Review: Sugar Skulls by Lisa Mantchev

Book Blurb:

Welcome to Cyrene, a city where energy is currency and music is the lifeblood of its young citizens. Everyone lives on the grid, and the residents of the world’s largest playground are encouraged to pursue every physical and emotional pleasure imaginable.

Vee is the lead singer of the Sugar Skulls, an all-girl band that is Corporate’s newest pet project. Micah haunts the city like a ghost after an overdose of a deadly illegal street drug knocks him off the grid. When Micah and Vee forge an immediate, undeniable connection, their troubled worlds collide.

Trading concert stages for Cyrene’s rooftops and back alleys, they have to evade vicious thugs and Vee’s possessive manager as they unravel the mysteries connected to their dark pasts. And before the curtain falls, Micah and Vee will bring the city to its knees in their desperate bid for love, home, and a future together.

My Review:

4 Out Of 5 Hearts

Genre: Dystopian, New Adult--

In a corporate controlled city where emotions are used as fuel and drugs and wild behavior are encouraged, Micah lives under the radar. Vee on the other hand embraces the system, taking a high profile position as a singer with the band Sugar Skulls. When the two of them have a chance encounter across the club where she is performing, both are changed.

I was dropped right on my head in the middle of this world that at first seemed to make no sense. But the more I read, the more the parts of the world started to weave together and I was intrigued. I can honestly say that I have never read anything like this before. I would like to say this is in the future due to the advanced technology, but really this could be on a far off world for all I know because a time and place is never really confirmed. Also, I thought this was a teen book but after reading just a few pages let me say that I would in no way classify this as teen with the drug use and casual sex all over the place. Maybe fantasy/ new adult? Well, whatever you want to call it, I enjoyed this world.

The story alternates between Micah and Vee’s points of view. The chapters are fairly long and switch perspective randomly, but are nicely labeled with who is currently narrating. I loved Micah right from the beginning, with his honesty and agility. Vee on the other hand took much longer for me to warm up to. Maybe it was because he was a real person right from the start and she was an illusion of a person, going through the motions but void of feelings from being drugged up all the time. Micah stayed consistently great in my eyes, and Vee did have the chance to evolve as the book progressed. I absolutely loved the dynamic between the two and thought they were a great team with the give-and-take between them and the faith they had in each other no matter the odds.

At the heart of the book is a romance. Yes, there are other things going on and really interesting details to focus on, but the romance of the story takes center stage (at least in my eyes). This was a really unique read for me and I enjoyed it immensely. I look forward to more from these authors in the future.

I received this title in return for my honest review.