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3.62 AVERAGE
3.62 AVERAGE
Firstly, I don’t know how to begin this review. I’m not even sure if this review can justify this amazing story of Starters. Starters is a story you really don’t read every day. It is a story like no other. I certainly did not expect that this book left me no choice but to devour it entirely in just a minimum amount of time.
The world of Starters was almost perfectly written. It was very well thought out. Price was creative enough to ever think a future more challenging, more engaging, more bleak and definitely more spine-chilling than what I’d imagined it would be. I’ve read countless books that had the worst future ever thought. I thought dying in an arena full of murderers was worst. I thought being imprisoned in the darkest cell alone was worst. Then Lissa Price walked in and she just proved me wrong.
Callie’s character is one of the best that happened to this story. I totally loved her. I reckoned her for being a brave and strong heroine who never gives up just to protect her loved ones. She is a character that will stay in your mind long after you read this book. I had to admit that I did cry seeing the life Callie had together with her brother. She had no parents to rely on but thanks to Michael’s presence and care, who will soon be one of the guys that will contend for her love. Though, Michael’s character wasn’t given much attention because most of the romantic scenes were with Blake. And Blake is another character that would definitely make the girls go crazy.
I just have one issue on characters’ physical feature. They weren’t that defined. I was thinking that maybe Price was so caught up with the whole story that she hadn’t quite mapped it out. Still, I didn’t mind it for after all, Starters gave me an adventure worth reading.
Overall, I couldn’t believe that until now the scenes were still absolutely embedded into my system. Starters is definitely a riveting page-turner that had me squealing for Callie, crying for Callie, and telling her to run as fast as she could. This story was full of different unpredictable twists and tensions that you couldn’t imagine in real life.
Starters is an overwhelming, phenomenal book with unique blend of Dystopian and Science Fiction adding perfect amounts of mystery, suspense, mixed identities, and deceits that made the story more dramatic, more sinister, and more brilliant. This is the book that has it all. If only I could give Lissa Price a standing ovation, I’ll definitely do. Her debut novel just set the bar higher. I demand for the second novel now especially after I read the last three pages that left me hanging and wanting for more.
For fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent, get Starters and get started now! It’s totally a jaw-dropping ride! I do promise you that this book will really make your heart pump up more blood than ever. You will never ever be disappointed by Starters! You don’t get to meet a book like this!
This review originally appears at Mr. Book Wonder.
The world of Starters was almost perfectly written. It was very well thought out. Price was creative enough to ever think a future more challenging, more engaging, more bleak and definitely more spine-chilling than what I’d imagined it would be. I’ve read countless books that had the worst future ever thought. I thought dying in an arena full of murderers was worst. I thought being imprisoned in the darkest cell alone was worst. Then Lissa Price walked in and she just proved me wrong.
Callie’s character is one of the best that happened to this story. I totally loved her. I reckoned her for being a brave and strong heroine who never gives up just to protect her loved ones. She is a character that will stay in your mind long after you read this book. I had to admit that I did cry seeing the life Callie had together with her brother. She had no parents to rely on but thanks to Michael’s presence and care, who will soon be one of the guys that will contend for her love. Though, Michael’s character wasn’t given much attention because most of the romantic scenes were with Blake. And Blake is another character that would definitely make the girls go crazy.
I just have one issue on characters’ physical feature. They weren’t that defined. I was thinking that maybe Price was so caught up with the whole story that she hadn’t quite mapped it out. Still, I didn’t mind it for after all, Starters gave me an adventure worth reading.
Overall, I couldn’t believe that until now the scenes were still absolutely embedded into my system. Starters is definitely a riveting page-turner that had me squealing for Callie, crying for Callie, and telling her to run as fast as she could. This story was full of different unpredictable twists and tensions that you couldn’t imagine in real life.
Starters is an overwhelming, phenomenal book with unique blend of Dystopian and Science Fiction adding perfect amounts of mystery, suspense, mixed identities, and deceits that made the story more dramatic, more sinister, and more brilliant. This is the book that has it all. If only I could give Lissa Price a standing ovation, I’ll definitely do. Her debut novel just set the bar higher. I demand for the second novel now especially after I read the last three pages that left me hanging and wanting for more.
For fans of The Hunger Games and Divergent, get Starters and get started now! It’s totally a jaw-dropping ride! I do promise you that this book will really make your heart pump up more blood than ever. You will never ever be disappointed by Starters! You don’t get to meet a book like this!
This review originally appears at Mr. Book Wonder.
3.5 Stars
Starters had an originality that is hard to find in dystopias these days. Renting young bodies out to the old? So cool!
My reasoning for three and a half stars? Blake. By far worst love interest I have ever read about. First off, Callie obviously feels nothing for him. She's leading him on to get what she wants. So when she talked about falling for this boy, I sat there rolling my eyes and groaning. He's probably the flattest character ever. Right up there with Bella from Twilight actually. He's nothing like a seventeen year old guy, he's boring, and instantly falls for Callie. All that "I feel a connection I can't explain crap".
Now, I'm not sure what to make of that plot twist at the end. Can I really still hate Blake's character? I justify it with he still could have had more depth.
I didn't quite understand Callie and Michael's relationship. There was no background on Michael and how they really became a team.
I loved Callie. She's strong, independent, careful, and free at the same time. She's that heroine you just want to succeed because she deserves it.
I read this book in one car drive. Mind you it was 8 hours long, but still. At no point did I really feel like putting the book down to go watch Pitch Perfect. I was too immersed in Starters pages.
All in all an interesting read and I will definitely be reading the sequel!
Starters had an originality that is hard to find in dystopias these days. Renting young bodies out to the old? So cool!
My reasoning for three and a half stars? Blake. By far worst love interest I have ever read about. First off, Callie obviously feels nothing for him. She's leading him on to get what she wants. So when she talked about falling for this boy, I sat there rolling my eyes and groaning. He's probably the flattest character ever. Right up there with Bella from Twilight actually. He's nothing like a seventeen year old guy, he's boring, and instantly falls for Callie. All that "I feel a connection I can't explain crap".
Now, I'm not sure what to make of that plot twist at the end. Can I really still hate Blake's character? I justify it with he still could have had more depth.
I didn't quite understand Callie and Michael's relationship. There was no background on Michael and how they really became a team.
I loved Callie. She's strong, independent, careful, and free at the same time. She's that heroine you just want to succeed because she deserves it.
I read this book in one car drive. Mind you it was 8 hours long, but still. At no point did I really feel like putting the book down to go watch Pitch Perfect. I was too immersed in Starters pages.
All in all an interesting read and I will definitely be reading the sequel!
I really enjoyed this book and it has been one I couldn’t put down, I stumbled upon this book later than everyone else has but I’m glad I’ve read it now. This is because everything that is happening in this social climate relates eerily to this book and it makes this dystopian future more realistic which adds a new layer to it that I don’t think would have been there if I had read it earlier. The reason why I didn’t give this book 5 stars is because some of the plot points I could easily guess however it wasn’t anything that spoiled the book completely. In fact I was so shocked when I found out that Blake was in fact the old man however it made earlier points in the book make sense however I still feel like there’s a dark secret about the old man. Overall this is a book I can definitely see myself rereading and I can’t wait to grab hold of Enders.
This book gave me mixed feelings. I feel that it lacks a lot of esential details (especially about the war) and the author didn't do a proper research on some topics. However, the last three chapters made me intrigued enough to consider buying the second book. Overall, the premise the book has is very interesting but I think it could have been executed a lot better
Check out my book blog for more reviews!
It’s not even that long ago that I read this, but I must admit that I can’t really remember everything that happened, so I had to skim through some of the important parts to refreshen my memory. Oh, and I love the cover because 1) it actually has something to do with the story, 2) it’s really pretty, and 3) IT’S SHINY.
The whole idea of Starters was quite disturbing but fascinating at the same time. It has a very complex plot and was completely unpredictable to me. Every time I thought something was going to happen one way, what happened was the complete opposite—something I hadn’t even thought about.
There are basically two age groups in the book: Starters and Enders. Starters are children and teenagers, and Enders are adults and seniors who can be over 200 years old. The Starters who have no older relatives all live on the streets as orphans. They have no rights, no food, no way of making money—except for the body bank. In her desperation to save all three of them, Callie goes to Prime Destinations and rents out her body.
I really liked Callie. She was a very strong protagonist. The thing I liked about her the most is that she was so selfless. She did everything for Michael and Tyler, and even risked her own life.
There is not a lot of romance in the book, at least not the kind that makes you want to just yell off the rooftops that your OTP finally got together. (Those are the best.) In the beginning of the book, Callie and Michael kind of have this unspoken thing going on, but none of them ever do something about it. Then Callie meets Blake, who is supposed to be the main love interest, I think. Their ‘relationship’ didn’t make me feel butterflies in my stomach or anything. But at the same time, it was kind of nice to not have a heavy romance going on in this book, because of its complexity and the confusing… well, everything.
The side characters all felt a little disconnected to me. None of them really stood out to me and I’m hoping there will be more character development in the sequel, Enders.
Starters was a slow-paced dystopian, not full of action like The Hunger Games, but it was still very good. And at the end of the book it’s like WHAM! ANSWERS! Also, major cliffhanger. You’d say it’s like any other dystopian, but something in this book was very original and intriguing, I just don’t really know what it is. The suspense was absolutely brilliant. There are constantly questions you’re asking yourself and you won’t want to stop flipping the pages to find out the answers.
(Guys, I need a gif of someone hanging from a cliff for every time I talk about cliffhangers in reviews. That’d be like, the best thing ever.)
It’s not even that long ago that I read this, but I must admit that I can’t really remember everything that happened, so I had to skim through some of the important parts to refreshen my memory. Oh, and I love the cover because 1) it actually has something to do with the story, 2) it’s really pretty, and 3) IT’S SHINY.
The whole idea of Starters was quite disturbing but fascinating at the same time. It has a very complex plot and was completely unpredictable to me. Every time I thought something was going to happen one way, what happened was the complete opposite—something I hadn’t even thought about.
There are basically two age groups in the book: Starters and Enders. Starters are children and teenagers, and Enders are adults and seniors who can be over 200 years old. The Starters who have no older relatives all live on the streets as orphans. They have no rights, no food, no way of making money—except for the body bank. In her desperation to save all three of them, Callie goes to Prime Destinations and rents out her body.
I really liked Callie. She was a very strong protagonist. The thing I liked about her the most is that she was so selfless. She did everything for Michael and Tyler, and even risked her own life.
There is not a lot of romance in the book, at least not the kind that makes you want to just yell off the rooftops that your OTP finally got together. (Those are the best.) In the beginning of the book, Callie and Michael kind of have this unspoken thing going on, but none of them ever do something about it. Then Callie meets Blake, who is supposed to be the main love interest, I think. Their ‘relationship’ didn’t make me feel butterflies in my stomach or anything. But at the same time, it was kind of nice to not have a heavy romance going on in this book, because of its complexity and the confusing… well, everything.
The side characters all felt a little disconnected to me. None of them really stood out to me and I’m hoping there will be more character development in the sequel, Enders.
Starters was a slow-paced dystopian, not full of action like The Hunger Games, but it was still very good. And at the end of the book it’s like WHAM! ANSWERS! Also, major cliffhanger. You’d say it’s like any other dystopian, but something in this book was very original and intriguing, I just don’t really know what it is. The suspense was absolutely brilliant. There are constantly questions you’re asking yourself and you won’t want to stop flipping the pages to find out the answers.
(Guys, I need a gif of someone hanging from a cliff for every time I talk about cliffhangers in reviews. That’d be like, the best thing ever.)
Full review on Reader's Dialogue: http://readersdialogue.blogspot.com/2012/09/starters.html
This book has got it all!! From gripping emotion, to thrilling action and suspense, complete with lush details and technical brilliance, it's a masterpiece!
First, I'm going to gush about the emotional connection. I completely connected with Callie right from the start, and stayed emotionally attached to her throughout the whole book. And her own emotions are so life-size, so real and overwhelming, that I felt them right along with her - the confusion, the betrayal, the moral dilemmas, the determination, the courage. Added to that, the cast of characters is utterly amazing. Every single one is a full character - down to Trax, the body bank technician, who appears only briefly for two scenes. The good guys, the bad guys - they're all completely fleshed out, no stock characters here! I whole-heartedly loved all Callie's friends and allies, and whole-heartedly hated her enemies and adversaries - except for when I was confused, along with her, as to which they were. Then the ambiguity consumed me.
The other thing that kept me enthralled, aside from the emotional rollercoaster, was the edge-of-your-seat pacing of the action and suspense. Lissa unfolds the details and information slowly, teasingly, and then the action creeps up on you and you're in a full-on car chase scene! When the "plot thickens" and things start heating up at the end, I had to remind myself to keep breathing - and then when I read the last few paragraphs, I found myself staring blankly at the page and willing it to offer up more information so I wouldn't have to wait until December to find out what that all means.
And then on the other side of the brain, while I was just enjoying the ride of the novel, I was appreciating the technical mastery that Lissa pulls off. Unwisely, before I read the book, I read Lissa's FAQs, in which she addresses fan questions about details of the story. So I went into this thinking about how sometimes stories don't hold together and details don't seem to match up. Well, that is so not the case here. Everything makes sense, every little setup detail has payout further on in the story. The craft of the novel is subtle, so that unless you're paying attention to it, it just reads like a really good book. But if you're looking for it, you can see that Lissa really knows what she's doing.
This book has got it all!! From gripping emotion, to thrilling action and suspense, complete with lush details and technical brilliance, it's a masterpiece!
First, I'm going to gush about the emotional connection. I completely connected with Callie right from the start, and stayed emotionally attached to her throughout the whole book. And her own emotions are so life-size, so real and overwhelming, that I felt them right along with her - the confusion, the betrayal, the moral dilemmas, the determination, the courage. Added to that, the cast of characters is utterly amazing. Every single one is a full character - down to Trax, the body bank technician, who appears only briefly for two scenes. The good guys, the bad guys - they're all completely fleshed out, no stock characters here! I whole-heartedly loved all Callie's friends and allies, and whole-heartedly hated her enemies and adversaries - except for when I was confused, along with her, as to which they were. Then the ambiguity consumed me.
The other thing that kept me enthralled, aside from the emotional rollercoaster, was the edge-of-your-seat pacing of the action and suspense. Lissa unfolds the details and information slowly, teasingly, and then the action creeps up on you and you're in a full-on car chase scene! When the "plot thickens" and things start heating up at the end, I had to remind myself to keep breathing - and then when I read the last few paragraphs, I found myself staring blankly at the page and willing it to offer up more information so I wouldn't have to wait until December to find out what that all means.
And then on the other side of the brain, while I was just enjoying the ride of the novel, I was appreciating the technical mastery that Lissa pulls off. Unwisely, before I read the book, I read Lissa's FAQs, in which she addresses fan questions about details of the story. So I went into this thinking about how sometimes stories don't hold together and details don't seem to match up. Well, that is so not the case here. Everything makes sense, every little setup detail has payout further on in the story. The craft of the novel is subtle, so that unless you're paying attention to it, it just reads like a really good book. But if you're looking for it, you can see that Lissa really knows what she's doing.
Totally creepy! Makes you not want to be young or old. lol. I'm looking forward to book 2, Enders. Look for my full review on http://twochicksonbooks.com
I loved this book. 4.5 stars.
The story is built on an incredible alternative reality, with an interesting plot, surprising events, romance, charismatic characters, and real emotions, that leave you wanting more.
I wasn't in the mood to read that book, to be honest, and I thought it would take a long time for me to finish it. But I ended up getting really involved with the story and ended it in a few days. It is a very interesting book, and I really recommend it if you want a different, surprising and captivating story.
The reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the ending. Spoilers ahead!!! (Not really spoilers, but you know, talking about what happened without saying what it was) The twist involving Blake, my favorite character, was one that I didn't like very much.... I mean, I don't know. I love him so much, it was a shock. Nevertheless, it can be something really nice to work on the sequel, and I'm really looking forward to it! So yeah, did I like it? No idea, I'm just really confused. It also made a lot of sense, and it bought a whole new and more real personality to Blake. The more I think about it the more I like it lol. I think I was just a little shocked (I still am, I just finished). Anyway, I love Blake so much and now I want to read Book 2 to see his development after this revelation. Open ending, preparing for the sequel. I must say, I'm hooked.
The story is built on an incredible alternative reality, with an interesting plot, surprising events, romance, charismatic characters, and real emotions, that leave you wanting more.
I wasn't in the mood to read that book, to be honest, and I thought it would take a long time for me to finish it. But I ended up getting really involved with the story and ended it in a few days. It is a very interesting book, and I really recommend it if you want a different, surprising and captivating story.
The reason I didn't give it 5 stars was the ending. Spoilers ahead!!! (Not really spoilers, but you know, talking about what happened without saying what it was) The twist involving Blake, my favorite character, was one that I didn't like very much.... I mean, I don't know. I love him so much, it was a shock. Nevertheless, it can be something really nice to work on the sequel, and I'm really looking forward to it! So yeah, did I like it? No idea, I'm just really confused. It also made a lot of sense, and it bought a whole new and more real personality to Blake. The more I think about it the more I like it lol. I think I was just a little shocked (I still am, I just finished). Anyway, I love Blake so much and now I want to read Book 2 to see his development after this revelation. Open ending, preparing for the sequel. I must say, I'm hooked.
Starters is another dystopian YA novel. I always say I’m tired of this genre, but I pick up new dystopian novels all the time. The premise of this dystopia is that the Spore Wars have killed everyone between the ages of 20 and 60, leaving only the young (Starters) and old (Enders). Somehow, which is never explained, the Enders live to be really old, like 150 or older. The main character, Callie, is a teenager, and she lives in abandoned buildings with her younger brother, who has a heart condition, and their friend Michael. Unclaimed Minors (Starters who don’t have living relatives to “claim” them) have no rights, so Callie and her crew spend their time searching for food and hiding from Enders and violent Starters (called Unfriendlies). Then Callie learns about the body bank, where Starters get a chip implanted in their brain that allows an Ender to “rent” their body. The Starter spends the time unconscious, while the Ender renter gets to play sports and go clubbing and basically just be young again. The promise of a huge paycheck encourages Callie to sign up. But of course, it doesn’t go quite as planned. Callie’s chip malfunctions, resulting in her regaining consciousness during the rental and being able to communicate with her renter, who warns her not to return to the Body Bank.
As I listened to this audiobook, I kept hoping it was a stand-alone novel, but it ended with a lot of loose ends. Everything is a series these days! I thought Starters was entertaining. It didn’t blow my mind, but I have no regrets about choosing it.
As I listened to this audiobook, I kept hoping it was a stand-alone novel, but it ended with a lot of loose ends. Everything is a series these days! I thought Starters was entertaining. It didn’t blow my mind, but I have no regrets about choosing it.
I got about 80% through this one. And the longer it went on the less I cared about what happened. This was an audio book and it may have something to do with that because the narrator was monotone. I had other issues with the storyline though. Some things didn't sound plausible, but then again maybe it really seemed too possible. I was torn about whether or not I thought that humans could be this selfish.