Published: Sept 2013
Publisher: Putnam Juvenile
Pages: 336
Copy Provided by: Bought
Summary: Goodreads
Summary:
Welcome to New Vegas, a city once covered in bling, now blanketed in ice. Like much of the destroyed planet, the place knows only one temperature—freezing. But some things never change. The diamond in the ice desert is still a 24-hour hedonistic playground and nothing keeps the crowds away from the casino floors, never mind the rumors about sinister sorcery in its shadows.
At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.
But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.
At the heart of this city is Natasha Kestal, a young blackjack dealer looking for a way out. Like many, she's heard of a mythical land simply called “the Blue.” They say it’s a paradise, where the sun still shines and the waters are turquoise. More importantly, it’s a place where Nat won’t be persecuted, even if her darkest secret comes to light.
But passage to the Blue is treacherous, if not impossible, and her only shot is to bet on a ragtag crew of mercenaries led by a cocky runner named Ryan Wesson to take her there. Danger and deceit await on every corner, even as Nat and Wes find themselves inexorably drawn to each other. But can true love survive the lies? Fiery hearts collide in this fantastic tale of the evil men do and the awesome power within us all.
Review:
I pre-ordered this title after hearing about it from Melissa de la Cruz's newsletter. I was intrigued to get back on board with a new series by this author and wanted to see how this husband and wife would work as duo authors. I have to admit, the idea of Vegas freezing over and a new bleak, dystopian future sounded intriguing (albeit a little depressing). The main characters start out in New Vegas but are in fact searching for "the Blue". I truly thought that it would have centered more around the area and this particular reclimatized location would play a major role in their surroundings. It sounded like a very interesting place to be. Gambling still runs rampant despite how most people seem to have very little and have lost much.
Nat asks a ragtag crew to take her to "the Blue". It is like a fabled area where the skies are blue and the water is clean and the sun is warm. Basically a paradise most believe does not exist. Throughout their journey they run into all sorts of problems. Natasha also begins to discover that she has some magical abilities that she is not able to control (such as levitating objects). It was an interesting journey fraught with danger, romance and even a little death.
By the end of book 1, I certainly felt like the authors were setting the stage for an epic series. Reminiscent of a new Fellowship, Natasha's companions - a couple dwarves, what I pictured to be an elvish woman, and the other humanfolk seemed to mimic a similar group we know of...except they were not searching for a ring. Lord of the Rings crossed with an episode of Merlin and a dash of Serenity. Is it a recipe for success? Only time will tell...
Overall, this was a great start to a new series. I agree with Margaret Stohl's comments when she says "more dragons please!" Keep 'em coming Mr and Mrs. de la Cruz....
I pre-ordered this title after hearing about it from Melissa de la Cruz's newsletter. I was intrigued to get back on board with a new series by this author and wanted to see how this husband and wife would work as duo authors. I have to admit, the idea of Vegas freezing over and a new bleak, dystopian future sounded intriguing (albeit a little depressing). The main characters start out in New Vegas but are in fact searching for "the Blue". I truly thought that it would have centered more around the area and this particular reclimatized location would play a major role in their surroundings. It sounded like a very interesting place to be. Gambling still runs rampant despite how most people seem to have very little and have lost much.
Nat asks a ragtag crew to take her to "the Blue". It is like a fabled area where the skies are blue and the water is clean and the sun is warm. Basically a paradise most believe does not exist. Throughout their journey they run into all sorts of problems. Natasha also begins to discover that she has some magical abilities that she is not able to control (such as levitating objects). It was an interesting journey fraught with danger, romance and even a little death.
By the end of book 1, I certainly felt like the authors were setting the stage for an epic series. Reminiscent of a new Fellowship, Natasha's companions - a couple dwarves, what I pictured to be an elvish woman, and the other humanfolk seemed to mimic a similar group we know of...except they were not searching for a ring. Lord of the Rings crossed with an episode of Merlin and a dash of Serenity. Is it a recipe for success? Only time will tell...
Overall, this was a great start to a new series. I agree with Margaret Stohl's comments when she says "more dragons please!" Keep 'em coming Mr and Mrs. de la Cruz....
I actually just received this in the mail today! Was a bit hesitant to start it because of all the one-star reviews on Goodreads, but your review gave me the push to give it a try. :)
ReplyDeleteDaphne @ Reading Until Dawn