Next Door to a Star (The Star Series) by Krysten Lindsay Hager – Review by Erica Shoebridge

Next Door to a Star by Krysten Lindsay Hager
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

When young teen Hadley is sent to spend the summer with her grandparents in Grand Haven, she is grieving the loss of her recently moved away friend, and feeling awkward and alone. The only good thing about Grand Haven is that her grandparents live next to child star Simone Hendrickson, whom she hopes to befriend. When their grandparents arrange a meeting, Simone is incredibly intimidating to shy, unsure Hadley. She yearns to be as beautiful and put-together as these girls, and feels inadequate beside them. Simone blows hot and cold with her friendship, sometimes including Hadley and being friendly, other times she completely ignores her or ditches her to hang out with the other popular girls. Hadley isn’t sure what to make of this, but still desperately desires to fit in and be liked.

This story made me remember middle school and how desperate the desire can be to have people like you. I remember struggling, as Hadley did, between my smart nerdy friend who was there for me, and the siren call of the beautiful and popular girls. I definitely relived those days reading parts of this story, reminding me that the teenage years aren’t all hormones and smiles like some adults tend to recall. I felt Hadley’s awkwardness in her own skin deeply. Hager handled the emotionality of these characters deftly, and I definitely could feel the rawness of feelings in some of these moments. All in all, this was a good story, I’m glad I picked it up.

Reviewed by @ericalorraine
View all my reviews