Souls in the Stars
by Sara Jane Triglia
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Pub Date Jun 04 2024 | Archive Date Jun 10 2024
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Description
A TEENAGE GIRL MUST RESCUE HER LITTLE BROTHER AFTER HE DIES AND IS TRAPPED AS AN ORB OF LIGHT.
Bay Lilly knows what happens when people die-but, that doesn't mean she's okay with her little brother Ash's looming form-death.
And now, after eighteen years in her human form, Bay is expected to take her spiritual test. Except she's far from ready. She's horribly unspiritual and can hardly control her thoughts and emotions, especially when it comes to her brother.
When Ash's death goes very wrong, Bay finds herself facing a reality where he's stuck forever in the in-between. With a crew of unlikely people at her side, Bay sets out on a trek across the unforgiving island jungle, determined to free her brother's soul and, along the way, forced to better understand her own destiny.
A thought-provoking sci-fi with your favorite tropes: chosen one, dystopia/utopia (yes, both), jungle adventure, mystical island, love triangle romance, telekinesis, magical systems, reincarnation, reluctant heroine, new-age-type society. (Think Hunger Games meets Avatar.)
Souls in the Stars explores science vs faith in a nuanced way and highlights the similarities we share as humans no matter where we land on the belief spectrum. It's an emotional story about grief, love, growing up, and finding our true selves.
A Note From the Publisher
Advance Praise
"There are certain milestones one must face in life and Bay Lily has quite a few of her own to face at eighteen. Souls in the Stars by Sara Jane Triglia follows Bay as she tries to come to terms with her little brother's form-death as well as being done with her spiritual lessons. Feeling overwhelmed and not at all ready to face any of her current problems things only get worse when her brother's form-death goes awry. Bay must now find a way to set things right while discovering her own life path along the way.
Souls in the Stars by Sara Jane Triglia is such a unique book and I found the concept to be absolutely spectacular. Focusing on the spiritual aspect of one's being, the people on the island of Sub Rosa split from the rest of the world due to their belief in reincarnation. After having created a machine that could track one's soul after death, a war broke out, causing devastation on the island. Triglia did an amazing job with the world-building by creating a unique take on reincarnation lore as well as with the soul tracing. I found myself engrossed in this book from start to finish and I very much enjoyed watching Bay grow in all aspects of her character. I especially liked how, despite the fact that she constantly doubted her spirituality, she always managed to overcome difficult situations. Souls in the Stars definitely wasn’t what I was expecting but I was pleasantly surprised in reading this book and it's one I would highly recommend." - Miche Arendse for Readers' Favorite
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Please use the GoodReads linked below to leave your review.
Please use the GoodReads linked below to leave your review.
Available Editions
ISBN | 9798990483002 |
PRICE | $15.95 (USD) |
PAGES | 366 |
Links
Available on NetGalley
Featured Reviews
Firstly, huge thanks to Snowfire Publishing, author Sarah Jane Triglia, and NetGalley for letting me dive into this eARC in exchange for an honest review.
I have to say, this story really got to me and is certainly one I will not forget. I was moved to tears multiple times.
It had everything—adventure, romance, grief, hypocrisy, spirituality, and some seriously cool sci-fi tech. The "Hunger Games meets Avatar" pitch is delivered upon, but the stakes are totally different, making it a story all its own.
While it's definitely accessible for high-school-aged readers, the themes and impact of the relationships give it a crossover appeal similar to the Hunger Games.
I really connected to Bay’s struggle with perfectionism, and her journey to self-acceptance and letting go of things beyond her control hit me hard. The dialogue even called me out a bit, reminding me that sometimes I just need to have faith, even as someone who leans more toward science than spirituality.
Ash's character was so lovable, and his passing hit me hard, right alongside Bay. The line, "having him in my life, even if only for eight years, was better than not having him at all," stuck with me long after finishing the book.
As someone who wants to get the quote "We are all stardust" tattooed, the overall message really resonated with me. It's ultimately about accepting that sentiment, no matter where you fall on the belief spectrum. The story touched on grieving someone who's still alive, how grief affects relationships, and the universal desire to be seen for who we truly are.
The world-building was solid. It was a bit confusing at times, albeit adding to the story's uniqueness. Much of the confusion is intentional and made clear by the ending though, so stick with it! The storytelling was immersive, painting vivid images that pulled me into the setting, the action, and the characters' dynamics.
And that ending! Easily my favorite part. It was totally unexpected but made perfect sense with the hints dropped along the way. It tied up loose ends while leaving me with new questions to ponder long after finishing.
While the amount of things I enjoyed about this book far outweighs the things I didn’t, there were a few things I didn’t love:
• Some references, like the significance of being barefoot versus wearing shoes, felt unresolved.
• Gemma, a mother-like figure, also felt underdeveloped, leaving me wanting more from her character.
• There were also some subtle digs at "millennial culture" and the "wokeness" trend that some were funny and others didn't land, but I didn't see exactly how it connected to the themes
• The use of modern slang like "vibes" and "fire" seemed forced and added little to the overall message. Perhaps the intention was to annoy the reader for the sake of it, but I didn't understand the purpose.
Overall, this is a strong debut novel, and I'm already telling my friends to keep an eye out for it when it's published!
Rating: 4.5 Stars!
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