Struck (Struck #1)
by Jennifer Bosworth
Expected publication: May 8th 2012 by Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR
Mia Price is a lightning addict. She’s survived countless strikes, but her craving to connect to the energy in storms endangers her life and the lives of those around her.
Los Angeles, where lightning rarely strikes, is one of the few places Mia feels safe from her addiction. But when an earthquake devastates the city, her haven is transformed into a minefield of chaos and danger. The beaches become massive tent cities. Downtown is a crumbling wasteland, where a traveling party moves to a different empty building each night, the revelers drawn to the destruction by a force they cannot deny. Two warring cults rise to power, and both see Mia as the key to their opposing doomsday prophecies. They believe she has a connection to the freak electrical storm that caused the quake, and to the far more devastating storm that is yet to come.
Mia wants to trust the enigmatic and alluring Jeremy when he promises to protect her, but she fears he isn’t who he claims to be. In the end, the passion and power that brought them together could be their downfall. When the final disaster strikes, Mia must risk unleashing the full horror of her strength to save the people she loves, or lose everything.
Genre: Young Adult, Supernatural
Publication Date: May 8th 2012
Publisher: Farrar, Straus and Giroux BYR
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My Review
Seventeen year-old Mia Price is addicted to lightning. She calls herself a 'lightning rod'. She loves the feeling of being hit, it makes her feel more alive than ever, the pain that is almost pleasure, and that can do anything to her (even kill her, of course, which, apparently, happens on accasion. LOL). But there are many aftereffects, such as chronic insomnia, veiny red scars all over her body (caused Lichtenberg figures) and a burning in her chest when she gets emotional. Oh, and she can fel when storms are coming and sometimes shoot electric shocks at people when she feels threatened.
She moved to Los Angeles after a lightining accident made her the town pariah. But lightning followed her to L.A. And it somehow caused earthquakes that destroyed many parts of the city and hundreds of people's lives. In this post-apocalyptic setting, there are serious food and water shortages, power, cell service and internet are always on and off and the most desperate people resort to rioting and looting.
Others find religion with the Prophet, the man who claims to have been told by God when and where the earthquake would happen. But people who go to the Prophet are never the same when they return... Mia's mother, suffering from Acute Stress Disorder, spends her days medicated (with overcharged pills from the black market, since doctors and pharmacies were only available to more serious cases, such as severe injuries and earthquake fever, an immunity disorder caused by mold released from the ground) and watching the Prophet on TV.
But 'end of the world' situation or not, Mia and her brother, Parker, need to go back to school. Every student that goes through his classes receive rations at the end of the day. It's not about education, it's about survival. Mia feels like it's her responsability to keep the family together, but with her mom not being herself and pushing her children away, and Parker also starting to pull away, she feels like she's not doing her job right, and blames herself.
At school she's surrounded by the desperate, the sick and scared. And the Followers of the Prophet, whom Mia calls 'extremist evangelical whackos', are always looking for new 'sheep'. But apparently they aren't the only ones recruiting. The 'Seekers' are also on the look out. And they know she has 'The Spark' just by touching her, and they tell her they need her help to save the world. But this very attractive new guy at her class, Jeremy Parish, tells her not to trust either of them. Mia is very confused and annoyed. The only thing she knows for sure is that when he touches her, he shows her the future. And his touch gives her a nice tingle from neck to toes, the likes of which she never felt before.
Now she has to decide what to believe, even if nobody tells her what she wants to know... only that her actions can change the whole world. For better or for worse.
I loved 'Struck'!!! It was so different from the usual YA books out there! The main character is so, so strong and determined! It was very refreshing to see a heroine who doesn't let people step all over her or tell her what to do. She's independent, responsible, she fights back, doesn't just believe everything she hears and is just... intense. Her life is not just about boys or school or what clothes to wear. She has a family to take care of, and with her unfit mother, she has to be the grown-up.
Oh, and with her addiction causing her body to be almost completely scarred, boys are the last thing on her mind. And the one guy that does appear, apparently falling for her and not caring about the scars and all that, has tried to kill her once. Unlike any other stupid YA heroine out there, she doesn't immediately forgive him and just falls in love, too. No! She stays guarded, she's careful and waits to see if he can ever be trusted. Like I said, it's a very refreshing change of airs. ;D Thank you very much, Jennifer Bosworth. You give me hope.
The ending was just perfect!! I can't wait for the next book!!
If you like your dystopian YAs with strong female characters, a very different and creative plot and lots of drama and action, this is your book.
*I was very lucky to receive an advanced e-copy from the publisher through Netgalley, in exchange for an honest review.*
