Book Review: Starstruck

Starstruck
Author: Cyn Balog
Pages: 256 pgs
Reading Level: YA
Release Date: July 12th 2011
Review Source:  Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Available: Amazon / Barnes & Noble / Borders

Summary: (from goodreads) Gwendolyn "Dough" X doesn't think she has much going for her—she carries a few extra pounds, her family struggles with their small bakery in a town full of millionaires, and the other kids at her New Jersey high school don't seem to know that she exists. Thank the stars for her longtime boyfriend, Philip P. Wishman—or "Wish." He moved away to California three years ago, when they were 13, but then professed his love for her via e-mail, and he's been her long-distance BF ever since.

 
At the beginning of her junior year, though, Wish e-mails that he's moving back to Jersey. Great, right? Well, except that Dough has gained about 70 pounds since the last time Wish saw her, while Wish—according to his Facebook photos—has morphed into a blonde god. Convinced that she'll be headed for Dumpsville the minute Wish lays eyes on her, Dough delays their meeting as long as she possibly can.

But when she sees Wish at school, something amazing happens. He looks at Dough like she's just as gorgeous as he is. But Wish is acting a little weird, obsessed with the sun and freaked out by rain. And the creepy new guy working at the bakery, Christian, is convinced that there's more to Wish's good looks than just healthy eating and lots of sun. He tells Dough that a mark on Wish's neck marks him as a member of the Luminati—an ancient cult of astrologers who can manipulate the stars to improve their lives. Is Wish and Dough's love meant to be—or are they star-crossed?

Starstruck by Cyn Balog brings you something new in the paranormal world. Just when you thought everything has been written Cyn discovers one more element to write about. Now don't think you will find Vampires or Werewolves in these pages. Now hoping from paranormal over to contemporary, Starstruck is also a enlivening contemporary. Starstruck has real issues that young teenagers face everyday of their lives. You read about how the characters deal with their looks, weight gain and popularity issues. The 2 combinations make a pretty good read. 

Gwendolyn "Dough" is your average full figured teenage girl. She has a boyfriend/best friend names "Wish". When they were younger Wish moved away with his family. While they were apart they kept up their friendship via all the long distance means. Then finally one day Wish ask Dough to become a couple via email. Of course Dough accepts and viola they are a couple. Then next thing you know Wish is moving back to town. Dough starts to get worried because since Wish last saw her she has gain around 70 pounds. She fears what will happen when Wish moves back and notice she isn't the same Dough he left. Well what do you know the blond movie star looking Wish says nothing about how Dough looks, he looks at her like she is still the love of his life. Fine and dandy right? well not necessarily. Dough starts to notice things about Wish that just are not normal. So Dough finds out from the new guy in town that Wish has a certain mark that signify what he has become. Will Dough and Wish survive all these new discoveries? 

I feel that you wont be disappointed in this book, Cyn Balog is definitely on my list of authors to follow now.