Last Star Burning by Caitlin Sangster (YA Author Bash) #17DABash


Welcome to my stop for the 2017 Debut Authors Bash, hosted by YA Reads!
Check out my review and enter the giveaway below for this debut...

Last Star Burning
(Last Star Burning #1)
by Caitlin Sangster
YA Dystopian, SciFi
Hardcover & ebook, 400 Pages
October 10th 2017 by Simon Pulse

Summary

To escape execution for a crime she didn’t commit, sixteen-year-old Sev is forced to run away from the only home she’s ever known in this exciting post-apocalyptic debut novel from Caitlin Sangster.

Sev is branded with the mark of a criminal—a star burned into her hand. That’s the penalty for being the daughter of the woman who betrayed their entire nation.

Now her mother’s body is displayed above Traitor’s Arch, kept in a paralyzed half sleep by the same plague that destroyed the rest of the world. And as further punishment, Sev is forced to do hard labor to prove that she’s more valuable alive than dead.

When the government blames Sev for a horrific bombing, she must escape the city or face the chopping block. Unimaginable dangers lurk outside the city walls, and Sev’s only hope of survival lies with the most unlikely person—Howl, the chairman’s son. Though he promises to lead her to safety, Howl has secrets, and Sev can’t help but wonder if he knows more about her past—and her mother’s crimes—than he lets on.

But in a hostile world, trust is a luxury. Even when Sev’s life and the lives of everyone she loves may hang in the balance.

(Affiliate links included - I receive a small kickback if you make a purchase using my links.)

My Review

LAST STAR BURNING is a roller-coaster post-apocalyptic ride that will keep readers turning pages from the start to the end! There's a protagonist readers can relate to, a riveting story, and an ending that will leave readers wanting more. Highly recommended to dystopian and scifi YA readers!

I loved how well this story was told... from the friendship between Sev and Tai-ge that I felt an immediate connection with, to the setting that was so easy to get immersed in, to the continual suspense and mystery throughout the story, to the uncertainty that Sev feels. All of it was well told as the story unfolds. I loved how Sev is trying to figure things out and that, as a reader, I figured things out with her. Her feelings felt authentic and because of that and her character coming across that way, it was easy to relate to her and invest in her story. I really loved her as a character and loved the friends that turned out to be loyal in the end. I also thought the friendship and romance was spot on, as were the jealousies, conspiracies, and brain washing. I also loved the different cultures weaved through the story, although I would have loved even more of an oriental influence. And then there's the ending... It was a satisfying conclusion, but left enough unanswered questions that I'm eagerly anticipating the next book!

My only criticisms, and they are quite few, would be that some of the teenagers' dialogue felt more like someone who had experienced the events and history they shared about instead of  sounding like they were recounting info since they were born after the events. The only other criticism I had was that Sev's journey to the city was really quick and easy compared to her journey from the city. I get why, but maybe it should have been a little more balanced between the two trips. Regardless, these things didn't affect my enjoyment of the story or really have any bearing on the story too much.

In the end, was it what I wished for? I didn't know what I was exactly going to get into with this story, but I could not put it down! It was riveting from beginning to end. I loved the characters and am looking forward to seeing what happens next in their story.

Content: Lots of violence, most of it non-detailed.
Source: I received a complimentary copy from the author for this event, which did not require a review nor affect it in any way.

About the Author

Caitlin Sangster grew up in the back woods of California and would rather go hiking, running, swimming, or general outdoorsing than just about anything else. If there aren’t any mountains, it doesn’t count as a real place. At eighteen, she moved to XinJiang, and at twenty-one it was Taiwan. She did eventually buckle down and graduate from Brigham Young University with a BA in Asian Studies and is now that person you avoid at parties because she'll probably start talking about Shang dynasty oracle bones.

Caitlin has been writing since middle school. She always thought of it as a silly sort of compulsive habit until she realized that people like reading stories and she liked writing them and there wasn’t much silly about that.

She currently lives in Utah with her husband and four children.


Event Schedule

December 1st
Gabriella M Reads – Kate Hart
APictureASongALiteraryQuote – Jilly Gagnon
Wishful Endings – CAITLIN SANGSTER

December 2nd
Lisa Loves Literature – Alexandra Ballard
Downright Dystopian – KELLY GARRETT
YA Books Central – MCCALL HOYLE
Bookblogarama – JODI KENDALL
Gabriella M Reads – Stephanie Elliot

December 3rd
Folded Corners and Smudged Screens – A.V. Geiger
Vox Libris – Katy Upperman
Pink Polka Dot Books – CORRIE WANG

December 4th
Two Chicks on Books – Michael Miller
Read Love Blog – Amy Giles
Chapter by Chapter – CECILIA VINESSE
Platypire Reviews – SONIA BELASCO

December 5th
Pandora’s Books – Sarah Henning
The Eater of Books! – Jennifer Honeybourn
Teawithmermaids – Amanda Foody
Book Lovers Life – ALEXANDRA OTT

December 6th
The Turning Pages – SARA BIREN
Laura Noakes – Allison K. Hymas
A Dream Within A Dream – KATIE BAYERL
The Reading Nook Reviews – Supriya Kelkar

December 7th
PBC – CHELSEA BOBULSKI
Kourtni Reads – Christina June
Smada’s Book Smack – Kate Watson
BookCatPin – TRACEY NEITHERCOTT

December 8th
Pink Polka Dot Books – Amy Brashear
YA Books Central – Heather Kaczynski
Book Lovers Life – DANIELLE MAGES AMATO
YaReads – MELISSA ROSKE

December 9th
Gryffindor Books – Emma Chastain
The Winged Pen – GWEN C. KATZ
My Book Addiction – PATRICIA BAILEY
Bibliophilekid – Cale Dietrich

December 10th
Cindy’s Love of Books – REBECCA CHRISTIANSEN
Mundie Moms – Linsey Miller
Written Infinities – Scott Reintgen
Book Lovers Life – JONATHAN ROSEN

December 11th
Milky Way of Books – Nikki Katz
books are love – FAITH M. BOUGHAN
Platypire Reviews – MEG EDEN
Sci-Fi & Scary – KATIE SLIVENSKY

December 12th
Literary Meanderings – Dave Connis
Jrsbookreviews – Ruth Lauren
YA and Wine – KATIE A. NELSON
Wonder Struck – JOANNE O’SULLIVAN

December 13th
The Royal Polar Bear Reads – Jessika Fleck
Ink Sisters Write – Katherine Locke
My Book Addiction – TARA GOEDJEN
APictureASongALiteraryQuote – CARLIE SOROSIAK

December 14th
The Royal Polar Bear Reads – Jessika Fleck
BookCatPin – Heather Fawcett
Doodle’s Book Reviews -Caroline Leech
The Hermit Librarian – KARINA YAN GLASER
Laura Noakes – KRISTI WIENTGE
December 15th
Kendra Loves Books – Laurie Forest
Too Much of a Booknerd – MAGGIE ANN MARTIN
The Book Beacon – JJ STRONG
The Reading Nook Reviews – Michael Harrison
The Royal Polar Bear Reads – Jessika Fleck

December 16th
The Nocturnal Fey – KIM FOSTER
Media Geeks Unite – Karen McManus
YaReads/The Rest is Still Unwritten – Mark Maciejewski

December 17th
The Candid Cover – Candace Ganger
The Reading Nook Reviews – Kristin Gray
Too Much of a Booknerd – Ibi Zoboi
Vox Libris – Lisa Rosinsky

December 18th
Brittany’s Book Rambles – Elly Blake
PBC – LARISSA HARDESTY
YaReads – Julie Shepard
The Book Beacon – Henry Lien

December 19th
The Reading Nook Reviews – Danielle Davis
Folded Corners and Smudged Screens – S. F. HENSON
Roxy’s Book Reviews – Heather Maclean
Beauty and the Bookshelf – JENNIFER PARK

December 20th
Sci-Fi & Scary – Andrew DeYoung
The Book Beacon – Beth McMullen
APictureASongALiteraryQuote – DIANA GALLAGHER
Book Lovers Life – Hope Cook

December 21st
Pooled Ink – Rosalyn Eves
Across the Bookiverse – Rebecca Ross
2 Cooks Crafting Books – ALYSON GERBER

December 22nd
Tween 2 Teen Book Reviews – ANDREW SHVARTS
Books, Occupation… Magic! – Lana Popović
Lisa Loves Literature – ALISON GERVAIS
Laura Noakes – Kimberly Ventrella

December 23rd
YaReads – KELLY DEVOS
BookCrushin – ANNA PRIEMAZA
The Reader and the Chef – KAYLA OLSON
Laura Noakes – PATRICK MOODY
2 Cooks Crafting Books – SUSAN TAN

December 26th
the bookdragon – Laura Creedle
Rockin’ Book Reviews – Tiffany Pitcock
Latte Nights Reviews – Misa Sugiura
Readingwithwrin – KES TRESTER
YaReads – Meg Kassel
December 27th
The Hermit Librarian – JC Davis
Tales of the Ravenous Reader – Bonnie Pipkin
Here’s to Happy Endings – KIERSI BURKHART
Book Lovers Life – DARCY MILLER
Sci-Fi & Scary – Gareth Wronski

December 28th
2 Cooks Crafting Books – Jake Burt
Dani Reviews Things – Shaila Patel
Never Too Many To Read – Nic Stone
Cindy’s Love of Books – WENDY MCLEOD MACKNIGHT
YaReads – Gwen Cole

December 29th
21st Century Once Upon A Times – ERIN BEATY
The Phantom Paragrapher – Kristen Orlando – Review
Vicky Who Reads – CHELSEA SEDOTI
The Reading Nook Reviews – JAMIE MAYER
YaReads- Steve Schafer

December 30th
Rachel’s Book Reviews – Axie Oh
Bookblogarama – LAURIE DEVORE
Readingwithwrin – amanda searcy
2 Cooks Crafting Books – Mary Lambert
YaReads/The Rest is Still Unwritten – J.C. WELKER
The Book Beacon – A.M. Rose

Giveaway

- 1 winner will win LAST STAR BURNING, a query, and a 10 page critique (US only)
- 2 winners will win a query + first five pages critique from the author (open internationally)
- Ends December 30th

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Has this or other debuts been on your list this year? Any favorites?

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