Got to love some YA Dystopian!! This one has so much to offer fans of the genre -- great worldbuilding, strong characters, and twists and turns you didn't see coming. The pacing moves quickly and the romance is a very wholesome enemies to lovers. The side characters were some of the best parts for sure. And the action scenes were super fun. Of course, there's lots of necessary banter! Parts of this book felt almost cozy, in the best way possible. The found family themes and vibes are some of my favorite!

(3.5 ⭐️)

I love the world that Jill as built, but there was a lot more depth that wasn’t there. This is another case of a book by a black author that should have been a duology of a series. i loved the latter half of this novel a lot more than the fun and games section. but as soon as i started enjoying myself, the novel was over.

How this book managed to throw together all my favorite cliché tropes into one addictive and engaging story, I will never understand, but gosh was it a fun romp!

The first 1/3rd of the book focuses heavy on the worldbuilding and establishing the conflict that will inevitably set up the "enemies" portion of our enemies to lovers romantic tension, and then Jill Tew hits you upside the head in the best way possible with the memory loss that turns the entire dynamic upside down. And oh boy is it deliciously delightful to watch our male protag Adrien Rao fall for a woman he knows he shouldn't while she's blissfully unaware.

Our cast of side characters were also insanely lovable - my only gripe is that I wished to see more of them, and I could have honestly read an entire side story about them (hint, hint, hmmmm?)

I adored reading this book and it made me wish that the dystopian genre hadn't fallen to the wayside in recent years. Give me more black kids falling in love in the midst of a downtrodden yet hopeful future!

Yes!!! Dystopian is back!!! And Jill Tew does it the justice it deserves.

The world building was on-point and the romance sucked me into an already fabulous story. Trust me, just read this one!

Thanks to NetGalley for this ARC in exchange for an honest review.

Sometimes you just need a good dystopian novel. I really enjoyed the different elements brought about in this— the emotion drugs like Mean, Ambrosia, “Orange Haze”— and how everyone in the metro serves a purpose. They’re almost like robots with a certain task. Which is wild because even robots, like Adrian’s partner Nas, exist.
I loved the fierce personality that Liv had. She loves her family of friends and will do anything for them. The world she lives in is cruel, and she is essentially giving bits of herself— her memory— for credit.
The outside world is considered savage and you’ll basically die if you go there. But when Liv goes on a mission for one of her clients, who asked for a memory of seeing the stars, she finds that all is not what it seems. Granted, she doesn’t really remember the before. See, life is so hard that she wiped her memory for a bit. Adrian, who is like a cop in the Metro, chases after her and realizes she’s without her memory. The two continue the mission she set out on (she programmed her wipe to at least remember that), and Liv is happy. She experiences true happiness and emotion for herself, as well as love. Adrian does too, but also has guilt because he knows he has to bring her in once she gets her memories back.
This gives us an enemies to lovers to enemies trope, especially once Liv gets her memory back and realizes that Adrian has betrayed her. But his love for her has made him take off the rose colored glasses he had about his home. He was so thankful to LifeCorp for essentially saving him, but he was being just as controlled and manipulated. He realizes the evil they are doing, and wants to bring down the system too.
This is the part I love of dystopian novels. I love getting to see the way this new world works, why it sucks, and then watching our main characters take down the man. It’s such a good formula!
Jill Tew executed this story really well and I enjoyed the cast of characters we got to meet, the world created, the emotions felt, and the lessons learned. Be real, be kind, and live a little.

Thank you to TBR and Beyond Tours for having me, and a big thank you to the author for reaching out to me with a copy as well! Thank you PRH Audio for the ALC.I thank you for bringing this book into my life, and giving me the opportunity to share it. Thank you NetGalley!

Be sure to check out their website for the rest of the tour!

I truly appreciated the complexity of this story. You can see the value that Liv and how she shows up for her family. I also really liked seeing how Adrian shifted just in being in Liv's presence and feeling her comfort. I didn't want to put this down and loved the commentary it provided on today. It eerily felt relatable and spoke to the cautions necessary when managing how corporations play a larger role in all of our lives.

The enforcer, Adrian, is tasked with tracking down an outlaw, Liv, who sells happy memories to wealthy clients. However, when he finally locates her, he discovers her memory has been erased. Now, he faces a moral dilemma: can he condemn her for a crime she doesn't even remember committing?

I really enjoyed Jill Tew's world-building. In the year 2460, corporations govern this town. Individuality is eliminated, including hobbies such as cooking homemade meals and reading books. People’s worth is based solely on their productivity.

The cast of characters in The Dividing Sky is incredibly diverse. It's fantastic to see Liv, a POC female MC who rivals Katniss (Hunger Games), Tris (Divergent), or Mare (Red Queen). All the characters, including the side characters, are relatable. And teens are bound to fall in love with the wholesome enemies-to-lovers relationship between Liv and Adrian.

Other Highlights: Themes of human connection, capitalism, and individualism

I paired the audiobook and physical book. Junior Nyong’o and Khaya Fraites did an amazing job with the narration. You can't go wrong with either format.

The Dividing Sky is an excellent installment to the catalog of YA Dystopia. Lovers of Divergent and Legend will feel like coming home when they pick up this romantic and thrilling debut novel!

I have an endless amount of good things to say about this book, but let's start with the characters. The fully fleshed, genuinely interesting, characters of The Dividing Sky drive this story from the very beginning. There's not a lag in sight. And don't get me started on the romance! Tris and Four, meet your successors. The tension between Liv and Adrian is its own entity. This plot, the world, lends itself to so much uncertainty.

It is one of the best books I've read in a very long time. Do yourselves a favor and go get a copy!

A fast-paced, brilliant debut! This sci-fi romance with dystopian vibes is everything we've been missing from the genre in recent years! Tew creates a vibrant, messy world which mirrors our society in some of the scariest ways, all while drawing the reader in with characters and action. Lovers of sci-fi and dystopian will enjoy it, of course, but I believe fantasy readers will as well! An all POC cast full of heart, and an enemies to lovers romance that is as tense as it is sweet.

I really enjoyed this ya sci-fi dystopian. It was really different from everything I have read before and the world-building was fantastic. The romance and the characters were so compelling. My only complaint is that I want so much more of this world! I need more from all the side characters and another taste of happily ever after.

Thank you penguinteen Canada and netgalley for this arc in exchange for an honest review.

This was an absolutely fantastic story. I can't say the last time I read a dystopian, and this was right up my alley. I was expecting more violence (I'm glad there wasn't, though). The banter was great, and this was action-packed. I'm so excited for what Jill Tew has coming up.

This is a dystopian sci-fi romance that manages to combine elements of memory manipulation, societal control, and an unlikely enemies-to-lovers relationship. Liv and Adrian are caught on opposite sides of a system rigged for corporate profit. Yet, due to the unique use of the anemia trope, their connection is allowed to flourish in a way that feels both natural and compelling.

Long before this story, a corporation graciously takes over for a failing government, the populace and culture have drastically changed. Its citizens have very specific roles and are separated into Uppers and Lowers. Liv collects experiences and emotions to sell to the rich (and illegally to the poor to try to elevate the status of she and her family - an almost impossible task) while Adrian is an enforcer.

Adrian, the rookie officer chasing Liv, has his own journey to go through. His strong belief in order and justice is challenged as he grapples with Liv’s lost memories and the moral complexities of punishing someone who no longer remembers their crimes. Their romance blossoms from this strange situation, and I loved watching them navigate their feelings amidst the danger and tension of their world.Even though some of the supporting characters didn’t get as much time to shine, I still really enjoyed them and they all felt like individuals.

The world-building is chilling in its depiction of a society under corporate control, where even emotions, memories, and relationships are commodities. I was hooked by how the neurochip technology alters people to specific needs and the government-sponsored drugs keeps them docile and productive. It’s both terrifying and immersive, with commentary on the dangers of unchecked capitalism. The roles within society and how they’ve been modified for control are fascinating.

I will say that the pacing wasn't as fluid as it could have been. Some of the world-building and relationships weren't given a lot of time and attention despite how interesting they were and the amnesia trope in the middle of the story really slowed things down in the story. The middle of the book felt a bit separate from the rest of the story and the ending felt rushed.

If you’re a fan of dystopian settings with a sweet romance, this has plenty to love.

Thanks so much to Netgalley, TBR and Beyond Tours, the author, and Random House Children's for the complimentary copies. This review is voluntary and all opinions are my own.

“𝗟𝗜𝗩𝗘 𝗗𝗘𝗟𝗜𝗕𝗘𝗥𝗔𝗧𝗘𝗟𝗬”

A 5⭐️ rating from me, often means the book made me cry. Not this time. THE DIVIDING SKY by JILL TEW overwhelmed me with pure joy!

This book was such a treat! It’s a YA love story set in the dystopian world of the Metro, a stretch of the United States’ eastern cities essentially owned and operated by LifeCorp. Human value is determined by an individual’s productivity, and quick stimulation has replaced genuine enjoyment and fulfilling rest.

Tew’s writing is tight and direct, which gives the story a pretty quick pace. When we meet the main characters they both have a degree of naïveté, their worldview limited by the roles they play in society. But once they are forced out of their regular routines, both Liv and Adrian catch on to the truth of LifeCorp pretty quickly. I appreciated this as a reader, as too often I find myself frustratedly waiting for characters to clue-in to the obvious.

There were a few scenes I wish would have stretched out a bit longer. Without giving away spoilers, I’ll just say there’s a big scene in the arcade during the story’s climax. A longer beat to revel in the shared emotional moment, the big revelation, would’ve provided more cinematic punch.

I loved how this book both embraces and subverts dystopian tropes. “Cozy dystopian” shouldn’t work, but in the end, The Dividing Sky feels like a warm hug. Its lessons are those we all know in our hearts, but still need to hear.

Read this, and Tew’s words will fill you with joy to withstand the winter to come.

⭐⭐⭐⭐

This story combines what different things I love about my favorite dystopian and AU properties. There are clear societal divisions like in The Hunger Games, a focus on everyone doing a particular task they’ve been trained to do and nothing else, which to me is similar to everyone picking a moral they will follow in Divergent, a government that has a special version of a serum everyone wants to get their hands on like in The Boys. Some of the best aspects of popular dystopian stories are brought together in an incredibly effective way.

The idea of the proxies really resonated with me. It was something unlike anything I’d read in another book, and the idea that, if you have enough money because you work a higher-paying position, you can pay those in a different societal tier to experience life for you is such an interesting concept. The obvious connections between living life to the fullest and not letting experiences escape you, even if it’s through someone else, is a fascinating thing.

I also found this society particularly compelling because of the emphasis placed on productivity. Even the upper echelons aren’t immune. Their productivity is just as important, their jobs just take on a greater role in society, which causes more stress and takes more time away from them. The value of productivity and someone’s ability to perform a task fast and well just spoke to me as someone that was told being productive was the key to life. Slowing down is hard, and I liked seeing the topic handled in a dystopian setting, especially in a technologically advanced society.

f you enjoy dystopian books, look no further, you'll adore this one!

Read if you like
Dystopian
YA romance
"I shouldn't love you"
Memory loss
Found family
Forced proximity
Taking care when sick/hurt

Dystopian's stories are something I really wished I read more. It is such a different vibe, often with high-stakes and it is captivating. In this one, we are in a future where people are exploited, working and living for the rich. The whole idea of sending others to actually live your life is really eye opening and not far from reality when you think about the amount of time we spend living through our phones or screens. It really makes you question yourself, that is for sure.

I really enjoyed how the story was divided, with placing our characters first and letting us discover this whole futuristic world, and then it was definitely more romance centered which I adored, to a more action packed ending with lots of revelations! The fact that Liv had lost her memory but not all of it and that bits were coming back fast kept things really interesting. I enjoyed seeing our characters really getting to know each other in this different set-up. They had so many cute moments and it was delightful. I have to admit, I am not big on love at first sight so I got scared by our characters' first meeting. It was also a bit weird how Adrian felt so betrayed when they didn't know each other and she had just helped him... but still, the fact that Adrian was fighting the pull between them so hard made it okay for me, haha. Love me some tension!

The found family vibes, both from our main characters' original friends and also the new ones they made during this story, was really satisfying. (Nas was simply everything!) I also quite enjoyed the internal dilemmas the characters were going through, their insecurities, their traumas, it all made them more relatable. I did find however that sometimes our characters were making deductions quite fast, I did not see the thoughts progress in their mind and it felt like some infos were just coming out of nowhere, but then, I'm not that bright so I might be the problem, hahaha!

Overall it was a very enjoyable dystopian read and I am impressed this is actually a debut!

Thanks so much to PenguinTeenCA and the author for my ARC. All opinions are my own.

t’s been a while since I’ve read a dystopian novel and this story was soo refreshing and full of BIPOC characters! The world building was easy to follow, the character development, and life within the Metro was understandable and detailed. This is a YA dystopian novel, which follows Liv, a girl living in a world that is production based. As a proxy your life is essentially not your own, as you have to be of service to those above you through giving memories, providing childcare, and even maintaining another persons personal relationships.😮‍💨 This story was a reminder that there is so much more to life, and to really appreciate the beauty around you. Definitely worth the read!

Thank you @jtewwrites and @netgalley for the ARC in exchange for an honest review!

I just finished THE DIVIDING SKY last night, and it is a page turner!

This YA dystopia is set in the remnants of the US run by a corporation, "LifeCorp," where everyone is drugged into optimism and complacency and gig work dominates the labor market. Liv Newman is an "EmoProxy," someone who collects and sells emotional experiences. Desperate for cash, she accepts a big payout to go outside the city and capture the stars for an eccentric client, while hot on her tail is a rookie cop who may also be falling in love with her.

The romance is sweet, the worldbuilding engaging, the plot fresh and unpredictable, and the found family delightful. Fans of DIVERGENT, HUNGER GAMES, and WALDEN by Henry Thoreau (iykyk) will eat this up!

Congratulations to Jill Tew on an terrific debut! THE DIVIDING SKY is out on Tuesday, 10/8.

Thanks to the publisher/NetGalley for the free ARC. I wasn't asked to blurb this, but I sometimes go on NetGalley and request things that look good.

Thank you so much TBR & Beyond for my tour copy of The Dividing Sky by Jill Tew! This dystopian novel features two Black leads, and Jill describes it as being “for every Black girl who dreamed of being Tris, or Katniss, or Tally,” and I wholeheartedly agree that Liv deserves to be up there with some of our favorite FMCs for sheer badassery!

Adrian and Liv are well-written in that they both have imperfections and insecurities and similar childhood trauma. As enemies-to-lovers, their dynamic is unique because Liv loses her memories and so gets the opportunity to fall for Adrian without the factors of their different statuses getting in the way. Adrian’s underlying code of morality makes him the perfect protector, just as soon as he realizes who actually deserves his protection!

I think the world described in The Dividing Sky is an all-too-possible future in which a corporation becomes our government and our lives are based solely around being their employees. It is perfectly terrifying in its potential to become fact.

I loved that Jill imagined a future in which there is no racial divide, largely in part to all peoples eventually blending genetics so that all skin tones were in shades of brown and all hair and eye colors ran the gamut of possibility.

I think this book has a wonderful revolutionary ending that left me wondering if there could be a next book but also feeling a good amount of closure in regards to the conflict and romance. I think The Dividing Sky is perfect for any dystopian lover, but I also recommend it to anyone whose favorite plotlines were Katniss and Peeta or Tris and Four, and definitely to those Black girls and women Jill calls to in her promos! Four stars!

THE DIVIDING SKY BY JILL TEW

More YA scifi  

This book has *everything* - a futuristic society deep in the throes of late-stage capitalism. A young woman given a job that could change everything. A young man who owes his life to the corporation she could destroy. AMNESIA! Overall, this was a fun, fast read that's perfect for anyone wanting that YA dystopia itch scratched. Though selfishly I wish I'd gotten this story spread out into another book or two - the worldbuilding was so cool!!

Here are a few of the coolest things about THE DIVIDING SKY: 
YA Total Recall with a little Uglies flair
Capitalism is the enemy (just like IRL)
Quitting being a future cop bc you fell in love with a criminal (and lightly ACAB)

#amreadingromance #bookstagram #review #romancebooks #romancelandia #romancereader #romancereads #books #bookrecommendation #joyrevolution #arc #netgalley

Thank you to NetGalley and Random House for an e-arc of this book in exchange for an honest review.

I enjoyed this!

This book is set in a dystopian world, but it is important to know that the focus is Liv and Adrian’s relationship. And because of the fact that their relationship developed so fast that they said they loved each other after knowing each other for ONE WEEK, I couldn’t give it 5 stars (I’m sorry I just really don’t find the insta-love believable!)

I do really like how Liv and Adrian’s viewpoints of life were challenged because of each other, giving them satisfying character arcs. That also led to the conclusion that the people were being pitted against each other to benefit a corporation… sound familiar?

I really liked the group of friends Liv has and their unique banter and I wish we got to see more of them!

Overall, while this has all the pieces of a truly horrifying but not completely impossible dystopian, I feel like the gravity of the world isn’t felt as much in favor of the romance getting more attention. And I do feel like that was the intention of the book, but it’s just an important note to not except something as dark and intense as The Hunger Games.

I recommend this!