Review & Giveaway: Broken Skies by Theresa Kay

Series: Broken Skies #1Release date: March 2014Self-Published
https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/20764638-broken-skies
BOOK DESCRIPTION:Thirty years ago, there was the Collapse. A massive war fought with biological weapons and followed by plague. Almost everyone died.
Ten years ago, the aliens showed up. They made one of our cities their own and that's where they stay, for the most part anyway.
One year ago, I killed two men and went a little crazy.
Today, the aliens took my brother and I will do whatever it takes to get him back even if it means partnering up with the enemy, an alien boy who makes me think things I shouldn't and makes me feel things I don’t understand.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR

The only person she knows who had a subscription to Writer's Digest at eleven and was always excited to write research papers, Theresa has been putting words to paper since a young age. She writes predominantly in the sci-fi and urban fantasy genres. Residing in central Virginia, she juggles two kids, a husband and a full-time job in addition to her writing and in her free time she reads almost anything she can get her hands on.

http://www.theresakay.com/ | facebook.com/TheresaKayAuthor 

This book was beyond amazing. Perfect combination of dystopian and science fiction that will appeal to fans of young adult novels. I just couldn't get enough of it. I never wanted to stop reading it. It was that good and I was really sad when it was over.

The story line was addictive, it sucked me in Jax's world from the first page, Loving her was really easy, although she was stubborn sometimes and driving me crazy, but I connected with her character instantly.

The book was written from Jax's POV and I think her character was really well developed. However, the focus was primary on her inner feelings and experiencing the outside world, she was a great narrator, but I wished we could have gotten a few chapters written from Lir's POV. I had a feeling like I didn't get to know him completely. And I wanted to. *wink* That's my only complain, otherwise I loved everything about Broken Skies.

So the story is set on Earth: it has been 30 years since the Collapse in which biological weapon killed over ninety percent of the world's population. Our MC Jax lives with her twin brother Jace inside the protective walls of Bridgelake, the largest in the remaining human settlement, under supervision of their tyrant's leader Dane until she turns 18 and gets Promised. 

What she didn't suspect was how valuable asset to their leader in the coming war between humans and aliens she actually was. When her brother was kidnapped by aliens she was determined to get him back at any price, even if it meant traveling with an unknown alien boy. He was her only hope in finding Jace and she was his only hope in surviving outside aliens city. From that moment their destinies intertwined, from bigotry to friendship, from friendship to love. 

However, the main focus of Broken Skies wasn't their love story. I loved how they slowly build the trust and how Lir became Jax's shelter. She was strong heroine with strong survival skills, sometimes stubborn and oblivious to things going on, since she was too focused on her inner world and shutting everyone out. 

Beautiful and broken girl, traumatic past events marked her forever, bringing her panic attack and everyday nightmares. After everything she went through, she was strong enough to keep fighting and I admired her for that. I wish I were like her. 

You are funny and intelligent. Your strength and loyalty is like nothing I’ve ever seen. Even when everything is going wrong, you find some way to surprise me. Through all of this you’ve held yourself together under stresses I cannot even imagine, even when I was the problem you just kept going. And after the way I acted, you cried on me, leaned on me, trusted me…” He trails off, gently shaking his head. 

Lir was a really nice alien, sometimes confusing and mysterious, I had a hard time figuring him out. 

Was he a good or a bad guy? 

He kept a lot of secrets and at the end his betrayal left me speechless. I still don't know what to think about him. But I have a feeling there is a lot of things that still need to be unraveled. 

Yes, the story ended with a cliffhanger and I need the sequel, like right now. 

To sum it up: this was a really entertaining story, with interesting characters, one amazing alien, that is also a great boyfriend material, spiced with some shocking discoveries, intrigues, betrayal, cool abilities like telepathy, a lot of adventures…I could go on and on, but you get the point. You want to read this first book in this amazing series. 

This is a clean YA Dystopian novel without inappropriate scenes, well except maybe some couple of killing scenes, but nothing too graphic. 

I enjoyed it a lot and I bought another Theresa Kay's book. I'm sure it's gonna be awesome too. 

Favorite quotes: 

I tilt my head into the doorway. “Don’t run off. There are bears.” Lir’s chuckle follows me back out and my cheeks heat. That must have sounded incredibly stupid. 

Lir doesn’t say anything, he just trails his eyes down my arm and up to my finger until his gaze is twisted up. Crap. I’m touching him again… Right after I told him not to touch me. What is wrong with me? 

I hold myself together though, barely. Stand. Smile. Wave. Walk. Flint leads me back down the steps. Once we’re through the crowd and out of sight, huddled in a dark corner behind the library, I turn on my heel and send my fist toward his nose. 

“You’re sorry for kissing me?”
The half smile turns almost into a grin and he raises one eyebrow. “Do you want me to be?”
“No. I want you to do it again.”

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