Where I Still Read

Starside was quite a journey. It’s the story of a girl who seems to have absolutely no chance of surviving. She’s a magnet for trouble, yet at the same time she has an incredible amount of luck. Every single time something goes wrong, someone or something appears at exactly the right moment to save her, or at least help her continue her quest for revenge.
Overall, it’s an entertaining book with plenty of exciting moments. However, for me, it was a little too predictable. If you pay close attention, the author gives away many of the answers early on. The clues are there, and it isn’t too difficult to understand what is happening and why.
The book is also quite short and jumps straight into the action. While that keeps the pace moving, it doesn’t leave much room to connect with the characters. I never felt truly attached to anyone, not even Aris. We get bits and pieces of her past throughout the story, but never enough for me to become emotionally invested.
My biggest issue is that the adventure becomes repetitive. The cycle is often the same: Aris moves forward, faces danger, survives, and continues. Because there aren’t many recurring characters accompanying her, the story starts to feel like the same situation repeated in different settings.
Another point is the supposed enemies-to-lovers romance. Was it really enemies to lovers? I honestly didn’t buy it. The male lead isn’t just distant, grumpy, or trying to keep her at arm’s length. He’s genuinely cruel for much of the story. It reminded me of that old saying adults tell kids: «He picks on you because he likes you.» No. He’s being a jerk, and you should stay away from him. That’s how I felt here. The romance seemed to happen mainly because he was the only available man around, rather than because there was meaningful emotional development between them.
I also struggled with the ending. It wasn’t bad, but after everything that happened, it didn’t feel entirely believable. Some developments felt too convenient, and the pacing of the final events didn’t really work for me. After spending so much time on the journey itself, the resolution felt surprisingly quick.
In the end, I can see why people enjoy this book. If you’re looking for a fast-paced fantasy adventure and don’t mind overlooking some of these details, you’ll probably have a good time with it. Unfortunately, despite some enjoyable moments, the story never quite clicked for me.


Starside by Alex Aster