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    And All the Stars
    And All the Stars
    And All the Stars
    Ebook350 pages5 hours

    And All the Stars

    By Andrea K Höst

    4/5

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    About this ebook

    Come for the apocalypse.
    Stay for cupcakes.
    Die for love.

    Madeleine Cost is working to become the youngest person ever to win the Archibald Prize for portraiture. Her elusive cousin Tyler is the perfect subject: androgynous, beautiful, and famous. All she needs to do is pin him down for the sittings.

    None of her plans factored in the Spires: featureless, impossible, spearing into the hearts of cities across the world – and spraying clouds of sparkling dust into the wind.

    Is it an alien invasion? Germ warfare? They are questions everyone on Earth would like answered, but Madeleine has a more immediate problem. At Ground Zero of the Sydney Spire, beneath the collapsed ruin of St James Station, she must make it to the surface before she can hope to find out if the world is ending.

    Warning: Contains swearing, sexual situations, and Australians.

    LanguageEnglish
    PublisherAndrea K Höst
    Release dateSep 30, 2012
    ISBN9780987265142
    Author

    Andrea K Höst

    A Swedish-born Australian writer working in fantasy and science fantasy.

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    Reviews for And All the Stars

    4/5

    57 ratings13 reviews

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    • 5/5
      I do not give out 5 stars to all of the books I read, but after a really horrible day, when I thought about what to write about on my blog tonight, I thought that maybe I'd better go with something that made me happy, rather than something that would make me any crankier.

      What a lead in. Yikes.

      I loved Madeleine and her friends! I am so glad I took a chance on reading this. I am a little leery of self-published books, not that a traditionally published book is guaranteed to be good, but at least it goes through a few more stages than self-published books might...

      No worries, here though. This is a well-written (i.e. good grammar! lovely, clear sentences!), interesting story, that kept me up nice and late when I should have been sleeping. Um, yeah, like now, when I'm writing this review and ought to be in bed...

      I'm going to avoid writing too much, so I don't inadvertently spoil anything. The story is unusual, and deserves to be discovered as you read, not in a spoiler.

      One small quibble is that the cast was overly large for me: I had a bit of trouble keeping track of some of the characters, they seemed to overlap in my mind a bit. Most of them, though, are fleshed out enough to be interesting, and I really loved the fact that the group was very diverse. And the diversity didn't feel forced (i.e. I didn't feel like the author was trying to check off certain ethnic and sexual orientation categories on a list).

      I very much want to visit Australia some day, so it was especially fun to read something set in Sydney. A lot of the dystopian /post-apocalyptic fiction I've read lately has "felt" US-centric, so reading something set somewhere that was completely foreign to me was a nice change. It makes me want to go there even more than I did before!

      And of course, this is not post-apocalyptic: this is happening during the apocalypse itself. I found myself sitting back several times thinking about how much I agreed with the author about how certain things would probably go if an actual apocalyptic event took place.

      Bottom line: highly recommended if you are looking for a fast-paced, unique adventure with some nice humor (humour?) and a sweet (and well-done) romance.
    • 3/5
      Torn between three and four stars for this, and may come back and settle on a higher rating. Some things were superbly done, and others were disappointing.

      For starters: this is a YA science fiction novel -- post-apocalyptic, no less -- that isn't a dystopia and doesn't revolve around a love triangle. HALLELUJAH. A not insignificant part of my enjoyment of the book came from periodically gleefully reminding myself that no one was being forced to marry anyone else or live inside a domed city or whatever. Refreshing. The ensemble of main characters is also vivid and fun (and of differing races and sexualities, no less), and I forgave a number of plot deficiencies because they allowed the characters to run around and interact in ways I enjoyed.

      That said, a lot of the conflict -- especially the external conflict -- is just... too easy. Everything from the details of their daily lives after the alien invasion (I'm being deliberately vague here) to the whole resolution. There were also some writerly tics that bugged me -- ending scenes before they were really through and recapping the action; a few very talky scenes (including the epilogue!) that seemed artificial.

      All in all, though, quite enjoyable, and a nice palate cleanser for anyone tired of YA dystopias.

      It is also worth noting that this is the first self-published book I've read all the way through. If all self-published books were as good as this one, traditional publishing might really be in danger. Sadly (?), most aren't.
    • 5/5
      I didn't expect this to be so good but I was just blown away. It's got action, adventure and romance. The writer has a way of describing things in detail that is just so beautiful
    • 4/5
      And All the Stars is one of the better YA apocalyptic novels I’ve read. Towers have sprouted from cities around the world, spreading a strange dust. Those who encounter the dust either die or transform… Madeleine Cost is a fifteen year old artist who’s skipping school to go paint a portrait of her cousin. She winds up right next to Sydney’s tower and gets absolutely coated in the dust. She teams up with some other teenage survivors to face the new world and what they’ve become.I almost quit reading And All the Stars six pages in. Why? The protagonist makes a stupid and completely pointless decision. She’s trapped in an abandoned subway, dead bodies around her, and when her mom calls her on the phone she lies about where she is! Wow, priorities! This feels like typical behavior from a YA novel, but I find it very worthy of an eye roll. Thankfully, I did continue reading and the rest of the book improved.One of the things I liked about And All the Stars was that while it was an apocalyptic novel focused on survival, it was more about friendship than people being nasty and horrible to each other. The group she falls in with and don’t turn on each other or (as one character puts it) reenact Lord of the Flies. I like this brand of optimistic apocalypse novels. It reminds me a bit of On the Edge of Gone that way.While I never exactly fell in love with any of the characters, I can still remember some of their names over a week later, which is always a good sign. As I said, I wasn’t super connected to any of them, but it can be hard to flesh out such a large group of characters, especially in a book only 200 pages. Also, I liked that the group roughly gender equal and notably diverse.I wasn’t a huge fan of how the romance subplot went down, but it wasn’t super annoying and didn’t consume the entire book. Mainly I worry about what a reveal means for consent issues with a sex scene. I don’t feel like the implications were really addressed in the text. I also wasn’t a fan of the “five years later” epilogue that showed the end result of everyone’s lives and romantic prospects. It just didn’t feel necessary.I’d recommend And All the Stars for anyone looking for hopeful apocalypse novels or well written self published books.Originally posted on The Illustrated Page.
    • 5/5
      Note: I received a free copy through Netgalley in exchange for my honest opinion.Read the full review at Witchmag's BoekenplankWow…. *deep sigh* This still this doesn’t describe what I experienced while reading this phenomenal book. Although the start was a bit rocky, cause, just as Madeleine, I had a bit of trouble with getting my bearings. What just happened and where is she? However, the moment everything started to make sense the story took me by the hand and I was dragged along. And it wouldn’t let me go. There was no moment to breathe, no time to rest, to process everything that happened. This continued till near the end. Then I had to stop with a gasp and tears in my eyes. Wow what a twist! It changed the whole story! It was a huge shock! And I just couldn’t continue until I processed all the consequences, rewritten all the scenes in my head. This book is definitely one of the best I’ve read!It was great to experience how Andrea K. Höst managed to create a feeling of safety for Madeleine and her friends. And disrupt that safety the next moment. It was just an illusion. This cycle repeated itself time after time. And every time I fell for it. Every time I thought, now they would be safe, hidden from the Moths. And every time I was brought back to the edge of my seat. You just didn’t know when you could expect the next attack, the next discovery, the next adversity. Which made it almost impossible to put the book down till you read the last letter. You just had to know if everyone made it.The Moths, who they are, how they look like, what their reasons are. Everything is told in such a detailed way. Nothing is overlooked or forgotten. It’s a solid story. A story that makes you marvel and feels very believable, like it could really happen. A story that makes you think what the consequences for you and your family would be, if it happened. It stays with you, even after you finished reading.And then there’s Madeleine. She feels so real, like she’s an existing person, not a fictional character in a book. Madeleine is also very normal, at least before she turned blue ;) . This made the story much more intriguing. Especially since you can see her grow. From a timid wallflower to someone who’s not afraid to make choices, who’ll be there when her friends need her. It’s easy to care about her, to encourage her, hug her when she’s down. She’s a character you can only love.Conclusion5 HEARTS. The story fits together. It doesn’t let you go, once you’ve started. It keeps you on the edge of your seat. It’s full of surprises and has a lovable main character. In other words: an excellent book. There are so many things that I loved about it, but I won’t tell them. You’ll just have to experience it yourself by reading it!
    • 4/5
      It's so hard not to give this five stars for the ending alone, but in the middle there was a time in which I grew bored and felt myself not wanting to read it as much as I had in the beginning. Thus the four star rating. Once I got through that snag though, everything happened in brilliant quick succession and I don't regret it for a minute.

      This is a breath of fresh air in a highly saturated genre. Höst twisted it and gave it a unique spin. It's worth the read, even if you're just sick of post-apocalyptic stories--here's one that takes place in the heat of it.

      That last part of the book sucked me in so completely, I swear the last time I looked at the clock it was ten, and when I finally resurfaced, dazed, it was midnight. Thank you Andrea Höst, for a dazzling trip.
    • 4/5
      Four words sent me scurrying to my library in search of this book: Australian Apocalyptic Young Adult. Spires land in major cities around the world and spray out clouds of dust. Madeleine, who has skipped school in order to paint her famous cousin, is at the train station when the Sydney spire lands atop it. While other people are seeking refuge from the dust, Madeleine is unable to avoid it...I stayed up late reading this three nights in a row, and then, once I finished it, I could not stop thinking about this story.The writing is occasionally a bit rough around the edges; one or two things aren't explained as clearly as they need to be, that sort of thing. But And All the Stars gets so many things right that I was prepared to overlook that.It is not a trilogy with a clichéd love-triangle. It's different having an apocalypse in which people are still able to use the internet - and seeing how this becomes a double-edged sword. (There are good reasons why the internet doesn't go down.) It also touches on a dilemma I'm particularly fascinated by: how do you feel about someone you care for if they're being controlled by something else? and how do you respond if you don't know whether they're still conscious or if the process of possession will ever be reversible?Its plot twists are unexpected and hurt. Its teenage cast is matter-of-factly diverse in terms of race, religion and sexual orientation. They're different ages and have different passions - which they don't abandon because their world has changed. (For instance, Madeleine sees art supplies as important to her survival as food. And Fisher, aka Science Boy, treats the apocalypse as a science experiment and publishes studies online.) Their survival is realistic, even if the reasons why they are able to survive as they do are not all immediately apparent.It is a story about friendship, about growing relationships in the face of extraordinary circumstances and the importance of having people to rely on. There's teamwork, cupcakes, banter, and frequent references to Shakespeare, The Lord of the Rings and The Three Musketeers. There's the joy of finding a group of friends you want to keep forever.And I kind of wish it was a trilogy because, like Madeleine, I want to spend more time with these characters.
    • 5/5
      Whatever you think And All the Stars by Andrea K. Höst will be about, you are probably wrong (or you are a seer). The book is full of plot twists and you never know what is going to happen next.

      And it's hard to write a review without spoiling parts of the book, but I'll try.

      The book follows Madeleine, and she's not your typical YA protagonist, she's insecure, shy, and more of a follower than a leader. Madeleine is an artist, very passionate about painting and drawing, and when she's on her way to her cousin's home she finds herself knee deep in some weird dust. She rightfully fears the worst.

      Madeleine meets a group of teens who are developing the same strange dark blue with stars patches in their skin, and the circumstances force her to join forces with them in order to survive the apocalypse.

      The cast is one of the most diverse I've ever read, though not every character was as developed as the protagonist throughout the story, and their bonds did not seem nearly as strong as I think we are supposed to imply (it was more like they were together only because of what they were going through).

      The only exception being Madeleine's relationship with her love interest, which was handled perfectly, and the slow and almost timid way they fell for each other felt genuine.

      The setting can be a bit confusing for people not familiar with Sydney, and the beginning too.

      After basics of what is happening are explained, the plot really takes off and never slows down until the very ending.
    • 5/5
      Wow, wow, wow!

      Where to start? I loved everything about this book. The plot, the characters, the settings, the pacing, the twist! Oh my gosh, the twist! This was my first read from Andrea K. Höst but it will definitely not be my last!

      We begin the story with Madeleine waking up stuck in a precarious position after an apocalyptic event:
      Madeleine Cost's world was a tight, close space, a triangular tube tilted so her head lay lower than her feet. Light reflected off metal, and there was barely room to squeeze one hand past the slick surface, to explore face and skull and find a powdery dust and a throbbing lump. Dull pain also marked upper shoulder, hip, thigh. She felt dusty all over, grimed with it, except her lower half which was wet. Free-flowing liquid drained past her head.

      She could smell blood.
      How's that for setting the scene? The descriptions make you really see the details of the scene without being tedious and verbose.

      From that scene we follow Madeleine through the aftermath of the event. She meets other teen survivors who form a close-knit group and do their best to cope with their circumstances.

      The cast of characters is unique and diverse. It was absolutely refreshing to read about characters who were not all white middle-class. It's a multi-cultural cast and includes glbt characters as well. While these things were not essential to the plot (and in fact not a part of the plot at all), they made the story and characters much more authentic and believable. This book is really mostly about the characters. The relationships between them, the bonds formed - these are the main parts of the book. They experience humor and joy and love and nerves and depression and devastation and the way they play off of each other is really the greatest part of this book. It's a glimpse into the lives of these teens while dealing with horrendous circumstances. The scenes of normal everyday things were some of the best for me. The normalcy and humor of some of the situations and dialogue played against the backdrop of this event is particularly powerful.

      I loved how these characters reacted to these events. What would you do during an apocalypse? Would you hide in your house? Would you try to help others? Would you be able to do what needed to be done in the afermath? How would you eat? Where would you go? What would you do with those who did not survive? All of those questions are ones these characters deal with and they all react in a realistic way.

      This was a very quick read for me. From that first paragraph, I was hooked. This book grabbed me and did not let go until the last page. The pacing was perfect. Moments of fear and uncertainty are intertwined perfectly with moments of and excitement and joy. There are scenes of action and movement intertwined perfectly with moments of peace. The action draws you in and makes you want to know more while the peace allows time for the reader to connect with the characters. Very well done.

      There is a major plot twist about three-quarters of the way through. I was completely blown away. I did not see it coming at all! It twisted my guts and had me reeling! It's also a major turning point in the plot of the book and the rest of the events are shaped by it.

      As for the idea behind this book, all I can say is that Andrea Höst has one hell of an imagination. I don't want to give anything away and so won't say too much but this was an original and imaginative idea. I've recently read a few books with have an original spin on an old idea (fairies, etc.) but this is the first time in a long time that I've read an absolutely original idea, period.

      This is a standalone novel and I think readers will be happy with the ending. We're not left wondering what happened to the characters. Everything is resolved in a way that is satisfying and gratifying to the reader.

      I highly recommend this to all fans of light sci-fi, post-apocolyptic fiction and, although this is not a dystopian novel, I think fans of that genre will love this one as well.
    • 5/5
      In a unique twist of a non-dystopic apocalyptic story, Andrea Host has created a series of characters that will grab your heart and imagination and thrust you into the midst of the action. Although this is very much an ensemble cast, one of the favorite characters for me was Madeline: smart, capable and beautifully flawed, with a core of strength and goodness that enhance the woman she will become. The other characters that she befriends along the way are all uniquely defined, described and voiced: what develops is a truly diverse cast of characters who all understand the value of friendship, cooperation and above all safety and comfort in numbers.

      With several mysteries surrounding the characters, there are several twists that reveal the skill with which the author has led the reader to the dissolution of the relationships that all make sense once the backstory is revealed. Although there are some active moments, the majority of the pacing and adventure from this book all derive from the multi-cultural and diverse characters and you will find yourself without a singular clear character to declare a stand out favorite.

      Emotionally impactful without being overly angst ridden, this is a book that will be enjoyed by many.

      I received an eBook copy from the author via NetGalley for purpose of honest review. I was not compensated for this review, and all conclusions are my own responsibility.
    • 4/5
      Andrea K. Höst writes a credible alien-invasion story in her novel And All the Stars. The pacing is brisk, characters well-defined and believable, alien concept freshly original, and the writing is crisp, at times startling. And if this is a self-published book, as I suspect, Höst deserves a great deal of credit, because this is just the best damned SF novel I've read in quite some time.Höst writes about a complex alien invasion in which there are many forms of alien that descend to earth, all with the intent of staging a series of life and death games, using human hosts like clothing easily discarded, all to determine the next ruler of their hierarchical clan system.Caught in this invasion are a group of young people who learn to live and work together to at first escape, and eventually overthrow, their alien overlords, while dealing with their own physical transformation, induced by an alien infection.As a pleasant aside, the novel is set in Australia, and doesn't have a single American-centric moment.My only criticism, and it is slight, is a lack of development as to how society's infrastructure continues to operate when that society comes to a standstill. There is amazingly still power that runs refrigeration, lights, allowing batteries to be recharged. The Internet remains intact, without seemingly having anyone there to maintain servers and satellites and cables. Food choices for the ravenously blue-stained humans consistently revert to sugar-based foods, without scientific background as to why sugar could sustain such enormous physical output, something which flies in the face of conventional wisdom. And Höst's society is remarkably dominated by youth. Rarely a person under 21 makes any significant appearance, which is another plausibility point given the depth of scientific knowledge required to understand and take down the alien invasion.But, truly, I quibble.This is a really great read, and as soon as you can, if you love SF, you need to acquire a copy.
    • 4/5
      The whole concept of this story completely threw me for a loop. It wasn't the typical alien abduction story or even apocalypse story. I'm having a hard time categorizing this whole story just simply because of that.And All the Stars by Andrea K. Höst is the story of Madeleine as she struggles with what we would consider a world under alien invasion. Perhaps it is the worst nightmare of all the people who stare at the stars and wonder if there is other life out there. It all starts out with a dust cloud that settles over the city of Sydney and essentially all of the big cities across the globe. Then the dust stains the skin of the people who find themselves in contact with it. These people, Madeleine included, start noticing subtle differences between the person they used to be and the thing they've become. What appears to be a friendly take over suddenly becomes a game of cat and mouse between those with stained skin and the aliens seeking to inhabit their bodies.Madeleine is an artist, always carrying a sketchbook or craving to have one in her hand. Her love is not understood by her family who simply see it as a nice hobby and that she should really be focusing her efforts on schoolwork. So of course, when she ditches school to work on a painting of her cousin, Tyler, and ends up being trapped in a destroyed St. James Station after the Sydney Spire appears, her parents are furious. She wishes they would understand her desire to be a great artist -- to have a pencil and sketchbook on her at all times -- but they can't seem to grasp it. Through the whole story, I realized just what passion really is for an artist and how it can be all consuming because that's what it is for Madeleine. She isn't necessarily selfish but rather devoted to the things she is passionate about. The great thing about this loyalty and passion is that it feeds into a lot of different aspects of her life. Relationships, friendships, the cause, and her art turn out to be her greatest passion. It's funny because she is described as typically shying away from friendships and yet she turns out probably the greatest friend anyone could have by the end of the story. She grows a lot through the process of the story and is an admirable character.You know that one character that you just aren't entirely sure about? The one with all the secrets? Yeah, that was Fisher Charteris. He is the love interest of the story and I feel like an 'of course' has to follow that statement. Isn't it typically the love interest that holds all the secrets because they can cause the greatest betrayals? Either way, Fisher is actually a great love interest that would either excite me or disappoint me by the end of the book and essentially, he did both. He is probably the smartest character in the story, constantly feeding information and giving opinions about certain things. The attitude that follows a know-it-all is either self-centeredness or humility. I found that with Fisher, he projected an egotistical guy but was really insecure and uncertain of himself underneath it all. There was one main problem: he indeed brought about the greatest betrayal and heartache of the main character, Madeline. I hate when there is uncertainty in relationships which was all that was left after the betrayal shatter trust and knowledge about the relationship.The Blue Musketeers as they called themselves, excluding Madeline and Fisher, included the following people; Nash, Emily or Millie, Pan, Min, and Noi. These characters made up the core of the story that held up the main character as she suffered from uncertainty and provided comedic relief when it was certainly needed. I'm going to talk about my two favorite characters who are Pan and Noi. I would love to go into all of the characters but I doubt I have enough time to compose such a long post. First, Pan. Oh how I love Pan. I either want a best friend like Pan or to date a guy like Pan. He is the type of guy that has a lot of energy and yet knows when to use it for the best effect. It's hard to read him because he is an actor by trade and can cover up his emotions by projecting a character as quick as the flip of a switch. Yet I found myself drawn to his character. I love Pan. Now onto Noi, she assumes the mother role of the group while clinging to her teenage essence. Like a mother, she hides the strain and influence the circumstances are having over her. I feel a lot of sympathy for her. I think everyone at some point has assumed the mother role for some reason and I could see how desperately she wanted to break down and yet remain strong for everyone around her. She and I are similar and I think that's what formed a lot of my attachment with her.The whole world is well developed and the foreign race of invaders was so real that I almost felt like they were real. Which is freaky by the way. I really liked this story. It held my interest and was a beautiful novel that told the tale of a group of teenagers who've lost everything and yet found something worth living for. Check this story out. It's worth it.
    • 5/5
      And All the Stars by Andrea K Host.

      I first had a taste of this novel in a sample; before discovering that it hadn't been released. In the bit of the beginning that I was able to read, I was hooked. I don't read a lot of apocalyptic novels or dystopian novels. I can't say with great knowledge that this contains no dystopia, but in my meager knowledge it didn't seem so much. I was drawn into the story by the great writing and story telling. It certainly wasn't the claustrophobic description or the ever-present feeling of being choked by some strange and possibly alien dust.The slow but persistent buildup of the character, Madeleine's, suspicion that she's at ground zero of a possible bio weapon. The eventual realization that she's all alone and that those around her who aren't dead are locked up in any type of safe containment that they could find. No one is going to offer to let her, and the strange dust that's choking her, into their safety.

      Some of the earlier pages are difficult to get through for some people-someone I know put it down very early and it's too bad they did. There are some very important plot points in those pages. So, it's important and it does help drive the story and the character. Madeleine has survived the worst of the catastrophe with some injury and is confused and afraid.

      Madeleine is your average rebellious teen who seems to be a bit of a loner. She's immersed herself in her art and wants to gain honor in that field at a young age. To that end she's skipped school and gone into the big city for a chance to paint a portrait of her famous cousin Tyler.

      Now she's face to face with that very place that parents always warn their teens about and it could be her most fatal move in her rebellion. In her early wandering she contacts her parents and continues to lie about where she is to keep them from worrying.

      There is a great sense that Madeleine is already dead. She's just been given a temporary reprieve and it's not yet clear if that's a good thing or a bad thing. Madeleine eventually makes it to her cousins apartment. Her cousin is gone and she's able to get in. She cleans up and while trying to avoid facing the inevitability of her death, she decides that her last act should be the portrait of her cousin even though it won't be possible to have him pose live.

      For me this was a very interesting type of character development. The author,Andrea, builds a believable portrait of how an artist feels and sees things while choosing what eventually ends up on the canvas. We see this development quite a number of times throughout the story. Enough for the reader to wonder if Andrea is applying how she writes to how an artist might be inspired or if, in fact, it's from her own experience with sketching and painting.

      Eventually our Character, Madeleine, starts experiencing the side effects of the dust. They are both strange and unsettling, and there is always the fear that she might die. All the time she's monitoring broadcasts about others who are affected, and many of those have died. I found no problem with the notion that much of technology was still active; even after establishing that this is an invasion. In fact it made sense that since this was happening everywhere that it would be more demoralizing to have a constant feed of information telling everyone how bleak things were.

      Eventually the side affect that causes Madeleine to have an insatiable appetite is what brings her out to brave the city and seek sustenance. This is when she begins to meet more people and make friends in a way she would never have done if things were normal. This is when the story really takes off.

      I found the pacing in this novel to be quite tight. I'm not a fan of seat of your pants action from cover to cover and there were plenty of well place lulls in the narrative that make perfect sense as far as plot and character development. It did seem a bit longer than 205 pages in the e-book, but when I love the characters I love more pages because I usually don't want to say goodbye so quickly once I get to know them.

      As has been noted by other reviewers; there are plenty of plot twists in the story to keep the reader guessing. I often catch these in most novels, usually before they are -on the next page. There is one in here though that caught me unaware- the twist makes perfect sense- and you want to kick yourself and few other people when it happens.

      Young, old- whatever genre- I think everyone will love this book.(Except perhaps those who are genuinely claustrophobic; as is someone I know.) Trust me. Once you get past that first bit of suffocating but possibly accurate description (I've never been in that situation so I don't know.) things will be easier to take.

      J.L. Dobias

    Book preview

    And All the Stars - Andrea K Höst

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