YES!! BRING ON A NEW GOLDEN AGE OF YA DYSTOPIAN AND SCIFI. I know the world itself is bleak right now, but I need dystopian authors writing stories like this that are cutting and hopeful all at once. Sign me up.

Cosy dystopian was not something I expected to start seeing but given everything that's happening in the world, where we seem perfectly happy to give up pieces of our humanity for corporations, this feels very of-this-time. Wonderful, have been recommending to everyone.

What a fun and action packed debut! I had a really fun time reading this book. I thought the world was so unique and really enjoyed learning about it, how it all works. I am a huge dystopian fan and this book did not disappoint. There was a good balance between a love story & action. I thought it was well written and would definitely recommend. Wish I had picked this up sooner!

I looovvvveee a good cat and mouse chase with a little twist! I was hooked from the start to the end! Dystopia always manages to find me and this was such a fun and interesting story that balanced plot and romance very well.

Would definitely recommend this for people who love a good amnesia trope, cat and mouse games, music and memories, and a bit of rebellion! The characters were very interesting and I always enjoy a good dual POV narrative. The plot was gripping and I definitely enjoyed the twists and turns

It’s been a while since I’ve read a YA sci-fi. This was such a cool premise and an easy read. Two young people falling in love amidst a hyper-capitalistic society they can’t escape — or can they? A fun cast of characters and super cool fictional Boston world.

New-auto buy author unlocked! Jill Tew has me seeing stars and feeling dreamy after devouring this cozy dystopian romance. Reminiscent sci-fi favorites like Divergent, The Uglies, and other early 2000 YA dystopian reads, Tew has refreshes the genre with a beautifully written story that comes alive from page 1 and grips you to the breathtaking end.
Enjoy sweet romance, a fierce and lovable ensemble of found family, and a world that I hope to revisit again and again.

This may be one of my new favorite comfort reads and a book I’ll always recommend.
Fans of Alechia Dow will enjoy adding this hopeful and heartwarming read to their shelves.

Thank you Random House Children’s , Joy Revolution, Netgalley , and the author for a complimentary copy of this ebook. I am leaving a voluntary review. All thoughts and ideas expressed are my own.

“This is it. I’m losing her. So I kiss her, slow and deep. A kiss, I pray, that’s strong enough to hold this version of her here, no matter how her old memories demand control.” 😐😐😐😐

Before I begin, I want to thank Random House Children’s/NetGalley for providing me with this arc of The Dividing Sky. <3 Although I abhor writing negative reviews of books that authors put their heart and soul into, I am going to be completely honest about my thoughts on this book.

While the description of this book is engaging, the execution of it fell short. :/ The world-building is weak and the stakes are not high. For example, there is a place referred to as the Outerlands that is beyond the jurisdiction of the governing system called LifeCorp (put simply, it is outside of where basically everyone lives). Once explored, the corruption/lies of LifeCorp is quickly exposed, yet anyone can EASILY, without any struggle, waltz out there and choose to reject LifeCorp’s rule, which actually happens. Like what? 🤨 And don’t get me started on the romance! I feel like I missed something because out of nowhere, after a week of knowing each other, there was a line that said they are in love…It caught me completely off guard. Anyway, I’m so disappointed that I did not enjoy this book. :( I know that I’m quite critical of most things including books. And for that reason, I won’t discourage you from reading The Dividing Sky, which contains minimal violence and swearing as well as no spice beyond tension/kisses, if the book description entices you. You might very well love it xoxo

I absolutely loved this debut! The dystopian world was all too frighteningly possible, and the characters well-developed and sympathetic. I loved the setting of both the Metro and the Outerlands, and the romantic tension between Liv and Adrian was so, so well done. I just wish this was the start of a series, there's so much potential for more to happen in this world!

This book was so well done. I don’t think I have words for how much this book truly touched my soul. This book takes a look at so many things about being human, like emotion, connection and family. In this dystopian society displayed in the book cities are owned by a corporation & all humans living there are obsessed with productivity & are controlled by the corporate entity through drugs & money. But then one girl searching for a better life, Liv, goes on a journey that will change her life forever. Watching Liv and Adrian, who ends up on the journey with her, grow & change throughout this story was so special. Being away from the city they are truly able to tap into what it means to be human, which starts with connection & the beauty in small moments. I just cannot get over how much I loved this story. If you want a young adult science fiction novel based in a not so distant dystopian world, then this is the perfect book

Okay, what are we calling romantic sci-fi? Sci-Ro? Ro-Scifi? Whatever it is, I need Tew to write a million more books in the genre (no pressure) as soon as possible.

I grew up a devout reader of sci-fi, but have moved more to fantasy over the years because I value the characters and dynamics (preferably a little romance), and so often that falls second or third in some corners of the genre. It can be hard to find everything balanced well. Tew managed world building and speculative concepts with the wonderfully fleshed out characters and dynamics and a yearning romance with banter--it all felt so fun and hard to put down. She's making me wonder if I should focus more on YA sci-fi, as maybe that's where to find a greater emphasis on characters and their lives over hard science.

At the end of the day, Tew made me love reading sci-fi again--and I can't wait for more from her.

Got bored. Got bored. Got bored. Got bored. Got bored. Got bored. Got bored. Got bored. Got bored. Got bored. Got bored. Got bored.

The fresh breath of dystopian air I’ve been waiting for! I haven't read dystopian in a while but this was so unique and amazing! This book is why I love this genre😍😍

“The Dividing Sky” follows Liv, an eighteen-year-old desperate to escape her lower-class life in the Metro. As a Proxy, she has a neurochip implanted in her brain that allows her to sell memories and moments to wealthy clients. When she’s offered a once-in-a-lifetime sum to venture into the dangerous no-man’s-land outside the Metro for a memory, Liv seizes the opportunity—it’s her ticket to freedom. Adrian, a rookie Forceman who believes in order, is assigned to track down a renegade Proxy whose illegal dealings are tampering with people’s brain chemistry. Vowing to stop at nothing to neutralize the threat, Adrian follows Liv, only to find that her memories are entirely gone. As they journey beyond the Metro, danger lurks at every turn, and their feelings for each other grow—complicating Adrian’s mission and his beliefs.

The plot was engaging and kept me hooked from start to finish. The tension built up nicely, leaving me wondering how it would all end. The reveals and action-packed scenes near the end had me on the edge of my seat, desperately hoping for a happy ending between Liv and Adrian.

I loved the dual POV! It was perfection! And the added romance!! omg so sweet and wholesome!

This is a wonderful fresh take on young adult dystopia! With a unique, fast-paced plot, an engaging voice, and a sympathetic cast of characters, this was a fun and immersive read.

No words for how good this book is! Truly a new age of dystopia is being born. The prose was amazing and the plot was pacey and intriguing. The premise alone got me, mind you, but also the romance was spot on and perfect. No notes. One of my favorite reads this year.

An absolutely fantastic read. The Dividing Sky is the perfect intersection of dystopian-that-feels-scarily-real, exciting twists, and amazing characters. The worldbuilding is well thought-out, and adored the romance between Liv and Adrian. So excited for Jill’s future books!!

Thank you Penguin Randomhouse Audio and Netgalley for the advanced copy!

genre: dystopian sci fi
2460, east coast.

After economic collapse, LifeCorp has taken over and now controls work and productivity in the US. In the Metro that stretches from old Atlanta to Boston, Liv Newman is Lower serving as Proxy who uses a neurochip to deliver memories and emotions to Uppers. One of her clients offers her an insane amount of money for her to journey north beyond the LifeCorp borders to see the stars for him. The money is too good not to take the dangerous job. Adrian Rao owes his life to LifeCorp, and as a Forceman, he's tasked with tracking down threats to productivity, threats which include Liv. He follows her to the wilds of former New Hampshire, and he's stunned to find a young woman who has erased her memory of the Metro and her former life to carry out her job.

This is a great novel that hearkens back to the YA SF/dystopia novels of a decade ago, but that feels wholly relevant to 2024.

If you know me, you know I don't typically pick up a lot of YA. The Dividing Sky came highly recommended though, so it was worth it for me to try it. I really enjoyed the fresh take that Jill Tew brings to dystopian SF. The book is YA in plot style and intensity of emotion, but worked well for me overall with its themes of analysis of consumerism and corporate governance.

4⭐️ for overall story / 5⭐️ for audiobook performance

Originally I had planned to read this in ebook format, but once I saw there was an audiobook version and sampled it, I knew I had to read this with my ears. This was a fabulous example of YA fantasy romance done incredibly well. I thoroughly enjoyed this story and the audiobook performance just took it up a notch. The writing was thoughtful, yet subtle, and done in such an impactful way that had me pausing just to sit with quotes for a second to really take them in. I really appreciated this story and what it had to offer the reader. While it was YA and closed-door spice, it was such a sweet, at times desperate, romance that I couldn't really put down. The two MCs were enjoyable and I found their dynamic intriguing and ultimately satisfying. The side characters also provided some solid support for the story. The world and concepts were fascinating and it reminded me a little of the show Altered Carbon, but not quite as heavy on the sci-fi aspect. I also really admire an author who can write legitimately good non-cursory dialogue. In my opinion, that's not always easy to do, but this actually came out pretty well.

I did feel like the ending fell a little short in terms of payout for me, but I still thought it ended nicely. Just a little too abruptly for a standalone (?). I really wanted more of the after-effects (both short and longterm) of everything that went down in the last 5% of the book.

Audiobook performance:
These narrators did a fantastic job! This was my first listen for both of them. This was done in dual style with Junior Nyong'o as the voice of Adrian and Khaya Fraites as the voice of Liv. I thoroughly enjoyed listening to both of these VAs and it would be my absolute pleasure to listen to them again. Khaya, especially, did an excellent job with the different character voices and accents.

Recommendation:
I would absolutely recommend this book and also the accompanying audiobook. If you're looking for a solid YA sci-fi/urban-esque fantasy romance with no spice, but a little steam, and some good fast-paced action/adventure, then I think you'll enjoy this. Happy reading friends! 🤙🏼💕

I originally received this as an ebook early review copy through NetGalley by the author prior to release. This review is my honest feedback and given voluntarily.

I adored this book. It really brought me back to the old days of YA dystopia, but with a clever new angle that I think offers a better critique of current society than some of the novels of the 2010s. Can’t wait to see what Jill has in store.

This book has it all; incredible world-building, a cozy atmosphere, beautifully crafted characters, a great love story that also manages to be action-packed. It seriously play like a movie in your mind.

The story explores themes of living life fully and self-discovery. The insight into both of their thought process and emotions really pulled their overall character together making it easy to relate to them. The found family theme was a wonderful aspect, though I wish it had erate been explored more.

I have to applaud Jill on how well she fleshed out this world. It's hard to believe this is Tew's debut book! You can tell she put a lot of care and thought into this.

It’s 2364, and the Metro, under the control of LifeCorp, is driven by one thing: productivity.

Liv Newman, living in the lower-class Towers, is a Proxy. She uses the neurochip in her brain to capture emotional memories for clients (like the adrenaline rush of skydiving or the peaceful awe of a beautiful sunset), enabling them to maintain a high productivity score but still “experience” the feelings for themselves. Struggling to make ends meet, and longing for a better life, Liv illegally sells memories to residents of the Towers on the side.

When Forcemen, members of LifeCorp’s police force, notice a mysterious pattern of rebellious behavior in the Towers, Adrian Rao is sent to investigate alongside his droid partner Nas. They discover Liv in the midst of an illegal memory transfer that seems related to the disruptive behavior, and their mission is to track her down and arrest her. But when Adrian follows Liv to the dangerous no-man’s-land outside the city, he discovers her with her memory wiped. How is he supposed to arrest someone who has no idea she’s committed a crime?

As the pair navigate their way back to the Metro, they begin to question the goodness and wisdom of LifeCorp, leading them into a series of adrenaline-filled adventures.

While leaning heavily into love-at-first-sight romance territory, the novel raises interesting questions about our modern obsession with productivity and hustle culture over genuine experience and connection.

Thank you NetGalley, Random House Children’s, and Joy Revolution for sending this book for review consideration. All opinions are our own.

Will be published at https://threeheads.works/category/blog/ya-books/ on November 25, 2024.