Blog Tour: Stone in the Sky

My review today is the first stop on the blog tour for Stone in the Sky hosted by Raincoast Books - make sure you read to the end to find out which other blogs are participating so you can read more about the book over the next few days!

Stone in the Sky (Tin Star #2) by Cecil Castellucci
Release Date ~ February 24, 2015
Roaring Brook Press ~ Macmillan
ISBN 13: 781596437760
Review copy received from publisher for review

Goodreads Synopsis:
In this thrilling follow-up to Tin Star, Tula will need to rely on more than just her wits to save her only home in the sky.

After escaping death a second time, Tula Bane is now even thirstier for revenge. She spends much of her time in the Tin Star Café on the Yertina Feray—the space station she calls home. But when it's discovered that the desolate and abandoned planet near the station has high quantities of a precious resource, the once sleepy space station becomes a major player in intergalactic politics. In the spirit of the Gold Rush, aliens from all over the galaxy race to cash in—including Tula's worst enemy


As much as I enjoyed Tin Star last year, the ending left me feeling like I needed (and wanted) something more to the story. Fortunately for me, Stone in the Sky quickly followed and as a sequel it absolutely delivered in every way I hoped it would.

1. Incredible world building:
   
   While Tin Star introduced us to a breathtaking sci fi world, Stone in the Sky fills us in on all the details. Tula ends up leaving the Yertina Feray and we get to explore the galaxy with her as she embarks on a continuation of her adventure. And this is where the story really shines, because it becomes clear that while there are only two relatively short books in the Tin Star series, Cecil has clearly put in a significant amount of time with creating and developing a world in which Tula's stories take place.
2. Huge revelations for the plot:
   
   Tula had her own theories about Brother Blue and the Human colonies as set out in Tin Star, but I really appreciate a story that clearly follows up on those questions and provides some answers. We don't get to find out everything, but the story is certainly resolved and satisfying. I had so many questions while reading the first book and I was so pleased to see they were answered in Stone in the Sky. But more importantly, I loved how thoughtful and complex the story was.
3. A thoughtful look at humanity:
   
   Tula often considers and compares Humans to the other aliens she encounters. She's a thoughtful character, and her responses and comments on other species are truly fascinating. This comparison also serves a purpose as it reveals more about humanity and Tula's own character. We can see how we take certain traits for granted, which are not shared by other alien species. And interestingly, this reveals more about why Tula has reacted in such a way to the events in her life. 

Cecil Castelluci writes brilliant sci fi books, and while these are not the most action-oriented books they are some of the most thought-provoking and complex YA books available. They are written beautifully and feature lovely prose and subtle ideas incorporated within the overarching story. 

I would advise readers that this is not a fast-paced series, so readers should not expect that nor turn to the Tin Star books for that type of read. These are books that can be read at a slower pace, in order to be truly appreciated and so as to not miss any of the fine details!

Review: Tin Star

Tin Star by Cecil Castellucci
Release Date ~ February 25, 2014
Roaring Brook Press ~ Macmillan
ISBN13: 9781596439146
ARC received from Macmillan Kids for review

Goodreads Synopsis:
On their way to start a new life, Tula and her family travel on the Prairie Rose, a colony ship headed to a planet in the outer reaches of the galaxy. All is going well until the ship makes a stop at a remote space station, the Yertina Feray, and the colonist's leader, Brother Blue, beats Tula within an inch of her life. An alien, Heckleck, saves her and teaches her the ways of life on the space station.

When three humans crash land onto the station, Tula's desire for escape becomes irresistible, and her desire for companionship becomes unavoidable. But just as Tula begins to concoct a plan to get off the space station and kill Brother Blue, everything goes awry, and suddenly romance is the farthest thing from her mind.

Cecil Castellucci has this remarkable talent for storytelling - her stories are thought-provoking and raw. I was swept away by the story told in the first book I read by her, First Day on Earth. Tin Star delivered, although it left less of an impression on me than I had hoped.

1. Breathtaking storytelling:
   
   Cecil's writing is stunning, it's the kind that stops a reader in their tracks. It is filled with atmosphere and every word is brought to life! And the story is so carefully woven, it's like this intricate web being spun. This book is relatively short compared to other recent YA releases, but it's packed with more story than most.
   
2. A story about passion:
   
   The kind of passion that spurs people into action. Tula is motivated by an immense betrayal which happens to her in the very first chapter. She meets others who are motivated by love - the familial kind and the romantic kind. In a dreary world, it seems to be passion that keeps the characters going through awful circumstances. 

This futuristic world filled with aliens is truly unique, as well. And I wish that I could have spent more time immersing myself in all of the fine details but the book is simply too short for that. 

And as moving as the relationships were, in one sense I felt like they were forced upon me as a reader - there wasn't quite enough development for them to feel very real to me. They were beautiful and touching, yes. But in a world that comes across as cold and sterile, it felt a bit out of place to have so much longing and deep connections by the very end. 

Mostly, it didn't feel finished to me at the end. I'm not sure what I expected, but I still feel a sense of longing for something more from this book. It ended, and there aren't really any loose ends left... but it still felt unfinished somehow? 

Overall, this is an imaginative story unlike any other stories out there. Perfect for readers who want a taste of something different or who are looking for a story that will leave an impression on them.