Favorite YA Read of 2013: Review and Giveaway of These Broken Stars by Meagan Spooner and Amie Kaufman

Goodreads Description: It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone.

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, making a tortuous journey across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help.

Then, against all odds, Lilac and Tarver find a strange blessing in the tragedy that has thrown them into each other’s arms. Without the hope of a future together in their own world, they begin to wonder—would they be better off staying here forever?

Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

--

A timeless love story, THESE BROKEN STARS sets into motion a sweeping science fiction series of companion novels. The Starbound Trilogy: Three worlds. Three love stories. One enemy.

My Review: I won a copy of this ARC from Disney Publishers, and I haven't gotten a chance to read it until now. What a mistake. This is by far my favorite YA read from 2013.

These Broken Stars, written by the duo Amie Kaufman and Meagan Spooner, takes us to space aboard a massive luxury ship, similar to the Titanic. We immediately meet our two main characters-- Tarver, a solider, and Lilac, the daughter of the richest and most powerful man in the universe. Right away, something happens to the ship, and the two of them are stranded on a deserted planet left to forage and survive on their own without help. Slowly, something happens between them, beautiful and fragile. And in the end, Tarver and Lilac will have to make the difficult decision of giving up the wonderful peace they've found with each other to find their way back to civilization.

Any plot synopsis won't do this book justice. The way Lilac and Tarver interact is perfect. The prose is gorgeous. The world building is immense and believable. And I even went along with the science, because it's clear that these two authors have done their homework. Just fantastic. I can go on and on about the lush description, the pitch perfect characterization, and the most successfully done dual POV I have seen maybe ever in YA. I actually wonder if each voice was written by a different author, because the two voices are very unique, and I never wondered whose perspective I was in. Each scene is deliberate, ramping up the tension and the stakes, and ultimately, having us care about these two characters so much that one heart wrenching plot twist is entirely a shock to the system. I had to sit stunned for a day before I could continue, and then devoured the pages until the end to see what happened.

Overall, this book is a gem. I can't think of a single criticism, and my inner writer is salivating with jealousy. I can't say enough how people must read this book immediately. It's beautifully written, described, and characterized with perfect pacing. My favorite YA read of the past year, and I'll be waiting impatiently until I can get my hands on the next installment.

And now, the moment you've all been waiting for! Enter the giveaway to enter an ARC of These Broken Stars, Hardback copy of These Broken Stars signed by Meagan Spooner (but addressed to me, sorry!) and a sticker with Amie Kaufman's signature, or $5 Amazon GC if winner is INT!
 
a Rafflecopter giveaway