Status Updates From The Stars Within

So much for indie april. I can’t do this one. DNF at 18%

Some interesting developments in the last couple chapters, but I feel like things will need to kick into overdrive with everything that still needs to happen.

Some interesting developments. It feels like the story threads are both on the precipice of a new course. I have a couple of theories about how the two main characters might connect as well. I wonder if the pacing will remain even or if everything will accelerate in the back half of this book.

Things are picking up a bit for both Thomas and Colette. I also enjoyed getting a glimpse into who Thomas really is and what lengths he will go to help his friends. I do wish that I had a better understanding of the bond that he and the other miners all share though. Their relationship is very sweet, but I want to know how they all got so close.

I continue to struggle with feeling engaged in Thomas's portion of the story since the defining aspect of his character and arc seems to be his cancer diagnosis. Maybe I just need to work on my empathy for people (or fictional characters) that I don't know, but I wish we got a chance to know him outside of this event. Collette's part of the chapter got pretty exciting though and a little bit of spicy tea wa spilled.

I have some stylistic complaints, mainly regarding the "show, don't tell" rule and some of the paragraphs feeling like exposition instead of scenes. That said, this is an interesting setup and I am pretty curious to see where this story goes.

An interesting start to the story. Thomas comes off as a little whiny but we also meet him at a time where he is getting some terrible news, so it's kind of an odd place to be introduced to a character. Colette is really interesting though and I am looking forward to seeing where her story goes. I did also like Thomas's best friend.