Mara and Owen are about as close as twins can get. So when Mara's friend Hannah accuses Owen of rape, Mara doesn't know what to think.
As Mara, Hannah, and Charlie navigate this new terrain, Mara must face a trauma from her own past and decide where Charlie fits in her future.
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Rating: 🌟🌟🌟🌟🌟
My Review: I am sitting here in front of my computer where I have just finished Girl Made of Stars by Ashely Herring Blake and I have to tell you that I have no clue how I am going to tell you about this book. This book is one of a kind and is one that will be sticking with me for a while. It was emotional, deep, and eye opening to our world that needs to change.
First off there are some trigger warnings that you should know about if you are going to read this one. Please make sure to check those out below in my list of Go into this one knowing. I myself am a survivor of being molested on more than one occasion when I was younger so I fully understand how these topics might be to much for someone who has survived it. So please be aware of those warnings.
This book broke me. That is about what I feel right now. It will open your eyes to a world that you will not be able to unsee.
This book follows Mara whom is bisexual. Who's twin brother gets accused of raping his girlfriend. Mara is then stuck in the middle of this situation of deciding who to trust and who to call out. It was a no win place to be for her. I have to say that the author did a perfect job with this aspect of the book. You could feel Mara's emotions about how much she wanted to trust her brother but knowing something wasn't right. But also still not waiting to believe that he could do something like this. This felt like a story that could have been pulled from the headlines and I believe that it is one that needed to be told. This book was full of true emotional authenticity that I have EVER seen in a story.
Another aspect of this book is a small love triangle between Mara's ex girlfriend Charlie whom is nonbinary. And another boy that she gets with for a short amount of time. You could really see how everyone was just trying to deal with the situation at hand and move on. And Mara and Adam were just trying to find comfort in any place they could.
A major part of this story dealt with Mara and her own secret trama. Early on in the story you learn that something happened to her three years ago. But you don't find out until way later in the book where it is all set before you. I have to say that her entire experience of what happened to her was one that triggered me to no end. When I was 10 to 11 years old I had the same thing happen to me over the course of a year or so. But it was my mother's boyfriend and not a teacher that abused me in that way.
The trauma of rape and having your freedom taken away, of having your trust violated, in a world where girl's bodies are distractions, where society refuses to believe you is what this book is ultimate about. And I have to say that the author did a fantastic job with it.
This is the story that should be in the hands of every teen out there. That even if you believe that no one is going to believe you. Believe in yourself that you know what happened and that you said NO. Don't let anyone take away your right to say that to have your voice heard!
"Unforgettable in its candor...Blake’s timely and gripping contribution is a nuanced he-said, she-said story with a fierce feminist bent."--Booklist, STARRED review
"A compassionate and engaging novel about what it means to tell your truth, no matter how painful it might be. A must-read for all YA shelves."--School Library Journal, STARRED review
"Mara’s bisexuality and Charlie’s closeted nonbinary gender are examples not only of well-crafted representation but of vital nuance as Mara navigates the present while coming to terms with her past. Blake strives admirably and with resounding success for emotional authenticity while shedding light on issues of consent, trauma, relationships, and identity."--Horn Book Magazine
"A powerful, nuanced, and necessary read."--Kirkus
"In this must read story about sexual abuse and allegations of rape. Mara learns that nothing is harder than telling the truth and letting your voice be heard." --Crossroad Reviews
FTC Guidelines: In accordance with FTC guidelines regarding endorsements and testimonials for bloggers, I would like my readers to know that many of the books I review are provided to me for free by the publisher or author of the book in exchange for an honest review. If am compensated for any reviews on this site I will state that post has been sponsored.
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