Book Review: Starters by Lissa Price

Starters
Starters #1
Author: Lissa Price
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Dystopian
Release Date: March 13th 2012
Review Source: NetGalley
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) HER WORLD IS CHANGED FOREVER

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. . . .

I was so happy I was able to get Starters from Netgalley. I had never heard of the book before but the cover caught my eye and boy am I glad I read it. The book is amazing! I was hooked from the very beginning. Just when you think you know what’s going on, the whole story is flipped and the person you though you knew isn’t that person anymore.

Sixteen year old Callie Woodland, her little brother Tyler, and her friend, Michael are left alone to defend for themselves. After the spores war wiped out all the people between the ages of 20-60, including their parents, the only people that are left are the children, who are called Starters and the elderly, who are called Enders. The reason for that is that they were given vaccines first because they were the most vulnerable and susceptible in getting sick. So now, Callie, Tyler and Michael are living off scraps and sleeping in old abandoned buildings trying to survive. The only kids that were lucky were the ones who had grandparents that survived and they were able to live in homes and have food. Just when Callie had lost all hope, she is told about this place called Prime Destinations, aka The Body Bank. There, teenagers rent out their bodies for a period of time to the Enders. They can go skiing, dancing and just live life like they were young again. Callie desperate to help her sick brother decides she has no other choice but to go along with it, especially since they would pay her enough money to be able to buy them a house. But things don’t go according to plan. For some reason Callie is awakened and back in her body before the rental is over. Soon Callie discovers that Prime Destination and the government have some sick plans to completely destroy all the Starters.

Starters is definitely one of my favorite dystopian novels so far. If you can get past the creepy idea of 100 plus year old people renting young teenagers bodies, you will truly enjoy this story. The book is full of suspense and unexpected turns. I can’t wait for the next installment, Enders, which is expected to be released by the end of this year. If you like dystopian novels, this is the book for you. I totally recommend this book.

Blog Tour: Haunted Author Joy Preble Interview

Today we are the last stop in Joy Preble's blog tour. We are celebrating her latest release Haunted. Haunted is the sequel in her Dreaming Anastasia series. Mundie Moms hosted this tour and you can see all the stops HERE. 

Joy Preble Links: Website / Goodreads / Twitter  

OUaT: How would you describe Haunted in 5 words or less?

I'll borrow from Cynthia Leitich Smith, who blurbed HAUNTED for the cover: Spooky, sassy, sinister, and sexy!

OUaT: What elements of your story have you enjoyed creating the most? (the romance or paranormal part)
Although the paranormal elements are lots of fun, I do enjoy the romance more. in fact I'm currently working on a contemporary romance that I hope you'll see one day soon. But yeah, the Anne and Ethan romance is my favorite part. Of course at the beginning of HAUNTED, Anne is trying to forget about Ethan and all the craziness he's brought into her world, so she's with normal lifeguard Ben. But that doesn't go so well... which was also fun to write. There's this great moment early in HAUNTED when Ethan comes back and realizes that Ben is Anne's boyfriend. I love writing scenes like that! Of course since it's also a paranormal, I get to have even more fun because in that scene the evil mermaid almost kills Ben and Ethan has to help save him. Which definitely amps up the romantic conflict.

OUaT: Did you find it challenging to take the lore of Baba Yaga and add your own unique elements to it to make it work for your series?

Actually, I love writing Baba Yaga. I have read just about everything there is to read about her and many, many of the stories in which she appears. She never fails to fascinate me because she's so unpredictable. She might eat you. She might help you. Depends on her whim and her mood. I do a lot of playing with the idea of her having given up beauty for power, which I think is a fascinating feminine conceit. Today we tend to think we can have it all. But Baba Yaga opens up this whole world of conversation about how men see powerful women, how the world sees older or less attractive women, how power changes people... I think I'm the only one to write about a Baba Yaga who has been compelled by a mysterious Brotherhood to keep Anastasia Romanov captive! And her back story as I unfold it is my own. But the character in general is as she has evolved throughout Russian folklore and beyond.

OUaT: What have you come to admire the most about Anne and Ethan individually?

I love Anne's bravery and her realization that power requires sacrifice. I love that she doesn't always know her own heart. I think lots of us don't -- at least I didn't when I was sixteen. I fell in love quickly and easily and out of love just as fast. But for Anne the stakes are huge: she doesn't know if she will be around to follow through on her love. So she keeps standing back.She's often too pragmatic. And that doesn't always have the best results for her... But I guess I love that's it's hard for her. As for Ethan, I love that although he has a darkness underneath that he is loyal to Anne no matter what. He may not even think that he deserves these second and third chances she keeps providing for him. But he is THERE for her. He would definitely die for her, which I don't think I understood when I first began to write him. He is deeply romantic in this old-fashioned way that I adore.

OUaT: Do you have one piece of advice you'd share with teen writers?

Read. Read. Read. And write. It has often been said and I wholeheartedly agree: Not all readers are writers. But ALL good writers are readers. End of story. If you want to write romance, read 100 romances. Then you can begin your craft.

Thank you for stopping by today and visiting the tour stop. Make sure you check out all the tour stops in this tour and say Hello to Joy. 

Buy the Book!

Waiting on Wednesday: Pretty Crooked by Elisa Ludwig

Waiting on Wednesday

"Waiting On Wednesday" is a weekly event, hosted by Breaking The Spine, that spotlights upcoming releases that we're eagerly anticipating.

OUaT's Pick:

Pretty Crooked

Author: Elisa Ludwig

Released Date: March 13 2012

Reading Level: YA

Available: Amazon/  Barnes & Noble /IndieBound

Summary: (from goodreads) High school sophomore Willa and her artist mother move to Arizona where Willa starts attending an elite prep school after her mother finally sells some paintings, and Willa attempts to even things out by stealing from the rich students and giving to the poor ones.

Book Review: If I Die by Rachel Vincent

If I Die
Soul Screamers #5
Author: Rachel Vincent
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Paranormal/Fantasy
Released: September 27th 2011
Review Source: Harlequin Teen
Available: Amazon

Summary:(from goodreads) The entire school's talking about the gorgeous new math teacher, Mr. Beck. Everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee's no ordinary high-school junior. She's a banshee—she screams when someone dies.

But the next scream might be for Kaylee.

Yeah—it's a shock to her, too. So to distract herself, Kaylee's going to save every girl in school. Because that hot new teacher is really an incubus who feeds on the desire of unsuspecting students. The only girls immune to his lure are Kaylee and Sabine, her boyfriend's needy ex-girlfriend. Now the unlikely allies have to get rid of Mr. Beck…before he discovers they aren't quite human, either.

But Kaylee's borrowed lifeline is nearing its end. And those who care about her will do anything to save her life.

If I Die is the fifth book in the Soul Screamers series. Oh how I wish I had read the previous books in the series before this one. I really loved this world and the characters, but some times I felt lost because I didn't have the back story from reading the other books before this one. I know for a fact that I enjoyed this one so much that I am going to go back and read the others and then this one again for the full effect.

I have to say that the back cover teaser on this book had me hooked. "No one wants to be THIS teacher's pet...The entire school's talking about the new math teacher, Mr. Beck. Everyone except Kaylee Cavanaugh. After all, Kaylee's no ordinary high-school junior. She's a banshee-she screams when someone dies. But the next scream might be for Kaylee..." Eek! How is that for a hook? Saying the main character might die. OMG! Most of this story revolves around Kaylee and friends trying to prove that Mr. Beck is bad news, all while trying to find a way to keep herself from dying. Time is ticking, though, and lots of interesting things happen as the story unfolds. Kaylee and Nash get closer and there is one thing she wants to do before she dies, but is Nash the right guy to share herself with in that way?

The characters in this book were well developed and so wonderful to get to know. Kaylee is a very well rounded character and I found myself really rooting for her to not have to die throughout this book. Her boyfriend, Nash, also a banshee, is described as being very dreamy, and has a brother, Tod, who is a reaper and is equally (if not more so) drool-worthy. Then there's Kaylee's BFF Emma, and Sabine, the mara who wants to be with Kaylee's beau. They are quite the group of characters and I am looking forward to the next book, Before I Wake, and catching up on the other books in the series.

Audiobook Review: Destined by P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast

Destined
House of Night #9
Authors: P.C. Cast & Kristin Cast
Narrator: Caitlin Davies
Reading Level: YA
Genre: Paranormal Romance
Run-Time: 4 hours
Released: October 25th 2011
Review Source: Macmillan Audio
Available: Amazon

Summary: (from goodreads) Zoey is finally home where she belongs, safe with her Guardian Warrior, Stark, by her side, and preparing to face off against Neferet – which would be a whole lot easier if the High Counsel saw the ex-High Priestess for what she really is. Kalona has released his hold on Rephaim, and, through Nyx's gift of a human form, Rephaim and Stevie Rae are finally able to be together – if he can truly walk the path of the Goddess and stay free of his father's shadow…

But there are new forces at work at the House of Night. An influx of humans, including Lenobia’s handsome horse whisperer, threatens their precarious stability. And then there’s the mysterious Aurox, a jaw-droppingly gorgeous teen boy who is actually more – or possibly less – than human. Only Neferet knows he was created to be her greatest weapon. But Zoey can sense the part of his soul that remains human, the compassion that wars with his Dark calling. And there’s something strangely familiar about him…

Will Neferet’s true nature be revealed before she succeeds in silencing them all? And will Zoey be able to touch Aurox’s humanity in time to protect him – and everyone – from his own fate? Find out what’s destined in the next thrilling chapter of the House of Night series.

Let's begin with the audio portion. I'm a fan of Caitlin, she reads for a few series that I like and haven't been disappointed yet. She has the right tone and pitch when she reads different characters. Even when she does the parts of the boys, she does it well. I think her interpretation of Stevie Rae's voice is hilarious and exactly how I pictured it would sound. Her Zoey voice is probably my favorite from all the characters in the book. I think Macmillian audio did a good job when they picked Caitlin for this series. Even when the books have lost some of its pizazz, Caitlin has kept me interested. 

Now Let's chat about Destined the 9th book in the House of Night series. I am glad I read Destined, because the last 2-3 books were lacking a bit and I was losing hope in the series. In Destined the authors picked up there game again. I was once again immersed into the House of Night alongside the characters. I've either read or heard that many have given up on the series and if you are one of those then give Destined a try, I think it will get you back on and reading. The whole book was very well balanced. the characters were not annoying, there wasn't too much of one character and not enough of another. The book also didn't just focus on one place, it took the characters to different location throughout the storyline. What I liked the most about this book was that it was probably one of the darkest ones written in the series. That to me was what sealed the deal. 

Destined being the 9th in the series, there isn't a whole lot I can say without spoiling the story. In Destined know that there was a lot of new developments and discoveries. Zoey and her circle while unite and see why her mother was killed. Neferet continues to conspire against Zoey and will she continue to have the help of White Bull? Destined will also give you a reuniting that will warm your hearts after breaking it. Kalona and Rephain will they once again be father and son, or did Kalona loose him forever? Again I can't really disclose anymore. Destined does bring it compared to the last 2-3 books before in the series. The ending is one you can't miss reading. It was pretty powerful. 

The House of Night just has this thing that even when the books haven't been great, I still need to read them. The characters are addicting and hard to put down. Here is hoping the next installment will be as good as this one was.