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Kricket #1
Under Different Stars
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?
Listening Length: 9 hours and 53 minutes
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?
Listening Length: 9 hours and 53 minutes
10 pages, Audible Audio
First published December 15, 2013
1851 people are currently reading
18500 people want to read
About the author
Amy A. Bartol
18 books6,695 followersAuthor of the Secondborn Series:
Secondborn (Book 1)
Traitor Born (Book 2)
Rebel Born (Book 3)
Author of the Premonition Series:
Inescapable (Book 1)
Intuition (Book 2)
Indebted (Book 3)
Incendiary (Book 4)
Iniquity (Book 5)
Author of the Kricket Series:
Under Different Stars (Book 1)
Sea of Stars (Book 2)
Darken the Stars (Book 3)
The Divided - A Science Fiction Romance short story, which is included in the Take Me To Your Reader: An Otherworld Anthology.
Amy A. Bartol is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Secondborn Series, The Premonition Series, The Kricket Series, and a short story entitled “The Divided.” She has won numerous awards for her writing and been nominated for several more. She's a graduate of Hillsdale College, which inspired the setting of her Premonition Series. Amy lives in Michigan with her husband and two sons, but she travels often, sparking her imagination to create more worlds like the ones with hidden angels, doorways to alien landscapes, and fantastical futuristic societies and technologies. To learn more, visit Amy's website at: https://www.amyabartol.com
Secondborn (Book 1)
Traitor Born (Book 2)
Rebel Born (Book 3)
Author of the Premonition Series:
Inescapable (Book 1)
Intuition (Book 2)
Indebted (Book 3)
Incendiary (Book 4)
Iniquity (Book 5)
Author of the Kricket Series:
Under Different Stars (Book 1)
Sea of Stars (Book 2)
Darken the Stars (Book 3)
The Divided - A Science Fiction Romance short story, which is included in the Take Me To Your Reader: An Otherworld Anthology.
Amy A. Bartol is the USA Today and Wall Street Journal bestselling author of The Secondborn Series, The Premonition Series, The Kricket Series, and a short story entitled “The Divided.” She has won numerous awards for her writing and been nominated for several more. She's a graduate of Hillsdale College, which inspired the setting of her Premonition Series. Amy lives in Michigan with her husband and two sons, but she travels often, sparking her imagination to create more worlds like the ones with hidden angels, doorways to alien landscapes, and fantastical futuristic societies and technologies. To learn more, visit Amy's website at: https://www.amyabartol.com
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December 29, 2013
“Kricket,” he grins. “It’s such a powerful name,” he breathes.
If a Kricket cries alone in a forest, does Khanh give a fuck? No. No, she doesn't. Who is Kricket? What is Kricket? I'll tell you.
Take the loveliest, most statuesque and Amazonian-like model you can find, then multiply her beauty tenfold. Add some killer cheekbones to that vision of loveliness. Give her a brilliant brain whose intelligence is visible because her frontal lobe is all alight when viewed with special X-ray glasses! Have her be so slender that she can't rappel because the rope used for climbing down mountainsides can't support her bird-light weight (that doesn't even fucking make sense!!!!!!). Make her an orphan. Give her a special destiny. Make her so bloody special without knowing it.
That, my dear friends, is a fucking Kricket.
But that's not all, our Kricket's story doesn't end there, no. Her destiny is intertwined with several douchebags romantic leads, insta-love, a love triangle, and fucking aliens straight out of Earth Girls are Easy. There, in a nutshell, you've got Under Different Stars.
Summary: Kricket is *sigh* an orphan. A tough-luck Orphan Annie. She's 17 (soon to be 18). She is hiding under the radar from the Chicago Department of Social Services, because beautiful girls like her can't survive in the foster system without being shanked because other girls hate her beauty so much that they'll hurt her for it (she's got the scars to prove it!).
So Kricket is lying low. A little hard to do when you're 5'10, with platinum blonde hair, and violet eyes, but *sigh* what can a poor girl do? She's working as a janitor despite having test scores good enough for admittance at the University of Michigan, Ann Arbor, because she can't afford the tuition. She also works at a bar under the table, because naturally, bars are so eager to lose their fucking liquor license by employing an underaged child and paying her under the fucking table.
Kricket is special. She can tell when people lie. Her hair (platinum blonde) grows back immediately after it's been cut.
When most people don't cut their hair ever, they look like this:
While Kricket, with her un-cuttable hair, looks like this:
Did Kricket forget to tell us that her hair is platinum blonde? It's platinum blonde.
She's got a spicy, spicy gay Latino friend and his equally smexy and sassy boyfriend! Life sucks, but she deals. Until douchebags start coming after her for no fucking reason. They try to kidnap her every fucking where she goes (apparently, there are two groups of them) led by two guys: let's call them Asshole and Motherfucking Asshole, respectively. Asshole and Motherfucking Asshole proceed to lead Kricket on a merry motherfucking chase around Chicago, yelling random ass shit "you-will-pay-for-your-crimes!" to Kricket, but naturally, Kricket doesn't have a fucking clue what they're talking about.
And her hair is platinum blonde.
Finally, Asshole #1 (fine, his name is Trey) manages to kidnaps her using chloroform (which is actually a sweet scent that doesn't smell like ammonia, get your facts straight). He tells her jack shit. He looks into her eyes lovingly.
And her hair is platinum blonde.
Trey nearly drowns her. He tells her that a "crike" is fifty years. He hugs her.
He makes her rappel down a cave (smart) when she's hardly climbed more than the rock-climbing walls at her gym. He calls her Kitten. He sniffs her hair.
He takes her to an alien planet! He tells her nothing. He gently caresses her cheeks.
They run from wild animals and man-eating tigers. He tells her the etiquette between males and females. He tells her how brilliant she is.
Kricket almost sniffs a killer flower. Trey tells her not to! They salsa-dance in the forest! (I'm not fucking kidding)
They arrive in the promised land! Oh, finally, some information!!!! Kricket is important because she's the daughter of her mom! Her mom's a priestess! WELL THAT JUST EXPLAINS EVERYTHING. Her mom's like Helen, the face that launched a thousand ships! The woman who started a war! They started a war over her because she's powerful! Because she can, uh...
“What knowledge? Could she predict the future?”Are you fucking kidding me? These dumb as fuck aliens started a war over a woman whose skills are...unknown? It's like starting a war over Iraq because of some random Weapons of Mass Destructions, man. It's fucking dumb.
“I don’t know what her gifts were, Kricket. It was never common knowledge.”
And then they get to the special Palace where there's a fucking love triangle over the bigger dickwad who also tried to kidnap her! PLOT?! WHAT PLOT!!!!!!!!!
Oh, and Kricket's hair? It's platinum blonde.
The Setting: AHAHAHAHA. AHAHAHAHAH. YOU'RE KIDDING ME, RIGHT? These fucking aliens are the dumbest piece of shit in the world. The world building is fucking silly, man.
I could tell you that I had a bambuzzle for hugglypoo, and then I went to gympilo to mumple my snortificus, in order to frumplefly my tigglebuns. Does that make any fucking sense? I was laughing my ass off because the language, the language! Pick some random fucking ass words, pretend they're alien words with different meanings, and you've got the language of the Etharians!
“I’m heading straight to Sequelle’s and eating an entire venish.”By the way: when a world has LESS gravity, you run slower, not faster. Get your facts straight.
“No one can eat an entire venish.”
“I’ll take that wager. No Etharian can eat an entire venish,” Jax replies. “I’ll lay thirty-two fardrooms on it."
“Where are you going to get the money for a wigg?” Wayra laughs.
“I’ll start by taking yours, chester,” Jax counters.
“How many circas of vista did you give her, Trey?” Jax asks, sounding concerned again.
As for the world building of the aliens themselves, standard issue. Nothing imaginative. Nothing extraordinary. The only thing that stands out is how ridiculous and silly the faux-alien language is, and how juvenile the "soldiers" who kidnap Kricket are. They know about the internet. They know how to drive cars. They're aghast at the idea of nail polish! They're stupefied by the idea of a fucking thong.
“Can someone please tell me what that little pink, lacy thing is that I keep catching a glimpse of when she bends down?” Wayra asks.The Sound of a Single Kricket Chirping: Oh, my! Kricket is so special! She's gorgeous (but doesn't know it). She could be a model (if only she were legal).
“Five-ten is not that tall.”Oh, ONLY 5'10. I'm only 5'4. Fuck you, Kricket. She's got platinum hair, which she reminds us at every fucking chance she's got.
“C’mon, you look like a Viking. Those modeling agents would freak for your hollow cheekbones and I bet they’ve never seen a natural blond walk through their lobby doors.”
while pulling my hat from my head, causing my long, platinum-blond hair to cascade around my shoulders.Oh, and her eyes! HER EYES! They're so freakish! Freakishly lovely!
“My eyes are not freakish!”She's so smart! Soooooooo smart!
Enrique makes a derisive sound. “I’ve never met anyone with violet eyes,” he replies, raising his eyebrows. “If I had eyes like yours, I’d be in New York making some serious cash.”
“So that means she’s smart?”She's wise beyond her years! These aliens just KNOW this, man!
Jax beams. “Yeah, she’s smart! She’s brilliant! There’s no telling what she can do.”
“You don’t act your age. You ask questions that I’d expect from someone older than you.”She's BRAVE! Because she knows how to run away from a dangerous monster! As if it's not a natural instinct, like what science calls a "fight or flight" reaction or anything.
Kissing my hair near my temple he whispers against it, “You’re so brave.”Kricket is special! SOOOOO SPECIAL!
"It’s like you were a special case from the start.”All because of her special parents!
“You’re a very important member of our clan,”MORE THAN ROYALTY! GAAAAAASP!!!!!
“What am I, royalty?”
“No…you’re much higher than that.” he replies, his eyes assessing me.
She's so fucking perfect that after days trampling through the fucking forest primeval, she's none the worse for wear except for a slight fucking tan.
I examine my reflection in the mirror for the first time in days. I can’t believe that I look almost the same. Apart from a tan, I can’t even tell that I’ve just been pulled through the universe to another one where I’m the enemy to just about everyone.
The Romance: Let's just overlook the whole love triangle thing. I mean it. The love triangle is the least of this book's troubles when it come to romance. Frankly, the romance comes out of fucking nowhere. Trey fucking kidnaps Kricket. She protests, she yells halfheartedly, she doesn't seem to fucking mind. He takes her to another world. She doesn't give a fuck except to protest halfheartedly about killing him. All of a sudden, he's touching her, caressing her, sniffing her hair, telling her that he's lost his heart to her. AND WE'RE NOT EVEN 25% INTO THE BOOK YET.
“You trying to stop her heart, sir?” Jax asks in a concerned tone, coming to me and checking me for injuries.I don't quite know what to make of Trey, because Trey doesn't know exactly what he wants to be. He's got no personality. He's not quite a nice guy. He's not quite an asshole (although he sure as fuck tries to be one). He is just completely unnotable, absolutely fucking forgettable in every single way. He seems to ascribe specialness to the already special snowflake that is Kricket. He seems to enjoy playing babysitter to her than being her lover and her equal.
“No, she’s stopping mine,” Trey replies softly, watching Jax examine me.
Halfway through the book, Kricket and Trey are already familiar enough with each other to simulate having sex to fool people. It's meant to be steamy, I guess? I laughed.
It's a fucking Herbal Essence commercial with all the moans and groans, guys.
Then, I close my eyes, groaning louder than before as water cascades down my hair. “Ohhh, Trey…Trey!” I call out in a raspy tone, like I’ve heard Bridget do in the middle of the night when Eric sleeps over. Finding a dispenser of shampoo, I pour some in my hand, lathering it in my hair. Eliciting what I hope is a sensual sounding gasp, I let my voice strain as I murmur, “Ahhh…” Rinsing my hair, I try the other dispenser that smells like coconut.
That picture isn't accurate. Kricket's hair is platinum blonde.
August 4, 2015
Welp. Another case of pretty cover and terrible book has struck me again.
Kricket is a super special girl. She has special powers, special eye color, special hair color, special name and spelling of said name. She's really beautiful, but doesn't know it and every guy wants her body for himself... some as old as dirt! She's also The One at the center of a prophecy her super special mom prophesized long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away.
Are you rolling your eyes yet?
Never have I read a book with so many ridiculous tropes balled up into one novel. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with tropes because even I have a certain weakness for some. For example, I fall prey to the "girl and boy hate each other, but slowly fall in love through forced interaction" trope every time and I'm not ashamed to admit it. But Under Different Stars reads like a self-indulgent writing experiment with absolutely no purpose.
While on the run from the department of social services, Kricket is abducted by a group of men who share the same violet eye color as her. They end up taking her to a different world, and surprise, surprise, she's an alien with powerful abilities that are highly sought after. She's immediately thrust into a world where females are valued as much as a prized show dog and whose vernacular verges on both corny and juvenile.
Yet despite being born with a vagina and thus seen as lesser than her male counterparts, every male she runs into wants her. Whether for political gain, selfish wants or sexual conquest, Kricket is a highly sought after commodity, and much of the novel is a pissing contest between various man folk. One that seems interesting at first, but quickly losses its appeal with every new suitor.
Though most of the novel takes place over the course of a week, possibly two if I'm being generous, Kricket manages to fall in love with one of her original captors, Trey. I can usually pick out who the love interest is from the very beginning and Under Different Stars didn't even bother making this remotely difficult, nor did it make an attempt to keep the lovers apart. As I previously stated, this novel is very self-indulgent and doesn't particularly care to stay the course of what was originally laid out in the beginning for the reader.
At one point Kricket confesses her love to Trey only to be rebuffed and in her words "friend-zoned" due to his already established previous engagement to a childhood friend, something she was well aware of beforehand. Yet, imagine my surprise when while Kricket is yet again fawning over Trey, claiming her undying love, and he AGAIN telling her no, that he suddenly tells her that he's broken it off with his fiancé and wants to be with her. And then an argument over who loves who the most ensues, ending with her basically begging him to deflower her and he saying he wants to marry her instead. Because nothing else matters but their love, guys!
Oh, kitten.
Oh, honey.
*makes out*
It's the first time I've ever read a scene that does a complete 180 with no warning whatsoever.
To say this Under Different Stars has a bad case of wish fulfillment is a complete understatement since Kricket can, in fact, wish her way out of certain circumstances. Whatever Kricket wants, she has the power to get. Kricket doesn't want to marry someone? No worries, another male suitor will have him killed. Kricket wants Trey to be with her and ditch his childhood sweetheart? So it shall be done. I mean, the amount of wank that went into this novel is shocking.
Kricket isn't the heroine of the story despite her situation. No, instead she is the heroine of the story because the world is setup to be terrible so she can be the shining ray of light. With so many male characters that belittle her and constantly want to control both her powers and body, Kricket is the stanch feminist who desires to be in control of her own destiny. While all the men attempt to mansplain to her, they later find out that she's actually a genius whose "brain lights up like a christmas tree" on a scanner. They frequently tell her how she can't defend herself and yet Kricket has the most powerful powers out of everyone. Everyone in the book is deliberately horrible, so she can look flossy as fuck.
To make matters worse, the ratio of male to female characters is nauseating. Only three, including Kricket, have lines in the book and I'm pretty sure I can count on one hand how many times they chatted with each other one page. Two other female characters are mentioned, one being Kricket's dead mother and the other Trey's fiancé. Everyone else is virtually male or just not mentioned. Ugh.
A part of me is confused, surprised and disgusted with myself for continuing to listen to the audiobook even when I knew there was no way possible for it to redeem itself with me, but I'm such a stubborn reader with a pinch of masochism. Maybe under different stars I could have liked this book, but it's made up of too many of the things I dislike to have ever had a chance. Such a shame because I really do love those covers.
More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery.
Kricket is a super special girl. She has special powers, special eye color, special hair color, special name and spelling of said name. She's really beautiful, but doesn't know it and every guy wants her body for himself... some as old as dirt! She's also The One at the center of a prophecy her super special mom prophesized long, long ago in a galaxy far, far away.
Are you rolling your eyes yet?
Never have I read a book with so many ridiculous tropes balled up into one novel. Not that there is anything inherently wrong with tropes because even I have a certain weakness for some. For example, I fall prey to the "girl and boy hate each other, but slowly fall in love through forced interaction" trope every time and I'm not ashamed to admit it. But Under Different Stars reads like a self-indulgent writing experiment with absolutely no purpose.
While on the run from the department of social services, Kricket is abducted by a group of men who share the same violet eye color as her. They end up taking her to a different world, and surprise, surprise, she's an alien with powerful abilities that are highly sought after. She's immediately thrust into a world where females are valued as much as a prized show dog and whose vernacular verges on both corny and juvenile.
Yet despite being born with a vagina and thus seen as lesser than her male counterparts, every male she runs into wants her. Whether for political gain, selfish wants or sexual conquest, Kricket is a highly sought after commodity, and much of the novel is a pissing contest between various man folk. One that seems interesting at first, but quickly losses its appeal with every new suitor.
Though most of the novel takes place over the course of a week, possibly two if I'm being generous, Kricket manages to fall in love with one of her original captors, Trey. I can usually pick out who the love interest is from the very beginning and Under Different Stars didn't even bother making this remotely difficult, nor did it make an attempt to keep the lovers apart. As I previously stated, this novel is very self-indulgent and doesn't particularly care to stay the course of what was originally laid out in the beginning for the reader.
At one point Kricket confesses her love to Trey only to be rebuffed and in her words "friend-zoned" due to his already established previous engagement to a childhood friend, something she was well aware of beforehand. Yet, imagine my surprise when while Kricket is yet again fawning over Trey, claiming her undying love, and he AGAIN telling her no, that he suddenly tells her that he's broken it off with his fiancé and wants to be with her. And then an argument over who loves who the most ensues, ending with her basically begging him to deflower her and he saying he wants to marry her instead. Because nothing else matters but their love, guys!
Oh, kitten.
Oh, honey.
*makes out*
It's the first time I've ever read a scene that does a complete 180 with no warning whatsoever.
To say this Under Different Stars has a bad case of wish fulfillment is a complete understatement since Kricket can, in fact, wish her way out of certain circumstances. Whatever Kricket wants, she has the power to get. Kricket doesn't want to marry someone? No worries, another male suitor will have him killed. Kricket wants Trey to be with her and ditch his childhood sweetheart? So it shall be done. I mean, the amount of wank that went into this novel is shocking.
Kricket isn't the heroine of the story despite her situation. No, instead she is the heroine of the story because the world is setup to be terrible so she can be the shining ray of light. With so many male characters that belittle her and constantly want to control both her powers and body, Kricket is the stanch feminist who desires to be in control of her own destiny. While all the men attempt to mansplain to her, they later find out that she's actually a genius whose "brain lights up like a christmas tree" on a scanner. They frequently tell her how she can't defend herself and yet Kricket has the most powerful powers out of everyone. Everyone in the book is deliberately horrible, so she can look flossy as fuck.
To make matters worse, the ratio of male to female characters is nauseating. Only three, including Kricket, have lines in the book and I'm pretty sure I can count on one hand how many times they chatted with each other one page. Two other female characters are mentioned, one being Kricket's dead mother and the other Trey's fiancé. Everyone else is virtually male or just not mentioned. Ugh.
A part of me is confused, surprised and disgusted with myself for continuing to listen to the audiobook even when I knew there was no way possible for it to redeem itself with me, but I'm such a stubborn reader with a pinch of masochism. Maybe under different stars I could have liked this book, but it's made up of too many of the things I dislike to have ever had a chance. Such a shame because I really do love those covers.
More reviews and other fantastical things at Cuddlebuggery.
August 12, 2018
When I read YA I usually don't look for the writing to be as complex as when something is supposed to be literature and I feel a lot more forgiving about cliches like the heroin being tall beautiful and blonde so that's probably why I liked this book more than others did. If a YA book has good pacing and a story line that keeps me engaged then usually I enjoy it. I liked the characters and yeah there were things that made you suspend your disbelief but I personally didn't find it hard to do so with this book, I don't think the author really wrote anything that made it hard for me to get into the story. I enjoyed it and I'm looking forward to reading the next one.
March 24, 2015
5 unforgettable stars
Kricket Hollowell never fit in, running and making it on her own, she is counting down until her 18th birthday. On that day, she can finally be free, no longer on the run from social services. But one desperate night, one careless wish, she finds herself being hunted by two sets of men who seem to know more about her past that she herself. It turns out there was a reason all along as to why she never fit in, a gift from her mother that has been passed down to her, a gift so valuable, making her wanted by all...
Two very dangerous men, with two different motives. Kyon, from the Alameeda Brotherhood, seems far to at ease when it comes to delivering a lie with a smile. Trey, a general from Skye, a Rafe citizen, seems to be the only one she can trust. At least he has been upfront with his intentions, even if they mean that she would be paying for crimes. Torn between her mother and father's people, Kricket the product of her parent's illicit love affair seems to be the trigger to the impending war between Rafe and Alameeda. While the other other houses need to decide who to allay themselves with, for it is inevitable and it seems that Kricket's gifts can be most useful.
Trey and his most trusted men are belived to be the best of the best, so delivering a simple human female to the Reagent of Rafe should be easy now that they found her but they never anticipated for all that is Kricket. She has managed to surprise them and knock them off their feet; with her strength, charm and drive. And while Trey is driven by rules and orders, he can't help how protective and possessive he feels about Kricket. Even if she drives him mad. But under the stars when the walls are down, anything can happen and bloom.
Finding herself in a dimension far from home, she knows she will survive this just like everything else in her life. But what will it costs her for the information she seeks, how far is she willing to go to get to know her parents...
But with men vying for her attention, with Kyon demanding her hand, the Regent playing with her as if she is a toy, and Trey the man that fills her heart and can easily break it...
Under Different Stars is a fantastic ya-fantasy read, I was pulled in immediately, invited to live through each moment with Kricket. Her strength is also her weakness and that is what makes her come to life. Trey is a duty bound man, but has the inner struggle between what he is supposed to do and what his heart is telling him. I love the butterfly in my tummy feels, experiencing their need and longing; the battle between heart and mind. At times I forget that Kricket is only eighteen, she was forced to grow up early in life which made her the woman she is today. At first I was scared that there would be a love-triangle between Trey, Kricket and Kyon, but Kyon proved to be an ass from the moment he opened his mouth.
This story has the fantastical element of a science fiction novel, the beginning and growth of a true love, loyalty, friendship and political games. It is told from Kricket's POV, and I wish at times I could get into Trey's head, only to see what he was thinking. I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to read what happens next for Kricket. Recommended for those who see the beauty in the stars and wonder of a world so different from here...
ARC kindly provided by 47North, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review .
***Quotes above are taken from the ARC version of the book and may differ upon publication.
"Be careful what you wish for...”
Kricket Hollowell never fit in, running and making it on her own, she is counting down until her 18th birthday. On that day, she can finally be free, no longer on the run from social services. But one desperate night, one careless wish, she finds herself being hunted by two sets of men who seem to know more about her past that she herself. It turns out there was a reason all along as to why she never fit in, a gift from her mother that has been passed down to her, a gift so valuable, making her wanted by all...
Two very dangerous men, with two different motives. Kyon, from the Alameeda Brotherhood, seems far to at ease when it comes to delivering a lie with a smile. Trey, a general from Skye, a Rafe citizen, seems to be the only one she can trust. At least he has been upfront with his intentions, even if they mean that she would be paying for crimes. Torn between her mother and father's people, Kricket the product of her parent's illicit love affair seems to be the trigger to the impending war between Rafe and Alameeda. While the other other houses need to decide who to allay themselves with, for it is inevitable and it seems that Kricket's gifts can be most useful.
“Fortune favors the brave”
Trey and his most trusted men are belived to be the best of the best, so delivering a simple human female to the Reagent of Rafe should be easy now that they found her but they never anticipated for all that is Kricket. She has managed to surprise them and knock them off their feet; with her strength, charm and drive. And while Trey is driven by rules and orders, he can't help how protective and possessive he feels about Kricket. Even if she drives him mad. But under the stars when the walls are down, anything can happen and bloom.
“You trying to stop her heart, sir?” Jax asks in a concerned tone, coming to me and checking me for injuries.
“No, she’s stopping mine,” Trey replies softly,
Finding herself in a dimension far from home, she knows she will survive this just like everything else in her life. But what will it costs her for the information she seeks, how far is she willing to go to get to know her parents...
I’m stone. Nothing touches me—nothing
But with men vying for her attention, with Kyon demanding her hand, the Regent playing with her as if she is a toy, and Trey the man that fills her heart and can easily break it...
"...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.”
Under Different Stars is a fantastic ya-fantasy read, I was pulled in immediately, invited to live through each moment with Kricket. Her strength is also her weakness and that is what makes her come to life. Trey is a duty bound man, but has the inner struggle between what he is supposed to do and what his heart is telling him. I love the butterfly in my tummy feels, experiencing their need and longing; the battle between heart and mind. At times I forget that Kricket is only eighteen, she was forced to grow up early in life which made her the woman she is today. At first I was scared that there would be a love-triangle between Trey, Kricket and Kyon, but Kyon proved to be an ass from the moment he opened his mouth.
This story has the fantastical element of a science fiction novel, the beginning and growth of a true love, loyalty, friendship and political games. It is told from Kricket's POV, and I wish at times I could get into Trey's head, only to see what he was thinking. I absolutely loved it and cannot wait to read what happens next for Kricket. Recommended for those who see the beauty in the stars and wonder of a world so different from here...
ARC kindly provided by 47North, via NetGalley, in exchange for an honest review .
***Quotes above are taken from the ARC version of the book and may differ upon publication.
January 21, 2014
4,5 SCI-FI STARS
"You cannot thrive under the wrong stars, Kricket."
OMG this book was so captivating! I couldn't put it down, I was hooked from the first chapter! I am so in love with all the characters, this book has it all. Lots of action, romance, humor,and dystopian! Under Different Stars takes place on both Earth and an alternate planet called Ethar which lends to the sci-fi feeling. I love the world Amy creates, it's so interesting. Her descriptions of the people and places, especially on Ethar, help you picture this world. I really felt like I was there!
Kricket is a a 17-year-old girl who doesn't have any family but she has friends, however she knows that she is different from the others. She has violet eyes and she can tell when someone lies or tells the truth. One night while she's on the train on her way home from work she meets three very interesting and handsome men, but she knows that something is off about them, she manages to get away from them only to be attacked by three other guys. These men claim that they have been searching for her, and have a mission which involves returning her to the world she belongs to.
After a catch they manage to take her with them on an epic journey through caves, portals and jungles. The leader of the team is Trey Allairis. He is a military soldier who follows orders. His one and only objective, is to secure his target, and return her safely to her people. Trey soon learns that aside from dangerous creatures and threats from rival beings, there are bigger things he needs to watch out for. He also discovers that he may be getting more than he bargained for when it comes to Kricket Holloway, as he finds that she may just mean more to him than a “mission”...
I liked Kricket so much! She was such a great female lead! She was so strong, she was a total badass! I think I have a big crush with her :))) Also she is tough and courageous! She isn't afraid to face her fears. She was honest, fun and absolutely lovable.
And Trey...I loved, loved, loved Trey. My attraction for him happened immediately!
Everything surrounding Trey and Kricket developed naturally and beautifully!
This is an amazing read! It was fast-paced, entertaining, with enough sexual tension!!
I cannot wait until the next book comes out!
"You cannot thrive under the wrong stars, Kricket."
OMG this book was so captivating! I couldn't put it down, I was hooked from the first chapter! I am so in love with all the characters, this book has it all. Lots of action, romance, humor,and dystopian! Under Different Stars takes place on both Earth and an alternate planet called Ethar which lends to the sci-fi feeling. I love the world Amy creates, it's so interesting. Her descriptions of the people and places, especially on Ethar, help you picture this world. I really felt like I was there!
Kricket is a a 17-year-old girl who doesn't have any family but she has friends, however she knows that she is different from the others. She has violet eyes and she can tell when someone lies or tells the truth. One night while she's on the train on her way home from work she meets three very interesting and handsome men, but she knows that something is off about them, she manages to get away from them only to be attacked by three other guys. These men claim that they have been searching for her, and have a mission which involves returning her to the world she belongs to.
After a catch they manage to take her with them on an epic journey through caves, portals and jungles. The leader of the team is Trey Allairis. He is a military soldier who follows orders. His one and only objective, is to secure his target, and return her safely to her people. Trey soon learns that aside from dangerous creatures and threats from rival beings, there are bigger things he needs to watch out for. He also discovers that he may be getting more than he bargained for when it comes to Kricket Holloway, as he finds that she may just mean more to him than a “mission”...
I liked Kricket so much! She was such a great female lead! She was so strong, she was a total badass! I think I have a big crush with her :))) Also she is tough and courageous! She isn't afraid to face her fears. She was honest, fun and absolutely lovable.
And Trey...I loved, loved, loved Trey. My attraction for him happened immediately!
Everything surrounding Trey and Kricket developed naturally and beautifully!
This is an amazing read! It was fast-paced, entertaining, with enough sexual tension!!
I cannot wait until the next book comes out!
August 4, 2022
"Breathe."
Clinging to him tightly with my arms around his neck, I inhale deeply before muttering, "Shh, you're interrupting my revenge plotting."
"If you survive this, I'll insist that you learn to swim," Trey says, sounding annoyed.
"If I survive this, I'm killing you."
Okay, first of all, don't let that beautifully dramatic cover fool you into thinking this book is an autentic angst festival à la Mara Dyer (I think this is the first novel that came to my mind because the covers are a bit similar?) because that'd you up for a huge disappointment.
Under Different Stars is pretty much a 300-page-long, absurdly fast-paced, self-indulgent something straight out of Archive Of Our Own that's 70% amazing dialogue, 20% insta-love so insta it started before I even began reading the book, and 10% world-building.
But the thing is exactly this: if this book is basically fan-fiction, at least it's really good fan-fiction.
Basically any book I loved when I was fifteen. And I mean it as a compliment and with a bit of nostalgia when I say this book is sooo 2oo5!
I had so much fun reading this. It's effortlessly easy to get into, the humor is top notch and Kricket is a bit over the top but a totally adorable and feisty heroine.
Maybe I was in the mood for something unpretentious, simple and straight to the point when I started it, and Amy A. Bartol inadvertently delivered!
I'm not gonna give it more than 3,5 stars because I feel like it still needed work, but if you all don't mind I'm subtly going to bump it up to 4 because, despite not being a masterpiece, it made me happy and kept me entertained for an entire day.
#PenguinOnATBRMission: book #4
◾this hashtag is something I self-indulgently created for fun when I decided to thin out my immense tbr list as a new years resolution starting from books I added on GR back in 2017/2018/2019, and since I can't seem to do anything quietly and I'm well known for being an overachiever, I had to go and turn it into an official thing. Feel free to check out the shelf with the same name if you don't mind keeping up with this insanely over-hyped adventure I got myself into. Take it as a chance to rediscover some books from a few years ago that might have accidentally flown under your radar, or to simply share with another fellow reader your very own reading experience. Happy reading and stay penguin-y!◾
To Be Continued...🐧
March 18, 2015
This was an okay YA sci-fi story, but it had quite a big slow patch, and a lot of info-dumping at the start.
Kricket was quite feisty and she certainly knew how to get herself into trouble. It seemed like trouble followed her around constantly, and she also had a real love of arguing, which to be honest irritated me a bit.
The storyline in this was okay, and there was some action, I had problems though. There was a massive chunk of the book which was really slowly paced, full of info-dumps, and also full of weird, poorly explained ‘alien’ words, and boy did that get old quick. Thankfully the book moved on a bit in the second half, and wasn’t quite so bad. Kricket seemed to have a lot of choices taken away from her in the second half of this book, and I did feel sorry for her a bit.
There was some romance in this, although early on in the book I didn’t really get what this pair saw in each other as all they did was argue. Things did seem to develop in the second half of the book, and the romance improved a bit.
The ending to this had a bit of action, which was good, but this book was still let down by all those info-dumps though.
6.5 out of 10
Kricket was quite feisty and she certainly knew how to get herself into trouble. It seemed like trouble followed her around constantly, and she also had a real love of arguing, which to be honest irritated me a bit.
The storyline in this was okay, and there was some action, I had problems though. There was a massive chunk of the book which was really slowly paced, full of info-dumps, and also full of weird, poorly explained ‘alien’ words, and boy did that get old quick. Thankfully the book moved on a bit in the second half, and wasn’t quite so bad. Kricket seemed to have a lot of choices taken away from her in the second half of this book, and I did feel sorry for her a bit.
There was some romance in this, although early on in the book I didn’t really get what this pair saw in each other as all they did was argue. Things did seem to develop in the second half of the book, and the romance improved a bit.
The ending to this had a bit of action, which was good, but this book was still let down by all those info-dumps though.
6.5 out of 10
November 14, 2015
Even though it isn't my usual genre, I've found myself reading a fair amount of paranormal YA books recently. Maybe I needed to change it up a bit to get out of a rut, or maybe it's just coincidental. Either way, there is something that has drawn me to this genre as of late and I'm working my way through many books that have been waiting for me on my TBR list for quite some time.
'Under Different Stars' is by far, one of the best books that I've run across in this genre. The heroine, Kricket, is endearing right from the start. She's strong and has faced a great deal of adversity in her young life, being tossed around the foster care system after the death of her parents when she was a young child. She's the type of heroine that earns your admiration. She's definitely not a shrinking violet.
When Kricket is abducted, and returned to her otherworldly he me planet, she fights it every step of the way. She has no recollection of this alien planet, Ethar, and has no intention of giving in without a fight.
Soon, it becomes clear that there is more than one faction that wants to possess her. Whether they want to protect Kricket or exploit her abilities is unclear. Everyone in this strange new world seems to want a piece of her. Some for their own lustful desires, and some for much more malicious reasons. A war is brewing, and Kricket will have to choose a side soon.
Despite the numerous men that Kricket has captivated, she remains transfixed by Trey, the man who led the mission to capture her and bring her back to this strange world. What began as abutted rivalry has grown into something more. First her kidnapper and jailor, Trey quickly imprinted himself on her heart and soul.
Promised to another, Trey makes every effort to keep his feelings for Kricket a secret. Being with her would have political ramifications that neither of them could fully comprehend. So, he tries to be content as Kricket's bodyguard, looking over her and ensuring her safety.
However, Kricket's ability to distinguish truth from lies, thwarts Trey's plan to keep his feelings hidden from her. He can't get away with lying to her and she soon exposes his lie. As the two make plans to secure a future together, the unthinkable happens. Their plans are circumvented by more powerful individuals, who would have Kricket for their own.
Although this was an innocent story, intended for a younger audience, I enjoyed every minute of this story. It was action-packed and emotional. The characters were inspiring and easy to relate to. Innocent or not, I will definitely be continuing this story. I hope that Kricket and Trey can get their happily ever after, even if the whole world seems to be working against them.
'Under Different Stars' is by far, one of the best books that I've run across in this genre. The heroine, Kricket, is endearing right from the start. She's strong and has faced a great deal of adversity in her young life, being tossed around the foster care system after the death of her parents when she was a young child. She's the type of heroine that earns your admiration. She's definitely not a shrinking violet.
When Kricket is abducted, and returned to her otherworldly he me planet, she fights it every step of the way. She has no recollection of this alien planet, Ethar, and has no intention of giving in without a fight.
Soon, it becomes clear that there is more than one faction that wants to possess her. Whether they want to protect Kricket or exploit her abilities is unclear. Everyone in this strange new world seems to want a piece of her. Some for their own lustful desires, and some for much more malicious reasons. A war is brewing, and Kricket will have to choose a side soon.
Despite the numerous men that Kricket has captivated, she remains transfixed by Trey, the man who led the mission to capture her and bring her back to this strange world. What began as abutted rivalry has grown into something more. First her kidnapper and jailor, Trey quickly imprinted himself on her heart and soul.
Promised to another, Trey makes every effort to keep his feelings for Kricket a secret. Being with her would have political ramifications that neither of them could fully comprehend. So, he tries to be content as Kricket's bodyguard, looking over her and ensuring her safety.
However, Kricket's ability to distinguish truth from lies, thwarts Trey's plan to keep his feelings hidden from her. He can't get away with lying to her and she soon exposes his lie. As the two make plans to secure a future together, the unthinkable happens. Their plans are circumvented by more powerful individuals, who would have Kricket for their own.
Although this was an innocent story, intended for a younger audience, I enjoyed every minute of this story. It was action-packed and emotional. The characters were inspiring and easy to relate to. Innocent or not, I will definitely be continuing this story. I hope that Kricket and Trey can get their happily ever after, even if the whole world seems to be working against them.
January 23, 2015
[DNF at 62%.]
Under Different Stars could have been a unique, engaging and intriguing read--unfortunately, the book fell flat for me. I've wanted to DNF this one lots of times before I actually did, probably because of the characters and the writing, mainly.
See, I've always had a strong dislike for books with formula characters. Kricket was your typical heroine--she was the beautiful (yes, she does look quite exotic with her purple eyes and blonde hair--*cringe*) girl who is apparently special. God, it's been a while since I've read a book that took perfect to an extreme, and I definitely did not appreciate it.
Trey (you got it right--the love interest) was kind of a douche. I don't even use the word douche at all in real life (I hate how it sounds), but this guy is a special case. The dude fucking kidnapped Kricket! I get that he needed to, but come on. His two companions (who were really annoying flirts, by the way) at least, were humane about it. They joked with her and respected her needs. Trey? Not so much. Of course, that is until he fell for her.
Speaking of falling for her (ick), the romance was really disturbing and bland. I couldn't feel the "connection" between Kricket and Trey at all, probably because they went from cold to hot in just a matter of days, and without reason. Look at it this way: Trey kidnaps Kricket and of course, they fight about it. But then, out of nowhere, they're suddenly all touchy-feely with each other. Yeah, no thanks. And yes, there is sort of a love triangle, although I didn't get far enough to see how it progressed.
Another thing that bothered me was the annoying language and made-up words. I get it--they're on a different planet and will have different terms for things. But come on, why the hell would you want to call somebody a "knob-knocker"? It sounds really trashy and immature.
I didn't even get far enough in the book to find out if there even was a story. But I have heard that the second half is just as bad as the first...
December 17, 2013
My newest all-consuming obsession and one of my absolute favorite books of the year!
Utterly addicting, instantly absorbing and vividly depicted with intriguing and unforgettable characters. The story line is unique, suspenseful and brimming with the kind of scorching desire and idyllic romance that lingers with you long after the book ends.
**************************
Amy Bartol is dangerous. She writes nothing less than the kinds of books that make you want to keep your eyes open with toothpicks and ignore the world until you read the very last page. Forget the shower. Forget your children. Eating… optional. Sleeping… forget about it. All I can focus on is finishing her books. And this one… it was amazing! As addictive as the Premonition series. The angst, the romance, the desire as thick and enthralling as that of Evie and Reed. How the heck will I suffer through the months to get her next book? Her words literally get under my skin, her storytelling is so expressively captivating that I feel like a crazy, obsessive mad woman when I read her stories. You will LOVE Under Different Stars. LOVE. She manages to build this unique world full of crazy lingo and vivid details that had me hanging on to her every word. THEN, she throws two people together and builds this intensifying, oh-so-right desire between them that had me desperately needing them to be together more than I need my next breath. How does this woman do it?! I was enraptured by this story. I didn’t want it to end. It had action, humor, romance, desire and that intangible magic that Amy sprinkles throughout to enliven it, making us thoroughly addicted and begging for more.
Kricket has had a tough childhood, particularly in the foster care system. Now, she’s trying to just hold on to the last few months before she turns 18 when she’ll be finally free to live her own life and stop running. At 5′ 10″ with platinum blonde hair and violet eyes, Kricket is striking and has to work extra hard to stay under the radar by working jobs that pay in cash. When suddenly an unfamiliar trio of incredibly tall, incredibly good-looking men with the same violet eyes as hers find her and claim to be there to take her back “home,” Kricket is simultaneously shocked and on alert. She runs. Unfortunately, shortly after, she finds herself face-to-face with another ominous trio claiming the very same thing. It quickly becomes evident that there’s no place to run, no place she can hide. The first trio have found her again and she’s brusquely taken. As she grapples heart and mind to assess her situation and prepare once again for the worst, she can’t help but feel like her life is in constant turmoil… another situation of which she needs to figure out how to gain control.
The three men — Trey, Wayra and Jax — are on a mission to find her and bring her home… to Ethar. They claim it’s Kricket’s rightful homeland and it’s time for her to return and pay her penance. Incredulous and baffled, she can’t begin to make sense of what they’re talking about and even how they talk. Their lingo is different and Earth is not native to where they are from. The more time she spends with them as they trek back to Ethar, the more she’s drawn to their humor and even their kindness. The person who seems to be the leader of the group, Trey, is especially protective, although intriguing and somewhat firm, she can tell he’s telling her the truth.
You see, Kricket has this innate ability to irrevocably know when someone is lying. A gift she can’t explain. Kricket is truly a wonderful, kick-ass, witty heroine. She’s incredibly intelligent, inquisitive, funny, tenacious and with a strong sense of survival. The boys from Ethar seem to be equally intrigued with her. I loved seeing the dynamic between them evolve from distrust to trust to caring… especially with Trey. Circumstances continue to push them together as a mutual trust, respect and caring for each other slowly begins to blossom.
Amy Bartol is the queen of the slow burn… the intensifying angst… the building of emotion. The desire and longing that grows between them on this unexpected journey is unsettling as Kricket finds herself begin to feel more than she’s ever allowed herself to feel. As is also typical with this author, danger is always a breath away and each action scene pushes the characters even closer together. When they realize they are being pursued, the urgency is heightened and getting to Rafe becomes critical.
We learn that Ethar is comprised of five houses… Rafe, Alameeda, Comantre, Peney and Wurthem. We also learn that Kricket is a special type of anomaly that makes her valuable, especially to Kyon, one of the members of the other trio that sought her in Chicago. There are so many questions still to answer, however, and despite Trey’s candor, there’s so much left to uncover. One thing that is clear at this point is that her feelings for Trey have escalated so much more. His presence is comfort, his arms are protection and his touch ignites an irrepressible yearning.
Trey is such an alluring character. He’s an enigma. He can be mercurial at times, embracing the emotions that continue to build between him and Kricket one moment and then pushing her away the next. Is she just a mission? Is she more? Does he really care?
When the time finally nears for her to be handed over at Rafe, a crushing feeling consumes as the uncertain becomes a certainty. And when she’s taken from her friends… from Trey, everything begins to crumble and she realizes she’s a pawn who is highly sought after with gifts that only certain people can expound on. As truths are also revealed about Trey, her heart begins to break in disillusionment.
What ensues is a heart-stopping, heart-aching series of events that had me furiously flipping pages to see what would happen next. One thing is for sure though, by this point I am IN LOVE with Trey Allairis. The fierceness he exhibits, the protectiveness he shows, the gentleness of his actions and perhaps most significantly, his new proclivity for defying all the rules shows how much he loves Kricket. I was totally swooning over this man.
AND… when Kricket challenges him once again, questioning his feelings for her, he says something like this…
Sigh.
I was sad to read the last page. I just didn’t want this book to end. I don’t have sufficient eloquent, descriptive words to convey how good this book is. SO MUCH HAPPENS. There are still so many secrets left to uncover as it ends on a precipice… on a promise of something more. Threats continue to loom and I am dying to have the next book in my hands. At this point, Amy Bartol has me groveling, begging, needing both Iniquity (from the Premonition Series) and Kricket’s second novel. I’m not sure what I’ll do with myself while I anxiously await her next utterly addictive story. There’s romance, suspense, action and drama and I can’t imagine anyone not loving this book. It’s a story about finding your truth, controlling your destiny and fiercely fighting for the kind of love that’s written in the stars.
For more reviews, connect with me:
Vilma's Book Blog | Facebook | Twitter
Utterly addicting, instantly absorbing and vividly depicted with intriguing and unforgettable characters. The story line is unique, suspenseful and brimming with the kind of scorching desire and idyllic romance that lingers with you long after the book ends.
**************************
Amy Bartol is dangerous. She writes nothing less than the kinds of books that make you want to keep your eyes open with toothpicks and ignore the world until you read the very last page. Forget the shower. Forget your children. Eating… optional. Sleeping… forget about it. All I can focus on is finishing her books. And this one… it was amazing! As addictive as the Premonition series. The angst, the romance, the desire as thick and enthralling as that of Evie and Reed. How the heck will I suffer through the months to get her next book? Her words literally get under my skin, her storytelling is so expressively captivating that I feel like a crazy, obsessive mad woman when I read her stories. You will LOVE Under Different Stars. LOVE. She manages to build this unique world full of crazy lingo and vivid details that had me hanging on to her every word. THEN, she throws two people together and builds this intensifying, oh-so-right desire between them that had me desperately needing them to be together more than I need my next breath. How does this woman do it?! I was enraptured by this story. I didn’t want it to end. It had action, humor, romance, desire and that intangible magic that Amy sprinkles throughout to enliven it, making us thoroughly addicted and begging for more.
“You cannot thrive under the wrong stars, Kricket… the stars here are in opposition to you… can’t you feel it?… Let us take you home.”
Kricket has had a tough childhood, particularly in the foster care system. Now, she’s trying to just hold on to the last few months before she turns 18 when she’ll be finally free to live her own life and stop running. At 5′ 10″ with platinum blonde hair and violet eyes, Kricket is striking and has to work extra hard to stay under the radar by working jobs that pay in cash. When suddenly an unfamiliar trio of incredibly tall, incredibly good-looking men with the same violet eyes as hers find her and claim to be there to take her back “home,” Kricket is simultaneously shocked and on alert. She runs. Unfortunately, shortly after, she finds herself face-to-face with another ominous trio claiming the very same thing. It quickly becomes evident that there’s no place to run, no place she can hide. The first trio have found her again and she’s brusquely taken. As she grapples heart and mind to assess her situation and prepare once again for the worst, she can’t help but feel like her life is in constant turmoil… another situation of which she needs to figure out how to gain control.
“I’m used to holding on to nothing as tight as I can.”
The three men — Trey, Wayra and Jax — are on a mission to find her and bring her home… to Ethar. They claim it’s Kricket’s rightful homeland and it’s time for her to return and pay her penance. Incredulous and baffled, she can’t begin to make sense of what they’re talking about and even how they talk. Their lingo is different and Earth is not native to where they are from. The more time she spends with them as they trek back to Ethar, the more she’s drawn to their humor and even their kindness. The person who seems to be the leader of the group, Trey, is especially protective, although intriguing and somewhat firm, she can tell he’s telling her the truth.
You see, Kricket has this innate ability to irrevocably know when someone is lying. A gift she can’t explain. Kricket is truly a wonderful, kick-ass, witty heroine. She’s incredibly intelligent, inquisitive, funny, tenacious and with a strong sense of survival. The boys from Ethar seem to be equally intrigued with her. I loved seeing the dynamic between them evolve from distrust to trust to caring… especially with Trey. Circumstances continue to push them together as a mutual trust, respect and caring for each other slowly begins to blossom.
“I open my eyes and gaze at Trey next to me. He has his arms crossed behind his head as he stares up at the brilliant stars in the clear, night sky. He seems almost ethereal, bathed as he is in the bluish glow of the light stick. The warmth I felt earlier comes back, slipping through me and filling me with another kind of glow that calms my fear. Feeling his radiating body heat, my breathing slows. He’s too perfect looking to be real. This has to be a dream after all.”
Amy Bartol is the queen of the slow burn… the intensifying angst… the building of emotion. The desire and longing that grows between them on this unexpected journey is unsettling as Kricket finds herself begin to feel more than she’s ever allowed herself to feel. As is also typical with this author, danger is always a breath away and each action scene pushes the characters even closer together. When they realize they are being pursued, the urgency is heightened and getting to Rafe becomes critical.
We learn that Ethar is comprised of five houses… Rafe, Alameeda, Comantre, Peney and Wurthem. We also learn that Kricket is a special type of anomaly that makes her valuable, especially to Kyon, one of the members of the other trio that sought her in Chicago. There are so many questions still to answer, however, and despite Trey’s candor, there’s so much left to uncover. One thing that is clear at this point is that her feelings for Trey have escalated so much more. His presence is comfort, his arms are protection and his touch ignites an irrepressible yearning.
“Responding intellectually to his touch, desire is rising fiercely within me and with it, a ripple of fear is running through me as well because I’ve never felt passion like this before. It’s burning me, consuming me, and leaving almost no room for thought.”
Trey is such an alluring character. He’s an enigma. He can be mercurial at times, embracing the emotions that continue to build between him and Kricket one moment and then pushing her away the next. Is she just a mission? Is she more? Does he really care?
When the time finally nears for her to be handed over at Rafe, a crushing feeling consumes as the uncertain becomes a certainty. And when she’s taken from her friends… from Trey, everything begins to crumble and she realizes she’s a pawn who is highly sought after with gifts that only certain people can expound on. As truths are also revealed about Trey, her heart begins to break in disillusionment.
“A familiar pain squeezes my heart. I know better than to let myself become attached to anyone, like I’ve allowed myself to become to Trey, but it happened too fast to avoid it.”
What ensues is a heart-stopping, heart-aching series of events that had me furiously flipping pages to see what would happen next. One thing is for sure though, by this point I am IN LOVE with Trey Allairis. The fierceness he exhibits, the protectiveness he shows, the gentleness of his actions and perhaps most significantly, his new proclivity for defying all the rules shows how much he loves Kricket. I was totally swooning over this man.
“I’d break every rule for you.”
AND… when Kricket challenges him once again, questioning his feelings for her, he says something like this…
“No, I believe I said it was impossible for you to love me. Almost as impossible as hiding the fact that I love you.”
Sigh.
I was sad to read the last page. I just didn’t want this book to end. I don’t have sufficient eloquent, descriptive words to convey how good this book is. SO MUCH HAPPENS. There are still so many secrets left to uncover as it ends on a precipice… on a promise of something more. Threats continue to loom and I am dying to have the next book in my hands. At this point, Amy Bartol has me groveling, begging, needing both Iniquity (from the Premonition Series) and Kricket’s second novel. I’m not sure what I’ll do with myself while I anxiously await her next utterly addictive story. There’s romance, suspense, action and drama and I can’t imagine anyone not loving this book. It’s a story about finding your truth, controlling your destiny and fiercely fighting for the kind of love that’s written in the stars.
“We have to make the stars align for us now — find a way for us not to get burned for being together.”
For more reviews, connect with me:
Vilma's Book Blog | Facebook | Twitter
December 30, 2013
If you know me, you know how I adore my Amy Bartol. A lot. It could be classified as an obsession. She's all-around amazing.
But we're not going to talk about Bartol, we're going to talk about her amazing book. And this review is completely unbiased! I don't have a lot of reading time so I'm very stingy and picky with the books I read. So when I was given (begged for) this ARC of UDS, Amy said no pressure. Now, the book's been out for weeks and I'm finally able to get to it and I'm KICKING myself for not making myself lose a night of sleep sooner! (4am)
Holy Hot Alien Trey, Batman! He was fighting it so hard in the beginning, poor guy. Trying to do the right thing. And then kept on trying to do the right thing, but Kricket kept right on inching her way into his world and his heart until she was there to stay. He was an aggressive, strong, alpha, tattooed, military leader, good guy, rake you with his eyes kind of guy that was blind-sided by this girl who turned out to be nothing like they imagined she would when they went to find her. He gets so frustrated with her, but it's because he wants what he cant have, he wants to protect her, he knows that things are about to go bad real fast when they get 'home', and he'd being pulled in several directions. I felt for him. Even when he was mad at her and being an idiot, I could still understand the struggle. But he would always come back around and make you forget it in not time. He was so alpha and I love that. Her protection was the most important thing above all else and when she was in danger all his walls fell down, and you'd see his true feelings, even though sometimes Kricket couldn't even see them. And his little cute jealous ticks with their friends and the other 'suitors'. Adorable. When he decides something, look out, cause that boy is determined. He is my favorite book boy of the year.
The app on my phone almost short circuited because of the heat between these two. I'll name a few instances. The pool, when Trey "saves her". I love when Jax tries to take her and Trey is not having any of it. Two, shower scene that was so, so hot but nothing actually happened at all. It broke my and Kricket's heart at the same time. Like...whoa. Instance number three, the first time he calls her Kitten...and anytime following that. Four, the fountain. Five, when he tells her what he did the night after the fountain in regards to a certain female and the whole 'missed birthday' conversation. Six, "Undergarments? Is that what you call those polar little monsters?" You get the gist of that one. So hot and swoony and adorable.
"You can trust me with your heart."
And Kricket, oh Kricket. Poor girl. Been to hell and back again and no one even bothered to buy her a t-shirt for her troubles. I loved her, too. She was spunky without being stupid. She never did these outrageous'y idiotic things to get into trouble where she had to be rescued or anything. She didn't let them walk all over her, but she cried and had moments where it was all too much. She was 'human' and though this was a fantasy book, it was real. I wanted to take her for coffee and get some names of people to kick butts of. She was awesome. She tried so hard to be brave and strong, to do what was the right thing, not just whatever her little heart desired. She wasn't selfish. She understood that there was a big picture to this whole thing. She understood sacrifice.
And I LOVED the supporting cast. I mean LOVED them. That hardly ever happens for me. Like ever. Jax and Wayra were my absolute favorite. We didn't see Trey's brother Victus very much, but I know he'll be back. And I'm sure they'll be drama there, because it was hinted at. Maybe the family will want him to commit to Kricket and he may even have a crush on her himself, who knows. Trey's first intended, Charisma, we never saw (hallelujah!) but I'm pretty sure that won't last. She'll probably come back in book 2 as well, maybe even with a vengeance, but I'm happy with how things went. I was so, so, so happy that Trey didn't pull some parading-Charisma-around-in-front-of-Kricket stunt to hurt her and try to get her to move on. I waited for it and just knew it was coming but was so happy that Amy didn't follow the predictable route. I can't stand when couples try to use that stuff on each other when they love each other, even if they 'think' it's for a good reason. I hate it. So, bravo, Amy for not falling prey to typical YA cliches.
This book was about a dystopian society. It was fascinating to read all about the things, words, food, animals, tons of things that Amy created for it. If you love to sink into a completely new world, then this is for you. Lots of romance and laughs. I literally could not put it down. You need to read this.
I'm in love with paranormal\dystopian again!
6 out of 5 stars from me!
But we're not going to talk about Bartol, we're going to talk about her amazing book. And this review is completely unbiased! I don't have a lot of reading time so I'm very stingy and picky with the books I read. So when I was given (begged for) this ARC of UDS, Amy said no pressure. Now, the book's been out for weeks and I'm finally able to get to it and I'm KICKING myself for not making myself lose a night of sleep sooner! (4am)
Holy Hot Alien Trey, Batman! He was fighting it so hard in the beginning, poor guy. Trying to do the right thing. And then kept on trying to do the right thing, but Kricket kept right on inching her way into his world and his heart until she was there to stay. He was an aggressive, strong, alpha, tattooed, military leader, good guy, rake you with his eyes kind of guy that was blind-sided by this girl who turned out to be nothing like they imagined she would when they went to find her. He gets so frustrated with her, but it's because he wants what he cant have, he wants to protect her, he knows that things are about to go bad real fast when they get 'home', and he'd being pulled in several directions. I felt for him. Even when he was mad at her and being an idiot, I could still understand the struggle. But he would always come back around and make you forget it in not time. He was so alpha and I love that. Her protection was the most important thing above all else and when she was in danger all his walls fell down, and you'd see his true feelings, even though sometimes Kricket couldn't even see them. And his little cute jealous ticks with their friends and the other 'suitors'. Adorable. When he decides something, look out, cause that boy is determined. He is my favorite book boy of the year.
The app on my phone almost short circuited because of the heat between these two. I'll name a few instances. The pool, when Trey "saves her". I love when Jax tries to take her and Trey is not having any of it. Two, shower scene that was so, so hot but nothing actually happened at all. It broke my and Kricket's heart at the same time. Like...whoa. Instance number three, the first time he calls her Kitten...and anytime following that. Four, the fountain. Five, when he tells her what he did the night after the fountain in regards to a certain female and the whole 'missed birthday' conversation. Six, "Undergarments? Is that what you call those polar little monsters?" You get the gist of that one. So hot and swoony and adorable.
"You can trust me with your heart."
And Kricket, oh Kricket. Poor girl. Been to hell and back again and no one even bothered to buy her a t-shirt for her troubles. I loved her, too. She was spunky without being stupid. She never did these outrageous'y idiotic things to get into trouble where she had to be rescued or anything. She didn't let them walk all over her, but she cried and had moments where it was all too much. She was 'human' and though this was a fantasy book, it was real. I wanted to take her for coffee and get some names of people to kick butts of. She was awesome. She tried so hard to be brave and strong, to do what was the right thing, not just whatever her little heart desired. She wasn't selfish. She understood that there was a big picture to this whole thing. She understood sacrifice.
And I LOVED the supporting cast. I mean LOVED them. That hardly ever happens for me. Like ever. Jax and Wayra were my absolute favorite. We didn't see Trey's brother Victus very much, but I know he'll be back. And I'm sure they'll be drama there, because it was hinted at. Maybe the family will want him to commit to Kricket and he may even have a crush on her himself, who knows. Trey's first intended, Charisma, we never saw (hallelujah!) but I'm pretty sure that won't last. She'll probably come back in book 2 as well, maybe even with a vengeance, but I'm happy with how things went. I was so, so, so happy that Trey didn't pull some parading-Charisma-around-in-front-of-Kricket stunt to hurt her and try to get her to move on. I waited for it and just knew it was coming but was so happy that Amy didn't follow the predictable route. I can't stand when couples try to use that stuff on each other when they love each other, even if they 'think' it's for a good reason. I hate it. So, bravo, Amy for not falling prey to typical YA cliches.
This book was about a dystopian society. It was fascinating to read all about the things, words, food, animals, tons of things that Amy created for it. If you love to sink into a completely new world, then this is for you. Lots of romance and laughs. I literally could not put it down. You need to read this.
I'm in love with paranormal\dystopian again!
6 out of 5 stars from me!
June 3, 2015
How To Check If You’re An Alien Living on the Wrong Planet:
• Your hair grows back immediately after it’s been cut. As in, a second later. And yet, after 17 years of living through this phenomenon, you have shoulder length hair.
• You have violet eyes.
• Your frontal lobe has X-ray vision.
• You are so thin, so lightweight, so delicate that wall climbing harnesses can’t support you.
• When a world has less gravity, you run faster instead of slower.
• You get bossed around by three men and fall in love with their leader who, as it turns out, was the biggest jerk of them all.
• Said leader also enjoys being your guardian/protector/sugar daddy more than being your lover.
• Your other alien buddies know about (and browse) FACEBOOK but each want a piece of your undies.
She’s my Cherry Pie, cool drink of water such a sweet surprise.
If you’ve gotten at least 50% of the above checklist right, then obviously your name is Kricket. You’re an orphan who is originally from the planet Ethar and your parents sent you to Earth for safekeeping…? I don’t even know. You’re a special one, did you know that? Like a four leaved clover. You have platinum hair. You have violet eyes. You’re also underage and working at a bar but that’s okay. You’re the female lead of the story after all. No harm can befall you, my dear.
So I mixed up the batter and she licked the beater.
Turn away, ye lovers of romance. Because there isn’t any here. Under Different Stars is chock full of BS but there isn’t even a blip of romance. Sure there’s plenty of coercion, drowning, salsa in the forest, cheek caressing and fake sex. But romance? Nope.
Romance requires foundation. It requires feeling of attraction, lust. It does not happen when you get kidnapped (and really don’t mind it, know that I think about it) and out of a sudden, your kidnapper is your sweetheart. And the love interest? Trey? Jesus. He’s got no personality, nothing that you can remember him by, and just seems to be a great big know-it-all.
You ain’t gonna swing with mydaughter no more.
Introduce love interest #2. Kyon Ensin. Actually, he’s a bit of a villain too. Except, he seemed to me to have more character than anyone else in this wretched excuse for a novel. And if the next book is going to bring in a love triangle (which I’m sure it will), then remember; You saw it at first at Rhea’s Neon Journal (or Rhea’s Goodreads or Rhea’s Amazon wherever you read this)!
Dirty, Rotten, Filthy, Stinkin!
Pretty much everything else in the book.
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
• Your hair grows back immediately after it’s been cut. As in, a second later. And yet, after 17 years of living through this phenomenon, you have shoulder length hair.
• You have violet eyes.
• Your frontal lobe has X-ray vision.
• You are so thin, so lightweight, so delicate that wall climbing harnesses can’t support you.
• When a world has less gravity, you run faster instead of slower.
• You get bossed around by three men and fall in love with their leader who, as it turns out, was the biggest jerk of them all.
• Said leader also enjoys being your guardian/protector/sugar daddy more than being your lover.
• Your other alien buddies know about (and browse) FACEBOOK but each want a piece of your undies.
She’s my Cherry Pie, cool drink of water such a sweet surprise.
If you’ve gotten at least 50% of the above checklist right, then obviously your name is Kricket. You’re an orphan who is originally from the planet Ethar and your parents sent you to Earth for safekeeping…? I don’t even know. You’re a special one, did you know that? Like a four leaved clover. You have platinum hair. You have violet eyes. You’re also underage and working at a bar but that’s okay. You’re the female lead of the story after all. No harm can befall you, my dear.
So I mixed up the batter and she licked the beater.
Turn away, ye lovers of romance. Because there isn’t any here. Under Different Stars is chock full of BS but there isn’t even a blip of romance. Sure there’s plenty of coercion, drowning, salsa in the forest, cheek caressing and fake sex. But romance? Nope.
Romance requires foundation. It requires feeling of attraction, lust. It does not happen when you get kidnapped (and really don’t mind it, know that I think about it) and out of a sudden, your kidnapper is your sweetheart. And the love interest? Trey? Jesus. He’s got no personality, nothing that you can remember him by, and just seems to be a great big know-it-all.
You ain’t gonna swing with my
Introduce love interest #2. Kyon Ensin. Actually, he’s a bit of a villain too. Except, he seemed to me to have more character than anyone else in this wretched excuse for a novel. And if the next book is going to bring in a love triangle (which I’m sure it will), then remember; You saw it at first at Rhea’s Neon Journal (or Rhea’s Goodreads or Rhea’s Amazon wherever you read this)!
Dirty, Rotten, Filthy, Stinkin!
Pretty much everything else in the book.
*I was provided a free ecopy of this book in exchange of an honest review. This did not in any way, however, influence the content of this review.*
Want to read
July 27, 2016SQUEEEE!!!
Another AMY BARTOL work of art
ME SCREAMING!!!
ME VERY EMOTIONAL FANGIRLING
oh my this book is definitely a must read!!!
Another AMY BARTOL work of art
ME SCREAMING!!!
ME VERY EMOTIONAL FANGIRLING
oh my this book is definitely a must read!!!
Read
January 17, 2015Aaaah! Fantastic! If you love scifi and romance, read this!
August 3, 2015
4 Kickin’ Kricket Stars
It’s been awhile since I’ve read an Amy Bartol book. I wanted something light, a little romantic and plenty of action. I believe I got that with Under Different Stars.
This is a young adult read and the thing I love about young adult reads is the world I’m taken to. I love learning new languages, cultures and I know it’s going to be at least a three book saga. BUT that’s just me.
So Kricket currently lives on earth. She’s human or so she thinks. She knows she is a little different. When she cuts her hair, it automatically grows back. She rides the subway one day and runs into Trey. Trey is hired to bring Kricket back to home and home is not on earth.
A good portion of the book is Kricket traveling back home. It’s a big slow at some parts, but you get immerse into the other world fairly quickly. Also, there’s a lot to learn. I felt like I needed a cheat sheet. I didn’t understand why they couldn’t just pounds and hours, but other words. I know I said I like learning new languages, but there was a lot!
So Trey and his buddies are traveling with Kricket and she is feisty. She’s the type of Heroine I like to read in these sci-fi books, very strong and opinionated, but not annoying. Once they reach home, the pace quickens a bit and oh my goodness, the sexual tension between Kricket and Try is nice. Get your mind out of the gutter, it’s a YA, so there’s only so much sexual tension, but I did blush at some of the scenes.
It was really cute.
I kind of wanted Trey and Kricket’s relationship to be dragged out a bit, I know I said the book was a bit slow. I just can’t make up my mind.
Overall, If you want something a little new, a little different and you haven’t read a Bartol novel, start with this one.
AMAZON
It’s been awhile since I’ve read an Amy Bartol book. I wanted something light, a little romantic and plenty of action. I believe I got that with Under Different Stars.
This is a young adult read and the thing I love about young adult reads is the world I’m taken to. I love learning new languages, cultures and I know it’s going to be at least a three book saga. BUT that’s just me.
So Kricket currently lives on earth. She’s human or so she thinks. She knows she is a little different. When she cuts her hair, it automatically grows back. She rides the subway one day and runs into Trey. Trey is hired to bring Kricket back to home and home is not on earth.
A good portion of the book is Kricket traveling back home. It’s a big slow at some parts, but you get immerse into the other world fairly quickly. Also, there’s a lot to learn. I felt like I needed a cheat sheet. I didn’t understand why they couldn’t just pounds and hours, but other words. I know I said I like learning new languages, but there was a lot!
So Trey and his buddies are traveling with Kricket and she is feisty. She’s the type of Heroine I like to read in these sci-fi books, very strong and opinionated, but not annoying. Once they reach home, the pace quickens a bit and oh my goodness, the sexual tension between Kricket and Try is nice. Get your mind out of the gutter, it’s a YA, so there’s only so much sexual tension, but I did blush at some of the scenes.
It was really cute.
I kind of wanted Trey and Kricket’s relationship to be dragged out a bit, I know I said the book was a bit slow. I just can’t make up my mind.
Overall, If you want something a little new, a little different and you haven’t read a Bartol novel, start with this one.
not-gonna-bother
December 30, 2016Gorgeous cover? Check.
Young adult fantasy? Check.
High average rating? Check.
BINGO.
...or not.
Definitely not.
In fact, the book completely misses the target as far as originality goes and aims for recycled, overdone, badly written, clichéd tropes convoluted to draw you in before you realize it's nothing but a trick.
Honestly, I'm so mad because I thought I'd chanced upon a hidden gem with those shining 4.29 stars it holds - up until I read a few trusted reviews and excerpts that were enough to convince me of what it actually was.
Sigh. Authors, when will you learn?
Young adult fantasy? Check.
High average rating? Check.
BINGO.
...or not.
Definitely not.
In fact, the book completely misses the target as far as originality goes and aims for recycled, overdone, badly written, clichéd tropes convoluted to draw you in before you realize it's nothing but a trick.
Honestly, I'm so mad because I thought I'd chanced upon a hidden gem with those shining 4.29 stars it holds - up until I read a few trusted reviews and excerpts that were enough to convince me of what it actually was.
Sigh. Authors, when will you learn?
October 27, 2015
Good, but nothing special.
I know Amy A. Bartol. She's not an unknown author to me. I've read her Premonition series and I am pretty familiar with her prose. In this book, she tried to step out her waters, and tried to do something more original than today's young-adult books.
Kricket is a troubled girl, a run away from the system, a girl with no family. Her life is not interesting. That changes when two groups of people come looking for her and is captured by one of those groups and brought to an alien world.
Yes, yes, I forgot to tell you about Kricket's gift, that she knows when someone's lying to her. Or the fact that the her hair when cut, it turns from blond to dark and then turns to dust. Then it grows back to the same length it was before.
We learn about Kricket's lineage, about the planet called Ethar, about its system, and how big it is, the differences with earth. Now, it's time I tell you the reason why this was not as good as it could be. It's a simple one: the author clearly didn't put much effort in creating an alien world as one would expect it. The so called Ethar is nothing but an Earth with a slightly different vocabulary.
This could have been a really good book if only Mrs. Bartol would have taken care of its content. I didn't like the instant-love thingy, and that seems to be her thing. While she writes good romances, instead of building it up slowly, she just goes and makes it instant and rush.
The end has no cliffhanger whatsoever. For a first book in a series it was really poor, from all aspects, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
I know Amy A. Bartol. She's not an unknown author to me. I've read her Premonition series and I am pretty familiar with her prose. In this book, she tried to step out her waters, and tried to do something more original than today's young-adult books.
Kricket is a troubled girl, a run away from the system, a girl with no family. Her life is not interesting. That changes when two groups of people come looking for her and is captured by one of those groups and brought to an alien world.
Yes, yes, I forgot to tell you about Kricket's gift, that she knows when someone's lying to her. Or the fact that the her hair when cut, it turns from blond to dark and then turns to dust. Then it grows back to the same length it was before.
We learn about Kricket's lineage, about the planet called Ethar, about its system, and how big it is, the differences with earth. Now, it's time I tell you the reason why this was not as good as it could be. It's a simple one: the author clearly didn't put much effort in creating an alien world as one would expect it. The so called Ethar is nothing but an Earth with a slightly different vocabulary.
This could have been a really good book if only Mrs. Bartol would have taken care of its content. I didn't like the instant-love thingy, and that seems to be her thing. While she writes good romances, instead of building it up slowly, she just goes and makes it instant and rush.
The end has no cliffhanger whatsoever. For a first book in a series it was really poor, from all aspects, but I enjoyed it nonetheless.
December 18, 2013
5 STARS IS NOT ENOUGH!!
Honestly, the world building and original ideas Amy came up with could easily put this book in either the sci-fi or fantasy genres. It was that well done. I’m all with my swoony romance… but I read just as much sci-fi and dark fantasy to say that I could put this novel up against any of the novels I’ve read.
Captivating from page #1, I want to know more, more, more! Why is she on the run? Where is her family? How is she surviving on her own?
This incredibly intense story unfolds at the PERFECT pace. From slowly discovering and accepting that she isn’t human, to figuring out who to trust, and plotting how the hell to get herself out of all this craziness.
When Kricket first arrived on Ethar (I want to go ga-ga over how they traveled, but I don’t want to spoil one of the coolest scenes I’ve ever read!), we discovered this new planet with Kricket. Amy described it’s beauty in such a way that I could vividly picture it; Redwood-like trees as tall as skyscrapers, weird and terrifying creatures, the night sky.
And, of course, it’s a totally advanced civilization. Their technology was incredible! Kricket couldn’t figure out half the gadgets. It was ALMOST as funny as Trey & gang trying to figure out the American slang Kricket used.
Yet, the society’s views on “class” and women is backwards. This is all unacceptable to Kricket. But, being the survivor she is, she bides her time, played nice, and formed alliances where she needed to.
I fell in love with Kricket immediately. Despite the fact that she’s been in the foster care system since she was five and brutally abused– she’s so strong, compassionate, fiercely loyal to the only two friends she has on Earth, and is the definition of a survivor! BOOYAH!
She also has understandable and significant trust issues, and a deep-rooted fear of abondonment that comes out at times when she is desperately trying to be or remain independent.
This is an exchange between Kricket and Trey:
“It will take a very hard, very determined personality to survive what is ahead for you without help.”
“Got it,” I growl through clenched teeth, anger flaring up in me at the sympathy in his voice.
“You’re tough?”
“I’m stone.”
“Stone can be broken.”
Tilting my head toward him, I meet his eyes. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m used to holding on to nothing as tight as I can.”
I was so emotional by this point, I had to set my Kindle down for a while after I read that. This poor girl. Pushing away the only 3 people she knows on the planet. Why? Because she refuses to accept help. Worse! Be pitied. It’s not even about having a wall of protection… she’s got no wall. It’s raw. All of it; Pain, abuse, multiple disappointments, being just another number is the system. And this is why I absolutely love Amy’s writing– Instead of giving up and wallowing in it all, Kricket keeps it fresh. A reminder. She uses her past to build HERSELF up and strive for a better future.
That said, accepting help and depending on Trey is setting herself up for another blow. Plus, she can take care of herself.
Up until this point they shared a few tender moments. But it was this part when Trey’s professional, all-business military badass front came down a little. Said a different way, he likes her. A lot.
Full review and character profile of Trey at http://gabidaniels.com/2013/12/17/rev...
Honestly, the world building and original ideas Amy came up with could easily put this book in either the sci-fi or fantasy genres. It was that well done. I’m all with my swoony romance… but I read just as much sci-fi and dark fantasy to say that I could put this novel up against any of the novels I’ve read.
Captivating from page #1, I want to know more, more, more! Why is she on the run? Where is her family? How is she surviving on her own?
This incredibly intense story unfolds at the PERFECT pace. From slowly discovering and accepting that she isn’t human, to figuring out who to trust, and plotting how the hell to get herself out of all this craziness.
When Kricket first arrived on Ethar (I want to go ga-ga over how they traveled, but I don’t want to spoil one of the coolest scenes I’ve ever read!), we discovered this new planet with Kricket. Amy described it’s beauty in such a way that I could vividly picture it; Redwood-like trees as tall as skyscrapers, weird and terrifying creatures, the night sky.
And, of course, it’s a totally advanced civilization. Their technology was incredible! Kricket couldn’t figure out half the gadgets. It was ALMOST as funny as Trey & gang trying to figure out the American slang Kricket used.
Yet, the society’s views on “class” and women is backwards. This is all unacceptable to Kricket. But, being the survivor she is, she bides her time, played nice, and formed alliances where she needed to.
I fell in love with Kricket immediately. Despite the fact that she’s been in the foster care system since she was five and brutally abused– she’s so strong, compassionate, fiercely loyal to the only two friends she has on Earth, and is the definition of a survivor! BOOYAH!
She also has understandable and significant trust issues, and a deep-rooted fear of abondonment that comes out at times when she is desperately trying to be or remain independent.
This is an exchange between Kricket and Trey:
“It will take a very hard, very determined personality to survive what is ahead for you without help.”
“Got it,” I growl through clenched teeth, anger flaring up in me at the sympathy in his voice.
“You’re tough?”
“I’m stone.”
“Stone can be broken.”
Tilting my head toward him, I meet his eyes. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m used to holding on to nothing as tight as I can.”
I was so emotional by this point, I had to set my Kindle down for a while after I read that. This poor girl. Pushing away the only 3 people she knows on the planet. Why? Because she refuses to accept help. Worse! Be pitied. It’s not even about having a wall of protection… she’s got no wall. It’s raw. All of it; Pain, abuse, multiple disappointments, being just another number is the system. And this is why I absolutely love Amy’s writing– Instead of giving up and wallowing in it all, Kricket keeps it fresh. A reminder. She uses her past to build HERSELF up and strive for a better future.
That said, accepting help and depending on Trey is setting herself up for another blow. Plus, she can take care of herself.
Up until this point they shared a few tender moments. But it was this part when Trey’s professional, all-business military badass front came down a little. Said a different way, he likes her. A lot.
Full review and character profile of Trey at http://gabidaniels.com/2013/12/17/rev...
June 25, 2015
People tell me I should stop judging books by their covers but I find that whenever I buy a book by its cover it turns out I enjoy it.
kricket got on my nerves at times but the worldbuilding was great and I like the romance
I'm continuing with this series. It didn't blow me away but as far as kindle books go I think this one is satisfying.
kricket got on my nerves at times but the worldbuilding was great and I like the romance
I'm continuing with this series. It didn't blow me away but as far as kindle books go I think this one is satisfying.
March 28, 2016
★★★★
I will admit I was mad that I had to read this book for a challenge featuring aliens. It's on the shelf so
I went with this one and I found a gem.
Krickett Hallowell was a17 yr old foster kid runaway trying to stay out of sight until she is 18 and out of the system. When two different groups show up claiming she's from another planet, and insisting they were here to escort her back. Krickett ends up leaving with Trey Allairis and his companions because he was honest with her.
Krickett had a special gift to discern truth and now she was a pawn for two political factions claiming her as kin. See Kin was mixed, but both groups are at war. Where would she decided to belong to?
Krickett and Trey were an immediate draw for the romantic in me. I love young love especially of the forbidden kind. I also liked the world the author created outside of earth. It was intriguing, and I found myself engaged the whole time.
I love Kate Rudd as a narrator so I am ready for book 2.
I will admit I was mad that I had to read this book for a challenge featuring aliens. It's on the shelf so
I went with this one and I found a gem.
Krickett Hallowell was a17 yr old foster kid runaway trying to stay out of sight until she is 18 and out of the system. When two different groups show up claiming she's from another planet, and insisting they were here to escort her back. Krickett ends up leaving with Trey Allairis and his companions because he was honest with her.
Krickett had a special gift to discern truth and now she was a pawn for two political factions claiming her as kin. See Kin was mixed, but both groups are at war. Where would she decided to belong to?
Krickett and Trey were an immediate draw for the romantic in me. I love young love especially of the forbidden kind. I also liked the world the author created outside of earth. It was intriguing, and I found myself engaged the whole time.
I love Kate Rudd as a narrator so I am ready for book 2.
August 10, 2016
Under Different Stars has had me losing sleep for the past three nights. An absolutely amazing read! Definitely a new favorite author of mine!
December 23, 2013
Check out this review and more over at: No BS Book Reviews
This story is told through the eyes of Kricket Holloway, a 17-year-old girl who has spent her life in and out of the “system” after becoming an orphan as a young child. Her whole life she’s realized that she had certain traits that set her apart from ‘normal’ people. Despite her special abilities, she’s managed to fly under the radar undetected, while growing up in and out of foster homes within Chicago. One day she has a run-in with some men who claim to have been searching for her, and have a mission which involves returning her to the world in which she belongs…unfortunately, Kricket is neither willing, nor compliant, and is in need of further “persuation” (AKA, abduction). After playing a game of Cat & Mouse, Kricket finds herself punching a one-way ticket aboard the “Rafe-Express”, which leads to an epic journey through portals, jungles, and caves. Spelunking, anyone? Did I mention that this trip includes 3 hot, other-worldly male tour guides? Can’t leave that out!
The leader of Operation: “Retrieve Kricket” is a hunky hunk of a man by the name of Trey Allairis. He is a high-ranking military soldier who follows orders, and asks no questions. His one and only objective, is to secure his target, and return her safely to her people. This means that she is come back alive, and in one piece. You’d think that would be easy, right? WRONG! Trey soon learns that aside from dangerous creatures and threats from rival beings, there are bigger things he needs to watch out for. He also discovers that he may be getting more than he bargained for when it comes to Kricket Holloway, as he finds that she may just mean more to him than a “mission”.
Throughout the course of this book, we follow Kricket who begins to blossom as she grows into her own. The more she learns about this new world that she will now become a part of, she sees that she must become vigilant, as everything is not as it seems. She must show that she is a force to be reckoned with.
Kricket is not only coming into her own and developing her powers, she is also learning to cope with her feelings that have developed for her captor-turned-savior-turned-advisor: Trey. Talk about a SLOW. BURN. Good grief. Those too could steam up my kindle without even touching each other. Their chemistry is out of this world… LITERALLY ! See what I did there? Cause…they’re…from another…world. Other…worldly…*giggles*. Now it’s time for some lovey, heart-warming quotage:
Now, it’s not all daisies and sunshine when it comes to the romance in this book. If you’ve read Amy Bartol’s Preomonition Series, you know that she writes some great villains. The kind of villains that you’re not even sure if you love, hate, or want to take to bed just to get them out of your system. Enter: Kyon. Ah yes, he is bad to the bone from the very start, and he’s pompous, arrogant, conniving, and manipulative…and he looks damn good doing it, too. Naturally Kyon has his sights on Kricket, and he will go to any means just to have her. Not on Trey’s watch…
This book was 100% certifiably FANTASTIC. This was such an entertaining read, fast-paced, entertaining, with enough sexual tension to get your juices flowing. I find that when reading books within the Sci-fi genre, at times the plot can get lost in the world building. This was not the case with this book. The dialect, the imagery, and the characters, were all interesting and well developed. I felt transported into another realm, all while being captivated by a story that left me unable to put this book down.
Amy A. Bartol is one of those writers who tends to leave no stone unturned when it comes to creating books that stick with you long after you read them. My first thought upon finishing Under Different Stars was “Do I have time to reread this?” I was completely and utterly HOOKED. I cannot wait until the next book comes out, and we see what is in store for Kricket and the other lovable (and not so lovable) characters. With that, I’ll leave you with a final thought from my new favorite broody book boyfriend, Trey:
If you haven’t read this, you don’t know what you’re missing. There’s a whole world in here waiting for you…
5++++++ Stars!
“Kricket,” Trey says in a calm, soothing voice. “The stars here are in opposition to you…can’t you feel it? You are foreign to them. You have no ancestry here—no lineage. Let us take you home.”
This story is told through the eyes of Kricket Holloway, a 17-year-old girl who has spent her life in and out of the “system” after becoming an orphan as a young child. Her whole life she’s realized that she had certain traits that set her apart from ‘normal’ people. Despite her special abilities, she’s managed to fly under the radar undetected, while growing up in and out of foster homes within Chicago. One day she has a run-in with some men who claim to have been searching for her, and have a mission which involves returning her to the world in which she belongs…unfortunately, Kricket is neither willing, nor compliant, and is in need of further “persuation” (AKA, abduction). After playing a game of Cat & Mouse, Kricket finds herself punching a one-way ticket aboard the “Rafe-Express”, which leads to an epic journey through portals, jungles, and caves. Spelunking, anyone? Did I mention that this trip includes 3 hot, other-worldly male tour guides? Can’t leave that out!
The leader of Operation: “Retrieve Kricket” is a hunky hunk of a man by the name of Trey Allairis. He is a high-ranking military soldier who follows orders, and asks no questions. His one and only objective, is to secure his target, and return her safely to her people. This means that she is come back alive, and in one piece. You’d think that would be easy, right? WRONG! Trey soon learns that aside from dangerous creatures and threats from rival beings, there are bigger things he needs to watch out for. He also discovers that he may be getting more than he bargained for when it comes to Kricket Holloway, as he finds that she may just mean more to him than a “mission”.
Throughout the course of this book, we follow Kricket who begins to blossom as she grows into her own. The more she learns about this new world that she will now become a part of, she sees that she must become vigilant, as everything is not as it seems. She must show that she is a force to be reckoned with.
“You’re tough?” “I’m stone.” “Stone can be broken.” Tilting my head toward him, I meet his eyes. “Don’t worry about me. I’ll be fine. I’m used to holding on to nothing as tight as I can.”
“I underestimated you, Kricket,” Kyon says softly. “You’re so much more than I could have imagined.” “What?” I ask, startled by his compliment. “Having to fight all your life hasn’t made you less…it has made you more.”
Kricket is not only coming into her own and developing her powers, she is also learning to cope with her feelings that have developed for her captor-turned-savior-turned-advisor: Trey. Talk about a SLOW. BURN. Good grief. Those too could steam up my kindle without even touching each other. Their chemistry is out of this world… LITERALLY ! See what I did there? Cause…they’re…from another…world. Other…worldly…*giggles*. Now it’s time for some lovey, heart-warming quotage:
“We have to make the stars align for us now—find a way for us not to get burned for being together.”
“I’m working every angle I can think of to align those stars for you Kricket. I promise,” he admits. “I’ll find a way out of this for you.”
“You could never be a temporary situation for me, Kricket. I know that once I have you, I’ll never be able to let you go.”
“Trey, all of that is meaningless. The only thing that matters is how we feel about each other. I love you and that’s never going to change,” I promise, leaning forward and placing a gentle kiss on his cheek. “I’m yours,” I whisper, shifting my lips to the other cheek and kissing it, too. “And you’re mine,” I continue looking in his eyes, before touching my lips to his.
Now, it’s not all daisies and sunshine when it comes to the romance in this book. If you’ve read Amy Bartol’s Preomonition Series, you know that she writes some great villains. The kind of villains that you’re not even sure if you love, hate, or want to take to bed just to get them out of your system. Enter: Kyon. Ah yes, he is bad to the bone from the very start, and he’s pompous, arrogant, conniving, and manipulative…and he looks damn good doing it, too. Naturally Kyon has his sights on Kricket, and he will go to any means just to have her. Not on Trey’s watch…
“You’re so passionate and resolute. How could I possibly let you go?” Kyon is still smiling. Frowning, Trey says in a deadly tone, “I’ll make you see that letting her go is the only option available to you.”
This book was 100% certifiably FANTASTIC. This was such an entertaining read, fast-paced, entertaining, with enough sexual tension to get your juices flowing. I find that when reading books within the Sci-fi genre, at times the plot can get lost in the world building. This was not the case with this book. The dialect, the imagery, and the characters, were all interesting and well developed. I felt transported into another realm, all while being captivated by a story that left me unable to put this book down.
Amy A. Bartol is one of those writers who tends to leave no stone unturned when it comes to creating books that stick with you long after you read them. My first thought upon finishing Under Different Stars was “Do I have time to reread this?” I was completely and utterly HOOKED. I cannot wait until the next book comes out, and we see what is in store for Kricket and the other lovable (and not so lovable) characters. With that, I’ll leave you with a final thought from my new favorite broody book boyfriend, Trey:
“They won’t keep us apart, Kricket,” he promises. “We won’t let them.”
If you haven’t read this, you don’t know what you’re missing. There’s a whole world in here waiting for you…
5++++++ Stars!
August 26, 2020
Personal Note
This is my first ever officiall re-read. I only decided to re-read this book because I had originally bought it and read it nearly four years ago, and shortly after bought the sequels and then forgotten about continuing the series. In the wake of covid and self quarantine, it’s become difficult for me to start new series, because I only own the first instalment, and if I like it, then I have to wait for shipment and delivery, because I’m a book hoarder that prefers to own physical copies of books that I like instead of just doing the sane thing and reading an e-book. Hence, this odd re-read. I now feel like I’ve backed myself into a corner by doing this re-read and therefore I absolutely have to read and finish this trilogy now so I don’t ever have to do it again.
Review
Under Different Stars is an entertaining and engaging young adult science fiction space opera romance. It’s not very original or especially ambitious, and relies on a lot of retired tropes.
I liked the protagonist, Kricket, well enough. She was sassy, witty, and sarcastic, but she’s a survivor too. Her character still fell prey to a lot of early 2010’s tropes like “oh no too many men want me” or “destiny depends on whether or not my hymen is intact” and “I’m super beautiful but I don’t know it” which were unappealing characteristics. The side characters of Jax and Wayra were cool, but felt a lot like slightly different versions of the the exact same person. The love interest, Trey, was fine if I’m being nice, and unbearable if I’m in a really bad mood. He just didn’t stand out in anyway, and could’ve been a character a robot created from reading about everyone’s favourite book boyfriends and smooshing all of their “best” traits together before stripping him down to the essentials. The villain, Kyon, was arguably the most interesting of the whole cast. He was devious and undoubtedly wicked, but usually correct. His motivations and obsession with the protagonist made him intriguing.
The romance really fell flat for me, and I disliked it. I find it bland, passionless, lacking chemistry, rushed, and a little cheap feeling. It seemed like the author pushed the two characters together more because she wanted them to be, and less because it actually made sense or worked within the context of the finished product. It turns out that I’m in the minority on this one. Most people seem to love these two together. However, if you’re like me, and cannot stand insta-love romance for the life of you, then you’ll understand why I thought this particular romance wasn’t very good. They fall in love within a few days, then spend weeks barely interacting, and then they’re all in and completely in love? Yeah, no, that’s a hard pass.
I really appreciated the effort put into the world building, but it was hit and miss. I liked how the author adjusted the planet to feel like earth enough for it to be familiar, but made it different enough to remind you that it was not. Things I liked were how the gravity and size of the planet made everything grow slightly larger, even the humans, hence why Kricket at 5’10 was considered quite small. I also really liked the cool and sleek advanced tech, mixed with some medieval and Greek period inspirations. I also enjoyed the cultures and history and how you learn so much about it all without any info dumps. However, the entire planet being misogynistic was completely unnecessary. The slang was incredibly cringeworthy. I understand that obviously they’d have different slang then humans, because they’re on a completely different planet, so it only makes sense. It was just so so so cringy! It rolled off the tongue all wrong and gave me second hand embarrassment. Some of their titles and words were swapped out for different made up words, which once again makes sense, but sometimes it was a bit hard to follow, and combined with the slang, made a lot of the dialogue stilted, odd, and unnatural. Especially when it was coming from Trey for some reason.
Overall, the book is a good one to pick up if you’re just looking for something easy and fun to read. If you appreciate it on a surface level, it’s quite enjoyable. But as soon as you start posing morale dilemmas or questioning the logic, the story starts to fall apart. It’s a chill and entertaining read.
This is my first ever officiall re-read. I only decided to re-read this book because I had originally bought it and read it nearly four years ago, and shortly after bought the sequels and then forgotten about continuing the series. In the wake of covid and self quarantine, it’s become difficult for me to start new series, because I only own the first instalment, and if I like it, then I have to wait for shipment and delivery, because I’m a book hoarder that prefers to own physical copies of books that I like instead of just doing the sane thing and reading an e-book. Hence, this odd re-read. I now feel like I’ve backed myself into a corner by doing this re-read and therefore I absolutely have to read and finish this trilogy now so I don’t ever have to do it again.
Review
Under Different Stars is an entertaining and engaging young adult science fiction space opera romance. It’s not very original or especially ambitious, and relies on a lot of retired tropes.
I liked the protagonist, Kricket, well enough. She was sassy, witty, and sarcastic, but she’s a survivor too. Her character still fell prey to a lot of early 2010’s tropes like “oh no too many men want me” or “destiny depends on whether or not my hymen is intact” and “I’m super beautiful but I don’t know it” which were unappealing characteristics. The side characters of Jax and Wayra were cool, but felt a lot like slightly different versions of the the exact same person. The love interest, Trey, was fine if I’m being nice, and unbearable if I’m in a really bad mood. He just didn’t stand out in anyway, and could’ve been a character a robot created from reading about everyone’s favourite book boyfriends and smooshing all of their “best” traits together before stripping him down to the essentials. The villain, Kyon, was arguably the most interesting of the whole cast. He was devious and undoubtedly wicked, but usually correct. His motivations and obsession with the protagonist made him intriguing.
The romance really fell flat for me, and I disliked it. I find it bland, passionless, lacking chemistry, rushed, and a little cheap feeling. It seemed like the author pushed the two characters together more because she wanted them to be, and less because it actually made sense or worked within the context of the finished product. It turns out that I’m in the minority on this one. Most people seem to love these two together. However, if you’re like me, and cannot stand insta-love romance for the life of you, then you’ll understand why I thought this particular romance wasn’t very good. They fall in love within a few days, then spend weeks barely interacting, and then they’re all in and completely in love? Yeah, no, that’s a hard pass.
I really appreciated the effort put into the world building, but it was hit and miss. I liked how the author adjusted the planet to feel like earth enough for it to be familiar, but made it different enough to remind you that it was not. Things I liked were how the gravity and size of the planet made everything grow slightly larger, even the humans, hence why Kricket at 5’10 was considered quite small. I also really liked the cool and sleek advanced tech, mixed with some medieval and Greek period inspirations. I also enjoyed the cultures and history and how you learn so much about it all without any info dumps. However, the entire planet being misogynistic was completely unnecessary. The slang was incredibly cringeworthy. I understand that obviously they’d have different slang then humans, because they’re on a completely different planet, so it only makes sense. It was just so so so cringy! It rolled off the tongue all wrong and gave me second hand embarrassment. Some of their titles and words were swapped out for different made up words, which once again makes sense, but sometimes it was a bit hard to follow, and combined with the slang, made a lot of the dialogue stilted, odd, and unnatural. Especially when it was coming from Trey for some reason.
Overall, the book is a good one to pick up if you’re just looking for something easy and fun to read. If you appreciate it on a surface level, it’s quite enjoyable. But as soon as you start posing morale dilemmas or questioning the logic, the story starts to fall apart. It’s a chill and entertaining read.
December 28, 2013
I was very hesitant to read this book for two reasons –
1. I was sort of mad at Amy for writing this one before Iniquity. I am a big Premonition fan – it is one of my absolute favorite series, I just could not understand why write THIS BOOK, when Iniquity was supposed to be finished a while ago.
2. I don’t like to wait – I am impatient, and want to fully enjoy a series one book right after the other. I did not want to get sucked into another series that I would have to WAIT to see what happens next. It is rare I start a series when only book one is out.
Despite my hesitations, I decided to take the risk because I love the way Amy writes. Let me tell you – the decision to read this was the best decision I have made in new book choices lately. Probably by 15% in, I was already sucked in and did not want to stop. Yes…..I did stay up til 4 AM last night to read after the family went to go to bed to only get to 60%....and despite being tired I decided that finishing the book today was much more important than a nap or doing chores around the house….so of course I had to finish it! Well, well worth the read, and yes I will be re-reading it every time before the next one comes out. I became more than sucked in…..it was more like obsessed. After reading this, I did finally decide to forgive Amy for putting a delay on Iniquity….this book was well worth the read to explore another world and characters. Heck, you gotta have something else to get excited about with Premonition coming closer to an end. Here are a few reasons why this book is one of my favorites!!
Kricket, the female heroine has a damaged past, but it has only made her a stronger person that never wants to give up and fights for herself. Despite her damaged past, she is clever, witty, and has a magnetic personality. I like that in this story Kricket does not have the typical love at first site. Not only has she never experienced love, but the love that makes her complete has to be earned by what she needs, but tries to deny the most – protection and also respect. Kricket is definitely my favorite type of female character, tough and courageous. Her ninja skills are not quite up to par, but she has many compensating factors…..yet, but I think it is only a matter of time.
I don’t want to give any spoilers for this one, but let’s say, that I definitely have a new favorite book boyfriend to add to the top of the list. The chase and the tension that builds and grows over the course of their journey to Ethar is beautiful, romantic, and irresistible. There were quite a few quotes from that I was tempted to put in this review…that just made me melt! I also love the new friendships that Kricket makes on her journey, and the respect and love that she earns from others along the way. Amy has an ease to her writing and a way with words where she does an excellent job in making Ethar appear unique but normal. You are easily transported behind the eyes of Kricket to Ethar and feel instantly at home in the new universe despite the learning curve of new lingo and Etharian terms. This book includes quality and admirable characters, full of action and suspense, creative and well thought out story line, and a passionate romance that starts with a spark and burns you to the core by the end of the book. The downside? It left me sad that it was over, but eager and desperate for more…..glad it is a series….but hope the wait it not too long! Well done, and great job Amy Bartol!
Like this review or want to discuss? Visit us and see more book reviews @booksbeyondtheend.com
1. I was sort of mad at Amy for writing this one before Iniquity. I am a big Premonition fan – it is one of my absolute favorite series, I just could not understand why write THIS BOOK, when Iniquity was supposed to be finished a while ago.
2. I don’t like to wait – I am impatient, and want to fully enjoy a series one book right after the other. I did not want to get sucked into another series that I would have to WAIT to see what happens next. It is rare I start a series when only book one is out.
Despite my hesitations, I decided to take the risk because I love the way Amy writes. Let me tell you – the decision to read this was the best decision I have made in new book choices lately. Probably by 15% in, I was already sucked in and did not want to stop. Yes…..I did stay up til 4 AM last night to read after the family went to go to bed to only get to 60%....and despite being tired I decided that finishing the book today was much more important than a nap or doing chores around the house….so of course I had to finish it! Well, well worth the read, and yes I will be re-reading it every time before the next one comes out. I became more than sucked in…..it was more like obsessed. After reading this, I did finally decide to forgive Amy for putting a delay on Iniquity….this book was well worth the read to explore another world and characters. Heck, you gotta have something else to get excited about with Premonition coming closer to an end. Here are a few reasons why this book is one of my favorites!!
Kricket, the female heroine has a damaged past, but it has only made her a stronger person that never wants to give up and fights for herself. Despite her damaged past, she is clever, witty, and has a magnetic personality. I like that in this story Kricket does not have the typical love at first site. Not only has she never experienced love, but the love that makes her complete has to be earned by what she needs, but tries to deny the most – protection and also respect. Kricket is definitely my favorite type of female character, tough and courageous. Her ninja skills are not quite up to par, but she has many compensating factors…..yet, but I think it is only a matter of time.
I don’t want to give any spoilers for this one, but let’s say, that I definitely have a new favorite book boyfriend to add to the top of the list. The chase and the tension that builds and grows over the course of their journey to Ethar is beautiful, romantic, and irresistible. There were quite a few quotes from that I was tempted to put in this review…that just made me melt! I also love the new friendships that Kricket makes on her journey, and the respect and love that she earns from others along the way. Amy has an ease to her writing and a way with words where she does an excellent job in making Ethar appear unique but normal. You are easily transported behind the eyes of Kricket to Ethar and feel instantly at home in the new universe despite the learning curve of new lingo and Etharian terms. This book includes quality and admirable characters, full of action and suspense, creative and well thought out story line, and a passionate romance that starts with a spark and burns you to the core by the end of the book. The downside? It left me sad that it was over, but eager and desperate for more…..glad it is a series….but hope the wait it not too long! Well done, and great job Amy Bartol!
Like this review or want to discuss? Visit us and see more book reviews @booksbeyondtheend.com
June 7, 2023
Definitely enjoyed this reread. I honestly didn't remember much this time around and I thoroughly enjoyed that. Will have to find some time to dive back into book 2. I'm intrigued to see if my opinions will stay the same or if they will change. Mostly because it has been a handful of years since I first read this trilogy.
_______________________
UGH!
I loved everything about this book.
I've seen this book pop on my recommendation list for my Kindle for like ever.. and I'm kind of shocked that I FINALLY took a chance on it. I'm freaking hooked guys and I was not prepared to feel these god damns feelings at all.
I loved Kricket.
I loved Trey.
I fucking shipped the fucking shit out of those two. Throw in Kyon and I'm rooting even more for those two - screw Kyon.
I wish I could be friends with someone like Kricket, well .. no. I'd like to be best friends with the actual Kricket. I'm be in the background forever cheering and shipping her and Trey together. Whooping when necessary and throwing rice or something whenever they had a moment of romance.
I'm so glad that I have the second and third book on my Kindle already because I can't wait to dive into them!
_______________________
UGH!
I loved everything about this book.
I've seen this book pop on my recommendation list for my Kindle for like ever.. and I'm kind of shocked that I FINALLY took a chance on it. I'm freaking hooked guys and I was not prepared to feel these god damns feelings at all.
I loved Kricket.
I loved Trey.
I fucking shipped the fucking shit out of those two. Throw in Kyon and I'm rooting even more for those two - screw Kyon.
I wish I could be friends with someone like Kricket, well .. no. I'd like to be best friends with the actual Kricket. I'm be in the background forever cheering and shipping her and Trey together. Whooping when necessary and throwing rice or something whenever they had a moment of romance.
I'm so glad that I have the second and third book on my Kindle already because I can't wait to dive into them!
December 12, 2014
This genre is not something I read a lot of which is bizarre because I love watching movies and shows with a sci fi theme but throw a book into the mix and more often than not, I won't even give it a second glance.
But when this showed up on my doorstep and I saw the gorgeous cover and the blurb, I knew I was making one of my rare exceptions and giving it a chance. Yes I can be petty and shallow like that.
But oh goodness how this story completely captured my attention and held it. I was completely under the author's spell and fascinated with the world and people she had created.
I loved feisty headstrong Kricket from the word hello and that love just grew as her character and story evolved.
Trey was just as fabulous, and Jax and Wayra stole the show. There is something to be said about secondary characters that you want to know and love every bit as much as the main characters.
I seriously went into this expecting nothing and getting so very much in return. I loved it and can't wait for book two to be out. I know there are so many more adventured for Trey, Kricket, Jax, and Wayra and I can't wait to take the journey with them.
But when this showed up on my doorstep and I saw the gorgeous cover and the blurb, I knew I was making one of my rare exceptions and giving it a chance. Yes I can be petty and shallow like that.
But oh goodness how this story completely captured my attention and held it. I was completely under the author's spell and fascinated with the world and people she had created.
I loved feisty headstrong Kricket from the word hello and that love just grew as her character and story evolved.
Trey was just as fabulous, and Jax and Wayra stole the show. There is something to be said about secondary characters that you want to know and love every bit as much as the main characters.
I seriously went into this expecting nothing and getting so very much in return. I loved it and can't wait for book two to be out. I know there are so many more adventured for Trey, Kricket, Jax, and Wayra and I can't wait to take the journey with them.
August 13, 2015
4 STARS
Ooh boy, where do I even begin? UNDER DIFFERENT STARS was a thrilling ride that I absolutely loved! I REALLY enjoyed UNDER DIFFERENT STARS, a lot! I was hooked from the very beginning and loved the pacing of this book. I never found myself bored or wanting to put it down for something else. I always wanted to keep reading when I knew it was time to do something else. I enjoyed the characters and their sharp personalities, and the obstacles they faced. The villains were chilling enough to make me want to hate them, yet intriguing enough that I wanted to see what would happen if they got the upper hand. The world-building was fascinating! I thought the idea of a different planet on the verge of war all fighting to all claim the same girl with extraordinary gifts, beyond thrilling and totally engaging! The romance was right up my alley too. I'm a sucker for a good love/hate romance, with a thrilling adventure to push them together, to be nothing short of romantic. Yeah, I know, I'm weird like that...lol! But I know some people found this book too be lacking, but not me, not one bit!
I loved Kricket to pieces. Even though she was a little too perfect, her fierce personality and strong demeanor won me over her perfectness. She looked like a barbie doll but with violet eyes. All the guys loved her and swooned over her, and wanted to become her consort (husband). But like I said, her attitude is quick-witted and fierce, and was enough to make me love her regardless of the flaws, or should I say flaw-less traits. She doesn't notice her flawless beauty, or thinks she's better then anyone, or anything like that. Plus I don't usually read books with flawless charters, so it was a nice change to my normal flawed characters.
Her love interest Trey was definitely hot, and I found myself swooning over him from time to time. There was a lot of guys rallying for Kricket's heart, but Trey couldn't official be one of those guys, because he was ranked at lower royalty. So he pretty much wasn't on Kricket's level. But that didn't matter to either of them, they loved each other and towards the end were ready to fight for each other. Trey was very protective of Kricket, a protectiveness that went above and beyond his duties as just being her guard. I could see he generally loved her, even if in the beginning he didn't want to admit it to himself or to her.
THE PLOT
Kricket has lived her life on the run from police, social workers, foster families, and everyone else determined to tame her. She's had her fair share of pain and abandonment since her parents died, and was forced to endure numerous horrific foster families. But Kricket has finally had enough and is on the run waiting out the last month until she becomes of age and can finally take care of herself, without having to look over her shoulder. But unfortunately, for Kricket, that never happens, because just when she thinks her life can't get anymore complicated then it is, she's kidnapped and taken under different stars...
Kricket's always known she was different. Her eyes are violet, her hair grows back after it's cut, and she can tell when someones not being truthful. She knows it, but still she tries to blend in and only wants to turn eighteen so she can be responsible for her own self. But a month before her eighteenth birthday, three guys resembling herself with violet eyes track her down claiming they're taking her "home" to pay for her "crimes". A home she knows nothing about, a place even more controlling then the home she has now. A home that's a whole new world, under different stars...
After being kidnapped from earth and forced to the planet Ethar, Kricket is dragged through harsh lands to make it to the capital of Skye City, where she is to be tried for her "Crimes", crimes she knows nothing about. But once she arrives, she's swept into conspires after conspires, as two house (territories) battle for possession of her, a battle she has no say in, a battle that she cannot win, because either way the outcome is the same: She will be controlled, she will be used, and she will be helpless, one way or another, unless she finds another way to beat them all at their own game...
But through it all, she only finds solace in the hands of Trey, her kidnapper. Where he has been the only one to break through the heart of stone she has formed, and strait to the inner core of her being, and has become the one thing she desires above all else. But first she will have to fight to gain control over herself, and ward off the many men trying to claim her, and tame her.
I can't really think of anything that I didn't enjoy, because the entire time I was glued to the pages and couldn't get enough. Amy A. Bartol has gone on my list of new favorite authors of 2015! I'm definitely eager to see what else she brings us, and curious about her first series!
Overall, UNDER DIFFERENT STARS was a fantastic book that I absolutely adored. With no obvious reservations about it, and a plot that is addicting and thrilling, and a romance that captured my heart and has me eager for more! I can't wait to continuing this series and see how it all ends! If this review has you intrigued, then I think it's definitely worth a shot, because I was not disappointed one bit!
BRING ON BOOK TWO!!!
August 12, 2018
Actual rating 2.5 stars.
I don't know... the jury is still out.
I am moving on to the next installment.
I don't know... the jury is still out.
I am moving on to the next installment.
April 2, 2015
This is one of those cases where bloggers and reviews really do help sell books because if I hadn't seen some of my blogger friends gushing about this novel, I might never have picked it up otherwise. And I would have been missing out on a fabulous sci-fi story rife with political intrigue, romance, and some serious ass-kicking.
I listened to the audio, performed by Kate Rudd, and I found it impossible to stop listening once I really started it. I downloaded the audio before I left on vacation and only got a taste of it before I put it aside, but it was already pretty amazing at that point, and the whole time I was away from it, I wanted to get back to it. So, on Sunday, while I was doing all of the laundry from vacation, I put the audiobook on and never looked back. It made an otherwise hellish chore actually quite enjoyable.
I loved Trey's stoicism, Kricket's unflappableness (if that's not a word, I'm making it one), and all of the other characters who seemed larger than life in this novel. This story was as unpredictable as it was intense, and I loved every second of it. I can't wait to read more of Kricket's adventures on Ethar when the sequel released later this month!
I listened to the audio, performed by Kate Rudd, and I found it impossible to stop listening once I really started it. I downloaded the audio before I left on vacation and only got a taste of it before I put it aside, but it was already pretty amazing at that point, and the whole time I was away from it, I wanted to get back to it. So, on Sunday, while I was doing all of the laundry from vacation, I put the audiobook on and never looked back. It made an otherwise hellish chore actually quite enjoyable.
I loved Trey's stoicism, Kricket's unflappableness (if that's not a word, I'm making it one), and all of the other characters who seemed larger than life in this novel. This story was as unpredictable as it was intense, and I loved every second of it. I can't wait to read more of Kricket's adventures on Ethar when the sequel released later this month!
April 24, 2015
Started off a little slow for me at the beginning but as soon as the story progressed it took off with a whoosh and I was catapulted right into it.
Under Different Stars is a story about Kricket Hollowell. She might seem like an average young woman but there is nothing average about her. You see, Kricket has lived it a little rough, going in and out of the foster care system, from one family to the next, never really knowing her parents. She basically is waiting until the moment she turns eighteen, so she no longer is a ward of the state. But, the universe literally has other things in mind for her. Stalked by a couple of groups of men, one led by Trey Allairas - Yes please if I may dabble with this tall drip of honey - and the other by Kyon Ensin - A big knob knocker who I think is going to surprise me a little in book 2, but still a knob knocker, Kricket is instantly propelled into a world she knew nothing of. I had a hard time though, believing that she never really questioned the fact that she is alien and not of this earth. I mean, come on. She really handled herself like a pro, which I admired, but she just blatantly accepted what they were telling her as the truth, and because of her special gifts, she didn't doubt them for a minute. This is why I dropped a star in my ratings. A little too accepting and less questioning about her heritage.
Anyways, the story just kicks off once she is taken from Earth to Ethar and from that point on, I could not put it down. I really loved Kricket's ability to talk her way out of anything with so much cheek and gusto. She's one independent gal who is brave and unafraid to push the boundaries. Just the way I like characters to be i.e. unapologetic and unwavering.
On to the next book for me, even though the ending was a nice little cliffhanger, I'm really wanting to know what's next for Kricket, Trey and Kyon, because if it's anything like what I've read so far, than I'm in for a wild and adventurous ride.
Under Different Stars is a story about Kricket Hollowell. She might seem like an average young woman but there is nothing average about her. You see, Kricket has lived it a little rough, going in and out of the foster care system, from one family to the next, never really knowing her parents. She basically is waiting until the moment she turns eighteen, so she no longer is a ward of the state. But, the universe literally has other things in mind for her. Stalked by a couple of groups of men, one led by Trey Allairas - Yes please if I may dabble with this tall drip of honey - and the other by Kyon Ensin - A big knob knocker who I think is going to surprise me a little in book 2, but still a knob knocker, Kricket is instantly propelled into a world she knew nothing of. I had a hard time though, believing that she never really questioned the fact that she is alien and not of this earth. I mean, come on. She really handled herself like a pro, which I admired, but she just blatantly accepted what they were telling her as the truth, and because of her special gifts, she didn't doubt them for a minute. This is why I dropped a star in my ratings. A little too accepting and less questioning about her heritage.
Anyways, the story just kicks off once she is taken from Earth to Ethar and from that point on, I could not put it down. I really loved Kricket's ability to talk her way out of anything with so much cheek and gusto. She's one independent gal who is brave and unafraid to push the boundaries. Just the way I like characters to be i.e. unapologetic and unwavering.
On to the next book for me, even though the ending was a nice little cliffhanger, I'm really wanting to know what's next for Kricket, Trey and Kyon, because if it's anything like what I've read so far, than I'm in for a wild and adventurous ride.
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