These Broken Stars - Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

These Broken Stars by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner
Series: Starbound #1
Publisher: Disney-Hyperion
Publication Date: December 10, 2013
Source/Format: BEA 2013 || ARC

[I received this book from the publisher. This is no way affects my review.]

It's a night like any other on board the Icarus. Then, catastrophe strikes: the massive luxury spaceliner is yanked out of hyperspace and plummets into the nearest planet. Lilac LaRoux and Tarver Merendsen survive. And they seem to be alone. 

Lilac is the daughter of the richest man in the universe. Tarver comes from nothing, a young war hero who learned long ago that girls like Lilac are more trouble than they’re worth. But with only each other to rely on, Lilac and Tarver must work together, journeying across the eerie, deserted terrain to seek help. Everything changes when they uncover the truth behind the chilling whispers that haunt their every step. Lilac and Tarver may find a way off this planet. But they won’t be the same people who landed on it.

There's been a lot of positive buzz for These Broken Stars around the blogging community. It feels great to say that I enjoyed this story, even though it didn't exactly hit the five star mark.  There are two enjoyable main characters, a story that was extremely engrossing from beginning to end and a romance that felt surprisingly authentic in spite of its timeframe. What's not to like indeed?

Of the narrating characters, I was drawn to Tarver and immediately developed a big crush on him. (What can I say? I do adore a man in uniform.) He is an amazing example of strength, responsibility and loyalty, even when under duress. He is a protector, and a hero, and an all-around good guy. Even though he veered into serious, abrasive territory at times, his good nature always prevailed -- and that is why I loved him so completely.

Lilac is the other narrating character; she was definitely more difficult to like. She pulled off being a spoiled brat in the earlier chapters so effectively that I very nearly disliked her. Eventually, readers will learn more about her history and it will be helpful in understanding what made her who she is. My favorite thing about her was watching her transformation during the entirety of their experience on the unfamiliar planet, especially when it came to her bravery and strength.

If it isn't obvious, these two become romantically entangled. Their relationship could have fallen into the realm of insta-love based on the timeframe alone, but it just felt true to the situation they found themselves in. Personally, I thought that it developed pretty darn well. It ebbs, flows and grows over the course of time - going from indifference, to hate, to like and to something a little bit more. 

Apart from the romance, and these characters, there is also the epic adventure this story takes us on. The beginning felt a little clunky, especially because everything felt a wee bit too orchestrated to lead up to the crash. But from the moment Lilac and Tarver embark on their journey on the unknown planet, things get really interesting! I liked reading about the various landscapes they had to traipse through, and the things they faced along the way. As for the ending (a.k.a. the last few chapters), my feelings are lukewarm. There are too many elements that I remain unsure of, but hopefully, the next few books will clear things up for me.

These Broken Stars was certainly written beautifully, with words that flowed into and out of one another effortlessly. The elements are carefully pieced together, but my decided lack of personal connection to the story is what made me forgo that one star in the rating. Still, there's something intriguing here, a unique factor that kept me reading on. And that, my friends, is what makes me want to find out what happens next to Lilac and Tarver -- and encourages me to recommend this book.

How do you feel about the dual POV? Which POV do you prefer?

I like having two points of view -- if it's for the right story. I think the best use of two points of view are as follows: (1) when the two characters are in different places and haven't met yet, or (2) when the story of each individual character must be revealed in depth.

In this book, the chapters are split between Lilac and Tarver. Honestly (and this should come as no surprise), I loved Tarver's point of view. He was frank, smart and just so easy to love! I liked that he had the practicality of the soldier, but the heart of a lover.