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Bright Burning Stars
Best friends Marine Duval and Kate Sanders have trained at the Paris Opera Ballet School since childhood, where they’ve formed an inseparable bond forged by respective family tragedies and a fierce love for dance. When the body of a student is found in the dorms just before the start of their final year, Marine and Kate begin to ask themselves what they would do to win the ultimate prize: to be the one girl selected to join the Opera’s prestigious corps de ballet. Would they die? Cheat? Seduce the most talented boy in the school, dubbed the Demigod, hoping his magic would make them shine, too? Neither girl is sure.
But then Kate gets closer to the Demigod, even as Marine has begun to capture his heart. And as selection day draws near, the competition—for the prize, for the Demigod—becomes fiercer, and Marine and Kate realize they have everything to lose, including each other.
But then Kate gets closer to the Demigod, even as Marine has begun to capture his heart. And as selection day draws near, the competition—for the prize, for the Demigod—becomes fiercer, and Marine and Kate realize they have everything to lose, including each other.
245 pages, Kindle Edition
First published May 21, 2019
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November 2, 2020
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Books about dance and ballet are so compelling; it is a strict discipline that requires physical and intellectual fortitude. Add into the mix the usual blend of angst and poor decision making found in your typical young adult book, with a dash of cutthroat competition, and you have BRIGHT BURNING STARS: a book about a prestigious ballet school near Paris where failure means elimination, and success means sacrificing everything.
Marine and Kate are best friends. Marine is French, Kate is American. They've been close since their first year of ballet school, and now it is their last and only one boy and one girl will walk away with the coveted "Prize," a ticket to professional ballet. Everyone else will go home. Both girls want to be the best, but one of them wants it more than the other. As tensions rise, and each girl becomes a speeding train fighting to outpace the other to careen off a cliff and into a fiery finish, the reader can't help but wonder: will their friendship survive? And will they?
I finished BRIGHT BURNING STARS in a single day. It's beautifully written and both girls are realistically flawed. It actually reminded me a lot of WHITE OLEANDER in some ways - toxic relationships, substance abuse, destructive behavior, and sex, all drowning in angst and exquisitely wrought prose. There's trigger warnings across the board, but if you can stomach the dark content, the writing and the storyline, which is basically the ballerina equivalent of THE HUNGER GAMES, totally make the struggle worth it.
Oh, and there's beautiful boys, too, for those of you who are into that sort of thing. The main boy, who ends up involved with both girls, is nicknamed "the Demigod" for his dancing and romantic prowess, and his name is Cyrille. Everyone in the school has put him on a pedestal, but that only means that he has farther to fall. Luc is a mysterious boy who seems more earnest and tender than most, but he's got his own inner demons and reasons for competing. And lastly, there's Benjamin, another bad boy, only he's got tattoos and is more of a devil than a god, if you get me.
BRIGHT BURNING STARS has everything I enjoy in a young adult novel, and while it doesn't exactly espouse feminist principles, I gloried in the high drama and illicit romance. I think this is a book that could just as easily be enjoyed by adults, as well as teens - I certainly did.
Thanks to the publisher for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review!
4.5 stars
May 15, 2019
Marine and Kate have attended the Paris Opera Ballet School since they were tiny. The two are the best of friends and have bonded over tragedy and dance.
Just before their final year of school, a student is found murdered. This makes the girls question how far they would go to win. Winning means being selected to join the corps de ballet. There are many desperate options.
Each girl gets closer to the top placed male dancer…this happens at the same time.
Selection day approaches, and the girls are now competing for both this guy and the corps. Their friendship lies in the balance.
Bright Burning Stars captures the drama and cattiness that can occur behind the scenes in dance troupes. I took dance several years ago, and I remember the competition amongst dancers. It was fierce! The author was a dancer, and she has plenty of insight and real-life experience adding to this novel and making it feel even more authentic.
Bright Burning Stars is a book about competition versus friendship, and how to win and have it all, we may have to lose those closest to us. Is it ever worth the sacrifice?
I loved how the tension mounted as the corps selection approached. I felt an anxiety along with the characters. I intuited the pressure that each dancer feels, through their painful feet, all the way to their shaking hands. Overall, I found Bright Burning Stars to be an exciting and dramatic read.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
Just before their final year of school, a student is found murdered. This makes the girls question how far they would go to win. Winning means being selected to join the corps de ballet. There are many desperate options.
Each girl gets closer to the top placed male dancer…this happens at the same time.
Selection day approaches, and the girls are now competing for both this guy and the corps. Their friendship lies in the balance.
Bright Burning Stars captures the drama and cattiness that can occur behind the scenes in dance troupes. I took dance several years ago, and I remember the competition amongst dancers. It was fierce! The author was a dancer, and she has plenty of insight and real-life experience adding to this novel and making it feel even more authentic.
Bright Burning Stars is a book about competition versus friendship, and how to win and have it all, we may have to lose those closest to us. Is it ever worth the sacrifice?
I loved how the tension mounted as the corps selection approached. I felt an anxiety along with the characters. I intuited the pressure that each dancer feels, through their painful feet, all the way to their shaking hands. Overall, I found Bright Burning Stars to be an exciting and dramatic read.
I received a complimentary copy. All opinions are my own.
My reviews can also be found on my blog: www.jennifertarheelreader.com
May 25, 2019
ᏗᏬᏖᏂᏋᏁᏖᎥፈ. ᏗᏰᏕᎧᏒᏰᎥᏁᎶ. ᎴᏗᏒᏦ.
A.K. Small’s debut is authentic, absorbing, and dark. Marine and Kate have trained their entire lives to be ballet dancers. They are attending an elite ballet school in Paris. A rigorous competitive program with weekly rankings and only one female and one mail dancer earning a spot in the company at the end of it all. Kate and Marine have always been the best of friends, but can their friendship survive as the competition gets hotter?“What would you do for the prize?“
The competition, the pain, the stress, it was all so intense. Marine had amazing musicality and danced for her twin brother Ollie who had passed away. Kate has tremendous passion and a fire in her belly that was fueled when her mother abandoned her. Both girls had likable and not so likable qualities. I felt for them because they were living such a competitive life. I’d imagine being judged and raided every single week would lead to tremendous jealousy. There was always that nagging question of what would you do? How far would you go? The girls had even created a game around it, but at some point it’s as though the game turned into reality.
This book also addressed many serious issues such as eating disorders, depression, abortion, obsession, and drug use. I applaud the author for taking these issues on, I’m sure they are prevalent in the dance world. However, I kind of felt as though these issues were just glossed over with no real resolution or consequence. This is a young adult book and I do want to make it clear that these issues were also not glorified, they just probably needed some more comprehensive discussion. My daughter was a competitive dancer (yes I was a dance mom) certainly not at this level, but I did find a lot of this very relatable. Made me wonder though how this would appeal to people without much dance knowledge? There is a lot of dance terminology, not that you need to know it to understand the book. But this is a book about dance, the dance world, the dancers, end it is dark. And it is real. And it is raw. Just like the dancers leave it all on the stage, Miss Small left it all on the pages of this book.
*** many thanks to Algonquin for my copy of this book ***
A.K. Small’s debut is authentic, absorbing, and dark. Marine and Kate have trained their entire lives to be ballet dancers. They are attending an elite ballet school in Paris. A rigorous competitive program with weekly rankings and only one female and one mail dancer earning a spot in the company at the end of it all. Kate and Marine have always been the best of friends, but can their friendship survive as the competition gets hotter?“What would you do for the prize?“
The competition, the pain, the stress, it was all so intense. Marine had amazing musicality and danced for her twin brother Ollie who had passed away. Kate has tremendous passion and a fire in her belly that was fueled when her mother abandoned her. Both girls had likable and not so likable qualities. I felt for them because they were living such a competitive life. I’d imagine being judged and raided every single week would lead to tremendous jealousy. There was always that nagging question of what would you do? How far would you go? The girls had even created a game around it, but at some point it’s as though the game turned into reality.
This book also addressed many serious issues such as eating disorders, depression, abortion, obsession, and drug use. I applaud the author for taking these issues on, I’m sure they are prevalent in the dance world. However, I kind of felt as though these issues were just glossed over with no real resolution or consequence. This is a young adult book and I do want to make it clear that these issues were also not glorified, they just probably needed some more comprehensive discussion. My daughter was a competitive dancer (yes I was a dance mom) certainly not at this level, but I did find a lot of this very relatable. Made me wonder though how this would appeal to people without much dance knowledge? There is a lot of dance terminology, not that you need to know it to understand the book. But this is a book about dance, the dance world, the dancers, end it is dark. And it is real. And it is raw. Just like the dancers leave it all on the stage, Miss Small left it all on the pages of this book.
*** many thanks to Algonquin for my copy of this book ***
May 25, 2019
“What would you do for the prize?"
Well...for starters I was not expecting this to be as dark as it was, however, that made it all the more difficult to put this one down. Ever since I watched Black Swan years ago I became super intrigued at how cutthroat the ballet/dance world is. The time and dedication dancers put into perfecting their look, their body, and their moves is both amazing and horrifying at times to see the lengths some of these dancers will go to. This book absolutely nailed that fine line of amazement and horror.
Marine and Kate, are both dancers at Nanterre, think a super elite dance school in Paris. Initially, Marine and Kate make a pact that they will do everything they can to win the Prize together, which essentially is an opportunity for the best dancer to join the dance company. But as the competition gets closer the girls know only one of them will make it and both of them will do whatever it takes to win that spot, even if it means ruining their friendship. I can't say that I was smitten by either of the characters because they're really not lovable people and I wasn't rooting for one more than the other, however, due to how fast paced this book is I still found myself racing to see how it ends regardless of not really loving either of the girls.
Now, on to how dark this book got! First and foremost, please know that this paragraph will be about the trigger warnings in this book, but some may also find these to be semi-spoilery - so please read at your own risk. This book tackles some heavy issues, ones that I was not expecting to be so severe but I'm sure are also a very common thing in the competitive dance world. For me personally, these did not change the way I felt about the book but in fact made the story that much more compelling and left me desperate to know how it ends. Some of the topics you can expect in this book are drug use, abortion, grief of a loved one, parental abandonment, eating disorders, suicide/suicide attempt, and body dysmorphia. So yeah, some pretty heavy stuff and while at first I was nervous how this was all going to be handled I do have to say that it definitely does take a more positive turn in the end.
While I won't give away the ending just know I was extremely happy with it. Books that tackle heavy topics like this and end on an open ended note have a special place in my heart. All in all, this was a fantastic debut and I absolutely cannot wait to read more by this author. As a dancer herself you can tell how much of her heart and soul she poured into this book to bring it to life. Bright Burning Stars is out now and definitely deserves a spot on your TBR. Trust me, you won't be able to put this one down.
Thank you to Alqonquin Young Readers for reaching out and inviting me to be a part of this blog tour!
Blog | Twitter | Instagram
Well...for starters I was not expecting this to be as dark as it was, however, that made it all the more difficult to put this one down. Ever since I watched Black Swan years ago I became super intrigued at how cutthroat the ballet/dance world is. The time and dedication dancers put into perfecting their look, their body, and their moves is both amazing and horrifying at times to see the lengths some of these dancers will go to. This book absolutely nailed that fine line of amazement and horror.
Marine and Kate, are both dancers at Nanterre, think a super elite dance school in Paris. Initially, Marine and Kate make a pact that they will do everything they can to win the Prize together, which essentially is an opportunity for the best dancer to join the dance company. But as the competition gets closer the girls know only one of them will make it and both of them will do whatever it takes to win that spot, even if it means ruining their friendship. I can't say that I was smitten by either of the characters because they're really not lovable people and I wasn't rooting for one more than the other, however, due to how fast paced this book is I still found myself racing to see how it ends regardless of not really loving either of the girls.
Now, on to how dark this book got! First and foremost, please know that this paragraph will be about the trigger warnings in this book, but some may also find these to be semi-spoilery - so please read at your own risk. This book tackles some heavy issues, ones that I was not expecting to be so severe but I'm sure are also a very common thing in the competitive dance world. For me personally, these did not change the way I felt about the book but in fact made the story that much more compelling and left me desperate to know how it ends. Some of the topics you can expect in this book are drug use, abortion, grief of a loved one, parental abandonment, eating disorders, suicide/suicide attempt, and body dysmorphia. So yeah, some pretty heavy stuff and while at first I was nervous how this was all going to be handled I do have to say that it definitely does take a more positive turn in the end.
While I won't give away the ending just know I was extremely happy with it. Books that tackle heavy topics like this and end on an open ended note have a special place in my heart. All in all, this was a fantastic debut and I absolutely cannot wait to read more by this author. As a dancer herself you can tell how much of her heart and soul she poured into this book to bring it to life. Bright Burning Stars is out now and definitely deserves a spot on your TBR. Trust me, you won't be able to put this one down.
Thank you to Alqonquin Young Readers for reaching out and inviting me to be a part of this blog tour!
Blog | Twitter | Instagram
May 21, 2019
3.5 stars
Happy Pub Day!
Bright Burning Stars is compelling, feverish, and claustrophobically competitive—but its trigger warnings and character arcs were hard for me. This is the case of a story that was written well, described well, and covered a unique place setting in YA....but ultimately did not work for me to due its handling of dark themes.
Setting: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★★ 1/2
Characters: ★★★ 1/2
Compelling factor: ★★★★
Discussion of problematic topics: I did not like certain elements.
I've included a concise list of the trigger warnings at the end of my review. Please read both that list and the spoilers included below to get a full description on the warnings listed.
Bright Burning Stars follows the split POVs of two best friends, Kate and Marine, who are enrolled in their final year as Division One students at an elite ballet training school in Paris, France. Division One is ruthless, cutthroat, and unrelenting in its drive to win—at the end of the year, only one boy and one girl receive the Prize out of the handful of final year students. Enter the unhealthy competitiveness of the ballet industry that is forever immortalized in narratives such as Black Swan, etc.
Kate and Marine immediately bonded when they met at the start of their training, and we're made to believe that their friendship is a solid bedrock of shared experience and almost-sisterly love.
It's not a healthy relationship from the start.
Kate and Marine find themselves dealing with their own individual insecurities and disorders over the course of the year in their drive to win the final Prize. In addition to their own struggles to succeed among tough instructors and fellow students, there is also a fellow student named Cirille—nicknamed the Demigod—who both girls become entwined with both romantically and professionally. It's not a perfect love triangle (it's actually pretty unique), but it's there in concept.
KATE is intensely jealous, insecure, and manipulative—she uses her relationship with Marine to make herself feel better, no matter the cost. There are implications made to imply that Kate's emotional responses to situations are a mental illness, but there is never a formal diagnosis discussed and in my opinion, it fell into some problematic descriptions. Kate needs the approval of others and the feeling of success at the expense of those around her. In addition to blurring the lines of the professional and the friendly, Kate also has deep-seated insecurities that manifest romantically in an incredibly unhealthy way—but more on that later.
MARINE used to have a twin, but he passed away tragically and left her with the self-imposed burden of completing his dream of making it in the Parisian ballet scene without him. Marine is not "naturally thin" (whatever that means in this context, as she obviously is quite trim by default as a ballet student). Due to the nature of ballet and the frequent weigh-ins, discussions of weight, and etc., Marine's insecurity about her size takes an unhealthy turn as she attempts to internally compete with the thinner ballet students through an eating disorder that develops over the course of the novel.
I honestly didn't mind several aspects of the story, including the lack of descriptions, inconsistent pacing, and underdeveloped side characters. To me, this interesting use of narrative focus provided a clear window into the self-obsessed worlds of Kate and Marine, and I was on board. BUT I did have several problems with the execution of Kate and Marie's character arcs and the resolutions that occurred for each of them. This is not a wholesome novel, filled with happy endings. Like life it is messy, not always politically correct, and leaves you wanting more of an ending.
On the one hand, I loved that it did not shy away from the hard truths and dark topics it was addressing. The writing was good, and the plot was unputdownable. I literally could not stop reading this story. However, I really struggled with the handling of several of the issues discussed. I think Bright Burning Stars was here to share its truth in a raw, unflinching light—and it definitely succeeded. It just was not a favorite for me.
Trigger Warnings:
*****
Original notes: Ahhhhh it’s coming out this month! I should probably read the ARC now, yeah? Can’t wait to dive into the cutthroat world of the Paris Opera Ballet in this YA.
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
Happy Pub Day!
Bright Burning Stars is compelling, feverish, and claustrophobically competitive—but its trigger warnings and character arcs were hard for me. This is the case of a story that was written well, described well, and covered a unique place setting in YA....but ultimately did not work for me to due its handling of dark themes.
Setting: ★★★★★
Pacing: ★★★ 1/2
Characters: ★★★ 1/2
Compelling factor: ★★★★
Discussion of problematic topics: I did not like certain elements.
I've included a concise list of the trigger warnings at the end of my review. Please read both that list and the spoilers included below to get a full description on the warnings listed.
Bright Burning Stars follows the split POVs of two best friends, Kate and Marine, who are enrolled in their final year as Division One students at an elite ballet training school in Paris, France. Division One is ruthless, cutthroat, and unrelenting in its drive to win—at the end of the year, only one boy and one girl receive the Prize out of the handful of final year students. Enter the unhealthy competitiveness of the ballet industry that is forever immortalized in narratives such as Black Swan, etc.
Kate and Marine immediately bonded when they met at the start of their training, and we're made to believe that their friendship is a solid bedrock of shared experience and almost-sisterly love.
It's not a healthy relationship from the start.
Kate and Marine find themselves dealing with their own individual insecurities and disorders over the course of the year in their drive to win the final Prize. In addition to their own struggles to succeed among tough instructors and fellow students, there is also a fellow student named Cirille—nicknamed the Demigod—who both girls become entwined with both romantically and professionally. It's not a perfect love triangle (it's actually pretty unique), but it's there in concept.
KATE is intensely jealous, insecure, and manipulative—she uses her relationship with Marine to make herself feel better, no matter the cost. There are implications made to imply that Kate's emotional responses to situations are a mental illness, but there is never a formal diagnosis discussed and in my opinion, it fell into some problematic descriptions. Kate needs the approval of others and the feeling of success at the expense of those around her. In addition to blurring the lines of the professional and the friendly, Kate also has deep-seated insecurities that manifest romantically in an incredibly unhealthy way—but more on that later.
MARINE used to have a twin, but he passed away tragically and left her with the self-imposed burden of completing his dream of making it in the Parisian ballet scene without him. Marine is not "naturally thin" (whatever that means in this context, as she obviously is quite trim by default as a ballet student). Due to the nature of ballet and the frequent weigh-ins, discussions of weight, and etc., Marine's insecurity about her size takes an unhealthy turn as she attempts to internally compete with the thinner ballet students through an eating disorder that develops over the course of the novel.
I honestly didn't mind several aspects of the story, including the lack of descriptions, inconsistent pacing, and underdeveloped side characters. To me, this interesting use of narrative focus provided a clear window into the self-obsessed worlds of Kate and Marine, and I was on board. BUT I did have several problems with the execution of Kate and Marie's character arcs and the resolutions that occurred for each of them. This is not a wholesome novel, filled with happy endings. Like life it is messy, not always politically correct, and leaves you wanting more of an ending.
On the one hand, I loved that it did not shy away from the hard truths and dark topics it was addressing. The writing was good, and the plot was unputdownable. I literally could not stop reading this story. However, I really struggled with the handling of several of the issues discussed. I think Bright Burning Stars was here to share its truth in a raw, unflinching light—and it definitely succeeded. It just was not a favorite for me.
Trigger Warnings:
*****
Original notes: Ahhhhh it’s coming out this month! I should probably read the ARC now, yeah? Can’t wait to dive into the cutthroat world of the Paris Opera Ballet in this YA.
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for an ARC of this title in exchange for an honest review.
May 20, 2019
I fell in love with this cover and was eager to read this book. I love books with dance in them and thought this would offer a good glimpse into the competitiveness of ballet. However, I have never been a fan of toxic female relationships; there are few books I've read where I thought that was done successfully. Unfortunately, there was a lot of problematic issues that stemmed from Marine and Kate's friendship and not all were handled well.
Bright Burning Stars touches on ballet culture, eating disorders, abortion, and toxic relationships (both friendship and romantic). It was a lot of serious topics, probably too many to tackle in one book, and I wasn't a fan of how many were handled. I wish they would have been explored in more detail and fleshed out better.
I received an advanced copy from Algonquin Young Readers in return for an honest review.
Bright Burning Stars touches on ballet culture, eating disorders, abortion, and toxic relationships (both friendship and romantic). It was a lot of serious topics, probably too many to tackle in one book, and I wasn't a fan of how many were handled. I wish they would have been explored in more detail and fleshed out better.
I received an advanced copy from Algonquin Young Readers in return for an honest review.
Read
May 21, 2019In my own mind, ballet or dance books fall into two categories: those that focus on the euphoria of performance, especially when aware that one is dancing their best, and then there are those that look at the darker side of dance.
Take a glance at the cover. Pretty, isn’t it?
But look at that dancer’s eyes. It’s a very suitable cover for this book, centered around a pair of dancers at the prestigious Paris Opera House ballet school in Paris. These two girls swear eternal friendship—while competing strenuously, along with the rest of their class of “rats,” to be the single dancer chosen to get the Prize, a chance of promotion to the Opera House.
A dancer I once knew told me about a recurring dream she had: she walked out onto the stage to perform barefoot. The stage was covered with what appeared to be glittering snow, but as she took her first leap, she looked down to discover it was really glass shards. And somehow she had to keep herself dancing in the air, for if she landed, she knew the glass would cut her feet to ribbons.
Reading Bright Burning Stars brought back that dream told me some thirty years ago. The details of ballet are impeccable in this book. The plot gains tremendous velocity as our two dancers, Kate and Marine, compete with their class, and with each other, not only for the Prize, but for the attention of the charismatic boy who leads the male dancers, whose self-absorbed drive would give any girl outside of that high-octane atmosphere serious pause.
Who will excel enough to win? By the time you find out, ending the book with somewhat the same emotional exhaustion of a day-long rehearsal, you reflect on the price of that contest, which runs the gamut of mental illness, suicide, emotional dysfunction, abortion, drug abuse, and of course the extremes of self-abuse in order to achieve that admired skeletal profile. It’s compellingly written, but all in all, it’s more a cautionary tale than a celebration of the sheer exhilaration of dance.
About the only debut-writer problem I found with the prose in this book was the occasional interlarding of French phrases—which were then translated into English, calling awkward attention to the fact that the book takes place in Paris, and everybody is speaking French. Perhaps the editor gave that a pass (or even demanded it) because the book is slanting for a teen audience, which makes it even more puzzling—I’d think that any reader who is able to deal with abortion, drug use, suicide, eating disorders, and severe emotional disfunction is more than capable of figuring out simple sentences from context. (If she’s not already studying French because of an interest in ballet.)
Copy provided by NetGalley
Take a glance at the cover. Pretty, isn’t it?
But look at that dancer’s eyes. It’s a very suitable cover for this book, centered around a pair of dancers at the prestigious Paris Opera House ballet school in Paris. These two girls swear eternal friendship—while competing strenuously, along with the rest of their class of “rats,” to be the single dancer chosen to get the Prize, a chance of promotion to the Opera House.
A dancer I once knew told me about a recurring dream she had: she walked out onto the stage to perform barefoot. The stage was covered with what appeared to be glittering snow, but as she took her first leap, she looked down to discover it was really glass shards. And somehow she had to keep herself dancing in the air, for if she landed, she knew the glass would cut her feet to ribbons.
Reading Bright Burning Stars brought back that dream told me some thirty years ago. The details of ballet are impeccable in this book. The plot gains tremendous velocity as our two dancers, Kate and Marine, compete with their class, and with each other, not only for the Prize, but for the attention of the charismatic boy who leads the male dancers, whose self-absorbed drive would give any girl outside of that high-octane atmosphere serious pause.
Who will excel enough to win? By the time you find out, ending the book with somewhat the same emotional exhaustion of a day-long rehearsal, you reflect on the price of that contest, which runs the gamut of mental illness, suicide, emotional dysfunction, abortion, drug abuse, and of course the extremes of self-abuse in order to achieve that admired skeletal profile. It’s compellingly written, but all in all, it’s more a cautionary tale than a celebration of the sheer exhilaration of dance.
About the only debut-writer problem I found with the prose in this book was the occasional interlarding of French phrases—which were then translated into English, calling awkward attention to the fact that the book takes place in Paris, and everybody is speaking French. Perhaps the editor gave that a pass (or even demanded it) because the book is slanting for a teen audience, which makes it even more puzzling—I’d think that any reader who is able to deal with abortion, drug use, suicide, eating disorders, and severe emotional disfunction is more than capable of figuring out simple sentences from context. (If she’s not already studying French because of an interest in ballet.)
Copy provided by NetGalley
March 12, 2021
4.5 stars.
Drama and angst and jealousy at a Parisian ballet academy? Sign me up for A.K. Small's Bright Burning Stars !
Marine and Kate have been roommates and best friends for years at the Paris Opera Ballet School. They’ve both weathered moments of emotional and physical exhaustion, backbiting rivalries, and constant pressure to be at the top of their game dance-wise or be sent home.
But as they enter their final year, the desire to win the ultimate prize becomes even stronger. Only one female dancer will be asked to join the Opera’s legendary ballet company. It will make that girl a star.
How far will Marine and Kate go to win that prize? Are they willing to lie? Cheat? Sabotage? Seduce the most handsome and gifted male dancer at the school, whom they've nicknamed "The Demigod"? Sacrifice everything, including their friendship? As both struggle with issues that could end their time at the school prematurely—and perhaps even their careers or their lives—they must decide if ballet and winning are the most important things for them.
Along the way there will be flirtations and romantic dalliances, accusations, and lots of tension, but lots of dancing as well. If you’re a fan of movies like Center Stage , then you know what kinds of issues the characters confront. (They’re actually adapting this book into an Amazon Prime movie called Birds of Paradise later this year.)
A.K. Small was a dancer, so this book definitely feels authentic. At times you forget that these characters aren’t adults, but quickly something brings you back into focus. I love dramas like these and couldn’t get enough!
Algonquin Young Readers allowed me to be part of the blog tour for Bright Burning Stars and sent me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the last decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Drama and angst and jealousy at a Parisian ballet academy? Sign me up for A.K. Small's Bright Burning Stars !
Marine and Kate have been roommates and best friends for years at the Paris Opera Ballet School. They’ve both weathered moments of emotional and physical exhaustion, backbiting rivalries, and constant pressure to be at the top of their game dance-wise or be sent home.
But as they enter their final year, the desire to win the ultimate prize becomes even stronger. Only one female dancer will be asked to join the Opera’s legendary ballet company. It will make that girl a star.
How far will Marine and Kate go to win that prize? Are they willing to lie? Cheat? Sabotage? Seduce the most handsome and gifted male dancer at the school, whom they've nicknamed "The Demigod"? Sacrifice everything, including their friendship? As both struggle with issues that could end their time at the school prematurely—and perhaps even their careers or their lives—they must decide if ballet and winning are the most important things for them.
Along the way there will be flirtations and romantic dalliances, accusations, and lots of tension, but lots of dancing as well. If you’re a fan of movies like Center Stage , then you know what kinds of issues the characters confront. (They’re actually adapting this book into an Amazon Prime movie called Birds of Paradise later this year.)
A.K. Small was a dancer, so this book definitely feels authentic. At times you forget that these characters aren’t adults, but quickly something brings you back into focus. I love dramas like these and couldn’t get enough!
Algonquin Young Readers allowed me to be part of the blog tour for Bright Burning Stars and sent me a complimentary copy of the book in exchange for an unbiased review. Thanks for making it available!
Check out my list of the best books I read in 2020 at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2021/01/the-best-books-i-read-in-2020.html.
Check out my list of the best books of the last decade at https://itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com/2020/01/my-favorite-books-of-decade.html.
See all of my reviews at itseithersadnessoreuphoria.blogspot.com.
Follow me on Instagram at https://www.instagram.com/the.bookishworld.of.yrralh/.
Shelved as 'other'
May 24, 2020
April 29, 2020
4 Stars for Bright Burning Stars (audiobook) by A. K. Small read by Saskia Maarleveld. This was a great story. Ballet school in France — what’s not to like? I might be biased but I love ballet. I enjoy any chance I get to see what it’s like in that world. The narration was good too.
July 22, 2019
ok. ok. I love a dance movie/book, so when I skimmed the description on NetGalley, my brain understood "French ballet boarding school" and downloaded it immediately.
This was...fine. I liked the ballet stuff, though there's not much here that's groundbreaking if you've ever seen/read any other dance movie/book. Eating disorders? Sexually charged dance partners? Gross ouchy feet? You don't say. But that stuff is all done well, if you're into that kind of thing, which I am.
A linguistic pet peeve: this is set in France, the characters (except one) are French, they're presumably speaking French all the time but we're reading the dialogue translated because, you know, that's how books work. Except sometimes a random French word is thrown in the dialogue. So what's that, like, double-French?? (SOMETIMES this is for a specific phrase with the purpose of translating the difference between that and a similar English idiom, which makes sense for the American character, but sometimes it's just like bonjour or whatever, and like, why.)
But HERE'S THE SPOILER I WANT TO DIG INTO:
:O
This was...fine. I liked the ballet stuff, though there's not much here that's groundbreaking if you've ever seen/read any other dance movie/book. Eating disorders? Sexually charged dance partners? Gross ouchy feet? You don't say. But that stuff is all done well, if you're into that kind of thing, which I am.
A linguistic pet peeve: this is set in France, the characters (except one) are French, they're presumably speaking French all the time but we're reading the dialogue translated because, you know, that's how books work. Except sometimes a random French word is thrown in the dialogue. So what's that, like, double-French?? (SOMETIMES this is for a specific phrase with the purpose of translating the difference between that and a similar English idiom, which makes sense for the American character, but sometimes it's just like bonjour or whatever, and like, why.)
But HERE'S THE SPOILER I WANT TO DIG INTO:
:O
May 18, 2019
View blog tour post on my blog Library in the Country
Bright Burning Stars is a tumultuous, dramatic and frenzied read that shows the dark side of a competitive ballet school, in the vein of Black Swan.
Best friends Marine and Kate would do almost anything to win the coveted Prize … to become one of the students retained for the Paris Opera’s ballet company. The problem? There is only room for one male and female pair. Despite their friendship, Marine and Kate are rivals and their loyalties to each other will be tested. With sights set on the Prize, both girls become entangled with Cyrille, aka The Demigod, considered to be the best male dancer in the student company and a ballet prodigy.
Things get pretty intense from here and I would only recommend this to mature readers, as the story tackles some realistic but tough topics. The relationships in this book are highly manipulative and toxic and the characters use each other for their own gain, while lacking a degree a emotional connection. Some of the darker themes in this story could have been better highlighted and discussed and the adults in this story certainly should have played a larger role in ensuring the mental and physical health of their students.
That said, the setting of this book is superb and this is the type of book one could compulsively read over a weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed the competitive aspect. You never knew what the characters would do next, especially Kate, to achieve their goals.
Overall, this book is a dark contemporary showing how cutthroat the world of ballet is. This book is psychologically taxing at times, but never ceases in dishing out the drama!
Trigger warning for eating disorders, mental illness, suicide, abortion, unclear sexual consent, and unhealthy romantic relationships and friendships.
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review and inviting me to be a host on the blog tour.
Bright Burning Stars is a tumultuous, dramatic and frenzied read that shows the dark side of a competitive ballet school, in the vein of Black Swan.
Best friends Marine and Kate would do almost anything to win the coveted Prize … to become one of the students retained for the Paris Opera’s ballet company. The problem? There is only room for one male and female pair. Despite their friendship, Marine and Kate are rivals and their loyalties to each other will be tested. With sights set on the Prize, both girls become entangled with Cyrille, aka The Demigod, considered to be the best male dancer in the student company and a ballet prodigy.
Things get pretty intense from here and I would only recommend this to mature readers, as the story tackles some realistic but tough topics. The relationships in this book are highly manipulative and toxic and the characters use each other for their own gain, while lacking a degree a emotional connection. Some of the darker themes in this story could have been better highlighted and discussed and the adults in this story certainly should have played a larger role in ensuring the mental and physical health of their students.
That said, the setting of this book is superb and this is the type of book one could compulsively read over a weekend. I thoroughly enjoyed the competitive aspect. You never knew what the characters would do next, especially Kate, to achieve their goals.
Overall, this book is a dark contemporary showing how cutthroat the world of ballet is. This book is psychologically taxing at times, but never ceases in dishing out the drama!
Trigger warning for eating disorders, mental illness, suicide, abortion, unclear sexual consent, and unhealthy romantic relationships and friendships.
Thank you to Algonquin Young Readers for sending me a copy in exchange for an honest review and inviting me to be a host on the blog tour.
June 23, 2019
I bought this when I visited my best friend in May but it was Nenia's review that pushed me to pick this up when my book-confidence was running low (bookslumps suck!)
This was an intense and beautiful book. Made me glad I wasn't a part of the dancing world.. I don't know if I could survive the competitive atmosphere and the intensity of it.
You have to admire dancers and gymnasts... the control over their bodies and the artistry blows me away sometimes... well, all the time :)
At times I wanted to smack certain people and the stuff the dance world put these characters through. As the story goes on, you understand more of everyone.. little and not so little things happen that, for me, made the story more compelling and I was more... understanding of everything I guess? That came out wrong but I hope you get what I mean.
Small doesn't shy away from the difficult stuff, or makes it all magically go away when certain things happen.
A couple of times Black Swan crossed my mind... not making comparisons, just my personal impressions/mini impressions.
This book deserves all the praise and I hope more people pick it up. It was really easy to get lost in this and not come up for air, so to speak.
This was an intense and beautiful book. Made me glad I wasn't a part of the dancing world.. I don't know if I could survive the competitive atmosphere and the intensity of it.
You have to admire dancers and gymnasts... the control over their bodies and the artistry blows me away sometimes... well, all the time :)
At times I wanted to smack certain people and the stuff the dance world put these characters through. As the story goes on, you understand more of everyone.. little and not so little things happen that, for me, made the story more compelling and I was more... understanding of everything I guess? That came out wrong but I hope you get what I mean.
Small doesn't shy away from the difficult stuff, or makes it all magically go away when certain things happen.
A couple of times Black Swan crossed my mind... not making comparisons, just my personal impressions/mini impressions.
This book deserves all the praise and I hope more people pick it up. It was really easy to get lost in this and not come up for air, so to speak.
March 27, 2023
Rtc but.. overal rating: 2.5/5⭐️s. Super disappointed in this one😭
May 18, 2019
I read to 50% and then skipped to the last two chapters.
I was 1000% here for the murder-y sounding synopsis. I expected a little more of a mystery type story than cutthroat ambition.
I didn’t really connect to either Kate or Marine. Both of their POVs sounded the same to me and a couple of times I had to go back to find out whose head I was in. All of the other characters are quite flat, no one felt fleshed out and if it’s on purpose, it did a great job of showing how the girls were alienated.
Plot wise...I don’t know. It seemed odd to me right from the start, but I was hoping I would settle into it. Since I didn’t really care for the MCs, I didn’t care about their journey. I will say that the ballet scenes felt authentic and the atmosphere of Paris was fantastic.
Overall, It seems that this book just wasn’t for me as I was disappointed.
FYI: in what I read of this book, there was depression, eating disorders, drug use, abortion, and thoughts of suicide.
**Huge thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for providing the arc free of charge**
I was 1000% here for the murder-y sounding synopsis. I expected a little more of a mystery type story than cutthroat ambition.
I didn’t really connect to either Kate or Marine. Both of their POVs sounded the same to me and a couple of times I had to go back to find out whose head I was in. All of the other characters are quite flat, no one felt fleshed out and if it’s on purpose, it did a great job of showing how the girls were alienated.
Plot wise...I don’t know. It seemed odd to me right from the start, but I was hoping I would settle into it. Since I didn’t really care for the MCs, I didn’t care about their journey. I will say that the ballet scenes felt authentic and the atmosphere of Paris was fantastic.
Overall, It seems that this book just wasn’t for me as I was disappointed.
FYI: in what I read of this book, there was depression, eating disorders, drug use, abortion, and thoughts of suicide.
**Huge thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for providing the arc free of charge**
Read
May 11, 2020I SPED through this book (started it this morning) and it was very compelling although I have mixed feelings about some of it!
Content Warnings (super huge + definitely recommend you look at these if you have any triggers):
Content Warnings (super huge + definitely recommend you look at these if you have any triggers):
June 15, 2019
Originally published on The Nerd Daily | Review by Tasha Leigh
Bright Burning Stars is the tale of two prima ballerina hopefuls and their journey through their year as first class “rats” at the prestigious Nanterre Ballet Academy. Having been friends since they were in Division 6, Marine and Kate have each other’s backs regardless of their position in life and will support each other to the very end. Each after a single coveted spot with the Paris Opera, they are determined that one of them will take the crown.
The novel starts with the girls having come back from the shocking loss of one of their peers after she is found dead in her single room’s twin bed. The news has shaken up their entire division right on the eve of the commencement of their final year and the friends are determined not to let it get to them. Marine, the ever faithful friend, ranks lower in the scores than primadonna Kate, but so long as one of them wins the title, everything will be fine. Right? Wrong!
Enter the Demigod, a sweet-talking, hunk of a dancer and the love interest of, well, to be honest everyone who exists within the wall of the Nanterre Academy. When he starts to pay romantic attention to both of the girls, things start to heat up and loyalties are abandoned.
With Marine and Kate, you get what you would expect of ballerina hopefuls. They train all day and night, obsessively watch what they eat, and then generally act like teenage girls should during their spare time. As roommates since they both arrived at their prestigious school, they have developed a best friend relationship to rival all bestie relationships. They giggle and compare boys and come out altogether mostly whole by the end. It’s sweet and gets even the most blackhole-instead-of-a-heart Ice Queen to feel all the things.
In the grand scheme of all things character development though, although the girls are the centre of the narrative (now don’t throw things), the male characters were better. There’s the Demigod who is slick and stunning both in appearance and his dance style – while reading this, I could envisage all the sweettalking pas de deux partners of my younger years. His charisma and talent and machismo all bundled into one highly toned, hunk of a teenager, as would be expected of a male dancer who is so close to being a professional.
Then there’s Luc, the absolute polar opposite of the Demigod. Luc is guy friend goals – he’s sweet and thoughtful and just generally marshmallowy. Yeah, he’s missing some bits (literally) but I mean who doesn’t love the underdog?
This leads me to the final dancer in the Holy Trinity of eye candy, Benjamin Desjardins. He’s the ‘older guy’ of the piece, which kind of doesn’t really say much because it’s teenage girls at the centre of this story. Benjamin has it all but wants more. He has the prestige, the fame, and the constant stream of attractive women throwing themselves at him, but who doesn’t want more if they can have it? I think he was probably my favourite character out of everyone because well he’s just a bit of a jerk to be honest.
Now, if you aren’t familiar with the world of ballet, expect to be pulling out a dictionary a lot or searching YouTube for videos of various moves. The author utilises traditional ballet terminology throughout Bright Burning Stars and even throws in some extra French for good measure. I will note here though that most French used throughout is explained in English within a few words to a sentence, so don’t fear the unfamiliar!
So, this brings me to the overall narrative. It’s a typical friends to enemies (kind of) and back to friends again moment. Kate and Marine’s friendship is unbreakable for the most part, but they have a few hiccups along the way. Now I feel it is imperative at this point in the review to tell people that there are some triggering issues discussed throughout this novel. It explores teen pregnancies, suicides, and dives down the rabbit hole of eating disorders. While these may be confronting to some, Small spins the story in such a way that each is treated with the courtesy it should be afforded, never portraying any of it in a light that seems shameful to the characters involved.
When it comes to the final pages, the tale of Kate and Marine culminates in a way that pulls at the heartstrings, lifting any heavy feeling and concluding the narrative in such a way that everything feels neatly tied off. While there is potential for a second book should Small one day wish to revisit this pair of friends, it stands very well on its own. Although the character development of each of the girls felt a little clunky and vague in parts, overall their progression felt logical and natural.
Bright Burning Stars is the tale of two prima ballerina hopefuls and their journey through their year as first class “rats” at the prestigious Nanterre Ballet Academy. Having been friends since they were in Division 6, Marine and Kate have each other’s backs regardless of their position in life and will support each other to the very end. Each after a single coveted spot with the Paris Opera, they are determined that one of them will take the crown.
The novel starts with the girls having come back from the shocking loss of one of their peers after she is found dead in her single room’s twin bed. The news has shaken up their entire division right on the eve of the commencement of their final year and the friends are determined not to let it get to them. Marine, the ever faithful friend, ranks lower in the scores than primadonna Kate, but so long as one of them wins the title, everything will be fine. Right? Wrong!
Enter the Demigod, a sweet-talking, hunk of a dancer and the love interest of, well, to be honest everyone who exists within the wall of the Nanterre Academy. When he starts to pay romantic attention to both of the girls, things start to heat up and loyalties are abandoned.
With Marine and Kate, you get what you would expect of ballerina hopefuls. They train all day and night, obsessively watch what they eat, and then generally act like teenage girls should during their spare time. As roommates since they both arrived at their prestigious school, they have developed a best friend relationship to rival all bestie relationships. They giggle and compare boys and come out altogether mostly whole by the end. It’s sweet and gets even the most blackhole-instead-of-a-heart Ice Queen to feel all the things.
In the grand scheme of all things character development though, although the girls are the centre of the narrative (now don’t throw things), the male characters were better. There’s the Demigod who is slick and stunning both in appearance and his dance style – while reading this, I could envisage all the sweettalking pas de deux partners of my younger years. His charisma and talent and machismo all bundled into one highly toned, hunk of a teenager, as would be expected of a male dancer who is so close to being a professional.
Then there’s Luc, the absolute polar opposite of the Demigod. Luc is guy friend goals – he’s sweet and thoughtful and just generally marshmallowy. Yeah, he’s missing some bits (literally) but I mean who doesn’t love the underdog?
This leads me to the final dancer in the Holy Trinity of eye candy, Benjamin Desjardins. He’s the ‘older guy’ of the piece, which kind of doesn’t really say much because it’s teenage girls at the centre of this story. Benjamin has it all but wants more. He has the prestige, the fame, and the constant stream of attractive women throwing themselves at him, but who doesn’t want more if they can have it? I think he was probably my favourite character out of everyone because well he’s just a bit of a jerk to be honest.
Now, if you aren’t familiar with the world of ballet, expect to be pulling out a dictionary a lot or searching YouTube for videos of various moves. The author utilises traditional ballet terminology throughout Bright Burning Stars and even throws in some extra French for good measure. I will note here though that most French used throughout is explained in English within a few words to a sentence, so don’t fear the unfamiliar!
So, this brings me to the overall narrative. It’s a typical friends to enemies (kind of) and back to friends again moment. Kate and Marine’s friendship is unbreakable for the most part, but they have a few hiccups along the way. Now I feel it is imperative at this point in the review to tell people that there are some triggering issues discussed throughout this novel. It explores teen pregnancies, suicides, and dives down the rabbit hole of eating disorders. While these may be confronting to some, Small spins the story in such a way that each is treated with the courtesy it should be afforded, never portraying any of it in a light that seems shameful to the characters involved.
When it comes to the final pages, the tale of Kate and Marine culminates in a way that pulls at the heartstrings, lifting any heavy feeling and concluding the narrative in such a way that everything feels neatly tied off. While there is potential for a second book should Small one day wish to revisit this pair of friends, it stands very well on its own. Although the character development of each of the girls felt a little clunky and vague in parts, overall their progression felt logical and natural.
August 4, 2019
*3.5
”I think we owe each other one last dance, don’t you?”
First thing first: this book has a lot of triggers. Know that. Go read another review that has a full list.
I also have a lot to say about the cover. Small was robbed; there were so many better possibilities there.
The ending was a bit disappointing; it felt like a lot of stuff was brushed over . But I did like Marine's romance.
Full review to come.
”I think we owe each other one last dance, don’t you?”
First thing first: this book has a lot of triggers. Know that. Go read another review that has a full list.
I also have a lot to say about the cover. Small was robbed; there were so many better possibilities there.
The ending was a bit disappointing; it felt like a lot of stuff was brushed over . But I did like Marine's romance.
Full review to come.
March 9, 2021
I'm very grateful to Algonquin Young Readers for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review & I'm so sorry for the lateness of my review!
This book ended up being a different experience than I expected, this doesn't mean that it was a negative experience as a whole, only I found a heavier book, full of topics that could be triggering for many readers, so I want to begin my review recommending discretion to those who decide to read it, as it contains sensitive topics such as abortion and eating disorders, among others. Personally, I think that this book didn't meet my expectations fully because it has an immature tone in terms of character creation & drama, on the other hand, I liked several aspects, especially the focus on ballet & the focus on this "friendship" which was very interesting to explore.
3/5 ⭐️⭐️⭐️
You can find more of my reviews & fun content on my blog A Book. A Thought.
In Bright Burning Stars, we follow a double POV of the characters of Marine & Kate, two best friends whose bond has grown stronger due to certain family tragedies in their lives and because they also share the same passion for ballet. But when both girls want to be the only girl selected to join the Opera’s prestigious ballet corps, they'll begin to wonder what they're willing to do or how far they're willing to go to win it and we will see that this bond wasn't as solid as we thought.
The promise of the book captivates me, I love that it's about competition, I like that it focuses on this weird/kind of toxic friendship and above all I really like the dark tone behind that invokes betrayals, secrets, and lies, it seems like one of those super addictive plots which I enjoy watching in TV series, for example, but the execution is really messy. This plot is highly focused on the development of the characters, therefore it is a character-driven book, which isn't a problem for me because I love this type of stories, even so, I feel that the main problem that I've had and I think it has It's been something I've seen from other readers as well, it's the feeling that the characters don't grow up enough or don't have that impact to really engage with them. I think it's okay, in fact, I got quite hooked on everything that was happening, but it's true that the girls don't have strong growth towards the end and there's not much learning or evolution regarding their relationship.
This book, as mentioned before, touches on extremely sensitive topics and does so in a rather crude way, so if you're sensitive be very careful with that. I don't want to focus too much on each problem as such since I think that I couldn't give a complete opinion due to my ignorance on certain issues, even so, I want to mention that I would have liked a little more information or commitment on some points, especially in the abortion issue, since the way it's approached in the book seemed to be almost "simple" and "flat" on the other hand, issues such as eating disorders, even mental illnesses and emotional abuse I think they're approached with more "success " Even so, always remembering that my opinion is personal and I haven't gone through these situations, so I cannot speak from my experience but only based on what I've read.
I was surprised while reading for the lack of descriptions in the story, I'm not the biggest fan of descriptions, in fact, I prefer when they're brief but here it seems like it needed it, you know? There's something about the setting that I love and I find it extremely beautiful that it's located in Paris, so I'm surprised that there's not a little more focus on the surroundings. Yet this was only my perception and it may have been totally enough for others. On the other hand, the author's style seemed good to me, I'm not sure if it's for me, though, because even when I enjoy my reading experience, I don't think the way in which the author approaches the story or the structures of the plot itself be for me. Which is fine, this doesn't mean that I can't recommend it anyway.
One of the things I liked the most is exploring a bit about the competitive and more intense side of ballet. Having been a ballet dancer myself I know how the pressure feels and the havoc it can cause on your mental health. I dance for a lot of years, so I know how exhausting it can be and the competitions can be very demanding. So seeing the darker side of all this was very interesting, obviously, I had a wonderful experience, but being a demanding person myself I can understand some situations within the book, and how girls give their all to achieve excellence makes sense to me. Even so, it's not a book that shows a healthy environment, in fact, the author has decided to focus more on all the negative aspects within a competition and decided to add a bit of mystery and tension from the hands of many twists and betrayals around the corner, which was really good.
At times, I was so hooked on this story especially with the whole subject of the competition, the dance school, Paris, and the relationship between Marine & Kate, that's why I say that I've enjoyed this story, even though I know that it has its flaws or at least weak complements that don't add much to the plot itself or are choices that I personally wouldn't have made or simply with which I don't agree, such as the love triangle, for example, you know how I feel about that
Even so, and leaving these things that I haven't liked very much aside, I can recommend it if you want to read something intense with a lot of drama, focused on characters (non-likable ones) that although flat at times are interesting to follow and can provoke many emotions. I don't feel that the growth of these, but it does make sense, sometimes in life things don't go the way we want and the endings aren't always perfect or happy, so here you have one of those outcomes that leave you with a bittersweet taste. So if you enjoy dark, dramatic plots that involve betrayals, friendships, and gossip then surely this will be your cup of tea & even though I'm not entirely convinced with the execution of the idea in general nor the evolution of the characters, I can see why others could enjoy it more.
03/06/21
I can't believe I actually FINISHED A BOOK! *happy dance* lol
I enjoyed the experience of reading this book and am extremely grateful to the publisher for providing you with a copy.
I think that the story itself has its flaws and many times it goes off topic, forgetting at times the main focus which can be somewhat dense, but it's still a good pretty solid read, it's intriguing and all the time I wanted to know what would happen.
I'll bring you my full review in much more detail soon, I promise. But this time it was a good read for me, not impressive, but I would still recommend it 👏🏻
May 10, 2019
Read this review and others on my blog: https://thriftybibliophile.com
Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small is about an elite ballet school and the ballerinas who will stop at nothing to succeed.
Dancers at Nanterre are under immense pressure to perform perfectly and stay slender. They bend and break their bodies, push themselves to impossible limits, and batter their self-esteems. They’re all after one thing: to be offered a spot with a prestigious company of dancers. They refer to it as “the prize.”
What would you do for the prize? Would you die for it? Kill somebody for it? Seduce? Steal?
Marine and Kate have been best friends since they first joined Nanterre, but there’s only one female spot available with the dance company, and they both want it. Competition is fierce, and it drives the two apart as they both fight for first place. Is the prize worth sacrificing friendship?
As the two friends compete, the world around them seems to shatter as they’re focused on one thing and one thing only. When the walls start coming down around them, they’re forced to question what’s really important in life.
I enjoyed reading Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small! The story was fast-paced and engaging! While I didn’t form a strong connection with the characters, I couldn’t help but want to know what was going to happen next. It’s a page-turner! Warning: there are mentions of drug use, abortion, and eating disorders in the book.
I’ve never been a dancer, but I find the professional ballet world fascinating in its rigor and brutality. The author, a former ballet dancer herself, captured this world beautifully. I can’t imagine doing drugs to cope or starving myself to stay a certain shape. The misguided dedication was astounding and captivating to read about.
While fascinating, yes, much of the book was sad too. Marine and Kate have placed their entire self-worth on a single thing: ballet. It’s ballet or bust. If you don’t win the prize, you’re a failure. As the book goes on, the girls start to crack under the intense pressure, though they handle it in different ways.
I thought Cyrille, the demigod, was an interesting character. Cyrille uses people to get ahead, caring little about the consequences. I enjoyed his interactions with the Marine and Kate, even though he was a character I enjoyed hating.
The ending of Bright Burning Stars was great! I had no idea how the book was going to end, but I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. It was nice to see Marine and Kate grow and develop as characters. While one of them grew immensely in a positive, healthy way, the other still has a long road ahead of her.
If you enjoy books set in the world of dance, check out Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small is about an elite ballet school and the ballerinas who will stop at nothing to succeed.
Dancers at Nanterre are under immense pressure to perform perfectly and stay slender. They bend and break their bodies, push themselves to impossible limits, and batter their self-esteems. They’re all after one thing: to be offered a spot with a prestigious company of dancers. They refer to it as “the prize.”
What would you do for the prize? Would you die for it? Kill somebody for it? Seduce? Steal?
Marine and Kate have been best friends since they first joined Nanterre, but there’s only one female spot available with the dance company, and they both want it. Competition is fierce, and it drives the two apart as they both fight for first place. Is the prize worth sacrificing friendship?
As the two friends compete, the world around them seems to shatter as they’re focused on one thing and one thing only. When the walls start coming down around them, they’re forced to question what’s really important in life.
I enjoyed reading Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small! The story was fast-paced and engaging! While I didn’t form a strong connection with the characters, I couldn’t help but want to know what was going to happen next. It’s a page-turner! Warning: there are mentions of drug use, abortion, and eating disorders in the book.
I’ve never been a dancer, but I find the professional ballet world fascinating in its rigor and brutality. The author, a former ballet dancer herself, captured this world beautifully. I can’t imagine doing drugs to cope or starving myself to stay a certain shape. The misguided dedication was astounding and captivating to read about.
While fascinating, yes, much of the book was sad too. Marine and Kate have placed their entire self-worth on a single thing: ballet. It’s ballet or bust. If you don’t win the prize, you’re a failure. As the book goes on, the girls start to crack under the intense pressure, though they handle it in different ways.
I thought Cyrille, the demigod, was an interesting character. Cyrille uses people to get ahead, caring little about the consequences. I enjoyed his interactions with the Marine and Kate, even though he was a character I enjoyed hating.
The ending of Bright Burning Stars was great! I had no idea how the book was going to end, but I was pleasantly surprised by the outcome. It was nice to see Marine and Kate grow and develop as characters. While one of them grew immensely in a positive, healthy way, the other still has a long road ahead of her.
If you enjoy books set in the world of dance, check out Bright Burning Stars by A.K. Small!
Thank you to NetGalley and the publisher for providing the Kindle version of this book in exchange for an honest review.
May 24, 2019
"Compulsively Readable" The best description I've seen so far of this book!
Remember that Natalie Portman movie Black Swan? That was my first glimpse into the intense competition that goes on in the ballet world. Picture that level of competition, obsession, and desire to be the best - but add in being a teenager and dealing with boys? A whole nother level of insecurity, desperation and ambition!
Marine and Kate are among the best of the best at the Paris Opera Ballet School and also the best of friends. Just before they are to embark on their final year - a student is found dead and it leaves them struggling to grapple with the ultimate question: How far would they go to win? To be the best? To be number one?
The competition aspect of this story is INTENSE. Ballet on it's own is an extreme sport in my opinion - the toll it must take on the mind and the body - is nothing short of extraordinary. Throw in the desire to be the best of the best, and how few make it to the top - and you can imagine the stress and the pressure put on these dancers. Just reading as each competition and trial and performance for rankings/selections took place had me anxious and on my toes! I was riveted by the process, the fierceness and felt ALL the emotions.
Also throw in the hardest parts of being a teenager - dating boys, agonizing over weight and appearance, and trying to hang on to your best friend, the ONE person who gets you, but is also your rival - this story had me feverishly turning each page to find out where each dramatic twist and turn would take Marine and Kate.
The buildup was extremely exciting - and I felt the pressure along with each character as they pushed themselves to the limit to dance their very best. But for some - these limits may ultimately be sacrifices they'll have to live with for the rest of their lives. A riveting story from start to finish!
Remember that Natalie Portman movie Black Swan? That was my first glimpse into the intense competition that goes on in the ballet world. Picture that level of competition, obsession, and desire to be the best - but add in being a teenager and dealing with boys? A whole nother level of insecurity, desperation and ambition!
Marine and Kate are among the best of the best at the Paris Opera Ballet School and also the best of friends. Just before they are to embark on their final year - a student is found dead and it leaves them struggling to grapple with the ultimate question: How far would they go to win? To be the best? To be number one?
The competition aspect of this story is INTENSE. Ballet on it's own is an extreme sport in my opinion - the toll it must take on the mind and the body - is nothing short of extraordinary. Throw in the desire to be the best of the best, and how few make it to the top - and you can imagine the stress and the pressure put on these dancers. Just reading as each competition and trial and performance for rankings/selections took place had me anxious and on my toes! I was riveted by the process, the fierceness and felt ALL the emotions.
Also throw in the hardest parts of being a teenager - dating boys, agonizing over weight and appearance, and trying to hang on to your best friend, the ONE person who gets you, but is also your rival - this story had me feverishly turning each page to find out where each dramatic twist and turn would take Marine and Kate.
The buildup was extremely exciting - and I felt the pressure along with each character as they pushed themselves to the limit to dance their very best. But for some - these limits may ultimately be sacrifices they'll have to live with for the rest of their lives. A riveting story from start to finish!
November 7, 2020
I shook my head. What do you know about love? I thought. But then I felt bad. M knew a lot about love, but a different kind of love.
TW: eating disorders, depression, body dysmorphia, abortion, drug use, self-harm.
First one star read of 2020? Took me long enough, I think.
This might be a little rambly because fuck it, I had to read this for uni.
What can I say about this? I hated it. This had everything going for it to be a great read: the concept, messy friendships, hot dudes, a ballet school in PARIS! However, the potential was squandered beyond salvation, and there are very few redeeming qualities about this book and so many things that are wrong with it. From the clunky writing (The scent of my cedar and tea tree shampoo filled the room. unless someone broke shampoo bottles all over the floor, this doesn't make sense), the scarce descriptions (I know it was set in Paris but the atmosphere was nil), the wooden, shallow secondary characters (please drop Cyrille, Jean-Paul, and Benjamin into the nearest volcano), horribly unlikable main characters who do not know how to be compelling to keep me reading, to the slapdash handling of mental health issues, this book is a mess. What else? Ah yes, the pacing is all over the place, the plot is wafer-thin. After reading Elena Ferrante, poorly written toxic female friendships stand out like a sore thumb to me, and in the case of Marine and Kate, it was hard to care about their friendship, considering there was little to no set up before they set it on fire. I didn't see why they were friends, except that they shared Beyoncé songs when they were upset, and they sometimes slept in the same bed. BFFs forever, I guess.
There are dark themes present, but they are not treated with the respect or gravitas they deserve, nor are they fully explored in a way that makes sense.
Take Marine and her battle with an ED. She starves herself throughout the book, something that seriously messes up with your mind and your self-image for years. How did she overcome it? She just... reached enlightenment after fainting in the studio and got over it after the boy she liked (WHO IS KIND OF AN ASSHOLE??) told her she was beautiful with a few kilos. Suddenly, she stopped starving herself. That was when the mild annoyance turned into rage. I still struggle to this day with my ED, which first manifested in high school, and I can assure you that the desire to stop eating doesn't just go away because your crush is like, "you cute any way you look bb."
Then there is Kate. Messy, messy Kate, who falls in love with the first eggplant emoji that walks by her and gives her a modicum of attention. Listen, I get her. I was boy crazy too, but her need to disassociate from the truth so often and so willingly as if she could bend reality to her will didn't sit right with me. How often did Benjamin, the older creep from the company, tell her this was to have fun and not a serious affair? TOO OFTEN. Kate chose to ignore it, going as far as telling Marine that he was practically her fiancé and then becomes distraught when he tossed her aside. But that's ok because she's depressed and depressed people do that, I guess? It's her way of self-harming. Not that she ever addresses it or seeks help before she achieves her dream in the end so, good luck to her.
Also, both Kate and Marine were somehow always pitch-perfect dancers even when their bodies were failing, or one of them was high on jingle jangle or whatever the fuck.
Yeah, Kate sucked. Scratch that. Everyone sucked in this book.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
May 23, 2019
"Would you die for The Prize?"
This was the question Marine, Kate, and all the other First Division dancers at the Paris Opera Ballet School were asking themselves, as they began their final year of training. This was their last opportunity to prove they deserved the top spot, and the company position that came with it. However, only two - one male and one female, would get The Prize.
I have read several books set in the world of elite ballet, and like those, this was intense. Like most of the other books, this one focused on the "dark side" of ballet. There was the physical strain on the dancers' bodies, which they tried to soothe with ice baths, warm water bottles, and lots of pain reliever (and not always the legal kind of pain reliever). Then there was the extreme mental stress, the head games, the sabotage, the body dysmorphia, and insecurities. It was super cutthroat, and Small expertly pulled me into their mess. I felt the hunger pangs, the aches, and that out of control type of spiral right there along with the characters.
But you know how Kate and Marine made it this far? By the power of the friendship they had forged from their very year at the ballet school. Since the age of 12, they had been supporting one another, but during this critical year, cracks started to form in their friendship as Kate began to make a string of poor decisions in order to give herself an edge in winning the prize, and Marine starved herself in oder to attain that perfect ballet body.
I worried for both Marine and Kate, though, probably more for Kate. Marine was lucky to have a few other solid relationships, and Luc was an especially strong ally. Once Kate and Marine were on the outs, Kate was alone, thousands of miles from her home in Virginia, and still nursing the wounds left when the mother, who had abandoned her. I was content with the ending Small wrote for Kate, because it was hopeful, but I loved the ending she gave to Marine. It was a little unexpected and quite wonderful.
One of the reasons I wanted to read this book was because it was about ballet dancers, and Small opened that window into their world quiet wide. I have already mentioned all the physical and mental pain, but she also invited us to "see" them dance. I got a good sense of the euphoria both Marine and Kate experienced, when they performed, and I loved being part of the action. She described the mood, the music, the costumes, and the movement in such a way, that I could fully envision it.
Overall: A compelling look at the world of elite ballet, which deftly took us through the highs and lows one experiences in their pursuit of The Prize.
*ARC provided in exchange for an honest review.
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May 19, 2019
Inside Nanterre School for Dance reside two best friends, Marine and Kate, who–among the other girls in their class–are competing for the one top spot dancing with the top male. Bright Burning Stars did an excellent job of capturing the cattiness and petty atmosphere that can reign in a competitive atmosphere like this. I don’t have experience with dance, but I went to school for opera where people are vying for lead roles in a show and believe me, when you have spent your life training for something and you know that you are prepared and that you have nailed your performance but then the next person goes on stage and has an advantage only because of a ‘favor’ she did or a judge? If it could mean the difference between performing on stage at sold out shows every night versus performing four times per month and teaching voice/dance lessons just to make ends meet….how far would you be willing to go to ensure you hit the top?
So that was all that was on my mind through most of the book. Everything hit close to home for me because I could really draw paralells to where I had been in the fine arts world, but really, it could work for any positions one is competing for. We all need drive (though, maybe not quite this much) to get to top. This book is told in dual perspectives so we do get to see both Marine’s and Kate’s thoughts as they go through all of this craziness. And I do mean crazy, but that’s what makes this book truly a page-turner I thought. I really feel this book was beautifully written. It has some beautiful descriptions of dancing, it can be brutal at times (trigger warnings: eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, abortion grief, self-harm, intentional drug use, body dysmorphia) but I was here for the big picture.
So that was all that was on my mind through most of the book. Everything hit close to home for me because I could really draw paralells to where I had been in the fine arts world, but really, it could work for any positions one is competing for. We all need drive (though, maybe not quite this much) to get to top. This book is told in dual perspectives so we do get to see both Marine’s and Kate’s thoughts as they go through all of this craziness. And I do mean crazy, but that’s what makes this book truly a page-turner I thought. I really feel this book was beautifully written. It has some beautiful descriptions of dancing, it can be brutal at times (trigger warnings: eating disorders, suicidal thoughts, abortion grief, self-harm, intentional drug use, body dysmorphia) but I was here for the big picture.
March 6, 2021
I just love the setting of this amazing and propulsive read set at the Paris Opera Ballet School where the competition is fierce and even deadly. I adored this story and I just knew it was written by a dancer herself.
Small truly captured not only the story within the dance world and the high stakes competition, but also a story about friendships, pushing yourself in your own craft and realizing your dreams. In this deftly plotted story, the emotions and the angstiness of the story is truly visceral and leaps off the pages.
I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it not only for young readers but those that enjoy reading about the cutthroat world of dance.
Small truly captured not only the story within the dance world and the high stakes competition, but also a story about friendships, pushing yourself in your own craft and realizing your dreams. In this deftly plotted story, the emotions and the angstiness of the story is truly visceral and leaps off the pages.
I really enjoyed this one and highly recommend it not only for young readers but those that enjoy reading about the cutthroat world of dance.
March 24, 2019
In the world of Ballet, it's definitely a dog eat dog world as the only one can ever become the best, and in order to be the best, you have to strive for perfection and sacrifice everything around you from your weight , comforts of your life, free time and sometimes friendships can be broken and destroyed , all in the name of scoring that big part in the ballet shows. Best friends Marine and Kate have trained together since they were little at the Paris Opera Ballet School. For years, it has been the two of them against the world. However, they are starting to age out of the Ballet school and this year is the year of changes. The year that will make or break their career. During the year, the two girls will find themselves both in the line of the Demigod's eyes. He is the best male dancer at the academy and girls who dance with him, find themselves reaching high levels. Marine and Kate promised never to let anyone get between them, but the Demigod will as Kate first captures his interest. Of course, the Demigod has a rating system and takes thrills in breaking the hearts and souls of the dancers. Though Kate is a great dancer, her heart is weak, and we will read as she starts to isolate herself and create a bubble around herself and Demigod. Then he drops her and her ratings begin to decline, and life plummets. Then it's Marine's turn, she on the other hand as a firm determination as she joined ballet to honor her twin Oli's life. Bright Burning Stars was a tale of the inner world of Ballet stars and that to get to the top and be the best the sacrifices in life we have to take, and sometimes that means squashing the others around us. It also shows readers, that despite everything it is a true friendship that will always prevail.
December 5, 2021
I received a gifted copy of this book yo read in exchange for an honest review as part of the book tour hosted by Algonquin books.
Trigger warnings: Abortion, eating disorders, body dismorphia, mental illness, suicide.
Bright Burning Stars is a book about toxic, unhealthy friendships and a test to see how far you would go to win.
Kate and Marine are best friends - bonding over tragedy and dancing from the day they met. The big day of the Corps de ballet is fast approaching and both girls are competing for the top place which means they get to join this prestigious ballet. Both girls have their eyes on the prize which also means the top male dancer has two girls battling for him to be by their side.
This book has a good message within it that sometimes of you want to win something so badly you run the risk of losing everything else and makes you wonder if the risk is ultimately worth it?
This book was fierce and tense from start to finish full of drama and pain.
Trigger warnings: Abortion, eating disorders, body dismorphia, mental illness, suicide.
Bright Burning Stars is a book about toxic, unhealthy friendships and a test to see how far you would go to win.
Kate and Marine are best friends - bonding over tragedy and dancing from the day they met. The big day of the Corps de ballet is fast approaching and both girls are competing for the top place which means they get to join this prestigious ballet. Both girls have their eyes on the prize which also means the top male dancer has two girls battling for him to be by their side.
This book has a good message within it that sometimes of you want to win something so badly you run the risk of losing everything else and makes you wonder if the risk is ultimately worth it?
This book was fierce and tense from start to finish full of drama and pain.
May 17, 2019
I received this ARC from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Bright Burning Stars was a pretty good ballet book. It definitely reminded me of Dance of Shadows a bit. In it, you will meet two best friends Kate and Marine (sometimes referred to K or M). They are enrolled into an elite ballet school that resides in Paris, France. Now this little class is severely cutthroat but it was a bit boring to read about. I just feel like the pacing was a bit all over the place. Then the characters would just act super weird and not really give an explanation - and I was bored for most of this book.
The friendship between Kate and Marine was meh to me. Yeah, they were besties to a point because they both wanted to be the best. Kate, at one point, was sabotaging the other girls in their class. She also tried to sleep her way to the top with the best guy dancer. It actually backfired on her and I didn't feel bad at all because the guy was a self-centered douche anyways. Plus two girls fighting over the same girl was just agonizing to read. I didn't care who ended up with who or what the heck was happening in this story either.
I feel like these girls are both dealing with serious issues that weren't really addressed by the adults in this book. It just kind of seemed overlooked which was rubbing me the wrong way. Plus their friendship didn't seem like a true friendship anymore which was a bit heartbreaking. Then with the ending, I was just kind of underwhelmed. I wanted something to happen that would have shocked me... but nothing did. It was just an okay kind of book that took me a long ass time to finish.
Bright Burning Stars was a pretty good ballet book. It definitely reminded me of Dance of Shadows a bit. In it, you will meet two best friends Kate and Marine (sometimes referred to K or M). They are enrolled into an elite ballet school that resides in Paris, France. Now this little class is severely cutthroat but it was a bit boring to read about. I just feel like the pacing was a bit all over the place. Then the characters would just act super weird and not really give an explanation - and I was bored for most of this book.
The friendship between Kate and Marine was meh to me. Yeah, they were besties to a point because they both wanted to be the best. Kate, at one point, was sabotaging the other girls in their class. She also tried to sleep her way to the top with the best guy dancer. It actually backfired on her and I didn't feel bad at all because the guy was a self-centered douche anyways. Plus two girls fighting over the same girl was just agonizing to read. I didn't care who ended up with who or what the heck was happening in this story either.
I feel like these girls are both dealing with serious issues that weren't really addressed by the adults in this book. It just kind of seemed overlooked which was rubbing me the wrong way. Plus their friendship didn't seem like a true friendship anymore which was a bit heartbreaking. Then with the ending, I was just kind of underwhelmed. I wanted something to happen that would have shocked me... but nothing did. It was just an okay kind of book that took me a long ass time to finish.
May 26, 2019
See this full review along with others on my blog: foalsfictionandfiligree.com
I received an ARC of this book via Netgcalley, Edelweiss, and Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.
Content Warning: Overall dark and depressing tone, Depression, Self Harm, Underaged Drinking, Smoking, Sex, Forced miscarriage, Self-harm, Anorexia, Drug abuse, Suicide idealization, Death
When I say I typically don’t read contemporary, I should probably stick with that. When I first came across this book, though, I was interested due to the ballet aspect of it. To be honest, it was nice to have a momentary step away from the fantasy realm. However, I wished I would have spent this hiatus with a different choice. While Brightly Burning Stars has a few good points to it, most of it is very negative. As you can see from the content warning listed above, there is a lot ofcrap poor choices made, backstabbing, and too many other unpleasantries to really appreciate the dancing part of this book.
I’m not a ballerina. I took lessons when I was younger, but never went far with the discipline as I lost interest and developed it for other things--one being hip-hop dancing. No matter the type, I still appreciate dance. This aspect was the strongest of the entire book. This author knows her stuff when it comes to ballet and it’s easy to tell she’s intimately involved with it. Reviewing the other parts within the story is when it gets unpleasant.
The story is told in an alternating format between two best friends and fellow dancers--Kate and Marine. Both girls attend the Paris Opera Ballet School and are in their final year there. As competition gets stiffer, they begin to do whatever it takes to come out on top--and it gets messy. Boys, drugs, alcohol, and all sorts of destructive behavior takes both girls down paths they don’t exactly desire. As this happens, a chasm appears in their friendship and pulls them apart.
If anything, this book is a glimpse into the dark lifestyles that people live when they only live for themselves and promoting their own gain.
Unfortunately, there really isn’t much to take away from this book. It think it teeters on the edge of dangerous for young readers, as there are some very touchy and serious topics like anorexia, forced miscarriage, and self-harm, and they never come full circle to promote readers to not follow suite. These are topics that shouldn’t be lightly included in a plot to make it thicken. Due to its content, this shouldn’t be a Young Adult book at all. While I liked the dedication to detail of the ballet-aspect of the book, I disliked pretty much everything else.
Vulgarity: Moderate
Sexual content: Explicit sex scenes resulting in pregnancy and forced miscarriage
Violence: Minimal.
My Rating: ★1/2
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I received an ARC of this book via Netgcalley, Edelweiss, and Algonquin Young Readers in exchange for an honest review. Thank you!
All included quotes have been taken from an ARC and may not match the finished publication.
Content Warning: Overall dark and depressing tone, Depression, Self Harm, Underaged Drinking, Smoking, Sex, Forced miscarriage, Self-harm, Anorexia, Drug abuse, Suicide idealization, Death
”If you were only allowed to feel one, which would you pick, pain or numbness?”
I didn’t want to play Would You anymore. I shrugged.
“Come one. You have to answer,” Kate said.
“Numbness,” I replied.
“Not me,” Kate said. “I’d pick pain any day.”
When I say I typically don’t read contemporary, I should probably stick with that. When I first came across this book, though, I was interested due to the ballet aspect of it. To be honest, it was nice to have a momentary step away from the fantasy realm. However, I wished I would have spent this hiatus with a different choice. While Brightly Burning Stars has a few good points to it, most of it is very negative. As you can see from the content warning listed above, there is a lot of
I’m not a ballerina. I took lessons when I was younger, but never went far with the discipline as I lost interest and developed it for other things--one being hip-hop dancing. No matter the type, I still appreciate dance. This aspect was the strongest of the entire book. This author knows her stuff when it comes to ballet and it’s easy to tell she’s intimately involved with it. Reviewing the other parts within the story is when it gets unpleasant.
The story is told in an alternating format between two best friends and fellow dancers--Kate and Marine. Both girls attend the Paris Opera Ballet School and are in their final year there. As competition gets stiffer, they begin to do whatever it takes to come out on top--and it gets messy. Boys, drugs, alcohol, and all sorts of destructive behavior takes both girls down paths they don’t exactly desire. As this happens, a chasm appears in their friendship and pulls them apart.
”Marine, notre monde, this world of ours--the stage and studios and barres--is intense and lonely. There is no space for friendships, love, or even an old and perhaps sacred bond between twins. Nothing shadows the art of dance. It’s a union of body, mind, and music. Classical dance is known for being ruthless. Any retired company member would tell you it’s a one-man show.”
If anything, this book is a glimpse into the dark lifestyles that people live when they only live for themselves and promoting their own gain.
Unfortunately, there really isn’t much to take away from this book. It think it teeters on the edge of dangerous for young readers, as there are some very touchy and serious topics like anorexia, forced miscarriage, and self-harm, and they never come full circle to promote readers to not follow suite. These are topics that shouldn’t be lightly included in a plot to make it thicken. Due to its content, this shouldn’t be a Young Adult book at all. While I liked the dedication to detail of the ballet-aspect of the book, I disliked pretty much everything else.
Vulgarity: Moderate
Sexual content: Explicit sex scenes resulting in pregnancy and forced miscarriage
Violence: Minimal.
My Rating: ★1/2
My Blog ¦ Bookstagram ¦ Twitter ¦ Pinterest ¦ Facebook
May 15, 2019
You can also read this review on my blog illbefinealonereads.
A huge thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for the chance to be a part of this blog tour.
Bright Burning Stars pulled me in with the first sentence and it didn’t let go.
I found it to be very well-written, I liked Small’s writing style. The voices she gave the characters suited the story well and I have to note that the multiple POV was pulled off really well. The plot was intriguing and well paced, I really enjoyed it - it just felt fresh to me. I thought the characters were beautifully written, the friendship between Kate and Marine and the way it developed felt way too real.
This book was surprisingly dark and heavy, but a quick read at the same time. The story was haunting, emotional, at times heartbreaking, and it was filled with twists that made it so enticing. It left me wishing there was more.
The story is about teens who are under a lot of pressure, all of them in a competition with one another. It deals with how they handle themselves and how they navigate through it. This was exceptionally well-executed, it seemed realistic, and I can’t help but think that Small’s personal experience with the world she described in this world might have played a big part in it.
Everything about this book was just so good. It’s one of those releases that shouldn’t be missed.
*Copy received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
*Rating 4/5 stars
YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON: MY BLOG | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
A huge thanks to Algonquin Young Readers for the chance to be a part of this blog tour.
Bright Burning Stars pulled me in with the first sentence and it didn’t let go.
I found it to be very well-written, I liked Small’s writing style. The voices she gave the characters suited the story well and I have to note that the multiple POV was pulled off really well. The plot was intriguing and well paced, I really enjoyed it - it just felt fresh to me. I thought the characters were beautifully written, the friendship between Kate and Marine and the way it developed felt way too real.
This book was surprisingly dark and heavy, but a quick read at the same time. The story was haunting, emotional, at times heartbreaking, and it was filled with twists that made it so enticing. It left me wishing there was more.
The story is about teens who are under a lot of pressure, all of them in a competition with one another. It deals with how they handle themselves and how they navigate through it. This was exceptionally well-executed, it seemed realistic, and I can’t help but think that Small’s personal experience with the world she described in this world might have played a big part in it.
Everything about this book was just so good. It’s one of those releases that shouldn’t be missed.
*Copy received through NetGalley in exchange for an honest review
*Rating 4/5 stars
YOU CAN FOLLOW ME ON: MY BLOG | INSTAGRAM | TWITTER
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