*I RECEIVED THIS NOVEL FROM ENTANGLED TEEN. HOWEVER, ALL OPINIONS ARE MY OWN!*
Title: True Born
Author: L.E. Sterling
Genre: Young Adult, Science Fiction, Fantasy, Dystopia
Date of Publication:May 3rd , 2016
Publisher: Entangled Teen
Pages:Hardcover, 304 pages
Summary: Welcome to Dominion City.
After the great Plague descended, the world population was decimated…and their genetics damaged beyond repair.
The Lasters wait hopelessly for their genes to self-destruct. The Splicers pay for expensive treatments that might prolong their life. The plague-resistant True Borns are as mysterious as they are feared…
And then there’s Lucy Fox and her identical twin sister, Margot. After endless tests, no one wants to reveal what they are.
When Margot disappears, a desperate Lucy has no choice but to put her faith in the True Borns, led by the charismatic Nolan Storm and the beautiful but deadly Jared Price. As Lucy and the True Borns set out to rescue her sister, they stumble upon a vast conspiracy stretching from Dominion’s street preachers to shady Russian tycoons. But why target the Fox sisters?
As they say in Dominion, it’s in the blood.
Purchase Here: http://amzn.to/1WFacxn
In every book bloggers career, there comes a time where she/he is asked to review a starter of a series, This is my third time and it is torture! I need the rest of the series now!
As I state every time I read a fantasy or science fiction novel, I am not a huge fan of those genres. It’s not that I dislike those genres, I just prefer contemporary reads over them. However, when Entangled Teen sent me a box with True Born and an adorable mug, I could not help but be excited about this book.
True Born is about Lucy and her twin sister, Margot, who were attached at birth. In Dominion City, there is a plague that occurred and damaged the genes of all citizens. Splicers and Lasters have no hope of their genes not self-destructing. However, True Borns are evolved to not be affected by the plague.
On a person’s eighteenth birthday, the young adult has a party to reveal whether they are True Born, Splicer, or Laster. If they are True Born they are shunned and disowned from their family. The twins are a part of the Upper Circle, the high society of Dominion City. That being said, being True Born would disgrace their family. Just their luck, their test to decide what group they are a part of are inconclusive. The pair has to face problems of people after them, possible romance with potentially dangerous men, and a battle of themselves as they try to find where they belong.
The first part of the story is primarily the world and character building. Readers get a glimpse of what it means to be labeled into each group. The main reason for the first half of the book was to shed light onto Lucy and Margot’s character.
Lucy is someone who would do anything to protect her sister even if it meant she had to face the consequences. The author stresses how Lucy feels she is not as important as Margot is, “And when Margo walks into a room, she commands all eyes while I, the sparrow, sit unnoticed and observe. Margot is fire: bright and ready to burn out of control. I am the less exciting twin, the responsible twin” (Sterling, 2). The author emphasizes the bond between the twins throughout the story. She often states the connection and bond they share as well as how much she references Lucy’s big toe, where Margot and her were connected. Lucy is a very sympathetic character. Readers will want to reach into the book and yell at her for not living life for herself. Lucy developed immensely throughout the story and you begin to realize how badass she is.
Margot is a character that is harder to enjoy. Despite her love for her sister, Margot was careless throughout the story. The author constantly mentions her carelessness. Many times, her ability to not look out for herself affected many people. She develops slightly in the story.
Jared is a hot and cold character. As Lucy’s potential love interest, he shows up and she is automatically charmed by his looks. Like many stories, Jared is shown to be a jerk who then becomes likable. In the end, readers will ship the two together. Being True Born, he faces a lot of problems that make him irritable. However, his protectiveness over Lucy is what makes his character admiral. Jared often confronts Lucy about her focus on keeping her sister safe. In fact, he helps Lucy understand that she is allowed a life outside of keeping her sister safe. I cannot wait to see how he evolves in the rest of the series.
A slight problem I had with the book was the writing style. I believe the author has a beautiful and poetic style but it sometimes felt sloppy. Parts of the story felt rushed or overshadowed. I know that the major concepts of the story were the plague and the groups. I felt that it jumped back and forth when focusing on each and it felt awkward.
The overall plot was awesome. After the world building, we got into all the action! Also, the slow building of sexual tension between Lucy and Jared was perfect. I kept wanting more scenes between them. Readers will be faced with a few crazy plot twists. The story held me until it was over. I finished the book in five hours and still have a massive book hangover. I. NEED. THE. NEXT. TWO. BOOKS!!
Overall, I loved this book! One of the best books that I have ever promoted. I need the rest of the series now. Entangled Teen is killing me with these series starters! They are so incredible. I highly recommend.
Marissa Nicole Reads 