovers met their chemistry was undeniable. I loved how their love affair developed and often found myself giggling at their sarcastic banter.

I couldn’t believe how reasonable Nora was during her time in LA, if I was her I don’t think I could of been as willing as she was to be in the background let alone watch Lucas with his fake girlfriend. I really didn’t like Tina, she had this huge ego that needed constant stroking and I found myself getting annoyed at people bending to her every will. I was proud of Nora for trying to stand up to Tina and wished she got more backing from Lucas.

There were moments when I felt for Nora and could understand not just her frustration but also her heartbreak. She had given up a lot on what started as a possible ‘holiday romance’ and whilst Lucas did make her feel special he was almost blind to how hurt she was.

My favourite secondary character has to be Ivor, he was such a sweetie. You could tell that he thought the world of Nora and cared deeply for her even if the feeling wasn’t always mutual. I felt he was almost used by Nora at times which did make me dislike her a little because he was such a nice person. His email to Lucas alone showed that he honestly had a heart of gold.

This was a quick, absorbing read from the start that had just the right amount of steamy romantic moments. I was rooting for Nora and Lucas as a couple and gladly got swept up in their drama and love story. This book is also free on Amazon at the moment so what have you got to lose by giving it a try? Just click the link in the info below and nab yourself a copy while you can!

[Cassidee Lanstra · Rating 3 out of 5]

It’s blog tour day with Zooloo’s Book Tours for The Stars Among Us by Sanja S. Jungic.

Sanja S. Jungic’s bestselling debut novel, Zvijezde medu nama (The Stars Among Us) was published in Croatian in 2019. The novel was inspired by Sanja’s real life experience on the set of mega-popular show Game of Thrones, gaining a lot of press interest.

This is her bestselling novel in English for the first time.

The Stars Among Us definitely has a fun setting. Partly in Croatia and partly in California, we are at no loss for scenery and atmosphere. I haven’t read many books set in Croatia, so it was a lovely change.

The novel started slowly for me and took a few chapters to hook me. After that, it was very easy to read and fly through. By the time I was turning the last pages, I was surprised to be finished with it already.

Nora’s life is definitely a bit messy, but what rom-com character’s life isn’t? I found that I didn’t fully connect with her that much and it was hard for me to fully get behind her relationships. I also felt like things kept changing much too quickly and I got a bit of whiplash from keeping up with her.

To be honest though, the way that people got hurt in this book wasn’t unrealistic. I do feel like most people have hurt someone romantically that didn’t deserve it on the path to finding their way in their own love life. Jungic knows how to portray the emotional casualties that may happen when people are in the midst of finding themselves.

I know this book is certain to satisfy many romance and rom-com readers out there. Thanks so much to the author and to @zooloosbooktours for having me

[Sue Wallace · Rating 4 out of 5]

The Stars Among Us by Sanja S. Jungic.
Nora is as shocked as her friends and family when she quits a perfectly good job to become an extra in a Hollywood movie being filmed in Dubrovnik. She hopes it will help her move on from a painful break-up and give her breathing space to find out what she wants to do with her life.
I really enjoyed this book. Great story and characters. I loved Noras character. I loved the cover. This is my first book by this author. I will certainly be looking out for more of her books. This is Currently free on amazon at the moment. 4*.

[Alma · Rating 4 out of 5]

Tocno onakva kakva treba biti knjiga ovog zanra. (Yeeeeeey) Osjecala sam se kao da citam neku super zabavnu knjigu za lektiru iz osnovne tipa nakon Debele ili Biljeski jedne gimnazijalke. Skroz simpaticna prica, svida mi se to filmsko okruzenje... Btw #teamIvor :')
U nekim dijelovima prica mi je bila malooo dosadnjikava i monotona pa cu dati 4, ali samo zato sto cu ostaviti prostora za jos bolju knjigu za peticu (mislim da autorica ima talenta za to)

[Božena]

*Googles "how to nicely say you did not enjoy a book"*

[Dubravka Šćukanec · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sanja Srdić Jungić: Zvijezde među nama, nakladnik MEDIA BAR d.o.o., veljača 2019., 1 izdanje, 270 stranica, dizajn Tomislav Šipatar

Sanja Srdić Jungić je 30tak godina mlada Zagrepčanka, magistra konunikologije na Hrvatskim studijima, voditeljica marketinga jednog knjižarskog lanca. Iskustvo prikupljeno statiranjem na setu Igre prijestolja pretočila je i u svoj prvi roman koji je u knjižarama osvanuo 21. ožujka 2019. godine


Zvijezde među nama odmah su svrstane u prvi hrvatski chick lit roman, a ja ne volim chick lit. Bridget Jones zaklopila sam nakon desetak stranica, možda sam posudila još nešto ali završilo je kao i nestretna Bridget. Jedini roman koji mi se svidio bio je Vrag nosi Pradu Laren Weisberg, drugi dio nisam čitala.

Sa ovako lijepom kolekcijom predrasuda upustila sam se u čitanje Zvijezda među nama, ohrabrivali su me komenatari beta čitateljica, ali među njima ima fanova chick lita pa sam si mislila svoje.

Drago mi je što sam pročitala ovaj roman kojem radnja započinje u Zagrebu, seli se u Dubrovnik, pa se vraća u Zagreb, leti do Amerike, pa još kojekuda. Skorotridesetogodišnjakinja Nora impulzivno daje otkaz i odlučuje ljeto prikratiti statiranjem na setu filma koji se snima po predlošku njezinog omiljenog romana, gdje nego u Dubrovniku. Osim statiranja, cilj joj je prikupiti dodatna znanja o produkciji kako bi mogla potražiti bolji posao jednog dana.

Nakon jedne (ne)zgode na snimanju upoznaje svoj tinejđerski san, glumca Lucasa Wintera i nakon toga kotači se nezaustavljivo kotrljaju, ponekad poneki otpadne pa treba servis ali radnja romana ima tempo bez predaha do samog kraja. Priznajem da sam sama sebi spoilala kraj da mogu sa mirom čitati, da ne preskačem rečenice.

Roman ima glavu, tijelo i rep kako treba, dijalozi su iskričavi iako bih se ja sigurno za početak udrvrenila skroz na skroz da me predstave recimo Robertu Plantu. Još se čudim kako nisam zveknula sa kamena snimajući dolazak kralja u pulsku Arenu, dva metra od ikone (mjesto mi je otkrio jedan od vozača ekipe). Opisi lokaliteta, vremenskih prilika, osjećaja i drugih radnji likova dobri su, nema eksplicitnih opisa seksa, dozvoljeno nam je maštati po svojem. Vodilo se računa o svakom detalju pa kad sam se zakvačila onako pravnički za jedan detalj radnje nakon dva dana shvatila sam da je taj problem riješen već na početku romana dvojnim državljanstvom. Mudro, Sanja.

Jako mi se svidio ovitak, a još više grafičko uređenje knjige, vjerojatno su i autoricu ponešto pitali za mišljenje. Na ovitku su zvijezde te koje obasipaju Noru, ali i njezino stremljenje ka zvijezdama. Svako poglavlje ima naslov, ključne riječi iz tog dijela teksta, a odlomci unutar poglavlja odijeljeni su sa po tri male lastavice, iz romana saznati će se značenje lastavica.

Priča se da Sanja piše novi roman koji bi trebao biti gotov do kraja godine, ne bi trebao biti chick lit, skroz sam znatiželjna.

[Brenda Marie · Rating 2 out of 5]

This book was just not for me.
Nora leaves her job to become an extra for a film based on a book she loved. Embracing her new occupation, Nora embraces the chaos - and gets herself into some awkward situations. She becomes friends with an assistant director, forms a flirty friendship with the hunk, Lucas, and her ex joins the production.
I enjoyed Nora - as she made the best of her situation; yet this story was slow, halting and did not hold my attention.

[S · Rating 5 out of 5]

Iznenadaila sam se kada sam do znala da je ovo prvi roman. Zabavan, interesantan i nepredvidljiv od prve do posljednje stranice. Hvala! S nestrpljenjem čekamo drugi roman.

[Maruna Petra · Rating 5 out of 5]

Pročitala brzo i u jednom dahu! Jako opuštajuća knjiga, lijepo razrađena fabula, odličan stil pisanja. Veselim se dalje čitati Sanjine knjige!

[Mateja Vukmir · Rating 4 out of 5]

"Nemoj dramiti!" znali su mi reći, ali nisam si nikada mogla pomoći - volim dramu, that's my thing. Onima koji prate moja piskaranja poznato je da sam ljubitelj hrvatskog ženskog pisma, fan dramatičnih klasika, da volim čitati dječju književnost, tu i tamo neku publicističku senzaciju, a da je posljednji chick lit koji sam držala u rukama bio nastavak Bridget Jones, "Luda za njim", 2014. (s nesretnom iznimkom "Pedeset nijansi sive" 2018. - blog pamti umjesto mene). Naposljetku, nema chick lita koji bi se mogao usporediti s tvorevinom genijalne Helen Fielding, a i život s dvoje male djece pretvorio me u drama queen - hence, no chick lit literature. Međutim! Dugo već na društvenim mrežama pratim autoricu Sanju Srdić Jungić, a posljednjih dana sam se uhvatila kako kao najgori stalker pratim njenu malu knjišku turneju organiziranu online povodom izlaska njene druge knjige iz tiska - hence, chick lit u mojim rukama.

Spakirala sam muža i djecu na spavanje i upustila se u dubrovačku avanturu s Norom iz "Zvijezde među nama." Ja možda i nisam stručna za komentiranje knjige ovog žanra, ali zaplet na filmskom setu u Dubrovniku (autorica ga je utemeljila na svom iskustvu statiranja u Game of Thrones) bio mi je dovoljno zanimljiv da nastavim čitati. Nora je wannabe introvertirana djevojka koja se nakon ljubavnog brodoloma i otkaza nasukala na dubrovačke zidine unutar kojih se snima film sa srednjovjekovnom tematikom. Već prvog dana na setu upoznaje simpatičnog asistenta redatelja Ivora, a potom i samodopadnog holivudskog glumca Lucasa Wintera (o-o, ništa dobro ne bude proizašlo iz ovog). OK, team Ivor vs. team Lucas - kužim, morat ću izabrati. Bad boys, bad boys, whatcha gonna do... Čekaj, što je ovo? Osim bad boya, tu je i jedna mean girl. Hm, da, njih nitko ne voli. Ili?

More, flert (aaaawh, nedostaje mi to!), ozljede na radu - fine by me, a i Nora, koja nije bezbojna poput Ane u "Pedeset nijansi sive", nego je jezičavo ravnopravna svim tim frajerima koju ju žele zbariti, i koja želi postati go with the flow kind of girl (možemo li zaista tako lako protiv sebe?), dobila je palac gore od mene. Dakako, bilo je tu i stvari koje nisu bile autentične (nažalost, žohari u apartmanu za ljetovanje su bili autentični), ali ljubavna tematika ni ne traži savršenu autentičnost - štoviše, u ovakvom tipu romana klišeji romantičnih komedija, fore zavodljivih (američkih) galeba, neprikladna imena (u jednom je intervjuu autorica rekla da voli ta univerzalna imena - a ja si baš mislim da bi bilo seksi čuti kako zgodni Amerikanac lomi jezik izgovarajući npr. ime S-a-nj-a) i nerealni vremenski slijed (ali ja sam konzerva koja se udala za svog dečka iz osnovne škole, znam li ja išta o zaljubljivanju nowadays?) najzabavniji su segmenti!

"Zvijezde među nama" prvi je roman Zagrepčanke Sanje Srdić Jungić, koji je napisan za sve ovisnike o ljubavnim pričama, jer svaka je ljubavna priča i lijepa i nadrealna na svoj način i kao takva vrijedna čitanja. Lijepo je živjeti u svijetu u kojem ljudi rado čitaju ljubavne romane, kad bolje razmislim. Ovaj uključuje Dubrovnik, Hollywood, jedan seksi par i treću osobu koja ovom paru drži svijeću - tko je tko u ovoj knjizi, otkrijte sami.

Nije ovo knjiga koju ću pamtiti do kraja života, nisam osjetila eksploziju emocija o kojoj vrišti Alis Marić na koricama, ali potaknula je smijuljenje u tihe kasne sate, kao i vijuge za maštanje, to Sanji moram priznati - a nisu li to ujedno i najbitnije odlike dobrog chick lit romana?

Ne volim ocjenjivati knjige na ovaj način, ali Sanja je štreberica koja voli ocjene i koja se ne boji publike - 3 i pol ⭐ od mene.

[Lucy · Rating 4 out of 5]

This is a light-hearted romance read about Nora, and the decisions she makes leading her to become an extra in a Hollywood film. It is here she meets potentially two love interests and Nora must choose what she really wants from life and with whom if anyone at all!

I really enjoyed getting to know Nora. She is likeable and relatable as a leading character, and I am confident that she will appeal to most readers. I did not really connect with either Ivor or Lucas or Nora’s friends but I am sure there will be others that can.

The writing style is simple and easy to follow and makes for an entertaining and enjoyable read. I was a little worried that as this is a translated read, initially published in Croatia in 2019, something would become lost in translation, but this was not the case at all. If you like the idea of beautiful sunsets, exquisite destinations, and romantic feels, this is the read for you!

‘The Stars Among Us’ has a Lindsey Kelk or Sophie Kinsella vibe, and I recommend this to fans of these authors as well as this genre.

Thank you, zooloosbooktours for a gifted copy of this book. All opinions are my own.

[Sheri · Rating 5 out of 5]

Nora wants to try something new and quits her job to become an extra on a movie set. Before she knows it she is falling for the male lead. What could be wrong with that?

I read this book in a few hours because I couldn’t put it down. It was enough to capture my attention in busy airports and noisy flights. It’s a great book with a little bit of steamy romance. The best way to enjoy this book is suspend everything you think is possible or what could happen and just live in the book. I don’t want to spoil anything but you and Nora are in for a wild ride!!!!

[Stephanie · Rating 3 out of 5]

I think this book is an interesting read. I don't read a lot of translated novels (This one was originally in Croatian before being translated into English) so it was a nice change for me.

This was a enjoyable story that was written well. I liked that the author used their real life experience of being an extra to add into the story too.

The story was a nice one with likable characters and a good setting and I think a lot of readers will enjoy this one.

[Tanja · Rating 4 out of 5]

...if dreams could come true...
jako zabavno!

[Čitaj, Selma · Rating 3 out of 5]

dobro. hajdemo dalje. kako ona može voljeti Lucasa i onda se nakon osam mjeseci zaručiti za Ivora? pa Nora!

[Anđela · Rating 3 out of 5]

Knjigu Zvijezde među nama pročitala sam brzo, pitka je i zaintrigirala me.
Prvi dio knjige s Lucasom i Norom mi je dosta bolji od ovog drugog gdje je jako ubrzana radnja i junakinja nam ide iz veze u zaruke pa u druge zaruke kao u šetnju po gradu (u samo tridesetak stranica!). taj dio kao da uopće ne paše na ovaj prvi i onda odjednom opet zaruke i nagle odluke junakinje.

Također, zamjerka na lika Ivora, nerealan! Nitko nije niti bi trebao biti toliko "dobar" da u trenutku svog ljubavnog kraha ide spajati svoju dotadašnju zaručnicu i tipa radi kojeg su mu propale zaruke, malo sam zakolutala očima.
Ponašanje Lucasa kod prekida ne paše na način kako se dotad ponašao i kako je prethodno postavljao neke granice prema Tini, da bi odjednom u jeku svoje ljubavi prema Nori razmišljao oženiti Tinu.
Dijalozi bi bili bolji bez objašnjavanja očitog, npr. tijekom flertovanja, kad se netko pravi da je tužan/ ljut, osmjehujući se, itd.
Ali... ima potencijala! Sigurno ću pročitati još koju knjigu Sanje Srdić Jungić, veselim se daljnjem radu i razvoju.