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Starcrossed #1
Starcrossed: Perigee
Aric Brennan is a whisperer - a perfectly engineered human/alien hybrid, designed specifically to charm and seduce. When Lucy is stalked by his unearthly creators, she has no choice but to trust him to help her navigate a way through a horrifying reality - a reality filled with creatures which should really only exist in nightmares.
"...His face drew nearer, and I caught my breath at the closeness of such an impossibly perfect person. Despite every instinct which told me I was in danger, I couldn’t help but stare back at him, and be pulled into the spell he was weaving. The panic receded as I looked into his eyes and listened to the hypnotic timbre of his voice. The room filled with a strange buzz which permeated my body, vibrating and pulsing through every part of me. I didn’t care - I was still listening to his voice. Paralysis overtook me, but I had no will to fight it. The creatures moved closer and he backed away...”
Synopsis:
"Star-crossed - a pair of lovers whose relationship, ordained by the stars, is thwarted by outside forces."
"There are many things in this world, Lucy, that are not what they seem. Humans go about their business with their heads in the sand. They have no idea what's really going on."
After surviving a peculiar and unsettled childhood, Lucy Doyle's relatively normal teenage existence is turned upside down with the arrival of the enigmatic, impossibly good looking Aric Brennan - her uncle's new ranch hand. Lucy's suspicion that there's something 'different' about Aric is confirmed when she learns that his uncanny ability to mind read and charm the socks off of any female isn't just an accident - he was bred for this purpose. Aric is a 'whisperer' - a genetically manipulated human hybrid created by the Innaki - an alien race involved in a sinister abduction program.
When Lucy is stalked by Aric's unearthly creators, she must put her trust in the charismatic, 'perfect' stranger, unaware he holds a chilling secret which could destroy her world forever.
If you're into X File type aliens and ufos, vampiric creatures, weird powers, romance and fast paced adventure, then Starcrossed: Book 1 Perigee, by Tracey Lee Campbell is a must read!
"What girl wouldn't wish for the perfect guy? Unfortunately for Lucy, he was created that way for a reason..."
Check out https://www.facebook.com/starcrossedt... pinned post to find out who stocks this book!
"...His face drew nearer, and I caught my breath at the closeness of such an impossibly perfect person. Despite every instinct which told me I was in danger, I couldn’t help but stare back at him, and be pulled into the spell he was weaving. The panic receded as I looked into his eyes and listened to the hypnotic timbre of his voice. The room filled with a strange buzz which permeated my body, vibrating and pulsing through every part of me. I didn’t care - I was still listening to his voice. Paralysis overtook me, but I had no will to fight it. The creatures moved closer and he backed away...”
Synopsis:
"Star-crossed - a pair of lovers whose relationship, ordained by the stars, is thwarted by outside forces."
"There are many things in this world, Lucy, that are not what they seem. Humans go about their business with their heads in the sand. They have no idea what's really going on."
After surviving a peculiar and unsettled childhood, Lucy Doyle's relatively normal teenage existence is turned upside down with the arrival of the enigmatic, impossibly good looking Aric Brennan - her uncle's new ranch hand. Lucy's suspicion that there's something 'different' about Aric is confirmed when she learns that his uncanny ability to mind read and charm the socks off of any female isn't just an accident - he was bred for this purpose. Aric is a 'whisperer' - a genetically manipulated human hybrid created by the Innaki - an alien race involved in a sinister abduction program.
When Lucy is stalked by Aric's unearthly creators, she must put her trust in the charismatic, 'perfect' stranger, unaware he holds a chilling secret which could destroy her world forever.
If you're into X File type aliens and ufos, vampiric creatures, weird powers, romance and fast paced adventure, then Starcrossed: Book 1 Perigee, by Tracey Lee Campbell is a must read!
"What girl wouldn't wish for the perfect guy? Unfortunately for Lucy, he was created that way for a reason..."
Check out https://www.facebook.com/starcrossedt... pinned post to find out who stocks this book!
409 pages, Kindle Edition
First published April 20, 2011
26 people are currently reading
1797 people want to read
About the author
Tracey Lee Campbell
1 book53 followersTracey Lee Campbell grew up in Sydney, Australia, before moving to Queensland as a teen. She has been writing stories since she was very young and wrote her first manuscript when she was just ten years old. She has always had an interest in things which can be classed as ‘highly strange’, the mysterious and the spooky. In 2010 she decided to combine her two passions to produce a paranormal romance series. The book, Starcrossed: Perigee, is the first in the trilogy.
Tracey lives in Australia with her husband and children.
More information on further titles in the Starcrossed series can be found at:
www.starcrossedthebook.com
Tracey lives in Australia with her husband and children.
More information on further titles in the Starcrossed series can be found at:
www.starcrossedthebook.com
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 68 reviews
November 22, 2011
So i read this for about 3-4 hours straight. Couldn't put it down. Honestly, it was just refreshing. It's really not everyday that i get to read about ufo's, aliens and hot guys with compelling voice and a lot more super powers.
The protagonist, Luce, is now one of my favorite kick ass girls together with Katniss, Katsa, Clary and many more. She is somewhat still, a typical teenager but i guess being abducted by aliens all throughout her life and being passed between relatives most of her life, i felt like she wasn't a teenager sometimes. I mean, her pov is sometimes that of an adult. I actually felt like she just had to be captured by the "other" side (Smith and the tweedldum&tweedledee) to know how it is for Arik. It kinda did her good. I think after coming out of that feat, she became a stronger character because by then, she understood already what was happening and where she and Arik stands in all that.
my letter to Arik:
Arik oh Arik... i thought you were some kind of "Absolute Boyfriend" -- like in the manga (a robot ordered online for the sole purpose to fit your idea of a perfect boyfriend).. turns out, you are absolutely not..which makes your character perfect! You influence or err.. "whisper" and charm people especially girls, i guess, but you're still half human and you absolutely have emotions. You're perfect in every way... like superman with all the super powers and you're sweet, gorgeous, witty and uber intelligent. I'm definitely adding you to my list of fictional wish-boyfriends! -xx haze (such a fangirl)
So there.. love the plot, love the characters.. a perfect 5! next book please! like now! ^_^
The protagonist, Luce, is now one of my favorite kick ass girls together with Katniss, Katsa, Clary and many more. She is somewhat still, a typical teenager but i guess being abducted by aliens all throughout her life and being passed between relatives most of her life, i felt like she wasn't a teenager sometimes. I mean, her pov is sometimes that of an adult. I actually felt like she just had to be captured by the "other" side (Smith and the tweedldum&tweedledee) to know how it is for Arik. It kinda did her good. I think after coming out of that feat, she became a stronger character because by then, she understood already what was happening and where she and Arik stands in all that.
my letter to Arik:
Arik oh Arik... i thought you were some kind of "Absolute Boyfriend" -- like in the manga (a robot ordered online for the sole purpose to fit your idea of a perfect boyfriend).. turns out, you are absolutely not..which makes your character perfect! You influence or err.. "whisper" and charm people especially girls, i guess, but you're still half human and you absolutely have emotions. You're perfect in every way... like superman with all the super powers and you're sweet, gorgeous, witty and uber intelligent. I'm definitely adding you to my list of fictional wish-boyfriends! -xx haze (such a fangirl)
So there.. love the plot, love the characters.. a perfect 5! next book please! like now! ^_^
March 19, 2016
This book to me was amazing! Coming from someone that loved watching X-Files growing up this was definitely my bag of tea. When it first started with the character, Lucy waking up in a barn in horse manure, I was a little taken back. But after the first couple of pages I was hooked! When she meets Aric, it's like her whole life is turned upside down and she learns things about herself and things all around her that aren't quite as they seem.
One of the big things that I loved about this book was the concept of it. Aric is a whisperer, which to me gave me the impression of when a vampire “glamours” someone. He basically makes it easier for the people that the aliens abduct by calming their nerves. But there's so much more to it, harvesting wyk, which is explained as energy. The things that the characters are able to do with wyk is amazing as well.. I could go on and on, but I don't want to give away toooo much :)
Another thing that I loved about it is the relationship between Aric and Lucy. It's a real love, but your average lustful yearning that a lot of paranormal romances have. From what I felt while reading it, they genuinely care for each other, and Aric one mission is to protect Lucy at all cost. Very chivalrous in the way he treats her, and let's be honest ladies, that's always a good thing for a man to have.
If you are wanting something fast paced and full of action, then this is definitely one that I would recommend. In my opinion, it's one of the best paranormal romances that I have read and I would recommend to anyone.
One of the big things that I loved about this book was the concept of it. Aric is a whisperer, which to me gave me the impression of when a vampire “glamours” someone. He basically makes it easier for the people that the aliens abduct by calming their nerves. But there's so much more to it, harvesting wyk, which is explained as energy. The things that the characters are able to do with wyk is amazing as well.. I could go on and on, but I don't want to give away toooo much :)
Another thing that I loved about it is the relationship between Aric and Lucy. It's a real love, but your average lustful yearning that a lot of paranormal romances have. From what I felt while reading it, they genuinely care for each other, and Aric one mission is to protect Lucy at all cost. Very chivalrous in the way he treats her, and let's be honest ladies, that's always a good thing for a man to have.
If you are wanting something fast paced and full of action, then this is definitely one that I would recommend. In my opinion, it's one of the best paranormal romances that I have read and I would recommend to anyone.
May 8, 2011
i really liked this book. It's a very different Paranormal Romance book than I have read before but I loved it.
It follows Lucy, a normal teenage girl who had episodes of sleepwalking and ending up in weird places with no memory of how she got there. Then she meets the mysterious and gorgeous Aric. Soon her world is turned upside down as she discovers the existence of Alien-type creatures called Innaki, who are after her. Soon Lucy is on the run with Aric to try and get away from them, tho not everything is that easy as they have a tracked on Lucy and she must get rid of it.
I loved this book it was so good. I thought it was really different from other paranormal books because I haven't read any where the creatures are mainly aliens from different planets but i absolutely loved it. I found myself so attached to the characters that everytime they had a confrontation with the Innaki, i was like omg no they have to get away. As usual with me i fell for Aric, i always tend to fall in love with the main guy character and this book was no exception, he is so sweet and i love him.
I really enjoyed every moment of this book and once i was about halfway through it i found it very difficult to put down.
I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
It follows Lucy, a normal teenage girl who had episodes of sleepwalking and ending up in weird places with no memory of how she got there. Then she meets the mysterious and gorgeous Aric. Soon her world is turned upside down as she discovers the existence of Alien-type creatures called Innaki, who are after her. Soon Lucy is on the run with Aric to try and get away from them, tho not everything is that easy as they have a tracked on Lucy and she must get rid of it.
I loved this book it was so good. I thought it was really different from other paranormal books because I haven't read any where the creatures are mainly aliens from different planets but i absolutely loved it. I found myself so attached to the characters that everytime they had a confrontation with the Innaki, i was like omg no they have to get away. As usual with me i fell for Aric, i always tend to fall in love with the main guy character and this book was no exception, he is so sweet and i love him.
I really enjoyed every moment of this book and once i was about halfway through it i found it very difficult to put down.
I will definitely be reading the next book in this series.
June 4, 2011
Imagine you are seven years old. You are abducted in the middle of the night, your clothes torn off, experiments performed on your helpless mind and body. Your very memories are altered, at least in part by a trusted figure soothing you in to accepting what is happening to you, in the moment.
You are Lucy, the main character of Starcrossed, and this has been happening to you for most of your life.
What I am describing is not literally child molestation, rape, and mind control. But alien abduction--Lucy's misfortune in life is to have attracted the attention of the Roswell greys, called Innaki in the book--has often been an allegory for these subjects. This is an important point for how the rest of the book is handled.
At this point in the story, I was quite invested in Lucy. She has a dead father and an institutionalized mother, locked away after trying to carve Lucy apart with a kitchen knife. Lucy gets bounced from family member to family member, none of them really caring enough to invest in her. She's smart and has an impressive vocabulary, which she likes to use as a shield for her age appropriate awkwardness. The author does a wonderful job of creating an authentic voice. Since the text is first person it gives Campbell a lot of room to inject realism, like when Lucy chooses difficult words and gets them slightly wrong.
Lucy is precocious, and used to looking after herself. Thank goodness. I trusted the author (grudgingly. I don't trust authors easily these days.) so when Aric first showed up, I thought that the shady vibes I got from him had to be intentional.
You see, Aric is a Whisperer. That is, he's a human/Innaki hyrbid, created specifically to charm and soothe abduction victims. It's his job to make you feel better about being probed.
Icky, right? I think the author was trying for something admirable here, which in my mind would be an exploration of how complicated victimizing behaviors can be. Lucy is clearly a victim, and Aric, given no choice about his role, is forced to do things he finds reprehensible to people like her, which victimizes him as well.
Until all my sympathy evaporated for Aric, the moment I realized he was keeping Lucy from doing things important to her recovery--seeing her mother, reclaiming the memories of her abductions--to protect himself. By then, he and Lucy are having romantic feelings for one another, and he doesn't want her to know that he's been complicit in taking her from her bed, stripping her naked, and experimenting on her since she was a child. He's been helping the Innaki take her mother too, by the way. Mom isn't crazy. She tried to cut Lucy up to get to the alien implant the Innaki use to track her, so basically Aric had a part in keeping Lucy from the only family she has that cares. (other than her Uncle Tom, who she lives with in the beginning of the book)
To give credit where it's due, Lucy calls him on this. Only to have all the adults around her--who are all trying to protect her by then--underscore the fact that none of it is Aric's fault. Well, what about the lying?
When Lucy walked out on him, I cheered. Good girl, I thought. Finally, a heroine who can validate herself. But in less than a day, she's already forgiving him. I thought maybe she was given to do so because of his unnatural charm, and maybe she'd find out he wasn't trustworthy in the end. But no. It's all about how wounded Aric is, and how sad and guilty, and how hard this must all be for him. (most people just assume Aric gets to call the shots when it comes to Lucy. At one point she says she'd like to do something and one of her other allies says she doesn't think Aric will allow it)
The seven year old girl who is abducted, molested, experimented on, and brainwashed? The process that keeps happening until she's seventeen? Oh well. It's Aric that really deserves the apologies, and the empathy, and the oh poor dears.
Honestly, I don't know why I keep seeing this. I wanted to love this book wholeheartedly. I don't pick books up hoping they'll upset me. When I first met Lucy I thought, oh awesome! I really like her and the character voice is pitch perfect. So why bring in this man if he isn't going to have consequences? I don't even mind the angle where he's been helping the Innaki, or the part where she's just a little kid when it starts happening. Wow, could that ever be fascinating. How do they try and navigate a real relationship after that, when they're free?
But that's not what happens, for the most part. She has these flashes of independence and agency, but mostly they're illusions. When she gets captured in the end she decides she is going to escape and starts practicing the skills she is going to need...only to get busted out by Aric anyway. She does have some cool moments flinging around super rad alien magicy fireballs, and she does put her foot down about seeing her mother, so it's certainly better than some tales where the female MC might as well be a sack of potatoes. Still, having a lot of magic isn't a trait she did anything to earn and it's implied her talent is inborn. It's like having blue eyes. She's special because, well, she IS dammit.
This brings me to one of my major questions. Why does Aric love Lucy? (he even loves her more than a more mature, beautiful alien woman we meet later, with a comparable lifespan to Aric's and so on) I can totally see why Lucy is in love with him. He's gorgeous, he's charming, he protects her when she's at her most vulnerable. But why does a very old, very attractive, very rich alien want this seventeen year old girl?
Another quibble is that the minor characters often seem one dimensional. The fat bully at school. The kindly, pleasantly plump flower shop owner. The doctor who helps Lucy for reasons that still aren't clear to me.
The best part about this book though, is Lucy. When she's forced to be on her own and fend for herself (which to be fair, she does once or twice) I could readily feel her fear, her cold, her hunger. Make no mistake. I think her reactions, down to her sometimes cheesy affections for Aric and how she justifies his behavior, are true to life. It's that no one else seems to think it's inappropriate either. I wanted more of Lucy. I wanted to know how she felt about and was going to deal with everything, rather than getting the book to its happily for now in the alloted pages. I wanted her to experience the shocking betrayal, the doubt, and so on for longer instead of the focus constantly being on how poor little Aric was doing. I would have preferred if the creepy vibe turned out to be true and Aric had ulterior motives, or that she would have rejected him for lying and they would have had to build from there.
I'll also give the author this. There are some great old school alien related scenes in this book. The part where Aric opens the barn door only to reveal blinding white light and an Innaki still sticks with me. And I will probably read book two, because the author leaves enough open that you're interested.
You are Lucy, the main character of Starcrossed, and this has been happening to you for most of your life.
What I am describing is not literally child molestation, rape, and mind control. But alien abduction--Lucy's misfortune in life is to have attracted the attention of the Roswell greys, called Innaki in the book--has often been an allegory for these subjects. This is an important point for how the rest of the book is handled.
At this point in the story, I was quite invested in Lucy. She has a dead father and an institutionalized mother, locked away after trying to carve Lucy apart with a kitchen knife. Lucy gets bounced from family member to family member, none of them really caring enough to invest in her. She's smart and has an impressive vocabulary, which she likes to use as a shield for her age appropriate awkwardness. The author does a wonderful job of creating an authentic voice. Since the text is first person it gives Campbell a lot of room to inject realism, like when Lucy chooses difficult words and gets them slightly wrong.
Lucy is precocious, and used to looking after herself. Thank goodness. I trusted the author (grudgingly. I don't trust authors easily these days.) so when Aric first showed up, I thought that the shady vibes I got from him had to be intentional.
You see, Aric is a Whisperer. That is, he's a human/Innaki hyrbid, created specifically to charm and soothe abduction victims. It's his job to make you feel better about being probed.
Icky, right? I think the author was trying for something admirable here, which in my mind would be an exploration of how complicated victimizing behaviors can be. Lucy is clearly a victim, and Aric, given no choice about his role, is forced to do things he finds reprehensible to people like her, which victimizes him as well.
Until all my sympathy evaporated for Aric, the moment I realized he was keeping Lucy from doing things important to her recovery--seeing her mother, reclaiming the memories of her abductions--to protect himself. By then, he and Lucy are having romantic feelings for one another, and he doesn't want her to know that he's been complicit in taking her from her bed, stripping her naked, and experimenting on her since she was a child. He's been helping the Innaki take her mother too, by the way. Mom isn't crazy. She tried to cut Lucy up to get to the alien implant the Innaki use to track her, so basically Aric had a part in keeping Lucy from the only family she has that cares. (other than her Uncle Tom, who she lives with in the beginning of the book)
To give credit where it's due, Lucy calls him on this. Only to have all the adults around her--who are all trying to protect her by then--underscore the fact that none of it is Aric's fault. Well, what about the lying?
When Lucy walked out on him, I cheered. Good girl, I thought. Finally, a heroine who can validate herself. But in less than a day, she's already forgiving him. I thought maybe she was given to do so because of his unnatural charm, and maybe she'd find out he wasn't trustworthy in the end. But no. It's all about how wounded Aric is, and how sad and guilty, and how hard this must all be for him. (most people just assume Aric gets to call the shots when it comes to Lucy. At one point she says she'd like to do something and one of her other allies says she doesn't think Aric will allow it)
The seven year old girl who is abducted, molested, experimented on, and brainwashed? The process that keeps happening until she's seventeen? Oh well. It's Aric that really deserves the apologies, and the empathy, and the oh poor dears.
Honestly, I don't know why I keep seeing this. I wanted to love this book wholeheartedly. I don't pick books up hoping they'll upset me. When I first met Lucy I thought, oh awesome! I really like her and the character voice is pitch perfect. So why bring in this man if he isn't going to have consequences? I don't even mind the angle where he's been helping the Innaki, or the part where she's just a little kid when it starts happening. Wow, could that ever be fascinating. How do they try and navigate a real relationship after that, when they're free?
But that's not what happens, for the most part. She has these flashes of independence and agency, but mostly they're illusions. When she gets captured in the end she decides she is going to escape and starts practicing the skills she is going to need...only to get busted out by Aric anyway. She does have some cool moments flinging around super rad alien magicy fireballs, and she does put her foot down about seeing her mother, so it's certainly better than some tales where the female MC might as well be a sack of potatoes. Still, having a lot of magic isn't a trait she did anything to earn and it's implied her talent is inborn. It's like having blue eyes. She's special because, well, she IS dammit.
This brings me to one of my major questions. Why does Aric love Lucy? (he even loves her more than a more mature, beautiful alien woman we meet later, with a comparable lifespan to Aric's and so on) I can totally see why Lucy is in love with him. He's gorgeous, he's charming, he protects her when she's at her most vulnerable. But why does a very old, very attractive, very rich alien want this seventeen year old girl?
Another quibble is that the minor characters often seem one dimensional. The fat bully at school. The kindly, pleasantly plump flower shop owner. The doctor who helps Lucy for reasons that still aren't clear to me.
The best part about this book though, is Lucy. When she's forced to be on her own and fend for herself (which to be fair, she does once or twice) I could readily feel her fear, her cold, her hunger. Make no mistake. I think her reactions, down to her sometimes cheesy affections for Aric and how she justifies his behavior, are true to life. It's that no one else seems to think it's inappropriate either. I wanted more of Lucy. I wanted to know how she felt about and was going to deal with everything, rather than getting the book to its happily for now in the alloted pages. I wanted her to experience the shocking betrayal, the doubt, and so on for longer instead of the focus constantly being on how poor little Aric was doing. I would have preferred if the creepy vibe turned out to be true and Aric had ulterior motives, or that she would have rejected him for lying and they would have had to build from there.
I'll also give the author this. There are some great old school alien related scenes in this book. The part where Aric opens the barn door only to reveal blinding white light and an Innaki still sticks with me. And I will probably read book two, because the author leaves enough open that you're interested.
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
July 23, 2014
Overview: I know you have a bit of an outline above, but I will add a little to it. :)
It's about Lucy, a girl who wakes up in her uncles barn from a very bizarre dream. When she goes into town with her Uncle she meets someone who her uncle later on hires as help. She soon falls for the guy not knowing anything about him. As time goes on she learns that her Uncle meeting him was no coincidence. Aric was there to watch over Lucy and keep her safe from those that haunted her dreams (and apparently real life), the Innaki. Now not only did Lucy have aliens after her she also had an agency of people after her. In order to keep her safe (and her family) Aric and her set off on a journey. Where to? I'll let you read to find out. :) During the journey Lucy learned more about Aric and who he really was, a whisperer, alien/human hybrid made to help the Innaki to subdue humans because after all humans and the earth are just an expierment. Lucy learned why her mother had tried to hurt her at a young age thus sending herself (lucys mom) to an asylum, and leaving lucy to be moved...put in home after home with different family members. Lucy met others along the way that were also part of Aric's world. She learned that being what they were they had special powers/abilities that she too could learn. Now on the run...will they get to where they're going or be stopped dead in their tracks?
Characters:
I know I sound kind of reptitive but the characters were really well thought out. Each one of them had something that captured me. Making me want to know more about them. I enjoyed learning about Lucy's past. Why it is her mother hurt her. Why is it the Innaki wanted her (even though not much of their reasoning was given away) I'm sure we'll find out. I was able to see her grow and accept that things might not be the same for her again. Aric, I tell you what from the moment Lucy saw him in the diner I knew I would like him. I knew I wanted him and lucy together, but was it possible? He had all those qualities that make male characters swoon-worthy. Oh yes I said swoon-worthy! He was protective. (Not Edward protective either. I totally just used a Twilight reference I know. If you don't know what I mean by that. All hope is lost then. Just kidding) Yes, he lied to her, and he felt bad. He was trying to protect her from those meaning to harm her. Getting to meet some of the others that were kind of like Aric was nice to..like Saul (ok I suck at this I usually write down the characters and everything to refer back to but since I usually read it at work or in the car or places other then home I didn't have my notebook and stuff I usually write things down in. Im sorry.) We didn't get to see to much of the Innaki or learn much about them, but all the same it was nice to get a glimpse of what they were like. I'm curious to see if we'll learn more about them and the other creatures. Also I hope we get to learn about the agency that was after Lucy as well..they reminded me of men in black only they were a little meaner.
Plot:
I enjoyed the story very much. Like I said I'm not much of an alien fan, but this had my attention. I still want to know why the aliens and men in suits were wanting Lucy. I felt like I was on some supernatural roadtrip with Lucy and Aric. Going from her family home to some friends of Arics to a secret lab back to more friends houses all while avoiding the bad guys by stealing cars, sheilding themselves. It sounds like it was all over the place but that's just my messy way of writing it out. It is much more enjoyable then how I make sound. So do yourself a favor and read it. :)
Overall: In the ages or I guess you could say "time" of vampires, werewolves, and fairies it's nice to be able to read about something a little different. Yes, it's supernatural. It has "people" with special abilities, but it's so much more then that. I don't know about you, but I don't see many alien books. (or maybe it's just because I'm not totally into them) I have to say though that this book may have changed my mind. I adored every bit of it. I'm very patiently waiting for the other. :) Oh, and I will definitely end up buying the actual book when it comes out. Just so I can have a pretty copy on my shelf. SO if you're into aliens, and other worldly beings, want a little bit of a romance, and some supernatural action I say you should get a copy and read it. :)
It's about Lucy, a girl who wakes up in her uncles barn from a very bizarre dream. When she goes into town with her Uncle she meets someone who her uncle later on hires as help. She soon falls for the guy not knowing anything about him. As time goes on she learns that her Uncle meeting him was no coincidence. Aric was there to watch over Lucy and keep her safe from those that haunted her dreams (and apparently real life), the Innaki. Now not only did Lucy have aliens after her she also had an agency of people after her. In order to keep her safe (and her family) Aric and her set off on a journey. Where to? I'll let you read to find out. :) During the journey Lucy learned more about Aric and who he really was, a whisperer, alien/human hybrid made to help the Innaki to subdue humans because after all humans and the earth are just an expierment. Lucy learned why her mother had tried to hurt her at a young age thus sending herself (lucys mom) to an asylum, and leaving lucy to be moved...put in home after home with different family members. Lucy met others along the way that were also part of Aric's world. She learned that being what they were they had special powers/abilities that she too could learn. Now on the run...will they get to where they're going or be stopped dead in their tracks?
Characters:
I know I sound kind of reptitive but the characters were really well thought out. Each one of them had something that captured me. Making me want to know more about them. I enjoyed learning about Lucy's past. Why it is her mother hurt her. Why is it the Innaki wanted her (even though not much of their reasoning was given away) I'm sure we'll find out. I was able to see her grow and accept that things might not be the same for her again. Aric, I tell you what from the moment Lucy saw him in the diner I knew I would like him. I knew I wanted him and lucy together, but was it possible? He had all those qualities that make male characters swoon-worthy. Oh yes I said swoon-worthy! He was protective. (Not Edward protective either. I totally just used a Twilight reference I know. If you don't know what I mean by that. All hope is lost then. Just kidding) Yes, he lied to her, and he felt bad. He was trying to protect her from those meaning to harm her. Getting to meet some of the others that were kind of like Aric was nice to..like Saul (ok I suck at this I usually write down the characters and everything to refer back to but since I usually read it at work or in the car or places other then home I didn't have my notebook and stuff I usually write things down in. Im sorry.) We didn't get to see to much of the Innaki or learn much about them, but all the same it was nice to get a glimpse of what they were like. I'm curious to see if we'll learn more about them and the other creatures. Also I hope we get to learn about the agency that was after Lucy as well..they reminded me of men in black only they were a little meaner.
Plot:
I enjoyed the story very much. Like I said I'm not much of an alien fan, but this had my attention. I still want to know why the aliens and men in suits were wanting Lucy. I felt like I was on some supernatural roadtrip with Lucy and Aric. Going from her family home to some friends of Arics to a secret lab back to more friends houses all while avoiding the bad guys by stealing cars, sheilding themselves. It sounds like it was all over the place but that's just my messy way of writing it out. It is much more enjoyable then how I make sound. So do yourself a favor and read it. :)
Overall: In the ages or I guess you could say "time" of vampires, werewolves, and fairies it's nice to be able to read about something a little different. Yes, it's supernatural. It has "people" with special abilities, but it's so much more then that. I don't know about you, but I don't see many alien books. (or maybe it's just because I'm not totally into them) I have to say though that this book may have changed my mind. I adored every bit of it. I'm very patiently waiting for the other. :) Oh, and I will definitely end up buying the actual book when it comes out. Just so I can have a pretty copy on my shelf. SO if you're into aliens, and other worldly beings, want a little bit of a romance, and some supernatural action I say you should get a copy and read it. :)
July 8, 2012
Wow! Did I love this book!
I loved the two main characters together. Once they were together, that was it and I love that. Aric was very sweet and protective. He literaly risked everything for her and never once made me wanna slap him for being an idiot guy! And Lucy was very level-headed which I LOVE in my protags. Their story and all the crazy stuff that happened to them kept me glued fo the pages. For once, I was actually more intrigued with the plot that the romance between the characters and if you know me that's saying something! :)
My advice? Read it because it was sweet and gripping in more ways than one!
I loved the two main characters together. Once they were together, that was it and I love that. Aric was very sweet and protective. He literaly risked everything for her and never once made me wanna slap him for being an idiot guy! And Lucy was very level-headed which I LOVE in my protags. Their story and all the crazy stuff that happened to them kept me glued fo the pages. For once, I was actually more intrigued with the plot that the romance between the characters and if you know me that's saying something! :)
My advice? Read it because it was sweet and gripping in more ways than one!
May 18, 2011
Not what I normally read, but I found it highly entertaining, and somewhat addictive. Ok, more than "somewhat" addictive, it drew me in and wouldn't let go! I love the fullness of the characters, and the whole idea behind the book is intriguing. The pace keeps rolling; there's no lagging chapters, or dragging scenes. All in all, a very good book.
May 24, 2011
Wow. Tracey Lee Campbell has created an incredible, fast-paced, action-packed, romance-filled sci-fi tale in Starcrossed: Perigee.
After a disturbing incident from her youth involving her mother, Lucy is passed around from relative to relative until she finally finds a home with her rancher uncle and his family. A few weeks before her high school graduation, Lucy meets Aric, a boy who is definitely more than he seems, and finds herself swept up into a world of conspiracy, lies, unearthly beings and shocking truths about the reality of her world.
Things I loved about this book:
- The relationship between Aric and Lucy, it was so sweet, real and true.
- The scope of this book. A lot of paranormal YA fiction deal with epic life and death scenarios, battles between good and evil and the sometimes morally gray, but oftentimes you only get a view from the main character's microcosm and the sense that the outcomes effect a larger group of people just doesn't translate well. In "Perigee" you Campbell definitely portrays that sense of extreme urgency, and you are left without a shadow of a doubt that the stakes are very high for everybody.
- I love books that portray a journey, whether it be a flight for safety, a quest; where the characters are going places and doing things towards a larger goal. It moves the book along, it lends that urgency and purpose a story like this requires.
- The "bad guys" were super scary, all of them. Every time one of them showed up I just may have shuddered. Campbell's descriptions make you hope you never encounter these creatures/people....ever.
- The universe the author has created is extremely interesting and I hope that we get to explore it more completely in subsequent books.
- I loved (and I mean loved) that the US government finally shows up in a YA paranormal/sci fi book. For all the shenanigans that go on in these genres, the government is curiously absent from most stories and consequences. I think their presence lends a certain credibility to the story.
So yes, I really did like this book but there were just a few things that bugged me:
- The book takes place somewhere in the United States, but Campbell, an Australian, uses phrasing and terms that are decidedly not American. Not that that's a huge deal but it does jar you out of the story from time to time, as American girls don't normally refer to their sneakers as trainers, lorries are trucks, etc.
- I wished for a little more pro-activeness from the protagonists toward the "bad guys", but I do understand that this is only the first act of a larger story and as an introduction it stands on it's own well. I think I was hoping for a little bit more crazy, Sarah Connor-type behavior, but then Sarah Connor wasn't really Sarah Connor at the beginning of her story either.
- I wish that the supporting cast had been developed a little more, they felt a bit one-dimensional.
Overall, this book was awesome. Campbell is definitely an indie author to watch and I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next Starcrossed book!
After a disturbing incident from her youth involving her mother, Lucy is passed around from relative to relative until she finally finds a home with her rancher uncle and his family. A few weeks before her high school graduation, Lucy meets Aric, a boy who is definitely more than he seems, and finds herself swept up into a world of conspiracy, lies, unearthly beings and shocking truths about the reality of her world.
Things I loved about this book:
- The relationship between Aric and Lucy, it was so sweet, real and true.
- The scope of this book. A lot of paranormal YA fiction deal with epic life and death scenarios, battles between good and evil and the sometimes morally gray, but oftentimes you only get a view from the main character's microcosm and the sense that the outcomes effect a larger group of people just doesn't translate well. In "Perigee" you Campbell definitely portrays that sense of extreme urgency, and you are left without a shadow of a doubt that the stakes are very high for everybody.
- I love books that portray a journey, whether it be a flight for safety, a quest; where the characters are going places and doing things towards a larger goal. It moves the book along, it lends that urgency and purpose a story like this requires.
- The "bad guys" were super scary, all of them. Every time one of them showed up I just may have shuddered. Campbell's descriptions make you hope you never encounter these creatures/people....ever.
- The universe the author has created is extremely interesting and I hope that we get to explore it more completely in subsequent books.
- I loved (and I mean loved) that the US government finally shows up in a YA paranormal/sci fi book. For all the shenanigans that go on in these genres, the government is curiously absent from most stories and consequences. I think their presence lends a certain credibility to the story.
So yes, I really did like this book but there were just a few things that bugged me:
- The book takes place somewhere in the United States, but Campbell, an Australian, uses phrasing and terms that are decidedly not American. Not that that's a huge deal but it does jar you out of the story from time to time, as American girls don't normally refer to their sneakers as trainers, lorries are trucks, etc.
- I wished for a little more pro-activeness from the protagonists toward the "bad guys", but I do understand that this is only the first act of a larger story and as an introduction it stands on it's own well. I think I was hoping for a little bit more crazy, Sarah Connor-type behavior, but then Sarah Connor wasn't really Sarah Connor at the beginning of her story either.
- I wish that the supporting cast had been developed a little more, they felt a bit one-dimensional.
Overall, this book was awesome. Campbell is definitely an indie author to watch and I'll definitely be on the lookout for the next Starcrossed book!
August 20, 2015
I had to wait a while before I wrote this review becuase although I truly enjoyed reading this book, I did have several issues with it that has taken me a while to put into words.
The story is about a girl called Lucy who lives with her Uncle on his farm. Her Uncle hires a new "farmhand" (I think that's what its called) called Aric who seems to be able to read Lucy's thoughts and is able to do other things humans shouldn't be able to do. Needless to say he's far from human. Before we know it, Lucy and Aric are on the run from aliens and other supernatural beings which shouldn't exist and Lucy has to flee her old life with Aric to avoid being abducted.
I loved the concept of this story. I'm all for stories about space and aliens etc and so this was right up my street. It was refreshing to read about. And I loved our 2 main characters Lucy and Aric. Individually they were great characters. We got to find out both of their histories and secrets and this really helped to flesh them out as characters. What I wasn't keen on was the all too familiar 'instant falling in love' aspect of their relationship. One minute they were getting to know each other and had only known each other for about 3 weeks and then the next minute they couldn't live without each other and Lucy was preparing to run away with Aric to another country (albeit he was protecting her from alien abduction) and decraing their undying love for each other.
Another thing that let the book down slightly for me was the cliche(ness) of the aliens. I was expecting that when they were described they would be something different, unique. However, what we got were little grey men with big heads, large black eyes who appeared in flying saucers with blindingly bright flashing lights. It was a bit of a let down.
I could get past the little niggles like this though for the fact that the story was really really engrossing. There are some really great action scenes including, mad car chases, alien abduction, supernatural fighting and other such awsomeness!! It was all there!
Ultimately I'm really glad I decided to pick this one up. The story has promise and looking forward to finding out what happens next to Lucy and Aric.
The story is about a girl called Lucy who lives with her Uncle on his farm. Her Uncle hires a new "farmhand" (I think that's what its called) called Aric who seems to be able to read Lucy's thoughts and is able to do other things humans shouldn't be able to do. Needless to say he's far from human. Before we know it, Lucy and Aric are on the run from aliens and other supernatural beings which shouldn't exist and Lucy has to flee her old life with Aric to avoid being abducted.
I loved the concept of this story. I'm all for stories about space and aliens etc and so this was right up my street. It was refreshing to read about. And I loved our 2 main characters Lucy and Aric. Individually they were great characters. We got to find out both of their histories and secrets and this really helped to flesh them out as characters. What I wasn't keen on was the all too familiar 'instant falling in love' aspect of their relationship. One minute they were getting to know each other and had only known each other for about 3 weeks and then the next minute they couldn't live without each other and Lucy was preparing to run away with Aric to another country (albeit he was protecting her from alien abduction) and decraing their undying love for each other.
Another thing that let the book down slightly for me was the cliche(ness) of the aliens. I was expecting that when they were described they would be something different, unique. However, what we got were little grey men with big heads, large black eyes who appeared in flying saucers with blindingly bright flashing lights. It was a bit of a let down.
I could get past the little niggles like this though for the fact that the story was really really engrossing. There are some really great action scenes including, mad car chases, alien abduction, supernatural fighting and other such awsomeness!! It was all there!
Ultimately I'm really glad I decided to pick this one up. The story has promise and looking forward to finding out what happens next to Lucy and Aric.
May 18, 2011
I am SO happy that Tracey sent me her debut novel, Starcrossed: Perigee to review. It is a really, REALLY awesome book! It has a completely original concept that made it hard to put down. I must say that this is not my typical read… but I am very happy I gave it a shot.
The book started off a bit slow for me, but that quickly changed when Lucy met Aric! He was such a captivating character on the page, I can’t imagine what he’d be like in person! I definitely give Tracey two-thumbs up for writing such a kick-ass male lead. Lucy and Aric’s relationship progresses naturally. It was borderline twilight-y at some points, but only because Lucy had not known him that long and he has the ability to charm people. Other than that, it was a great relationship to observe.
You’ll quickly realize when reading Starcrossed: Perigee that there is a whole lot more going on in the world than everyone is aware of. Aliens and vampire-type creatures? Somehow she made it all work flawlessly! She creates a chilling world where you cannot be sure of anything. And not-to-mention she was great at keeping me on my toes! This book is filled with twists and turns that I wouldn’t have seen coming in a million years. I can’t wait to see where Tracey takes this series next! I imagine the next book will be quite epic judging from where this one left off. Thanks again Tracey and I’ll be looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!
Oh, and if you buy the Kindle Edition on Amazon, it is only $0.99!! Can’t beat it. Trust me, it’s worth the dollar!
The book started off a bit slow for me, but that quickly changed when Lucy met Aric! He was such a captivating character on the page, I can’t imagine what he’d be like in person! I definitely give Tracey two-thumbs up for writing such a kick-ass male lead. Lucy and Aric’s relationship progresses naturally. It was borderline twilight-y at some points, but only because Lucy had not known him that long and he has the ability to charm people. Other than that, it was a great relationship to observe.
You’ll quickly realize when reading Starcrossed: Perigee that there is a whole lot more going on in the world than everyone is aware of. Aliens and vampire-type creatures? Somehow she made it all work flawlessly! She creates a chilling world where you cannot be sure of anything. And not-to-mention she was great at keeping me on my toes! This book is filled with twists and turns that I wouldn’t have seen coming in a million years. I can’t wait to see where Tracey takes this series next! I imagine the next book will be quite epic judging from where this one left off. Thanks again Tracey and I’ll be looking forward to reading the rest of the trilogy!
Oh, and if you buy the Kindle Edition on Amazon, it is only $0.99!! Can’t beat it. Trust me, it’s worth the dollar!
January 2, 2012
Ugggh. After not finishing the last two books I started, I was beginning to fear that I had lost the ability to do so. It was that fear that made me slog through the rest of this book. I think I'm still partially in my jaded place. I'm tired of stories where impossibly perfect paranormal men fall in love with human girls FOR NO APPARENT REASON. Definitely need to take a break from YA lit. At least until the Divergent sequel comes out. Anyway, this one sounded good, got good reviews, and was available as a free Kindle download so I gave it a try.
Pros:
- It was nice to be dealing with paranormal elements that were not vampires, werewolves, or fairies for a change.
- The whole Wyck (can't remember if I'm spelling that right) element was interesting at first, but got old quickly.
- Interesting to pull in string theory and parallel universes.
Cons:
- No tension between the two romantic leads. They meet and fall completely in love. We're told that there were many nights that they spent talking, but never get to hear any of those conversations.
- The plot dragged. There were a couple of times where I actually wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next, but mostly I had to force myself to read.
- The book needed an editor, or a better one. The typos were distracting.
- Too many secondary characters, but none of the characters in the book feel real or fleshed out. Didn't really care about any of them.
Anyway, I guess it will be well-received by its target audience, but not one I'll recommend anytime soon.
Pros:
- It was nice to be dealing with paranormal elements that were not vampires, werewolves, or fairies for a change.
- The whole Wyck (can't remember if I'm spelling that right) element was interesting at first, but got old quickly.
- Interesting to pull in string theory and parallel universes.
Cons:
- No tension between the two romantic leads. They meet and fall completely in love. We're told that there were many nights that they spent talking, but never get to hear any of those conversations.
- The plot dragged. There were a couple of times where I actually wanted to keep reading to find out what happened next, but mostly I had to force myself to read.
- The book needed an editor, or a better one. The typos were distracting.
- Too many secondary characters, but none of the characters in the book feel real or fleshed out. Didn't really care about any of them.
Anyway, I guess it will be well-received by its target audience, but not one I'll recommend anytime soon.
November 3, 2011
This was such a great idea! There are lots of science fiction/fantasy books out there for Young Adults. And I can't put my finger on what made this book so different, except to say that the feel of the book was just...new! Lucy seemed like a very normal, down to earth (haha) girl. Until she meets a very different kind of guy, and everything changes. There are things going on in the universe that are beyond imagining, and Lucy is right in the middle of it. Now she has to rely on this strange and beautiful boy to help her.
Extremely intense at times, and very romantic. This book would be perfect for a preteen/teenager. I think it may be a little young for some adults, but the storyline itself was good enough for me to really enjoy, and memorable enough for me to write this review two months after reading the book, because I couldn't stop thinking about it. I'm hoping for a sequel!
Extremely intense at times, and very romantic. This book would be perfect for a preteen/teenager. I think it may be a little young for some adults, but the storyline itself was good enough for me to really enjoy, and memorable enough for me to write this review two months after reading the book, because I couldn't stop thinking about it. I'm hoping for a sequel!
June 27, 2011
Starcrossed: Perigree is a really fun read that's perfect for beach or poolside. We follow 17 year old Lucy as she encounters love along with a panoply of aliens, alien-human hybrids, clones, and amoral military types. The evil 'Grays' are completely detestable. All, including Lucy, display interesting and unusual powers. The plot moves along quickly from the rumblings of teenage romance to various exciting escapes from alien abductors bent on nefarious experiments. We learn about Lucy's troubled past, how to remove an alien implant, and, my favorite, how to dispatch a roomful of 'Grays'. I can recommend for 'tweens and up. The romance is not explicit and the blood is not gratuitous. I really enjoyed the characters and the mystery the author weaves around their various and competing motivations. I can't wait for the next installment.
December 11, 2011
Great storyline that flows the journey of Lucy and Aric as they escape the dangers all around them. It's a mix of romance and the supernatural world that follows them at every turn. I'm usually not a fan of sci-fi, and most definitely not a fan of anything alien, but surprise, surprise, this story pulled me in and wouldn't let go! Between the action, the romance, and the creep factors, I was engrossed from start to finish. This story does not slow down, nor bore the reader. I cannot wait to see where the second installment takes us!!
May 14, 2011
Starcrossed is definitely different from what I normally read. I enjoyed seeing someone do something new instead of the normal vampires or werewolves. Aric is great and you can’t help but to love him. I was really happy that the author chose not to add any explicit love scenes seeing how the main character Lucy is only 17 through most of the story. I look forward to seeing how the rest of the series progresses and how Lucy grows into her skills.
November 24, 2011
This really is a wonderful book and if I was much younger I would rate it higher. It probably should be 4 stars, but it just didn't appeal to me that much.
This is a wonderful sci-fi romance for young adults. It is written well with a lively plot. Lucy is a very admiral lead character, which is always nice to see in young adult books.
This is a wonderful sci-fi romance for young adults. It is written well with a lively plot. Lucy is a very admiral lead character, which is always nice to see in young adult books.
May 16, 2011
I really enjoyed this book! The story is so different from other paranormal romances...and different is good! I found it very easy to get to know the characters. Aric is dreamy and sweet! I can't wait to see what happens in the next book!
June 4, 2011
This was absorbing and original. It was engaging andheld my attention. The characters were vivid weith a credible plot. A really satisfing and exciting read. Am now looking for more of Starcrossed.
July 5, 2011
Amazing it was very imteresting and I loved it! It was written so well and i recommend it to all those who love science fic. and paranormal romances! It was awesome!
November 6, 2011
I really enjoyed this novel. Aric is definitely a swoon worthy character! Cannot wait for the sequel :)
April 5, 2014
You know what really sucks about this book? There were some interesting ideas in here. There were beings from different worlds and dimensions. There was a crazy awesome explanation for life on Earth. There were new beings that could have played much better roles throughout the story instead of being ridiculously normal bad guys with half assed agendas.
Instead what you get is:
Underdeveloped characters.
Lucy, who are you? Shit, I didn't even know what you looked like until about halfway through the story. I met your friends maybe twice and then they're all but forgotten. Even her family aren't worth her attention.
Aric. There could have been some really touching moments with this character. You learn more about him and how he feels than you do Lucy, actually, but he's still not very fleshed out.
A severely underdeveloped romance.
It's cheesy, which is all but to be expected. For some reason there is a comparison to Romeo and Juliet that I just can't understand. How were they anything like that? I have no idea where this connection to Starcrossed even comes from. They're different species, is that it? Because there's nothing that really happens or laws that are mentioned that should be interfering with their relationship as Starcrossed would suggest. If you're going to try and count Aric telling her they couldn't be together because he wanted to go save some people he helped victimize, that's rubbish. I don't see how that had anything to do with their relationship at all. So, he wanted to go fix something, okay. Why did he need to break up with her to do that? That's just stupid. A very lame attempt at angst that went absolutely nowhere. it did nothing to enhance the read.
This is pretty much an Insta-love situation. After finishing this read, you are never told what Aric even sees in Lucy. You have no idea why he formed an attachment to her. He just shows up and acts like a creepy stalker.
What romance there was, was awkward and frankly, abusive.
Lucy is Aric's puppet. She doesn't think for herself. Anytime she tries to, she ultimately succumbs to Aric. He buys her a ten dollar rose to get her to drop the idea of seeing her mother--and she obliges!
She can't even stay mad at him when she has a legitimate reason to be angry because he smiles at her or grins at her. She is extremely shallow and is willing to bend over backwards for him just because he is attractive, not because she actually cares about him as a person.
A very boring plot and subplots that held no anticipation or excitement.
This should have been a very exciting story. In fact, it had a lot of elements to make it that way. For some reason Campbell thought to fill up the book with driving, eating, and pointless conversation. She also thought to focus most of her attention on the ridiculous romance that made absolutely no sense.
An attempt to have the heroine be a strong independent young woman who is actually a coward that can't stand on her own two feet.
Lucy has this thing about not accepting any money from Aric. She also tried to open her own doors and carry her own things and not accept sweatshirts from her sweetheart. However, she decides to give up on life by offering her neck to a bloodthirsty gargoyle thing when she thinks Aric is done for and states more than once that she couldn't live without him. This shit is a complete contradiction of itself. You can't be strong and independent while you're incapable of functioning without another person. You can't. Besides, what kind of message are you sending to your readers having your heroine immediately jump to suicide when she thinks something has happened to her attractive beau? How unhealthy.
The story doesn't flow well. It doesn't add up. Our hero's keep accumulating powers as the needs arise, without limitations. And without making much sense with what transpires before or after. Honestly, it's a mess.
Lucy disregards pretty much everything. She randomly takes issue with things that I wouldn't find more pressing over other issues. She doesn't hold much of a grudge for Aric's involvement, yet she's highly disturbed by his abilities? But only some? She doesn't take issue with killing anything...in fact, she hardly bats an eye about it. She also isn't too concerned with watching people die before her own eyes. She doesn't have nervous break downs when she should, but she's insanely emotional over things that are nothing in comparison to other shit she's been through? Really?
Lucy also has this uncanny ability to switch on bad assery without plausibility. She just naturally knows how to do things at the right exact moments. I hate that shit.
Anyway, this is missing so much. I was bored. And I am just so shocked by how boring this book was considering the opportunities that were created! I'm just glad to be done.
Instead what you get is:
Underdeveloped characters.
Lucy, who are you? Shit, I didn't even know what you looked like until about halfway through the story. I met your friends maybe twice and then they're all but forgotten. Even her family aren't worth her attention.
Aric. There could have been some really touching moments with this character. You learn more about him and how he feels than you do Lucy, actually, but he's still not very fleshed out.
A severely underdeveloped romance.
It's cheesy, which is all but to be expected. For some reason there is a comparison to Romeo and Juliet that I just can't understand. How were they anything like that? I have no idea where this connection to Starcrossed even comes from. They're different species, is that it? Because there's nothing that really happens or laws that are mentioned that should be interfering with their relationship as Starcrossed would suggest. If you're going to try and count Aric telling her they couldn't be together because he wanted to go save some people he helped victimize, that's rubbish. I don't see how that had anything to do with their relationship at all. So, he wanted to go fix something, okay. Why did he need to break up with her to do that? That's just stupid. A very lame attempt at angst that went absolutely nowhere. it did nothing to enhance the read.
This is pretty much an Insta-love situation. After finishing this read, you are never told what Aric even sees in Lucy. You have no idea why he formed an attachment to her. He just shows up and acts like a creepy stalker.
What romance there was, was awkward and frankly, abusive.
Lucy is Aric's puppet. She doesn't think for herself. Anytime she tries to, she ultimately succumbs to Aric. He buys her a ten dollar rose to get her to drop the idea of seeing her mother--and she obliges!
She can't even stay mad at him when she has a legitimate reason to be angry because he smiles at her or grins at her. She is extremely shallow and is willing to bend over backwards for him just because he is attractive, not because she actually cares about him as a person.
A very boring plot and subplots that held no anticipation or excitement.
This should have been a very exciting story. In fact, it had a lot of elements to make it that way. For some reason Campbell thought to fill up the book with driving, eating, and pointless conversation. She also thought to focus most of her attention on the ridiculous romance that made absolutely no sense.
An attempt to have the heroine be a strong independent young woman who is actually a coward that can't stand on her own two feet.
Lucy has this thing about not accepting any money from Aric. She also tried to open her own doors and carry her own things and not accept sweatshirts from her sweetheart. However, she decides to give up on life by offering her neck to a bloodthirsty gargoyle thing when she thinks Aric is done for and states more than once that she couldn't live without him. This shit is a complete contradiction of itself. You can't be strong and independent while you're incapable of functioning without another person. You can't. Besides, what kind of message are you sending to your readers having your heroine immediately jump to suicide when she thinks something has happened to her attractive beau? How unhealthy.
The story doesn't flow well. It doesn't add up. Our hero's keep accumulating powers as the needs arise, without limitations. And without making much sense with what transpires before or after. Honestly, it's a mess.
Lucy disregards pretty much everything. She randomly takes issue with things that I wouldn't find more pressing over other issues. She doesn't hold much of a grudge for Aric's involvement, yet she's highly disturbed by his abilities? But only some? She doesn't take issue with killing anything...in fact, she hardly bats an eye about it. She also isn't too concerned with watching people die before her own eyes. She doesn't have nervous break downs when she should, but she's insanely emotional over things that are nothing in comparison to other shit she's been through? Really?
Lucy also has this uncanny ability to switch on bad assery without plausibility. She just naturally knows how to do things at the right exact moments. I hate that shit.
Anyway, this is missing so much. I was bored. And I am just so shocked by how boring this book was considering the opportunities that were created! I'm just glad to be done.
September 3, 2011
First posted @ ★BOOK AFICIONADA BLOG★
The first in a trilogy, Starcrossed: Perigee revolves around a girl named Lucy, who has been passed from relative to relative after her mother tried to cut her with a knife. Then she meets mysterious and extremely gorgeous Aric. Little did she know that this will change her life—and beliefs—entirely...
Lucy has been abducted by aliens—or Innaki—since she was seven and they have been experimenting on her without her knowledge. At present, the Innakis were still after Lucy, and we join her in her struggle to escape these spindly, large-eyed aliens and blood-thirsty creatures with Aric’s help, who turns out to be a hybrid— half human and Innaki— who has powers she never knew existed.
Pros:
• I love the action parts! It makes my heart race and I even find myself also struggling with the characters.
• The relationship between Aric and Lucy was genuine
• The aliens are creepy. The way Campbell described these creatures made them almost seem real—and scary!
• It was fast-paced, and not boring
Cons:
• The supporting characters seemed one dimensional and the story only focused more on Aric and Lucy. Hopefully, they will have more exposure in the next book.
1. Cover - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
The cover was the first thing that caught my eye while I was browsing for books online. The silhouette of a girl and a boy, facing each other clearly shouts “romance!” and the skeleton branches in the background added a mysterious feeling to it. The alien-looking shadows somewhat looked misplaced though, but it gives a hint that it’s about aliens—which it is.
Overall, the cover is good, and it gave me enough curiosity to try and give it a shot, but if compared to other book covers like Wither (The Chemical Garden) or The Fallen series, I’ll definitely choose them first.
2. Plot - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
What interested me the most was the alien concept. It was something new, and refreshing. The reason why I only gave it 4 hearts was because there were parts in the story that made me confused, like how Lucy didn’t even seemed bothered that her mother was institutionalized despite the fact that she wasn’t really crazy. Some parts were predictable, but overall, the plot is good and consistent.
3. Character Development - ♥ ♥ ♥
Lucy, our protagonist, is a strong and independent girl who doesn’t want to be a burden to others, but as we reach the end of the book, I find her too dependent on Aric. Well I guess I can’t really blame her with Aric being so overprotective.
The other supporting characters were interesting, especially Marcus and Saul, but it’s sad that the spotlight mostly stayed with Aric and Lucy, that’s why we can’t see any developments with the other characters.
4. Over-all Rating - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
With a lot of vampire and werewolf YA novels out there, it’s quite refreshing to read something different. The novel was fast paced, full of action, and a page turner that you'll definitely want more! For a self-published book, this was a really good one. Major publishing companies better get this one because this is so much worthy to be on the shelves of bookstores worldwide. So if you guys want a Paranormal Romance with aliens and monsters, this is a definite read. :D
The first in a trilogy, Starcrossed: Perigee revolves around a girl named Lucy, who has been passed from relative to relative after her mother tried to cut her with a knife. Then she meets mysterious and extremely gorgeous Aric. Little did she know that this will change her life—and beliefs—entirely...
Lucy has been abducted by aliens—or Innaki—since she was seven and they have been experimenting on her without her knowledge. At present, the Innakis were still after Lucy, and we join her in her struggle to escape these spindly, large-eyed aliens and blood-thirsty creatures with Aric’s help, who turns out to be a hybrid— half human and Innaki— who has powers she never knew existed.
Pros:
• I love the action parts! It makes my heart race and I even find myself also struggling with the characters.
• The relationship between Aric and Lucy was genuine
• The aliens are creepy. The way Campbell described these creatures made them almost seem real—and scary!
• It was fast-paced, and not boring
Cons:
• The supporting characters seemed one dimensional and the story only focused more on Aric and Lucy. Hopefully, they will have more exposure in the next book.
1. Cover - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
The cover was the first thing that caught my eye while I was browsing for books online. The silhouette of a girl and a boy, facing each other clearly shouts “romance!” and the skeleton branches in the background added a mysterious feeling to it. The alien-looking shadows somewhat looked misplaced though, but it gives a hint that it’s about aliens—which it is.
Overall, the cover is good, and it gave me enough curiosity to try and give it a shot, but if compared to other book covers like Wither (The Chemical Garden) or The Fallen series, I’ll definitely choose them first.
2. Plot - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
What interested me the most was the alien concept. It was something new, and refreshing. The reason why I only gave it 4 hearts was because there were parts in the story that made me confused, like how Lucy didn’t even seemed bothered that her mother was institutionalized despite the fact that she wasn’t really crazy. Some parts were predictable, but overall, the plot is good and consistent.
3. Character Development - ♥ ♥ ♥
Lucy, our protagonist, is a strong and independent girl who doesn’t want to be a burden to others, but as we reach the end of the book, I find her too dependent on Aric. Well I guess I can’t really blame her with Aric being so overprotective.
The other supporting characters were interesting, especially Marcus and Saul, but it’s sad that the spotlight mostly stayed with Aric and Lucy, that’s why we can’t see any developments with the other characters.
4. Over-all Rating - ♥ ♥ ♥ ♥
With a lot of vampire and werewolf YA novels out there, it’s quite refreshing to read something different. The novel was fast paced, full of action, and a page turner that you'll definitely want more! For a self-published book, this was a really good one. Major publishing companies better get this one because this is so much worthy to be on the shelves of bookstores worldwide. So if you guys want a Paranormal Romance with aliens and monsters, this is a definite read. :D
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 2, 2011
This review was first posted @ The Australian Bookshelf
Lucy's mum is in a psychiatric ward and her father is M.I.A and she has been shipped around from relative to relative until she winds up at her Uncle Tom’s farm where she finally begins to feel at home. When good-looking Aric starts working on her uncle’s farm her future starts to look even brighter. One night when she is out camping with Aric, Lucy realises that the Earth she has known is not all that it seems when she comes face to face to some creepy aliens. Aric has also been keeping a secret from her, he is an alien-human hybrid and his alien race the Innaki think there’s something special about Lucy and want to her away to their planet to study her. Aric and Lucy end up on the run to outsmart these aliens along with some blood-sucking monsters while she also tries to be just an average teenager girl with a very attractive alien boyfriend.
Starcrossed is the debut paranormal novel written by Aussie indie author Tracey Lee Campbell. It was an enjoyable read and I was quite surprised by the aliens and monsters in this story making it a nice spin on this genre. The story was a little slow to start where the author lays the foundations for character development and the developing romance between Aric and Lucy. I’m still not quite sure why he was interested in Lucy who is described as an average teen and he is a 900 year old alien-human but the romance was sweet nevertheless. I was a little disappointed that the author chose not to use Australia as the setting, but I do understand that most ‘alien sightings’ and whatnot have happened in the U.S so it makes sense to base it there. Tracey talks about her choice in location on her blog.
Overall this is an entertaining read and if you would like a splash of romance, alien kidnappers and super powers then Starcrossed will be right up your alley!
3/5 rating
Lucy's mum is in a psychiatric ward and her father is M.I.A and she has been shipped around from relative to relative until she winds up at her Uncle Tom’s farm where she finally begins to feel at home. When good-looking Aric starts working on her uncle’s farm her future starts to look even brighter. One night when she is out camping with Aric, Lucy realises that the Earth she has known is not all that it seems when she comes face to face to some creepy aliens. Aric has also been keeping a secret from her, he is an alien-human hybrid and his alien race the Innaki think there’s something special about Lucy and want to her away to their planet to study her. Aric and Lucy end up on the run to outsmart these aliens along with some blood-sucking monsters while she also tries to be just an average teenager girl with a very attractive alien boyfriend.
Starcrossed is the debut paranormal novel written by Aussie indie author Tracey Lee Campbell. It was an enjoyable read and I was quite surprised by the aliens and monsters in this story making it a nice spin on this genre. The story was a little slow to start where the author lays the foundations for character development and the developing romance between Aric and Lucy. I’m still not quite sure why he was interested in Lucy who is described as an average teen and he is a 900 year old alien-human but the romance was sweet nevertheless. I was a little disappointed that the author chose not to use Australia as the setting, but I do understand that most ‘alien sightings’ and whatnot have happened in the U.S so it makes sense to base it there. Tracey talks about her choice in location on her blog.
Overall this is an entertaining read and if you would like a splash of romance, alien kidnappers and super powers then Starcrossed will be right up your alley!
3/5 rating
October 17, 2011
Starcrossed: Perigee tells the story of a teenager named Lucy who starts to remember her alien abduction experiences after she meets a boy named Aric. It is a fast-paced book that moves quickly from one exciting, sometimes scary scene to the next. As the story develops, following the relationship between Aric and Lucy, we are introduced to the fascinating and sinister world of aliens called the Innaki. Aric is a hybrid whose special hypnotic powers are used by the Innaki to help them handle humans. Lucy also has unusual powers which she becomes more aware of as the story progresses. Aric and Lucy find themselves on the run not just from the aliens but also from secret government agents.
The amount of information and realistic detail used to describe the aliens and secret agents is enough to make you think the author has been hanging out at Area 51. The revelations are fascinating and the implications often horrifying. If you are interested in alien abduction stories, or the grays, or the government's supposed involvement with these, then Starcrossed: Perigee is a must read. The book is action packed and thus a real page-turner, although some of my favorite scenes are the ones in which the how's and why's of the aliens are discussed. All this builds to an amazing ending comprised of two thrilling confrontations.
This is a work of fiction, but a very convincing and well-written one. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Starcrossed: Perigee and highly recommend it. Pick up a copy today and you might find yourself remembering some interesting late night trips!
The amount of information and realistic detail used to describe the aliens and secret agents is enough to make you think the author has been hanging out at Area 51. The revelations are fascinating and the implications often horrifying. If you are interested in alien abduction stories, or the grays, or the government's supposed involvement with these, then Starcrossed: Perigee is a must read. The book is action packed and thus a real page-turner, although some of my favorite scenes are the ones in which the how's and why's of the aliens are discussed. All this builds to an amazing ending comprised of two thrilling confrontations.
This is a work of fiction, but a very convincing and well-written one. I thoroughly enjoyed reading Starcrossed: Perigee and highly recommend it. Pick up a copy today and you might find yourself remembering some interesting late night trips!
October 14, 2012
Starcrossed Perigee was such a great read that sucked me in from page one!
First I have to say that the originality behind the storyline is so refreshing that I have to thank Tracey for that! When I read the reviews they said this book will appeal to fans of X-files which I was and this is spot on but I think only one part of the novel will appeal to X-files fans, you also have a great romance developing in this book without a love triangle which is another good point for the author.
The story flows very nicely and you don’t have a dull moment and the more you read the more you discover and it never loses its original edge.
I really enjoy Lucy voice and her relationship with Aric is bittersweet, it made me laugh, it made me cry it made me ache. And Aric, omg Aric he is totally crush worthy!
The secondary characters you meet through the novel are really intriguing and I can’t wait for the sequel to get to know them better.
Even if it is the first of a series the end is satisfying and allow you to wait for the sequel without losing your mind.
In conclusion: This story is a breath of fresh airs in the paranormal YA romance novels world. If you enjoy Sci-fi , aliens and romance this novel is for you!
First I have to say that the originality behind the storyline is so refreshing that I have to thank Tracey for that! When I read the reviews they said this book will appeal to fans of X-files which I was and this is spot on but I think only one part of the novel will appeal to X-files fans, you also have a great romance developing in this book without a love triangle which is another good point for the author.
The story flows very nicely and you don’t have a dull moment and the more you read the more you discover and it never loses its original edge.
I really enjoy Lucy voice and her relationship with Aric is bittersweet, it made me laugh, it made me cry it made me ache. And Aric, omg Aric he is totally crush worthy!
The secondary characters you meet through the novel are really intriguing and I can’t wait for the sequel to get to know them better.
Even if it is the first of a series the end is satisfying and allow you to wait for the sequel without losing your mind.
In conclusion: This story is a breath of fresh airs in the paranormal YA romance novels world. If you enjoy Sci-fi , aliens and romance this novel is for you!
June 24, 2011
This was recommended to me by my fellow GR friend, Mocha. She told me it was good. It was. The beginning was great and alien. I was glad to read something different rather than the usual werewolves, vampires thing. The idea of other worldly dimensions creatures crossing and breaking through the earth's quarantine was interesting. It was totally new and eye-opening. This is my first book about aliens using humans as a vessel to collect wyk (energy) and harvesting human blood. *shivers*
The only problem(s) I had was the blurb kind of ruined the surprise and mystery surrounding Aric. It shouldn't have revealed that he was a whisperer/seducer/charmer for the Innakis (the aliens). Although the storyline was good, there were many times when I could predict what would actually happened - and it did. The romance is those insta-love kind. Sweet, iffy and cheesy.
In my opinion, this is a rather light and breezy read - at least for me. Different but easy to understand and get through in a few hours.
The only problem(s) I had was the blurb kind of ruined the surprise and mystery surrounding Aric. It shouldn't have revealed that he was a whisperer/seducer/charmer for the Innakis (the aliens). Although the storyline was good, there were many times when I could predict what would actually happened - and it did. The romance is those insta-love kind. Sweet, iffy and cheesy.
In my opinion, this is a rather light and breezy read - at least for me. Different but easy to understand and get through in a few hours.
October 20, 2013
Is there a sequel coming out?
Seems appropriate enough as many things are left unexplained...and a lot of loose ends.
So Starcrossed was an okay book,I suppose.
I've read better.
I know it's not fair to compare..so I wouldn't do that.
This book lacked in various aspects and the major one of them being "logic".
Things just...seemed to be happening.
And then somewhere I thought that at last they were explaining..but no.
Some explanations did come my way but for the most part they seemed lame.
I liked Aric...and I could tolerate Lucy to some extent.
But the girl irritated me with her sense of grasping things..
She just went along with the guy for the major part in the first half of the book with hardly questioning anything..
Not cool.
But then,whatever.
I'm hoping the author catches up in the next book.
Seems appropriate enough as many things are left unexplained...and a lot of loose ends.
So Starcrossed was an okay book,I suppose.
I've read better.
I know it's not fair to compare..so I wouldn't do that.
This book lacked in various aspects and the major one of them being "logic".
Things just...seemed to be happening.
And then somewhere I thought that at last they were explaining..but no.
Some explanations did come my way but for the most part they seemed lame.
I liked Aric...and I could tolerate Lucy to some extent.
But the girl irritated me with her sense of grasping things..
She just went along with the guy for the major part in the first half of the book with hardly questioning anything..
Not cool.
But then,whatever.
I'm hoping the author catches up in the next book.
September 19, 2011
I liked the book it was entertaining. In the middle there were somethings that moved so fast to me that I did not know how they got from here to there. Example Lucy and Arik were spending a lot of time together but never declared they were going out and then all of a sudden they are boyfriend and girlfriend. I felt like we know she likes him but i was not sure about him. I feel like I might have to read this book over because I feel like I might have missed some parts. I did love that there was no love triangle and no super cliffhanger ending, even though it is part of a triligy. I will follow the series becuase even though it was slow in the beginning for my tase it got really entertaining toward the end and I really want to see what happens to these characters.
April 20, 2013
I got this book as a freebie download, and while I did enjoy the story as a whole, I just couldn't drum up a lot of enthusiasm for this book. If I have to put a book down and it takes longer than 24 hours to pick it back up again, it's a sign that this book didn't grab my whole attention. It's about a girl named Lucy who keeps getting abducted by aliens, and Aric, a hybrid guy who has the ability to whisper to people (think dog or horse whisperer). This has the makings of a great X-files type story but I just couldn't connect with characters in the way I was hoping to. The way the book ends makes me think that there will be more in the series but I don't know that I'd want to go further into the series than I already have.
June 7, 2011
The extra-terrestrial element caught my eye and so I thought I'd give it a read. Quite simply it was awesome. I tire of books which get so caught up in explanations the pace becomes pedestrian - there's none of that in this one - every chapter delivers and in classic fashion the characters develop themselves and the story as they propel you forward throughout. Some neat twists and an underlying tension between the main characters keep you intrigued. I suppose the ultimate accolade for any author from a reader is not only to say 'Loved it' but to also add 'I'd like more please' - So with that said 'I'd like more please!'.
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