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Counting Stars
Since the age of four, Brantley Thornton has spent her childhood being entirely engrossed with the magical entity of stars, all because of her beloved mother whom she praised the ground she walked on. Her mother passed away from cancer three years ago, and with her gone, Brantley had completely lost herself and all that she once was, and fell into a severe hole of depression. A case so far from minor, even though she claims it's normal to feel like this. Normal to want to leave this world behind and wade in the stars for eternity alongside her mother. That it was a contribution to her belief.
Caspian Marks is obsessed with being a know-it-all, and is driven by an insatiable desire to learn; wanting to know everything the Earth consists of, through and out. Beyond ambitious, he is, and he believes, more than anything, that everyone is capable of being saved, no matter how damaged and far gone beyond repair. He's made it his lifetime wish to help restore humanity and broken souls.
When Caspian Marks meets Brantley Thornton, despite his life purpose, he allows himself to fall in love with a girl who is unsalvageable and unfixable, putting him hard at work, and putting his heart at stake. And when Brantley Thornton meets Caspian Marks and he attempts to mend her soul, what will she do when her morals, pride, and beliefs will not allow her to pursue him when he is trying to give her the world; the same world she is trying to leave behind?
Caspian Marks is obsessed with being a know-it-all, and is driven by an insatiable desire to learn; wanting to know everything the Earth consists of, through and out. Beyond ambitious, he is, and he believes, more than anything, that everyone is capable of being saved, no matter how damaged and far gone beyond repair. He's made it his lifetime wish to help restore humanity and broken souls.
When Caspian Marks meets Brantley Thornton, despite his life purpose, he allows himself to fall in love with a girl who is unsalvageable and unfixable, putting him hard at work, and putting his heart at stake. And when Brantley Thornton meets Caspian Marks and he attempts to mend her soul, what will she do when her morals, pride, and beliefs will not allow her to pursue him when he is trying to give her the world; the same world she is trying to leave behind?
298 pages, Kindle Edition
Published July 17, 2022
2 people are currently reading
58 people want to read
About the author
Braelyn Wilson
3 books18 followersBraelyn Wilson is an avid writer driven by a powerful drive to positively influence the minds of young children, making them more open-minded, tender, and loving. To achieve this mission, she uses her talent to write creative stories that teenagers and young adults can resonate with and feel understood in. Currently, she lives in Maryland, and whenever she isn't busy, she spends her time reading and writing. She is passionate about constant self-improvement, spirituality, tapping into her higher self, and exploring the world for all that it is. Out of her enthusiasm for writing, she hopes to be able to pursue writing as a full-time career.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 55 reviews
May 5, 2023
This book broke me into a million pieces. I have struggled (and at times still am) with the same things Brantley goes through. And while I read her story, I was confronted with my own demons and my own pain. And after the last 50 pages came, I cried. I cried my heart out. I sobbed, screamed and broke down. I had a soaring headache, couldn't do anything and was completely wiped out. That is the powerful impact this book had on me. And while it broke parts of me, I love that this book had that strength. That it had the strength to break me. Because that means the words are powerful and mean something.
I would advise people to read the trigger warnings before they read this one. But I do recommend it with all my heart.
This book is about Brantley Thornton. A girl who has lost her mother and is completely broken by that. Her father used to be loving. But he physically abuses her ever since her mom passed away.
The story starts with Brantley talking to Caspian. And no matter what he says she assures him he cannot save her. And that the end is near. I instantly got goosebumps when I read that. And my heart instantly cracked.
Brantley is also unable to talk to her therapist. Her therapist Doncia DeLuna was her mother's best friend. But no matter what she says. Brantley cannot talk about it.
Then we skip to the moment where Brantley and Caspian first meet. Caspian starts living with her neighbours, the older Mr and Mrs Marks. He tries to talk to her and at first she ignores him.
But carefully and slowly he weaves himself into her life. And they start to truly connect and bond with each other.
Caspian has also lost his father. But he has healed from that pain. And he wants to heal Brantley as well. He sees her strength and perseverance. And it is his life goal to save her. To prove to her she can be saved.
And he tries to do that in the most selfless ways possible. He doesn't force her to speak about her past. He doesn't force her to do things she isn't ready for. And while he falls madly in love with her. He never forces his feelings upon her. It stays platonic. And I admire that. He shows his love in so many other ways. He respects Brantley with his entire being.
I loved seeing Brantley open up to him. And later in the book she explains that you can laugh when you are depressed. And things can feel a bit better. But that doesn't change the fact you are severely depressed, alone and broken down beyond repair.
I love the steps they are able to take together. I love Mrs. Marks. And the chapters between Brantley and her father hurt me so much.
And like I said before the respect Caspian has for her. And eventually for her choice. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't want it and tries his hardest to persuade her. But he does respect her choice. And that is a sort of strength not many people have.
But reading those chapters, I just fucking broke. I broke into a million pieces. And reading that in the end she did write him a goodbye letter. Oh my heart. It broke, broke, broke.
I am wondering what will happen with Caspian. I know she wanted him to move on. But will he eventually be able to? Or will he live his life waiting for the moment he joins her in the stars? How strong is he truly? Not that I am thinking he is weak. But I am wondering what the lasting effect of her choice will have on him.
Man, this is such a powerful book. It did take me a while to get into. The beginning is written very carefully and slowly. And I wished the first 100 pages were a bit more fast paced.
But I do like that the author took the time to build their relationship. The last half of the book is quickly paced and full of achingly beautiful, funny and heart breaking emotions.
I will definitely buy this book in paperback. I want it on my shelves and I will treasure it forever.
Thank you Braelyn Wilson for letting me read it in exchange for an honest review. I am forever grateful. And you are truly gifted. Keep on writing. I cannot wait to read more of you.
5 humongously big stars from me! For this stunning and painfully beautiful novel.
I would advise people to read the trigger warnings before they read this one. But I do recommend it with all my heart.
This book is about Brantley Thornton. A girl who has lost her mother and is completely broken by that. Her father used to be loving. But he physically abuses her ever since her mom passed away.
The story starts with Brantley talking to Caspian. And no matter what he says she assures him he cannot save her. And that the end is near. I instantly got goosebumps when I read that. And my heart instantly cracked.
Brantley is also unable to talk to her therapist. Her therapist Doncia DeLuna was her mother's best friend. But no matter what she says. Brantley cannot talk about it.
Then we skip to the moment where Brantley and Caspian first meet. Caspian starts living with her neighbours, the older Mr and Mrs Marks. He tries to talk to her and at first she ignores him.
But carefully and slowly he weaves himself into her life. And they start to truly connect and bond with each other.
Caspian has also lost his father. But he has healed from that pain. And he wants to heal Brantley as well. He sees her strength and perseverance. And it is his life goal to save her. To prove to her she can be saved.
And he tries to do that in the most selfless ways possible. He doesn't force her to speak about her past. He doesn't force her to do things she isn't ready for. And while he falls madly in love with her. He never forces his feelings upon her. It stays platonic. And I admire that. He shows his love in so many other ways. He respects Brantley with his entire being.
I loved seeing Brantley open up to him. And later in the book she explains that you can laugh when you are depressed. And things can feel a bit better. But that doesn't change the fact you are severely depressed, alone and broken down beyond repair.
I love the steps they are able to take together. I love Mrs. Marks. And the chapters between Brantley and her father hurt me so much.
And like I said before the respect Caspian has for her. And eventually for her choice. Don't get me wrong, he doesn't want it and tries his hardest to persuade her. But he does respect her choice. And that is a sort of strength not many people have.
But reading those chapters, I just fucking broke. I broke into a million pieces. And reading that in the end she did write him a goodbye letter. Oh my heart. It broke, broke, broke.
I am wondering what will happen with Caspian. I know she wanted him to move on. But will he eventually be able to? Or will he live his life waiting for the moment he joins her in the stars? How strong is he truly? Not that I am thinking he is weak. But I am wondering what the lasting effect of her choice will have on him.
Man, this is such a powerful book. It did take me a while to get into. The beginning is written very carefully and slowly. And I wished the first 100 pages were a bit more fast paced.
But I do like that the author took the time to build their relationship. The last half of the book is quickly paced and full of achingly beautiful, funny and heart breaking emotions.
I will definitely buy this book in paperback. I want it on my shelves and I will treasure it forever.
Thank you Braelyn Wilson for letting me read it in exchange for an honest review. I am forever grateful. And you are truly gifted. Keep on writing. I cannot wait to read more of you.
5 humongously big stars from me! For this stunning and painfully beautiful novel.
February 7, 2023
I can see people really enjoying this book but the writing style wasn’t for me and I wasn’t getting into the story
DNF:100 pgs
DNF:100 pgs
November 16, 2022
5⭐️
Where do I start? This book made me feel a lot of things, especially sadness. It is a tragic book that makes you see life from a different perspective, makes you think on how short life is.
Brantley Thorton, a 17 year old who lost her mother to cancer, since then her life has not been the same, she suffers from depression and thinks her life is no longer worth living.
Caspian Mark's a boy who is like ray of sunshine, he bursts into her life without invitation and plans to stay in it. He becomes Brantley's best friend and makes her life a little bit better.
All that Brantley went through is tragic and it made me feel so sad, I really wanted to be angry at Brantley for the choices that she made but I just couldn't, I could understand where she came from. I was hopping for a different ending, it was a tragic yet beautiful story.
Where do I start? This book made me feel a lot of things, especially sadness. It is a tragic book that makes you see life from a different perspective, makes you think on how short life is.
Brantley Thorton, a 17 year old who lost her mother to cancer, since then her life has not been the same, she suffers from depression and thinks her life is no longer worth living.
Caspian Mark's a boy who is like ray of sunshine, he bursts into her life without invitation and plans to stay in it. He becomes Brantley's best friend and makes her life a little bit better.
All that Brantley went through is tragic and it made me feel so sad, I really wanted to be angry at Brantley for the choices that she made but I just couldn't, I could understand where she came from. I was hopping for a different ending, it was a tragic yet beautiful story.
May 9, 2023
This story was heartbreaking moving yet so tragic and beautiful. The story follows Brantley Thornton and her battle against depression and suicide. After the loss of her best friend, her mom, Brantley is ready to leave the world behind and join her mom in the stars. Enter Caspian Marks, the new boy next door. Caspian believes that everyone is capable of being saved. When he meets Brantley, he puts his heart on the line and attempts to mend her soul.
The story deals with heavy topics you should watch out for:
💫abuse
💫depression
💫suicide
💫parental loss
This book was perfect for the month of May, Mental Health awareness month. It was really eye opening to the struggles of depression, grief, and suicide. This story made me think about my place in this world and my impact on the people. It was written almost lyrically and was truly a beautiful book. The story was fast paced and had me hooked from the start. I definitely shed a few tears ( more like sobbed ) but I also had the biggest smile at time. Caspian is the sun and I believe we all need a Caspian shinning down on our lives. Brantley is his rain, she gave him a fresh start and revived him. I loved this book so much, I felt very connected to both main characters and even the side characters. I liked how the side characters all had a story to tell, and I’d love to see them in future books.
⭐️YA friends to lovers
⭐️small town
⭐️single POV
⭐️not a traditional ending
The story deals with heavy topics you should watch out for:
💫abuse
💫depression
💫suicide
💫parental loss
This book was perfect for the month of May, Mental Health awareness month. It was really eye opening to the struggles of depression, grief, and suicide. This story made me think about my place in this world and my impact on the people. It was written almost lyrically and was truly a beautiful book. The story was fast paced and had me hooked from the start. I definitely shed a few tears ( more like sobbed ) but I also had the biggest smile at time. Caspian is the sun and I believe we all need a Caspian shinning down on our lives. Brantley is his rain, she gave him a fresh start and revived him. I loved this book so much, I felt very connected to both main characters and even the side characters. I liked how the side characters all had a story to tell, and I’d love to see them in future books.
⭐️YA friends to lovers
⭐️small town
⭐️single POV
⭐️not a traditional ending
January 10, 2023
Title: Counting Stars
Author: Braelyn Wilson
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Counting Stars was such a wonderful read even though it discusses some hard topics: death, depression, suicide. Being able to connect with Brantley and relate to her pain over her mothers death made this book so beautiful and raw.
Now this book does discuss some serious topics that might be triggering for some. But for those it won't affect I think this book let's us see into what a young girl is dealing with both mentally and emotionally. She's struggling and doesn't want to live. But in comes this boy Caspian Mark's, he has this great personality even if he does seem a little annoying at times but he's definitely a glass half full type of person. He wants to save Brantley because everyone is worth saving. He wants to love Brantley and show her that life is worth living even if life isn't perfect.
This author was able to capture the emotions a person would feel if they were dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide. She was able to show how it feels to be the person who's depressed. Sometimes no matter how much we want a person to live for themselves and us, no everyone can be fixed. Sometimes the pain and damage is just too great.
I think some parts were harder to read and more emotional than I thought it would be but I'm glad I read it because it was a beautiful story!!! I recommend this book to readers who aren't going to be triggered by suicide, depression and abuse.
This book spoke to me on such a personal level because I have family members who have committed suicide and it stays with you forever. I live my life without people I loved so much because they couldn't see a different solution and they couldn't deal with their depression. If you know anyone that's struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide please reach out to them, get them help.
**please read the warnings and authors note in the beginning!**
Author: Braelyn Wilson
Rating: ☆☆☆☆
Counting Stars was such a wonderful read even though it discusses some hard topics: death, depression, suicide. Being able to connect with Brantley and relate to her pain over her mothers death made this book so beautiful and raw.
Now this book does discuss some serious topics that might be triggering for some. But for those it won't affect I think this book let's us see into what a young girl is dealing with both mentally and emotionally. She's struggling and doesn't want to live. But in comes this boy Caspian Mark's, he has this great personality even if he does seem a little annoying at times but he's definitely a glass half full type of person. He wants to save Brantley because everyone is worth saving. He wants to love Brantley and show her that life is worth living even if life isn't perfect.
This author was able to capture the emotions a person would feel if they were dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide. She was able to show how it feels to be the person who's depressed. Sometimes no matter how much we want a person to live for themselves and us, no everyone can be fixed. Sometimes the pain and damage is just too great.
I think some parts were harder to read and more emotional than I thought it would be but I'm glad I read it because it was a beautiful story!!! I recommend this book to readers who aren't going to be triggered by suicide, depression and abuse.
This book spoke to me on such a personal level because I have family members who have committed suicide and it stays with you forever. I live my life without people I loved so much because they couldn't see a different solution and they couldn't deal with their depression. If you know anyone that's struggling with depression or thoughts of suicide please reach out to them, get them help.
**please read the warnings and authors note in the beginning!**
April 21, 2023
4.5⭐
Tigger warning: Suicide, Depression, Abuse.
This book made me feel many things, especially sadness. It is a tragic story that makes you see life from another perspective, makes you think about how short it is.
This book touches on some serious issues. In addition to allowing us to see what young people are facing, both mentally and emotionally.
Even though it is a debut novel, it is extremely precious and so beautifully written. This is not a book that I would read, since it is not a subject that I like to deal with because of how complicated it can be, but I am glad that the author gave me the opportunity to read it because she gave me a new perspective.
At first I didn't feel like I was connecting with the characters, there were moments when I didn't understand but as you progress you realize that in all darkness there is a bit of hope. This book was a roller coaster of emotions, definitely.
The author was able to capture the emotions that people who are dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts come to feel. With this reading we realize that pain and damage can become too great.
Tigger warning: Suicide, Depression, Abuse.
This book made me feel many things, especially sadness. It is a tragic story that makes you see life from another perspective, makes you think about how short it is.
This book touches on some serious issues. In addition to allowing us to see what young people are facing, both mentally and emotionally.
Even though it is a debut novel, it is extremely precious and so beautifully written. This is not a book that I would read, since it is not a subject that I like to deal with because of how complicated it can be, but I am glad that the author gave me the opportunity to read it because she gave me a new perspective.
At first I didn't feel like I was connecting with the characters, there were moments when I didn't understand but as you progress you realize that in all darkness there is a bit of hope. This book was a roller coaster of emotions, definitely.
The author was able to capture the emotions that people who are dealing with depression and suicidal thoughts come to feel. With this reading we realize that pain and damage can become too great.
April 29, 2023
DNF at Page 50/288
This book is about grief, depression, suicide, etc. It is a "dark" book. The author has a note in the beginning referencing this, so if those topics trigger you, this might not be a book for you to pick up.
However, I don't know if these topics are touched on/how heavily they are represented. I DNF'd on Page 50, and so far, there wasn't any mention of those topics.
The story is about Brantley Thornton, a teenage girl who lives in a small town with her distant father after the death of her mother when she was four years old. (I'd like to interject here and say that I am not aware exactly how old Brantley is in the story, but she is in high school, so I'm assuming she's 16-18. Which means she is still grieving the death of her mother 10+ years later. Yes, grief is not a linear process, however, it made the story feel disjointed and disconnected with matters that should have connected with each other on multiple levels.)
Brantley meets her elderly neighbors' grandson, Caspian Marks, and this boy (apparently) changes her views on life. He's the sunshine to her rainstorm, the happy to her depressed, etc.
Reasons I DNF'd:
1. Every time one of the Main Character's names are mentioned, it is their full name. (Caspian Marks instead of just Caspian, Brantley Thornton instead of just Brantley, etc.)
2. The dialogue is stilted, drawn out, with weird pauses and phrasing that normal people would not use/say in normal day-to-day conversations. (I.E. Caspian makes a joke and ends a question four different times with "No?" Such as "I'm funny, no?" "You don't like [certain something here], no?"
3. Brantley is a very bland character and Caspian is your typical "pretty boy but doesn't think he is" character. They both strike me as trying to be the outcast when they aren't. The author mentions Brantley herself is POC, yet in 50 pages, the only description given of her is her curly hair blowing in the wind.
4. Brantley's therapist is her mom's best friend, and she tells Brantley that she promised her mother she'd take care of her, yet she continues to allow Brantley to live in a home with a grief-stricken, distant, and (I'm presuming) alcoholic father.
5. There are a lot of grammatical errors. There are paragraphs of dialogue without breaks, misspellings, ("knit-pick" for the word "nitpick") and punctuation errors (a lot of "..." And italics where there need not be.
I was really looking forward to the book, as the premise reminded me a lot of "All the Bright Places," which I have 5 stars to when I read it last year. Unfortunately, this reads like a first draft, unedited version of that book.
Thank you to the author for the book in exchange for an honest review.
This book is about grief, depression, suicide, etc. It is a "dark" book. The author has a note in the beginning referencing this, so if those topics trigger you, this might not be a book for you to pick up.
However, I don't know if these topics are touched on/how heavily they are represented. I DNF'd on Page 50, and so far, there wasn't any mention of those topics.
The story is about Brantley Thornton, a teenage girl who lives in a small town with her distant father after the death of her mother when she was four years old. (I'd like to interject here and say that I am not aware exactly how old Brantley is in the story, but she is in high school, so I'm assuming she's 16-18. Which means she is still grieving the death of her mother 10+ years later. Yes, grief is not a linear process, however, it made the story feel disjointed and disconnected with matters that should have connected with each other on multiple levels.)
Brantley meets her elderly neighbors' grandson, Caspian Marks, and this boy (apparently) changes her views on life. He's the sunshine to her rainstorm, the happy to her depressed, etc.
Reasons I DNF'd:
1. Every time one of the Main Character's names are mentioned, it is their full name. (Caspian Marks instead of just Caspian, Brantley Thornton instead of just Brantley, etc.)
2. The dialogue is stilted, drawn out, with weird pauses and phrasing that normal people would not use/say in normal day-to-day conversations. (I.E. Caspian makes a joke and ends a question four different times with "No?" Such as "I'm funny, no?" "You don't like [certain something here], no?"
3. Brantley is a very bland character and Caspian is your typical "pretty boy but doesn't think he is" character. They both strike me as trying to be the outcast when they aren't. The author mentions Brantley herself is POC, yet in 50 pages, the only description given of her is her curly hair blowing in the wind.
4. Brantley's therapist is her mom's best friend, and she tells Brantley that she promised her mother she'd take care of her, yet she continues to allow Brantley to live in a home with a grief-stricken, distant, and (I'm presuming) alcoholic father.
5. There are a lot of grammatical errors. There are paragraphs of dialogue without breaks, misspellings, ("knit-pick" for the word "nitpick") and punctuation errors (a lot of "..." And italics where there need not be.
I was really looking forward to the book, as the premise reminded me a lot of "All the Bright Places," which I have 5 stars to when I read it last year. Unfortunately, this reads like a first draft, unedited version of that book.
Thank you to the author for the book in exchange for an honest review.
Did not finish
May 16, 2023thank you to Braelyn Wilson for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
i tried to like this book, i really did. the premise was intriguing and i decided i would give it a try - especially because i’ve been lacking in the romance genre lately.
i just couldn’t get into the storyline at all and the writing style just wasn’t for me. 9 times out of 10 a character is mentioned, it’s their full name instead of just their first name - why?? the punctuation was also weird and the way the characters spoke bothered me for some reason. i also think the book would benefit from a table of contents as i found myself skipping through page after page trying to find out when the chapter would end.
DNF: 81 pages
i tried to like this book, i really did. the premise was intriguing and i decided i would give it a try - especially because i’ve been lacking in the romance genre lately.
i just couldn’t get into the storyline at all and the writing style just wasn’t for me. 9 times out of 10 a character is mentioned, it’s their full name instead of just their first name - why?? the punctuation was also weird and the way the characters spoke bothered me for some reason. i also think the book would benefit from a table of contents as i found myself skipping through page after page trying to find out when the chapter would end.
DNF: 81 pages
May 4, 2023
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book for review! It took me a bit to get into this writing style I’m not going to lie. Also this was a pretty dark book and there are trigger warning in the beginning which I really appreciated! I feel like you need to be in a really good headspace for it. Overall I liked this it was mostly just the writing that took me out of the story a bit.
February 2, 2023
I’m speechless
This book just ripped my heart out. Beautifully written and extremely heartfelt. As a debut novel from a young writer, I see a wildly successful future. I can’t wait to read more by her and watch her writing grow.
This book just ripped my heart out. Beautifully written and extremely heartfelt. As a debut novel from a young writer, I see a wildly successful future. I can’t wait to read more by her and watch her writing grow.
April 18, 2023
I really liked how this book covered some sensitive topics in a lovely way. The way we get to follow the main character was really interesting. I can see for some how the writing style may not be for all but i definitely enjoyed it!
February 2, 2023
Wow. As someone who struggles with depression and tendencies, this book hit me so hard. I absolutely adore Caspian Marks. And while Brantley tended to get on my nerves, I think I started to realize that I had a lot in common with her and that took me back a little bit. I think the author had such a good way of capturing what it’s truly like to have such thoughts and an acceptance that you don’t feel as if you fit in the world anymore.
I mean, just wow wow wow.
I mean, just wow wow wow.
June 8, 2023
Counting Stars - Braelyn Wilson
4.5/5⭐️
5/5💧
✨✨✨✨✨✨
I’m gonna start this with saying. You truly need to be ready to cry your eyes out to this book because you absolutely fall in love with the characters and it’s the most heartbreaking one too. This book’s absolutely destroyed my heart. I could not stop crying. Please check all trigger warnings before reading as this story could be very hard for some.
Brantley Thornton, a girl lost with no hope left. Around two years earlier she lost her mother and truly she ended up losing herself too. Since her mothers passing she shut down, went numb and came up with an end game. Enduring horrendous abuse from the father she once thought of as her hero; still to not hate him in the end. Brantley was the sun even though she thought of herself as the storm. With only 64 days to go she ends up meeting someone that brings the universe to her.
📚📚📚
This book includes:
-Suicide
-Abuse
-The Stars
-Strength
-a strong bond/love
-heartbreak
📚📚📚
Caspian Marks, her stars, her Caspian Marks, her hopeless romantic with all the bad dad jokes. With only 64 days till end game Caspian shows up and decides to make her choice a little bit harder. The man that has gone through to much in his lifetime believed fate brought him to the love of his life, even if her time here was long. He wants to help her, fix her, persuade her to try a little harder.
Will he get her to understand she means something? Will he persuade her mind that was already made up?
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4.5/5⭐️
5/5💧
✨✨✨✨✨✨
I’m gonna start this with saying. You truly need to be ready to cry your eyes out to this book because you absolutely fall in love with the characters and it’s the most heartbreaking one too. This book’s absolutely destroyed my heart. I could not stop crying. Please check all trigger warnings before reading as this story could be very hard for some.
Brantley Thornton, a girl lost with no hope left. Around two years earlier she lost her mother and truly she ended up losing herself too. Since her mothers passing she shut down, went numb and came up with an end game. Enduring horrendous abuse from the father she once thought of as her hero; still to not hate him in the end. Brantley was the sun even though she thought of herself as the storm. With only 64 days to go she ends up meeting someone that brings the universe to her.
📚📚📚
This book includes:
-Suicide
-Abuse
-The Stars
-Strength
-a strong bond/love
-heartbreak
📚📚📚
Caspian Marks, her stars, her Caspian Marks, her hopeless romantic with all the bad dad jokes. With only 64 days till end game Caspian shows up and decides to make her choice a little bit harder. The man that has gone through to much in his lifetime believed fate brought him to the love of his life, even if her time here was long. He wants to help her, fix her, persuade her to try a little harder.
Will he get her to understand she means something? Will he persuade her mind that was already made up?
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October 18, 2023
❛ Counting Stars by Braelyn Wilson ❜
4 stars ⭐️
𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬!
❥⇢I received an eARC from the author
of this book, thanks for reaching out.
All opinions are my own!
🥀
This encompasses what it's like to lose someone and/or lose yourself in every way. It portrays heartshattering grief and trauma by making you relate to moments and your heart reach out to both Brantley and Caspian. I think every broken soul that wants to be saved needs a Caspian Marks. Coz he was such a heartwarming character that deserved the world.
Brantley was this great girl and I sympathized with her. Ik some might not get her pov but she deserved a life that filled her with joy.
It was a beautiful story filled to the brim with emotions, angst and feels. Tho I will say I didn't like when the author kept unnecessarily using their full names repeatedly. You should only use a character's full name/make it be said for impact and this was not used correctly, overdone.
The aesthetics,format,cover,playlist and extras included in the book was lovely and pretty! It's always fun when authors add these extras to a book.
For a debut novel the story was executed well and words were spun into a tragically beautiful story.
This was an ode to broken souls so pick it up,read it,highlight the parts that speak to you cos ik there were many for me that did and hopefully learn to heal from what breaks you.
💌received: April | read end: 17 June 2023
4 stars ⭐️
𝐧𝐨𝐭𝐞: 𝐛𝐨𝐨𝐤 𝐜𝐨𝐧𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧𝐬 𝐬𝐞𝐧𝐬𝐢𝐭𝐢𝐯𝐞 𝐭𝐡𝐞𝐦𝐞𝐬 𝐬𝐨 𝐩𝐥𝐞𝐚𝐬𝐞 𝐫𝐞𝐚𝐝 𝐭𝐫𝐢𝐠𝐠𝐞𝐫 𝐰𝐚𝐫𝐧𝐢𝐧𝐠𝐬!
❥⇢I received an eARC from the author
of this book, thanks for reaching out.
All opinions are my own!
🥀
This encompasses what it's like to lose someone and/or lose yourself in every way. It portrays heartshattering grief and trauma by making you relate to moments and your heart reach out to both Brantley and Caspian. I think every broken soul that wants to be saved needs a Caspian Marks. Coz he was such a heartwarming character that deserved the world.
Brantley was this great girl and I sympathized with her. Ik some might not get her pov but she deserved a life that filled her with joy.
It was a beautiful story filled to the brim with emotions, angst and feels. Tho I will say I didn't like when the author kept unnecessarily using their full names repeatedly. You should only use a character's full name/make it be said for impact and this was not used correctly, overdone.
The aesthetics,format,cover,playlist and extras included in the book was lovely and pretty! It's always fun when authors add these extras to a book.
For a debut novel the story was executed well and words were spun into a tragically beautiful story.
This was an ode to broken souls so pick it up,read it,highlight the parts that speak to you cos ik there were many for me that did and hopefully learn to heal from what breaks you.
💌received: April | read end: 17 June 2023
February 11, 2023
Counting Stars by Braelyn Wilson
⭐⭐⭐.5/5
No Spice
TW: depression, suicide, abuse, cancer
Counting Stars opens with the day before Brantley plans on taking her life. Ever since her mother died of cancer three years ago, she has felt lost in the world. When Caspian Marks moves in across the street approximately two months before her decided suicide day, the two of them begin a beautiful and heartbreaking relationship. He wants to save her, but will she let herself be saved? This is most definitely a story of grief, loss, learning to re-find yourself, and love.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Now this book was beautifully written. Braelyn definitely has a way with words. She manages to portray someone with depression perfectly. The book is probably 85% inner monologuing, and while it may seem like the plot is going slowly, it somehow seems necessary for the story. We get to see inside the mind of Brantley and experience how she feels. She lives a very sad life, yet Caspian comes along and makes it better. While completely the author's choice, I wish it would have ended differently. I think it could have been so much more impactful to know that love and friendship can save a life. Brantley didn't have to die. Caspian knew what she was planning and when. While I'm not necessarily knowledgeable about mental health emergency services, I feel like something could have and should have been done. He should have alerted authorities of her plans. Maybe it would have interrupted her, maybe they would have been able to save her. Maybe she would have been stuck in the hospital for a day or two, and she'd wait until the next year to try again, giving her more time to heal her mind. I don't know. I feel like the ending was so unfair to literally everyone. Life can't always have happy endings, but they can offer hope, and I wish this would have ended on a more hopeful note.
On top of that, I also extremely disliked the constant uses of first and last names. No one goes around calling people by their first and last name all the time. Especially not everyone in the whole dang town. That's just me being nit-picky, but it drove me a little crazy. There were also minor grammar issues in the book. The most common ones I noticed were misplaced quotations marks, and there was one place where a word should have been capitalized but wasn't. The grammar stuff doesn't bother me too much, but sometimes the quotation marks made me confused on who was talking.
Overall, I enjoyed it, but really wish it would have had a better ending/message. I don't think it hit me as hard as it would have if there was a more hopeful ending. Give it a read and let me know your own thoughts
⭐⭐⭐.5/5
No Spice
TW: depression, suicide, abuse, cancer
Counting Stars opens with the day before Brantley plans on taking her life. Ever since her mother died of cancer three years ago, she has felt lost in the world. When Caspian Marks moves in across the street approximately two months before her decided suicide day, the two of them begin a beautiful and heartbreaking relationship. He wants to save her, but will she let herself be saved? This is most definitely a story of grief, loss, learning to re-find yourself, and love.
***SPOILERS BELOW***
Now this book was beautifully written. Braelyn definitely has a way with words. She manages to portray someone with depression perfectly. The book is probably 85% inner monologuing, and while it may seem like the plot is going slowly, it somehow seems necessary for the story. We get to see inside the mind of Brantley and experience how she feels. She lives a very sad life, yet Caspian comes along and makes it better. While completely the author's choice, I wish it would have ended differently. I think it could have been so much more impactful to know that love and friendship can save a life. Brantley didn't have to die. Caspian knew what she was planning and when. While I'm not necessarily knowledgeable about mental health emergency services, I feel like something could have and should have been done. He should have alerted authorities of her plans. Maybe it would have interrupted her, maybe they would have been able to save her. Maybe she would have been stuck in the hospital for a day or two, and she'd wait until the next year to try again, giving her more time to heal her mind. I don't know. I feel like the ending was so unfair to literally everyone. Life can't always have happy endings, but they can offer hope, and I wish this would have ended on a more hopeful note.
On top of that, I also extremely disliked the constant uses of first and last names. No one goes around calling people by their first and last name all the time. Especially not everyone in the whole dang town. That's just me being nit-picky, but it drove me a little crazy. There were also minor grammar issues in the book. The most common ones I noticed were misplaced quotations marks, and there was one place where a word should have been capitalized but wasn't. The grammar stuff doesn't bother me too much, but sometimes the quotation marks made me confused on who was talking.
Overall, I enjoyed it, but really wish it would have had a better ending/message. I don't think it hit me as hard as it would have if there was a more hopeful ending. Give it a read and let me know your own thoughts
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
October 14, 2022
Rating: 4.5/5
I received a copy of this book for my honest review
This book is like a beautiful tragedy. In all darkness, you can still see beauty, if you think of the lotus flower, it grows from the mud and makes the most beautiful flower. I think of this book like that. Even though you have something tragic and there is something beautiful about it.
This was a great read, from the plot to the writing style. I do have to say that there were times I was a little confused but that was only when I didn’t know exactly what Brantley was thinking, but once it sparked in my head “OH” it all started to make sense. Now to say I know that the author has her disclaimer about the triggers you will see in the book, so I kind of knew what to think but I didn’t know if it was a sickness or the will to live. I thought Brantley did a wonderful job bringing out the feelings this teenage girl would feel from, joy-fear, happy-sad. She was able to really show a light to those feelings and how people with depression can see things differently.
I thought Caspian Marks was a little annoying but after a while he grew on me just like Brantley. I did enjoy that he always saw the good in everything, even when you thought there can’t be he pulls something out from nowhere. I think what Caspian said in the end of the book really hit the right place, seriously I had tears, I could feel his love and admiration for Brantley, I even knew that he would finally come to terms with everything. With Brantley's letter to Caspian, those tears did run down my cheeks, I thought it was a little rude to wait to say all those things, but I understood, if she did it any sooner then she didn’t know if she could walk away.
I could say more but I do not want to ruin anything, and I worry if I say more that I might.
Tigger warning: Suicide, Depression, Abuse.
I want to thank Braelyn Wilson for allowing me to read and review this book.
I received a copy of this book for my honest review
This book is like a beautiful tragedy. In all darkness, you can still see beauty, if you think of the lotus flower, it grows from the mud and makes the most beautiful flower. I think of this book like that. Even though you have something tragic and there is something beautiful about it.
This was a great read, from the plot to the writing style. I do have to say that there were times I was a little confused but that was only when I didn’t know exactly what Brantley was thinking, but once it sparked in my head “OH” it all started to make sense. Now to say I know that the author has her disclaimer about the triggers you will see in the book, so I kind of knew what to think but I didn’t know if it was a sickness or the will to live. I thought Brantley did a wonderful job bringing out the feelings this teenage girl would feel from, joy-fear, happy-sad. She was able to really show a light to those feelings and how people with depression can see things differently.
I thought Caspian Marks was a little annoying but after a while he grew on me just like Brantley. I did enjoy that he always saw the good in everything, even when you thought there can’t be he pulls something out from nowhere. I think what Caspian said in the end of the book really hit the right place, seriously I had tears, I could feel his love and admiration for Brantley, I even knew that he would finally come to terms with everything. With Brantley's letter to Caspian, those tears did run down my cheeks, I thought it was a little rude to wait to say all those things, but I understood, if she did it any sooner then she didn’t know if she could walk away.
I could say more but I do not want to ruin anything, and I worry if I say more that I might.
Tigger warning: Suicide, Depression, Abuse.
I want to thank Braelyn Wilson for allowing me to read and review this book.
February 9, 2023
4🌟
**please check trigger warnings**
I want to start off by saying that I went into this book completely blind, and it was completely different than what i expected, but i still found myself liking the book and feeling for the characters (there was crying involved)!
the story follows Brantley, who is suffering from depression after her mother’s death a couple years back. without her mom, she feels lost and only wants to be with her again, amongst the stars. Caspian, who shares similar feelings and beliefs about the stars, enters her life and pushes her to try to find her spark again. he does everything in his power to be there for her, but everything is only enough, if the person is willing to accept it.
the connection between Brantley and Caspian was so heartfelt and beautiful! it reminds me that people enter your life for a reason. Although, fate placed them in each other’s lives for different reasons, the impact they had on each other was strong and meaningful. i LOVED the comparison between Caspian and the sun, and Brantley and the rain. i think that seeing the different perspectives on rain (how Brantley saw herself vs. how Caspian saw her), somehow made me feel more connected to the characters.
the main reason why i didn’t give the book a higher rating was because the way that Caspian’s dialogue was written at first, threw me off a bit. it didn’t read to me like an actual person talking, but more like a script. however, i either got used to it or felt a shift in the writing halfway through, which made it more natural. i also thought that somethings weren’t spoken about enough or developed as well as they could be, so it left me curious, but i don’t think it really took away much from the story.
overall, this was a profound story about depression, friendship, loss, and love. i would recommend this to anyone who wants to dive into an emotional read!
also, thank you to Braelyn for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! 🤍
**please check trigger warnings**
I want to start off by saying that I went into this book completely blind, and it was completely different than what i expected, but i still found myself liking the book and feeling for the characters (there was crying involved)!
the story follows Brantley, who is suffering from depression after her mother’s death a couple years back. without her mom, she feels lost and only wants to be with her again, amongst the stars. Caspian, who shares similar feelings and beliefs about the stars, enters her life and pushes her to try to find her spark again. he does everything in his power to be there for her, but everything is only enough, if the person is willing to accept it.
the connection between Brantley and Caspian was so heartfelt and beautiful! it reminds me that people enter your life for a reason. Although, fate placed them in each other’s lives for different reasons, the impact they had on each other was strong and meaningful. i LOVED the comparison between Caspian and the sun, and Brantley and the rain. i think that seeing the different perspectives on rain (how Brantley saw herself vs. how Caspian saw her), somehow made me feel more connected to the characters.
the main reason why i didn’t give the book a higher rating was because the way that Caspian’s dialogue was written at first, threw me off a bit. it didn’t read to me like an actual person talking, but more like a script. however, i either got used to it or felt a shift in the writing halfway through, which made it more natural. i also thought that somethings weren’t spoken about enough or developed as well as they could be, so it left me curious, but i don’t think it really took away much from the story.
overall, this was a profound story about depression, friendship, loss, and love. i would recommend this to anyone who wants to dive into an emotional read!
also, thank you to Braelyn for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! 🤍
June 30, 2023
I don’t know how to explain this but this wasn’t the book for me… I DNF it but before I start, I want to say that this is MY personal opinion, this book wasn’t for me, but I know I’m no expert so I’m just talking about what I usually see in the books that I read and like. Give it a chance to see if you like it, this is the first book of the author 👍🏼
I received this book from the author to give my honest review and I was really excited to read it, I thought it was going to be an emotional and thoughtful, beautiful story, but I felt very uncomfortable and a lot of cringe :(
For me, the story doesn’t make sense, it’s about a mother-daughter relationship, about grief, about not knowing how to move on when you feel like everything is lost but it’s also about a love story I guess, a sunshine x grumpy trope but the love story is just not realistic. Too fast and not in a way when you fall in love quickly, no. I mean, the guy literally leaves everything behind to go with her, even though he just heard about her ONCE. This book felt very wattpady. I know there’s love at first sight but this just felt wrong…
I couldn’t connect with the principal character, actually I didn’t like her because she gave me the vibe like the kind of character that acts like knows everything and how everything works in a very arrogant way and also it felt very repetitive, redundant, too much context or explanations about small and unnecessary things :( especially between the conversations of the characters, sometimes I forgot that the characters were even talking or what they were talking about and I needed to go back because there was too much text between the lines… basically, the writing style felt kind of weird, very confusing…
I really wanted to read this book but I couldn’t finish it and I didn’t like it :(
I think the author has a lot of potential though, also the book, but it could be better :(
I received this book from the author to give my honest review and I was really excited to read it, I thought it was going to be an emotional and thoughtful, beautiful story, but I felt very uncomfortable and a lot of cringe :(
For me, the story doesn’t make sense, it’s about a mother-daughter relationship, about grief, about not knowing how to move on when you feel like everything is lost but it’s also about a love story I guess, a sunshine x grumpy trope but the love story is just not realistic. Too fast and not in a way when you fall in love quickly, no. I mean, the guy literally leaves everything behind to go with her, even though he just heard about her ONCE. This book felt very wattpady. I know there’s love at first sight but this just felt wrong…
I couldn’t connect with the principal character, actually I didn’t like her because she gave me the vibe like the kind of character that acts like knows everything and how everything works in a very arrogant way and also it felt very repetitive, redundant, too much context or explanations about small and unnecessary things :( especially between the conversations of the characters, sometimes I forgot that the characters were even talking or what they were talking about and I needed to go back because there was too much text between the lines… basically, the writing style felt kind of weird, very confusing…
I really wanted to read this book but I couldn’t finish it and I didn’t like it :(
I think the author has a lot of potential though, also the book, but it could be better :(
March 16, 2023
TW: suicide, physical abuse
Brantley Thornton lost her mom to cancer three years ago and with her gone, Brantley has completely lost herself and the sparkle she once had. Brantley decides that the only way forward is suicide. As Brantley is living out her final few months, a new guy comes to town. Caspian Marks is all sunshine and positivity and he takes a liking to Brantley. Can his love for Brantley save her from herself?
This is a deep, heavy story about a girl battling depression and physical abuse while also trying to navigate a friendship with a boy who is determined to help her feel better. The author does a good job of catching your interest in the first chapter. You can immediately tell that the characters are dealing with heavy issues and that they have deep feelings for each other. This story also offers a good representation of mental health issues and what it is like to be inside the head of someone dealing with depression.
I found it touching that Caspian was so nice to Brantley and seemed to genuinely care. At some points, Caspian is so nice that I started to question if he was actually genuine in his intentions, but that might just be me being a pessimist haha.
I also found myself wondering what could have happened to Brantley to make her feel the way she did, but once her whole story is revealed, I understood her feelings and found myself rooting for her and her happiness. It was also nice to see that even though Brantley was dealing with heavy emotions, she was able to put those aside and support Caspian when he needed it.
This is definitely one of the more dark, sad books that I have read, so I would keep that in mind when deciding to read it or not.
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Brantley Thornton lost her mom to cancer three years ago and with her gone, Brantley has completely lost herself and the sparkle she once had. Brantley decides that the only way forward is suicide. As Brantley is living out her final few months, a new guy comes to town. Caspian Marks is all sunshine and positivity and he takes a liking to Brantley. Can his love for Brantley save her from herself?
This is a deep, heavy story about a girl battling depression and physical abuse while also trying to navigate a friendship with a boy who is determined to help her feel better. The author does a good job of catching your interest in the first chapter. You can immediately tell that the characters are dealing with heavy issues and that they have deep feelings for each other. This story also offers a good representation of mental health issues and what it is like to be inside the head of someone dealing with depression.
I found it touching that Caspian was so nice to Brantley and seemed to genuinely care. At some points, Caspian is so nice that I started to question if he was actually genuine in his intentions, but that might just be me being a pessimist haha.
I also found myself wondering what could have happened to Brantley to make her feel the way she did, but once her whole story is revealed, I understood her feelings and found myself rooting for her and her happiness. It was also nice to see that even though Brantley was dealing with heavy emotions, she was able to put those aside and support Caspian when he needed it.
This is definitely one of the more dark, sad books that I have read, so I would keep that in mind when deciding to read it or not.
Thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
April 27, 2023
This beautiful grumpy x sunshine, small town romance will leave you in tears and resonate with so many.
TW: suicide, death, depression and anxiety, physical and emotional abuse, drugs and alcohol use and minimal bad language
Wow, what can I say about this book, but that it was amazing. Firstly, the trigger warnings were listed before the book started, which I found respectful and helpful, but also included a reading playlist that captured the atmosphere of the book really well. Reading the first chapter, I was attached to everything about the book: the descriptions, the quotes, the characters and the writing as a whole. The dialogue in this book was entirely fleshed out, filled with amazing and resonating quotes from Brantley and Caspian, but also from Caspian's grandmother, Josephine and a few other characters. I know that the writing style in this book won't be for everyone, but I love the lengthy, speech-like, movie dialogue and the way the story was written, as if Brantley is telling you a story first hand. I did resonate with a lot of the view points of Brantley, as I myself, have suffered first hand with depression and anxiety, but I can also see this book connecting with a variety of different people and help some to step into the world of having mental health disorders. My favourite character is obviously Caspian: he's filled with positivity and light and always knows how to cheer Brantley up, a great quality in anyone, but what I love most about him is his love for the world and he's definitely someone I strive to be. I did love the contrast between Brantley and Caspian still, because it made the characters feel different, unique and real. I loved how the story wrapped up and included some bonus chapters to show different point of views, I thought that that was an interesting touch.
TW: suicide, death, depression and anxiety, physical and emotional abuse, drugs and alcohol use and minimal bad language
Wow, what can I say about this book, but that it was amazing. Firstly, the trigger warnings were listed before the book started, which I found respectful and helpful, but also included a reading playlist that captured the atmosphere of the book really well. Reading the first chapter, I was attached to everything about the book: the descriptions, the quotes, the characters and the writing as a whole. The dialogue in this book was entirely fleshed out, filled with amazing and resonating quotes from Brantley and Caspian, but also from Caspian's grandmother, Josephine and a few other characters. I know that the writing style in this book won't be for everyone, but I love the lengthy, speech-like, movie dialogue and the way the story was written, as if Brantley is telling you a story first hand. I did resonate with a lot of the view points of Brantley, as I myself, have suffered first hand with depression and anxiety, but I can also see this book connecting with a variety of different people and help some to step into the world of having mental health disorders. My favourite character is obviously Caspian: he's filled with positivity and light and always knows how to cheer Brantley up, a great quality in anyone, but what I love most about him is his love for the world and he's definitely someone I strive to be. I did love the contrast between Brantley and Caspian still, because it made the characters feel different, unique and real. I loved how the story wrapped up and included some bonus chapters to show different point of views, I thought that that was an interesting touch.
April 27, 2023
𝕋𝕚𝕥𝕝𝕖 : Counting stars✨(YA)
𝔸𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣 : Braelyn Wilson
ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 : ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
.
‼️𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕞𝕖𝕣 : This novel covers sensitive topics like suicide, depression, drugs, alcoholism and domestic abuse. So be aware of this trigger warning‼️
.
𝕊𝕪𝕟𝕠𝕡𝕤𝕚𝕤 : Brantley Thornton, a girl engrossed with the magical entity of stars because of her beloved mother whom she loved boundlessly, meets Caspian Marks, a boy obsessed with being a know-it-all, who attempts to mend her soul which has been shattered since her mother's demise. She lost all hope in living and feels completely shattered. However, when Caspian Marks walks into her life and tries to give her everything in the world she deserves, will she be able to accept it since it is the same world she is trying to leave behind?
𝕄𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 : Counting stars, a beautiful, heart-breaking story of Brantley Thornton and Caspian Marks, left me sobbing. This is a story of love and hope. It was an emotional roller coaster for me. I loved the writing style of the author. It was simple yet the dialogues were beautiful and touching!! I emotionally got attached with the characters and travelled with them throughout the story. I felt for them. I sobbed for them. This beauty touched my heart. We all need a Caspian Marks in our life who constantly reminds us of our purpose and hope to live our lives and showers endless love no matter what. His love for her was beautifully explained. Overall, I would recommend this novel to everyone to feel the emotional connect atleast once!❤
𝔸𝕦𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕣 : Braelyn Wilson
ℝ𝕒𝕥𝕚𝕟𝕘 : ⭐⭐⭐⭐/5
.
‼️𝔻𝕚𝕤𝕔𝕝𝕒𝕚𝕞𝕖𝕣 : This novel covers sensitive topics like suicide, depression, drugs, alcoholism and domestic abuse. So be aware of this trigger warning‼️
.
𝕊𝕪𝕟𝕠𝕡𝕤𝕚𝕤 : Brantley Thornton, a girl engrossed with the magical entity of stars because of her beloved mother whom she loved boundlessly, meets Caspian Marks, a boy obsessed with being a know-it-all, who attempts to mend her soul which has been shattered since her mother's demise. She lost all hope in living and feels completely shattered. However, when Caspian Marks walks into her life and tries to give her everything in the world she deserves, will she be able to accept it since it is the same world she is trying to leave behind?
𝕄𝕪 𝕥𝕙𝕠𝕦𝕘𝕙𝕥𝕤 : Counting stars, a beautiful, heart-breaking story of Brantley Thornton and Caspian Marks, left me sobbing. This is a story of love and hope. It was an emotional roller coaster for me. I loved the writing style of the author. It was simple yet the dialogues were beautiful and touching!! I emotionally got attached with the characters and travelled with them throughout the story. I felt for them. I sobbed for them. This beauty touched my heart. We all need a Caspian Marks in our life who constantly reminds us of our purpose and hope to live our lives and showers endless love no matter what. His love for her was beautifully explained. Overall, I would recommend this novel to everyone to feel the emotional connect atleast once!❤
February 7, 2023
“I will watch over you and protect you, and when it is your time and you are ready to find me once more, you will fall into my arms. And when you do, all the planets and asteroids and stars and specks of dust in this endless universe will sigh in unison, because they will all know that our souls found their way together—somehow, someway, just as they were always supposed to.”
😭😭🤧🤧
Counting Stars is a beautifully written story of love, loss, hope and tragedy. Not gonna lie I cried a lot reading this.
Ever since the passing of her mother, 3 years ago, Brantleys been unable to find peace with the world. They shared a deep connection with the stars and Brantley believes that they can be reunited once again within the cosmos. Her heart and mind are set on this. Then along comes new neighbour, Caspian. He’s everything that Brantley doesn’t realise she needs and it seems as if they were fated to be together. But as much as Caspian wants to pull Brantley out of the darkness in her mind it’s not that simple.
It’s a heavy read but so beautifully done. Right til the end I was hoping the outcome would change but it left me in pieces 💔 The connection between Brantley and Caspian can really be felt in the writing and I can’t say enough how beautiful it is!
As you can expect there’s tw/cw for depression, death of a loved one, suicide and also abuse. So please look after yourself if you plan on reading!
😭😭🤧🤧
Counting Stars is a beautifully written story of love, loss, hope and tragedy. Not gonna lie I cried a lot reading this.
Ever since the passing of her mother, 3 years ago, Brantleys been unable to find peace with the world. They shared a deep connection with the stars and Brantley believes that they can be reunited once again within the cosmos. Her heart and mind are set on this. Then along comes new neighbour, Caspian. He’s everything that Brantley doesn’t realise she needs and it seems as if they were fated to be together. But as much as Caspian wants to pull Brantley out of the darkness in her mind it’s not that simple.
It’s a heavy read but so beautifully done. Right til the end I was hoping the outcome would change but it left me in pieces 💔 The connection between Brantley and Caspian can really be felt in the writing and I can’t say enough how beautiful it is!
As you can expect there’s tw/cw for depression, death of a loved one, suicide and also abuse. So please look after yourself if you plan on reading!
February 21, 2023
I feel like I first have to address the elephant in the room with this book, it’s absolutely soul-crushing. The topic is so hard and while I found myself drawn to tears so many times, I definitely don’t regret reading it. The absolute sorrow that radiates off of the main character, Brantley, really shows through the pages, and it makes for a very realistic book about grief and what that looks like for some people.
Counting Stars reads is mostly inner dialogue from Brantley. It shows the inner turmoil that comes from a child, who made sure that no one cared about her anymore, when someone forced themselves into their life and doesn’t allow her to be alone any longer. It shows the reality of living with depression, especially from the point of view of someone who doesn’t believe that their depression is an issue.
I think the story itself was very well done. Depression, suicide and abuse are hard to write about in a way that seems genuine to the issues themselves. Because of this, I feel like the book absolutely deserves 4 stars. My only complaint lies with the writing style in certain aspects. Namely, the use of em dashes. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen so many used in a book, but this is just personal preference. They were used correctly, so really, it’s a me issue.
Definitely check content warnings before reading this book if you have any triggers!
I was sent this book in exchange for my honest review.
Counting Stars reads is mostly inner dialogue from Brantley. It shows the inner turmoil that comes from a child, who made sure that no one cared about her anymore, when someone forced themselves into their life and doesn’t allow her to be alone any longer. It shows the reality of living with depression, especially from the point of view of someone who doesn’t believe that their depression is an issue.
I think the story itself was very well done. Depression, suicide and abuse are hard to write about in a way that seems genuine to the issues themselves. Because of this, I feel like the book absolutely deserves 4 stars. My only complaint lies with the writing style in certain aspects. Namely, the use of em dashes. I don’t think that I’ve ever seen so many used in a book, but this is just personal preference. They were used correctly, so really, it’s a me issue.
Definitely check content warnings before reading this book if you have any triggers!
I was sent this book in exchange for my honest review.
May 1, 2023
Counting stars was an absolute pleasure to read! I love how it explore topics such as Suicide, abuse and depression. Although It was a heartwreching to read some parts but the author has captured those feelings beautifully and make it even raw to connect with the readers. I love the chemistry between Brantley and Caspian as they share the same belief about stars. They had a powerful impact on eachother. Caspian just gave me different perspective to life. I am glad fate placed Caspian into Brantley's life. He was determined to change her life into better. I got to know how it's inside the head of who is going through depression. Reading the playlist in starting, I understood about what I will go through in the book. I really like the playlist element in the book. The dialogues and the quotes were touching!I was fascinated by how teenagers can understand eachother like Caspian and Brantley do! Every character was well written but In the beginning, I was kinda bored. It was slow for me and couldn't relate to anything. But later, It just gets amazing.
I was so devastated in the ending because I was hoping for the happy ending but instead my heart was shattered into pieces. Some flaws were there in writing but I would recommend this book but do check the trigger warnings.
Lastly, I would like to praise Braelyn Wilson. You are doing great at such age. I am proud of you. Keep writing. Thank you for giving me your book to read in the exchange of honest review!
I was so devastated in the ending because I was hoping for the happy ending but instead my heart was shattered into pieces. Some flaws were there in writing but I would recommend this book but do check the trigger warnings.
Lastly, I would like to praise Braelyn Wilson. You are doing great at such age. I am proud of you. Keep writing. Thank you for giving me your book to read in the exchange of honest review!
March 18, 2023
Counting Stars ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
Counting Stars was such a wonderful read even though it covers the topics of death, depression, suicide.
This book follows the life of Brantley Thornton who is struggling and doesn’t want to live after the death of her mother. In this we meet Caspin Marks who is an absolute ray of sunshine wants to show Brantley that life is worth living even if it’s not perfect.
Sadly this book does not have the happy ending we would all expect. Each chapter we can see that the days are counting down, hoping Caspin Marks will make the difference. Absolutely heart broken.
This author was able to capture the emotions a person would feel if they were dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide. She was able to show how it feels to be the person who's depressed. Sometimes no matter how much we want a person to live for themselves and us, no everyone can be fixed. Sometimes the pain and damage is just too great.
Some parts I struggled with like the use of first and last names, I can’t really give a reason for it I just didn’t really like it. Also the accent however I’m putting that down to being ✨🇬🇧 British🇬🇧✨.
I would like the Thank Braelyn for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! 🧚🏻♀️💗
** the author provides trigger warnings and a note at the start of the book! Please read this before starting the book **
Counting Stars was such a wonderful read even though it covers the topics of death, depression, suicide.
This book follows the life of Brantley Thornton who is struggling and doesn’t want to live after the death of her mother. In this we meet Caspin Marks who is an absolute ray of sunshine wants to show Brantley that life is worth living even if it’s not perfect.
Sadly this book does not have the happy ending we would all expect. Each chapter we can see that the days are counting down, hoping Caspin Marks will make the difference. Absolutely heart broken.
This author was able to capture the emotions a person would feel if they were dealing with depression and thoughts of suicide. She was able to show how it feels to be the person who's depressed. Sometimes no matter how much we want a person to live for themselves and us, no everyone can be fixed. Sometimes the pain and damage is just too great.
Some parts I struggled with like the use of first and last names, I can’t really give a reason for it I just didn’t really like it. Also the accent however I’m putting that down to being ✨🇬🇧 British🇬🇧✨.
I would like the Thank Braelyn for sending me a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! 🧚🏻♀️💗
** the author provides trigger warnings and a note at the start of the book! Please read this before starting the book **
April 15, 2023
Counting Stars Review
⭐️ 3.5/5 Stars ⭐️ Spoilers *****
***** PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS******
“You find comfort in the stars, because they are always there, always constant.”
When I started to read this; I realized that it’s not in the writing style that I would normally go for. I’m finding that I was getting confused a bit so I had to restart a couple times. I think it was due to some over explaining of chapters in the beginning but I pushed through and I’m glad I did. Once I got past the few chapters I started to enjoy the book.
Caspian’s dads jokes lighten up the mood in the book which is perfect for this heavy book. I’m definitely a sucker for dad jokes. They had me smirking!
One of my pet peeves is when the first and last names are repeated throughout the story.
This book definitely got to my emotions; it had me smiling, upset, and even made me tear up at the end. I’m not typically a person who tears up in books… 😅
I honestly wished that I knew before reading this that it had more of a hopeful ending; I wish I had a bit of a warning as I typically go for the books that have a happy ending.
Overall, I can see a lot of people enjoying this book but unfortunately it’s not for me as I tend to go for the happy endings.
⭐️ 3.5/5 Stars ⭐️ Spoilers *****
***** PLEASE READ THE TRIGGER WARNINGS******
“You find comfort in the stars, because they are always there, always constant.”
When I started to read this; I realized that it’s not in the writing style that I would normally go for. I’m finding that I was getting confused a bit so I had to restart a couple times. I think it was due to some over explaining of chapters in the beginning but I pushed through and I’m glad I did. Once I got past the few chapters I started to enjoy the book.
Caspian’s dads jokes lighten up the mood in the book which is perfect for this heavy book. I’m definitely a sucker for dad jokes. They had me smirking!
One of my pet peeves is when the first and last names are repeated throughout the story.
This book definitely got to my emotions; it had me smiling, upset, and even made me tear up at the end. I’m not typically a person who tears up in books… 😅
I honestly wished that I knew before reading this that it had more of a hopeful ending; I wish I had a bit of a warning as I typically go for the books that have a happy ending.
Overall, I can see a lot of people enjoying this book but unfortunately it’s not for me as I tend to go for the happy endings.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
April 22, 2023
This story was so heart-wrenching. I thought it was really well-written considering it’s a debut from a young author. It took me a few chapters to get used to the poetic prose and melancholic voice of our protagonist, but I also thought these aspects helped the story give a very enlightening depiction of what it’s like to experience grief, love (platonic and romantic), and depression. There is a lot of wisdom shared throughout this book. This stood out to me because the characters are so young, yet they were still determined to understand and even try to resolve the gravity of such deep topics addressed in the story. In particular I really enjoyed Caspian (and his dad jokes). His sunshine vibes radiated off the page! I also loved the elderly couple because they were so cute in their genuine care for Brantley. I was really hoping for an alternative ending, but nonetheless this story touched me as it emphasized the value of love and life. Also, I like that this book features its own playlist and has a pretty cover and graphics throughout! I would recommend this book to anyone who can handle the TWs and likes stories with high school romance, right-person-not-enough-time, mental health themes, family themes, and grief.
April 28, 2023
I first want to start this review with saying thank you to the author for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review! This book is about a 17 year old girl struggling with depression due to the loss of a parent and abuse. This story is extremely heavy so please keep that in mind if you are planning on reading.
When Brantley Thornton meets the new boy in town named Caspian Marks, she does her best to not form a connection with him because she doesn’t plan on staying in this world for much longer. She is counting down her days. This story does start off very slow so it unfortunately did take me a while to get invested into the storyline, I did however feel sympathy for these characters while watching them both struggle. Seeing everything through Brantley’s eyes and understanding her full story was heartbreaking. I truly did want her to find her happiness. As for Caspian, I loved his pure intentions and the way he saw Brantley. I found the writing very unique, I’ve never read a book quite like this. This is a book about 2 teenagers however they do not speak like regular teenagers. Although the writing style and storyline weren’t what I would normally choose to read, I do find the appeal and definitely understand why someone would love this book.
When Brantley Thornton meets the new boy in town named Caspian Marks, she does her best to not form a connection with him because she doesn’t plan on staying in this world for much longer. She is counting down her days. This story does start off very slow so it unfortunately did take me a while to get invested into the storyline, I did however feel sympathy for these characters while watching them both struggle. Seeing everything through Brantley’s eyes and understanding her full story was heartbreaking. I truly did want her to find her happiness. As for Caspian, I loved his pure intentions and the way he saw Brantley. I found the writing very unique, I’ve never read a book quite like this. This is a book about 2 teenagers however they do not speak like regular teenagers. Although the writing style and storyline weren’t what I would normally choose to read, I do find the appeal and definitely understand why someone would love this book.
May 1, 2023
CW: depression, death of a parent, suicide, substance abuse and physical abuse
rating: 3.5 stars
I first want to start this review by saying thank you to the wonderful author Braelyn Wilson for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Counting Stars is an emotional and thought-provoking read. It is extremely well written and felt very poetic at times. This story is about 17-year-old Brantley Thorton, who following the death of her mother falls into a deep depression. But one day her dark world becomes slightly brighter when Caspian Marks arrives in her small town. From the beginning the narrator makes it clear that this book is going to end in tragedy, however, I still was hoping things would change for the better. I will say that despite the devastating way the novel ended it was also quite beautiful at the same time. This book offers the reader an accurate representation of mental illness and the struggles associated with grief. But because of its accurate portrayal, it is deeply emotional and features triggering subject matter. Which for me at times was a little too much to bear. So keep that in mind if you do choose to read this book. Overall I think this book was a great debut for such a young author!
rating: 3.5 stars
I first want to start this review by saying thank you to the wonderful author Braelyn Wilson for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review!
Counting Stars is an emotional and thought-provoking read. It is extremely well written and felt very poetic at times. This story is about 17-year-old Brantley Thorton, who following the death of her mother falls into a deep depression. But one day her dark world becomes slightly brighter when Caspian Marks arrives in her small town. From the beginning the narrator makes it clear that this book is going to end in tragedy, however, I still was hoping things would change for the better. I will say that despite the devastating way the novel ended it was also quite beautiful at the same time. This book offers the reader an accurate representation of mental illness and the struggles associated with grief. But because of its accurate portrayal, it is deeply emotional and features triggering subject matter. Which for me at times was a little too much to bear. So keep that in mind if you do choose to read this book. Overall I think this book was a great debut for such a young author!
February 3, 2023
I was very honored to get a copy of this book in exchange for a review of it! There's nothing better than a debut novel and getting to read a new voice and a new story. Definitely check the content warnings on this one before you read, as it handles some emotionally heavy topics.
This book had one of my favorite components in a story- a grumpy main character and a sunshine main character. Brantley's grief is palpable, and her general energy was understandable and relatable. Caspian is definitely a glass half full person with an affinity for dad jokes, and I liked the contrast to Brantley's character that he provided. It was nice to see their friendship develop and have hope that they could help each other heal.
The emotions and trauma of this book reminded me of a tragic play we read years ago in high school, and in a way it almost gave me a nostalgic feeling despite not being able to personally relate to Brantley's situation. I think if you're a Colleen Hoover fan, you'd like this book!
This book had one of my favorite components in a story- a grumpy main character and a sunshine main character. Brantley's grief is palpable, and her general energy was understandable and relatable. Caspian is definitely a glass half full person with an affinity for dad jokes, and I liked the contrast to Brantley's character that he provided. It was nice to see their friendship develop and have hope that they could help each other heal.
The emotions and trauma of this book reminded me of a tragic play we read years ago in high school, and in a way it almost gave me a nostalgic feeling despite not being able to personally relate to Brantley's situation. I think if you're a Colleen Hoover fan, you'd like this book!
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