I'm not normally a fan of books from the POV of celebrities but I have always enjoyed Melissa de la Cruz's writing so I gave this one a shot and I'm glad I did. This was the perfect vacation book--the story of three child stars who have grown up alongside one another, over the span of their fame, it touches on relationships and the complexities of fame. It feels like the perfect read for anyone who grew up reading celebrity gossip magazines in the early aughts.

Not my favourite, but it was okay. I struggled to really get into the story or connect with the characters the way I’d hoped. That said, Melissa de la Cruz’s writing kept me going—I’ve enjoyed her books in the past, and that familiarity made me want to see this one through. It just didn’t hit the same way for me this time.

(I received this book as a digital ARC courtesy of Mindy's Book Club, Amazon Publishing Group and NetGalley in exchange for an honest review)

In all honesty, reading this book felt a lot like a Paris, Britney & Lindsay retelling - but not necessarily in a bad way!

For starters, I have to say it is quite an easy read, I managed to finish it in one sitting and didn't feel tired of it. In fact, I think I wished it was a bit longer but then I realised, the ending is good enough as it is. I love that all the girls somehow found closure and made amends with their past, no matter how long it took them to get there both individually and as a group. It's real, it's raw, and most importantly: it does a great job of emphasizing how important it is to have good friends who truly love you and will stand by you through the good and the bad - I liked it a lot!

All that's left for me to say is... 3AM Girls forever!

I really enjoyed this coming-of-age novel about three girls who meet us teens and grow up together while navigating life in the Spotlight. The story gives a realistic behind-the-scenes look at fame with fun Hollywood and celebrity references woven throughout. It’s a heart that felt honest portrayal of friendship, growing pains, and staying grounded. A great read for fans of character driven stories with a glamorous twist.

Thank you to NetGalley for this book. This book spans three decades following the lives of three child stars. A insightful look into the challenges of early fame and the lifelong struggles.

The first book I ever Read of Melissa de la Cruz was The Au Pairs as a teenager, I loved that book and I loved When Stars Align. The friendships, the romance, everything about this book I thoroughly enjoyed. When Stars Align really capture what it means to be Celebrity especially in the early 2000's. I hope everyone enjoys this book as much as I did.

When Stars Align by Melissa de la Cruz was fine, but kind of forgettable. The setting had promise, early 2000s Hollywood? Yes, please. But the story just didn’t really go anywhere. Plot was super surface-level, and the characters felt like sketches of people instead of fully fleshed-out humans.

And for a book set during the peak of tabloid chaos, it was weirdly tame. I wanted more iconic 2000s mess. Like, where were the ridiculous outfits? The scandalous MySpace posts? The energy of someone getting caught leaving the club at 3am in giant sunglasses?

Overall, it’s a quick read and kind of fun if you’re not expecting much. But I wanted way more Y2K chaos and character depth than I got.

Thank you to NetGalley and Mindy’s Publishing Studio for the ARC I received. I was nervous when the prologue made the book seem like it would be frivolous chick lit.
I don’t want to give too much away but I felt the book was slightly deeper than that.

When Stars Align follows Sicily, Germaine, and Miranda, three young girls who were on a successful teen show together, over several decades of their lives. The book addresses multiple troubling topics such as the double standards due to gender, sexual coercion, etc.

Within the first chapter I was drawn in and soon I was angrily shaking my head at some of the poor choices characters made or just feeling so sorry for them. I loved all the references to the early 2000s (Love Spell perfume, Motorola phones, etc) and how thoughtful the author was with details.

One part of the book bothered me enough that I couldn’t get over it-a character ran on a treadmill for 60 minutes and then just towels off, grabs a hoodie, and sprays on perfume. She immediately goes to have sex with her boyfriend without a shower. It was so gross I couldn’t excuse it. Additionally, I felt the character development for Germaine was slightly less fleshed out than for Miranda and Sicily…I had a harder time grasping why the other two were so drawn to someone who spoke down to most of the “help”, particularly when their own families were not well off.

Despite some of the heavy topics explored, the book managed to stay fairly light, which would make it good for a vacation. I would read another book by this author.

When Stars Align follows three child starlets’ coming of age and their relationships with each other. Unfortunately, the stars did not align for me with this novel. The obvious basis off of Britney Spears, Paris Hilton, and Lindsay Lohan and questionable character names made it difficult to gain interest in the characters. They were unlikable to the point that I almost felt like the author had something against young female celebrities. Because I didn’t feel invested in the characters, the plot fell short. Honestly, it would’ve fallen short for me either way. I would give a different book by this author a chance, and I could see how someone could like this book.

2.5 Stars
I was drawn to When Stars Align by the cover, title, author, and book description. The biggest was the book description. I, along with many others, immediately thought of Spears, Hilton, and Lohan. Things started out fairly strong but quickly lost their luster. I had a hard time connecting to the characters. The third person narration made me feel like I was watching them rather than experiencing the story through them. I also never liked them or felt any sort of sympathy or empathy for them. The plot didn't really help either. Sadly, this book wasn't for me.

🌟 3.5

An intriguing read for us millennials who grew up at a time where we followed celebrities growing up, but before social media was where it is today and we can follow a celebrity's every move.

The story provides a behind the scenes look, following 3 young celebrities in the 2000s. We see them go from fame and fortune to where they are today, knowing all the obstacles, betrayal, and trauma they endured in the heights of their career.

We've recently seen a lot of celebrity memoirs recollecting their lives as young start. This book, although fictional, gives the same vibe with a dash of US Weekly and Gossip Girl.

The concept of this book was very interesting— three best friends who experienced childhood stardom and what life is like afterwards. I just wish we would have gotten more time with each character or focused one just one person!

When Stars Align tends to highlight the darker sides of child stardom—so it’s not always a fun read. But it’s an honest look at growing up in the public eye—and the challenge to find happiness and success after being so famous so young.

Full review published on NightsAndWeekends.com and aired on Shelf Discovery.

I was hooked from the beginning!!
It was amazing and engaging.
I was instantly sucked in by the atmosphere and writing style.
The characters were all very well developed .
The writing is exceptional and I was hooked after the first sentence.

Miranda Montana, Germaine St Germaine-Chang, and Sicily Bell are all Hollywood’s party girls but their peak had a time limit and now they are struggling for relevancy and a normal life.

This was a fun story to read but it was a little difficult for me to get over how the three main characters were clearly modeled after Lindsey, Britney, and Paris. Their stories were so similar, it was obviously done. I think I would have preferred characters that were not based on real life but regardless it was still fun following their stories. I enjoyed the entertainment but also felt like it didn’t really have a climax or satisfying end. That said there is drama, drama, and more drama, so i definitely suggest it for an entertaining read!

When Stars Align came out 5/1 and is available now.

I tried to get into this book but I couldn’t connect with the characters, they were too messy but it has a good plot but it was missing a lot

All the stars! I love de la Cruz's writing and the characters she crafts. This story was perfect, and the pace was excellent. Thanks to NetGalley for the ARC.

If you are a fan of the Seven Husbands of Evelyn Hugo, or Im glad My Mom Died by Janette McCurdy, this is perfect for you! Loved seeing the reality and behind the scenes of early 2000's Hollywood stars and how their lives continue to play out throughout the years.