Starters by Lissa Price

Thank you Netgalley.com and Delacorte Books for Young Readers for allowing me to review an ARC copy of Starters by Lissa Price in exchange for my honest review.

Synopsis:

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. . .(Synopsis taken from Goodreads)


My review:


I really enjoyed this! I didn't think I was going to but I sure was wrong. The idea just didn't strike me as something that I would enjoy, boy was I wrong!  This book was very original and kept me on the edge of my seat.  It was creepy and in a wonderful way. It was more plot driven and fast paced, especially the last 20%. Price did a wonderful job with pacing, I kept turning pages and then wham!, out of nowhere, something completely unexpected!


Callie as a character, I really enjoyed her. She was headstrong, resourceful and a fighter. I understood why she was willing to allow her body to be rented out, she was hopeless and this was a chance for her and her little brother who she was so responsible for. I did have issues with some of the details in this book.  I felt as if I knew more I would have enjoyed the book even more.


The plot was great! It revolves around Callie realizing that her "renter" is plotting murder against someone.  She tries to find out who the "ender" wants dead and from this point  there were so many twists and turns that I just didn't expect and I never saw them coming.  I'm definitely excited for Enders to come out in December, Lissa Price has set this ending up to be a hit!

• Reading level: Ages 12 and up
• Hardcover: 352 pages
• Publisher: Delacorte Books for Young Readers (March 13, 2012)
• Language: English
• ISBN-10: 0385742371

Review: Under the Never Sky by Veronica Rossi

Release Date: January 12, 2012

Age Group: Young Adult

Received From: Purchased from Amazon

IBSN: 9780062072030

Blurb:

Since she'd been on the outside, she'd survived an Aether storm, she'd had a knife held to her throat, and she'd seen men murdered. This was worse.

Exiled from her home, the enclosed city of Reverie, Aria knows her chances of surviving in the outer wasteland - known as The Death Shop - are slim. If the cannibals don't get her, the violent, electrified energy storms will. She's been taught that the very air she breathes can kill her. Then Aria meets an Outsider named Perry. He's wild - a savage - and her only hope of staying alive.

A hunter for his tribe in a merciless landscape, Perry views Aria as sheltered and fragile - everything he would expect from a Dweller. But he needs Aria's help too; she alone holds the key to his redemption. Opposites in nearly every way, Aria and Perry must accept each other to survive. Their unlikely alliance forges a bond that will determine the fate of all who live under the never sky. (Synopsis taken from Goodreads.)

My thoughts:
This book took what felt like forever to get in to. I was so confused by the aether and the storms, this book is just unlike anything I've read.  It was just difficult for me to get in to.  I honestly know the moment when I actually couldn't put it down, it was page 98 when they met.

I am so glad that I didn't give up on this book! It was wonderful. I enjoyed the characters so much, Aria and Perry were enjoyable to read about and I love that the book is told from her point of view and his. I loved to be in both of their heads and feel what they were feeling and see what they were seeing.  I feel as if I would have lost so much of the story had it not been told from both point of views.

I loved the romance in this book. It was so enjoyable and swoon-worthy.  Aria and Perry don't have insta-love at all. It's well developed and not forced, sweet and appropriate with just the right amount of romance. I love Perry and Aria!

Veronica Rossi created completely different and complex worlds for her backdrop in this beautiful story. Her main characters Aria and Perry are lovable and enjoyable and wonderfully written. I found myself rooting for them all the way.  The supporting characters were great as well.  I loved Talon and his relationship with Perry. 
  
This story has twists, turns and surprises around every chapter and I couldn't put it down (after page 98 of course).  I loved it right up until the clever and suspenseful ending!  Veronica Rossi has created an amazing and superb debut novel that I cannot wait to continue reading with Through the Ever Night!

4.5 Stars I loved it!

Happy Reading Ya'll!
Stephie

Review: Destiny's Fire by Trisha Wolfe

It’s the year 2040, and sixteen-year-old Dez Harkly is one of the last of her kind—part of a nearly extinct race of shape-shifters descended from guardians to the Egyptian pharaohs. Her home and her secret are threatened when the Council lowers the barrier, allowing the enemy race to enter the Shythe haven.

As the Narcolym airships approach, Dez and her friends rebel against their Council and secretly train for battle. Not only is Dez wary of war and her growing affection for her best friend Jace, but she fears the change her birthday will bring. When Dez’s newfound power rockets out of control, it’s a Narcolym who could change her fate… if she can trust him.

Dez’s guarded world crumbles when she discovers why the Narcos have really come to Haven Falls, and she's forced to choose between the race who raised her and the enemy she's feared her whole life. (Synopsis taken from Goodreads)

My Review: B-

Destiny's Fire had me confused, the cover was great, beautiful actually but when I read the synopsis I didn't know if it sounded like something I would enjoy. I got it on Amazon for my kindle and boy am I glad that I did! It is nothing like anything I've read but I really quite enjoyed that aspect of it!

I loved it from the beginning. The Steam Punk world that Trisha Wolfe creates is interesting and so different. The airships that hover over Haven Falls is so creative and I really enjoyed the world that Wolfe created.

The characters were great, I enjoyed Dez, mostly. I get frustrated with the gorgeous girl not knowing she's gorgeous. Unless you've been living under a rock, you know your pretty. I liked her best friends Jace, Lana and Nick or the triplets. I enjoyed the developing of feelings between her and Jace; it felt almost natural. What really threw me was Reese. Ding ding ding we have a love triangle! See this one for me didn't really work. The relationship between her and Reese felt forced, they've been together for a week and insta-love, NOOOOOO!!! The romance between Dez and Reese and the whole love triangle just didn't do it for me.

I enjoyed the concept of the characters being Kythan, or a shape-shifter race that are descendents from the guardians of ancient Egyptian pharaohs. Dez and her best friends are
extremely unique and I can't wait for the next book in this series. Trisha Wolfe has really created a unique and creative world for us to read about and it was just so enjoyable!

Happy Reading Y'all!
Stephenie