Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner {Read to Give}

These Broken Stars
by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

Hardcover, 384 pages
Expected publication: December 10th 2013 by Disney Hyperion

GoodReads † Amazon † BN

Blurb taken from GoodReads...

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

These Broken Stars was awesome!

It has sort of a Victorian feel to it. A lot of people have mentioned that it reminds them of Titanic, only on a spaceship in the sky somewhere; that is the perfect description. Though, there is so much more to this story than that.

While I was reading These Broken Stars my first thought was Star Trek meets Survivor. Throw in a romance that will melt your heart and boom! Flawless. I can promise you that from the very first chapter you will be hooked and not want to put it down. You will also fall in love with both Lilac, and Tarver. There is lots of build-up between them both. Their romance is not an insta-love. It also does not take over every page. Loved this! 

I have to admit that I was reading it mostly for the romance. I heard so many great things about it I just had to find out for myself. Two characters who come from two different worlds and fall in love? Come on -- we’re suckers for these kinds of romance. I know I am! I loved the chemistry between Lilac and Tarver. They were both strong heroines. I think Amie and Meagan are a great writing team. They matched everything up perfectly and their writing style just flowed together. I honestly did not know it was written by two different authors until I was halfway done with the book. How I missed that? I have no idea. 

These Broken Stars is unpredictable, and the slight twist the authors throw in makes it stand out from all sci/fi novels I've read. It also has a pinch of paranormal that was actually pretty creepy, but a nice curveball. I didn't quite understand the how and who of the whole thing, but it was super interesting.

These Broken Stars is the first in a trilogy. I am so looking forward to the next two books. A Good Choice for Reading! J

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Review: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill

All Our Yesterdays
by Cristin Terrill

Hardcover, 368 pages
Expected publication: September 3rd 2013 by Disney Hyperion

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"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

Talk about heart pounding action! All Our Yesterdays was a crazy exciting read for me. You don’t have a moment to take a break while reading it. There is always something happening and each chapter ends with a clue to the next. There are no slow moments in this book at all.

This is one of those books that I am afraid to really talk about because anything can give away a spoiler or huge part of the story. It was unpredictable, and filled with tons of twist. The ending was unreal. I did not see that coming at all and it definitely took me by surprise.

I think that is all I want to say about this book or else I might go a little too into detail and ruin it for someone. I cannot wait for the world to read it so I can finally have someone to talk spoilers with.

Oh, and if you want a romance that is solid and strong, then All Our Yesterdays is definitely for you. It was a nice change of pace for me since lately all I seem to be reading is about bad boys, or boys with cocky attitudes.

All Our Yesterdays blew me away and I HIGHLY recommend it. I have not read a Young Adult book that has left me this crazy in love and rattled in a long time. Definite Good Choice for Reading!

Teaser Tuesday: All Our Yesterdays by Cristin Terrill!

"You have to kill him." Imprisoned in the heart of a secret military base, Em has nothing except the voice of the boy in the cell next door and the list of instructions she finds taped inside the drain.

Only Em can complete the final instruction. She’s tried everything to prevent the creation of a time machine that will tear the world apart. She holds the proof: a list she has never seen before, written in her own hand. Each failed attempt in the past has led her to the same terrible present—imprisoned and tortured by a sadistic man called the doctor while war rages outside.

Marina has loved her best friend James since the day he moved next door when they were children. A gorgeous, introverted science prodigy from one of America’s most famous families, James finally seems to be seeing Marina in a new way, too. But on one disastrous night, James’s life crumbles apart, and with it, Marina’s hopes for their future. Now someone is trying to kill him. Marina will protect James, no matter what. Even if it means opening her eyes to a truth so terrible that she may not survive it. At least not as the girl she once was.

All Our Yesterdays is a wrenching, brilliantly plotted story of fierce love, unthinkable sacrifice, and the infinite implications of our every choice.

(Taken from an ARC copy)

But here, in the past, there are Christmas lights. I turn to Finn and see that his eyes are as wide as mine.

"Was it always this beautiful and we just never noticed?" I say.

He takes my hand but doesn't reply, and we continue staring at this old world of ours in awe until Connor pulls into the Burger King parking lot where the bus is waiting.

Review: From What I Remember by Stacy Kramer & Valerie Thomas

Hardcover; 462 pages
Published May 15, 2012 by Hyperion

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KYLIE: MEXICO WHAT? I should be putting the finishing touches on my valedictorian speech. Graduation is TODAY, and is this a wedding band on my finger.
MAX: It all started with Kylie's laptop and a truck full of stolen electronics. Okay, it was kind of hot, the way she broke us out like some chick in an action movie. But now we're stranded in Tijuana. With less than twenty-four hours before graduation. Awesome.
WILL: Saving Kylie Flores from herself is kind of a full-time occupation. Luckily, I, Will Bixby, was born for the job. And when I found out she was stuck in Mexico with dreamy Max Langston, sure, I agreed to bring their passports across the border -- but there's no reason to rush back home right away. This party is just getting started.
LILY: I just walked in on my boyfriend, Max Langston, canoodling with Kylie Flores, freak of the century. Still, I can't completely hold it against him. He NEEDS me. It's even clearer now. And I'm not giving him up without a fight.

From What I Remember was quite enjoyable. It reminded me of The Hangover, though much more romantic and a lot less vulgar. Obviously. This is one of those books that you close and just think “Well that was fun!”

I really liked Kylie and her best friend Will. Their relationship was probably my favorite aspect of the story, always entertaining me. They often communicate through movie quotes, and all of the movies they quoted were movies I loved and have seen a dozen times. So definite thumbs up on the pop culture references.

I can’t say I was head over heels for the romance, because of the circumstances. Kylie and Max may have been able to momentarily forget about people back home, but I couldn’t. So it was difficult for me to really invest in, especially in the end when Max became a character I didn’t care for. I will say, however, their adventure was a lot of fun. Though I couldn’t let go of what they were doing, watching them get to know one another kept me turning the pages. If Max had handled things differently later in the story, perhaps I could’ve loved it.

The only thing I didn’t enjoy about From What I Remember was the multiple points of view. I would have been fine with just Kylie and Max’s input. That’s actually my preferred layout, but I could have done without Kylie’s brother and Lily’s chapters. Kylie’s brother’s seemed a bit pointless, and Lily’s served no purpose other than making me not like her, which may have been the point. Will’s chapters gave us a fun insight into who he was, but I still didn’t feel they were necessary.

I would definitely recommend From What I Remember. It’s an entertaining journey from start to finish, and you won’t want to put it down.

4/5 Stars