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Ghetto
My name’s Sunny Grace Beaumont. Branded SGB/2/6895/03.12.93. Only child, self-taught computer geek and cancer survivor. Oh, and did I mention my dad’s the President? As you can imagine that’s sometimes a little problematic, especially when I want to sneak out. But it never got me into quite as much trouble as the night I ventured into the Ghetto – don’t ask me why I was there in the first place… it was stupid. Everyone knows that the Ghetto is where hardened criminals are sent to live out the remainder of their lives. At first the men that kidnap me are just as I’d imagine, mean and thoughtless, but slowly I begin to have doubts.
I meet a guy. His name’s Sin, he has no Brand – a crime punishable by death – and he’s the rebel leader. I should hate him… but I don’t. Instead he opens my eyes to a whole other side of the Ghetto, where people are innocent of the crimes they’re accused of and helpless children suffer dreadful poverty. Is it possible that I’ve been lied to my entire life… that the governments been deceiving everyone? And how can I challenge the law my own dad is adamant to uphold?
I meet a guy. His name’s Sin, he has no Brand – a crime punishable by death – and he’s the rebel leader. I should hate him… but I don’t. Instead he opens my eyes to a whole other side of the Ghetto, where people are innocent of the crimes they’re accused of and helpless children suffer dreadful poverty. Is it possible that I’ve been lied to my entire life… that the governments been deceiving everyone? And how can I challenge the law my own dad is adamant to uphold?
Unknown Binding
First published September 15, 2015
7 people are currently reading
957 people want to read
About the author
M.L. Sparrow
22 books162 followersM L Sparrow is currently the author of several full length novels, three novellas and a slew of short stories published in various anthologies. Her novella, A Tangled Web, was a finalist in the 2017 Next Generation Indie Book Awards and in the 2017 Readers' Favorite Awards. Another novella, Red Days, was a winner in the Book Excellence Awards, Current Events category.
She will write pretty much anything that pops into her head, no matter the genre, and enjoys keeping her readers guessing as to what she will write next, though you can pretty much guarantee that there will be some degree of romance!
As well as writing, she enjoys travelling and has lived in Tokyo and Hong Kong, though she is now back in the UK with her trusty rescue dog, Nala. Her travels are a constant source of inspiration and she has an endless supply of ideas for future novels…
To find out more check out her website – http://mlsparrow.wix.com/mlsparrow - or stalk her on Twitter @MLSparrow1
She will write pretty much anything that pops into her head, no matter the genre, and enjoys keeping her readers guessing as to what she will write next, though you can pretty much guarantee that there will be some degree of romance!
As well as writing, she enjoys travelling and has lived in Tokyo and Hong Kong, though she is now back in the UK with her trusty rescue dog, Nala. Her travels are a constant source of inspiration and she has an endless supply of ideas for future novels…
To find out more check out her website – http://mlsparrow.wix.com/mlsparrow - or stalk her on Twitter @MLSparrow1
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October 6, 2016Dnf at 63% I really tried but I just couldn't get into it.
April 20, 2016
A big shout out to the author for sending me a review copy!
Be prepared to be surprised because Ghetto was surprisingly great. Yes, it did have its cliches and in the beginning I was so annoyed by the information dumps but the characters really shine over all that.
Let's start with the introduction which I didn't really like. I kept getting this vibe that I read the plot before... mum dies of cancer because she doesn't want to give up the baby... it's really familiar. Anyone know of the book? Anyways, there was a lot of information being slapped into your face in the first chapters and while it got me into the world, I feel like it could have been better integrated. At this point, I knew there was a lot of potential but it just wasn't quite there yet.
It got there, guys. The rest of the book was awesome. The world was so interesting and detailed. I loved how the whole book wasn't really about a Hunger Games like revolution even though we have rebels. It was more about distributing what the minority need: food and supplies. It's not about the big wars and rebellions but about the small things which makes it really stand out in the dystopia genre. I mean, who thinks about the food and everyday items like light bulbs, soap etc when the rebels are all out fighting?
Sunny was a great lead who had brains and kindness. When she realises the truth about the Ghetto, she doesn't hesitate to help. We also get Sin who is one of the best leaders I've read about in dystopian worlds. The combination of tough and kind is a cliche but the author writes it into Sin so well that you can't help but love him.
Final verdict: It's a diamond in the rough, but it's still a diamond and it's worth it!
Review by Panda Hearts Books
Be prepared to be surprised because Ghetto was surprisingly great. Yes, it did have its cliches and in the beginning I was so annoyed by the information dumps but the characters really shine over all that.
Let's start with the introduction which I didn't really like. I kept getting this vibe that I read the plot before... mum dies of cancer because she doesn't want to give up the baby... it's really familiar. Anyone know of the book? Anyways, there was a lot of information being slapped into your face in the first chapters and while it got me into the world, I feel like it could have been better integrated. At this point, I knew there was a lot of potential but it just wasn't quite there yet.
It got there, guys. The rest of the book was awesome. The world was so interesting and detailed. I loved how the whole book wasn't really about a Hunger Games like revolution even though we have rebels. It was more about distributing what the minority need: food and supplies. It's not about the big wars and rebellions but about the small things which makes it really stand out in the dystopia genre. I mean, who thinks about the food and everyday items like light bulbs, soap etc when the rebels are all out fighting?
Sunny was a great lead who had brains and kindness. When she realises the truth about the Ghetto, she doesn't hesitate to help. We also get Sin who is one of the best leaders I've read about in dystopian worlds. The combination of tough and kind is a cliche but the author writes it into Sin so well that you can't help but love him.
Final verdict: It's a diamond in the rough, but it's still a diamond and it's worth it!
Review by Panda Hearts Books
April 14, 2017
5 Stars
Ghetto by M.L. Sparrow is quite a surprise package. It is a fantasy/science fiction, YA action/adventure with drama and romance. It is a thrilling read and I was completely captivated by this fascinating story.
Set several hundred years in the future, the society is structured into classes of social hierarchy that govern the citizen’s existence. Every person is branded at birth and it is illegal to not have a brand.
“In this day and age of skyscrapers and advanced technology, everyone was branded at birth- it wasn’t as archaic as it sounded, it wasn’t done with fire and metal; it was more like a tattoo, done with a laser and using special ink that had been developed so that it grew as the person did. Not only was it against the law not to have one, because it was a means of identification, but it was impossible to live without one; long ago people had used little plastic cards, slips of paper and coins to pay for things, but now all they had to do was scan their code and be done with it. It was the same for getting in and out of properties, workplaces and any official buildings.’
Sunny Grace Beaumont lives a life that most people in her society would be envious of. She has everything she could every need; wealth, privilege, a luxurious apartment in a beautiful building in an exclusive part of town, she wears expensive designer made clothing, has all the latest technology at her finger tips- and even has a personal stylist. As the daughter of the President, she is at the top of the social ladder and is known to all. She is constantly in the media, attending functions, speeches and news conferences at her father’s side- always the supportive, perfect daughter.
But things aren’t as perfect as they seem to the outside world. Yes, Sunny lives a pampered life- but it’s a lonely existence. Her mother died when Sunny was born and she is an only child. Her relationship with her father isn’t as close as she’d like it to be- sure, he loves her, but is quite remote when it comes to showing affection. He is preoccupied with his job- fixated on his image and keeping up appearances. Sunny feels a lot of pressure to be ‘the perfect daughter’, when she feels anything but perfect. She has no friends apart from the family robot, and her personal stylist. When not playing the dutiful daughter, she can be found in her room tinkering with ‘antique’ machinery and outdated electronics- or surfing the net, somewhere out in cyberspace.
One night while on a scavenger hunt for parts for her tinkering, Sunny finds herself in the Ghetto- somewhere she should definitely NOT be. The Ghetto is where all the criminals of their society are sent to serve out their sentences. She is recognised and captured by a group of rebels. Thrown into a cold, musty basement cell, she has no way of escape and is completely terrified of what the rebels may do with her.
“…..I am left. For what seems like forever. The indecipherable period of time is only broken by someone bringing food three times a day and coming to take me to the toilet every few hours. The days meld together so that I don’t know when I should be asleep and when I should be awake…”
Then she meets HIM, the mysterious, striking and dynamic leader of the rebels- Sin. She really should hate him for what he has done to her, but the more she learns about him and the people of the Ghetto, the more she is drawn to him. She realises that she finally feels like she ‘belongs’ somewhere. Strange as it sounds, being kidnapped may just be the best thing that happened to her- as she discovers that things are not as they seem in the outside world and everything she was taught and thought she knew, was a lie.
“I don’t know what I want, but I know that I definitely don’t want to return to the meaning less existence I led before. Back then I had simply done what I was told for the most part, without examining what I thought, or gathering the facts. I don’t want to live that way anymore. My eyes have been opened by the people I had once condemned and I don’t want to close them again.”
But when she finds herself in a life threatening situation- she has no choice but to seek help from outside the Ghetto. Will she be able to find a way out of her situation? Can she help the people in the Ghetto? Can there ever be a future for her and Sin, especially since he was responsible for her kidnapping? What does she discover while in the Ghetto? What secrets and cover-ups will be uncovered? Will she find the happiness she has been looking for?
This story is really original, intriguing and very well written. It was a little slow to begin with, as the author set up the story. Also, there was a lot of information dropped in the first few chapters that made for slow progress. This had me a little worried about how this story would play out. But honestly, after those first few chapters, the story really took off and swept me away on an adventure that I will never forget.
The author has a flair for vivid and detailed descriptions- creating a world that I became completely immersed in. The mood and tension of the story was masterfully created- I was biting my nails and holding my breath, on the edge of my seat as I followed Sunny on her adventure.
The characters were perfect- all superbly written and infused with their own quirks and personalities- and they all grew and developed over the course of the story. I loved everything about them.
The story really made me think, I found there was a lot to learn from the political and socio-economic ‘messages’ in the story- we as a society are well on our way to finding ourselves in a similar situation in our future/s.
The story is told from Sunny’s POV (first person), it flowed smoothly and was really easy to read. I loved the ending, I got the closure I needed and feel very satisfied with the way the author tied it all together.
This book is one of those surprising and special finds, which will touch you and remain with you long after you close the book.
Thank you Ms. Sparrow!
Ghetto by M.L. Sparrow is quite a surprise package. It is a fantasy/science fiction, YA action/adventure with drama and romance. It is a thrilling read and I was completely captivated by this fascinating story.
Set several hundred years in the future, the society is structured into classes of social hierarchy that govern the citizen’s existence. Every person is branded at birth and it is illegal to not have a brand.
“In this day and age of skyscrapers and advanced technology, everyone was branded at birth- it wasn’t as archaic as it sounded, it wasn’t done with fire and metal; it was more like a tattoo, done with a laser and using special ink that had been developed so that it grew as the person did. Not only was it against the law not to have one, because it was a means of identification, but it was impossible to live without one; long ago people had used little plastic cards, slips of paper and coins to pay for things, but now all they had to do was scan their code and be done with it. It was the same for getting in and out of properties, workplaces and any official buildings.’
Sunny Grace Beaumont lives a life that most people in her society would be envious of. She has everything she could every need; wealth, privilege, a luxurious apartment in a beautiful building in an exclusive part of town, she wears expensive designer made clothing, has all the latest technology at her finger tips- and even has a personal stylist. As the daughter of the President, she is at the top of the social ladder and is known to all. She is constantly in the media, attending functions, speeches and news conferences at her father’s side- always the supportive, perfect daughter.
But things aren’t as perfect as they seem to the outside world. Yes, Sunny lives a pampered life- but it’s a lonely existence. Her mother died when Sunny was born and she is an only child. Her relationship with her father isn’t as close as she’d like it to be- sure, he loves her, but is quite remote when it comes to showing affection. He is preoccupied with his job- fixated on his image and keeping up appearances. Sunny feels a lot of pressure to be ‘the perfect daughter’, when she feels anything but perfect. She has no friends apart from the family robot, and her personal stylist. When not playing the dutiful daughter, she can be found in her room tinkering with ‘antique’ machinery and outdated electronics- or surfing the net, somewhere out in cyberspace.
One night while on a scavenger hunt for parts for her tinkering, Sunny finds herself in the Ghetto- somewhere she should definitely NOT be. The Ghetto is where all the criminals of their society are sent to serve out their sentences. She is recognised and captured by a group of rebels. Thrown into a cold, musty basement cell, she has no way of escape and is completely terrified of what the rebels may do with her.
“…..I am left. For what seems like forever. The indecipherable period of time is only broken by someone bringing food three times a day and coming to take me to the toilet every few hours. The days meld together so that I don’t know when I should be asleep and when I should be awake…”
Then she meets HIM, the mysterious, striking and dynamic leader of the rebels- Sin. She really should hate him for what he has done to her, but the more she learns about him and the people of the Ghetto, the more she is drawn to him. She realises that she finally feels like she ‘belongs’ somewhere. Strange as it sounds, being kidnapped may just be the best thing that happened to her- as she discovers that things are not as they seem in the outside world and everything she was taught and thought she knew, was a lie.
“I don’t know what I want, but I know that I definitely don’t want to return to the meaning less existence I led before. Back then I had simply done what I was told for the most part, without examining what I thought, or gathering the facts. I don’t want to live that way anymore. My eyes have been opened by the people I had once condemned and I don’t want to close them again.”
But when she finds herself in a life threatening situation- she has no choice but to seek help from outside the Ghetto. Will she be able to find a way out of her situation? Can she help the people in the Ghetto? Can there ever be a future for her and Sin, especially since he was responsible for her kidnapping? What does she discover while in the Ghetto? What secrets and cover-ups will be uncovered? Will she find the happiness she has been looking for?
This story is really original, intriguing and very well written. It was a little slow to begin with, as the author set up the story. Also, there was a lot of information dropped in the first few chapters that made for slow progress. This had me a little worried about how this story would play out. But honestly, after those first few chapters, the story really took off and swept me away on an adventure that I will never forget.
The author has a flair for vivid and detailed descriptions- creating a world that I became completely immersed in. The mood and tension of the story was masterfully created- I was biting my nails and holding my breath, on the edge of my seat as I followed Sunny on her adventure.
The characters were perfect- all superbly written and infused with their own quirks and personalities- and they all grew and developed over the course of the story. I loved everything about them.
The story really made me think, I found there was a lot to learn from the political and socio-economic ‘messages’ in the story- we as a society are well on our way to finding ourselves in a similar situation in our future/s.
The story is told from Sunny’s POV (first person), it flowed smoothly and was really easy to read. I loved the ending, I got the closure I needed and feel very satisfied with the way the author tied it all together.
This book is one of those surprising and special finds, which will touch you and remain with you long after you close the book.
Thank you Ms. Sparrow!
April 12, 2017
I have to say that this is not my usual genre I read but once I got into this book I thoroughly enjoyed every minute of it.
Sunny is a young intelligent girl who has lived her whole life in the safety of her world, she has an added complication as she is the daughter of the President. Sunny is a remarkable character that has survived cancer and has taught herself about technology and computers, but will a quest for a piece of equipment for her latest project change her life forever.
The Ghetto is a prison like area, were only the criminals are sent to live out their days, but events happen to Sunny that has her questioning everything the government has told them.
Sunny is working on one of her new projects and realises that she is a part missing, once she researches and finds that the exact part she requires is close but unfortunately it is in the Ghetto. Sunny decides that the part is too valuable to her project not to try and get it so she leaves the confines of her safe home and ventures into the Ghetto to recover the part. But once she arrives something happens that has her scared, she is kidnapped by the resistance.
Sin is the leader of the resistance and is closed off emotionally; he has to be hard after being born in the Ghetto, but something happens to him when he sees Sunny she infuriates him and they fight like cat and dog but something is there in the relationship. But as the story goes on Sin slowly opens Sunny eyes to the Ghetto that not everyone is bad and that there are helpless children and innocent people who have been abandoned there. Will Sin convince Sunny enough to rebel against her own father?
I really enjoy the refreshing nature of this book and although it was a slow burner I feel that the issue brought up in this book are valid in everyday life. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will definitely look at reading more. I loved the strength of Sunny as a true survivor and that she although had come from a different world than the people she met in the ghetto she could relate to them and understand there pain. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters and although it was a classic love hate relationship the tenderness they both show was heart-warming and emotionally.
Sunny is a young intelligent girl who has lived her whole life in the safety of her world, she has an added complication as she is the daughter of the President. Sunny is a remarkable character that has survived cancer and has taught herself about technology and computers, but will a quest for a piece of equipment for her latest project change her life forever.
The Ghetto is a prison like area, were only the criminals are sent to live out their days, but events happen to Sunny that has her questioning everything the government has told them.
Sunny is working on one of her new projects and realises that she is a part missing, once she researches and finds that the exact part she requires is close but unfortunately it is in the Ghetto. Sunny decides that the part is too valuable to her project not to try and get it so she leaves the confines of her safe home and ventures into the Ghetto to recover the part. But once she arrives something happens that has her scared, she is kidnapped by the resistance.
Sin is the leader of the resistance and is closed off emotionally; he has to be hard after being born in the Ghetto, but something happens to him when he sees Sunny she infuriates him and they fight like cat and dog but something is there in the relationship. But as the story goes on Sin slowly opens Sunny eyes to the Ghetto that not everyone is bad and that there are helpless children and innocent people who have been abandoned there. Will Sin convince Sunny enough to rebel against her own father?
I really enjoy the refreshing nature of this book and although it was a slow burner I feel that the issue brought up in this book are valid in everyday life. This is the first book I have read by this author and I will definitely look at reading more. I loved the strength of Sunny as a true survivor and that she although had come from a different world than the people she met in the ghetto she could relate to them and understand there pain. I loved the chemistry between the two main characters and although it was a classic love hate relationship the tenderness they both show was heart-warming and emotionally.
April 13, 2017
Ghetto by ML Sparrow is a great book!! I was hooked from the first chapters, all the way through the end. I kind of wish there was a seaquel to the book, so I could continue the story. This is the second book I have read by this author, and she did not disappoint. The book was a steady pace, and I fell in love with the characters right away. While the story is set in a futuristic time, I can still relate to the things they are going through, and their feelings. I highly recommend this book to anyone who enjoys YA and dystopian books. One of my favorites Ive read recently, and a total 5 star.
The book is about Sunny Beaumont, teenage daughter to the President. She is an only child, and has grown up in the spotlight, as well as independently, as her father is busy and away most of the time. She spends her time hacking computer systems, and taking apart and rebuilding old machines. Which leads her into the predicament of this story. She is trying to rebuild a typewriter, but a piece is missing. She locates the part in the dump, which is located outside of town, in the Ghetto. The Ghetto is full of the criminals cast out of society, and it is just as you would imagine, dirty and dangerous. However, Sunny ignores all this, and breaks in, getting herself kidnapped.
Sunny is taken hostage by a group of rebels, and thrown into a room in the basement of an old building. At first, she is terrified, but then get to know her captors, and is curious about them. Their leader is Sin. He has no Brand (a barcode on their arm, given at birth to every citizen), which is a crime in of itself, punishable by death. She should fear her situation, but instead is taking it all in, and is shocked to see the goings on around her. The Ghetto is supposed to be full of hardened criminals, yet it is full of a lot of children, women, and elderly as well... Sunny begins to question everything she has ever been told, and must figure out how to help these people, which means standing up to her father.
The book is about Sunny Beaumont, teenage daughter to the President. She is an only child, and has grown up in the spotlight, as well as independently, as her father is busy and away most of the time. She spends her time hacking computer systems, and taking apart and rebuilding old machines. Which leads her into the predicament of this story. She is trying to rebuild a typewriter, but a piece is missing. She locates the part in the dump, which is located outside of town, in the Ghetto. The Ghetto is full of the criminals cast out of society, and it is just as you would imagine, dirty and dangerous. However, Sunny ignores all this, and breaks in, getting herself kidnapped.
Sunny is taken hostage by a group of rebels, and thrown into a room in the basement of an old building. At first, she is terrified, but then get to know her captors, and is curious about them. Their leader is Sin. He has no Brand (a barcode on their arm, given at birth to every citizen), which is a crime in of itself, punishable by death. She should fear her situation, but instead is taking it all in, and is shocked to see the goings on around her. The Ghetto is supposed to be full of hardened criminals, yet it is full of a lot of children, women, and elderly as well... Sunny begins to question everything she has ever been told, and must figure out how to help these people, which means standing up to her father.
April 4, 2017
Ghetto M L Sparrow 5 stars
“If you are silent about your pain, they will kill you and say you enjoyed it” – Zora Neale Hurston
There is so much I want to write about this book but I don’t want to make this a socio-economic, political rant because this isn’t the forum. I will only say that if “we” don’t speak up and start being heard - this story could be (and may already be) so true.
This is the story about a time (perhaps not so far in the future) where the classes of the world are distinctly divided. The inherently rich, those employed in “high ranking” jobs and the rest. The “bad people” get sent to their own city to defend for themselves and figure out how to survive.
Sunny Beaumont is a girl who grew up above all of the classes. Her dad is the President and with that brings untold privilege. She is unaware of all the bad that goes on in the world. She is very sheltered and placed upon a pedestal only to be dusted off when needed.
Sin was abandoned at The Ghetto. He never ever had a chance to succeed in life. His lot in life was determined at birth and there was no hope for his future to be anything other than it is.
I found this story to be well written, the characters are relatable and well developed. It was easy to imagine the reality of this situation because it wasn’t so “far out” in the future with flying cars, etc. It is not post-apocalyptic, it’s just the future.
I was very grateful that there is an epilogue because I feel like this book would have haunted me if I didn’t have closure. While I am absolutely not the targeted demographic for a young adult/dystopian book, it caused me to want to take action. I hope young people read this and want to take action also. Even if that action is to continue their education in hopes of finding cures, or being of service in education, or being a voice for the voice-less.
“If you are silent about your pain, they will kill you and say you enjoyed it” – Zora Neale Hurston
There is so much I want to write about this book but I don’t want to make this a socio-economic, political rant because this isn’t the forum. I will only say that if “we” don’t speak up and start being heard - this story could be (and may already be) so true.
This is the story about a time (perhaps not so far in the future) where the classes of the world are distinctly divided. The inherently rich, those employed in “high ranking” jobs and the rest. The “bad people” get sent to their own city to defend for themselves and figure out how to survive.
Sunny Beaumont is a girl who grew up above all of the classes. Her dad is the President and with that brings untold privilege. She is unaware of all the bad that goes on in the world. She is very sheltered and placed upon a pedestal only to be dusted off when needed.
Sin was abandoned at The Ghetto. He never ever had a chance to succeed in life. His lot in life was determined at birth and there was no hope for his future to be anything other than it is.
I found this story to be well written, the characters are relatable and well developed. It was easy to imagine the reality of this situation because it wasn’t so “far out” in the future with flying cars, etc. It is not post-apocalyptic, it’s just the future.
I was very grateful that there is an epilogue because I feel like this book would have haunted me if I didn’t have closure. While I am absolutely not the targeted demographic for a young adult/dystopian book, it caused me to want to take action. I hope young people read this and want to take action also. Even if that action is to continue their education in hopes of finding cures, or being of service in education, or being a voice for the voice-less.
May 7, 2016
Orginally posted on Daydreaming Books. Head over to my blog to read an additional author interview as well!
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Ghetto was seriously so good! The plot, the concept and the characters were pretty amazing. I couldn't get enough of this world. I loved this book to bits! And one of my favourite blogger- Raven, loved this as well, so I knew I had to read it when I was offered a review copy! :-)
Sunny Grace Beaumont is the president's daughter who was brought up in luxury, she doesn't know much about real hardship in life. She accompanies her father to meetings and speeches and stands by his side with a smiling face though she doesn't love it all the time. To complete one of her self made projects, she sneaks inside the Ghetto, a place where the criminals of the city are sent to. But it's the only place that has what she wants. But in this process, she gets kidnapped by the rebel group where she meets Sin, the leader of the rebels. Although at first she is kept there against her will, as she slowly gets to know everybody she understands the conditions of the Ghetto which is far worse than she had imagined and not everybody is guilty of a crime which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the Ghetto. Now, she's determined to do something about this fact but will she be able to actually produce results or will she end up in more trouble for her and the people that she has actually started caring for?
I really loved the plot. It was pretty unique and refreshing. Sunny is a computer geek and she's always busy creating new things. But to complete one of her projects she needed a part and her computer showed it was only available in the Ghetto, so she decided to sneak in there with her bot, Ludo. But she ended up getting kidnapped by the rebels. The condition of the people in the Ghetto was really miserable, not all of them were guilty of a crime. And also people accused of crimes such as petty stealing to murders, were given the same punishment, i.e. to live in the Ghetto which was pretty unfair. Sunny started understanding the reality of the situation as she started living with these people.
I loved Sunny's character. Although she grew up in luxury, she was a down to earth person. Though I definitely liked her character development throughout the book. I loved her determination to help the people of the Ghetto at any cost. Sin was a great character as well, he was the rebel leader in the Ghetto, everybody respected him. But he usually was a closed off person, but that slowly changed in the company of Sunny. I really liked them together, their chemistry was amazing. It was pretty great to see their relationship evolve with the time span.
The other characters were pretty great. And I loved how Sunny formed a great bond with them as well. They all kind of formed a family together. I also loved the concept of All-Cure, a medicine that has the power to cure every disease. And Sunny had cancer, so she she had to take All-Cure with in regular intervals because it kept coming back. I loved how this concept was utilized at the end. The last part of the book was pretty intense, I was practically running to know what happened next and I was satisfied how everything was executed.
Overall, Ghetto was a great read. The plot kept me interested from the beginning and the characters were pretty amazing. I absolutely loved the romance between Sin and Sunny! Everything was executed neatly and perfectly. The writing was smooth and beautiful and the pace was even throughout the book. I look forward to read more works by this author.
Recommend it?
Absolutely!
*I received an ecopy of this book from the author in exchange for an honest review.*
Ghetto was seriously so good! The plot, the concept and the characters were pretty amazing. I couldn't get enough of this world. I loved this book to bits! And one of my favourite blogger- Raven, loved this as well, so I knew I had to read it when I was offered a review copy! :-)
Sunny Grace Beaumont is the president's daughter who was brought up in luxury, she doesn't know much about real hardship in life. She accompanies her father to meetings and speeches and stands by his side with a smiling face though she doesn't love it all the time. To complete one of her self made projects, she sneaks inside the Ghetto, a place where the criminals of the city are sent to. But it's the only place that has what she wants. But in this process, she gets kidnapped by the rebel group where she meets Sin, the leader of the rebels. Although at first she is kept there against her will, as she slowly gets to know everybody she understands the conditions of the Ghetto which is far worse than she had imagined and not everybody is guilty of a crime which kind of defeats the whole purpose of the Ghetto. Now, she's determined to do something about this fact but will she be able to actually produce results or will she end up in more trouble for her and the people that she has actually started caring for?
I really loved the plot. It was pretty unique and refreshing. Sunny is a computer geek and she's always busy creating new things. But to complete one of her projects she needed a part and her computer showed it was only available in the Ghetto, so she decided to sneak in there with her bot, Ludo. But she ended up getting kidnapped by the rebels. The condition of the people in the Ghetto was really miserable, not all of them were guilty of a crime. And also people accused of crimes such as petty stealing to murders, were given the same punishment, i.e. to live in the Ghetto which was pretty unfair. Sunny started understanding the reality of the situation as she started living with these people.
I loved Sunny's character. Although she grew up in luxury, she was a down to earth person. Though I definitely liked her character development throughout the book. I loved her determination to help the people of the Ghetto at any cost. Sin was a great character as well, he was the rebel leader in the Ghetto, everybody respected him. But he usually was a closed off person, but that slowly changed in the company of Sunny. I really liked them together, their chemistry was amazing. It was pretty great to see their relationship evolve with the time span.
The other characters were pretty great. And I loved how Sunny formed a great bond with them as well. They all kind of formed a family together. I also loved the concept of All-Cure, a medicine that has the power to cure every disease. And Sunny had cancer, so she she had to take All-Cure with in regular intervals because it kept coming back. I loved how this concept was utilized at the end. The last part of the book was pretty intense, I was practically running to know what happened next and I was satisfied how everything was executed.
Overall, Ghetto was a great read. The plot kept me interested from the beginning and the characters were pretty amazing. I absolutely loved the romance between Sin and Sunny! Everything was executed neatly and perfectly. The writing was smooth and beautiful and the pace was even throughout the book. I look forward to read more works by this author.
Recommend it?
Absolutely!
March 26, 2016
**I was provided with a copy by the author in exchange for an honest review!**
When I first read the blurb for this book, I was instantly intrigued. I’ve read my fair share of YA Dystopians, but this one seemed to fit right in line with what I like. It sounded familiar in some ways and new in so many others – I was sure to give it a try. And my gut feeling didn’t betray me! Despite the quick rundown in the summary above, we get eased into the story very nicely. The world-building is well done, without being too over the top or overly complicated, which I can definitely appreciate.
Sunny, the main character, is good girl with a rebellious streak. She is smart and talented, but you instantly know that she is in trouble and definitely out of depth when she enters the Ghetto. From this point on things change fairly quickly. You realise that the system isn’t working and that a lot of people have innocently been convicted. It is nearly impossible not to feel for the people of the Ghetto and their terrible fate and Sunny soon turns from captive to accomplice.
That was the most fun for me to read really! There is this slow part where she realises she doesn’t feel trapped anymore, that she enjoys the company of some of the people and at one point even that she doesn’t want to leave anymore. It’s the same thing that makes the romance so charming. She seriously considers her developing feelings being some sort of Stockholm Syndrome at first and it’s so adorable and funny to see her relationship with Sin, as well as with his men and Maya, develop. All those characters, they just grow on you so fast! Sin especially didn’t really seem like a person who could warm my heart in the beginning, but the more I found out about him, the more I liked him.
There are a couple twists and turns I didn’t see coming and the final pages were gripping, because I had no idea how everything could be resolved. Ghetto is one of the books where I am grateful to have gotten a happy ending though. Especially with dystopians where the whole system is corrupt, I often wonder if something could realistically be changed in the following years and we thankfully become a great conclusion to that question of mine.
Ultimately, I don’t really have anything to complain here! The only thing I sometimes could have done without was the slang spoken in the Ghetto, but that’s just me not being a native English-speaker and sometimes feeling like it disrupts my reading – because I definitely know that a differentiated slang from the city to the Ghetto is a sign of great world-building.
Fazit: 4/5 stars! A thrilling read that will make you want to change all the injustice in the world.
This review was first published on Life and Other Disasters!
When I first read the blurb for this book, I was instantly intrigued. I’ve read my fair share of YA Dystopians, but this one seemed to fit right in line with what I like. It sounded familiar in some ways and new in so many others – I was sure to give it a try. And my gut feeling didn’t betray me! Despite the quick rundown in the summary above, we get eased into the story very nicely. The world-building is well done, without being too over the top or overly complicated, which I can definitely appreciate.
Sunny, the main character, is good girl with a rebellious streak. She is smart and talented, but you instantly know that she is in trouble and definitely out of depth when she enters the Ghetto. From this point on things change fairly quickly. You realise that the system isn’t working and that a lot of people have innocently been convicted. It is nearly impossible not to feel for the people of the Ghetto and their terrible fate and Sunny soon turns from captive to accomplice.
That was the most fun for me to read really! There is this slow part where she realises she doesn’t feel trapped anymore, that she enjoys the company of some of the people and at one point even that she doesn’t want to leave anymore. It’s the same thing that makes the romance so charming. She seriously considers her developing feelings being some sort of Stockholm Syndrome at first and it’s so adorable and funny to see her relationship with Sin, as well as with his men and Maya, develop. All those characters, they just grow on you so fast! Sin especially didn’t really seem like a person who could warm my heart in the beginning, but the more I found out about him, the more I liked him.
There are a couple twists and turns I didn’t see coming and the final pages were gripping, because I had no idea how everything could be resolved. Ghetto is one of the books where I am grateful to have gotten a happy ending though. Especially with dystopians where the whole system is corrupt, I often wonder if something could realistically be changed in the following years and we thankfully become a great conclusion to that question of mine.
Ultimately, I don’t really have anything to complain here! The only thing I sometimes could have done without was the slang spoken in the Ghetto, but that’s just me not being a native English-speaker and sometimes feeling like it disrupts my reading – because I definitely know that a differentiated slang from the city to the Ghetto is a sign of great world-building.
Fazit: 4/5 stars! A thrilling read that will make you want to change all the injustice in the world.
This review was first published on Life and Other Disasters!
April 12, 2017
“Most people aren’t cruel, just blind. All we need to do is open their eyes.”
Firstly, I must say I rarely read young adult and dystopian sci-fi books. However, the synopsis for this book had me dying to read it and I am so happy I stepped outside the box with this read and with how the story touched me. This book is a scary glimpse into a future that is not so far from what will eventually be a reality for our world if we don’t all step up and learn to love one another without prejudice. M.L. Sparrow brought the some of the hardest social and economic issues to the forefront with a beautiful and very well written romance.
The book is told from the main character’s, Sunny Beaumont, point of view. Sunny is the president’s daughter and a main tactic that he uses to get his elections won each time. “A Sunny smile wins the election… President Beaumont wins another election, in no small part thanks to the charm of his beautiful daughter, Sunny, and her contagious smile.” Sunny lives a life of solitude aside from her robot, Ludo, and her stylist, Micah. She exists because she is the perfect sidekick for her father. “All I had done, all I had ever done was smile politely at his side as he gave his speeches or attended the required functions.”
Sunny has a recurring cancer. “I suffered from reoccurring acute myeloid leukemia, which was okay now that a tiny dose of ‘All-Cure’ could get rid of it every time it reared its ugly head, but I couldn’t help but think that the fact the disease kept coming back was a sign that I wasn’t meant to keep surviving it. What if like my mom, I was destine to die early?”
Sunny is also well aware of the society that she lives in and the social classes that separate her and so many others from each class. There are three classes, first, second and third. “First Class were the elites, the families who came from money; nobody became an elite, they had to be born into it and marriage with anyone outside of that class was practically unheard of. The second class worked for their wealth, they were the lawyers, doctors, and scientists; their lifestyle only a step down from that of their superiors. And the vast third class were the common, low paid laborers, the unskilled workers who lived paycheck to paycheck, hand to mouth. Finally, there were the Ghetto Folk, as they were widely known; the people who had been cast out of the system because they were criminal. They lived in a gated community where they could be closely monitored, but in large they were left up to their own devices as long as they stayed within their assigned area, which was just outside the city, surrounded on three sides by a man-made lake and a high electric fence on the fourth.” The social classes are not the only thing that sets this futuristic world apart from us, well a small part of it is very much evident in our current lives, just not to the extent. “In this day and age of skyscrapers and advanced technology, everyone was Branded at birth. It wasn’t archaic as it sounded, it wasn’t done with fire and metal; it was more like a tattoo, done with a laser and using a special ink that had been developed so that it grew as the person did.” The branding not only replaces identification cards, but the has become the only means of currency as well. Even though Sunny has been raised in this society she does question the true significance of the Branded. “The computer geek in me marvels at how a person can be reduced to nothing more than a series of numbers on a screen.” But knowledge is power, right?
It is the computer geek in her that leads her to venture into the dangerous area of The Ghetto. She is looking for a part to fix a keyboard. She is ‘kidnapped’ by the leader of The Ghetto, Sin, and his followers, and friends. Her reaction is surprisingly not that of fear so much as she begins to see with her own eyes how these ‘outcasts and criminals’ are forced to live. She actually begins to make friends with Maya and Kit, something that is very foreign to her, but she knows is something that she wants. The kidnapping actually becomes an escape from a reality that she didn’t know she wasn’t really made to belong in. “I don’t really know what I want but I know that I definitely don’t want to return to the meaning less existence I led before. Back then I had simply done what I was told for the most part, without examining what I thought, or gathering the facts. I don’t want to live like that anymore. My eyes have been opened but the people I had once condemned and I don’t want to close them again.” She doesn’t want to leave her friends, and she really doesn’t want to leave Sin and the blossoming romance that is developing between them. Can she really get the rest of the classes to see that how they are living is wrong; that what they have been taught is not right?
I would recommend this book to anyone one and everyone. I actually feel that the story is so powerful that students would benefit from reading this book as an eye opener and as a what not to do type thing. I would also give this book 10 stars if I could. So, even if you wouldn’t normally choose this genera, it’s well worth a try!
Firstly, I must say I rarely read young adult and dystopian sci-fi books. However, the synopsis for this book had me dying to read it and I am so happy I stepped outside the box with this read and with how the story touched me. This book is a scary glimpse into a future that is not so far from what will eventually be a reality for our world if we don’t all step up and learn to love one another without prejudice. M.L. Sparrow brought the some of the hardest social and economic issues to the forefront with a beautiful and very well written romance.
The book is told from the main character’s, Sunny Beaumont, point of view. Sunny is the president’s daughter and a main tactic that he uses to get his elections won each time. “A Sunny smile wins the election… President Beaumont wins another election, in no small part thanks to the charm of his beautiful daughter, Sunny, and her contagious smile.” Sunny lives a life of solitude aside from her robot, Ludo, and her stylist, Micah. She exists because she is the perfect sidekick for her father. “All I had done, all I had ever done was smile politely at his side as he gave his speeches or attended the required functions.”
Sunny has a recurring cancer. “I suffered from reoccurring acute myeloid leukemia, which was okay now that a tiny dose of ‘All-Cure’ could get rid of it every time it reared its ugly head, but I couldn’t help but think that the fact the disease kept coming back was a sign that I wasn’t meant to keep surviving it. What if like my mom, I was destine to die early?”
Sunny is also well aware of the society that she lives in and the social classes that separate her and so many others from each class. There are three classes, first, second and third. “First Class were the elites, the families who came from money; nobody became an elite, they had to be born into it and marriage with anyone outside of that class was practically unheard of. The second class worked for their wealth, they were the lawyers, doctors, and scientists; their lifestyle only a step down from that of their superiors. And the vast third class were the common, low paid laborers, the unskilled workers who lived paycheck to paycheck, hand to mouth. Finally, there were the Ghetto Folk, as they were widely known; the people who had been cast out of the system because they were criminal. They lived in a gated community where they could be closely monitored, but in large they were left up to their own devices as long as they stayed within their assigned area, which was just outside the city, surrounded on three sides by a man-made lake and a high electric fence on the fourth.” The social classes are not the only thing that sets this futuristic world apart from us, well a small part of it is very much evident in our current lives, just not to the extent. “In this day and age of skyscrapers and advanced technology, everyone was Branded at birth. It wasn’t archaic as it sounded, it wasn’t done with fire and metal; it was more like a tattoo, done with a laser and using a special ink that had been developed so that it grew as the person did.” The branding not only replaces identification cards, but the has become the only means of currency as well. Even though Sunny has been raised in this society she does question the true significance of the Branded. “The computer geek in me marvels at how a person can be reduced to nothing more than a series of numbers on a screen.” But knowledge is power, right?
It is the computer geek in her that leads her to venture into the dangerous area of The Ghetto. She is looking for a part to fix a keyboard. She is ‘kidnapped’ by the leader of The Ghetto, Sin, and his followers, and friends. Her reaction is surprisingly not that of fear so much as she begins to see with her own eyes how these ‘outcasts and criminals’ are forced to live. She actually begins to make friends with Maya and Kit, something that is very foreign to her, but she knows is something that she wants. The kidnapping actually becomes an escape from a reality that she didn’t know she wasn’t really made to belong in. “I don’t really know what I want but I know that I definitely don’t want to return to the meaning less existence I led before. Back then I had simply done what I was told for the most part, without examining what I thought, or gathering the facts. I don’t want to live like that anymore. My eyes have been opened but the people I had once condemned and I don’t want to close them again.” She doesn’t want to leave her friends, and she really doesn’t want to leave Sin and the blossoming romance that is developing between them. Can she really get the rest of the classes to see that how they are living is wrong; that what they have been taught is not right?
I would recommend this book to anyone one and everyone. I actually feel that the story is so powerful that students would benefit from reading this book as an eye opener and as a what not to do type thing. I would also give this book 10 stars if I could. So, even if you wouldn’t normally choose this genera, it’s well worth a try!
April 6, 2017
Ghetto by ML Sparrow is a Young Adult story that is futuristic where classes are divided. This author has created a story that has a ton of twists and turns that keep this story flowing. You will enjoy how the author created characters that are easily relate-able and how well they connect with each other. This story was a little bit slow starting but once it took off, it will pull you into a divided world. This story has good, evil, make you angry in parts and will pull at your heart strings in other parts. Find out what happens to these characters as they go on a political journey of right and wrong.
Sunny Beaumont is a young girl who is an only child, a computer geek and a cancer survivor. Her life is a little different as she is the daughter of the President. She is a bit adventurous and out spoken. What will happen when she sneaks out one night to the Ghetto? She has been told the at the Ghetto is full of criminals that live there until the end of their life. What will happen when she is captured? Are her captives as bad as what she thinks? Who are these people here? This is where she meets Sin who is a rebel leader. Will they make a connection? Will he show her there is more to the Ghetto then what meets the eye?
Sin, is good looking teenager that has been living in the Ghetto since he was born. Will he show Sunny how things really are in the Ghetto? Will he show her that it is possible that she has been lied to her whole life about the Ghetto? What will happen to all the innocent and helpless children living in the Ghetto? Will she try to save them? Together will these two challenge the government? Will she turn against her own father? Sunny is a strong character in this story as she has been living a pampered life until that one night. The way she grows throughout the story is so awesome because you can really see her changes. She really does just make this story. Of course, you always have to have the hot guy in a story and that would be Sin. He wants everyone to think he is so tough but really I think that there is a soft spot in him that he shows when no one is looking. Find out what happens to these two as they fight for the Ghetto and those that shouldn't be there.
One thing that I love about this author is that I know when I pick up a ML Sparrow book, it will be different and unique. I can't wait to see what she will create next. ML writes pretty much anything that comes into her head. She loves how she can keep her readers on their feet but changing up the genres that she writes, you never know what she might write next. She also loves to travels and has been to other counties. This was a story that I couldn't put down once I really got pulled in. This story will take you on a roller coaster of emotions and on a journey that will show you two different worlds. I highly suggest this story as I know you will enjoy reading it as much as I did.
Sunny Beaumont is a young girl who is an only child, a computer geek and a cancer survivor. Her life is a little different as she is the daughter of the President. She is a bit adventurous and out spoken. What will happen when she sneaks out one night to the Ghetto? She has been told the at the Ghetto is full of criminals that live there until the end of their life. What will happen when she is captured? Are her captives as bad as what she thinks? Who are these people here? This is where she meets Sin who is a rebel leader. Will they make a connection? Will he show her there is more to the Ghetto then what meets the eye?
Sin, is good looking teenager that has been living in the Ghetto since he was born. Will he show Sunny how things really are in the Ghetto? Will he show her that it is possible that she has been lied to her whole life about the Ghetto? What will happen to all the innocent and helpless children living in the Ghetto? Will she try to save them? Together will these two challenge the government? Will she turn against her own father? Sunny is a strong character in this story as she has been living a pampered life until that one night. The way she grows throughout the story is so awesome because you can really see her changes. She really does just make this story. Of course, you always have to have the hot guy in a story and that would be Sin. He wants everyone to think he is so tough but really I think that there is a soft spot in him that he shows when no one is looking. Find out what happens to these two as they fight for the Ghetto and those that shouldn't be there.
One thing that I love about this author is that I know when I pick up a ML Sparrow book, it will be different and unique. I can't wait to see what she will create next. ML writes pretty much anything that comes into her head. She loves how she can keep her readers on their feet but changing up the genres that she writes, you never know what she might write next. She also loves to travels and has been to other counties. This was a story that I couldn't put down once I really got pulled in. This story will take you on a roller coaster of emotions and on a journey that will show you two different worlds. I highly suggest this story as I know you will enjoy reading it as much as I did.
April 13, 2017
Sunny Beaumont is in trouble. In a society hundreds of years from our time, computers are ancient relics, robots flourish, and brands on your inner arm keep you catalogued in the system. I.T. savvy Sunny travels to the Ghetto, a fenced in community where criminals are sent to live out their days in banishment with minimal food and shelter. She's looking for a piece of a typewriter she's fixing up and believing her robot can protect her, she boldly ventures from the aristocratic city to the dark and dangerous Ghetto. She soon learns one robot is hardly enough protection against a gang of rebels who recognize her as more than an ordinary citizen; they've captured the President’s daughter.
Against her protests, Sunny is taken back to the rebel Base where she is held hostage,while her longtime robot companion is dismantled. Furious with herself for getting caught, Sunny quickly tries to decide a plan of escape. In the meantime, she is shocked to learn that her captors aren't all bad. The leader in particular, named Sin, hasn't shown her any cruelty or ill will (except of course for capturing her in the first place).
On one of her regular, escorted trips to the restroom, Sunny stumbles upon a group of malnourished and haggard men, women, and children clamoring in the kitchen for boxes and cans of food being rationed out by the members of the rebel gang. Curious, she wanders in and begins to help bring food to the children in the crowd being shoved out of the way. Through this simple act, Sunny becomes educated on the true nature of the Ghetto. It's not quite what her dad, the President, and other politicians make it out to be. As the weeks go by, Sunny becomes less of a prisoner and more of a guest who wants to stay and help the citizens, especially the starving children and struggling masses who are only guilty by association. While she is trying to figure out a way to make things right, she also gets closer to Sin, who is a lot kinder than she expected but with a couple of secrets hidden deeply in his sad eyes.
Sunny has a dark secret of her own that she can't keep a secret as the weeks go by and she needs to be taken back to her city. Can she still save the day and convince her father to free the innocent? Or will her plan crumble and the ones she has come to love be doomed forever?
‘Ghetto’ was a fabulous and intriguing read almost on par with ‘Divergent’ and ‘Legend’.
The futuristic world that has been created is realistic and easy to dive into. It's not so hard to imagine our world in this positions years from now. There is enough adventure to keep your heart racing, but touches of romance that will satisfy any reader. This is a perfect read for all who enjoy dystopian novels. I was extremely satisfied and can't wait to read something by M.L. Sparrow again.
Against her protests, Sunny is taken back to the rebel Base where she is held hostage,while her longtime robot companion is dismantled. Furious with herself for getting caught, Sunny quickly tries to decide a plan of escape. In the meantime, she is shocked to learn that her captors aren't all bad. The leader in particular, named Sin, hasn't shown her any cruelty or ill will (except of course for capturing her in the first place).
On one of her regular, escorted trips to the restroom, Sunny stumbles upon a group of malnourished and haggard men, women, and children clamoring in the kitchen for boxes and cans of food being rationed out by the members of the rebel gang. Curious, she wanders in and begins to help bring food to the children in the crowd being shoved out of the way. Through this simple act, Sunny becomes educated on the true nature of the Ghetto. It's not quite what her dad, the President, and other politicians make it out to be. As the weeks go by, Sunny becomes less of a prisoner and more of a guest who wants to stay and help the citizens, especially the starving children and struggling masses who are only guilty by association. While she is trying to figure out a way to make things right, she also gets closer to Sin, who is a lot kinder than she expected but with a couple of secrets hidden deeply in his sad eyes.
Sunny has a dark secret of her own that she can't keep a secret as the weeks go by and she needs to be taken back to her city. Can she still save the day and convince her father to free the innocent? Or will her plan crumble and the ones she has come to love be doomed forever?
‘Ghetto’ was a fabulous and intriguing read almost on par with ‘Divergent’ and ‘Legend’.
The futuristic world that has been created is realistic and easy to dive into. It's not so hard to imagine our world in this positions years from now. There is enough adventure to keep your heart racing, but touches of romance that will satisfy any reader. This is a perfect read for all who enjoy dystopian novels. I was extremely satisfied and can't wait to read something by M.L. Sparrow again.
April 9, 2017
Ghetto
By: M.L. Sparrow
5 out of 5 stars
The story Ghetto by M.L. Sparrow is a science fiction/dystopian book. This is the story of Sunny Beaumont and how she came to find out the truth about the world she lives in. Sunny is the president’s daughter. She lives a life of privilege and does what she wants to. She rebels against her father as he doesn’t pay her much attention unless it is to make him look good. My first impression of Sunny is that she has been sheltered all her life and doesn’t understand the world as it really is. After Sunny is captured in the Ghetto she begins to see not everything is as it seems. Could the facts that she has been told all of her life be a lie? Sunny begins to understand how those in the Ghetto are not just criminals, but also those who have committed no crime at all. Poverty and hunger is rampant and the living situations are deplorable. She makes up her mind that she has to make the world see what is happening and that it needs to be changed. When she first meets Sin she was angry and determined to defy him until he returns her to her world. Then as the days go by she realizes that she has begun to find a connection with him. How will Sunny make the world see the truth about the Ghetto? Will Sunny act on her feelings toward Sin?
Sin is a man without a brand. It is a crime punishable by death. He sees kidnapping Sunny as a means to an end. However slowly things begin to change. Sin doesn’t trust Sunny as first as she fights him at every turn and tries to escape. Then as time goes by Sunny begins to gain his trust with her honest concern for the people in the Ghetto. Sin is a man that takes chances so that others can eat and survive. At times his anger gets the best of him and everyone knows of his temper. His actions start to show that he feels a connection to Sunny. Will he follow through on those feelings?
This book shows a world that if you are not in a certain class you are regarded as second rate citizens or nobody at all. The fact that there is a place called the Ghetto shows the intolerance. The suffering that is caused is enormous and I found myself getting angry about the way people were treated. This is a book that had me thinking of what I would do if in the same situation as Sunny. This is the second story I have read by the author and I can’t wait to read more of her work. She writes stories that stay with you even after you finish reading. This story does include adult situations and scenes of violence. I would recommend for a mature audience.
By: M.L. Sparrow
5 out of 5 stars
The story Ghetto by M.L. Sparrow is a science fiction/dystopian book. This is the story of Sunny Beaumont and how she came to find out the truth about the world she lives in. Sunny is the president’s daughter. She lives a life of privilege and does what she wants to. She rebels against her father as he doesn’t pay her much attention unless it is to make him look good. My first impression of Sunny is that she has been sheltered all her life and doesn’t understand the world as it really is. After Sunny is captured in the Ghetto she begins to see not everything is as it seems. Could the facts that she has been told all of her life be a lie? Sunny begins to understand how those in the Ghetto are not just criminals, but also those who have committed no crime at all. Poverty and hunger is rampant and the living situations are deplorable. She makes up her mind that she has to make the world see what is happening and that it needs to be changed. When she first meets Sin she was angry and determined to defy him until he returns her to her world. Then as the days go by she realizes that she has begun to find a connection with him. How will Sunny make the world see the truth about the Ghetto? Will Sunny act on her feelings toward Sin?
Sin is a man without a brand. It is a crime punishable by death. He sees kidnapping Sunny as a means to an end. However slowly things begin to change. Sin doesn’t trust Sunny as first as she fights him at every turn and tries to escape. Then as time goes by Sunny begins to gain his trust with her honest concern for the people in the Ghetto. Sin is a man that takes chances so that others can eat and survive. At times his anger gets the best of him and everyone knows of his temper. His actions start to show that he feels a connection to Sunny. Will he follow through on those feelings?
This book shows a world that if you are not in a certain class you are regarded as second rate citizens or nobody at all. The fact that there is a place called the Ghetto shows the intolerance. The suffering that is caused is enormous and I found myself getting angry about the way people were treated. This is a book that had me thinking of what I would do if in the same situation as Sunny. This is the second story I have read by the author and I can’t wait to read more of her work. She writes stories that stay with you even after you finish reading. This story does include adult situations and scenes of violence. I would recommend for a mature audience.
April 13, 2017
Book Review: Ghetto
Author: ML Sparrow
FIVE STARS
Ghetto by auther ML Sparrow is a Young Adult Dystopian book. This book takes place sometime in the future. There are robots and flying cars. Cars that have automatic drivers. The technology we have today has been replace and is much more sophisticated now.
There are three classes of people and someone cannot become a member of a higher class unless born into it. So once a family is Second class they are ALWAYS second class. Everyone who is born is "branded" as an identifier. Anyone without this "brand" is committing a crime and is immediately sent to the Ghetto.
The Ghetto is where the lowest of the low are sent. Criminals are said to be sent there. It is fenced off from the rest of the city so that they cannot be part of the regular classes. Poverty and sickness as well as hungery and filth are the norm in the Ghetto.
Sunny Beaumont is 17 years old. A computer whiz and she loves old technology. A computer hacker and cancer survivor. Sunny is also the Presidents daughter. She is on a mission to find a part of a typewriter she is trying to restore when she ends up in the Ghetto. Sunny is "kidnapped" and held captive. Or is she a captive? Making friends with most everyone she comes across, Sunny ends up helping Sin, Kit, and their band of friends that supply the masses with food.
This book is well written and it pulls you in from the start. You can't help but want to know what happens next. What happens to the little old lady and the premature baby. Things in the Ghetto are not what Sunny was led to think they were and now that she is there, she doesn't want to leave.
I truly enjoyed this book. It was a great read.
Kelli Harper
Author: ML Sparrow
FIVE STARS
Ghetto by auther ML Sparrow is a Young Adult Dystopian book. This book takes place sometime in the future. There are robots and flying cars. Cars that have automatic drivers. The technology we have today has been replace and is much more sophisticated now.
There are three classes of people and someone cannot become a member of a higher class unless born into it. So once a family is Second class they are ALWAYS second class. Everyone who is born is "branded" as an identifier. Anyone without this "brand" is committing a crime and is immediately sent to the Ghetto.
The Ghetto is where the lowest of the low are sent. Criminals are said to be sent there. It is fenced off from the rest of the city so that they cannot be part of the regular classes. Poverty and sickness as well as hungery and filth are the norm in the Ghetto.
Sunny Beaumont is 17 years old. A computer whiz and she loves old technology. A computer hacker and cancer survivor. Sunny is also the Presidents daughter. She is on a mission to find a part of a typewriter she is trying to restore when she ends up in the Ghetto. Sunny is "kidnapped" and held captive. Or is she a captive? Making friends with most everyone she comes across, Sunny ends up helping Sin, Kit, and their band of friends that supply the masses with food.
This book is well written and it pulls you in from the start. You can't help but want to know what happens next. What happens to the little old lady and the premature baby. Things in the Ghetto are not what Sunny was led to think they were and now that she is there, she doesn't want to leave.
I truly enjoyed this book. It was a great read.
Kelli Harper
April 14, 2017
I cannot say enough how much I enjoyed Ghetto by M.L. Sparrow. Ghetto is a young adult dystopian fantasy novel set in the future. However, the issues and dilemmas that take place read much more like an adult perspective.
Sunny Beaumont is the daughter of the president. In her society, she is the elite of the elite, and growing up, she has never questioned that. She is content with her life, follows her father to his events, and except her occasional visits to the clinic to keep the cancer from returning, she has no complaints. Until one night when she ventures out to a part of the city that is forbidden, the Ghetto; where criminals are banished to after being found guilty. When she is suddenly kidnapped, she begins to see that her world may not be as clear as she's been lead to believe. And the man who led her captors may be guilty of the most condemnable crime of all, except Sunny cannot help but trust, admire, and feel drawn to him.
Reading this book was so much fun. I admit I'm a huge fan of dystopian novels, both young adult and adult age groups. I fully enjoy the immersion into another place and time. However not all authors are able to create a fully immersive world in the way that this author did. I love the way that Sparrow explained this future, without giving a “history” lesson, or just saying “this is how things are.” I almost didn't notice when societal facts were introduced as I was reading, because I was so pulled into Sunny and her perceptions. I also really really loved the way that Sparrow grew the connection and attraction between Sin and Sunny. It was beautifully gradual and meaningful. I wish there was a sequel so that I could revisit all of these characters and see where fate takes them.
Sunny Beaumont is the daughter of the president. In her society, she is the elite of the elite, and growing up, she has never questioned that. She is content with her life, follows her father to his events, and except her occasional visits to the clinic to keep the cancer from returning, she has no complaints. Until one night when she ventures out to a part of the city that is forbidden, the Ghetto; where criminals are banished to after being found guilty. When she is suddenly kidnapped, she begins to see that her world may not be as clear as she's been lead to believe. And the man who led her captors may be guilty of the most condemnable crime of all, except Sunny cannot help but trust, admire, and feel drawn to him.
Reading this book was so much fun. I admit I'm a huge fan of dystopian novels, both young adult and adult age groups. I fully enjoy the immersion into another place and time. However not all authors are able to create a fully immersive world in the way that this author did. I love the way that Sparrow explained this future, without giving a “history” lesson, or just saying “this is how things are.” I almost didn't notice when societal facts were introduced as I was reading, because I was so pulled into Sunny and her perceptions. I also really really loved the way that Sparrow grew the connection and attraction between Sin and Sunny. It was beautifully gradual and meaningful. I wish there was a sequel so that I could revisit all of these characters and see where fate takes them.
April 13, 2017
“Ghetto” by M. L. Sparrow is a dystopian thrill ride that transports readers to another world and yet eerily mirrors our own.
Life as the President’s daughter gives Sunny a life of sheltered privilege. Spending her time tinkering with electronics, she knows little of the poverty and the struggles around her. An ill-fated decision to sneak into the worst part of town, The Ghetto, leads to consequences Sunny never would have expected and opens her eyes to more than just the truth of her world. It also leads her to Sin.
I was captured by the very beginning of the story. The author has a descriptive, confident style that pulls the reader in – even if this isn’t your normal genre of choice. While the supporting characters were not very fleshed out, Sunny and Sin are well-developed and makes the reader care about them. Sunny is very much like her name – warm and caring with a core of inner strength. I expected her to be annoying and spoiled, but the author did an excellent job of making her multi-dimensional. Sunny accepted the things she saw in the Ghetto and immediately sought to change them. Sin has the expected rough exterior and the person he is is slowly revealed bit by bit. He risks his life for the change that must be done. I hope the author decides to write more books in this world. A lot of issues were touched on, but nothing was fully explored. This doesn’t take away from “Ghetto” but definitely leaves more room if the author has other storylines in mind.
This is a standalone Young Adult novel with no cliffhanger that is worth spending an evening or two with. I know I will be checking out this author’s work again.
Life as the President’s daughter gives Sunny a life of sheltered privilege. Spending her time tinkering with electronics, she knows little of the poverty and the struggles around her. An ill-fated decision to sneak into the worst part of town, The Ghetto, leads to consequences Sunny never would have expected and opens her eyes to more than just the truth of her world. It also leads her to Sin.
I was captured by the very beginning of the story. The author has a descriptive, confident style that pulls the reader in – even if this isn’t your normal genre of choice. While the supporting characters were not very fleshed out, Sunny and Sin are well-developed and makes the reader care about them. Sunny is very much like her name – warm and caring with a core of inner strength. I expected her to be annoying and spoiled, but the author did an excellent job of making her multi-dimensional. Sunny accepted the things she saw in the Ghetto and immediately sought to change them. Sin has the expected rough exterior and the person he is is slowly revealed bit by bit. He risks his life for the change that must be done. I hope the author decides to write more books in this world. A lot of issues were touched on, but nothing was fully explored. This doesn’t take away from “Ghetto” but definitely leaves more room if the author has other storylines in mind.
This is a standalone Young Adult novel with no cliffhanger that is worth spending an evening or two with. I know I will be checking out this author’s work again.
March 3, 2018
10/10 one of my new favorite books. I just finished it last night and I am astounded. I'm currently going through book withdrawal wishing I could read it all again and experience the rollercoaster that this book entails.
The book follows the president's daughter, Sunny, of the United states far in the future. From the start their relationship is rocky which comes in to play later. She ventures into a part of the state called the Ghetto where all criminals are banished and quickly gets kidnapped by the rebel leaders. This, in turn, opens her eyes to everything that is wrong with the Ghetto and the lies she has been told throughout her entire life.
*****Spoilers*********
From the start I would love to say, amazing job to the author. The writing was amazing, and while the beginning had me a bit uninterested, once Sunny was kidnapped I rarely put the book down. I had no idea how this book was going to end and overall, it was amazing! The relationship between Sunny and Sin was magnificent and you could tell the romantic energy between them was electric from the start. He was a very well written character with so many layers which gave him a soft spot in my heart. Sunny was also very well developed and I loved how she changed as she realized the her own father was not the saint of a president that she followed blindly. This book made me mad, amazed, happy, etc. and took me on an emotional rollercoaster from the start that I wish I could experience again. If you have not read this book then please put it as your next read, It's absolutely captivating.
Also, is anyone with me that this could be an AMAZING movie???
The book follows the president's daughter, Sunny, of the United states far in the future. From the start their relationship is rocky which comes in to play later. She ventures into a part of the state called the Ghetto where all criminals are banished and quickly gets kidnapped by the rebel leaders. This, in turn, opens her eyes to everything that is wrong with the Ghetto and the lies she has been told throughout her entire life.
*****Spoilers*********
From the start I would love to say, amazing job to the author. The writing was amazing, and while the beginning had me a bit uninterested, once Sunny was kidnapped I rarely put the book down. I had no idea how this book was going to end and overall, it was amazing! The relationship between Sunny and Sin was magnificent and you could tell the romantic energy between them was electric from the start. He was a very well written character with so many layers which gave him a soft spot in my heart. Sunny was also very well developed and I loved how she changed as she realized the her own father was not the saint of a president that she followed blindly. This book made me mad, amazed, happy, etc. and took me on an emotional rollercoaster from the start that I wish I could experience again. If you have not read this book then please put it as your next read, It's absolutely captivating.
Also, is anyone with me that this could be an AMAZING movie???
April 9, 2017
Sunny Beaumont is the President’s daughter. She lives a privileged, high class life but has no friends and feels trapped. When she ventures into the Ghetto to find something to complete one of her projects, she becomes a different kind of trapped. Whilst held captive by a resistance group, Sunny’s eye are opened to the realities of the Ghetto and learns that not all the residents there are the criminals they are made out to be. She also develops unwelcome, at first, feelings for the leader of the group Sin.
I enjoyed this dystopian fiction story and found it to be an easy read considering its futuristic element. The characters are believable and strong and really come into their own throughout the story. The story is hauntingly believable given today’s political and economic climate and Sunny becomes that voice we all wish we would hear. She has an unrelenting urge to do the right thing, something hard for the Ghetto folk to accept. Both Sunny and they have to accept that one may not be as bad as the other has been perceived. Sin’s story develops in a very unexpected way and his romantic feelings for Sunny surface steadily. They are brought together nicely and their moments together are so well written that, as the reader, you forget about the harshness of their lives for a while as they do.
I am enjoying M L Sparrows books as the plots are unique, edgy and, so far, different every time. The style of writing in such a different and sometimes, for me at least, hard to read genre made it a pleasure. Something M L Sparrow has done in the books I have read so far and I am sure will continue to do in any others I will make sure to read
I enjoyed this dystopian fiction story and found it to be an easy read considering its futuristic element. The characters are believable and strong and really come into their own throughout the story. The story is hauntingly believable given today’s political and economic climate and Sunny becomes that voice we all wish we would hear. She has an unrelenting urge to do the right thing, something hard for the Ghetto folk to accept. Both Sunny and they have to accept that one may not be as bad as the other has been perceived. Sin’s story develops in a very unexpected way and his romantic feelings for Sunny surface steadily. They are brought together nicely and their moments together are so well written that, as the reader, you forget about the harshness of their lives for a while as they do.
I am enjoying M L Sparrows books as the plots are unique, edgy and, so far, different every time. The style of writing in such a different and sometimes, for me at least, hard to read genre made it a pleasure. Something M L Sparrow has done in the books I have read so far and I am sure will continue to do in any others I will make sure to read
April 11, 2017
Ghetto by M.L. Sparrow reminds me a little of The Giver meets Divergent, well sorta. There's honestly nothing to dislike about this book. It is futuristic and romantic and totally amazing. While it is like I said futuristic, it's not unrelatable or hard to follow.
Sunny Beaumont's father is the president of the community of which she lives. While it's been a short five year sentence, he won his reelection. Sunny is obsessed with things that are not from her time. Specifically a typewriter which she is trying to restore with the help of her robot protector/helper.
To find the part she needs, she must venture into the ghetto. Now the ghetto is for those that have committed crime and they are no longer allowed to live with the general population. While looking for her part, Sunny gets trapped by someone named Sin and his helpers. She is then thrown into this world of captivity.
But will she learn to love the ghetto and someone inside? Or will she try to escape every chance that the gets? Even though you want to dislike those in the ghetto, you learn to love them. They too, are people trying to help one another survive through these difficult times. Will Sunny try to help those that are less fortunate than she, or will she try to escape.
I loved everything about this book. I loved Sunny and Sin and their relationship. From captor and captee to somewhat interested in one another and more. It was so interesting that I just needed to know how he was going to "handle" the way Sunny agitated him. I absolutely adore this author and cannot wait to read more!
Sunny Beaumont's father is the president of the community of which she lives. While it's been a short five year sentence, he won his reelection. Sunny is obsessed with things that are not from her time. Specifically a typewriter which she is trying to restore with the help of her robot protector/helper.
To find the part she needs, she must venture into the ghetto. Now the ghetto is for those that have committed crime and they are no longer allowed to live with the general population. While looking for her part, Sunny gets trapped by someone named Sin and his helpers. She is then thrown into this world of captivity.
But will she learn to love the ghetto and someone inside? Or will she try to escape every chance that the gets? Even though you want to dislike those in the ghetto, you learn to love them. They too, are people trying to help one another survive through these difficult times. Will Sunny try to help those that are less fortunate than she, or will she try to escape.
I loved everything about this book. I loved Sunny and Sin and their relationship. From captor and captee to somewhat interested in one another and more. It was so interesting that I just needed to know how he was going to "handle" the way Sunny agitated him. I absolutely adore this author and cannot wait to read more!
April 11, 2017
Ghetto by M.L. Sparrow
Five Stars
Ghetto is the second book I have read by M.L. Sparrow. I have to say she is a true storyteller. M.L. makes this story come to life with detailed descriptions of how this dystopian world works and the emotions of Sunny and Sin made me angry, sad, anxious and happy. This book started out a little slow but by the second chapter I was drawn in and couldn't put it down.
In this future world, everyone is branded with a number which controls everything from getting into your house to banking issues. The technology is advanced where just a shot can cure cancer. Sunny Beaumont is a computer geek, cancer survivor and oh yeah she is the president's daughter. She is intrigued by machines of the past and she loves to rebuild stuff. She decides to sneak out to the Ghetto to get parts for an old typewriter and she is taken hostage.
The Ghetto is where the criminals get sent to live out their lives, or this is what Sunny has been told. Sin is the teenage rebel leader in the Ghetto who captures Sunny. Sin was born in the ghetto and he doesn't have a brand, which is punishable by death. As Sin shows Sunny his truths about the Ghetto, about the children born there living in poverty and the supposed criminals that have never committed any crimes.
Will Sin be able to show Sunny things aren't always as they seem? Will he trust her enough to let her go? Will Sunny help those in the Ghetto? You need to read this fantastic book to find out. I can't wait to read more from M.L. because they are all different in genres and wonderfully written.
Five Stars
Ghetto is the second book I have read by M.L. Sparrow. I have to say she is a true storyteller. M.L. makes this story come to life with detailed descriptions of how this dystopian world works and the emotions of Sunny and Sin made me angry, sad, anxious and happy. This book started out a little slow but by the second chapter I was drawn in and couldn't put it down.
In this future world, everyone is branded with a number which controls everything from getting into your house to banking issues. The technology is advanced where just a shot can cure cancer. Sunny Beaumont is a computer geek, cancer survivor and oh yeah she is the president's daughter. She is intrigued by machines of the past and she loves to rebuild stuff. She decides to sneak out to the Ghetto to get parts for an old typewriter and she is taken hostage.
The Ghetto is where the criminals get sent to live out their lives, or this is what Sunny has been told. Sin is the teenage rebel leader in the Ghetto who captures Sunny. Sin was born in the ghetto and he doesn't have a brand, which is punishable by death. As Sin shows Sunny his truths about the Ghetto, about the children born there living in poverty and the supposed criminals that have never committed any crimes.
Will Sin be able to show Sunny things aren't always as they seem? Will he trust her enough to let her go? Will Sunny help those in the Ghetto? You need to read this fantastic book to find out. I can't wait to read more from M.L. because they are all different in genres and wonderfully written.
April 15, 2017
Ghetto
By ML Sparrow
Four Stars
Ghetto by ML Sparrow is one of the book of the ages.
This is a good mixture for those who likes dystopian books. If you like those kind of books and like young adult books this is a good mix. So of course this is perfect kind of book for me. Mix two of my favorite kinds of books, and you know, it is perfect.
You meet Sunny, who is a normal girl with a few different things. One of them being that she is the President's daughter, and grows up in the spotlight. When you have a lot of time on your hands with your father traveling a lot, you find a hobby.
The hobby brings her to the Ghetto to find a part she needs to rebuild a typewriter. She finds the part that she needs to rebuild in the Ghetto. Even though it is full of criminals that does not bother Sunny one bit.
Until she is kidnapped and the leader is a man named Sin who has no barcode. (This seems to be a rebel kind of thing and a rare situation.) Even though the situation was against her will at first. It seemed once she got to know the people and the conditions it was not against her will any more.
This story is different than the others. Sunny is a character you can relate too. Even though she was born kind of spoiled and got what she wanted, she somehow was still a down to earth person. Did not act privileged.
Sunny and Sin together was just wow. I loved them together. They just worked in a kinda odd way but it worked. The entire book worked and it was a wonder piece of imagination.
By ML Sparrow
Four Stars
Ghetto by ML Sparrow is one of the book of the ages.
This is a good mixture for those who likes dystopian books. If you like those kind of books and like young adult books this is a good mix. So of course this is perfect kind of book for me. Mix two of my favorite kinds of books, and you know, it is perfect.
You meet Sunny, who is a normal girl with a few different things. One of them being that she is the President's daughter, and grows up in the spotlight. When you have a lot of time on your hands with your father traveling a lot, you find a hobby.
The hobby brings her to the Ghetto to find a part she needs to rebuild a typewriter. She finds the part that she needs to rebuild in the Ghetto. Even though it is full of criminals that does not bother Sunny one bit.
Until she is kidnapped and the leader is a man named Sin who has no barcode. (This seems to be a rebel kind of thing and a rare situation.) Even though the situation was against her will at first. It seemed once she got to know the people and the conditions it was not against her will any more.
This story is different than the others. Sunny is a character you can relate too. Even though she was born kind of spoiled and got what she wanted, she somehow was still a down to earth person. Did not act privileged.
Sunny and Sin together was just wow. I loved them together. They just worked in a kinda odd way but it worked. The entire book worked and it was a wonder piece of imagination.
April 13, 2017
This is my first read by M.L Sparrow. When I first started this read I wasn’t really sure what to expect but then I was like whoa. A little slow to start but then it started picking up for me.
The story starts with Sunny Beaumont, the Presidents daughter. Sunny is an only child whose mother passed right after her birth. As we can all assume being the Presidents daughter when you are a teenager is not all glitter and shine. With no real friends and little interaction with people Sunny is a self taught computer geek. Sunny loves to take things a part to see how they work and then put them back together. When she decides to refurbish an old typewriter she starts looking for the parts that she needs. The closet part available is in the ghetto. Everyone knows that the Ghetto is where hardened criminals are sent to live out the remainder of their lives. So why did she choose to go there because she likes to live on the edge a little and she really does not think any harm will come out of her little venture.
Sunny ventures into the Ghetto in search of the part that she needs. While on her little venture she gets kidnapped. She gets locked into a room and her captors are mean just as you might have imagined. Slowly things start changing and maybe her captors are not as mean as they first seemed. Could her thoughts be true or could she be developing Stockholm syndrome?
I recommend this book it was a Great read.
The story starts with Sunny Beaumont, the Presidents daughter. Sunny is an only child whose mother passed right after her birth. As we can all assume being the Presidents daughter when you are a teenager is not all glitter and shine. With no real friends and little interaction with people Sunny is a self taught computer geek. Sunny loves to take things a part to see how they work and then put them back together. When she decides to refurbish an old typewriter she starts looking for the parts that she needs. The closet part available is in the ghetto. Everyone knows that the Ghetto is where hardened criminals are sent to live out the remainder of their lives. So why did she choose to go there because she likes to live on the edge a little and she really does not think any harm will come out of her little venture.
Sunny ventures into the Ghetto in search of the part that she needs. While on her little venture she gets kidnapped. She gets locked into a room and her captors are mean just as you might have imagined. Slowly things start changing and maybe her captors are not as mean as they first seemed. Could her thoughts be true or could she be developing Stockholm syndrome?
I recommend this book it was a Great read.
April 17, 2017
Ghetto is completely out of the genre of books that I read. I came across it because it was different. I knew it was a bit young and based in the future, yet it peaked my interests. This book reminded me of going to a movie that my husband chose and I left thinking about it for days. The very first page had me instantly thinking that this is a movie that I would enjoy.
Ghetto is based in the future but still had objects and references of the life we currently live in.
Sunny is the daughter of the President and her story was sad but necessary. She is sheltered and worse lonely. So, when her curiosity peaks about a place she shouldn’t go to – she acts on it. She forced to stay and discover the people and life that is the Ghetto.
Sin is the leader of the community and unlike anyone Sunny has met. First, he’s not even branded & to say he is a rebel is an understatement. He will show her who the people in the Ghetto really are and the crimes they supposedly committed. He will also open her eyes to a man who is kind.
Sunny sees a completely different side of life than the one she has been living. Now she must figure out the truth. Deception, conspiracy, privileged are things Sunny will discover and must work through but luckily, she’s not alone.
I hope I haven’t given too much away with my review. I want you to experience this riveting story and hope that you feel the reality that could be the future for generations to come.
Ghetto is based in the future but still had objects and references of the life we currently live in.
Sunny is the daughter of the President and her story was sad but necessary. She is sheltered and worse lonely. So, when her curiosity peaks about a place she shouldn’t go to – she acts on it. She forced to stay and discover the people and life that is the Ghetto.
Sin is the leader of the community and unlike anyone Sunny has met. First, he’s not even branded & to say he is a rebel is an understatement. He will show her who the people in the Ghetto really are and the crimes they supposedly committed. He will also open her eyes to a man who is kind.
Sunny sees a completely different side of life than the one she has been living. Now she must figure out the truth. Deception, conspiracy, privileged are things Sunny will discover and must work through but luckily, she’s not alone.
I hope I haven’t given too much away with my review. I want you to experience this riveting story and hope that you feel the reality that could be the future for generations to come.
April 13, 2017
Ghetto by M.L. Sparrow is a dystopian book. The summary really intrigued me so I was pretty excited to start this book. From the first page I found the book to be interesting. I also really liked the main character Sunny. She is the president's daughter and while in the start she is spoiled a bit I feel like her character grew leaps and bounds and she became a no nonsense lady. There was a lot of stuff going on in this book. And while I felt like most of it was important some parts were a little wordy. The story was really good though and it was easy to fly through once you really got started. I did like Sin by the end of the book. I wasn't quite sure about him at first but he definitely grew on me. The writing was well done and the characters well written. I think my favorite part is the spoiled presidents daughter going into the Ghetto realizing that everything isn't all it seems and coming out wanting to help people. So a little about the book Sunny is a cancer survivor and really good with mechanical stuff and computers. She's really smart! But her world is pretty sheltered and she doesn't want for really anything. Sin was born and abandoned into the ghetto and nobody got him branded as a baby so if he ever gets caught it's an instant death punishment per the rules of this society they live in. Sin really isn't a bad guy but got dealt a bad hand. Everyone that lives in the ghetto is a criminal of some sort. 4 star rating!
April 2, 2017
Ghetto
M.L. Sparrow
4 stars
Ghetto is the first read from this author for me and I thoroughly enjoyed this YA Dystopian, filled with action, adventure and amazing intense relationships that brew throughout. Incredibly written and draws any reader in not just from the blurb either, makes you feel you're on the same journey as the characters.
We met Sunny Beaumont daughter of the president, protected and pampered but also caged and alone. Whizz at the low hacking seen and has a project of restoring an old typewriter. This leads her to heading into the criminal world of the Ghetto where she is kidnapped and we meet the leader of the rebel fabrication Sin. I absolutely loved this character, excellently written, the more and more you read of him they more you warmed to him. As a prisoner underground Sunny believe her father knows what exactly is going on and believed he has lied to her. She soon realises that she had admiration for her captors especially Sin. Twists and turns in those last few chapter which you don't expect to see coming so that made the plot for the whole novel more worth the read.
Anyone who likes district 9 or hunger games will really enjoy this read.
Sparrow had areas of great character development and story development. This was a new author for me and I'm glad a gave it chance after the slow beginning but will be now keeping an eye out for future releases.
M.L. Sparrow
4 stars
Ghetto is the first read from this author for me and I thoroughly enjoyed this YA Dystopian, filled with action, adventure and amazing intense relationships that brew throughout. Incredibly written and draws any reader in not just from the blurb either, makes you feel you're on the same journey as the characters.
We met Sunny Beaumont daughter of the president, protected and pampered but also caged and alone. Whizz at the low hacking seen and has a project of restoring an old typewriter. This leads her to heading into the criminal world of the Ghetto where she is kidnapped and we meet the leader of the rebel fabrication Sin. I absolutely loved this character, excellently written, the more and more you read of him they more you warmed to him. As a prisoner underground Sunny believe her father knows what exactly is going on and believed he has lied to her. She soon realises that she had admiration for her captors especially Sin. Twists and turns in those last few chapter which you don't expect to see coming so that made the plot for the whole novel more worth the read.
Anyone who likes district 9 or hunger games will really enjoy this read.
Sparrow had areas of great character development and story development. This was a new author for me and I'm glad a gave it chance after the slow beginning but will be now keeping an eye out for future releases.
April 8, 2017
Ghetto by M L Sparrow is another interesting read. I have read several of her works and have enjoyed them all. This story is about Sunny Beaumont. She is a red head that stands out in the crowd and is also the President’s daughter. She is a cancer survivor and a tech savvy geek. She loves tinkering and fixing computer things. Then there is Sin, who leads a rebel group in the Ghetto. He doesn’t have the brand on his arm which everyone is required to have. How do the two meet up?
Sunny has a curious streak and it somehow gets herself in the Ghetto. There she is kidnapped by Sin’s men. The Ghetto is a cordoned off area on the outskirts. It is fenced off and this is where all the criminals are sent. Sunny starts seeing the Ghetto in a different light. Nothing is what she expected. Is everything she has been told wrong?
I enjoyed the story and the development of the characters. The story was different and interesting. I always enjoy a futuristic story that has realism to it. Also, how can one not love a strong, smart redheaded female character. Sunny is very relatable. Sin is the quiet male who you know has a lot of inner turmoil. There is so much that seems like it could happen. I do not want to give away more of the story because there is nothing worse than spoilers. Pick up the book and you won’t regret it for one moment.
Sunny has a curious streak and it somehow gets herself in the Ghetto. There she is kidnapped by Sin’s men. The Ghetto is a cordoned off area on the outskirts. It is fenced off and this is where all the criminals are sent. Sunny starts seeing the Ghetto in a different light. Nothing is what she expected. Is everything she has been told wrong?
I enjoyed the story and the development of the characters. The story was different and interesting. I always enjoy a futuristic story that has realism to it. Also, how can one not love a strong, smart redheaded female character. Sunny is very relatable. Sin is the quiet male who you know has a lot of inner turmoil. There is so much that seems like it could happen. I do not want to give away more of the story because there is nothing worse than spoilers. Pick up the book and you won’t regret it for one moment.
April 10, 2017
Ghetto
M L Sparrow
Imagine a world where everything was perfect. Technology was everywhere cars drove themselves you had to scan your arm to even be let into your home you never had to go to the bank to get money it was all run through your scan and there was a magic shot that cured everything including cancer. That’s how life was for everyone now including the president’s daughter. Sunny was the only child for her father a vibrant carrot top who was groomed to stand there and play the part of the perfect daughter. At home Sunny was basically left to her own devices and for her it was technology.
And technology is how she finds herself plotting to get into the ghetto. In search of a type wheel for her latest gadget. When searching the internet and other sources she picks one up in satellite images just beyond the ghettos border. She plots her entrance hacks the fence and climbs the fence with her robot ludo. He is basically her parent and guardian and best friend. Getting into the ghetto was easier than she thought. Soon she realizes getting out will not be so easy. Ludo is shot down by ghetto thugs and she is captured. After a week she still hasn’t been found it seems obvious her father isn’t even looking. Will she ever escape?
I was really skeptical of this book starting out but it was an excellent read. I have a new author to watch out for now.
M L Sparrow
Imagine a world where everything was perfect. Technology was everywhere cars drove themselves you had to scan your arm to even be let into your home you never had to go to the bank to get money it was all run through your scan and there was a magic shot that cured everything including cancer. That’s how life was for everyone now including the president’s daughter. Sunny was the only child for her father a vibrant carrot top who was groomed to stand there and play the part of the perfect daughter. At home Sunny was basically left to her own devices and for her it was technology.
And technology is how she finds herself plotting to get into the ghetto. In search of a type wheel for her latest gadget. When searching the internet and other sources she picks one up in satellite images just beyond the ghettos border. She plots her entrance hacks the fence and climbs the fence with her robot ludo. He is basically her parent and guardian and best friend. Getting into the ghetto was easier than she thought. Soon she realizes getting out will not be so easy. Ludo is shot down by ghetto thugs and she is captured. After a week she still hasn’t been found it seems obvious her father isn’t even looking. Will she ever escape?
I was really skeptical of this book starting out but it was an excellent read. I have a new author to watch out for now.
April 11, 2017
4 - Ghetto
Immediately this story is engaging because the lead character feels almost dippy in her outlook, you can almost smell her naivety. You can see it coming, you are screaming at her walking into the Ghetto, trusting the young kid that takes her to the camp, you want to shake her. However, as it leads to her finding out ‘how the other half live’ it is almost excusable. The depth of the writing is sincerely felt especially as the main character continues to attempt to escape, until she realises that what she has to return to may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
The story is rich and detailed in the rebel’s camp, well written to showcase the disparity from her ‘home’ life of privilege and protection.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and the reader could almost say the storyline is predictable. Rich and privileged girl falls for a bad boy and ‘saves’ him. Both from a harsh lifestyle and an emotional prison.
The ending is a bit of a letdown and is extremely rushed, like the author only has a maximum word count or something. There is not a lot of depth in the epilogue, a very quick ‘they lived happily ever after’ with no detail, certainly not as much as the bulk of the story. Instead of a ‘happily every after’ ending there is plenty of room for an in-depth ending, even more books in a series showing what should be a long road to an improved society.
Immediately this story is engaging because the lead character feels almost dippy in her outlook, you can almost smell her naivety. You can see it coming, you are screaming at her walking into the Ghetto, trusting the young kid that takes her to the camp, you want to shake her. However, as it leads to her finding out ‘how the other half live’ it is almost excusable. The depth of the writing is sincerely felt especially as the main character continues to attempt to escape, until she realises that what she has to return to may not be all it’s cracked up to be.
The story is rich and detailed in the rebel’s camp, well written to showcase the disparity from her ‘home’ life of privilege and protection.
Hindsight is a wonderful thing and the reader could almost say the storyline is predictable. Rich and privileged girl falls for a bad boy and ‘saves’ him. Both from a harsh lifestyle and an emotional prison.
The ending is a bit of a letdown and is extremely rushed, like the author only has a maximum word count or something. There is not a lot of depth in the epilogue, a very quick ‘they lived happily ever after’ with no detail, certainly not as much as the bulk of the story. Instead of a ‘happily every after’ ending there is plenty of room for an in-depth ending, even more books in a series showing what should be a long road to an improved society.
April 11, 2017
I give this book four stars.
Although this isn't my normal genre to read, I enjoyed this unique story. The content is amazing and for that alone it is wonderful and worthy of at least four stars. M. L. Sparrow is a creative writer with a flair for making interesting characters and complex storylines. The writing style tells a story while painting a picture of a world unfamiliar to us.
Ghetto’s main character, Sunny Grace Beaumont, is not your typical girl. She is brilliant and can do anything with computers. She is a cancer survivor and only child whose best friend is a robot. She finds herself lonely in a life that many young people would love to live in her world. She is almost dying of loneliness until her project takes her to the Ghetto where she meets Sin. He is everything that Sunny is not. He is the ultimate bad boy by the standards of her world. Sunny is the President’s daughter; Sin is the Rebel Leader. As she spends time with Sin and a few new friends, she discovers that things in her world are not exactly as her father had always told her. People were suffering...young and old alike.
This book is well written, minus the rough spots. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of other young adult books such as The Hunger Games and Star Wars. It is full of adventure, non-stop action, and intrigue. There is great detail and a plot that is full of twists and turns as the adventure unfolds.
Although this isn't my normal genre to read, I enjoyed this unique story. The content is amazing and for that alone it is wonderful and worthy of at least four stars. M. L. Sparrow is a creative writer with a flair for making interesting characters and complex storylines. The writing style tells a story while painting a picture of a world unfamiliar to us.
Ghetto’s main character, Sunny Grace Beaumont, is not your typical girl. She is brilliant and can do anything with computers. She is a cancer survivor and only child whose best friend is a robot. She finds herself lonely in a life that many young people would love to live in her world. She is almost dying of loneliness until her project takes her to the Ghetto where she meets Sin. He is everything that Sunny is not. He is the ultimate bad boy by the standards of her world. Sunny is the President’s daughter; Sin is the Rebel Leader. As she spends time with Sin and a few new friends, she discovers that things in her world are not exactly as her father had always told her. People were suffering...young and old alike.
This book is well written, minus the rough spots. I would recommend this book to anyone who is a fan of other young adult books such as The Hunger Games and Star Wars. It is full of adventure, non-stop action, and intrigue. There is great detail and a plot that is full of twists and turns as the adventure unfolds.
April 18, 2017
Ghetto by M L Sparrow for me is a five star read.
This is a YA dystopian book and can be read as a standalone. This is the first book I have read from this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had me gripped from the very first page and I did not want to put it down and even took it with me to read whilst doing housework. It is just filled to the brim of action, adventure and romance. This book can be enjoyed whether you're a young adult or a grown up adult. It is amazingly intense and the author prepares you for the journey for you to take alongside the characters really well. If you're a fan of books like The Hunger Games then you will love this book. So many twists and turns to keep you entertained. I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author.
The characters and story development were perfectly done. This book was extremley well written and has fast become of my favourite books in this genre. I will definitely want to one click future releases from this author. This book was full of different emotions with many twists and turns in the book that will keep you guessing what is going to happen till the very end. All of them are such strong characters that they could have a book dedicated to each of them or as a whole.
Highly recommended to all friends and family. An author to watch out for.
This is a YA dystopian book and can be read as a standalone. This is the first book I have read from this author and I thoroughly enjoyed it. It had me gripped from the very first page and I did not want to put it down and even took it with me to read whilst doing housework. It is just filled to the brim of action, adventure and romance. This book can be enjoyed whether you're a young adult or a grown up adult. It is amazingly intense and the author prepares you for the journey for you to take alongside the characters really well. If you're a fan of books like The Hunger Games then you will love this book. So many twists and turns to keep you entertained. I'm really looking forward to reading more from this author.
The characters and story development were perfectly done. This book was extremley well written and has fast become of my favourite books in this genre. I will definitely want to one click future releases from this author. This book was full of different emotions with many twists and turns in the book that will keep you guessing what is going to happen till the very end. All of them are such strong characters that they could have a book dedicated to each of them or as a whole.
Highly recommended to all friends and family. An author to watch out for.
July 23, 2018
Ghetto by M.L. Sparrow is an exciting look at our world in the near future. Unlike many novels about the future, Ghetto feels close, warm and totally possible. Part of the surprising warmth and intimacy of Ghetto is the amazing voice of our narrator, Sunny, who just happens to be the daughter of the newly re-elected President. She is very likable and as she goes about living her daily schedule we get a clear picture of her world and it doesn’t take a genius to see how it evolved from ours. The two factors of a very sympathetic protagonist along with a future that is almost familiar because it is so well extrapolated from now are two very strong reasons Ghetto is such a great read. A high tech wardrobe. A personal robot/friend/companion/bodyguard/a one-shot, cure-all miracle medical treatment: All these things are right around our future corner and M.L. Sparrow shows us how they might fit into our world.
Sunny Grace Beaumont is a quiet old school computer geek. She lives in her own little world at the top of the pecking order. There are four social classes in this world created by M.L. Sparrow and it is so easy to see how this evolved from our current politics. The first class is elite old money. The second class is wealthy professionals. The third class is composed of common laborers and the people of the Ghetto live outside polite society. A silly expedition to the ghetto to get a typewheel for a typewriter brings the two worlds of First class and Ghetto into direct contact and a great story is the result. Ghetto has great characters in a terrible situation. That makes for pretty good fiction.
Sunny Grace Beaumont is a quiet old school computer geek. She lives in her own little world at the top of the pecking order. There are four social classes in this world created by M.L. Sparrow and it is so easy to see how this evolved from our current politics. The first class is elite old money. The second class is wealthy professionals. The third class is composed of common laborers and the people of the Ghetto live outside polite society. A silly expedition to the ghetto to get a typewheel for a typewriter brings the two worlds of First class and Ghetto into direct contact and a great story is the result. Ghetto has great characters in a terrible situation. That makes for pretty good fiction.
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