My TBR List Review ~ The Stars Never Rise ~ Rachel Vincent

My To-Be Read List is a meme hosted by Michelle @Because Reading. I think it's a fabulous idea because it gets y'all in the game and it helps me knock off some of the many, many books on my TBR list. You're more than welcome to join in the fun! I've included the basic rules below but you can click on the graphic above to hop over to Michelle's site where you can find all the details. 

Here's how it works:
On the first Saturday of each month, I will make a post with three books from my TBR List (these books can be already on your ereader or bookshelf OR books you might want to purchase) and add your link on the linky that will be provided on Michelle's post. Y'ALL will help me choose which book I will read next. The following Saturday, I will announce which book won. Then the last Saturday of the month, I'll post my review.

Fun, right?!?

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The Stars Never Rise Rachel Vincent
The Stars Never Rise #1
Release Date:
Genre: YA, Fantasy
Source: Received as an ARC from the publisher at RT 2015
Rating: 5 Bookworms
Challenges: #2016HW, #BloggerShame, #ShelfLove, #TakeControlTBR
Goodreads

Synopsis
Sixteen-year-old Nina Kane should be worrying about her immortal soul, but she's too busy trying to actually survive. Her town's population has been decimated by soul-consuming demons, and souls are in short supply. Watching over her younger sister, Mellie, and scraping together food and money are all that matters. The two of them are a famiy. They gave up on their deadbeat mom a long time ago.

When Nina discovers that Mellie is keeping a secret that threatens their very existence, she'll do anything to protect her. Because in New Temperance, sins are prosecuted as crimes by the brutal Church and its army of black-robed exorcists. And Mellie's sin has put her in serious trouble.

To keep them both alive, Nina will need to trust Finn, a fugitive with deep green eyes who has already saved her life once and who might just be an exorcist. But what kind of exorcist wears hoodies?

Wanted by the Church and hunted by dark forces, Nina knows she can't survive on her own. She needs Finn and his group of rogue friends just as much as they need her.

Y'all. This book. THIS. BOOK. It was sooo good. And once again, I'm speechless at the awesome I've had sitting on my shelf for almost a year. If y'all haven't read this yet, I highly encourage you to snap to it. GO! (okay, you can finish reading my review first :) )

This is gonna be a review where I gush a lot but don't say much. The premise is fantastic - original and fresh - at least, I've read nothing like it. There were several moments of gasps, "holy..."s, and "oh"s with events and plot twists I didn't see coming. There was even a line where I stopped and told my daughter, "This is why you're gonna love this book," and then read the line to her. The story is well plotted and well crafted, and the characters are fully realized. I felt I was right alongside them in all they experienced. And one thing I really appreciate about Rachel Vincent's YA...it's YA but feels so mature.

Nina - I adore her. There were a couple of characters who referred to her lack of intelligence. I never saw anything to make me think she lacked smarts but I would absolutely want her on my team. She is courageous in the face of danger and terror and fierce in her love, protection, and loyalty.

Nina's new friends, Finn, Devi, Reese, and Grayson are a fine group and are people I'd also want fighting on my side. I barely know they but feel like I've always known them. They, too, are brave and loyal, and embraced Nina, enfolding her into their lives. They all have each others' backs and I have a feeling that's going to be important when they face what's yet to come. Mellie, Nina's sister, is a character I hope to learn more about in the next book. I know she loves Nina and Nina loves her, but I didn't get a real good feel for her yet.

So, fast-paced, brilliantly written story and characters I'm already fully invested in. What's not to love? Nothing. I finished in a day and have already promised to loan our my copy to 4 people (my daughters included). Read it. You won't be disappointed.