Book: The Stars Never Rise by Rachel Vincent

Published June 2015 by Delacorte Press|384 pages

Where I Got It: I borrowed the e-book from the library

Series: The Stars Never Rise #1

Genre: YA Dystopia/Paranormal

Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she’s too busy trying to actually survive. Her town’s population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a family. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she’ll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie’s sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears a hoodie?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can’t survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

I really liked The Stars Never Rise!  I’ve only read her Soul Screamers series, which I really liked, and now I’m kicking myself for not picking up another one of her books.

This is a very interesting world- one where there was a war against demons, and now, the Church is in charge of everything, because they are the only ones who can do anything against the demons.  I assumed the Church to be the Catholic church, partially because some of it seemed either really similar or exactly the same, and partially because they’re the only ones with enough power to basically function as a government.

Some of the reveals aren’t surprising, but there were a couple that had me a little surprised.  The Stars Never Rise definitely made me want to keep reading.  It’s action-packed but there were some funny moments, and I really liked the relationship Nina and Mellie had.  I felt for Nina, who was the one looking out for Mellie and making sure Mellie was okay.  It’s a lot of responsibility, but it seemed liked Nina did the best she could.  She wasn’t perfect, of course, and I doubt she could have stopped Mellie, but it seemed liked she tried.

I’m not sure how I feel about the romance- it’s different, and I like Finn, but…I don’t know.  I haven’t completely warmed up to it.  Maybe in the next book?

Speaking of the next book…I like that things are pretty resolved in this book, and yet, you’re left with the sense that the story isn’t over, and there is more of this world that we need to see and explore.  I feel like the sequel is going to add to the world.  Or at least, I hope it does.

I am curious about how demons came to be in this world, and what led to the war and the Church coming into power.  I don’t recall it being explained, and I’m hoping it’s something we see in the sequel, mostly because I’m curious.  I’m fine with the fact that we know it happened, but I guess I want more specifics.

4 stars.  The Stars Never Rise definitely kept me reading, but I do want to know more about the demons.