For Those About to Read

Sugar Skulls by Lisa Mantchev
My rating: 4 of 5 stars

Sugar Skulls is an interesting YA novel, to say the least. At first, it appears to be a dystopian story but that's not the case. Cyrene is a city in which you need to fill out an application to get in. If you are accepted, and you help the city collect energy, you are guaranteed a job on the outside once your time is complete.

This city has found a new way to generate electricity. No coal. No windmills. They take the Monsters Inc. approach, gathering energy through the use of thrum collectors. Vee, the lead singer of the Sugar Skulls, uses her voice to help accumulate energy from her followers. Sometimes it leads to a blackout which Vee learns to use to her advantage while discovering who she is.

My interest in this book was kind of like a heart monitor. The reading was going up and down with excitement at first and then, during all the 'applejack' abuse, it flatlines for a little while, but then picks back up. There was an unexpected appearance near the end and from that point on, I was completely focused on the book.

During Vee's rescue mission, I couldn't help but to think it was like some sort of sci-fi version of the Pied Piper. With Vee using her voice instead of a flute to lure her followers in the direction they needed to go. It was a rousing experience.

I just have to mention the fact that her cat's name was Little Dead Thing. Which is funny and quite fitting since she has a sugar skull persona on stage. I believe we need our own Sugar Skulls band! Recommended for fans of YA!

ARC provided through Netgalley in exchange for an honest review

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