I found stargazer to truly understand the bonds between women and the experience of being a young woman navigating her life. I did find the pacing to be a little off at some parts, but the narrative kept me interested and I look forward to the next novel by Laurie Petrou.

Stargazer is about teenagers Diana Martin and Aurelle Taylor who live next door to each other in the mid 90s, but are not friends and lead completely different lives. Both are from wealthy, privileged families, but Diana grows up with parents who are indifferent towards her and an older brother who bullies her incessantly. She watches the Taylor’s from her bedroom window and yearns to be a part of their family. Next door, Aurelle, the daughter of a famous fashion designer and cultural icon, is part of a big lively family but is overwhelmed by the attention she receives from, and because of, her mother.

There were points when I thought, boohoo poor little rich girls as they lament about the problems they have or the things they lack, but this was unfair of me. Petrou does a fantastic job of depicting the trappings of fame, wealth, and privilege and the girls stories highlight how being privileged doesn’t protect you from feeling lost, alone, overwhelmed and unloved.

When Aurelle’s mother, Marianne, encourages them to spend time together, the two girls become friends and their relationship quickly becomes co-dependant and toxic, particularly when they move away for college. There is an ominous atmosphere all the way through, with such a heavy sense of foreboding, I was dreading getting to the end. The descent of both of them into some pretty dark places is so gradual, almost insidious, that I found myself surprised by the culmination of events.

There were times while I was reading this book that I had to stop and re-read a sentence or paragraph that was either so beautifully written or had such depth I needed a minute to take it in, especially the descriptions of the Canadian landscapes and the reflections on selfhood, nature, and art. The only reason I didn’t give it 5 stars, is because there were parts in the middle that were a tad slow, but it definitely picks up and the end is brilliant! I wasn’t expecting it, but looking back I can see that it was always going to end that way.

I thoroughly enjoyed reading this book and look forward to reading more of Laurie Petrou’s work. Thank you to NetGalley and Verve Books for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Wow, just when I thought that I was giving up on Laurie Petrou's novels she brings out Stargazer! This book is an absolutely sensational thrill ride from cover to cover.

You are instantly immersed in the 90s lifestyle which may seem fun however there is a moody and eerie undertone, which made me constantly want to know when it was going to go wrong. Such a unique twist in the final pages which had a much more impactful hit than similiar plots written many times before!

This book was very good at allowing you to understand and sympathise characters to understand their thoughts. I really enjoyed the concept of the book however found it a bit slow at some points

Stargazer, Laurie

Summer 1995, Diana and Aurelle are inseparable. Living together in Dianas parents cottage about to start freshman year.
Diana is ambitious but awkward. Aurelle is likeable. One of the girls has a secret, which one is it?

A drop into a decade passed, Stargazer treads that boundary between teenager and adulthood. With care, attention and beautifully written. This tension builder is a must read this summer.

I wasnt sure what to expect from this novel but I found it to be a compelling read. It was gripping right from the start and I couldnt put it down. It was chillingly atmospheric and well written with well developed characters. A good read.

I assume that all women are trying to recover from their teenage years, and books like this just convince me that I’m right.
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The two central characters of Stargazer, Diana and Aurelle have grown up as neighbours, but in their vast and privileged lives managed to keep their distance. Diana, the daughter always coming second to a much loved son, envies Aurelle and her designer mother their celebrity lifestyles. Finally falling into an intense friendship born or secrets and quiet adoration, their relationship develops and deteriorates until it becomes almost parasitic.
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Diana and Aurelle’s early friendship is so familiar; that thrill that comes from finding someone who seems to be the only person in the world who really understands you never seems as real as it does in our teenage years.
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When the girls attend a remote college, perfectly both prestigious and modern, Petrou expertly describes their college experiences, with one easily immersed and accepted into the academic life she loves, and the other increasingly alienated. Petrou’s descriptions of Diana’s art work are exquisite and make it easy to picture the pieces. I found the drug taking harder to believe, but I’m sure that says more about my naivety than Petrou’s storytelling.
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More than friendship, Stargazer is an interesting study on family, the legacy of celebrity, and the question of the subject of art. And while the story is told from the perspectives of both Diana and Aurelle, Diana’s is the dominant voice, by the end I did wonder if I could believe her side of the story.
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Thanks to the publisher and NetGalley for providing me with a copy of this e-book in exchange for an honest review.

4+


I actually can't tell you what it was about this book I liked so much.
It was intense,and creepy,and fraught with the knowledge that something big was going to happen....
My sympathies flew between the characters, changing with each passing chapter.
It pulled me in , in the first few pages and I didn't want to put it down.

This is an immersive & addictive book at it's best.
Fortunate enough to read it early thanks to NetGalley, the premise intrigued me initially but as I started to read it, I found myself hopelessly lost in the world of these two astonishing central characters. These characters are so strong & dynamic, they are the central pillars of a story which has every element of human emotion. & displays every colour of the human soul.

By the end of the book you will feel that you know these characters so well, with the result of feeling every heartbeat of their joy & heartbreaks. Nothing is truly revealed until the last few pages & the conclusion, whilst not being a completely unexpected, will still resonate for a long time as you reach the final word. I won't forget this book for a while and the sorrow & pain is tangible with this book. I can only hope that I'm not the only one who enjoyed this so much and hope this is a smash, because it absolutely deserves to be.

I found this book unexpected and increasingly gripping. I had little preordained thoughts about genre and son on and find it quite difficult to categorise. It is an insightful exploration of the psyches of two teenage girls brought up in entitled and wealthy homes yet enocunter huge challenges in growing into adulthood for various reasons. We follow the girls as they forge a very tight bond and then find that bond gradually destroying them. It was both a more deeper and better book than I anticipated but at the same time quite a didpfficult read. There were potentially problematic trigger points for the unwary reader. Overall though this is a very worthwhile read and one that anyone who is experiencing this coming of age journey as well as those supporting others doing so would find rewarding.

Stargazer had such a haunting and intense atmosphere throughout. The writing style, the descriptions of Aurelle and Diana's emotions, was so viseral and affecting. I felt swept up in Aurelle and Diana's friendship, invested in their relationship and future. I really felt for Diana and Aurelle, but the uncomfortable undertone of there being something not quite right kept me on edge. You could definitely feel a storm brewing. The climax was subtle and snuck up on me, making my heart race.
I loved it.

Thank you to Netgalley and the publishers for an ARC in exchange for an honest review.

I received an advanced reader’s copy in exchange for an honest review

This is exactly the kind of book you want to read on a cold weekend with a mug of tea under the covers. Trust me. It’s a bit OTT in a good way but suspenseful enough to keep you turn in pages. Perfect escapism. I really liked the characters as well, which always helps

Stargazer is a compelling story of female friendship, art, grief, insecurity, fame and so much more.

They say you shouldn't judge a book by its cover but honestly this cover was so aesthetically pleasing that I just couldn't help myself - and I'm so glad about that. So much of this book is character driven, following protagonists Aurelle and Diana as they leave home for the first time to go to a rural university. Neither character was particularly likeable but they didn't have to be as they were complex and imperfect and intriguing so I still wanted to find out more about them. I didn't love the ending of the novel (possibly because I wanted more book!), but still, I understood how it fit into the wider story and themes explored so I didn't lose too much enjoyment over that. Definitely worth reading and I personally will be looking up Laurie Petrou's other work in the future.