The Stars Fell Sideways by Cassandra Marshall

Author: Cassandra Marshall
Publication: October 1, 2012
By: MolliePup Press
3.75 Stars

Alison Arroway takes a lickin’ and keeps on tickin’. She has to, or she won’t get paid. Alison is a stunt double for pampered teen actress Pomegranate and when the director takes the shoot to Portugal, Alison is anything but thrilled to be rooming with Pom. But getting to hang around teen hearthrob Erik? Now that’s a plus.

Erik invites both girls on a sunset boat trip and Alison manages to have a decent time. Until the storm hits and the boat is shipwrecked on a small island, leaving Erik missing and the boat captain dead.

In the morning light, Alison and Pom find themselves on the lost island of Atlantis. Only one problem: now that the girls know the secret of the island, the Atlanteans don’t want them to leave. They're stuck with corsets, full-skirted dresses, and the strange steam-driven contraptions that are just a way of life for the islanders.

When a plot by the ruthless army Captain to take over the island and declare himself General over all emerges, an underground group promises to return the girls to the mainland if they can help stop him. They'll go through a mountain, literally, to find the Book of Blue, a book that will explain how to make ‘the stars fall sideways' in order to save the day and earn their freedom.

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Thank you to author Cassandra Marshall for this e-book!

What I liked: Fast-paced adventure and the unique take on the story of Atlantis.  The world building has depth and detail. (I swore I felt sand everywhere as I read and my desire to ever eat another hotdog again was completely cured) Alison is a relateable main character with a great sense of humor, Corbin was swoony and Pom is the kind of character you love to hate.

What left me wanting: I wanted more Corbin. ;)

Final Verdict: Fast, fun read that combines elements of mythology and light steampunk in a creative and entertaining way.

*This review is also posted at YABC

Interview

Thanks so much Cassandra for taking the time to answer a few questions!
 

1) Where did the idea for The Stars Fell Sideways come from?

Sadly, I don't remember the spark :( I wrote a contemporary for NaNo that year and I wanted the next thing I wrote to be completely different and creative and STARS is what popped out!

2) Have you ever visited the place(s) mentioned in The Stars Fell Sideways?

I haven't been to Atlantis, haha! But I have been to Hollywood where the book starts out. I didn't get to tour the studios though. I took that inspiration from the studio tours in the movies and stuff. I haven't been, but I did ask for a travel book for Portugal for my birthday and I want to go someday! 

3) If Alison had a theme song, what would it be?

I had Indiana Jones in mind when I wrote her, so maybe the Indiana Jones theme song? Do-do-do-DOOOOO, do-do-doooo!

4) What's the last book you read and loved?

Karen Thompson Walker's THE AGE OF MIRACLES. I wish it had been a YA book, but I loved it just the same!

5) What's one thing on your bucket list that you've yet to do?

Visit outer space!

6) If you had to eat the same thing every day for the rest of your life, what would it be?

Just this and only this, or at least one meal had to include this? Um... If it's just this and only this, then something with lots of flavors, like a salad of some kind, maybe a fruity one. But there are loads of things I'd eat everyday if I could, like Nutella on toast or ice cream!

7) If you could have coffee with any author (dead or alive) or fictional character, who would it be and why?

At the moment It'd have to be Catherine Moreland from Jane Austen's Northanger Abbey, as I'm currently writing a Northanger Abbey in space book! But usually I say Jane Austen herself :)

You can find Cassandra Marshall at the links below

website |  Twitter  |  Facebook

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