Monday, November 18, 2013

Review: These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner (and Giveaway)

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. 

My Rating: 4 hearts 

Thoughts on the Novel: As part of the blog tour arranged by The Midnight Garden for Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner's These Broken Stars, I’m going to provide five reasons to read their book. Here they are:
  1. The plot: Although I didn’t understand the scientific reasoning behind the major plot twist at the end, I thought the book was very original. I’ve never been a sci-fi fan and previously hadn’t really enjoyed the few books that I read that fell within the genre, but I was entertained by These Broken Stars. 
  2. The writing: Not only was Kaufman and Spooner’s writing descriptive, but they also added an element of suspense. Each chapter, for example, begins with part of a record of Tarver’s interrogation, and you can’t help but wonder what it is that Tarver and Lilac discovered while being stuck on this abandoned planet.
  3. The dual POVs: As long as the voices of the characters remain distinct, I love reading about a situation from multiple perspectives. That’s definitely applicable to These Broken Stars as well. 
  4. The protagonists: Most people might find Tarver easier to like than Lilac, but I had the opposite reaction. I felt sorry for Lilac having to push people away and appearing like a snob. I also realized there was a lot more to her than meets the eye when she hot-wires their escape pod. I was just waiting for her to show her strength and capability to Tarver, who seemed to have this “I know best” mentality that disappears as the novel progresses. 
  5. The slow building romance: Though both Tarver and Lilac are attracted to each other at the beginning of the book, the way Lilac is forced to treat Tarver causes him embarrassment. As a result, both Tarver and Lilac believe that the other person thinks the worst of them even as they start to develop respect for each other. It all makes for some nice sexual tension.
These Broken Stars will be released in December 10, 2013 by Disney Hyperion.

In exchange for an honest review, this book was received from the publisher (Disney Book Group) for free via NetGalley.

a Rafflecopter giveaway

Tour Schedule
Visit each stop for more exclusive These Broken Stars content and additional chances to earn prizes!

Monday, 11/11   The Midnight Garden (World-Building for the Future)
Tuesday, 11/12   Love is Not a Triangle (Author Interview)
Wednesday, 11/13   The Perpetual Page-Turner (Using Technology to Write with a Partner)
Thursday, 11/14   Good Books and Good Wine (Audiobook Sample + Narrator Interview)
Friday, 11/15   The Starry-Eyed Revue (Character Interview with Tarver )
Monday, 11/18   Cuddlebuggery (Author Interview)
Tuesday, 11/19   Books With Bite (Amie & Meg's Favorite Things)
Wednesday, 11/20   Xpresso Reads (Establishing Characters with Role-Playing)
Thursday, 11/21   Great Imaginations (Co-Authoring Books)
Friday, 11/22   Nawanda Files (Lilac's Gorgeous Dress: A Look at These Broken Stars' Cover Art)
Monday 11/25   Promo stops (fun facts about the book!)
Visit the These Broken Stars website for the latest news on the series and follow the authors on Twitter at @AmieKaufman and @MeaganSpooner. You may also sign up for their newsletter as well! These Broken Stars will be available in North America on December 10, 2013.

If you pre-order the book from Malaprop's Bookstore, you can also get a collectible TBS poster autographed by the authors! 
 

6 comments:

  1. Actually, I kind of disliked them both at the beginning, but as they got to know each other and I got to know them a little better, I warmed up to both of them. That, I suppose, is a sign of excellent writing - making the reader change opinions along with the characters.
    Thanks for sharing your thoughts.

    ReplyDelete
  2. Really can't wait for this! It's giving me a For Darkness Shows the Stars vibes which I think is just superb. As well, I'm a huge fan of slow-burn romance and I'm so glad to hear that this has it.

    ReplyDelete
  3. So glad you liked this one, Z. I was a bit nervous considering it was highly buzzed. Looking forward to reading this one now especially with your 5 reasons.

    ReplyDelete
  4. Sounds like a lot to love! And that's exciting because I think this will be the next book I read after my current read. everything you listed sounds good to me! Especially the sci fi because I love that stuff. Very curious what the twist could be!! Hmm, I hope I understand the explanation... but even if I don't, I think I'll like this one on the whole if you did! Great thoughts.

    ReplyDelete
  5. Love that you aren't really a sci fi fan, but the book won you over anyway. That's the sign of a fantastic book!

    ReplyDelete
  6. Every review I've read makes this book sound like something I'll like! Especially the romance :)

    ReplyDelete

I love comments and will reply back via either email or stopping by your blog. Please note that this is an award-free zone.