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A review by rohina_sharma
Star Bright by Staci Hart
3.0
When I read the blurb about Star Bright, I was immediately excited to dive into the world Ms Hart had created. There aren’t a lot of Contemporary Romance books that venture into Old Hollywood and the style of parties and traditions that have been passed down to generations. The lavishness and exclusivity of the Bright Young Things pulled me in and of course the biggest question of all - who is Cecilia Beaton?
I want to start by saying that I loved the idea of the story. The whole Gatsby meets Hollywood ‘party like the 20s’ vibe is strong and I loved that. I also loved the friendship between the core group of Bright Young Things. They were their own brand of misfits, leaning and relying on each other. They were a family and it showed whenever they were together.
However, the story didn’t do it for me on multiple fronts. There was a tad too many parties; so much so that they started to feel like fillers. I couldn’t see the point of the parties or how they helped any significant movement of the story, apart from an instance or two. All they did was reinforcing the idea of kinship among the elite kids, again and again, who felt alone but still celebrating the fact that they were alive.
The involvement of the police? This might just be a “me” thing but I really didn’t quite get the full picture or the idea behind Warren and his insane obsession with the Bright Young Things and their parties.
The romance between Levi and Stella just wasn’t convincing enough. I didn’t feel the chemistry nor was I sold on the attraction those two felt for each other. There were too many things happening in this relationship and honestly, I expected better handling from both of them, especially Levi.
Stella and Levi in general just didn’t appeal as a couple.
Stella, to me, came across not only as entitled but super selective to her secret most of the time. Yes, she is fun, sweet and an overall cheerful character, but some of her reactions seemed hypocritical, if not over the top. She would always jump to conclusions based on the half-baked facts and without listening to the full story which would then lead to her making rash decisions and then regretting them.
Levi, if I were to compare him to Stella, was a tad bit better in characterization and definitely the mature one out of the two of them. I didn’t care much for his shadiness and the way he kept putting off telling the truth. (Which when revealed led to Stella’s jumping to conclusions, rash decisions and fickle behaviour… Men, I tell you.)
Overall, while Start Bright does have all the elements and I know for a fact that this story is a top favourite for a lot of readers, it just didn’t work for me.
3 Stars!
↠ Buy Star Bright (Kindle)
_________________________
For more reviews and recommendations:
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☛ Main Blog
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*ARC gifted by the author in exchange for an honest review.*
I want to start by saying that I loved the idea of the story. The whole Gatsby meets Hollywood ‘party like the 20s’ vibe is strong and I loved that. I also loved the friendship between the core group of Bright Young Things. They were their own brand of misfits, leaning and relying on each other. They were a family and it showed whenever they were together.
However, the story didn’t do it for me on multiple fronts. There was a tad too many parties; so much so that they started to feel like fillers. I couldn’t see the point of the parties or how they helped any significant movement of the story, apart from an instance or two. All they did was reinforcing the idea of kinship among the elite kids, again and again, who felt alone but still celebrating the fact that they were alive.
The involvement of the police? This might just be a “me” thing but I really didn’t quite get the full picture or the idea behind Warren and his insane obsession with the Bright Young Things and their parties.
The romance between Levi and Stella just wasn’t convincing enough. I didn’t feel the chemistry nor was I sold on the attraction those two felt for each other. There were too many things happening in this relationship and honestly, I expected better handling from both of them, especially Levi.
Stella and Levi in general just didn’t appeal as a couple.
Stella, to me, came across not only as entitled but super selective to her secret most of the time. Yes, she is fun, sweet and an overall cheerful character, but some of her reactions seemed hypocritical, if not over the top. She would always jump to conclusions based on the half-baked facts and without listening to the full story which would then lead to her making rash decisions and then regretting them.
Levi, if I were to compare him to Stella, was a tad bit better in characterization and definitely the mature one out of the two of them. I didn’t care much for his shadiness and the way he kept putting off telling the truth. (Which when revealed led to Stella’s jumping to conclusions, rash decisions and fickle behaviour… Men, I tell you.)
Overall, while Start Bright does have all the elements and I know for a fact that this story is a top favourite for a lot of readers, it just didn’t work for me.
3 Stars!
↠ Buy Star Bright (Kindle)
_________________________
For more reviews and recommendations:
☛ Facebook Page
☛ Main Blog
*ARC gifted by the author in exchange for an honest review.*