4.5, this story pulled at my heart for so many reasons, many of which I experienced myself and still struggle with today. ( )

Emotion with the volume turned all the way up. ( )

I can't remember what I had decided to do with books that need warnings because they'll make you cry, but this is one of them. This is a book that might make you cry on the subway even though you're in the middle of it, not at the end, which is unfair, because I am generally prepared to cry at the end of books, not in the middles.

Gosh darn. This book was powerful. This book did its topic justice, and beautifully so. Highly recommended. ( )

When Mara learns that her twin brother Owen is accused of rape by his girlfriend Hannah, she is stunned. Mara cannot imagine that Owen is guilty, and at the same time she cannot believe that her close friend Hannah would lie. Her parents expect her to be on Team Owen without question. Mara struggles to reconcile the inconceivable. Blake does a masterful job portraying how this situation affects Mara and her friends. The teens are realistically flawed and vulnerable. This book made me sad, angry, and frustrated since it realistically depicts how girls who speak up are marginalized and shamed. Girl Made of Stars is beautifully written and there is something healing and hopeful in the friendship of the teens and their courage, strength, and resilience. I highly recommend this book. ( )

Mara and Owen are twins, close. When at a party, Owen is accused of raping his girlfriend, Hannah. Mara is at a loss for what to do and who to believe. Owen's girlfriend is also one of her closest friends. Mara is also still reeling from an incident with a teacher a few years earlier that she has kept a secret. Mara has recently split from her girlfriend, Charlie. So her support system is splintering.
Mara works to chose a path that will allow her to heal and to allow her to live with integrity. Readable, painful, and ultimately hopeful. ( )