Reviews

Vile Stars by Sera Milano

bootrat's review

challenging dark emotional sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

This book was hard for me to read, as somebody who was in a controlling and emotionally abusive relationship as a teenager, but it was so well written. The story felt so real, and was very relatable. To say I enjoyed it wouldn't be quite accurate, but I'm glad I read it. 

I also spent the whole book assuming that Luka was dead, so it was great to discover at the end that she was alive and it was the horrible boyfriend who'd died!

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Pandemic/Epidemic, Toxic relationship, Emotional abuse, Grief, Death of parent, and Domestic abuse

Moderate: Transphobia, Physical abuse, and Cancer

Minor: Body shaming, Death, and Fatphobia

britt_zonnebloempit's review against another edition

emotional sad tense fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? It's complicated
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

A very painful but very important book.

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Adult/minor relationship, Emotional abuse, Toxic relationship, Gaslighting, Death of parent, and Mental illness

Moderate: Cancer

Minor: Transphobia

cowardlycod's review against another edition

dark emotional tense slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes

3.25

jamiereybooks's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional hopeful reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

jojoreading's review against another edition

challenging emotional sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

3.0

bookishly_bi's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional informative reflective sad tense medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated

5.0

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Content Warnings

Graphic: Emotional abuse and Cancer

Moderate: Death of parent

ferncat's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional sad slow-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? Yes
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.0

myevergrowingbookshelf's review against another edition

challenging dark emotional mysterious fast-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? A mix

5.0

Oh Sera Milano it looks like you only write five star reads IMO! I loved This Could Never Not Be Real, so I was so excited to read this one too!

Sera Milano knows just how to get you so emotionally involved in her books. And the way it’s written, with letters, and multiple POV through filming a podcast, made it so easy to read, never wanting to put it down, just one more bit…

The story is about Luka, a teenage girl, who’s still grieving the recent death of her mother, she’s struggling, then she meets Cosmo. As Cosmo enters her life, her brother and friends slowly start to be pushed out of it. 

This book is a must read for all teenagers, and of course, every age after too! It covers coercive relationships, grief, toxicity in relationships, friendships, realities of being high school, and it also has great representation, I really loved Alec and Theo.

This book had me hooked, and I genuinely didn’t know what was going to happen until it happened right at the end. It has such important messages in it, but it’s not a preachy book. It’s honestly just such an important read that is easily five stars! 

lettuceq's review against another edition

dark emotional inspiring sad medium-paced

• Plot- or character-driven? Character
• Strong character development? It's complicated
• Loveable characters? Yes
• Diverse cast of characters? Yes
• Flaws of characters a main focus? Yes

4.75

Loved this a lot more than I was expecting, really powerful story

the ending as well, very satisfying seeing that  c u n t.  die :)

heyitsdaliiii's review against another edition

dark emotional tense medium-paced

3.0

This was… an interesting read. I liked it, but it wasn’t for me. It was too dark, and I know the whole point is that the relationship is toxic but it was too much for me.