Thursday, March 19, 2015

Breaking Sky by Cori McCarthy & character profile

Meet the Elite Teen Fighter Pilots of the United Star Academy

Full Name: LEAH GRENADINE
Call Sign: SYLPH
Position: Pilot
Height: 5’10”
Hair Color: A mighty blonde braid
Eye Color: Brown
Age: 18
Originally from: Tallahassee, Florida
Plane name and description: PEGASUS, Streaker Jet Prototype 2
Years in the service: 3
Personality strengths: Rule follower, leader,
Personality weaknesses: Rule follower, bossy as all hell, ice princess

A Teaser:
The boxers were really going at it. The taller of the two was a girl who Chase knew all too well. Leah Grenadine.

Better known by her call sign, Sylph.

Sylph’s thick blond braid whipped like a stinging tail with each punch she threw. Her toned arms were scaled with sweat, but she showed no sign of tiring, which sucked because she was simply destroying the other fighter. He was also all too familiar.

Asian American. Adorable. Tanner Won.

Chase found herself swearing on a loop. Not again.

One of Tanner’s eyes was swollen, and his shoulders folded in to protect his chest. Sylph slammed him over and over until he fell to his knees, coughing for breath. She adjusted her gloves like she had a few more rounds left in her, and Chase ducked under the rope and stood between them.

Full Name: TRISTAN ROUTER
Call Sign: ARROW
Position: Pilot
Height: 5’11
Hair Color: Long black hair
Eye Color: Ice blue
Age: 18
Originally from: Ottawa, Canada
Plane name and description: PHOENIX, Streaker Jet Prototype 0
Years in the service: 4
Personality strengths: Loyal, trustworthy, outgoing
Personality weaknesses: Suffers from PTSD


A Teaser:
He hit Pippin like a linebacker, tossing him to the pavement. Chase threw herself on the guy’s back. She got her elbow around his neck and was about to choke him when the pilot lifted her off like she weighed nothing. He tossed her down and hauled his RIO away from Pippin.

“You’ve ruined everything!” the RIO shouted as his pilot dragged him to a safer distance. His voice cramped with a French accent.

“He didn’t fly us into this!” Chase yelled back. “I did!”

“I don’t hit girls.” The RIO pointed at Pippin. “That little one I can take.”

“How noble.” Chase pulled Pippin to his feet. His face was cran- berry and he gasped unevenly. “You all right?”

He slapped his chest and gave her a thumbs-up.

Chase set her eyes on the pilot. His face was all but hidden behind his visor, and his red helmet was adorned with a white maple leaf above a stenciled call sign: ARROW.

Title:  Breaking Sky
Author:  Cori McCarthy
Published:  March 10/15 by Sourcebooks Fire
Length:  416pgs
Genre:  YA Dystopian
Shelf:  review
Rating: ★★★

Back Cover Blurb:

In this high-flying, adrenaline-fueled debut thriller, America's best hope is the elite teen fighter pilots of the United Star Academy

Chase Harcourt, call sign "Nyx," is one of only two pilots chosen to fly the experimental "Streaker" jets at the junior Air Force Academy in the year 2048. She's tough and impulsive with lightning-fast reactions, but few know the pain and loneliness of her past or the dark secret about her father. All anyone cares about is that Chase aces the upcoming Streaker trials, proving the prototype jet can knock the enemy out of the sky.

But as the world tilts toward war, Chase cracks open a military secret. There's a third Streaker jet, whose young hotshot pilot, Tristan, can match her on the ground and in the clouds. Chase doesn't play well with others, but to save her country she may just have to put her life in the hands of the competition.

My Review:

McCarthy has created a wildly imaginative, well rounded dystopian world that definitely sparks your interest. This fast paced story is filed with vivid descriptions that invite the reader to experience it. The realistic manner in which she tells her story combined with the near-future aspect gives it a bit of a chilling feel. I couldn’t help but imagine the possibilities. This is the type of story that’s great for those of YA age, but will be loved by readers of all readers. McCarthy combines the angst of coming of age with a wildly imaginative tale in the perfect proportions. It was great trip.

I loved the competitive edge in the characters. They were a lot of fun to get to know. The fact that these teens were the hope for the US was a bit over the top, but it’s one of the marked qualities of YA dystopian stories. McCarthy develops a cast of characters who embody what it means to be coming of age, without ever being stereotypical. It was a great thing to experience.

As a whole, this was a great read. McCarthy has created a world I not only enjoyed reading, but one that I’d enjoy living.

Goodreads ~ Shelfari ~ Amazon ~ B&N ~ Indigo ~ Google Play

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