With their lookalike covers and sound-a-like titles, it could be difficult for a reader to tell Catch a Falling Star by Kim Culbertson and Second Star by Alyssa Sheinmel apart. They aren't the same book. One is a nicely realistic odd couple romance between a small town girl and a celebrity, the other a well-crafted retelling of Peter Pan. I enjoyed them both!
by Alyssa Sheinmel
To be published by Farrar, Straus and Giroux
on May 13, 2014
Source: thanks to Macmillan/FSG for advance review copy!
Synopsis from Goodreads: A twisty story about love, loss, and lies, this contemporary oceanside adventure is tinged with a touch of dark magic as it follows seventeen-year-old Wendy Darling on a search for her missing surfer brothers. Wendy’s journey leads her to a mysterious hidden cove inhabited by a tribe of young renegade surfers, most of them runaways like her brothers. Wendy is instantly drawn to the cove’s charismatic leader, Pete, but her search also points her toward Pete's nemesis, the drug-dealing Jas. Enigmatic, dangerous, and handsome, Jas pulls Wendy in even as she's falling hard for Pete.
My take: You wouldn't think this would be my kind of book. Peter Pan is not one of my favorite classics and magical realism really isn't my thing. But I'm a huge fan of Alyssa Sheinmel's work -- I've read all her books -- and I love the way that she incorporates magic and fairy tale elements into all her stories.Second Star is the story of Wendy Darling, a California teenager who just finished high school and is headed to Stanford. You'd think Wendy's life is perfect, but it's not. Her happiness is shadowed by the mysterious disappearance of her twin brothers while surfing. Wendy sets out to find them, and is soon wrapped up in the lifestyle of a mysterious group of surfers led by the charming but inscrutable Pete. Wendy's certain that he can help her find her brothers. Her quest leads her to the Jolly Roger, a dive bar, and Jas, who deals an addictive drug called fairy dust. Wendy's not giving up until she gets answers about her brothers, even if her quest destroys her.
Okay, you might think that all sounds kind of out-there, but this retelling really worked for me. The whole book feels ... dreamy and otherworldly, and to me, those are qualities that really honor the spirit of original story and its portrayal of Neverland. Alyssa Sheinmel excels at writing fragile-yet-strong heroines who seem to have everything but are barely holding it all together. To me, the whole story felt like a classic fairy tale -- not the Disney-fied version, but those original fairy stories that showed peeks of the dark side underneath all the glitter.
Catch a Falling Star
by Kim Culbertson
To be published by Scholastic
on April 29, 2014
Source: Thanks to Scholastic for allowing me to read an e-ARC from Netgalley
Synopsis from Goodreads: Nothing ever happens in Little, CA. Which is just the way Carter Moon likes it. But when Hollywood arrives to film a movie starring former child star turned PR mess Adam Jakes, everything changes. Carter's town becomes a giant glittery set and, much to her annoyance, everyone is starry-eyed for Adam. Carter seems to be the only girl not falling all over herself to get a glimpse of him. Which apparently makes her perfect for the secret offer of a lifetime: playing the role of Adam's girlfriend while he's in town, to improve his public image, in exchange for a hefty paycheck. Her family really needs the money and so Carters agrees. But it turns out Adam isn't at all who she thought he was. As they grow closer, their relationship walks a blurry line between what's real and what's fake, and Carter must open her eyes to the scariest of unexplored worlds - her future. Can Carter figure out what she wants out of life AND get the guy? Or are there no Hollywood endings in real life?
My take: For me, the greatest strengths of Catch a Falling Star were the character of Carter and the book's charming portrayal of small town life. Carter is a character who is described by another character as happy where she is and happy with herself. That may not be 100% true, but she's sort of refreshingly sweet and down to earth without seeming irritatingly goody-goody. But I loved the way that the book dug deeper -- is she really happy where she is, or is she just afraid to venture outside her familiar little world? Speaking of that world, I loved the wonderful little details of life in Little, California - yep, that's the town's name.
The romance in this one was interesting. When bad boy child star Adam Jakes comes to town, Carter is the only one in town who couldn't care less. But then, spurred on by some financial problems in her family, she agrees to a (paid) fauxmance with Adam. Things don't always go smoothly. Adam is an interesting character -- a kid who's never had a normal life and has a hard time trusting anyone. While he was a very hard character to warm up to, in the end I found Carter and Adam's slow burn romance to be a nice blend of realistic and romantic. In this book, the ending was just the beginning, if that makes sense.
A few things about the book fell short for me. Carter's family's financial problems seemed like a bit of a plot device at times. And Adam never really opened up to an extent that I felt that I understood him. But overall I was quite charmed by this one -- it's a celebrity romance story with a surprising amount of depth.
Great duo reviews Jen, I love features like this! I really looking forward to Second Star and the cover looks great! Been seeing this for a long time!
ReplyDeleteHappy Reading
Patrick @ The Bookshelves
Thanks! I really enjoyed them both!
DeleteApart from the covers and the titular similarities, the plots are different? But I can see how the covers might throw off readers. They're both interesting, anyway. :)
ReplyDeleteYep, very different books. One is a contemporary romance, the other a retelling with touches of magical realism. I sort of wish that Catch a Falling Star had gone with a night scene on the cover, because the protag is an amateur astronomer.
DeleteI've been dying to realy Second Star but hadn't heard of Catch a Falling Star. Now I want to read both of them! Glad you liked them :-)
ReplyDeleteGreat -- underneath the covers, they're so different :)
DeleteBoth books sounds awesome!
ReplyDeleteThey were!
DeleteOMG, OMG! A "retelling" of Peter Pan!!! I must have this book! Thanks for the reviews and I must run to read Second Star.
ReplyDeleteTt @ Never Ending Stories
Yes! I have Tiger Lily on my pile and now this book has inspired me to read it.
DeleteI didn't know that Second Star is Peter Pan retelling. I have to read that!!! Like now!
ReplyDeleteThank you for making me this excited about reading a book, Jen.
Let me know what you think!
DeleteI love a fragile but still strong character, and I liked Peter Pan but was skeptical about a retelling, now will def give another look.
ReplyDeleteI think you might like this -- some interesting issues in there :)
DeleteTBH - Second Star sounds awful to me but I'm so curious now because you liked it.
ReplyDeleteKaren @ For What It's Worth
LOL. Well, I'm not crazy about Peter Pan -- such a weird story -- but I really enjoyed this!
DeleteTo be honest i was kind of skeptical of both books —epsecially a peter pan retelling but now i'm curouis since you managed to enjoy them! Okay, i'll be adding this to my summer TBR to give them a try
ReplyDeleteLily @ Lilysbookblog
Let me know what you think!!
DeleteI'm a big fan of Peter Pan so Second Star sounds interesting to me. You're right...the covers and the titles are VERY similar. I would have thought they were a series if I just glanced at the covers. Great review(s)!
ReplyDeleteI don't know if either of these are "me" books, but i'm about to go IMDB the kid who played Peter Pan in 2002 to see how he grew up.
ReplyDeleteThat was disappointing.
DeleteI've read some bad reviews about Second Star so I'm quite surprised you liked it. I'm not a fan of Peter Pan so I'm still thinking if I'll give this a try.
ReplyDeleteI actually mistook one book from another lol I might try Catch a Falling Star when it's released. Thanks for this clever way of reviewing books Jen :)
You are right, I've seen either one of these books before and I had no idea they were different! And to think, one of them was even about Wendy Darling. Thanks for the great reviews!
ReplyDeleteSecond Star was a pretty good book. I would definitely like to pick up Catch a Falling Star. Great reviews. :)
ReplyDeleteBoth look quite similar, in the colouring and the font.
ReplyDeleteThank you for this feature, Jen! I may check out the first book. Although I loved Tiger Lily, I'm not really a fan of Peter Pan because I never watched/read it. The covers are lovely, however!
ReplyDeleteFaye at The Social Potato Reviews
I'm reading Second Star right now and I really love that otherworldly quality it has to it, and the whole surfing thing just works so well, but I don't really think I like Wendy all that much. I've never really liked her in any of the versions of Peter Pan though, so I don't know why I keep thinking I'll find one I like her in.
ReplyDeleteI just bought Catch a Falling Star because celebrity romances are my guilty pleasure. It looks really cute. I'm glad you enjoyed it.