Stars. Those things in the sky that twinkle. Big balls of gas burning millions of miles away. Sometimes they fall. Sometimes they cross. Other times they strike you, for some reason. And sometimes… lots of times… stars appear in book titles.
All right, I’m being facetious, but it is true. Entrenched the the book industry as I am (specifically, the indie and young adult book industries) I tend to notice title trends quite a bit. In fact, my most popular post to date covers just that.
But for reasons that are, let’s say, quite on the nose, I’ve found myself keeping a mental catalog lately of books that have “stars” or “star” in the title somewhere. I guess it’s kind of like when you buy a new car and start noticing that same car everywhere, but I digress.
In any case, I thought I’d list them out just for fun, as a sort of keyword-specific gift guide in case you know someone who just happens to love books with “stars” in the title or the galactic aesthetic they imply. As you may imagine, many of these books fall squarely into the science fiction, dystopian, and young adult categories, so perhaps this will be helpful for those who enjoy those genres as well.
Oh, and by the way, no, I’m not trying to be subtle. My book is on this list, too.
Disclaimer: this post contains affiliate links.
Books With Stars in the Title: Science Fiction
Defy the Stars by Claudia Gray
I’ve talked about this one before; I wholeheartedly adore this series and will recommend it to anyone who loves galaxy-sweeping romance and thought-provoking themes. Android boy meets soldier girl in the midst of an interplanetary war. Fantastic YA sci-fi all around!
Lost Stars by Claudia Gray
Another great choice by this author, Lost Stars is obviously a Star Wars novel, completely canon, and completely amazing! It follows two childhood friends, one who sympathizes with the Empire, the other with the Rebellion, and takes place during the same time period as Episodes IV-VI. At its core, it’s a romance, but a star-crossed one to say the least! For Star Wars nerds, it’s a compelling and nuanced expansion of the universe. For everybody else, it’s just a dang good sci-fi story!
The Sound of Stars by Alechia Dow
I own this one but have not read it yet; everyone gushes about the cover but you can’t really judge a book by its cover, can you? The premise is also interesting to me: a girl who loves books and an android who loves music have to save humanity? That’s just the sort of sentimental corniness I love to see in sci-fi dystopia!
These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Another I haven’t read (but want to), this YA science fiction romance is billed as “Titanic in space” and follows two teens who get stranded together on an alien planet after their luxury spaceliner crashes. I imagine anyone who enjoys science fiction romances would have a good time with this one… someone like me, perhaps!
Hunt the Stars by Jesse Mihalik
I have been ITCHING to read some Jesse Mihalik (I have Polaris Rising on my TBR!) and I see this one pop up a lot! From the look of it, I sense some serious enemies-to-lovers going down. When I search for “science fiction romance,” THIS is what I want to see pop up! (No shade, Ruby Dixon, no shade…)
To Sleep in a Sea of Stars by Christopher Paolini
The science fiction debut from beloved wonderkind Christopher Paolini is definitely a space opera–long, galaxy-sweeping, and intricate. I tried to read this one and it just wasn’t for me; not because it was bad, but because I can’t do big books. But for people who enjoy the long game, perhaps this is right in your wheelhouse! And that cover? Wowza!
Stars Above by Marissa Meyer
I read Cinder this year and absolutely loved it, I just haven’t had time to get to the rest of the Lunar Chronicles yet! This is sci-fi fantasy at its best, a unique and spellbinding mash-up of fairytales and futurism. Stars Above is a companion short story collection perfect for current fans of the series or of Meyer as a whole!
An Ocean of Stars
I would be remiss if I didn’t mention my own forthcoming book (the reason I had the idea for this blog post at all) and as you can see, I definitely did not capitalize on title trends for this one. No, actually, I really like this title–it fits the book perfectly. You’ll see! Here’s the synopsis:
Girl, meet boy. He’s the reason you’re lost in space.
Xanorra Nepier thought she’d spend the next eight years making space colonist history: exploring the other side of the Current, the galaxy’s only known wormhole. But when a mysterious ship attacks and she’s separated from her family and crew, her only choice is to accept the help of the enemy ship’s captain. The kicker: he’s a boy her age who has never met another human before. And it shows.
Boy, meet girl. She’s the one thing that could put your mission at risk.
Captain Omen has a destiny to fulfill: to ferry his cargo on board the Atlantis to a secret world and begin humanity’s next chapter beyond the stars. He certainly wasn’t supposed to rescue a stranded spacer girl, especially one whose ship he had just destroyed… and who his android crew insists is a threat to the mission. She may be loud, but she can’t be all bad, can she?
Their paths were never supposed to cross, but what begins as a shaky alliance grows into a genuine connection–a connection that’s tested with each new obstacle they encounter, both within the confines of the Atlantis… and without.
The book releases on January 21st, 2023 and pre-orders will open on December 7th, 2022! If you’re interested in being an ARC reader, I will accept applications up until that point! Here’s a link to the form!
Indie Shout-Outs
Expect this list to grow as I become aware of more indie authors, and for me to do subsequent lists in the future where I shout out my fellow independents! For now, here are a few who have made use of the word “stars” in one aspect or another:
The Night the Stars Fell by Amber D. Lewis
A fantasy series about a set of twins cursed with ancient magic. I love the idea of a world where twins are a rare phenomenon!
Until the Stars are Dead (Series) by Allyson S. Barkley
I’m cheating again because I thought I knew more indie books with stars in the title. Book 1 of this YA epic fantasy series is called A Memory of Light and is my current read! Really enjoying it so far!
Books With Stars in the Title: Other Genres
The Fault in Our Stars by John Green
I would be hard-pressed to make a list of books with stars in the title without mentioning this one. Controversially, I never read it. It’s just not my genre! But seeing as though it was a pretty big phenomenon, it might just be the perfect gift for the avid reader in your life.
Number the Stars by Lois Lowry
This book needs no introduction, right? A classic historical fiction novel about the German occupation of Denmark through the eyes of a 10-year-old girl.
All the Stars and Teeth by Adalyn Grace
I see this one all over Instagram and honestly, not to judge a book by its cover, but this is quite a nice one if I may say so. Little Mermaid-esque, so I hear? A well-regarded choice for lovers of YA fantasy with romance!
We Free the Stars by Hafsah Faizal
I’m usually not keen on including a book that isn’t the first of its series but since this is a pretty well-known one and it’s a duology, I’ll give myself a pass. An epic YA fantasy set in an ancient Arabian-inspired world!
Honorable Mentions: Books With Star (Singular) in the Title
Just a single star, no more. I don’t think this warrants its own separate post so I am including it here as a sub-category instead!
- Star Daughter by Shveta Thakrar (own it, haven’t read it yet!)
- The Sun is Also a Star by Nicola Yoon (made into a movie!)
- The Darkest Star by Jennifer Armentrout (not a huge Armentrout fan but honestly, I’d probably like this)
- Stardust by Neil Gaiman (a fairytale classic! It didn’t blow me away, but I’m told it’s because I’m not British and I’m inclined to agree)
- Stargirl (a nostalgic contemporary from my middle school days! I feel like they made a movie about it that everyone forgot about)
What a grab bag. For the sake of my sanity and brevity of time, I am not including any of the myriad Star Wars novelizations that would technically fit on this list. You can go check those out on your own time. Also, Lost Stars is said to be the best one anyway.
Any other books I didn’t mention that you would recommend for this list, particularly if they’re science fiction, indie published, or both? Let me know down in the comments!
Featured image by Suzy Hazelwood, courtesy of Pexels
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