Falling Stars is a young adult novel by Ashlyne Huff Revelette that tells the story of Lilah Carson, a former child country star with the stage name Lily Black, who was a one-hit-wonder. At age 17, Lilah decides to return to Nashville in an attempt to make it big again. This story involves a lot of growing pains: relationships, friendships, family, and the music business.
Revelette uses her experience in the music industry to tell the story of what it’s really like to break into the industry. The reader follows Lilah’s every step: reconnecting with her former agent, finding a writing partnering, learning how to hone her songwriting skills, and performing a showcase for record companies. Revelette even recorded the songs that are pivotal to Lilah's career. You can listen to them on her website. I highly recommend listening to the songs after or while you read the book.
The book is a smooth read, but when Lilah becomes intimate with a guy she has a crush on, it just feels awkward. Lilah is a preacher’s daughter (how southern of her), which Revelette takes to a whole new level. While Lilah has a very mature outlook on her work, her immaturity towards the opposite sex is a stark contrast. However, it reminds the reader that Lilah has a lot of growing up to do still.
The book is a slice of life novel that captures a moment in Lilah’s life and budding career. The end of the book just drops off in terms of plot, stopping dead in its tracks with no transition to the epilogue. The epilogue that flashes forward five years feels unnecessary. It would have been better to conclude the novel in the present. Overall, the ending felt very unsatisfying as a reader.
Revelette does have a sequel coming out, Broken Pieces, sometime in the future.