On Starships and Dragonwings

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner was a group read with a couple of friends and I am so happy it was! I was a little worried about the “pretty dress” cover syndrome, but it’s fine if it’s a real dress that is salient to the book :D. I was reading These Broken Stars during the time that I was preparing for my qualifying oral exam (ie big scary time where three professors interrogate you!), so it took me a grand four days to finish instead of the one or two I’m sure it would have if my brain wasn’t fizzling out ;-). These Broken Stars has so many wonderful sci-fi elements along with a cute YA romance, doesn’t get better! :D

Note: I received and ARC of These Broken Stars through Netgalley for an honest review. Some things may be different in the final version.

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman, Meagan Spooner (Starbound #1)
Published by Hyperion Books on December 10th, 2013
Genres: Sci-fi, YA 
Length: 384 pages
How I got my copy: NetGalley
IndieBound - Book Depository - Goodreads
Purchases made support this blog 

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. 

Strengths:

• I have long been waiting for a sci-fi story to go where These Broken Stars goes. I seriously was so excited when I realized that it really was going to go there :D. Of course I can’t give any spoilers, so you’ll have to find out what I mean for yourself ;-).
• The romance of These Broken Stars is both sweet and saucy ;-). There is a nice slow build, even though you know it’s coming, and given the setting it’s completely realistic. Getting both POV makes it all the more entertaining since you kind of just want to bonk the lovebirds’ heads together.
• There are a couple creepy moments that gave me goosebumps, but not so much that I was really scared. I just had to keep reading to find out what was going on!
• So many feels D: Have your tissue box ready! But there are happy feels too :D
• I always enjoy a good philosophical puzzle, and These Broken Stars raises a couple, so enjoy!

Weaknesses:

•  In retrospect, These Broken Stars had a fairly convenient ending, which made me pout a bit, but I’m excited to read the next Starbound book anyway!

Summary:

Love love love These Broken Stars! I’m super excited to see YA and classic sci-fi mixing and mashing. Space ships and mysterious planets and mysterious moons oh my! Basically if you are even a bit interested in a mysterious planet investigation, you have to pick up These Broken Stars. You will not regret it!