Last Star Burning
This year when I attended FanX in Salt Lake City I was a little disappointed by the selection of books that were there this year. Normally I love walking the book tables and end up leaving with armfuls of books to read. This year, however, I only left with two. But I'm absolutely glad that I did!
One of the books that I purchased at FanX is Caitlin Sangster's Last Star Burning. I was able to have a brief conversation with Caitlin and she signed my book. Since the book is part of a series, Caitlin did try to convince me to buy both of her books that were out. However, I didn't because I was wary about buying two books of a series without knowing if I'd like it or not. So I just purchased the first book. Now I wish that I had bought both because I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book!
Caitlin grew up in California and then when she was 18, moved to XinJiang, China and then later, Taiwan. It seems that this is where she fell in love with Asian cultures. She went on to get a degree in Asian Studies from BYU and now lives in Utah! I really hope that I can see more of her at events in the future. I absolutely love interacting with authors.
Last Star Burning is what I would call an Asian inspired YA dystopian book. As we all know, the dystopian genre has seemed to be over-saturated as of late. And many times they are super cliche! However, I felt like this book was the exception. I went into it expecting a lot of things based on it being a dystopian book. However, I was pleasently suprised to be met with plot twists that kept me on my toes and fascinating world building based on the Asian culture--something new for me.
Last Star Burning is centered on Sev, a teenage girl who was branded a traitor at the age of eight to pay the penalty for her mother betraying their whole nation. Now Sev must work as a fourth, the lowest level in the caste system, to prove that she can still contribute to the cause of the city. She is still haunted by her mother's actions every time she spots her mother's body displayed in the Traitor's Arch, paralyzed in a half sleep brought on by the plague that haunts them all.
Suddenly, when Sev is blamed by the government for a horrific bombing, she must escape the city in order to survive. Faced with the relentless and terrifying wilderness outside the city walls, Sev teams up with an unlikely partner--Howl, the son of the Chairman. While he seems capable enough to get her to safety, can Sev trust him when he seems to know more about her than he lets on?
At first when I started reading the book, I was definitely enjoying it but I wasn't sure how I felt about Sev as a main character. The book is written in first person so we get everything from Sev's perspective. But she just didn't seem endearing to me at first. However, that all changed as things went along and I understood more about her trauma and the motivations behind her actions. By the end, I was definitely rooting for Sev and her friends.
I think that setting and the conflict of this book are very interesting as well especially in connection with Sangster's background in Asian cultures. It made for a fun, unique read. Just something slightly off the beaten path of the traditional YA dystopian novel.
I'm going to tell you right now since this book is part of a trilogy, that this book is cliff hanger!! And you're going to be left with just as many questions at the end as you started with. This is why I'm dying to read the second book in the series!
The second book in the trilogy is Shatter the Suns. And I definitely need to get on the ball in terms of reading it because the final book in the trilogy, Dead Moon Rising, actually was released TODAY! So I don't have to wait anymore once I get my hands on those books! I'm super excited to check out the rest of the series.
You can purchase copies here:
Last Star Burning
Shatter the Suns
Dead Moon Rising
One of the books that I purchased at FanX is Caitlin Sangster's Last Star Burning. I was able to have a brief conversation with Caitlin and she signed my book. Since the book is part of a series, Caitlin did try to convince me to buy both of her books that were out. However, I didn't because I was wary about buying two books of a series without knowing if I'd like it or not. So I just purchased the first book. Now I wish that I had bought both because I cannot wait to get my hands on the second book!
Caitlin grew up in California and then when she was 18, moved to XinJiang, China and then later, Taiwan. It seems that this is where she fell in love with Asian cultures. She went on to get a degree in Asian Studies from BYU and now lives in Utah! I really hope that I can see more of her at events in the future. I absolutely love interacting with authors.
Last Star Burning is centered on Sev, a teenage girl who was branded a traitor at the age of eight to pay the penalty for her mother betraying their whole nation. Now Sev must work as a fourth, the lowest level in the caste system, to prove that she can still contribute to the cause of the city. She is still haunted by her mother's actions every time she spots her mother's body displayed in the Traitor's Arch, paralyzed in a half sleep brought on by the plague that haunts them all.
Suddenly, when Sev is blamed by the government for a horrific bombing, she must escape the city in order to survive. Faced with the relentless and terrifying wilderness outside the city walls, Sev teams up with an unlikely partner--Howl, the son of the Chairman. While he seems capable enough to get her to safety, can Sev trust him when he seems to know more about her than he lets on?
At first when I started reading the book, I was definitely enjoying it but I wasn't sure how I felt about Sev as a main character. The book is written in first person so we get everything from Sev's perspective. But she just didn't seem endearing to me at first. However, that all changed as things went along and I understood more about her trauma and the motivations behind her actions. By the end, I was definitely rooting for Sev and her friends.
I think that setting and the conflict of this book are very interesting as well especially in connection with Sangster's background in Asian cultures. It made for a fun, unique read. Just something slightly off the beaten path of the traditional YA dystopian novel.
I'm going to tell you right now since this book is part of a trilogy, that this book is cliff hanger!! And you're going to be left with just as many questions at the end as you started with. This is why I'm dying to read the second book in the series!
The second book in the trilogy is Shatter the Suns. And I definitely need to get on the ball in terms of reading it because the final book in the trilogy, Dead Moon Rising, actually was released TODAY! So I don't have to wait anymore once I get my hands on those books! I'm super excited to check out the rest of the series.
You can purchase copies here:
Last Star Burning
Shatter the Suns
Dead Moon Rising
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