Nothing ever happens in Dawson, Colorado. Until high school senior Cassidy Roekiem’s mom checks into a “wellness center,” but nothing is wrong with her. Then people start seeing lights in the sky and missing chunks of time, but the town insists nothing is going on. And now Hayden, the new boy at school who keeps to himself and is more than a little mysterious, starts to notice her like it’s … starts to notice her like it’s nothing out of the ordinary.
Suddenly, “nothing” is starting to feel a whole lot like something. And everything leads back to Hayden. The boy she’s starting to fall for. The boy with too many dark secrets for his kind heart. The boy she’s pretty sure isn’t human…more
A cute meet out of this world…
Girl meets boy. Boy has a family secret. Girl has a missing mom. Sparks fly, and then all hell breaks loose!
This paranormal romance has everything I Iove about YA: rich, buoyant writing, relatable and dynamic characters, convoluted plot twists and a narrative so believable I had to check the door was locked when reading late at night.
Though thinking about that… the antagonists in this fireside tale aren’t stopped by doors, or locks.
The story is set in a sleepy town where the very likable Cassidy takes an interest in the hot new boy, Hayden. A budding connection grows but so do the inexplicable events. On top of that, the context and ‘reality’ created by Barneveld is so perfectly ‘real’, I felt I was reading a true life story… you know, from the Twilight Zone. Still, it felt so real!
The pace is perfect, the voices authentic, the ending spectacular. I can only hope there will be a sequel.
A YA novel you don’t want to put down! Five stars!
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I was lucky enough to receive an ARC of this book from EntangledTeen. I’ll have a full review up asap but know right away, I loved this story. Here is the quote I have offered for back copy:
Under the Milky Way is a thrilling Paranormal Romance sure to skyjack you from start to finish. Barneveld’s writing is perfection, the story high-octane and the characters so tender and fierce they will haunt you long after they’re gone. Read this book. Read it now! You’ll never see homecoming the same again… – A. K. Wilder, bestselling author of Crown of Bones.
Aliens and space meld with high school drama to form a high tension, well-woven read.
Cassidy is struggling. Her parents are divorced, her mother is a well-known figure, and now, her mother has checked herself into some strange wellness ranch, where Cassidy isn’t allowed to visit her. Nothing makes sense, and everything about life seems out of sorts. So, when one of the boys at school…a ‘hot’ one…can’t take his eyes off of her and starts accidentally running into her everywhere, she’s not sure what to think. As she warms up to him, things on her mother’s side grow stranger and stranger, especially as Cassidy begins to delve into the research for the novel her mom was writing. Add her sudden blackouts and hours being lost at a time, and she’s afraid something big and sinister is going on.
When I picked this one up, I was expecting a sappy, alien-human romance…but this is so much more. The author weaves tons of secrets and intrigue around the characters, creating a tale which is packed with unexpected twists and turns, high stakes, and dangerous shadows. Nothing is as it seems and so much is at stake. So, romance is there, and it does carry the tones of usual high school drama, but that is only the beginning.
There’s quite a bit going on in the background. To get this to all click together by the end, the author tells the tale not only from different perspectives, but includes emails and notes from the past. Each chapter does put a place and date at the beginning to help keep things clear and coordinated. Still, I was more than a little confused during the first half of the book and just trusted that this was all going to fall into the right place by the end. And it does for the most part, although some things were still blurred and I’d have to go back and reread several spots to see exactly how it worked. But to say this ruined the read for me would be wrong.
I read this one in a single sitting and couldn’t put it down. The characters and situations are very original, and while it’s clear there are some evil doings happening, it’s not so clear how it all works. The tension is high, the characters are more than easy to root for, and it’s an entertaining read until the very end. So, if you’re looking for high school romance with a dash of science fiction and a super helping of evil intrigue…this one is for you. I received an ARC and found the tale very engaging.
GENRE/TROPES: Sci-Fi, YA
POV: Multiple POVs
SERIES: Standalone
STEAM LEVEL:
What an unusual, unique, unbelievable fun sci-fi romance! I’ve never in my life read a book like this. As a space-loving, alien-believing individual, I devoured this whole book like I would a top secret government file on UFOs. Slow and steady.
The main characters are Cassidy and Hayden. There are TONS of side characters that are a big part of the story. I don’t want to give anything away, but I ended up really liking how they were all introduced. Adds so much depth and intrigue to the plot. All I’ll say is you just have to pay attention and hang on. This book is just like a mystery, giving you blips and “hidden in plain sight” clues that just kept compiling until it all comes to light and you’re like, THANK YOU!
And what a sweet little romance. I’ll admit a few times I had to pause reading because it wasn’t fluid. It was like reading a file, a bit disjointed and choppy in storytelling. But I ended up loving that aspect. Not a typical story and I just have to say I’m impressed.
ARC PROVIDED TO ME IN EXCHANGE FOR AN HONEST REVIEW
Under the Milky Way is an entertaining young adult sci-fi romance. I love the cover of this book. It’s so gorgeous, and I was drawn to the unique-sounding story. It’s not your typical alien romance. This story includes disappearances, aliens, conspiracies, and decades-old mysteries full of intrigue and danger. The plot is pretty unique, and I like how the author wove several seemingly unrelated stories together. The story went in a few directions that I didn’t expect, and the connections are tied together well. It made for an enjoyable read.
Each chapter begins with a song title from a playlist Cassidy’s mother made for her, which is another intriguing element of the story. Are these possible clues left by her mother, or are they something else? The story also includes snippets of news articles, memos, reports, and more throughout the book. These, as well as the song titles, offer insight into the several mysteries in the story. It’s interesting to see how everything ties together and how information that seemed unrelated or unimportant became significant as the story unfolded.
The characters are also interesting, though I wish some were a little more layered. Cassidy’s friends and aunt and Hayden’s family are so interesting, and I could easily see some of them being the focus of future books by the author. Cassidy is a great protagonist. She is resilient and determined, and she shows such courage throughout the story. I like that she trusts her instincts and never gives up on the people she loves. She’s also really intelligent, curious, and accepting.
The love story in this book is sweet and complicated. Cassidy and Hayden have a great connection, and I love how behind his athleticism and unbelievable good looks, Hayden is awkward and a bit bumbling with Cassidy. You can tell how taken he is with her, which is very sweet. Cassidy feels the same way, and their growing relationship, though complex and riddled with problems, is great.
Secrets, lies, betrayal, conspiracies, abductions, and more make for a suspenseful and entertaining read. Part sci-fi, part mystery, the intrigue definitely propels the plot. I became easily engrossed in the story and didn’t anticipate many of the surprising twists and turns. It’s an interesting and enjoyable read that will appeal to readers of ya sci-fi romance. Thanks so much to Entangled Teen, NetGalley, and the author for a copy of the book in exchange for my honest review.
What a wonderful, romantic, edge-of-your-seat ride. It’s paranormal/YA/SF at its best.
I was lucky enough to read the ARC from Entangled Publishing. I can’t wait for the final, and the sequel.
More Cassidy and Hayden, please!
Cute story.
‘Under the Milky Way’ by Vanessa Barnveld is a sweet young adult sci-fi tale that follows high school senior, Cassidy Roekiem as she tries to solve a mystery that landed her mom in a ‘wellness resort’ that feels more than a little questionable.
As locals start to report lights in the sky and issue claims of alien abduction, Cassidy finds she’s missing chunks of time that she can’t account for.. and that’s exactly the kind of symptom being associated with these said ‘events.’ The town insists nothing out of the ordinary is really going on, but the problem is so widespread she has her doubts.
Then there’s Hayden. He’s new at school and seems to have all the right boxes checked for instant popularity, but he keeps to himself and has a strange habit of watching Cassidy. Almost constantly.
Honestly, the writing itself is just okay, but the story is cute and enjoyable. Hayden really is lovely and the dynamics between him and his family, especially Trudy are quite amusing.
Told in a non-linear format from multiple perspectives, there’s a decent bit to keep track of both past and present. Conceptually and structurally, it could have been a robust story.. but the execution just isn’t quite there. Having done a bit of research into the author, I feel that’s largely just inexperience and that she’s probably still learning to fill those pages out thoughtfully. She definitely has potential, she just needs to get all the pieces working fluidly together.
Still, as I said.. I did enjoy the read. Anyone looking for a light fare with some cute romance and a sci-fi bent might enjoy this too.
(I received this title as an ARC. All opinions are mine and freely given.)
This was such a fun read, once I got past the beginning “shots”. Cassidy is a tenacious young girl and is doing all that she can to help her mom recover and return home.
The story that Nina (Cassidy’s mom) was working on is what led to her breakdown and she admitted herself to a mental institution. Cass seems to think that if she can finish and solve the Jane Flanagan case, her mom will miraculously get better and so she dives off the deep end.
The kidnapping case ends up tied to EVERYTHING that goes on in the story and when Cass solves it/finds the truth, a lot of the odd things that had been going on make so much sense.
It’s so sad that good people tend to do bad things in the name of “the greater” good. Happens in books, movies, shows, and even real life. So having that underlying driving point and mixing in the alien stuff actually helps connect to the story.
At the beginning, the story felt a little convoluted and there were things that could’ve been left out since they don’t really do much except to help set the “tone”/ambiance.An example is the little snippet of the Australian band and their encounter. That was it. No more.
Another thing I felt was a tad bit disorienting was how the flashbacks were done. There was too much jumping around and then switching POV between Cass and Hayden.
The ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, it sets up things for a sequel since there are some unresolved topics AND we get a brand new mystery right at the end! Hopefully, we get a book 2!
Ms. Barneveld is a new-to-me author, but if you’ve followed my reviews at all, you know that doesn’t stop me from trying new things. The cover was beautiful, the blurb grabbed my attention, and the fact that it gave me Roswell vibes (a fave TV show of mine in my younger years) all worked together to make me really, really want to read this book. And it’s a romantic suspense, so that was also a plus.
Cassidy and Hayden were adorably awkward and adorably awkward together. I enjoyed watching their young love grow and blossom. And the plot, especially the twists and turns, kept me turning pages until very late into the night when I really should have been sleeping. While some parts felt a bit choppy and underdeveloped, all in all, it was a delightful read. However, the ending had me wondering if there’s going to be a sequel, which would make me a happy camper. Either way, I’m glad I took a chance on this author and look forward to whatever story she brings us next.
NICUnurse’s Rating:
We all have our reasons for choosing certain books. In this case, I was drawn to the title, because hey. One of my favorite bands from the 80’s, Aussie band “The Church”, had a titled Under The Milky Way. And reason number two, the story is set in a fictitious town in Colorado, where I live (not the fictitious town) , but I can so picture this Dawson, Colorado and it’s inhabitants, human and alien.
I’m keeping my review to a high level because there’s a lot going on in this story, with going back in time, with inserts about government experiments, and subsequently with the present. This is where the heart of the story lies, with teenager and Dawson native Cassidy, and the newly transplanted, Hayden. Cassidy is quirky and bright and I really enjoyed being in her head. It’s was a joy to watch her falling in love, and to see what she comes to mean to Hayden.
With Under The Milky Way, Vanessa Barneveld weaves a tale that is funny, romantic, and filled with mystery. The dialogue is fantastic, and again, I loved being in Cassidy’s head. She wildly entertaining and highly relatable. If you even have an inkling of interest in the extraterrestrial world, and should you love YA, this is the book for you. 4 Stars and recommendation.