Sunday, April 22, 2012

"S" is for STARTERS - GIVEAWAY, REVIEW & INTERVIEW w/ AUTHOR LISSA PRICE

- Blogging From A to Z Giveaway - Win A $20 Amazon Gift Cerificate

 
STARTERS
Lissa Price
Delacorte
352 pp.
Ages 12 & Up

In the future, teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. One girl discovers her renter plans to do more than party--her body will commit murder, if her mind can't stop it. Sixteen-year-old Callie lost her parents when the genocide spore wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first--the very young and very old. With no grandparents to claim Callie and her little brother, they go on the run, living as squatters, and fighting off unclaimed renegades who would kill for a cookie. Hope comes via Prime Destinations, run by a mysterious figure known only as The Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to seniors, known as enders, who get to be young again. Callie's neurochip malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her rich renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, even dating Blake, the grandson of a senator. It's a fairy-tale new life . . . until she uncovers the Body Bank's horrible plan. . . .

Kami Garcia, coauthor of the New York Times bestselling Beautiful Creatures novels said “Fans of The Hunger Games will love it.”

I had the pleasure of meeting Lissa Price at her launch party in Pasadena last month. I picked up an extra signed copy of STARTERS to giveaway when the time was right - which is now. To be eligible for the drawing, please fill out the rafflecopter form at the end of this post. In the meantime, Lissa has graciously taken some time out of her very busy schedule for a interview. After that, be sure to watch the chilling STARTERS book trailer, and then last but not least, my review. Take it away, Lissa!



1. Tell us about STARTERS in one sentence.

In the future, desperate teens rent out their bodies to seniors, so they can be young again temporarily.
2. What inspired you to write this story? 
I went to get a flu shot and there was a shortage. Only the very young, the very old and the infirm could get one. I thought it would be really bad if it turned out to be a killer flu. Then I realized that I had an imaginary future landscape that was ripe for a dynamic story.
3. What was your favorite book when you were young?
THE HOBBIT.
4. What do you enjoy reading now? 
YA dystopians, and YA science fiction: ACROSS THE UNIVERSE, INCARCERON were two I especially loved. On my TBR pile: (out of many) CINDER and WHAT'S LEFT OF ME (not out yet).
5. What's next for you?  
I have two e-shorts to write that are set in the world of STARTERS. I'm very excited about the next one. At www.startersbooks.com you can see when they are coming out.


MY REVIEW:
I had this book on my TBR months before it was released in March. It definitely lived up to my expectations. STARTERS is an intense dystopian thriller set in a post-war society where the only survivors are the young and the very, very old. I felt comfortable with Callie, the protagonist, right from the start. She is likeable and real. She loves her brother and will do anything for him, including rent out her body to an Ender. The trouble starts when she "wakes up" before the rental is over and discovers that her renter is using her body to plot an assassination.

As the story progresses, the plot twists get tighter and the stakes get higher. The Old Man is by far the creepiest bad guy I've ever seen in a YA novel. Lissa Price struck gold with STARTERS and leaves you hungry for more. Luckily, the sequel ENDERS is due out at the end of the year, so we won't have long to wait to find out how it all ends.

I highly recommend this book. It kept my attention from page one all the way to the very last sentence. And even though it is YA, there is nothing in it that I found inappropriate for a slightly younger audience. My 11-year-old snatched it out of my hands the moment I closed the cover. He couldn't wait to read it.

I give STARTERS an enthusiastic:

5 STARS!!!
Violence:  Moderate
Profanity: None
Sex: None

GIVEAWAY TIME!!!

I have a signed copy of STARTERS to give away to (1) lucky winner! Since this book is so unique, so compelling (and I paid for it out of my own pocket!) to be eligible to win you need to complete the rafflecopter form below. All I ask is that you follow this blog. However, you can earn extra entries by liking me on Facebook, friending me on Goodreads, following me on  Twitter, and leaving a comment.

This giveaway will end on May 5th.


a Rafflecopter giveaway

27 comments:

  1. I liked most of the movie except the shaky camera and the fact that you couldnt tell that the mutts were the fallen tributes

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  2. Sadly, I haven't seen the Hunger Games movie yet. I want to, though! I loved the books.

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  3. I loved the movie but wish it was even more intense, like the book.

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  4. I saw HG for the midnight showing. I truly loved it. Of course the books will always be better, but as far as movies from book adaptations go, I think this is one of the best I have seen in a long time. They did a really good job at preserving all the key points and the tiny changes they made were understandable. I give it two thumbs up. LOL

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  5. Loved the HG movie. I think it is one of the better film adaptations of a GREAT book. J Law rocked it and Rue was beautiful and perfect. Can't wait to see what they do for Catching Fire!

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  6. Thanks for the giveaway! I loved the Hunger Games movie! I think they did an excellent job with the adaptation. :)

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  7. I have not seen the HG yet, haven't had time, unbelievably. I will probably see it in the next two weeks.

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  8. I have not yet had a chance to see the movie, but my brother had just finished the book while waiting in line for the movie; and he was super disappointed with a barely there connection the movie had to the book. So I don't know, I plan on seeing the movie first as to not disappoint myself between the two. Thanks for the giveaway! :D

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  9. I like how it met my expectations beautifully. The main characters are really great in portraying them, and i`m sure that those who haven`t read it before had their hearts broken by how brutal humanity could be.

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  10. I have not seen it yet, I want to read the book first.

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  11. Seen it! I loved everything!!! Except maybe Cinna. I didn't really see Lenny Kravitz as Cinna all that much. The beginning was really dizzying, but other than that the movie was epic! Saw it twice already. Thanks for the awesome giveaway :)

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  12. Yes, I saw the Hunger Games movie a few weeks ago, and it was AMAZING! There were very few difference from the book to the film, but it was still easy to follow along. I can't wait for Catching Fire!

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  13. I saw it the weekend came out I think they did a pretty good job with it I just wished they kept the ending a little more similar to the end of the book!

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  14. I loved the movie! I think that my favorite part was just that Jennifer Lawrence did a fantastic job as Katniss. Just wonderful acting by her, expecially during the reaping scene. I love the book too. Thanks for the chance to win Starters!

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  15. I haven't actually seen it yet! I've heard it's amazing and can't wait till I do get the opportunity. :)

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  17. I went and saw it a couple of days after it came out :) I think they did a pretty good job with most of it, but I think that they portrayed Katniss badly. She was too weak compared to in the book for me. And the romance was awkward. So I wasn't a huge fan of it.

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  18. I thought they did a very good job with it. But if I think about it too long, I'm very disturbed by the underlying concept that is targeted at youth.

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  19. I haven't seen the Hunger Games - i like to read the books first

    catherine0807 at hotmail dot com

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  20. I haven't seen the movie or read the book. I plan to, I just haven't gotten around to either yet.

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  21. Haven't watched the movie yet cause no one would go with me T_T

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  22. I have just finished the book and want to see the movie soon!

    kimberlybreid at hotmail dot com

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  23. Saw it and loved it! I was really pleasantly surprised at how good Jennifer Laurence was, even though I felt she was a poor casting choice before seeing the movie. Can't wait to see the second one!

    Thanks for the giveaway!
    Leanne

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  24. I really liked the movie. It was very good and cleverly made, but even though it satisfied me, it could have been a whole lot better if they didn't focus on the beginning so much.

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  25. I'm going next week to see it since I barely finished the books. But if the movie is as good as the book are then I'm pretty sure I'll love it.

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  26. It was a super long movie, but I really enjoyed it so I can't complain much.

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