I loved it. Don't normally like books aimed and teenagers and wasn't sure at the start. But these two were adult beyond their years. Two teenagers who are the ones keeping their families together. The way it is written is hugely engaging, switching from the two main characters but keeping the context without being confusing. Will now read something else by this author,

A lot can happen in just one day. The Sun is Also a Star tells the story of Daniel and Natasha. Daniel is always trying to be dutiful to his parent who immigrated from South Korea before Daniel was born. Natasha has her entire life planned out but she is an undocumented immigrant who is being deported back to Jamaica in 12 hours.

I wasn’t too sure when I started this book if I was going to be a fan or not. I’m really not a fan of ‘insta-love’ and ‘boy-meets-girl-and-instantly-falls-in-love’ storylines. But this story is so much more than that.

The story is told from the first-person perspectives of Daniel and Natasha. But from time to time the story deviates from Daniel and Natasha so as to focus briefly on other characters from the story. These characters only appear for a brief moment but their appearances drive a crucial plot point. But sometimes these deviations focus on a scientific concept that is mentioned in the story. A lot of people have not been a fan of this because at times it really can get confusing to keep switching perspectives. However, I am a big fan of stories that flip between different perspectives so as soon as I realised The Sun is Also a Star did this I was excited to read further. This writing style definitely works for this story.

This book covers a lot of issues throughout the storyline. The main issue being family immigration. Daniel and Natasha have their own issues coming from the main issue of immigration. Daniel’s parents immigrated from South Korea before Daniel was born. Daniel doesn’t quite know how much he is willing o sacrifice in order to fulfil his parent’s expectation on what is a ‘good life’ to lead whilst in America. Natasha is having to deal with being deported back to Jamaica after living in America since she was aged 8. All of this because of one mistake that her Father has made. I could tell that Nicola Yoon had taken her time to extensively research the topic of immigration. You can tell she had researched about immigration because of how authentic and respectful her portrayal of such an important and current topic in this day and age. These are not the only issues that this book covers. It also briefly covers the issues of suicide, depression, career choices and how what you do everyday affects others.

The characters in this book are beautiful and so well written, that even though this book takes place over very small period of time you really do feel like you know that characters and their stories by the end of the book. I cannot forget to mention the diversity of characters that Nicola Yoon has used in this book. The two main characters are Jamaican and Korean and you don’t see this in many YA books.

The one downside I could give to this book is definitely about the ‘insta-love’ that the character Daniel and Natasha has. I know that for the story to work as it did it had to be like this. I just wish we got to see them fall in love over a long time period. As it seemed somewhat cliché and unrealistic for them to fall in love that quickly. But I can also see how it shows the reality of the situation they are both in and the fact that Natasha doesn’t have long left in America.

Overall, I was very impressed with this story. The ending really will take your breath away. It did mine. This is the second Nicola Yoon novel that I have really enjoyed and I will definitely be picking up her next novel whenever that comes out. I would recommend this book to any Young Adult, romance and contemporary fan out there. It is a really fun and touching read that covers a lot of current issues.

Thank to Nicola Yoon, Penguin Random House UK Children’s, Corgi Children’s and Netgalley for sending me a copy of this book in exchange for an honest review.

Natasha is an undocumented immigrant whose family is 12 hours away from being deported back to America. Natasha is desperate for a solution. Daniel is in a constant battle with his family and their high expectations of him. Both Natasha and Daniel both see the world in two completely different ways. Daniel is a hopeless romantic who believes in fate and love at first sight but Natasha is a cynic who believes in science, facts and data. So when the two meet in a crowded NY street, their lives change and possibilities open up.

Nicola Yoon does an excellent job in creating two well rounded, complex and realistic characters with perfect chemistry together, but both also had their own characters arcs which were also fantastically written. While I really enjoyed their romance and how they changed each other’s thinking about their outlook on life, I had a hard time believing they actually fell in love in less than one day – BUT – a good romance nonetheless. I did really love the end and how the two went their separate ways and lived their lives but found each other later in life.

My favourite aspect, however, was reading about the different cultures and both Daniel’s and Natasha’s immigrant experiences, and the examinations of racism in America. I found Daniel’s struggle with his identity and his struggle to fit into two different cultures really interesting.

While I ultimately found the romance to be the weakest aspect, The Sun is Also a Star features some excellent character development and it was both Natasha’s and Daniel’s individual experiences and storylines that kept me reading till the very end. The fact that these narratives were condensed into one day really shows Nicola Yoon’s writing talents.

RATING: ★★★★☆

The Sun is Also a Star is one of the best books I've read in a long time.
I was hooked from the beginning and couldn't put it down.
Although it's a story about young adults, I think anyone of any age would enjoy this and could relate to certain aspects of each character's personality.
The novel is one about Fate. Destiny. The Stars. Love. Disappointment and Reality rolled into one story.
The characters could not be more different- yet upon exploration are so alike in so many ways.
Natasha & Daniel meet on the streets one morning. Both caught up in their own lives of drama and disappointment. Each one on their way to something more important than just themselves. As the day unfolds, the reader becomes a part of the story and you cannot help but root for the two of them.
I loved the ending and cannot wait to read more from Nicola Yoon.

Brilliant. Properly brilliant. I can't wait to reread this.

Back in July 2015, I started this blog. In the same month, I reviewed my very first ARC (Advanced Reader’s Copy), which just so happened to be the New York Times Best Seller: Everything, Everything by Nicola Yoon.

At the time, I didn’t really grasp what I was getting myself into. It didn’t really hit me until a few months later when Everything, Everything was all anyone in the bookish community could talk about: My first ever ARC was a bestseller, and I got to experience it early! I felt so excited whenever anyone brought it up, because I could talk about with more and more people as it got bigger and bigger.

Thus, when ARCs started being released of The Sun is Also a Star, it was only right – only just – that I request one.

However, life got in the way, and I didn’t actually read this book until post release, so – contrastingly – I was the one in the dark when this book was all anyone in the bookish community could, inevitably, talk about in the days, weeks, and months after its release.

Nevertheless, this book was amazing. I loved it even more than Everything, Everything!

This book follows a dual-POV of Natasha and Daniel, who are waking to fateful days for very different reasons: Natasha is being deported, whilst Daniel is about to attend a life-altering interview for entry to Yale University. Neither are in search of love, yet both – once they find it – never want to let it go.

From the very beginning, I knew I was going to love this book. Just being re-introduced to Nicola Yoon’s writing style was a pleasure. I loved the quick jumps in POV, from Natasha to Daniel, and then back again. However, Yoon also introduced a very interesting aspect to this novel: whenever a new character was mentioned, we recieved a brief soliloquay on their life. I loved this part, and everytime it happened I got so excited because I was so eager to learn more and more about this world that Nicola Yoon was building. In school, currently, we’re studying how stories intertwine, and how different perspectives percieve the same events in such contrasting ways. This book just solidified my love for this theme – to see so many stories intertwining so seamlessly but so realistically was endlessly entertainting and enlightening.

I did, however, go into this book a little warily. The synopsis screamed insta-love, and I wasn’t really down for that. Yet this book is written tastefully, all cheesiness pushed completely out of the picture. It is slow-burning and sweet and reminscent all at once.

Furthermore, one thing I’m coming to realise with Nicola Yoon is how dauntless she is when it comes to introducing diversity to her stories, and how unafraid she is when it comes to talking about it. Both of our protagonists are ethnic minorities in their hometown of New York City, Natasha hailing from Jamaica, and Daniel descending from Korean immigrants. As I type this, I am trying to think of another popular YA author that seamlessly intergrates such diversity into their novels, and I am stuggling to do so.

Honestly, Nicola Yoon is one of a kind.

From beginning to end, this book was action-packed, captivating, and inspiring, and I can’t fully express my love for it. I wouldn’t change a thing about this book, especially the ending: that was just so perfect.

Okay so first of all let me just say I'm really cynical about the concept of love at first sight and I never really bought into the whole Romeo and Juliet storyline. So, you might imagine that this book would not be for me, but I really loved it. I completely bought into how Natasha and Daniel were thrown together and how the relationship developed from there.
I found Natasha's cynicism, love of science and logical reasoning incredibly endearing, but endearing makes her sound sweet and sappy when she is far from it. She is a strong female character who I would love to see emulated in more YA.
Daniel, the dreamer, is easy to like, but it was his complex relationship with his brother and parents that I found most engaging.
Whilst the story revolves around Natasha and Daniel, several other characters are sporadically thrown into the mix and I absolutely loved that aspect of the book.
I found this book difficult to put down and it was one of the most satisfying 'ends' of any book I've read in a really long time. I would highly recommend you buy this book, read it and pass it on (plus the cover is beautiful!).

Wonderful lovely heart warming book. One that I will read again and again

Thank you for letting me read this book. Really good read and easy to follow story line. Look forward to reading more from this author

Every now and then I'll read a YA book so that me and my teenage daughter can enjoy reading something 'together' - and I've read some surprisingly good books this way.

The Sun Is Also A Star is a beautifully crafted book of love and belonging.

Daniel is a romantic, a poet, a dreamer - he's always played second-fiddle to his older brother, but now his brother has dropped out of college, and his parents have turned their attention and expectations to him, pressuring him not to let them down too.

Natasha loves science, data, facts - she revels in that which can be proven. She has her future and career all mapped out in her mind. What she hasn't factored in is her family being deported due to her father's arrest.

She has just 12 hours to find a way to stay in New York and fulfil her destiny.

Their chance encounter means that Daniel has just 12 hours to make Natasha fall in love with him.

Told from their alternating POVs, we witness their feelings for each other during this eventful day - along with some poignant stories from a couple of bit-parts.

Will the Universe help or hinder their relationship?

Beautifully written, although riddled with happy coincidences, it never became a cliche - just an easy-to-read, poetic story.