The Book Trollop: {Review}{Giveaway} Under Different Stars by Amy Bartol

Title: Under Different Stars (Kricket #1)

Author: Amy A. Bartol

Genre: YA Dystopian

Goodreads: https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/18845233-under-different-stars?from_search=true

BLURB:

All she wants is a home, but can she find one...UNDER DIFFERENT STARS

Kricket Hollowell is normally not one to wish upon stars; she believes they’re rarely in her favor. Well versed at dodging caseworkers from Chicago’s foster care system, the past few years on her own have made Kricket an expert at the art of survival and blending in. With her 18th birthday fast approaching, she dreams of the day when she can stop running and find what her heart needs most: a home.

Trey Allairis hates Earth and doubts that anyone from his world can thrive here. What he’s learning of Kricket and her existence away from her true home only confirms his theory. But, when he and Kricket lie together under the stars of Ethar, counting them all may be easier than letting her go.

Kyon Ensin’s secrets number the stars; he knows more about Kricket's gifts than anyone and plans to possess her because of them. He also knows she’s more valuable than any fire in the night sky. He’ll move the heavens and align them all in order to make her his own.

When everything in their world can be broken, will Kricket rely upon love to save her under different stars?

My Thoughts

Ok, so have you ever found yourself hooked on a book so hard that you forget you are even reading? You just get lost in the world and when you finally come up for air, it is hours later and you have no idea where your day went or if you even ate, breathed, talked to your child, husband, let your dog out? You just have no effing clue how it became nighttime when you could have sworn you just had your coffee to wake yourself up??

Well, this is how I was with this book. I was more than sucked in, it was like a vortex and I didn't even bother coming up for air, what was the point? I needed to keep reading and experiencing!!

Let's start off by saying this book is so different from anything I have ever read, that I am still thinking about it WEEKS after finishing it. I knew Amy Bartol was a talented writer because of her Premonition Series...But this was so.. I don't even know.. I really can't explain it....

With that said, it did kind of have a Reed, Brennus, and Evie vibe. Because even though we all hated Brennus in the beginning for being an asshole (and continues to be) Amy made us sympathize with him on more than one occasion. Kyon was similar to Brennus in this book, not the exact same, of course, but he has a Brennus vibe. Meaning I already hate him but have a feeling Amy will make us sympathize with him or *cringes* even like him in some way later... I hope not though, I hope Kricket sticks to one character because I can't handle dystopian love triangles ;)...(or any love triangle blugh)

Anyway back to the story...

Kricket is a girl growing up on Earth, a place she does not belong. While coming home from work, she runs into men that have her eyes but are trying to kidnap her to bring her to pay for her sins... She eventually evades them, only to run into another set of "friends" that is trying to take her as well, she flees from them too. Her luck does eventually run out and is taken (you'll have to read to find out which one got her)... While being held captive, she learns she is far from the "normal" human being she thought she was, because she is technically not human. She belongs in a totally different world, under different stars...

The setting is unique, everything is not what it seems and I was constantly going "Whaaatt?? What the Hell is happening??.. I am so lost!!" I had to keep reading to figure out where Mrs. Bartol was taking me... I couldn't STOP!!

Also while reading, I kept thinking this story has a similar flavor to another story but couldn't think what story it was reminding me of... Then it hit me... Kricket and a certain other character were like a dystopian Romeo and Juliet!!! Their love was frowned upon, they were from two different classes and they could never be free to love one another like they wanted. But Kricket has some freaky superpowers that aheemmm quite possibly could help her cause... But that is probably just me getting my hopes up...

I am not going to ruin anything about this book so I am not going to go into too much details, you need to experience it for yourself!! But I will tell you guys that this book held me captive from the very first page until the very, very end. I was dazzled, dazed, confused, swooning, WTFing... I was doing all of that and then at the very end I was salivating for more of this series... I NEED MORE!!!

Overall, I give this book a 5/5 and I hope all of you read it ASAP!!!

Now Mrs. Bartol... I NEED THE SEQUEL!!! No pressure or anything ;)

Below is an excerpt, author info, giveaway info, and purchase links

Excerpt:

Water swirls around me as I open my eyes. I shiver, realizing I’m in Trey’s arms. He’s standing chest deep in crystal blue water with Wayra pacing on the bank only steps away. Clutching Trey closer to me, my cheek remains on his shoulder. Watching a bead of water slip down his powerful neck, I hear Jax say, “She’s waking up.”

Trey, cupping his hand in the water, pours some of it over my hair. It drips down the sides of my face, cooling me. “Let’s get her out. I’ll get the visor and we can check her vitals.”

As Trey wades out of the pond with me in his arms, I try to lift my head from his shoulder. It makes me dizzy so I lay it back. It’s then I notice that I’m only in my bra and underwear. A blush creeps into my cheeks as I hug Trey tighter to me. Wayra meets us on the bank, draping a blanket over us. Trey sits down with me on his lap. He leans against a tree trunk holding me securely to his chest. Peeking at his face, he seems angry as he smoothes my hair back from my face.

Hurrying over with the visor that looks like grandma goggles, Trey sets them on my eyes. Everything is green as I gaze around at the water in front of us. Flashing green lights and readouts occupy the peripherals of the glasses, but the information is running faster than I can possibly read it.

“Ho!” Jax exclaims next to me.

Immediately, Trey’s arms tighten on me as he barks out, “What? How bad is it?”

“Naw, it’s not bad…it’s just…Kricket…” Jax breathes, like he’s in awe. “Look at this brain activity…it’s massive.”

“What do you mean?” Trey asks with relief in his tone.

Jax grins. “She’s lighting everything up. Look at her frontal lobe…it’s off the charts.”

“What does that mean? Is she healthy?” Trey growls.

Jax nods enthusiastically. “She’s healthy! We didn’t fry her with heat stroke, that’s for sure. Or, if we did, she’s got more brain activity than anyone I’ve ever seen to compensate for it,” he replies, sounding seriously geeked about it.

“Those things aren’t broken, are they?” Trey asks speculatively.

“No…here.” Jax pulls them off my face. “Wayra, come here.”

Wayra walks over and Jax puts the glasses on his eyes. “See! He’s normal, well, normal for him. See how it doesn’t light up in these areas?” he points out to Trey.

“Yes.”

“Now watch this,” he says, taking the glasses off of Wayra, he places them back on my face. “See? It’s like Christmas in Chicago with all those lights,” Jax says proudly.

“So that means she’s smart?”

Jax beams. “Yeah, she’s smart! She’s brilliant! There’s no telling what she can do.”

“If she’s so smart, why did she run until she almost popped? Why didn’t she just tell us she needed to rest?” Wayra asks derisively.

“Personality flaw,” Trey replies. “She’s going to show us that she’s not weak.”

“She’s sitting right here,” I murmur, pulling the glasses off my face and handing them to Jax.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

AUTHOR LINKS:

AUTHOR BIO:

I live in Michigan with my husband and our two sons. My family is very supportive of my writing. When I’m writing, they often bring me the take-out menu so that I can call and order them dinner. They listen patiently when I talk about my characters like they’re real. They rarely roll their eyes when I tell them I’ll only be a second while I finish writing a chapter…and then they take off their coats. They ask me how the story is going when I surface after living for hours in a world of my own making. They have learned to accept my “writing uniform” consisting of a slightly unflattering pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at my nerdy bookishness whenever I try to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get me, so they are perfect and I am blessed.

PURCHASE LINKS:

BLOG TOUR GIVEAWAY (OPEN INTERNATIONALLY):

1st place: KINDLE FIRE + ebook of Under Different Stars
2nd place: Kindle Cover + $50 Amazon Gift Card
3rd place: $50 Amazon Gift Card

RAFFLECOPTER CODE:

a Rafflecopter giveaway

GIVEAWAY CONDITIONS:

Giveaway administered by Amy A. Bartol

Winners will be notified via email and if winner does not respond within 5 days another winner will be selected
Amazon ships most Kindle e-readers worldwide, however, it is up to the participant to ensure the country they reside in is listed as one of the countries Amazon ships to. If a winner is selected and Amazon does not ship to their country, another winner will be selected.
Before entering this giveaway please check: To ship Kindle Fire outside the U.S. view important information specific to your country.