The first pages of a book are always a little disorienting for me, determinating the narrator, the scene... but in this snippet of three chapters, Marie Lu managed to make it very smooth. The world-building was perfect I felt like I had the right information at the right time, I could picture the movements perfectly during battle, training scenes.
The characters are simply written and it works. I love how you can feel their bonds, friendship, hostility towards one another through her writing.
I also love that she incorporated Sign language, very original move.

I will read anything and everything Marie I have never not loved one of her books. Also that cover?? Absolutely stunning.
Talin, a voiceless refugee from a territory overtaken by the Federation is a member for a force, in the free nation of Mara working to destroy the human mutated creatures known as Ghosts. When a war prisoner is brought to Mara, Talin is intrigued as to who he is and what it is him being there means.
From reading the first three chapters the world-building is very evident from the very start and creates a dark, sombre dystopian mood you are instantly drawn to. The writing itself contributes to this greatly, it has an almost melodic descriptive quality to it which draws you into the world.
I did not expect it to get so intense so fast I was happily enjoying the fighting, it’s intensity and excitement and getting a glimpse into what the ghosts are like when it got very dark and sad very quickly.
I loved seeing the dynamic between Talin and Corian, seeing how they became friends and what their friendship was like. It was great to begin to see the characters and their qualities and interactions. I really liked Talin, viewing the world through her eyes and how were priorities and ideals were aligned, how much she cared for her mother and how she felt about where she had come from.
Overall I really enjoyed of what I have seen of it so far and can’t wait until it comes out to see what happens.

"All Strikers work in pairs. We are bonded until death from the moment we take our oath."

While at first I was dissapointed that this was only an excerpt I am glad that I had this opportunity to read this book I normally would not have picked up.

I am blown away at the world Marie Lu has created and it only took three short chapters to break my heart. The writting style is amazing and I really felt like I was right there beside our main character Talin Kanami.

I cannot wait for this books release so that I can find out what happens next for Talin.

This extended excerpt proves that Marie Lu is my go-to for an action-packef YA book. This is brimming with potential and set up some of the key characters nicely. Cannot wait to read the rest!

Of Marie Lu's works, I've only read The Kingdom of Back so, I wasn't sure what to expect from this chapter sampler as it was the cover art really that really drew my attention!

Maps! I love maps included in fantasy novels, definite points for that!

I'm not usually a fan of sci-fi, but I was pulled into the world so seamlessly, I could see it so clearly. Thoroughly enjoyed these first few chapters!

marie lu's books have never disappointing me, she's a great world builder that has engaging characters to interact with the world she builds. this chapter sampler made me really excited for the rest of the book this fall!

I'm so sad that this is only an excerpt. I can't wait to read the full text. I'm hooked and am looking forward to seeing where this goes.

this excerpt is amazing and i need more!!!!!!!!!! Marie Lu knows how to balance action with emotion and it is great to read her stellar work. can't wait to read Skyhunter in its entirety!

Thank you to Netgalley & Macmillan Children's Publishing Group for the chance to read and review an extended excerpt of "Skyhunter" by Marie Lu. This is my first time reading anything from Marie Lu. I understand the hype! It was an excellent excerpt! I was totally engrossed in the story from the beginning. Talin Kanami is a great main character and I truly admire her bravery and everything she has went through so far. I am definitely picking this book up as soon as it is published. I HAVE TO KNOW WHAT HAPPENS!

Marie Lu can do no wrong! At this point, I will read just about anything she writes. I've been reading her books since back in the day with Legend and I have loved her ever since. I cannot wait to get my hands on the full version of this book. Netgalley, do me a solid and grant me access!!

Lu really knows how to break your heart right out of the gate! This is already such a fascinating story and concept that I hate I could only read the excerpt. Lu manages to build an incredible world in 4 chapters that I am dying to be a part of. A dystopian setting where you hunt zombie ghosts? SO COOL. As is typical with her, the writing so far is phenomenal and I was completely sucked in within the first few pages. I've already experienced loss and heartbreak and the tension is gaining serious track, I am so stoked to get my hands on the full copy when it is released!

Ahhhhhhh Marie Lu, how do you do it every time? I won't lie, when I saw she was doing another sci-fi, it immediately went on my TBR! Thank you so much to Net Galley and Fierce Reads for the excerpt, I absolutely can not WAIT to read the rest of this amazingness!

It's hard to give something this short an accurate rating! I know it's based on "would you keep reading?" Or "would you buy based off of what you read?". The answer is yes. I need to know more about Strikers and Ghosts and this entire world being written.

Oh! I also love the fact that the main character signs. It's refreshing in a way!

I've always seen another popular series by this author and I have wanted to read them. Well now I know I like her writing style!

I'll be picking this one up for sure!

This was a fantastic excerpt. It was just enough to whet my appetite. So far, the story has intrigued me and I love the author's world building. I can't wait to read the entire book.

Please keep in mind that this was only a few chapters of this book. But based on that alone; let’s just say I’ve already pre-ordered the actual book. And now I will impatiently wait for it to be released.

I love everything Marie Lu writes, and I am definitely waiting for this book to be released! It's a little ironic how most of what Lu seems to write is dystopian or dystopian fantasy, but nonetheless I am excited for this book as well! She has a special kind of writing style that just grabs me and pulls me in when I start reading her books. Definitely looking forward to this one..

Thanks for the ARC!

First thing first, can we talk about how great the mute representation is because I love that, that is not something I have seen in any YA novel. It seemed weird at first, I didn't really catch on and I wondered how the fact that we had a main character that could speak vocally to anyone would affect the story. The answer is none at all. Sure, she couldn't talk but that did not mean she didn't have conversations.

The grief in this really hits you from the get go, it was pretty brutal and I ended up imagining this evil creatures similar to white walkers, only they are turned right before your eyes. It is a pretty brutal opening, but man it had a big impact.

The setting was also really interesting, it seemed like a ruined civilization from the future, I imagined a more Asian setting so correct me if I am wrong, but it honestly made me love the story even more.

I genuinely think this is some of Marie Lu's best work to date.

In this excerpt we get about 3 chapters of Skyhunter. Enough to learn a bit about Talin's background and the relationship she has with her partner, her Shield. We also get a fair amount of worldbuilding just in these few chapters. Already you want to route for Talin since she is not subtly portrayed as the underdog. While this is only 3 chapters long, I already feel connected to these characters and would love to read more. Especially with the tiny "cliffhanger" at the end... I want to know more about what happens and who these characters are.

I need the whole book right now!

The first chapters were already so action packed and full of emotions that I can only imagine what the rest of the book will bring! The main character seems amazing and I can't wait to learn more about the ghosts and this world.

Marie Lu is doing a great job writing this story. The fighting scenes were so well written and captivating. I will definitely pick this one up when it comes out in September!

This is an excerpt of Skyhunter by Marie Lu - the first few chapters.

We get some backstory of Talin and how she got to be a striker. Lu does some world building (there's a map) of Mara and the Karensa Federation. There's an elite fighting force called the Strikers and a terrifying enemy known as Ghosts. This excerpt shows Lu's talent in creating an immersive, diverse world.

Looking forward to the full story in September.