Be sure to come back on Wednesday (11/28) when Cassandra Marshall stops by for an interview and giveaway!
The Stars Fell Sideways
Cassandra Marshall
10/1/12
MolliPup Press
Format: pb
Source: author
Alison Arroway takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’. She has to, or she won’t get paid. Alison is a stunt double for pampered teen actress Pomegranate and when the director takes the shoot to Portugal, Alison is anything but thrilled to be rooming with Pom. But getting to hang around teen hearthrob Erik? Now that’s a plus.Erik invites both girls on a sunset boat trip and Alison manages to have a decent time. Until the storm hits and the boat is shipwrecked on a small island, leaving Erik missing and the boat captain dead. In the morning light, Alison and Pom find themselves on the lost island of Atlantis. Only one problem: now that the girls know the secret of the island, the Atlanteans don’t want them to leave. They're stuck with corsets, full-skirted dresses, and the strange steam-driven contraptions that are just a way of life for the islanders.When a plot by the ruthless army Captain to take over the island and declare himself General over all emerges, an underground group promises to return the girls to the mainland if they can help stop him. They'll go through a mountain, literally, to find the Book of Blue, a book that will explain how to make ‘the stars fall sideways' in order to save the day and earn their freedom. THE STARS FELL SIDEWAYS, a YA Steampunkish fantasy, OUT NOW from MolliePup Press!
THREE
WORDS: Fresh, Fun,
Steampunkasy...(why yes, I did mix “steampunk” and “fantasy”
to make up a new word!)
MY
REVIEW: Cassandra Marshall's
The Stars Fell Sideways took
me on a fun, unexpected journey into the world of Atlantis. An
Atlantean world that Marshall has infused with refreshing originality
and totally made her own!
When
teenager stunt gal extraordinaire Alison Arroway heads to Portugal to
work on a movie as the stunt double for famous teen actress
Pomegranate she's excited for the stunts, to maybe spend time with
heart-throb Eric, and to see the sights. She's less thrilled about
spending time with spoiled, nasty Pom. But when Eric invites Alison
and Pom on a boat cruise and the boat wrecks during a storm and Eric
goes missing, Alison and Pom end up stranded together on the infamous
island of Atlantis. And once the girls are there, the Atlantean
people won't let them leave. So the girls are stuck in an
old-fashioned world, run by steam-driven machines, but a hostile
takeover and rebellion army may be their ticket back home. If they
can survive “the stars falling sideways” that is.
At
a little over 200 pages, The Stars Fell Sideways
is
a quick, but super fun and cute read. Marshall has weaved an exciting
steampunkish fantasy tale full of humor, action, and romance that
will appeal to a wide audience.
The
Atlantean world in The Stars Fell Sideways is
an unexpected one, but in a totally good way. Marshall has crafted a
refreshingly unique and captivating Atlantis that is more steampunk
Victorian England than full on mythical fantasy, but completely
charming. The world-building in The Stars Fell
Sideways is
excellent and the Atlantis Alison and Pom find themselves in has
great historical, social, and cultural layers, combining together to
create an endlessly fascinating and believable world, that is both
delightful and dark. I love the mix of steampunk and fantasy and both
elements are used in imaginative and dazzling ways.
The
journey Alison embarks on in Atlantis is full of thrills, chills,
action, twists, turns, and smooches. I had a lot of fun falling into
this story, exploring the world of Atlantis with Alison and Pom as
they are given jobs, make new friends, and set out to find the
legendary Blue Book and learn how to make the stars fall sideways.
The romantic elements are really cute and, at times, even
unexpectedly and enticingly hot and steamy.
Alison
is an awesome heroine; from her bad-ass stunt skills to her feisty
take charge attitude and wit, she's very amusing and entertaining. I
love how she uses movie references to describe her settings and
feelings. Pomegranate is, at first, a stereotypically egotistical and
mean girl, but she really grew on me with her outrageous observations
and laugh-out-loud humor. These two girls make an odd, quirky pair,
but their eventual friendship is sweet and cute.
The
book ends on a satisfying note, but definitely left me wanting more
and I really hope there's a sequel!
MY
FINAL THOUGHTS: The Stars Fell Sideways sparkles
with fun originality. Marshall weaves an exciting tale with a fresh
take on Atlantis and an awesome mix of steampunk and fantasy. I
greatly enjoyed this book and think other YA fans will too. I
definitely recommend it!
MY RATING
Purchase: Amazon / B&N / Smashwords
Cassandra Marshall is a freelance YA editor, lit agency staff, YA writer, and loves to play with her dog Mollie. She dreams of having a shelf full of books she has written and has helped others to write. She can be found in Emmett, MI,camarshall.com for writing, editorcassandra.com
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