I couldn’t finish this....it was sooo slow going. I was mildly interested, but the layout was weird, and I felt like I should be at least halfway or a little more and then found I was only about 20% of the way through, and I just don’t think I can continue and finish this within any reasonably amount of time. This was a little outside my comfort zone, being “about aliens”, but it was still a little interesting. The scientific parts were a bit dry and boring...it was just too much detail for me. I feel like, if I finished it, it would get this semi-lower rating from me.

I went into this book, not really knowing what to expect. I’d read some of Sedoti’s work before, and enjoyed it, so I picked up this book from NetGalley back when it was an ARC.

The character development is on point here and I really enjoy the family dynamics, particularly between Gideon and his brother, Ishmael. The way they work together and the way they appreciate and use each other’s strengths is really wonderful and heartwarming. 

Gideon himself is so relatable. He’s very focused on the literal, has trouble relaying his emotions and often bottles them up, and he’s terrified of driving. He wants to prove himself but also knows the it’s a futile quest because he’s human. Smart, but book smart, not innovative, as is evidenced by our first glimpse into his lab, in which he’s creating a seismograph. A tool that already exists and, sure, he’s making it himself without assistance from outside sources, but it’s not new. It’s not exciting. 

So when the idea to fake an alien visitation comes to light, Gideon jumps on it much more readily than a man of science should. It’s his way to make a mark on the world, to see what happens. He treats it like an experiment, recording conversations, keeping transcripts, and interviewing people in the aftermath. 

It’s all a little ridiculous but is incredibly grounded in Gideon’s real problems. He doesn’t see himself as remarkable, struggles with his place in the world in light of everything else. He feels so alone and isolated among his family and his friends. He’s nothing special--just a starfish in the ocean. He feels so small in the light of the stars.

Over the course of the novel, he discovers that maybe he’s not so isolated after all. That he’s not so different. 

I wish there had been more Gideon and Owen. I wanted to see more of their interactions. I could read a whole book just about them, no hoaxes necessary. Gideon is so unsure of what his place is in Owen’s life. What does Gideon bring to the table? Nothing. He’s gay and Owen is gay and they live in a small town so, of course they would end up together at some point. It’s practically guaranteed. Except Owen genuinely likes him and Gideon can’t deal with it because he feels so much less than Owen. He’s less good looking, less popular. Why would Owen want to be with him when there are so many other options out in the world? But Gideon does have feelings after all.

The aliens fall in a distant place compared to the characterization and relationships. It was really interesting to see how things would pan out. Would the town find out about the hoax? Would Gideon and Ishmael’s questionable actions come to light and would they be arrested? I loved all the little mysteries along the way and how they all tied together. 

This book has amazing characters, first and foremost, and a fun plot to urge the characters along. I just want to read more about Gideon! I doubt there will be a sequel so I must be content to imagine what happens next on my own.

This is Gideon P. Hofstadt's account of when aliens came to Lasburg, Pennsylvania, and The Incident that followed. 

Except, they didn't come. 

And Gideon and his brother Ishmael know that because the giant crater in their parents field was caused by a science experiment gone wrong.

I didn't finish this for a number of reasons - the text was laid out oddly in my proof, but I think that the way it's compiled is very clever and will read much better in the finished copy, being told through interview snippets, articles and posts. 

Gideon was an interesting character - it's always nice to read about a geeky gay MC but honestly this just wasn't for me, Ishmael drove me absolutely crazy and he came across as either 10 years old (he's 16) or someone with severe issues. I'm sure many will love it but it's not my thing.

This was...okay. 

It Came from the Sky is a nice, sweet story that isn’t particularly original or powerful. Essentially this book is fine, but not especially memorable or significant. 

It’s a cute premise, and Sedoti has certainly given us a (mostly) likable protagonist. But alas, there are a million Gideons out there populating kid lit. They’re all a little awkward, they’re all essentially good-hearted, and unfortunately for this book, most of them are funnier than this young man. 

Gideon is too much of a stock character to be meaningful to the audience, and all of the humor in the book falls flat compared to other books like it. 

Additionally, the book feels miscategorized as young adult. It really belongs with a much younger audience, probably middle schoolers at the oldest. 

In all, there’s nothing truly “bad” about this book. It’s just that there are hundreds of others far too much like it, and most of them are better.

Not my go-to ready category, but this was a fun title to read that was relatively quick. I thought the overall plot, characters and story were fun and entertaining.

Wow this was a REALLY long book. I did enjoy it, when I picked it up it was something that I just kept turning the pages as I read to get through the story, and see how it would all turn out. Honestly, there was a lot in this book. Not only did we have just your regular story parts, there were pages of the extra documentation that you find in a lot of books now. Interview transcripts, website posts with their comments, text conversations, and even little interludes where our main narrator gave us kind of extra thoughts or expansions of the thoughts we got within the story parts. It was a good story, just maybe a bit overlong, I can see some things that didn’t necessarily need as much time as they got, but that’s just my opinion. Nothing was not a part of the story, nothing didn’t fit. All in all a really good contemporary story since as we’re told from the synopsis, it is just a hoax.

This book deserves major brownie points for me simply because I was able to finish it. I don't read contemporary, and I ESPECIALLY don't read contemporaries that don't have romance as a main plotline. However, It Came from the Sky had enough quirky humor, fun relationship dynamics, and faux alien fun to keep me interested the whole way through.

Interesting journey into the concept of pack mentality and the ability to push people to believe a prank. I love the use of narrative styles, it fleshed the world out more. I was not a fan of the main characters. While I may not personally like them, their story needed to be told and included in the teen section.

It all started as a little white lie from a brother protecting his sibling. It spiraled into something so much bigger. This was different than almost any other book I have read, and I thoroughly enjoyed it. 

The story had a little bit of everything: humor, mystery, love, and growth of the characters. 

I enjoyed this story!

I received an ARC from Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

What kid doesn't remember lying and then having to lie more to cover up that original lie? This book takes that idea to the extreme when brothers Gideon and Ishmael cover up a science project gone wrong by convincing their town that aliens have made contact. And while events get more and more absurd, there are also serious moments to ground the reader in reality. I love the mixed format of interviews, blog posts, texts, and found documents. And the wondering of when the brothers would finally get caught made for some great tension.

So I’m sure this is a fabulous read for someone. Just not me.  I can’t manage to get invested in the MC. feels sort of scripted/robotic to me. I loved the idea and the format. But something was off for me and that’s all I can put my finger on. Thanks for the copy!

Reading this I'm reminded of the novel Godless, centering on a casual lie that grows out of the protagonist's control. A hoax developed as an experiment that quickly gets out of control. It explores the nature of belief, the things we believe even without evidence. It looks at people convincing themselves to believe in something or just going along with a lie in order to be a part of something. At the surface, it's pretty funny. There are a number of humorous elements. But it also has serious bones. We see the consequences of this plot, both funny and destructive. We see a fair amount of desperation. Great characters, q quick pace, and engaging plot. A solid read.

Title: It Came from the Sky
Author:  Chelsea Sedoti   
Genre: YA
Rating: 4 out of 5

This is the absolutely true account of how Lansburg, Pennsylvania was invaded by aliens and the weeks of chaos that followed. There were sightings of UFOs, close encounters, and even abductions. There were believers, Truth Seekers, and, above all, people who looked to the sky and hoped for more.

Only...there were no aliens.

Gideon Hofstadt knows what really happened. When one of his science experiments went wrong, he and his older brother blamed the resulting explosion on extraterrestrial activity. And their lie was not only believed by their town―it was embraced. As the brothers go to increasingly greater lengths to keep up the ruse and avoid getting caught, the hoax flourishes. But Gideon's obsession with their tale threatened his whole world. Can he find a way to banish the aliens before Lansburg, and his life, are changed forever?

I really enjoyed reading this! Gideon is…Sheldon, from Big Bang Theory (except he doesn’t think he’s smarter than everyone), and I love Sheldon, so I enjoyed Gideon’s point-of-view. I actually felt sorry for him, too, because he was just baffled by people’s emotions and how he should respond sometimes.

The secondary characters are vibrant and distinctive, and Sedoti’s writing is solid and enjoyable as always, letting the reader feel at home in the story world. There were several funny moments here, and I’d love to read more about all these characters (like, what’s Maggie getting up to?).

Chelsea Sedoti lives in Las Vegas. It Came from the Sky is her newest novel.

(Galley courtesy of Sourcebooks Fire in exchange for an honest review.)

I have been so intrigued by this book whilst reading, everytime I put it down I was looking for a time that I could pick it up again. It’s a bizarre one because it is super long for the genre which made me feel like it may drag out and not really be for me but this was not the case. It was certainly not boring and there was enough going on to fill those 500 plus pages. 

Due to the chapters being so short I found that I flew through this book pretty quickly. It made it a very fast paced read and one that I did not want to p it down. I found myself saying “just one more chapter” on numerous occasions. 

The only thing that let this join down for me was the grooming element. I feel like it wasn’t explored in enough depth to give it justice. I feel like it was just brushed over very quickly. I think a lot more could have been done with this. 

Overall it was an enjoyable read and I will be looking for read more by this author!

I enjoyed my previous reads by Sedoti and this one was no exception. I was absolutely amazed at how well the situation in this book (two teen boys creating a hoax about an alien invasion in order to avoid getting caught doing something illegal) translates to what is going on in the world today. The conspiracy theories, the mass hysteria, the skeptics--all of it is applicable to many situations and this book, whether accidentally or on purpose, shines a bright light on them.
I adored the snarky sense of humor and the realistic portrayal of relationships. It's refreshing to see a variety of relationship storylines, from Gideon and Owen to Gideon and Ishmael's parents explore different facets of starting and maintaining a romance despite varying issues, both internal and external.
This is a great book for young adults and adults alike.

This was an interesting book and a really fun way to examine sibling bonds. Definitely a great thoughtful yet light read!

This alien story comes from As You Wish author Chelsea Sedoti.  Unlike the magical world in that book, this one stays perfectly in our magic less realm/
Gideon likes doing science experiments in the shed. One day, while working a seismograph, his brother causes his test to go awry and make a big explosion on their parent's farm. At first, the white lie covers up the danger of explosion but then it morphs quickly into a tale of extraterrestrial beings. Gideon at first fight this misconception but gives in when he sees it as  sociological experiment and one that get him in to MIT.
I enjoyed the main voice being someone who is not neurotypical. Gideon never has it all together. His thought differently than his friends and his voice will resonant with many readers. The author makes no big deal about this aspect of his character by labeling and bringing attention, Gideon just is without expectation.
The rest of the characters. However, are all flat. Despite this, I loved Ishmael. He is a lovable oaf and this plays off Gideon's seriousness well. Other character don't fare so well.  The sister seemed out of place and really didn't interact with Gideon so the readers didn't really get to know her or her motivations a well.
Story wise, I was at first intrigued about the hoax. I enjoyed aliens in history including the variety of hoaxes and misconceptions. So thigh splayed in my wheelhouse. But the book pivots making a villain out of a Multi Level Marketing CEO. Comparing the characters hoaxes seemed a little extreme. I'm not big into MLMs and know  for most people it's just a pyramid scheme gone wrong.  But I know friends who  have made it a business and who will be mighty pissed at this idea. There are many an example of modern cults that might have been a much better match in gravity. But I wonder if the author moved away from religion on purpose as that might cause even more bad attitudes from parents than calling out their Mary Kay or Avon.
While the first half of the book pulled me on, I was unsatisfied in the ending. There wasn't a big enough payout. The main character makes some introspective changes but nothing but the punishments for the hoax are pretty nonexistence. I wanted to see how do you handle that?  What would actually happen in the real world if these kids had been caught?
Over all I was disappointed in It Came From the Sky having read As You Wish. While there are some good aspects to this tale, the ending of the hoax leaves a bad taste in my mouth.

This book was a surprise. I didn't expect to be this involved in Gideon and Ishmael's life, but I was, I was committed! What started as a "simple" explosion, turned into alien hoax, turned senior year prank, became a national sensation that totally blew up out of proportion and changed the lives of a little town's citizens forever!

The mc is gay, definitely neurodiverse even if not clearly specified, a science nerd, space enthusiast, and is a ball of anxiety. I wanted to protect him from page 1. The book is about an alien hoax/prank Gideon and his brother start, and it's about the sibling bond, family, friendship, a bit about relationship, expressing emotions, the power of persuasion, about the fear of the future and feeling like you're a starfish in a world where they're usually forgotten. It gave me tons of feelings, from laughter to heartbreak. It's told in reports, interviews, blog posts, texts, etc. I definitely recommend it!

IT CAME FROM THE SKY was such a weird and strange little book and I love weird and strange. What started off as a simple experiment quickly goes wrong, and two brothers have an idea to turn it into a harmless prank, where it then morphs into a giant hoax that seemingly brings an entire town together. Gideon and Ishmael are at the center of this wild tale and through the course of interviews, collected data, event recaps, and even more data (thanks, Gideon!), the story of how aliens really and truly invaded the sleepy town of Lansburg, Pennsylvania unfolds. Ok, not really. Though some people will still choose to believe. 

Gideon and Ishmael are brothers who are opposites in every sense of the word — Gideon is a true introvert, Ishmael is most definitely an extrovert, one likes numbers and graphs and facts and definites, while the other prefers to fly by the seat of his pants, and when it comes to The Hoax, one wants to keep it as tightly controlled as any proper experiment should be, while the other wants it to be Big and Sensational. But despite all of their differences, Gideon and Ishmael have that unbreakable bond that only the closest of siblings can have, and I adored each of them as individuals and as their little quirky team. 

While The Hoax and the events surrounding it acts as the body of the story, Gideon and Ishmael, their relationship with one another and their friends and parents form the heart of the story. I’ve read Sedoti’s previous novels and if they’ve taught me anything, it’s that she is really good at crafting a story around her characters, rather than trying to insert characters into a story. Her characters and their relationships are always the stars, anything after that is just a bonus. And if all of the above hasn’t yet persuaded you to pick up this book, there’s also a little bit of romance between Gideon and Owen thrown in for good measure. 

Bottom line — IT CAME FROM THE SKY was such a fun, feel good book that we all need right now. Do yourself a favor and pick it up, and then do yourself another favor and pick up Sedoti’s other books when you finish. She’s definitely on the fast track to becoming one of my favorite authors, and I can’t wait to see what she brings next.

This was such a great read focusing on how quickly a lie can spread and how big it can get!  Gideon and Ishmael watched their lie spread and couldn't stop it.  It was nice to go along on their journey as they discovered this important lesson.