Title: Under Different Stars (Kricket #1)
Author: Amy A. Bartol
Genre: YA Dystopian
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?
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This is my first time reading a book by Amy A. Bartol, and I’m impressed! I highly enjoyed delving into this fantastic dystopian world filled with intrigue, romance, and action.
It’s been a while since I’ve read anything other than contemporary, but Under Different Stars reminded me of just how much I love the dystopian genre. And there’s also some fantasy and sci-fi too, which I love. I wasn’t exactly sure what I’d be reading about–the blurb didn’t really tell me much. And while it took a bit to get me hooked onto the story, once I did get hooked, I couldn’t stop reading. There’s never a dull moment in Under Different Stars, and the characters are all well written and very likable.
Kricket is just a girl who doesn’t have any parents and is waiting for the day until she turns 18 so she can finally not have to worry about being placed in a foster home. She’s a fairly normal girl… until the day she gets chased by two different sets of men–Trey and his soldiers, and Kyon and his soldiers. Both of them want to take her away from Earth, because it turns out that they’re not human–and neither is Kricket. Kricket manages to avoid them, but eventually she is taken by Trey, and they, along with Trey’s men Wayra and Jax, have to travel to the world of Ethar to get to the country of Rafe, where Kricket half belongs.
Kricket was originally born in Ethar, and she is half Alameeda and half Rafe. This new world Kricket is thrust into is confusing and overwhelming, with its different lingo and mannerisms, but Kricket never gives up in the face of adversary. She’s tough and smart and witty, and eventually, she wins over her kidnappers. Kricket and Trey become more comfortable with each other, and there is an underlying sense of tension between them.
It was so fascinating to read this book. I never knew what to expect. Kricket’s life is constantly in danger, and Kyon is one of the reasons why. Trey becomes her guardian and protector, and though he’s not allowed to fall in love with her, he can’t help it.
“He was telling us that your voice will give comfort when the night becomes its blackest,” he replies. “And I’ll protect that voice with my body, my mind, and my spirit… because without it, I’m alone in the dark.”
Trey is the sweetest! He’s fiercely protective of Kricket, and he’ll do anything to save her life. And in between people who want to use Kricket as a pawn and a war brewing between Rafe and Alameeda, Kricket needs all the protection she can get.
I had such a great time reading Under Different Stars. It was nothing like anything I’ve ever read, and I loved that. It’s intense and thrilling, and I’m incredibly excited for more of Kricket’s journey.
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.
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.
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1st place: KINDLE FIRE + ebook of Under Different Stars
2nd place: Kindle Cover + $50 Amazon Gift Card
3rd place: $50 Amazon Gift Card
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