Feuds Blog Tour: Review

Welcome to my stop on the blog tour for FEUDS! Today I'm sharing my review of the book with you! Be sure to check out all the other stops on the tour!

Feuds

Author: Avery Hastings

Genre: YA Science Fiction/Dystopia

Release Date: September 2, 2014

Publisher: St. Martin's Griffin

Description:

For Davis Morrow, perfection is a daily reality. Like all Priors, Davis has spent her whole life primed to be smarter, stronger, and more graceful than the lowly Imperfects, or “Imps.” A fiercely ambitious ballerina, Davis is only a few weeks away from qualifying for the Olympiads and finally living up to her mother’s legacy when she meets Cole, a mysterious boy who leaves her with more questions each time he disappears.

Davis has no idea that Cole has his own agenda, or that he’s a rising star in the FEUDS, an underground fighting ring where Priors gamble on Imps. Cole has every reason to hate Davis—her father’s campaign hinges on the total segregation of the Imps and Priors—but despite his best efforts, Cole finds himself as drawn to Davis as she is to him.

Then Narxis, a deadly virus, takes its hold--and Davis’s friends start dying. When the Priors refuse to acknowledge the epidemic, Davis has no one to turn to but Cole. Falling in love was never part of their plan, but their love may be the only thing that can save her world...in Avery Hastings's Feuds. 

Feuds is a compelling mix of science fiction and romance that will have fans of both genres begging for more. The story is told in alternating points of view from our two main characters - Davis and Cole. They are the typical star-crossed lovers - the ones from opposite sides of the track that fall for each other despite the odds. Only in this version, their story takes place in a dystopian future where most humans have been genetically modified to near perfection (they're called Priors) - the world that David lives in - as well as the terrible and gritty part of town that Cole and the other "Imps" (or Imperfects) live. When Davis and Cole cross paths, both are thrown out of their comfort zone. Davis is confused by the mysterious Cole and doesn't realize that he wants to ruin her father's political platform for total segregation between Priors and Imps. He's also a major contender in the FEUDS - an underground fighting ring where rich Priors bet on Imps. Despite his hatred for her father's plan and all the implications it has on his world, Cole finds himself drawn to Davis just as much as she is to him. Davis - who's father is obviously the politician that wants to segregate the Imps and Priors for good - has been training to become an Olympiad ballerina, just like her mother. Even though Cole is gorgeous and intriguing, she must focus all of her energy on her dancing. Things get even more complicated when the virus named Narxis is unleashed and begins to kill people - even the Priors who are supposed to be immune to everything. With her father and the other Priors refuse to acknowledge the danger the virus is becoming, Davis has to turn to the one person she never thought she would - Cole.

I loved both Davis and Cole as main characters for the book. Since it's told from alternating points of view between the both of them, we get an inside look at what they're thinking and feeling throughout the story. In that way, the reader gets to know them and connect with their characters in a more personal way. Davis is smart, determined, and dedicated - especially when it comes to dancing. Cole is street smart, strong, and opinionated. He's forced to fight in the FEUDS just to bring in money for education and living expenses. Like I mentioned above, the story becomes a bit predictable after we're introduced to Davis and Cole. I immediately knew it was going to be a star-crossed lovers type book, but it had unique aspects that made it original and fresh. I loved the world that the author created for the book. The dystopian future is incredibly detailed and has lots of vivid imagery so I could easily slip inside the story. One of the things I liked the most about the setting was that it wasn't far-fetched or inconceivable. All of the things talked about in the book - from genetically engineering humans to touch screen walls and where basically everything is technically advanced - but not to an extreme. I could see this actually happening to our world in a not so distant future, which is a creepy thought, but one that helped me to lose myself in the story. Overall, this was a richly imagined dystopian romance story with defined characters, a very well written plot and a quick pace. I highly recommend it for fans of various genres - including romance, science fiction, dystopia, and fantasy.

Avery Hastings is an author and former book editor from New York City. Avery grew up in Ohio, graduated in 2006 from the University of Notre Dame and earned her MFA from the New School in 2008. When she's not reading or writing, Avery can usually be spotted lying around in the park with her affable dog. Like her protagonists, she knows how to throw a powerful right hook and once dreamed of becoming a ballerina. In addition to New York, Avery has recently lived in Mumbai and Paris, but is happy to call Brooklyn home (for now). 

Purchasing Links:

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*A huge thank you to the awesome people at St. Martin's Griffin for providing me with a copy of the book in exchange for an honest review! *