And The Sky Full Of Stars

by Sabine Berlin

Caty has a secret. She can see memories from people and objects with a single touch. While the rest of the senior class is dating and sending college applications out, she spends most of her time with her hands tucked safely away in order to avoid seeing things that can’t be unseen. Her after-high school plan includes never venturing out beyond the safe red rock cliffs of Kanab, Utah.

All that changes when her memorysight shows her that Eri, the cute new boy in town, is not from this world. When he recruits Caty to help him on his mission to find and destroy a deadly weapon hidden on Earth, she must use her gift to find out who she can trust while keeping those she loves safe.

275 pages, Paperback

Published November 8, 2022

About the author

Sabine Berlin spends her days working in higher education and her evenings imagining what the world would be like if aliens, alternate realities, and all things science fiction were real. She has degrees in higher education leadership, history, and editing and document design. She loves to learn, travel, and watch K-Dramas.

Reviews

[Lee Ann · Rating 4 out of 5]

This YA sf adventure hits several sweet spots. It dives into some serious ethical dilemmas without wallowing in angst. It balances nicely between the teen romance and the sf adventure. It's a fun and peppy read, but it has some real depth and wisdom. I also enjoyed the southern Utah red-rock country setting, and the impeccable editing.

[Ed · Rating 5 out of 5]

What do you do when one of your auto-buy authors introduces you to her editor, who happens to be a writer herself, and tells you about her book? Well, I ended up picking it up, and after the first chapter, I was hooked.

This Sci-Fi YA book introduces us to Caty who has memory-sight, the ability to see the topmost memory in a person's mind with just a touch. With a curse like this, she tries to avoid touching anyone or anything, until she runs into a boy at the hardware store and sees a memory unlike anything she's ever seen before.

This book is exciting and emotional. And I highly recommend it to anyone who enjoys adventure and sci-fi.

[Jessica Flory · Rating 5 out of 5]

So much fun!! Adventure, romance, relatable and likeable main and side characters. I loved this! The romance was especially adorable. Clever and creative. Highly recommend!

[J. Campanile · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book you binge in a day, and then hug to your chest when it's over, and wish you'd savored it more. But that's okay, because you can always reread it.

And The Sky Full Of Stars has it all--aliens, superpowers (well, maybe not "super" if you ask the protagonist, but they're still pretty special), and a swoon-worthy romance. Sabine Berlin will capture your heart from the first touch and keep you hooked until the words "The End."

[Janelle Youngstrom · Rating 5 out of 5]

I fell in love with Eri from the first touch. Yeah, okay, maybe Caty was right to be suspicious, but that chemistry? Wowzah! The writing is smooth, the conflict is soul crushing, and the romance can't be beat. I can't wait to read whatever Sabine Berlin writes next!

[Cara O'sullivan]

I had the privilege of reading an advance copy of this book. It's very well-written--you can't help but relate to and care about the main characters and cheer them on. The main character is a teen with an usual gift that makes her feel apart and distant from most people except for a few trusted friends and family. As she falls in love with an equally unusual boy who is literally not of this world, she comes to understand who and what she is and is forced to grow up quickly and discover abilities she never dreamed she had--and she must use them responsibly to help bring peace in an interplanetary war and to make it possible for her and her love to be together.

This is definitely a science fiction novel mixed with young adult romance and coming of age--I'm in my 60s and really enjoyed it. I look forward to seeing more books from Sabine Berlin.

[Becca Mionis · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a fun YA sci-fi-with-romance, on the one hand light and simple but on the other hand asking some big questions and tackling some big themes. Honestly, right in my wheelhouse on several levels (I mean, it’s what I write) and it reads so smooth (I actually listened to the audiobook and I enjoyed it so much!) set in a rich, unique setting that is obviously near and dear to the author’s heart (which makes for the best settings). Lots of great characters, swoon-worthy aliens (my favorite kind) and a plot that doesn’t stall too long in one place… a sweet but exciting indie sci-fi read for YA lovers! Can there be a Book 2, please? And can Brand get a happy ending if there is?

[Cheryl Wanner · Rating 5 out of 5]

I loved this amazing read! The characters are heart-grabbing, the action is near-nonstop, and the red rock country of southern Utah is drawn with enough detail to make me visualize it and want to visit.

From the moment I realized Eri was an alien, I was hooked! A wonderfully drawn and epically swoon-worthy hero! Caty is strong, controls her own destiny, and exhibits great personal growth throughout the course of the story. Side characters Ryan and Brand are especially endearing, and the villain is a (literal) force to be reckoned with.

This is a great sci-fi read with a hefty dose of romance and an intriguing real-world setting!

[Kaitlyn Johnson · Rating 5 out of 5]

This is the kind of book that once you start it you can’t seem to put it down and as soon as you’re done you find yourself thinking about it for weeks and wanting there to be a second and third book immediately. There wasn’t anything about this book that I didn’t love.

[J.D. Penndagger · Rating 5 out of 5]

Blastoff!
This book takes flight straight away, running off with your heart.
"I couldn't take my eyes off of him because of what he was, not who."
Fantastic lines like this and such fun characters exploring a very wild experience. Buy this book!

[Brian Giles · Rating 5 out of 5]

The first chapter had me hooked from the start! Loved all the characters and the setting. This book is full of twists and turns that I never would have guessed where it was headed! Sabine did an amazing job tying it all together in an action-packed love story! A fun and exciting read for any age!

[Kami Church · Rating 5 out of 5]

This novel has it all- swoony characters, villains you love to hate, and all the feels. The story Berlin created is out of this world!

[Audrey · Rating 5 out of 5]

Such a unique and cool concept!! I loved reading a book set in Southern Utah, as I have never read something that takes place in that area before. Overall a fun and engaging read!

[Tanja Peterson · Rating 5 out of 5]

I really enjoyed this book. I was intrigued by the end of the first page, and well and truly hooked by the end of chapter one. The plot kept me turning pages throughout the whole book. Sabine has a captivating way with language that made me feel like I was part of the story. The main characters are fresh and likeable, while the antagonist is chilling enough to keep the tension high. The story reminds me a bit of an alien version of Romeo and Juliet, without the tragic ending. But this book is definitely a setup for a sequel, and I can’t wait to find out what comes next for these wonderful characters.

[Alora · Rating 1 out of 5]

The world building in this book wasn't great. There were a lot of different alien species that just popped up with a lot of abilities and things that weren't explained very well. The beginning of the book dragged a lot and then the ending went way too quickly. The time jumps bothered me. The random sort of love triangle plot came out of nowhere and seemed like it was really forced.

[Makayla Nielson · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5 ⭐

I met Sabine at a sci-fi/fantasy conference last month and HAD to have this book! I thought it was such a fun read and it checked so many of the boxes I wanted in a YA Sci-fi Romance (what an awesome combo, by the way).

I loved all of the characters I was supposed to love and hated all of the characters I was supposed to hate, and was so pulled into all of their drama and back stories and it was just awesome.

I did feel SO bad for Brand though! I get that Eri was the one she was supposed to be with, and that one major difference between the two boys was Eri's respect for her mind and not using his powers on her without permission, where Brand didn't have that same boundary... But still, I hope Brand finds his own happily ever after!

My .5 star reduction had to do with the ending. It went a little too fast for me and I just wanted... MORE. I would have loved to see a conversation between Caty and Eri about their vision of the future together (I know that Brand explained what it was, but Eri and Caty never had a discussion about it, and that would have been cute).

I also find myself wishing for a sequel! I want to know what happens to Soria and I want to see these other planets we learn about and know what happens to Brand and his sister and learn more about the link between the Darkothians.

[Angela Eschler · Rating 5 out of 5]

Sweet romance, unexpected plot twists, and out-of-this-world characters. ;)

Very fun read by a very fun author!

[Krista · Rating 5 out of 5]

A fun, quick read with all the best action and romance to suck you in. The writing is snappy and the characters are lovable. I enjoyed the journey and was left wanting more of this sci-fi world!

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Love the setting, Southern Utah is a great place for aliens. The characters are well done, although some of the minor characters could have stood out more.

[Erin Berlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Seriously, one of the best books I have ever read! I can't wait to see if the author will do a series, we need more!

[Marina Berlin · Rating 5 out of 5]

Amazing YA Sci-Fi that introduces some major social concepts (identity, intersectionality, relationships) in a way that is very accessible to young readers. This book has it all, from the desert of southern Utah to the sky full of stars and everything in between, romance, friendship, adventure, and an ending that leaves you asking when is the next book.

[Vanessa · Rating 4 out of 5]

The first few chapters of this book had me rolling my eyes a bit due to the "YA" nature of the writing and the stereotypes often found and associated with teen sci-fi romance novels. For example, when Caty started immediately complaining about how she will never find anyone to be with romantically because of her power and the fact that she was "different" and "not as pretty as other girls". Snore. However, I did appreciate that the book didn't feel like a straight up romance from the start and focused a bit more on the science fiction part of it. I will say, the book is nothing less than exactly what it claims to be, which is a YA Sci-fi romance, so for that, I cannot fault it.

I did find that I enjoyed the book more as I continued reading and we got more insight to Caty and how her ability worked. I loved that the book also took place in Kanab, UT! Being from Utah and having visited Kanab in the past, it was cool to be able to imagine exactly where these events were happening. I feel like having that personal connection to the setting definitely helped me enjoy the book much more.

Once we got to more of the details pertaining to the alien stuff, the book became a much more enjoyable read for me. I loved learning about the different abilities of everyone and the complex species war between the two alien races that our protagonist finds herself at the center of. I do wish there had been a bit more time for world building because I do feel like some things were left unanswered, like the full details of Caty's powers and what her power really means for her as a Priestess of the Sight. Also, the love triangle plot line was kind of interesting but super random?? I feel like we deserved more when it came to explaining her relationship with Brand and what all the details of these "alien race wars" really entailed. But I suppose that all just leaves room for another book, which I hope we get in the future. Overall, I would give And the Sky Full of Stars a solid 4 stars.