All she wants is a home, but can she find one...UNDER DIFFERENT
STARS
Kricket Hollowell is normally not one to wish upon stars;
she believes they’re rarely in her favor. Well versed at dodging caseworkers
from Chicago’s foster care system, the past few years on her own have made
Kricket an expert at the art of survival and blending in. With her 18th
birthday fast approaching, she dreams of the day when she can stop running and
find what her heart needs most: a home.
Trey Allairis hates Earth and doubts that anyone from his
world can thrive here. What he’s learning of Kricket and her existence away
from her true home only confirms his theory. But, when he and Kricket lie
together under the stars of Ethar, counting them all may be easier than letting
her go.
Kyon Ensin’s secrets number the stars; he knows more about
Kricket's gifts than anyone and plans to possess her because of them. He also
knows she’s more valuable than any fire in the night sky. He’ll move the
heavens and align them all in order to make her his own.
When everything in their world can be broken, will Kricket
rely upon love to save her under different stars?
Water swirls around me as I open my eyes. I shiver,
realizing I’m in Trey’s arms. He’s standing chest deep in crystal blue water
with Wayra pacing on the bank only steps away. Clutching Trey closer to me, my
cheek remains on his shoulder. Watching a bead of water slip down his powerful
neck, I hear Jax say, “She’s waking up.”
Trey, cupping his hand in the water, pours some of it over
my hair. It drips down the sides of my face, cooling me. “Let’s get her out.
I’ll get the visor and we can check her vitals.”
As Trey wades out of the pond with me in his arms, I try to
lift my head from his shoulder. It makes me dizzy so I lay it back. It’s then I
notice that I’m only in my bra and underwear. A blush creeps into my cheeks as
I hug Trey tighter to me. Wayra meets us on the bank, draping a blanket over
us. Trey sits down with me on his lap. He leans against a tree trunk holding me
securely to his chest. Peeking at his face, he seems angry as he smoothes my
hair back from my face.
Hurrying over with the visor that looks like grandma
goggles, Trey sets them on my eyes. Everything is green as I gaze around at the
water in front of us. Flashing green lights and readouts occupy the peripherals
of the glasses, but the information is running faster than I can possibly read
it.
“Ho!” Jax exclaims next to me.
Immediately, Trey’s arms tighten on me as he barks out,
“What? How bad is it?”
“Naw, it’s not bad…it’s just…Kricket…” Jax breathes, like
he’s in awe. “Look at this brain activity…it’s massive.”
“What do you mean?” Trey asks with relief in his tone.
Jax grins. “She’s lighting everything up. Look at her
frontal lobe…it’s off the charts.”
“What does that mean? Is she healthy?” Trey growls.
Jax nods enthusiastically. “She’s healthy! We didn’t fry her
with heat stroke, that’s for sure. Or, if we did, she’s got more brain activity
than anyone I’ve ever seen to compensate for it,” he replies, sounding
seriously geeked about it.
“Those things aren’t broken, are they?” Trey asks
speculatively.
“No…here.” Jax pulls them off my face. “Wayra, come here.”
Wayra walks over and Jax puts the glasses on his eyes. “See!
He’s normal, well, normal for him. See how it doesn’t light up in these areas?”
he points out to Trey.
“Yes.”
“Now watch this,” he says, taking the glasses off of Wayra,
he places them back on my face. “See? It’s like Christmas in Chicago with all
those lights,” Jax says proudly.
“So that means she’s smart?”
Jax beams. “Yeah, she’s smart! She’s brilliant! There’s no
telling what she can do.”
“If she’s so smart, why did she run until she almost popped?
Why didn’t she just tell us she needed to rest?” Wayra asks derisively.
“Personality flaw,” Trey replies. “She’s going to show us
that she’s not weak.”
“She’s sitting right here,” I murmur, pulling the glasses
off my face and handing them to Jax.
Amy Bartol
I live in Michigan with my husband and our two sons. My
family is very supportive of my writing. When I’m writing, they often bring me
the take-out menu so that I can call and order them dinner. They listen
patiently when I talk about my characters like they’re real. They rarely
roll their eyes when I tell them I’ll only be a second while I finish writing a
chapter…and then they take off their coats. They ask me how the story is going
when I surface after living for hours in a world of my own making. They have
learned to accept my “writing uniform” consisting of a slightly unflattering
pink fleece jacket, t-shirt, and black yoga pants. And they smile at my nerdy
bookishness whenever I try to explain urban fantasy to them. In short, they get
me, so they are perfect and I am blessed.
I was so captivated by this book that on a work night I began reading and as I reached about 60% around midnight I figured I would put it down and head to sleep.
Well...My mind and heart said NO!!
I was lying there in bed for about 10 minutes trying my hardest to sleep but all I could think about was Kricket and Trey...
So, I grabbed my kindle and finished by 3 am...
I loved EVERY......SINGLE......MOMENT....
Oh my word...This book completely swept me away to a beautiful unique world and since I have finished I have been pining for more.
Amy Bartol created such an intricate fascinating mystical world in Under Different Stars and I was hanging on to every word; eagerly learning more and more about Ethar. I was soaking it all up just as Kricket was and with the stunning details describing remarkable fascinating landscape and life of Ethar, I actually felt as if I was there with my beloved Rafes.
Brilliantly written, illustrating a fantasical storyline with extraordinary characters, this book landed itself in my top reads of the year.
I thoroughly enjoyed every character. From the protagonist to the antagonist, each one was written perfectly.
They carried me on their journey, eliciting strong emotions from me that has seeped in to my soul. From the witty, snarky, naive, and strong heroine Kricket to the dashing, brave, protective, GORGEOUS HOT hunk Trey...
And even though Kricket and Trey are our main characters, the secondary ones are just as outstanding. Jax and Wayra provide so many awesome supporting moments that it all felt like perfect symmetry...
*sighs*
Under Different Stars filled me with heart-stopping , gut-wrenching, action packed scenes all the while enticing us with a blossoming romance.
I feel like I am babbling but all I really want you to know is this book is PHENOMENAL!!!!
I highly recommend you read it!!!
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