jennnicolea's review against another edition
emotional
hopeful
slow-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? Plot
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? No
5.0
lindaunconventionalbookworms's review against another edition
5.0
The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes is an amazing story, following Toni B from when she was only twelve years old. She knew the backside of fame, and she wanted nothing to do with it... until a fantastic opportunity that could make her dream come true was presented to her.
An all girl rock-band is also at the front of this story, and I loved it! It's so true that women often aren't taken seriously in various positions, and rock chicks are definitely in this category. However, with lead-singer Lilly at the helm, the band probably had more of a chance than other bands had.
There's a bit of drama, a lot of music, and some very intense chemistry and love as well - and I was definitely here for it.
Emotional, strong, and realistic are other words to describe this fantastic novel
An all girl rock-band is also at the front of this story, and I loved it! It's so true that women often aren't taken seriously in various positions, and rock chicks are definitely in this category. However, with lead-singer Lilly at the helm, the band probably had more of a chance than other bands had.
There's a bit of drama, a lot of music, and some very intense chemistry and love as well - and I was definitely here for it.
Emotional, strong, and realistic are other words to describe this fantastic novel
karalyn9's review against another edition
emotional
funny
inspiring
lighthearted
fast-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
5.0
magnoliapigeonbookblurbs's review against another edition
5.0
This absolutely rocked! The Girl with Stars in Her Eyes captivated me from the first page and had me on an emotional rollercoaster!
ixelalexi's review against another edition
emotional
funny
lighthearted
relaxing
medium-paced
gmd316's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
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
3.75
A little long and I wish it had focused more on seb and Toni rather than the drama with the band
cheereocracy's review against another edition
3.0
I found this book ok overall!
I think the plot was pretty straightforward and I liked that we got to move between Toni and Sebastian's (Seb) viewpoints. I do wish there was a little more background on Toni's parents just so we as readers could get to know them though I understand that since we see the story though Toni's eyes, I see why the author chose not to get too deep into things. It was fun reading through the band dynamics of the Lilly's -- I think the author did a good hour of giving them personalities so they didn't fade behind Toni and Seb.
The romance was ok as well, though it started picking up a bit after the middle. I primarily chose this book because I was intrigued that it was a woman of colour as the main love interest and i'm trying to find more books that have this focus. I haven't read music focused books like this before and it was refreshing. I loved that the author included two of the Lilly's sounds on streaming platforms and sheet music at the end of the book!
I think the plot was pretty straightforward and I liked that we got to move between Toni and Sebastian's (Seb) viewpoints. I do wish there was a little more background on Toni's parents just so we as readers could get to know them though I understand that since we see the story though Toni's eyes, I see why the author chose not to get too deep into things. It was fun reading through the band dynamics of the Lilly's -- I think the author did a good hour of giving them personalities so they didn't fade behind Toni and Seb.
The romance was ok as well, though it started picking up a bit after the middle. I primarily chose this book because I was intrigued that it was a woman of colour as the main love interest and i'm trying to find more books that have this focus. I haven't read music focused books like this before and it was refreshing. I loved that the author included two of the Lilly's sounds on streaming platforms and sheet music at the end of the book!
abriyah1's review against another edition
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
4.0
bookishmillennial's review against another edition
challenging
emotional
funny
hopeful
reflective
sad
medium-paced
- Plot- or character-driven? A mix
- Strong character development? Yes
- Loveable characters? Yes
- Diverse cast of characters? Yes
- Flaws of characters a main focus? It's complicated
disclaimer: I don’t really give starred reviews. I enjoy most books for what they are, & I extract lessons from them all. Everyone’s reading experiences are subjective, so I hope my reviews provide enough information to let you know if a book is for you or not. Find me on Instagram: @bookish.millennial or tiktok: @bookishmillennial
I loved this second-chance romance! I am a sucker for any kind of book set in the music or acting or any kind of famous industry lol, so this was my catnip! Antonia "Toni" Bennette & Sebastian "Seb" Quigley meet when they are pre-teens in Bordon, Pennsylvania, a small town where Toni is dropped off as a 12-year-old when her mother can no longer take care of her as she pursues a career in music on the road. They develop a close friendship over music and everything else, and decide they will leave Bordon one day to pursue music together, and to get away from their families. However, this dream is short-lived as Seb abruptly leaves one day without any explanation & never comes back. Regardless, Toni has made a name for herself in Philly's indie music scene and auditions for an open spot in the Lillys, as their guitarist Candi heals from an injury. This is when she is unexpectedly reunited with Sebastian Quick (nickname from his last name), who is the Lillys' manager, and they must confront the betrayal Toni felt all those years ago.
This book gives us the dual third-person limited POVs of Seb and Toni, and it is indeed a slow burn! It also felt more like a "fiction" book rather than a capital R romance for me, but that's fine. I loved the story, I rooted for the characters, and I was invested in seeing how things would unfold. I appreciated Seb's explanation for why he left all those years ago; I think we quickly villainize people, and Toni definitely learned to unpack and seek out more nuance depending on the situation!
With the subplot of Toni's parents, that absolutely tugged at my heartstrings. I felt for Toni, because it explained why she was so protective of herself, since she was continuously let down by the two people who were supposed to care for her and look out for her. This ultimately led her to look out for herself, and to not depend on others. I did appreciate the representation of Toni's dad, someone who didn't sign up to be a parent, and didn't know how, but looked out for Toni in his own way. It wasn't enough, and it wasn't the way Toni needed to be loved, but it was a nuanced representation that I appreciated. Not every parent is going to "see the light," admit their wrongs, or even be the parent that their child wants. However, it doesn't make either person the villain, and I appreciated that.
I am excited to read more in this series, which I believe will focus on a different band member of the Lillys!
cw: child abuse, misogyny, abandonment, drug abuse, addiction, cancer, emotional abuse, alcohol
I loved this second-chance romance! I am a sucker for any kind of book set in the music or acting or any kind of famous industry lol, so this was my catnip! Antonia "Toni" Bennette & Sebastian "Seb" Quigley meet when they are pre-teens in Bordon, Pennsylvania, a small town where Toni is dropped off as a 12-year-old when her mother can no longer take care of her as she pursues a career in music on the road. They develop a close friendship over music and everything else, and decide they will leave Bordon one day to pursue music together, and to get away from their families. However, this dream is short-lived as Seb abruptly leaves one day without any explanation & never comes back. Regardless, Toni has made a name for herself in Philly's indie music scene and auditions for an open spot in the Lillys, as their guitarist Candi heals from an injury. This is when she is unexpectedly reunited with Sebastian Quick (nickname from his last name), who is the Lillys' manager, and they must confront the betrayal Toni felt all those years ago.
This book gives us the dual third-person limited POVs of Seb and Toni, and it is indeed a slow burn! It also felt more like a "fiction" book rather than a capital R romance for me, but that's fine. I loved the story, I rooted for the characters, and I was invested in seeing how things would unfold. I appreciated Seb's explanation for why he left all those years ago; I think we quickly villainize people, and Toni definitely learned to unpack and seek out more nuance depending on the situation!
With the subplot of Toni's parents, that absolutely tugged at my heartstrings. I felt for Toni, because it explained why she was so protective of herself, since she was continuously let down by the two people who were supposed to care for her and look out for her. This ultimately led her to look out for herself, and to not depend on others. I did appreciate the representation of Toni's dad, someone who didn't sign up to be a parent, and didn't know how, but looked out for Toni in his own way. It wasn't enough, and it wasn't the way Toni needed to be loved, but it was a nuanced representation that I appreciated. Not every parent is going to "see the light," admit their wrongs, or even be the parent that their child wants. However, it doesn't make either person the villain, and I appreciated that.
I am excited to read more in this series, which I believe will focus on a different band member of the Lillys!
cw: child abuse, misogyny, abandonment, drug abuse, addiction, cancer, emotional abuse, alcohol
Content Warnings
Graphic: Drug abuse, Misogyny, Alcohol, Cancer, Child abuse, Emotional abuse, Sexual content, Abandonment, and Addiction