Book Tour Review: Broken Skies (Broken Skies #1) by Theresa Kay

Goodreads Summary:

Thirty years ago, there was the Collapse. A massive war fought with biological weapons and followed by plague. Almost everyone died. 

Ten years ago, the aliens showed up. They made one of our cities their own and that's where they stay, for the most part anyway.

One year ago, I killed two men and went a little crazy.

Today, the aliens took my brother and I will do whatever it takes to get him back even if it means partnering up with the enemy, an alien boy who makes me think things I shouldn't and makes me feel things I don’t understand.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR:

The only person she knows who had a subscription to Writer's Digest at eleven and was always excited to write research papers, Theresa has been putting words to paper since a young age. She writes predominantly in the sci-fi and urban fantasy genres. Residing in central Virginia, she juggles two kids, a husband and a full-time job in addition to her writing and in her free time she reads almost anything she can get her hands on.

http://www.theresakay.com/ | facebook.com/TheresaKayAuthor 

Review:

Series: Broken Skies #1

Release Date: March 2014

Publisher: Self-Published

Purchase: N/A

Edition: ebook

Rating: ★★★★☆

Review Written: 6 February, 2014

I love science fiction, the genre of stories has some sort of hold over my heart and provides me with a with an escape to a normally dull day life. Received as an Advanced Reader Copy, this book captivated me. My internet happened to think it a wonderful time to crap out at 12:26 in the morning on Tuesday Night, and being unable to sleep I picked up the book and started reading. Two hours later, my internet still hadn't come back, but I had gone from 30 pages into this wonderful book to over 100 read. In short succession I've finished the book, and I can honestly say I want more.

The story of Jax is a complex one, starting with her discomfort in the town of Bridgelake, Virginia. This town, like a handful of others, is a settlement for the remainders of humanity. Jax, our rather emotionally-fragile heroine, finds like here to be stifling, unwilling to join in on any activities that might make her seem more docile and, as she put it, a sheep. Her plan is simple, escape the town with her twin and make off into the woods again. Problem is, aliens get to to her twin before she can even tell him of her plans to leave. Left behind in his place is Lir, one of the E'rikon who had come to settle on Earth after the collapse. Stuck with a choice of trusting Lir or trying to bust into a city full of E'rikon, Jax makes the choice to demand help from Lir.

Kay's book is a wonderfully captivating story, though I admit at times I was a bit annoyed with Jax and her inability to focus on more than one thing. But that's part of the charm of this book. Kay has managed to make a perfectly believable character of questionable backgrounds (you find out later that Jax is half human, half E'rikon) seem human enough to relate to. Science fiction, while wonderful in everything it does, sometimes takes it too far with even the most human of characters and I applaud Ms. Kay for being able to portray this well. 

Throughout the book, Jax grows in her understanding of her life. Her brother, the reader quickly comes to learn, isn't as perfect as Jax believes early on. In fact, he's a bit of an asshole who uses an emotional bond he's realized he shares with his sister through their alien blood to manipulate her for the past year. He's lied to her, and made his bondmate promise to watch over her if something happens to him. Disturbed by this realization, Jax realizes she has to work her way through the events of the past and what's happening around her to survive.

The book is a great story that leaves me wanting more. I'll admit, I was a bit frustrated that Lir didn't escape with Jax at the end, but the fact that she's able to release all of her pent up emotions to Peter (a priest we meet in the book) is a sign of change. I can't wait to see any further books in this series.