I thought this was a hard read but a necessary and brilliantly written story. I very much appreciated the author's letter at the beginning and the end, and the links included at the back of the book. Crucially important to talk more about mental health, especially young male mental health, and suicide prevention. This author is such a talent and this is a very special book.

I cried solidly through the last half of this book. It's such a powerful and important book that all teenagers should read to highlight the dangers of bullying. It will be recommending it to all the students I teach.

Wow, this was quite an intense read. I had trouble getting into it at first but after the first 50 pages, it became very had to put down. Suicide and bullying are very heavy subjects in this book. It's hard to believe things like this actually happen, that someone can do something like that to another person. I definitely recommend reading this one. In fact, I feel like this should be required reading in high shool.

This book was such a touching and emotional book, from start to finish and the characters are all so relatable. Danielle Jawando writes in a way that makes it so believable that she really is going through the same things that Nathan is experiencing after Al has killed himself. Before reading this, I’d never heard of Danielle Jawando but now would be sure to read any books she writes in the future. It’s touching, well written and such a rollercoaster of emotions, definitely something I’d read again and recommend to others!

It took me a while to work up the emotional courage to read this book and it was every bit as devastating as I thought it would be, but it was also incredibly beautiful.
It deals unflinchingly with grief, suicide, bullying and guilt. It forces us to look at ourselves and admit that we have all been guilty of ignoring things we knew were wrong. It reminds us how powerful and hurtful words can be, and how fragile our mental wellbeing really is when faced with trauma.
Yet somehow, despite this incredibly heavy subject matter, Jawando still manages to retain messages of hope, redemption and fresh starts.
Nathan reminded me of so many boys I teach, who have never learned to handle their emotions in a healthy way and so resort to anger and self-blame. I think this book would be invaluable for them, in fact I think a book like this might well be the difference between someone seeking help and someone cracking under the pressure.
Megan also felt incredibly real and provided a wonderful example of positive mental care. I loved her growth throughout the text.
I think this book is important. Read it.

This is one of the few UKYA books I've read recently. Therefore, it felt really refreshing to read something set in the UK that felt very realistic. I loved how this book portrayed UK teenagers because it just felt so perfect. Overall, this book was absolutely amazing. It was equal parts heartbreaking and hopeful. It's been a while since I read a book focused on suicide but this is already one of my favourites on the topic. Most books that deal with this subject matter are based on placing the blame on certain people but this book dealt with how there are so many things that can add up and lead to someone ending their life. The bullying in this book made me so mad and angry but it actually happens to people. Reading the author's note and knowing that she faced similar issues as a teen, makes the book even more heartbreaking. I can't wait for this book to come out because I think it has the potential to change someone's life.

Based on how many books I read a year, I’d say I’ve probably read more than 1000 books in my lifetime. A lot of books, right?

Less than 10 of those books have made me cry and it’s been a while since my last bookish weep. That was, until I read And The Stars Were Burning Brightly, a beautifully moving exploration of grief from debut YA author Danielle Jawando.

I was lucky enough to hear Danielle talk about the book at Simon & Schuster’s #BigBookBrunch in December, and between the power of her writing and the heart-wrenching personal story behind the book, I immediately knew it was something I needed to read.

As mentioned in the author’s note, the book is inspired by events in Danielle’s own life, where she was bullied relentless throughout high school, culminating in a website being created and shared around her school year that was specifically designed to target her. This led to Danielle attempting suicide. Thankfully, she survived, and has channelled her own experiences into the book in the hopes that it might help someone else in a similar situation.

The book follows Nathan, a 15-year-old boy in Wythenshawe near Manchester, one of Europe’s largest council estates, as he recovers from his older brother, Al, committing suicide. Nathan was the one to find his brother, alongside a drawing of Al surrounded by faceless figures adorned only with the words ‘help me.’ Determined to find out what happened to his brother at all costs, Nathan retraces Al’s last steps and connects with Megan, Al’s closest friend, to try and get to the bottom of it.

Megan, however, is still struggling with the grief of losing her Father in a freak car accident, and losing Al brings her worst difficulties back to life. She’s also facing crisis point with her best friend, Tara, who she has known her whole life but who is starting to become a more manipulative and cruel influence on her life. Megan’s deepest source of shame comes from her relationship with Al – she felt like the time she spent with him was her only safe space, but she refused to acknowledge their friendship outside of their art classroom, even stepping aside as her friends bullied Al on several occasions.

Both characters are incredibly likeable, despite their flaws, and watching their individually journeys and the development of their relationships, is a joy, if painful at times. I found myself rooting for them the entire way through, even when I disagreed with their actions, and it’s a cathartic experience to watch them grow through the novel.

Each chapter opens with a short paragraph from Al, addressed at either Nathan or Megan, and this serves to really bring his character to life. Though he’s passed away before the book even begins, he feels like a fully fledged character and this only amplifies the sadness I felt at his loss.

The plot is well paced, nicely scattering character development and plot revelations to keep it moving along without ever feeling rushed or slow. It’s unflinching but searing in it’s portrayal of bullying, and to a large extent feels like it could be non-fiction, which is horrifying but also a rallying call to arms for all readers. I think it’s the kind of book that could really help some readers who might be struggling with similar situations of their own.

Overall, this is a fantastic addition to contemporary British YA from a very promising voice in the genre. It combines an honest look at bullying with a working class setting that just isn’t portrayed in fiction that often, and tugs at the heartstrings in its sheer sincerity and heart. I would definitely advise caution for some readers as it tackles heavily themes of bullying and suicide, but I would wholeheartedly recommend!

‘And the Stars were Burning Brightly’ was a very though provoking ready, it covered so many important aspects of life. It is an essential read for the current day!

The subject matter makes this book hard to read but it is worth it.

The book feels real and genuine and as a result, it was an emotional rollercoaster and I love it when books elicit real feelings when I’m reading them.

Just finished reading @DanielleJawando's 2020 debut #BurnBright & it reminded me of one of my fave of 2019 - @YasminwithanE's All the Things We Never Said #FindYourVoice @HotKeyBooks - Included it last year before it properly existed, it lived up to expectations. Both v powerful

I didn't include @DanielleJawando's The Stars Were Burning Brightly in my #BlackHistoryMonth thread coz I didn't have it, but I've now d/loaded it to read this #AntiBullyingWeek (thanks @hashtagreads #netgalley) so can include it here! #UKYA #BurnBright
https://t.co/MGBEIicHvk https://t.co/J4MihtTifk

This book holds such an important message and should be made an essential part of senior school reading. Most people have experienced some sort of bullying in their life, some more than others. What this story does is raises awareness and perhaps those that bully may think twice about it.

This is a masterpiece. Elegantly written. I will be buying a copy to put away for when my young children are old enough to understand.

Thank you for my early copy.

The book starts with Nathan rejecting a phone call from his brother who was distracting him at the time, but returning home to discover his elder brother hanging by his school tie, and Nathan unable to save him. Nathan is convinced Al had wanted to tell him something, and picking up a drawing by Al, he knows it is significant.
Although he knew Al had plans for his future, Nathan discovers he knows little about his brother’s life inspite of living in the same house. He doesn’t know why Al and his best friend had fallen out and he didn’t know about Megan until after Al’s death.
Megan shared art class with Al and had kept her friendship with him quiet as she knew her best friend would not approve. But now Megan was seeing for what it was the toxic vibes and words coming from her friend and was determined to help show off Al’s artistic talent to everyone who had not appreciated it previously.
Both young people blame themselves for not noticing Al was unhappy. Yet they did not know the full story. This eventually comes out after a lot of fights because of Nathan’s anger. Violence, threats and bullying also play their parts in events leading up to Al’s suicide. This is the life of many young people struggling to find their place in today’s online world. It is horrific, yet so difficult to stop. The reader can see this happening in real life and I just wanted to shout at everyone to STOP.
All emotions are brilliantly conveyed and all characters so realistic, whether that is the young adults, or Al and Nathan’s Mother grieving for her son. This is a gritty read, but certainly a title many young people need to read to see all sides.

This was a brilliant depiction of mental health. It was heartbreakingly good--it took difficult themes and made it accessible to every reader. The stories are intertwined beautifully, and in the desperation of not wanting to give away spoilers, I will say that you will be giving away a part of yourself when reading this book.

Beautiful.
Set against a backdrop that many find less than pleasant, this story covers so many emotional highs and lows...and forces us to confront some pretty unpalatable truths about people.
Our main focus is Nathan, the younger brother of Al. Al was a straight A-grade student who killed himself. Nathan found him. Nathan is also having to come to terms with the guilt he feels over ignoring a call from his brother on the night he hung himself.
Alongside Nathan we have Megan, a friend of Al that few people knew about. They shared an Art class. They were close, but Megan didn’t feel able to go against her ‘cool’ friends and show Al that their friendship was important to her.
There’s no doubt this story just as I’ve recounted it would have made for a tough read. However, as Megan and Nathan become friends and start to unravel some of the mysteries surrounding Al’s last moments things move up a gear.
This book made me sad, so sad. It made me angry, unbelievably angry. But it also filled me with hope.
Thank you so much to Danielle Jawando for using her own personal situation to bring to life such a compelling read, and to NetGalley for letting me read it prior to publication.

And The Stars Were Burning Brightly is a powerful book about grief. It follows Nate, who is determined to find the reason for his brother Al's suicide. He's convinced that finding answers to all his questions is going to help him deal with his grief. The other main character in the novel is Megan, who is also dealing with grief after Al - her friend's - suicide. Convinced that she didn't do enough to appreciate Al while he was alive, Megan is determined to be a better friend to him now, and to keep his memory alive through the passion for art that they both shared.

Driven by Jawando's knack for voice-y prose and authentic dialogue, this novel is a timely and important look at cyber-bullying, mental health, coping with grief, and toxic friendships. Jawando does a brilliant job of balancing all of these themes with authentic characters who are easy to root for, and a plot that tugs at your heartstrings even as it keeps you turning the pages to find out the truth about what happened to Al.

3.5 stars
A touching, heartbreaking story about the nightmare that adolescence can be. This could not have been an easy book to write, particularly given the author’s own history. The story is told through the perspective of Nate, the dead boy’s brother, and Megan, his friend. What I loved were the tight, loving family that Nate lived in; equally, the storyline with the bullies was horrific. Jawando has captured the toxic world of social media-fuelled teen existence absolutely right. The only time I had to suspend disbelief was the fact that everything was on social media, yet the perpetrators thought they were safe as long as no one grassed.

The book starts off slow, and the twin perspectives are sometimes difficult to switch between, but it really picked up about half way through.

(Review copy from NetGalley)

I’d forgotten how big everything seems as a teenager - and how big everything is. I was never seriously bullied - but the internet has made this so much bigger / worse than it was before. This book is heartbreaking, hopeful, important and timely. Be kind.

Thank you to Netgalley for an ARC of this novel!

This novel was one of my most anticipated reads for 2020 and man did it deliver. And the Stars were Burning Brightly is a book about Nathan and Meg who have to deal with the aftermath of Al's death. And while the plot may sound simple, it is anything but. The story is eloquently written and with so much heart. The characters are at the front of this story and every scene carries its weight. From a writer's perspective, this was just so amazingly written.

I think this story will definitely open a lot of eyes and I think this needs to be read by every young person. Al's story is not only important but something that happens to a lot of people. This book made me so angry and sad but I'm so happy that I read it because it just further reinstates the notion that books like this one need to exist.

I will say that this book can be difficult/triggering to read for some people so I would be careful if you are sensitive or in a bad place.

#BurnBright

Heartbreaking read - I really enjoyed the 2 perspectives, you really gets beautiful view of Al and the effect his death has brought on his friend and family. As the story went on, I couldn't put it down. I needed to know how this ended and I honestly was in tears when the reason comes out; simply devastating. Really brought home to me the effects bullying can have on a person, but also how cruel people can be. Beautifully written, haunting story - this one will stay with me for a long time. Thank you.

Oh what a beautiful, heartbreaking novel this was, every layer of it hugely authentic and genuinely devastating.

Nate has lost his brother to suicide- through the grief, anger and self blame he starts to dig into Al’s life in the hope of finding answers. Through this quest he meets Megan, mourning not only loss of life but the loss of chances- together, maybe, they’ll find a way to move on.

This was beautifully written, Nathans voice is quirky, honest and strong, taking the reader into his heart and into the heart of his lost brother. As the reality of Al’s struggle emerges it is horrifically sad and massively thought provoking, making you wish so many things about our world were different.

Ultimately though, Danielle Jawando manages to make this uplifting and hopeful – a story of loss and love and finding your place in a life now off kilter – where possibilities like the stars, burn brightly.

Simply wonderful. Highly Recommended.