lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
4.0
*I received a free ARC of Rules for Stealing Stars from Katherine Tegen Books via Edelweiss in exchange of an honest and unbiased review*
Rules for Stealing Stars is a poetic story about four young sisters, and how they, and their family, deal with the difficulties life sometimes throw our way. Beautifully written, with a lot of imagery and a fairy-tale like feel, it was a solid story that left me satisfied.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
Rules for Stealing Stars is a poetic story about four young sisters, and how they, and their family, deal with the difficulties life sometimes throw our way. Beautifully written, with a lot of imagery and a fairy-tale like feel, it was a solid story that left me satisfied.
This and all my other reviews are originally posted on my blog (un)Conventional Bookviews
blakehalsey's review against another edition
5.0
This book is so, so beautiful. I absolutely loved Priscilla's voice, her struggle, her power, her journey. Magical and heartbreaking, I know this is a book that many kids need and I'm so glad it exists.
kblincoln's review against another edition
5.0
Four sisters are in a family vacation home in New Hampshire: two older twins busy with art projects and secret boyfriends and the two younger floundering and aching to be part of their elder siblings' closeness.
Dad is lost in a world where he can only see good things and where his scholarly pursuit of fairy tales gives him permission to not act upon what's really going on: the careful tiptoing around Mom, who sometimes has tea in her mugs and sometimes not, and who at any moment will fly off into a litany of recriminations and tears no matter how quiet or good the girls are.
Their lives revolve around managing Mom. Until the day the twins discover a secret about their closet-- and everything changes.
There's magic in this book, but its the kind of magic that almost blatantly at times creates a concrete reality out of the emotional inner landscape of each sister's coping mechanism for living with an abuser.
We live through this story in the POV of the youngest: Priscilla "Silly" and it is her yearning to be a part of the closeness of the twins, and to feel grown up and have the power to act (and the bravery to act) that is the crux of this story.
The Mom's issues are referred to by hints and oblique references and the action entirely revolves around the girls' interactions with each other and the closets. It's a sibling story, and a coming-of-age story, and its very beautiful. It's sensitive and complicated treatment of emotional ties between the Mom and the daughters means its appropriate for YA audiences as well as adults.
Dad is lost in a world where he can only see good things and where his scholarly pursuit of fairy tales gives him permission to not act upon what's really going on: the careful tiptoing around Mom, who sometimes has tea in her mugs and sometimes not, and who at any moment will fly off into a litany of recriminations and tears no matter how quiet or good the girls are.
Their lives revolve around managing Mom. Until the day the twins discover a secret about their closet-- and everything changes.
There's magic in this book, but its the kind of magic that almost blatantly at times creates a concrete reality out of the emotional inner landscape of each sister's coping mechanism for living with an abuser.
We live through this story in the POV of the youngest: Priscilla "Silly" and it is her yearning to be a part of the closeness of the twins, and to feel grown up and have the power to act (and the bravery to act) that is the crux of this story.
The Mom's issues are referred to by hints and oblique references and the action entirely revolves around the girls' interactions with each other and the closets. It's a sibling story, and a coming-of-age story, and its very beautiful. It's sensitive and complicated treatment of emotional ties between the Mom and the daughters means its appropriate for YA audiences as well as adults.
haia_929's review against another edition
5.0
This is a trimmed down version of my review, to view the full review visit The Book Ramble.
I received a copy of this book from Katherine Tegen Books on Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Silly's mom is sick, and her sister's are keeping secrets, and her dad's always in his own head. But when Silly's mom turns violent with her, she's brought into the fold and her sister's reveal a magical place to her that gives them exactly what they need as they deal with the loss of their mother, their mother's loss, and the perils of growing up and growing apart. Silly and her sister's have to find a way to make this magic save them all.
Haydu captured the magic of childhood, the heartbreak of family tragedy, and the warmth of love and joy that these sisters all share. I couldn't put this book down it was so deeply enchanting and moving.
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this book because I'm so used to Haydu's contemporary, very realistic, YA books, and this book was promising magic. What Haydu gives to readers in Rules for Stealing Stars is a type of magic that fits so well into the reality of these girls' heartbreaking lives. The magical place they go to, their closets, is a place that fits their needs and their imaginations. To escape the pain of watching their mother's mental health deteriorate and their father fade into his work, the girls begin to hide in the closets of their new home. These closets take them away from their real lives, and into the places they wish they could be. Yes it's magic, but it's also the fantasy of 4 young girls who need an escape from their real lives. I absolutely loved how Haydu made this magical land for these girls and the way they used it to bond and learn about their family.
The characters in this book are so well developed and so charming. I loved Silly, she was so strong and courageous in the face of these problems so much bigger than her. She was so out of her depth throughout most of this book, she was facing not just her mother's health problems but also the loss of her sisters to young adulthood while she was still very much a child. You watch Silly grow up and become a match for her sisters throughout this book. Haydu presents a whole family unit, one that is damaged and scared, but one where everyone loves each other so fiercely that they would steal the stars to save each other.
I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what Haydu writes in the future as she continues to be one of my favourite YA authors.
I received a copy of this book from Katherine Tegen Books on Edelweiss in exchange for an honest review.
Silly's mom is sick, and her sister's are keeping secrets, and her dad's always in his own head. But when Silly's mom turns violent with her, she's brought into the fold and her sister's reveal a magical place to her that gives them exactly what they need as they deal with the loss of their mother, their mother's loss, and the perils of growing up and growing apart. Silly and her sister's have to find a way to make this magic save them all.
Haydu captured the magic of childhood, the heartbreak of family tragedy, and the warmth of love and joy that these sisters all share. I couldn't put this book down it was so deeply enchanting and moving.
I wasn't entirely sure what to expect from this book because I'm so used to Haydu's contemporary, very realistic, YA books, and this book was promising magic. What Haydu gives to readers in Rules for Stealing Stars is a type of magic that fits so well into the reality of these girls' heartbreaking lives. The magical place they go to, their closets, is a place that fits their needs and their imaginations. To escape the pain of watching their mother's mental health deteriorate and their father fade into his work, the girls begin to hide in the closets of their new home. These closets take them away from their real lives, and into the places they wish they could be. Yes it's magic, but it's also the fantasy of 4 young girls who need an escape from their real lives. I absolutely loved how Haydu made this magical land for these girls and the way they used it to bond and learn about their family.
The characters in this book are so well developed and so charming. I loved Silly, she was so strong and courageous in the face of these problems so much bigger than her. She was so out of her depth throughout most of this book, she was facing not just her mother's health problems but also the loss of her sisters to young adulthood while she was still very much a child. You watch Silly grow up and become a match for her sisters throughout this book. Haydu presents a whole family unit, one that is damaged and scared, but one where everyone loves each other so fiercely that they would steal the stars to save each other.
I absolutely loved this book and would highly recommend it. I can't wait to see what Haydu writes in the future as she continues to be one of my favourite YA authors.
darcianna5's review against another edition
challenging
dark
emotional
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Character
- Strong character development? It's complicated
- Loveable characters? It's complicated
- Diverse cast of characters? No
- Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes
4.0
ciaralo's review against another edition
5.0
This book was a really powerful and important read. I really think it's going to help kids in tough family situations. Corey Ann Haydu is a gem.
readingthroughtheages's review against another edition
3.0
Like other books that deal with a tough topic, this book is going to be a story that is needed by readers who need to see themselves in a book. There are young readers who have parents dealing with a mental illness. They are all too familiar with the lack of stability that can provide.
I like the theme of family and having your sisters with you.
I thought the fantasy part of the story was unnecessary and perhaps trivialized a tough situation.
I like the theme of family and having your sisters with you.
I thought the fantasy part of the story was unnecessary and perhaps trivialized a tough situation.
shadowfrost13's review against another edition
5.0
An incredibly raw view of the world from the perspective of an eleven-year-old girl amongst a broken home that has the realest hint of fairytale magic.
yapha's review against another edition
4.0
Silly (short for Priscilla) is sad about a lot of things. Her family had to leave their home in Boston and move year-round to their summer house in New Hampshire. The move was supposed to help her mom feel better, but she is still drinking and angry and sad. Silly's oldest twin sisters Eleanor and Astrid have their own private group and leave her out, even more so now that Eleanor has a secret boyfriend. Her middle sister Marla is moody and angry like their mother. And her father is consumed by his work. As their mother walks through the house opening and shutting the closets, the sisters learn that there is in fact something magical about this closets. Will what's inside help them and help their mother, like Marla wants? Or will it only succeed in tearing their family further apart? A moving look into the emotional life of a family drenched in sadness. Recommended for grades 5-8.
ARC provided by publisher.
ARC provided by publisher.
hazelstaybookish's review against another edition
5.0
Visit Stay Bookish for more book reviews!
Corey Ann Haydu left me completely, utterly, absolutely impressed with her Middle Grade debut and wanting to read more of the genre. Having read her other works in the YA category before, I knew she usually wrote realistic honest stories. What I didn't expect was how raw Rules for Stealing Stars was compared to most MG books that I've read, which tend to be on the fun and happy side.
With the way it moved me, I couldn't help but love this one! It's a five star read for me and I've got five reasons to match every star.
Sisters
Priscilla, or Silly as everyone calls her, is the youngest of four sisters. The eldest being the twins, Astrid and Eleanor, and the middle being Marla. Often disregarded as 'too young and innocent', she is left out by them. When they finally allow her into their world, they find a magical haven where they can escape their problems.
It may be because I have a sister myself but I just adore sister stories so much! I loved how each sister in the Rules for Stealing Stars all were distinctive not only with their personalities but they way they were trying to get by. The ties between them were so genuinely portrayed too, especially the complicated parts.
"'I shouldn't be lonely when I have three sisters,' I say, like feelings and families are simple scientific facts. Cause and effect."
Parent Issues
With a mother whose moods almost always range from mean to angry especially after a drink and a father who likes to pretend that everything is a-ok and works too much, it's obvious why Silly and sisters so badly wanted to escape the confines of their home.
Corey Ann Haydu doesn't hold back painting the dark situation of a family in pieces. The sad introspective tone of her writing fit the story perfectly.
Magical Realism
I honestly think it's best to read for yourself the magic in this book but here's what you should know: there are magical closets. Sounds awesome right? Not always. Sometimes magic is good, sometimes magic is bad.
I found the fantastical element of the book really unique and loved how it was incorporated in the plot. The fairytale-like story-telling will surely resonate to children and teens and adults alike.
"I stole a star. Borrowed a star. Because when you are sad, you need a little help, sometimes, getting happy again."
Coping
Pancakes and closets and stars unfortunately cannot make the hard parts of life go away. It's up to us to face them head on, to accept that things are bad but to hold on to the hope that things will be better.
But coping with everything and getting to that point where you're trying to move forward- it's not easy. Rules for Stealing Stars made me realize that and I only hope that it can open the eyes of kids to this reality.
Tears
I cried. For Silly. For her sisters. For the tough situations they've been dealt with. For the abundance of hope they found regardless.
Rules for Stealing Stars wowed me like no other MG book has. It was so beautiful and sad and magical. No doubt my favourite by Corey Ann Haydu so far!
Corey Ann Haydu left me completely, utterly, absolutely impressed with her Middle Grade debut and wanting to read more of the genre. Having read her other works in the YA category before, I knew she usually wrote realistic honest stories. What I didn't expect was how raw Rules for Stealing Stars was compared to most MG books that I've read, which tend to be on the fun and happy side.
With the way it moved me, I couldn't help but love this one! It's a five star read for me and I've got five reasons to match every star.
Sisters
Priscilla, or Silly as everyone calls her, is the youngest of four sisters. The eldest being the twins, Astrid and Eleanor, and the middle being Marla. Often disregarded as 'too young and innocent', she is left out by them. When they finally allow her into their world, they find a magical haven where they can escape their problems.
It may be because I have a sister myself but I just adore sister stories so much! I loved how each sister in the Rules for Stealing Stars all were distinctive not only with their personalities but they way they were trying to get by. The ties between them were so genuinely portrayed too, especially the complicated parts.
"'I shouldn't be lonely when I have three sisters,' I say, like feelings and families are simple scientific facts. Cause and effect."
Parent Issues
With a mother whose moods almost always range from mean to angry especially after a drink and a father who likes to pretend that everything is a-ok and works too much, it's obvious why Silly and sisters so badly wanted to escape the confines of their home.
Corey Ann Haydu doesn't hold back painting the dark situation of a family in pieces. The sad introspective tone of her writing fit the story perfectly.
Magical Realism
I honestly think it's best to read for yourself the magic in this book but here's what you should know: there are magical closets. Sounds awesome right? Not always. Sometimes magic is good, sometimes magic is bad.
I found the fantastical element of the book really unique and loved how it was incorporated in the plot. The fairytale-like story-telling will surely resonate to children and teens and adults alike.
"I stole a star. Borrowed a star. Because when you are sad, you need a little help, sometimes, getting happy again."
Coping
Pancakes and closets and stars unfortunately cannot make the hard parts of life go away. It's up to us to face them head on, to accept that things are bad but to hold on to the hope that things will be better.
But coping with everything and getting to that point where you're trying to move forward- it's not easy. Rules for Stealing Stars made me realize that and I only hope that it can open the eyes of kids to this reality.
Tears
I cried. For Silly. For her sisters. For the tough situations they've been dealt with. For the abundance of hope they found regardless.
Rules for Stealing Stars wowed me like no other MG book has. It was so beautiful and sad and magical. No doubt my favourite by Corey Ann Haydu so far!