Book Review. Starters by Lissa Price

“Readers who have been waiting for a worthy successor to Suzanne Collins’ The Hunger Games will find it here. Dystopian sci-fi at its best, Starters is a terrific series kickoff with a didn't-see-that-coming conclusion that will leave readers on the edges of their seats . . .” raves the Los Angeles Times. In the future, teens rent their bodies to seniors who want to be young again. One girl discovers her renter plans to do more than party--her body will commit murder, if her mind can't stop it. Sixteen-year-old Callie lost her parents when the genocide spore wiped out everyone except those who were vaccinated first--the very young and very old. With no grandparents to claim Callie and her little brother, they go on the run, living as squatters, and fighting off unclaimed renegades who would kill for a cookie. Hope comes via Prime Destinations, run by a mysterious figure known only as The Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to seniors, known as enders, who get to be young again. Callie's neurochip malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her rich renter, living in her mansion, driving her cars, even dating Blake, the grandson of a senator. It's a fairy-tale new life . . . until she uncovers the Body Bank's horrible plan. . . . (description from amazon.com)

The book cover had me at hello. If that does not intrigue you, check out the book trailer:

Cool right?  I loved this book and couldn't put it down. I happened to be sick that day and reading was the only thing that I felt like doing, but if I was healthy I would have made the time to read it in one sitting also.

Starters has a lot of the classic dystopian elements; post war society, a powerful authority figure and invasive technology.  It also has a strong female protagonist, action and suspense and a little romance.  This book reminded me a little of Stephanie Meyer's The Host, which is sci-fi but also has the concept of sharing bodies.   I would recommend this book for pre-teens, YA's and adults.

There were a lot of unanswered questions and I am looking forward to the sequel, Enders, which will be published in December of 2012.