Spectacle

by S.J. Pierce

Avatar meets Gladiator in this spellbinding new Young Adult, Science-Fiction novel by bestselling author Susan James Pierce.

Two hundred years after the Great Disaster, the day earthquakes ravaged Earth's landscapes, humanity has finally regrouped and is working toward a better future. But in New America - one of three remaining landmasses - overpopulation makes a better future seem bleaker by the year.

Mira (Mirabella) Foster and her parents are citizens of New America, and with the threat of starvation and disease looming on the horizon, a new discovery threatens to push everyone to the brink of blue markings develop on people's skin. Markings that allow them to camouflage their skin, but also make them feared, and eventually, targets of violence.

Mira's dad is one of them.

Genres: Science Fiction, Dystopia, Young Adult

364 pages, Kindle Edition

First published July 13, 2015

About the author

International Bestselling Author Susan James Pierce writes Paranormal and Sci-if Romance novels, and they all have the same thing in common: The characters' love defies all odds. Her "unputdownable" stories will make you laugh, cry, swoon, and keep you on the edge of your seat. Enjoy the ride!

Love Contemporary Romance? Check out her books under Susan Pierce.

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Website: www.sjpiercebooks.com

Reviews

[Cora Tea Party Princess · Rating 3 out of 5]

Review to come.

[Alex · Rating 5 out of 5]

This book was not what I expected, I thought it would be too much of a divergent v hunger games feel, But it as good on its own
we start of meeting Mira when she and her friends are 10 years old and enjoying a "normal" life 20 years after the great earthquakes that forever changed the world.
The govt begins to round up those that it deems as different, and quarantines them from the rest of the world. The book jumps 6 years and the story really begins to unfold.
I was grabbed by the end of the first chapter and could not put book down until I finished, and now waiting with bated breath for the 2 nd book

I was sent the book by the Author, through Veracious Readers, to review and give an honest opinion. I think this could be one of the next must reads for all those that like young adult, dystopian novels

[Sue · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of this book in return for an honest review.

Spectacle starts out when the protagonist, Mira, is only 10 years old. A few chapters into the book, a tragedy unfolds and we are then transported 6 years into the future and Mira is now 16 years old.

The world of the changers, their history, their culture, what happened to them and how they survive now amongst humans, was really well done. All the characters had a lot of depth and I really liked Mira, she was easy to understand how she saw things and I could empathise with her on different levels. The young male aliens in Mira’s life reminded me of the wolf boys in the Twilight Saga books – hot headed, ready to fight at all times, very protective of their loved ones, and well built!

I also liked how the book seemed to lead up to Mira connecting up with one boy but then as the story progressed and there were further developments, it then headed in a completely different direction, and one that I was very happy with.

Spectacle is very compelling reading. I was drawn quickly into the story, it was fast paced, and there were plenty of action scenes. The plot twists throughout the book will make you gasp. This book is definitely a page turner! This was a very exciting book to read and I became a little teary eyed towards the end of the story. The actual ending tied everything up neatly and satisfactorily.

Spectacle is very intriguing and thrilling to read, and while a few things reminded me of other books out there (The Hunger Games, Avatar, Twilight) there were still parts that felt original to me and I really enjoyed reading this story. SJ Pierce has such a way with words that this book is beautifully written and I will definitely be taking a closer look at her other books.

[Kari (BookandCoffeeLover) · Rating 2 out of 5]

I received this book from the author in exchange for an honest review (via the Members’ Giveaway on Library Thing.).
I was impressed with the world building in Spectacle as it was very believable. All the characters were well rounded and had depth.
The main issue was that of the romance. It succumbed to a case of insta-love near the end of the book. It didn't work (or make sense) for me - there was no real history of interaction. I felt that this trope really detracted from the overall plot of the story. Otherwise, this made a interesting dystopian read.

[Britney · Rating 4 out of 5]

4.5

[Jen La Duca · Rating 5 out of 5]

Wow, I have not read a great dystopian novel in a really, really long time! Spectacle by S.J. Pierce was put on my radar several months ago and I’d been eagerly awaiting its release ever since. I think what intrigued me so much was the unique sounding premises of the story, it seemed to have a lot of Sci-Fi undertones to it and I really loved the idea of mixing these two genres within a Young Adult novel.

It’s been 200 years since the Great Disaster, when earthquakes destroyed the Earth’s landmasses. Finally humanity has begun to regroup and rebuild but now they’re facing problems with over population and the constant threat of starvation and disease. So when it’s discovered that a certain population of people has these strange blue markings hidden on their skin, markings which allows them to camouflage themselves, public fear quickly turns to violence.

The story begins with the introduction of 10 year old Mirabella “Mira” Foster, she and her parents live an ordinary life on one of the three remaining continents, New America. One day her father shares a secret with her; he has the blue markings on his skin and he explains what this means to Mira. It doesn’t take long for something extremely tragic to happen in young Mira’s life. Then timeline then fast-forwards and now Mira is 16 and has been given the chance to prove her father’s innocence. I really don’t want to say too much more regarding the plot of this book as its best to read along as Mira figures it all out herself.

Spectacle was an amazing read! I was immediately drawn into the world and characters created by Pierce. I’ve read some reviews with comparisons towards Hunger Games & Divergent and while I do see it, it’s only in a vague sense. Maybe it’s because I read those books many, many years ago? I don’t know. Since my HG & Divergent days I’ve not read many dystopias so this story seemed incredible fresh and unique, I was captivated the entire time! There is a love story of course, it wouldn’t be a proper YA novel without one :) and as a typical reader of mysteries and thrillers I’m not keen on a love story just for the sake of a love story, if you know what I mean. This love story worked really well for me, partly because Mira is such a strong, independent person all on her own who puts the needs of her family first. So the romance took up an appropriate amount of her thoughts and time, this was very realistic and a much greater message for YA readers.

Overall this was a wonderfully written, fast paced YA novel that kept my attention and made me want to read faster and faster until I reached its conclusion & became upset because I didn’t have another book to read straight away! I would absolutely recommend Spectacle for Adult and YA Dystopian fans that enjoy a Sci-fi tie in and strong family and friend relationships. I loved every moment of this book and I’m eagerly awaiting book two in the series, I can’t wait to see where Pierce takes Mira and her story next.

A huge thank you to Xpresso Book Tours for putting on an amazing blog tour and for providing me with a complimentary copy of this book in exchange for my honest review!

[Rae Sontheyon · Rating 4 out of 5]

Who Is She And What Is She? . . .

This story was definitely a mix of hunger games meets divergent. Based in an alternate reality the author wrote a fictional narrative involving aliens that mirrored contemporary history and dystopian possibilities. Definitely a book that will leave you thinking things over long after you've finished reading.

Two hundred years after the Great Disaster, The world is facing an overpopulation problem and doesn't half enough land after the massive earthquakes that ravaged the planet, leaving only 3 continents. Readers are introduced to a young Mirabella "Mira" Foster, who lives a simple ordinary life with her parents in New America. Until one day her father shows her he has blue markings all over him, which signifies he is not human but an alien called a Changer. Spurred by panic the community of Changers are forced to explain themselves as the markings where starting to be believed to be a disease. Mira is elated to witness her father and her friends Cole and Luxxe's dads represent their race to the president. But events go horribly wrong and and assassination attempt is made being blamed on the Changers. Soon the Changers are rounded and placed on an island alone to live as away from humans. It's not until Mira is offered a chance to prove her father's innocence and gain Changers freedom that Mira has to make the hard decisions.

Overall, good read which got me thinking and got a few tears. Not gonna lie this book really had me thinking more in a history kinda way than literature perspective. The Changers are rounded up and put in an island to basically die, and all I could think of was the holocaust. Perhaps the way the New America carried their plan out and how the Changers were marked like the Jews had been, the situation just clicked. Besides all that, the relationship drama in this book was interesting, because I assumed Mira was going to fall for her hot BFF, Luxxe, but she didn't. In fact the author repeatedly made sure everyone understood they were just best friends. That's a huge rarity in any book since 90% of the time male - female best friends in books always admit attraction or end up together, so props to showing that doesn't always have to happen. However, down side was it was extremely repetitive on relationship status for everyone, when I felt as if the focus needed to remain on the politics, schemes and such. So if you are into dystopian worlds where people are separated for being a different people group and then fight back to be accepted all the while the characters try to figure out who they are and who they want to be with and where they want to live, than this might be a good book to try.

**I received a free copy in return for an honest review**

------Read more of my reviews at: http://heyitwasfree.blogspot.com/------

[Jasmine · Rating 3 out of 5]

Spectacle is, as stated in the synopsis, Hunger Games meets Avatar. I'd even say a little bit of Game of Thrones is added into the mix, as well. In fact, it's very Hunger Games-esque, which I suppose can be both a good thing and a bad thing.
The book centers around a young girl named Mira. She has a pretty normal life, normal friends, and a normal family. Or so she thinks. When she discovers the truth about her father, everything she once knew gets turned upside down, and when a trip to visit the president goes horribly wrong, her life changes in a very negative way.
Shipped to a deserted island with others like her, Mira has to learn to survive, all the while wondering if she'll ever be able to prove the innocence of her father and her friend's fathers. When her chance to do so finally arrives, will Mira take it? You'll have to read the book and find out.
Overall, Spectacle wasn't a bad book, but it wasn't as good as I had hoped it would be. I suppose it was what I would call decent, or just ok. It did remind me a little too much like The Hunger Games, and I think that's why I didn't enjoy it as much as I would've liked to. The only difference is the characters aren't separated into districts. There's just humans and the others, like Mira and her father and her friends. Other than that, and a few small other tweaks, the plot is very, very similar.
Character-wise, Mira is written well enough. She's a little naive, but has a quiet strength about her. She's also very loyal to her friends. The other main characters, Taylor, Luxxe, and Cole are also written well. Luxxe and Cole are typical sort of alpha males, always trying to prove themselves and being leaders. Luxxe is sort of described as Khal Drogo from Game of Thrones. At least that's how I pictured him.
Of course, there are also characters you love to hate. Namely the people, and especially the government, of New America. They're the worst. And as the book progresses, you realize just how awful these people really are.
Plot-wise, I found the book to be very much like The Hunger Games, as I said. Other than that, it moved along at a nice pace, with action, drama, and romance all adding to it. It wasn't quite edge-of-my-seat, nail-biting intense, but it did keep me intrigued enough to want to keep reading and find out how it ended.
I suppose if you're a fan of sci-fi-esque stories with a hint of dystopia and some roamnce, or if you're a fan of The Hunger Games, you might enjoy Spectacle. Pick up a copy and give it a shot. I'd rate it 3.5 stars out of 5.

[Heather · Rating 4 out of 5]

So I really enjoyed Spectacle, it has a dystopian setting and like the tag line above says it does have hints of Avatar (blue, lots of blue!).

Set in a future where the world has been ravaged by earthquakes changing the landscape for the worse, Mira lives with her parents on what is left of the USA.

We first meet her as a young child during a time when her life changes for the worst. The discovery that her family, more specifically her father is not what he seems.

He is far from human, he is of alien descent and Mira discovers that he is covered in blue markings that will easily identify him from everyone else. He is a changer.

Not to spoil the story for you, due to events in the book involving her father, Mira ends up banished to island along with others like her who have been descended from the aliens. They are kept away from the human population, they are a threat.

Mira, we meet again as a teen still on the island, most of the residents live like it is the dark ages. Mira still has one foot in her old life, where others are now wearing animal skins she still wears normal clothes.

The story progresses with Mira getting the opportunity to prove the innocence of her father, how, well I won't spoil it for you but the government of New America are not known for their kindly nature and Mira is going to have a hell of a time clearing her fathers name.

This is a really enjoyable novel, dystopia of course is everywhere just now and a novel in this genre really needs to stand out from the masses out there. Spectacle does a good job with a interesting plot, characters you can root for and wonderful descriptions of those blue markings! Well worth a read!

[Joelle · Rating 3 out of 5]

The changers, as they are known, crashed on earth and came to live among humans. They were able to camouflage their blue skin to fit in until one day the color began to come back and they were exposed. Humans become concerned and there are meetings scheduled between the changers and human leaders. Mira’s father is a changer and one of the leaders, her mother is human. All goes wrong when the negotiations are set to take place and the changers are blamed for an attempt on the president’s life thus causing a panic and the changers to be gathered up and banished to an island. Six years pass and the changers have been forced to live like savages but there is a way out if one volunteers to fight for their freedom in an arena against another human to the death. A plan is formed and a hope is ignited that this might be the way to clear the changers name of wrong doing and so Mira and her friends volunteer to get the job done. This story had potential but sadly fell short. I felt like I was reading Avatar meets the Hunger Games Gladiator. At the beginning of the story I would have liked to see more in depth of an account of what took place rather than here we are and now its 6 years later and now we’re here and this is why. It did not flow well. There was also a lot of repetition on how Mira felt. It went around and around about her feelings and misgivings when once was enough to get the point across. Mira’s special power you have it or you don’t, I didn’t like this well I had it but now it’s gone. It fits right in with how I felt about the story; it was here now it’s gone.

[Becky Stephens · Rating 3 out of 5]

The first two words in the blurb suggests that this plot is similar to that of The Hunger Games; however, I didn't feel like that was the case at all. It was more similar to Gladiator, in my opinion. In a sea of dystopian stories, this one doesn't really stand out.

I felt that the world that Mira lives in as a human was lacking depth. The world of the Changers--when they are shipped away from the humans--was more fleshed out and felt solid and real. I got a better sense of their culture, though it was more primitive than I would have expected from a race like theirs.

With the huge gap in time, it didn't flow well. It seemed to rush past fully developing the characters and their world. It seems that if the human world was more detailed, it would have contrasted better with the Changers' natural world. I think the author missed a beautiful opportunity to highlight and compare the differences.

Insta-love, love at first sight. Whatever you call it, I'm not a fan. I think I get that the author wanted to nudge the readers in one direction only to surprise us with something utterly different, but it didn't work for me.

I received this book for free in exchange for an honest review. This does not affect my opinion of the book or the content of my review.

[Melissa · Rating 5 out of 5]

An Exciting Dystopian YA Novel
This is an novel written for young adults but as an adult I enjoyed it very much and think that others will too. The author has done a terrific job with novel as a whole, the world she has created is not only very realistic and totally believable, but the way that everything is described, it is also very vivid. The plot was awesome and as a lover of dystopian novels, I read quite a bit of them and this one definitely stands up within the ranks of dystopian fiction. The read itself is fast paced, exciting and engaging. I was drawn in right away and wanted to keep going. There are twists that will leave you reeling,it is definitely a page turner. The characters were also very engaging and had real depth to them, especially the main character Mira. I loved her strength and character and was really able to connect with her. I definitely recommend this book and can't wait to read more from this very talented author. I was given a complimentary copy of this book for an honest review.

[Jo · Rating 4 out of 5]

When the blurb says "Hunger Games meets Avatar", that is a big claim. One which is not entirely fulfilled. However, there is a lot to like about this book.

I should say that the story was not what I expected. The initial set up is attention grabbing, and the main protagonists captured my imagination. Skip forward, and we are dropped into the reality which the initial events set into motion. And it's here that, for me at least, the narrative deviates from the formula. Mira is not, for the most part, a strong female protagonist. She is not romantically involved with the main male lead. And the spontaneous action he takes sparks a suprising turn in the story.

Overall, this was an enjoyable read, though it didn't live up to the headline billing.

I received a copy in exchange for an honest review.

[Brandi Nyborg · Rating 5 out of 5]

I am an avid dystopian reader, so it takes a lot to wow me at this point. This is by far one of my new favorites. I was immediately drawn into to the stories, and easily became invested in all of the characters. The story moves at quick pace, keeping you on edge wanting more. I hate to admit it but it even made me tear up a few times. If you enjoy the young adult dystopian genre, you need to put this book at the top of your to read list!

[Sally Hannoush · Rating 5 out of 5]

I enjoyed this book very much. There were parts where I cried and not too many books are written well enough to make me cry. I liked how it was a complete story without any major cliffhangers so it can be read as a single book or if there are other books. I like the writing style so I will check out more of the author's work. I would recommend this read!

[Jackie · Rating 5 out of 5]

Interesting book with characters that were well chosen. Depth to the story to make it extremely intriguing. Loved it

[Rachel · Rating 3 out of 5]

Well written. Quite engaging but was getting vibes of hunger games.

[Nancy (The Avid Reader) · Rating 5 out of 5]

I received a free copy of the book from the author for my honest opinion.

The earth was destroyed two hundred thousand years ago by earthquakes. They were so many that most of the land ended up in the ocean. Mira and her family lives in one of the three pieces of land that is left called New America. There are a lot of people where she lives and they are running short on food and supplies. There is a lot of sickness going around and a lot of people are dying. People are starting to lose it and there is a lot of chaos.

Mira learns that her father is not from earth that he is from another planet. Her father and around one hundred thousand people had to leave their own planet because people from another planet came in and took over their planet so they stole their pods and escaped to earth. Where they lived among humans in disguise for many, many decades. No one knew that they were from another planet. They lived and worked among the humans until they couldn’t hide their markings any longer.

Once everyone learned that they had been living with aliens it scared them. They really didn’t know what to do. They didn’t know if they could trust them or not. You would think that if they had been living with them for all these years that they would be no problems. But people are afraid of the unknown and they are also afraid of someone that is different than they are. Instead of trying to get to know them and learn who they are they finally rounded up all of the changers and sent them far, far away to live on an island all by their selves. All because they were afraid of them, they left them there to die. But Mira and her new family and friends fooled all of the humans they learned to adept to the land and how to survive.

Mira missed her mom and dad very much but she had some great friends who helped each other through their lost. Mira learned to hunt for food just like the guys did but she also loved working in her little garden. Everyone on the island had a job to do and they each knew what that job was and they did without any questions. Mira was just as good of a hunter as any of the guys and even better than some. Mira cared a lot for the people she loved and would put her own life in danger before putting one of her friend’s lives in peril. Mira was a strong young woman both mentally and physically. Mira would do anything for one of her friends.

I loved the world that the author created for Mira and her friends. The author drew you into Mira’s life and made you feel as if you were right there beside her wanting to help every step of the way. Mira and Luxxe were two of the best characters who could make you laugh one minute and crying the next. Spectacle pulled you in from the very first page and didn’t let go until the very end. Well ok maybe I am stretching it a little bit there it didn’t let go at the end it is still hanging on making you want more. It has the tendency to make you get lost in its story so deep that you may not find your way back out if you are not careful. In my opinion if like dystopian stories then you are going to love Spectacle. I know I did. I am hooked on dystopian stories at the moment and can’t seem to let them go and Spectacle has made it to my top ten list of dystopian books to read.

[Vivien · Rating 2 out of 5]

DNF @ 78%

When they say this book is The Hunger Games, it is VERY Hunger Games. I didn't like The Hunger Games because I thought the concept was great, but poorly executed in the whole plot/writing department. I also HATE that it is the base/foundation to almost every other dystopian book. This book was the Hunger Games because there was people living in pretty shitty conditions, while there was people parading and bathing in wealth. The author took concepts from the Hunger Games and just changed the names. She combined Hunger Games characters into one character. I can go on and on in this one paragraph, but I'll continue in another. (Aren't I a bitch?)

This book was also similar to Game of Thrones-specifically the Dothraki. The Changers were really similar to the Dothraki in terms of lifestyle, but they didn't have a crazy affinity for horses. I made this comparison when Luxxe grew up and started to look like Khal Drogo. Khal Drogo *swoooooooooooooon*

Luxxe is 7 foot tall with chords of muscle and has dreads. How can I not picture Khal Drogo? There's also Brock O'Hurn...

Anyways, I stopped reading the book because the writing was pretty bland in my opinion. I was bored and uninterested with the plot. After that whole Luxxe thing and Frederick slut-shaming/calling Mira (? I don't remember diddly squat) foul names.

There was also special snowflake in the book. Mira was honestly so oblivious. There was dramatic irony. I failed to relate/connect with the characters because I nit-picked them and hated on them harder than the trolls on YouTube.

This book really lacks originality.

[EscapeNBooks · Rating 3 out of 5]

3.5-4 stars
"Secrets and lies can only stay hidden for so long before the truth breaks its shackles and sets itself free."

Mira lives in New America, one of three remaining continents after the great flood. The beginning of the story gives us the reality of the present America and what happens when you are different. The next part of the story finds us in a different place than where we were previously, seeing some familiar characters and what they do to survive. As we come to the end of the story, we see that it is, in reality, just the next step for these characters we have come to know so well.

Spectacle is the first book I've read by S. J. Pierce. I have to be honest and say that I almost gave up in the first 10% of the book. But, I'm so glad I didn't. I put the book down and came back to it two days later. After moving beyond that initial part, the story definitely picked up, as did my desire to know what was going to happen. This was an interesting and enjoyable YA dystopian, fantasy novel. There were many unexpected happenings. As the story progressed, the characters and plot line became more complex. I look forward to checking out more books from this author.

"...sometimes there are things bigger than this in life. Sometimes we have to do what's right, even if it means risking everything."

[Nicole · Rating 5 out of 5]

I honestly did not know what to expect of this book when i started it. I'd gotten the book from insta freebie and after finishing a couple of other books i sat down to read it and finished it in one sitting. I loved it!

The characters, the world, the pace with which the story moved forward. I loved it all. And though I'm a big fan of reading series, i actually really love the fact that this book finishes its story on its own.

I would definitely recommend this book!

[Tabby Shiflett · Rating 4 out of 5]

A YA Sci-fi dystopia that addresses mixed races with excellent world-building and hints of gladiator-era Rome. The novel includes decent character development although I would have liked it to delve more into the history of the other races. For YA dystopia fans!

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[S.J. Pierce]

My newest novel!!! Visit my website at www.sjpiercebooks.blogspot.com to check it out. xoxo