Review: Starters by Lissa Price

Title:  Starters 

Author: Lissa Price
Publisher:  Delacorte Books for Young Readers
Publishing Date: March 13th 2012

Pages: 352
Genre:  YA Dystopian

Series: Starters and Enders #1
Source:  Audio

  

Callie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie. Callie's only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man.

He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie's head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, and going out with a senator's grandson. It feels almost like a fairy tale, until Callie discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations' plans are more evil than Callie could ever have imagined. 

I get to knock another book of my TBR while adding a new one, the second installment, because this book was pretty darn awesome. I am not sure why it took me so long to get to this book, but I don't think it will take as long to get to he second book. (2014-sad face). This book really did rock. I absolutely adore the main character, the story is very interesting, and the entire tone of the book was just uber creepy. A very action packed, suspenseful, thrilling, thought provoking ride!

Its in the future, after a horrible Spore War, the middle-aged were wiped out. All that's left, those that were too young or too old to fight, children and elders, starters and enders. Not only are the enders older, but they live a very long time...hundreds year plus. The only problem.... they are too old to enjoy their life. A new technology arrives through a company called Prime Destinations. The enders can enter into a starters body and experience being young again. (creepy right) 

Callie joins Prime Destinations, allows her body to be used by the enders. Three times... the contract says three times. After three times of donating her body, her contract will be filled and she will have enough money to get a home for her and her younger, sick brother. The only problem, Prime Destinations isn't what they seems and now Callie must find the truth to save the other starters and her brother. 

When the book first started, I was a little weary. The story started off quick and I was a bit lost, but it didn't take long to get into the groove of the story.

The story was pretty cool. I am not a science geek and don't know if anything like Prime Destinations and donating bodies while alive could be possible, but if it was, I could this world doing it. To be young again, would it be okay to borrow someones body.. for a couple hours, days,weeks, months. Great question, and this book takes that idea and question of right and wrong to a new level. Body borrowing isn't the only thought provoking story line. In this story, the young suffer, the ones unclaimed, they don't have anyone living relatives. They live in the streets starving, treated badly, get locked up in a horrible institution while the elders are rich, living high, and ignoring all those unclaimed children. It was really heartbreaking for me. There were some pretty intense moments for me in this book, but the main character wasn't letting things lie as they did or go on to get worse.

Callie was an awesome main character. She started off only caring about her brother, how to keep him safe, healthy, and out of the governments eye. Once she joined Prime Destinations and met some unique elders, she discovered that Prime Destinations is out for some no good stuff that goes beyond borrowing the bodies. She is still in it for her brother but she also sees the wrong and wants to bring light to the plan. She is brave and really kicks butt.

The characters were pretty cool, the writing was awesome, the plot new and intriguing. I was for sure hooked. The story was very fast paced and I really didn't want to take pause and I didn't want the book to end. There is more to the story and I need to know the rest. Its absolutely killing me to wait until 2014. 

Loved it and can't wait to read more. Very thought provoking, very intense, and quite creepy. Great for anyone who loves a great dystopian with a new idea behind it all.