Made of Stars by Kelley York Review

Made of Stars by Kelley York
Release Date: October 1, 2013
Publisher: Entangled Teen; 320 pages

When eighteen-year-old Hunter Jackson and his half sister, Ashlin, return to their dad’s for the first winter in years, they expect everything to be just like the warmer months they’d spent there as kids. And it is—at first. But Chance, the charismatic and adventurous boy who made their summers epic, is harboring deep secrets. Secrets that are quickly spiraling into something else entirely.

The reason they’ve never met Chance’s parents or seen his home is becoming clearer. And what the siblings used to think of as Chance's quirks—the outrageous stories, his clinginess, his dangerous impulsiveness—are now warning signs that something is seriously off.

Then Chance's mom turns up with a bullet to the head, and all eyes shift to Chance and his dad. Hunter and Ashlin know Chance is innocent...they just have to prove it. But how can they protect the boy they both love when they can’t trust a word Chance says?

This book is still sitting with me even days after I've read it. I've been wondering how I'm going to put how I feel in to words and I'm still not sure if I'll be able to manage but here goes nothing. I became a fan of Kelley York when I read Hushed. I loved it so much that I went out and bought my own copy and read it again and then made my mom read it. I only give my mom books I really liked (and ones I think she'd like). If you want to read a book by Kelley I would tell anyone to start there. That being said, Made of Stars was almost as brilliant. I loved reading the dual point of views from Ashlin and Hunter, half siblings who share the same dad are, actually, the same age (months apart). Every summer they go visit their dad and have made a best friend there, Chance. Chance is a little on the weird side but he's fascinating.

We find out that Chance's family life isn't what we assumed it was and that he's been lying to both Hunter and Ashlin for most of their lives. It's unnerving how easily Chance can lie and how convincing he is that he even has their father believing every word he says.

There's a point in this book where I really feel awful for every character. Ashlin because she's in love with Chance; Chance because he's in love with Hunter; Hunter because he's confused with his feelings and his girlfriend, Rachel, because she can see their relationship failing all because of Chance. It really all comes down to Chance and how Hunter does or doesn't feel about him. He has feelings for him but it's not ones he's willing to admit to.

Hunter and Ashlin come from way different mothers. Ashlin lives in California and her mom definitely has money so she has a pretty easy life where as Hunter lives in Maine with his mother and Boyfriend Bob and all they do is drink. They live in an apartment and they aren't as well off financially. But they are as close as two siblings as they can ever be, I'm actually kind of jealous of their relationship. I'm close with my siblings but nothing like this. They are actually best friends, which is just awesome. They do question whether they'd be as close as they are if they saw each other more than over just the summer. One will never know but I'd like to believe that it wouldn't put a strain on their relationship. Sure, they'd argue and fight but that's normal for all siblings but I think that bond will never faltered between them.

I don't feel like I can really talk more about what happens without spoiling a lot and it's a bummer because there's so much I'd like to say. Just know that this book has twists and turns everywhere and so many of them I did not see coming. The ending just leaves you in complete and utter shock that I know my jaw hit the floor. I'm still trying to wrap my head around everything; this is one of those books that will stick with me for a long time. All I know is I'm going out to buy my own copy and my mom will get some new reading material!

Thank you so much to Kelley York for giving me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.