Marie Lu Strikes Again (with a hit)
As always, Marie Lu doesn't disappoint. I started reading the Warcross series because of Emika, because I'd never read a YA book with a Chinese-American heroine up to that point, but I fell in love with Marie Lu's beautiful writing style and amazing world-building ability and I guess I've been caught in her web ever since.
Skyhunter follows the story of Talin and Red, two characters who are supposed to be enemies and start off being little more than that, but as one would probably be able to guess from the blurb, they end up being more than that - what I loved, though, was how realistically their emotions and the plot was portrayed. There wasn't any "Oh, I saw him and I fell in love with him at first sight because the author needs it to be that way", and it didn't feel forced or uncomfortable at all to read about their relationship. I also appreciated the representation among the cast of characters, and the friendships might have touched my cold and deadened heart even more than Talin and Red's love story - sorry, not sorry.
And, because this book is the first in a duology, I just had to throw in that I literally could. not. WAIT. for the next installment and I literally prayed for Steelstriker's release (and I was the first to read my local library's copy because I'd recommended it so many times it was on hold for me as soon as my library bought it *cough cough* - totally not trying to worm my way into the author's good graces here, in case she ever reads this - so, yeah. This book is definitely worth it, if you were wondering. Now go read it.
Skyhunter follows the story of Talin and Red, two characters who are supposed to be enemies and start off being little more than that, but as one would probably be able to guess from the blurb, they end up being more than that - what I loved, though, was how realistically their emotions and the plot was portrayed. There wasn't any "Oh, I saw him and I fell in love with him at first sight because the author needs it to be that way", and it didn't feel forced or uncomfortable at all to read about their relationship. I also appreciated the representation among the cast of characters, and the friendships might have touched my cold and deadened heart even more than Talin and Red's love story - sorry, not sorry.
And, because this book is the first in a duology, I just had to throw in that I literally could. not. WAIT. for the next installment and I literally prayed for Steelstriker's release (and I was the first to read my local library's copy because I'd recommended it so many times it was on hold for me as soon as my library bought it *cough cough* - totally not trying to worm my way into the author's good graces here, in case she ever reads this - so, yeah. This book is definitely worth it, if you were wondering. Now go read it.