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dianed's review against another edition
4.0
I love Staci Hart and her writing but it took me a while to get into this book. Somehow reading about a group who calls themselves Bright Young Things when they are a bunch of ultra rich kids whose uber rich daddys support them with trust funds. They have grown up together and now are partying all over NYC at events created by the mysterious Cecelia Beaton - named after Cecil Beaton a famous photographer in the 20s.
Into this world of over the top crazy parties, Levi manages to get himself. Levi is a journalist who hopes to write a story on the Bright Young Things. While he gets his story he also finds himself attracted to Stella. From the moment the see each other the attraction is magnetic. They both have secrets that can pull them apart - will they be able to overcome all their differences to find true love?
I received an advanced copy of this book.
Into this world of over the top crazy parties, Levi manages to get himself. Levi is a journalist who hopes to write a story on the Bright Young Things. While he gets his story he also finds himself attracted to Stella. From the moment the see each other the attraction is magnetic. They both have secrets that can pull them apart - will they be able to overcome all their differences to find true love?
I received an advanced copy of this book.
hammock_and_read's review against another edition
5.0
This is such a fun read. Staci Hart is amazing at not only the romance of the story but weaving in people/side characters that you can't wait for more. I loved the idea of the 20s in today and this group of friends just trying to find the joy in life. It's also so real of a story you can see this all happening- the good and the bad. Two people from different worlds learning how to trust each other. Levi is that super sexy smart guy everyone one loves even when he is an ass and this is no different you will love him!
The flow and story line are just 100! I read this in one setting and couldn't stop reading it was so good! I can't wait for more- Staci as set this up for like 10 books I want to see all these Bright Young Things get their HEA!
Overall, 4.5 stars and 4 steam
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
The flow and story line are just 100! I read this in one setting and couldn't stop reading it was so good! I can't wait for more- Staci as set this up for like 10 books I want to see all these Bright Young Things get their HEA!
Overall, 4.5 stars and 4 steam
Thanks to the author for a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.
scookiecat's review against another edition
medium-paced
4.0
No one writes balanced smut, angst, and chemistry between characters like Staci Hart. I’m sure of it. The story gave me Serena and Dan vibes from Gossip Girl. The Shangri-La reference though, classy.
Overall the story was kinda leaving between a 3.75/4 stars. But went for 4 because of Levi heh.
Overall the story was kinda leaving between a 3.75/4 stars. But went for 4 because of Levi heh.
Team Levi for this line:
“We’re not comparing pain. Ever. What hurts, hurts. There’s no other metric than that.”
nadine_booklover's review against another edition
5.0
4.5 stars
Hands down, one of my favorite reads in 2020 so far! Original, intriguing and captivating. With Star Bright Staci Hart introduces us into a world that's full of sparkle, wonder, fun and money. I enjoyed every minute reading it and I miss Stella and Levi already. Can't wait to read the next book set in the world of the Bright Young Things!
Hands down, one of my favorite reads in 2020 so far! Original, intriguing and captivating. With Star Bright Staci Hart introduces us into a world that's full of sparkle, wonder, fun and money. I enjoyed every minute reading it and I miss Stella and Levi already. Can't wait to read the next book set in the world of the Bright Young Things!
kandisteiner's review against another edition
5.0
OH MY STARS. Staci Hart completely swept me off my feet with this one! I was lucky enough to read an early copy and I AM JUST FLOATING ON A CLOUD RIGHT NOW. This entire concept is one I can easily get behind, and one I have quickly found myself obsessed with. THE BRIGHT YOUNG THINGS. Ahhhh they will steal your heart! The parties, the immersive atmosphere, the friendships... sight!
LEVI WILL MESS YOU UP IN THE BEST WAY. Let me just warn you. He's so sexy it's unreal. He's got this edgy sort of roughness, and he rides a bike, he's a journalist, photographer, grew up in harsh circumstances... he was just everything I love in a Hero. And the way he cared for Stella... SWOON.
Speaking of which... I AM STELLA. STELLA IS ME. I have never related more to a character in my life. The hiding from the bad things in life, being a happy sunshine all the time, trusting too easily, collecting friends and just wanting to always be surrounded by the good. GAH. I loved her so much!
Overall, I have fallen head over heels into this incredible new world crafted by our rom com queen. Star Bright is a magical experience that will leave you breathless and aching for more. Lucky for us, it's the start of a series! CLIMB ABOARD, FRIENDS because we are ALL the Bright Young Things -- and this is our time. 5 stars!
LEVI WILL MESS YOU UP IN THE BEST WAY. Let me just warn you. He's so sexy it's unreal. He's got this edgy sort of roughness, and he rides a bike, he's a journalist, photographer, grew up in harsh circumstances... he was just everything I love in a Hero. And the way he cared for Stella... SWOON.
Speaking of which... I AM STELLA. STELLA IS ME. I have never related more to a character in my life. The hiding from the bad things in life, being a happy sunshine all the time, trusting too easily, collecting friends and just wanting to always be surrounded by the good. GAH. I loved her so much!
Overall, I have fallen head over heels into this incredible new world crafted by our rom com queen. Star Bright is a magical experience that will leave you breathless and aching for more. Lucky for us, it's the start of a series! CLIMB ABOARD, FRIENDS because we are ALL the Bright Young Things -- and this is our time. 5 stars!
mycatismybookmark's review against another edition
5.0
"You know the longing we all share? The searching we do for that piece of us that's missing? I found what I'd been looking for when I found you."
"You know the longing we all share? The searching we do for that piece of us that's missing? I found what I'd been looking for when I found you."
Imaginative, decadent, intriguing -- you won't be able to set it down. Star Bright is an experience like no other and I cannot wait to delve further into the lavish world of the Bright Young Things that Staci Hart has crafted with this amazing cast of characters. I'm looking forward to Hidden Gem!
And be sure to check out the prequel that was release after Star Bright, Shooting Star.
[bc:Shooting Star: A Bright Young Things Prequel Novella|54638973|Shooting Star A Bright Young Things Prequel Novella (Bright Young Things, #0.5)|Staci Hart|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1595446168l/54638973._SY75_.jpg|85248160]
4.5 stars
"You know the longing we all share? The searching we do for that piece of us that's missing? I found what I'd been looking for when I found you."
Imaginative, decadent, intriguing -- you won't be able to set it down. Star Bright is an experience like no other and I cannot wait to delve further into the lavish world of the Bright Young Things that Staci Hart has crafted with this amazing cast of characters. I'm looking forward to Hidden Gem!
And be sure to check out the prequel that was release after Star Bright, Shooting Star.
[bc:Shooting Star: A Bright Young Things Prequel Novella|54638973|Shooting Star A Bright Young Things Prequel Novella (Bright Young Things, #0.5)|Staci Hart|https://i.gr-assets.com/images/S/compressed.photo.goodreads.com/books/1595446168l/54638973._SY75_.jpg|85248160]
4.5 stars
ldooten's review against another edition
3.0
This was a hard one to rate for me. I love this author's writing style, and that doesn't change with this one. I can imagine myself in the middle of the action while reading some of the scenes. My problem is the lying the main characters are doing. A little misunderstanding would be one thing, but their relationship is based on lies from both of them, and I'm not a fan. The relationship between the Bright Young Things is awesome though. This author has a way of making friends more like family and again, this one is no different. So on that aspect it would have been a 4 star read for me, but the relationship between the 2 MCs just didn't do it for me. I will definitely be reading to find out what happens in the next book though =)
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
I voluntarily reviewed an advanced readers copy of this book.
gretareadsromance's review
5.0
Star Bright was a great book! We are starting this series entering into the world of the Bright Young Things and their secret party lifestyle (I loved the secretive part of these parties and what went into keeping them that way). Enter Levi, a reporter set to tell all everything that goes on at these magnificent costume parties. They were so fantastic together as a couple! Star Bright was not what I expected but came out so much better! This was a fun read and I look forward to what happens next!
profromance's review
5.0
Overall Grade: ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️ 1/2
WARNING: This will be an essay, not a short review. If you want to know a general impression, then know this: Staci Hart is a genius, and Star Bright’s story is engaging, entertaining, and exacting. There is something special with this story that sets it apart from your average romance. It isn’t average for Staci Hart’s brand of romance, though. What you will find in Star Bright is more of the same insightful, intelligent, beautifully written romance that you’ve received from her before. Just on another level. So buckle up or move on…it’s entirely up to you.
In my second year of my master’s in literature, I took a seminar class entitled Hemingway and Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite books of all time, and I absolutely enrolled in that class quickly. With this class along with the rest of my master’s, I spent quite a bit of focus on the modernists (in fact, I wrote most of my master’s thesis on Hemingway): authors, writing during a time post-WW1, whose general character reflected a generation disillusioned by the consequences of war. If you read almost anyone during this period, there is a loss of hope. These aren’t books with happy endings because the war had killed almost an entire generation of men. These were artists who wanted their literature to reflect the lack of hope for this generation, and it does. F. Scott Fitzgerald absolutely illustrates this time and time again in his stories. It isn’t just The Great Gatsby that leaves you feeling a little empty; the other books do the same. You’re probably wondering why I’m sharing this with you. Well, if you read Star Bright, you are reading a book that reads as though it is heavily influenced by Fitzgerald. Staci Hart’s hero feels very much like Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby: an outsider with insider leanings. They feel as though they never quite fit, but they are given entree into this world of decadence, debauchery, and hedonism. Where Nick and Levi diverge is in Levi taking on a true heroic characterization. In Gatsby, Nick feels like an observer, engaging with the other main characters, but it isn’t really his story. He is simply telling it. In Hart’s Star Bright, there is a sameness here. Like Nick, Levi is an observer, and he too is telling the story of the Bright Young Things; however, his presence is also necessary to the shape of the story. He is the impetus for change Hart’s heroine, Stella’s thinking. Herein lies the beginning of Hart’s genius in her story, Star Bright. Her ability to capture the essence of Gatsby, offer it the spirit of the 2020s, and lay it out in a story that is still vastly different from Fitzgerald’s is her brilliance.
You might say, well, Amy, Professor A, isn’t that a huge promise? No. Staci Hart hit my radar a little over a year ago. I read my first ARC of hers, and quite frankly, I gave it a 4-star review. At the time, I didn’t understand it. However, as the months passed, my brain pondered over that book. Additionally, I read the first book of her newer series, Coming Up Roses, and I realized immediately that I had missed something with my review. I met her at Book Bonanza, and I asked her my big question, the one that had been pressing in my brain since finishing Coming Up Roses, and it was at that moment when I placed her on a pedestal. I couldn’t help it because I realized immediately that her brilliance lies in her intentionality. She oftentimes writes books inspired by the classics. And she does this by co-opting a particular voice for a particular story. Just to clue you in, this is very hard to do. Most authors have a general writing voice that you find in all of their stories. The more you read their writing, the more easily it is to find that voice. Not Staci Hart. She changes the voice of the book to match its story. For Star Bright, her story and voice absolutely feel like Fitzgerald. There are so many moments when the decadence of his storytelling becomes hers. But here is where her genius also lies: Hart captures the feel of Fitzgerald without the modernist leanings. Life is difficult for the Bright Young Things. Even though we know they are lavishly rich, each of them struggles with something. Instead of mimicking Fitzgerald’s hopelessness in her book, Hart gives them hope. Their hope is derived from their manufactured sense of family, and it buoys them through their individual challenges. It’s a testament to Hart’s writing ability that she can evoke Fitzgerald in her book, but the reason you should read her books is she makes the storytelling her own. Even though Fitzgerald belonged to a larger group of “friends,” he and his friends still felt isolated. And that isolation runs rampant through their books. That isn’t a characteristic of Star Bright. In fact, you find the true treasure of Star Bright: its message of family and community. That is where Hart has found hope for her readers, and Fitzgerald could not.
And once again, Staci Hart’s style is decadent. Her descriptions are decadent; her characterizations are decadent, and her story feels decadent. There are big cinematic moments in this book that run like a reel through your mind. There are words that Levi and Stella and the other Bright Young Things speak that bring goosebumps to your limbs. Each turn of the page ingratiates itself into your being, and you don’t want to put this story down because you care about characters whom you probably wouldn’t normally. Hart uses the metaphor of light and dark to conjure up Levi’s conflict while also holding him in juxtaposition to the light of this story, Stella. If you have EVER wanted to read a story written with intention and decided skill, this IS the book. Even more, there is more of this series to come with a plentitude of characters for any situation. For me, Zeke is a standout, and I am hoping that Staci Hart brings him a story.
I know this review is long (I promised an essay), and it might be reading more into this book than necessary, but these words have been sitting in my mind for days and they needed some place on a page. I know this isn’t the typical review, but this book is doing something more than offering you a beautifully-wrought romance. What you find nestled between the pages of Star Bright is the hope of community. Hidden within its fun, you’ll find people who truly love, adore, and care for each other. And in our current world, I think we could all use that hope. Staci Hart could have easily used Star Bright to reflect on the problems of our world, leaving us disenfranchised just as the modernists did. Instead, she chose the light, letting the shadows stay in the dark.
WARNING: This will be an essay, not a short review. If you want to know a general impression, then know this: Staci Hart is a genius, and Star Bright’s story is engaging, entertaining, and exacting. There is something special with this story that sets it apart from your average romance. It isn’t average for Staci Hart’s brand of romance, though. What you will find in Star Bright is more of the same insightful, intelligent, beautifully written romance that you’ve received from her before. Just on another level. So buckle up or move on…it’s entirely up to you.
In my second year of my master’s in literature, I took a seminar class entitled Hemingway and Fitzgerald. The Great Gatsby is one of my favorite books of all time, and I absolutely enrolled in that class quickly. With this class along with the rest of my master’s, I spent quite a bit of focus on the modernists (in fact, I wrote most of my master’s thesis on Hemingway): authors, writing during a time post-WW1, whose general character reflected a generation disillusioned by the consequences of war. If you read almost anyone during this period, there is a loss of hope. These aren’t books with happy endings because the war had killed almost an entire generation of men. These were artists who wanted their literature to reflect the lack of hope for this generation, and it does. F. Scott Fitzgerald absolutely illustrates this time and time again in his stories. It isn’t just The Great Gatsby that leaves you feeling a little empty; the other books do the same. You’re probably wondering why I’m sharing this with you. Well, if you read Star Bright, you are reading a book that reads as though it is heavily influenced by Fitzgerald. Staci Hart’s hero feels very much like Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby: an outsider with insider leanings. They feel as though they never quite fit, but they are given entree into this world of decadence, debauchery, and hedonism. Where Nick and Levi diverge is in Levi taking on a true heroic characterization. In Gatsby, Nick feels like an observer, engaging with the other main characters, but it isn’t really his story. He is simply telling it. In Hart’s Star Bright, there is a sameness here. Like Nick, Levi is an observer, and he too is telling the story of the Bright Young Things; however, his presence is also necessary to the shape of the story. He is the impetus for change Hart’s heroine, Stella’s thinking. Herein lies the beginning of Hart’s genius in her story, Star Bright. Her ability to capture the essence of Gatsby, offer it the spirit of the 2020s, and lay it out in a story that is still vastly different from Fitzgerald’s is her brilliance.
You might say, well, Amy, Professor A, isn’t that a huge promise? No. Staci Hart hit my radar a little over a year ago. I read my first ARC of hers, and quite frankly, I gave it a 4-star review. At the time, I didn’t understand it. However, as the months passed, my brain pondered over that book. Additionally, I read the first book of her newer series, Coming Up Roses, and I realized immediately that I had missed something with my review. I met her at Book Bonanza, and I asked her my big question, the one that had been pressing in my brain since finishing Coming Up Roses, and it was at that moment when I placed her on a pedestal. I couldn’t help it because I realized immediately that her brilliance lies in her intentionality. She oftentimes writes books inspired by the classics. And she does this by co-opting a particular voice for a particular story. Just to clue you in, this is very hard to do. Most authors have a general writing voice that you find in all of their stories. The more you read their writing, the more easily it is to find that voice. Not Staci Hart. She changes the voice of the book to match its story. For Star Bright, her story and voice absolutely feel like Fitzgerald. There are so many moments when the decadence of his storytelling becomes hers. But here is where her genius also lies: Hart captures the feel of Fitzgerald without the modernist leanings. Life is difficult for the Bright Young Things. Even though we know they are lavishly rich, each of them struggles with something. Instead of mimicking Fitzgerald’s hopelessness in her book, Hart gives them hope. Their hope is derived from their manufactured sense of family, and it buoys them through their individual challenges. It’s a testament to Hart’s writing ability that she can evoke Fitzgerald in her book, but the reason you should read her books is she makes the storytelling her own. Even though Fitzgerald belonged to a larger group of “friends,” he and his friends still felt isolated. And that isolation runs rampant through their books. That isn’t a characteristic of Star Bright. In fact, you find the true treasure of Star Bright: its message of family and community. That is where Hart has found hope for her readers, and Fitzgerald could not.
And once again, Staci Hart’s style is decadent. Her descriptions are decadent; her characterizations are decadent, and her story feels decadent. There are big cinematic moments in this book that run like a reel through your mind. There are words that Levi and Stella and the other Bright Young Things speak that bring goosebumps to your limbs. Each turn of the page ingratiates itself into your being, and you don’t want to put this story down because you care about characters whom you probably wouldn’t normally. Hart uses the metaphor of light and dark to conjure up Levi’s conflict while also holding him in juxtaposition to the light of this story, Stella. If you have EVER wanted to read a story written with intention and decided skill, this IS the book. Even more, there is more of this series to come with a plentitude of characters for any situation. For me, Zeke is a standout, and I am hoping that Staci Hart brings him a story.
I know this review is long (I promised an essay), and it might be reading more into this book than necessary, but these words have been sitting in my mind for days and they needed some place on a page. I know this isn’t the typical review, but this book is doing something more than offering you a beautifully-wrought romance. What you find nestled between the pages of Star Bright is the hope of community. Hidden within its fun, you’ll find people who truly love, adore, and care for each other. And in our current world, I think we could all use that hope. Staci Hart could have easily used Star Bright to reflect on the problems of our world, leaving us disenfranchised just as the modernists did. Instead, she chose the light, letting the shadows stay in the dark.
cassire's review
3.0
3.5 STARS
I liked the uniqueness of this story. The hero bugged me. I enjoyed the heroine and her collection of friends. I thought they were fleshed out well. I see more books in this world.
I voluntarily read an early copy.
I liked the uniqueness of this story. The hero bugged me. I enjoyed the heroine and her collection of friends. I thought they were fleshed out well. I see more books in this world.
I voluntarily read an early copy.