The Stars and Their Light is a story about the response of a small town to the rumored landing of a UFO in Roswell, New Mexico in the summer of 1947.
Four people, Harvey Day, a former Army radiographer, Sister May Agnes, the extern sister of the newly opened Poor Clares monastery, Jim Lucerno, a high school senior who dreams of entering CalTech to honor the memory his war-hero father, and Betty Campbell, a bright young girl who wants to study astrophysics, find their lives disrupted by the events of "that singular, strange year when a flying saucer had crashed to the earth."
Although it deals with something that is normally the subject of science fiction, this book is firmly rooted in history. It is, also, oddly, a deeply spiritual book, in which one character experiences stigmata, another must reevaluate her entire adult life, and one, whose life has been totally disrupted, discovers "a deep well of holy awe for the senseless and the unexplained."
The first few chapters didn't really grab me because they devote too much space to the fears of a narrow-minded man who allows anxiety to make him a tyrant. I found myself annoyed by this person's lack of self-awareness. A similar lack of self-awareness almost set me against another character who ended up being much braver than I'd expected. Before too long, however, I found myself enthralled with the story and very concerned about the fates of the main characters.
Readers who are firmly devoted to either organized religion, the military, or the government may have trouble enjoying this book as it takes a very antiestablishment stance. It also does wrap things up a bit too neatly, although I grew so fond of these people that I couldn't begrudge them their happiness.
I would like to thank NetGalley and Lake Union Publishing for the opportunity to read an advance review copy of this book in exchange for my honest review.

This was indeed "an unusual work of historical fiction" written by the gifted author, Olivia Hawker. I went into this book blind, not knowing what it was about, and I was very surprised to learn that it was about the people in the late 1940s in Roswell, New Mexico and their experiences with a UFO that crashes on a nearby ranch. However, this is not a science fiction story, which I thought it might be. It is very different yet totally engaging.

The characters are well-fleshed out and their stories are unique and compelling. By the end, readers may find themselves questioning some of the characters actions and reactions based on their own backgrounds, faith, and beliefs. I would recommend this book to fans of historical fiction who like to read unusual or contemplative stories.

I especially enjoyed the author's note at the end of the book. I loved learning about the reasons that led the author to write this book and all the research that was used to write it. I feel that the material would be fascinating for believers and nonbelievers alike.

My sincere thanks to Lake Union Publishing and NetGalley for the digital ARC of this novel. All opinions expressed are my own.

The Stars and their Light is historical fiction about the most unusual topics I’ve come across yet - the unexplained flying saucer crash in Roswell of 1947, combined with the opening of a monastery. It was exciting and refreshing to read about something different. While parts of the book were a bit slow, I grew to care about the characters and truly loved them by the end. The way Olivia Hawker presented the acceptance of studying questions over the need for explanations wrapped everything up nicely and I’m sure will leave me pondering this book for a long time.

4.5 stars rounded up. Thank you to Lake Union Publishing for the ARC!

Overall Rating: 3⭐️
Spice Rating: 🔥🔥- Fade to Black
Language Rating: !
Reader Age: Adult
Genre: Historical Fiction
Content Considerations: WWII

This book has a super interesting premise and I love how the author decided to tell the story through dated entries. This book also features a variety of POVs which really helped give the story dimension.
However, I struggled with the pacing of this book. It felt like a lot of build up to no where. There was very little resolution and the ending felt quite rushed compared to how slowly the rest of the story unfolded.

The Stars and Their Light is a luminous, exquisitely crafted novel. With elegant, evocative prose, Olivia Hawker dives into the events of Roswell in 1947, weaving a tale that blurs the boundaries between history, myth, and the unknowable. As an unidentified craft falls from the sky, the lives of those who witness it—scientists, soldiers, and ordinary townspeople—are irrevocably altered, their fates entwined with forces beyond their understanding. I won't soon forget Sister Mary Agnes, the newcomer who makes such a difference. A novel of beauty and insight, The Stars and Their Light illuminates one of history’s greatest mysteries.

I usually love this author’s books….but not this time. There were a lot of interesting aspects to this book….a post-war world, UFO sightings, and the changes wrought after years of war and an uncertain future. But the book felt flat to me, and I skimmed through huge chunks. Hopefully others will enjoy it more than I did.

The Stars and Their Light is an intriguing historical fiction story set in Roswell, NM, during the late 1940s, when a UFO was reported to have crashed in the area. Roger and Harvey are both called on to visit the crash site, and are affected by what they see in different ways. Roger brings home a small piece of metal from the site, and when it comes in contact with his daughter Betty, it causes an unexplained physical reaction. Soon after, the local church becomes involved in Betty’s life and Sister Mary Agnes befriends the girl. Mary Agnes has always struggled with her faith, and used the church as a way to hide from the choices she’s made in her life. But her encounter with Betty makes her question her commitment to the leaders of the church and what it means to follow her heart, and becoming the woman she was before she joined the order.

This was my first book by Olivia Hawker and I really enjoyed her writing. The combination of historical fiction, science fiction, and religious beliefs all make for a very compelling read. I liked that the book didn’t focus on the crash itself, but more on the effects it had on the people in the story.

Each of the main characters (Roger, Harvey, Betty, and Mary Agnes) were all well written, and they all experience different reactions to the crash. Hawker does a great job emotionally connecting the reader to each of the characters through their resulting coping mechanisms following the crash, and how each of their lives are turned upside down by the incident.

There is also a great Author’s Note at the end of the book that gives more information on Hawker’s own UFO sighting, and more historical documentation on the events that took place in Roswell during the 1947 crash. I definitely recommend not skipping over this part of the book.

If you are looking for a great read that explores the mysteries behind unexplained phenomenon and the complexities of its effects on everyday people and those in the government and military, then I would definitely recommend The Stars and Their Light.

A brilliant look at a fascinating piece of history. With her trademark lyrical prose, Olivia Hawker weaves a unique and riveting story about the unexplained, faith, and human nature that left me thinking long after I finished the book. Highly recommend!

This book was so much more that I thought it was going to be and it was so much better than I expected. I couldn't put it down and when life got in the way and I had to put it down, it was all I could think about. Amazing

Still processing this amazing book. You think it is about a UFO that crashing in Roswell in 1947, but it is so much more than that. It will make you think and wonder about themes and topics you thought you had opinions about, but now, time to rethink. A young girl, Betty, touches a piece of the ship that had crashed and experiences stigmata. Only her two best friends and a young nun believe her as the rest of the town thinks she is lying and shun her. The nun, Sister Agnes, has recently come from Chicago to help open a monastery in Roswell. She has questions about her faith and has to make some life changing decisions. When the army went to visit the crash site, one of the soldiers had to look inside the ship and his life has never been the same. I was intrigued by this story line because it makes you wonder about the world beyond ours.
In the author notes, she explains this book was inspired by her experience of something she saw in the sky that couldn't easily be explained when she was in her 20s. I love books that have that personal connection. These notes are not to be missed in detailing the book and background.
If you enjoy historical fiction and are looking for a book that is a little different and that will make you think, I highly recommend this one!
Rating is 4.5 stars.
#TheStarsandTheirLight #NetGalley #historicalfiction
Thank you Net Galley for a complimentary copy. All opinions expressed are my own.

If Olivia Hawker writes it, I will read it. Even when that book includes aliens (sort of). Aliens are a no go for me, they absolutely creep me out. But for Olivia, I persevere.

And despite some moments where my skin crawled (it was not spooky, I promise - it’s a me thing), it was worth it.

It’s set in Roswell in 1947. There are several POVs in this one - Roger, a military vet who served in WWII; his teenage daughter, Betty; Sister Mary Agnes, who helps open a new convent in Roswell; Harvey, the convent’s handyman who saw the crash scene firsthand; and Jim, a high school student and friend of Betty’s. Their stories are all interwoven as their lives are affected in various ways by the crash and the chain reactions it creates.

But this isn’t a story about extraterrestrial beings or events necessarily - at its heart, it’s a story about faith. Faith lost and found, faith finding you where you are and taking you where you need to be, and how that looks different for everyone. And that’s the magic of Olivia Hawker’s books - they always focus on the humanity of people and how their deepest beliefs motivate them.

What would happen to you if you came into contact with pieces of an alien spaceship? Or saw one in the air with your own eyes? I loved the strong writing and fascinating premise of The Stars and Their Light by Olivia Hawker. The novel is set in Roswell NM in 1947 and Hawker does a wonderful job of capturing the men and women of that time period. I found myself inexplicably touched when contemplating the theme of this book. Hawker made me think. This book took me on a fascinating ride into the UFO crash in Roswell. Recommend.

I was intrigued by the setting of this historical fiction in Roswell, 1947, and the exploration of the UFO incident through multiple perspectives. While the personal stories were interesting, the pacing felt slow, and the lack of concrete details left me wanting more. The narrative was often repetitive, and I found the author’s note, which explained the real-life events, more engaging than the story itself.

3.5⭐️

Historical fiction set in Roswell 1947.

I must admit I was intrigued by the subject, it’s something that everyone has heard of, including conspiracy theories and Government denials. But it’s not something I have ever read about.
This looks at the event from several points of view. I wasn’t sure while reading it how much of it is based on fact. The emphasis is how this mysterious event impacted on individual’s lives. There’s very little actual detail and what there is repeated quite a lot.

I found some of the elements very interesting, It started off strongly and then faded out for me. It was too slow and drawn out for me, there just wasn’t enough going on to keep my interest. The author’s note provided the most interest for me. I think I would have preferred this to be at the beginning rather than the end so that it was evident how much was factual and to give a grounding for the story.

Having totally loved the author’s previous book October in the Earth which was in my books of the year, this one didn’t manage to live up to my high expectations. I admire the author for writing about something different.

This book was not for me. It was slow and confusing at times. It had an interesting concept and some likable characters. I liked the setting.

Thank you to NetGalley, the publishers, and especially the author for this ARC in exchange for my honest review of the book!!

Captivating and unsettling in equal measure, THE STARS AND THEIR LIGHT is an examination of truth, our beliefs, and the power of mystery. Much more than a historical novel about the Roswell UFO incident, Hawker’s brilliantly layered narrative compels and confounds expectations—delivering a story that will have you questioning everything you thought you knew about the universe and our place within it.

Don’t miss the author’s note—it’s fascinating!

A fantastic story that kept my attention all the way through! Certainly different from what I'm used to reading but I loved how this author has pulled it off!
Wow!
I really enjoyed in getting to know these characters especially Mary Agnes. I loved her personality and the way she knew what to do.
The plot has kept my attention all the way through. I was mesmerized from beginning until the end.
Coming of age stories always intrigue me. I love them.
5 stars from me for an awesome adventure!
My thanks for a copy of this book. I was NOT required to write a positive review. All opinions expressed are mine.

An interesting insight of alleged alien invaders arriving in America, just after the second World War.
I loved the firm relationship with the father and daughter.
A new author to me, I found the writing style intriguing.

A fascinating and powerful novel!! As many reviews already mentioned, once started I could not stop reading it. Based on real events and some real people, the storyline which is meticulously researched brings about experiences with unexpected phenomenons. Following accounts of what fell in New Mexico in 1947, we witness the influence of the unexplained (or unexplainable, as mentioned by the author) on ordinary people, Army people and religious characters. I found it particularly fascinating the parallels between the unexplained and religious faith ... Very cleverly done, the plot is very convincing and definitely thought provoking! A great novel!
I received a digital copy of this novel from NetGalley and I have voluntarily written an honest review.

In 1947 a strange object fell from the sky in Roswell, New Mexico. There were strange sightings as well - things that moved in ways that none of the known aircraft of the day could do, and would then disappear. The locals thought maybe it was a spy balloon from arch enemy Russia, but local military officials reassured everyone that it was just a weather balloon mishap. But there are witnesses to the crash, and some residents have other evidence that it wasn't a weather balloon. And then, teenager Betty Campbell experiences the stigmata (bleeding from the hands and feet in the same places that Christ bled from the crucifiction). No one can explain it, and locals are convinced she is making things up. Mary Agnes, a nun at a newly created convent in town, is convinced that Betty's experience is real, and asks local clergy to meet Betty and investigate. Mary Agnes has a history of her own; as a young woman she fled to the monastic life feeling that she was fleeing sin, and incapable of living a sin free life if she wasn't in a convent. After the local clergy reject all the evidence of Betty's stigmata, and is is ostracised and rejected by the local community, Mary Agnes begins to question her decision to leave the real world. Harvey, the handyman at the convent, is also a victim of the sighting. What he saw the night of the crash caused him to resign his commision in the military, after being threatened with a court martial or worse if he told anyone what he saw. Nobody knows that he has a piece of the craft that crashed. Betty's boyfriend Jim, a young man hoping to follow his father's path as a career military man, also has a piece of the craft. Could those pieces have anything to do with Betty's stigmata?
Beautifully written, well researched and thoroughly compelling, The Stars and Their Light asks questions we've all asked. What's really out there? Have beings from outer space been here? The historical notes that Olivia Hawker includes add context and heft to the story. A really great book!