Brad About Books: Icons by Margaret Stohl

Read from May 9 to 10, 2013

ICONS
Published: May 7, 2013
Publisher: Little, Brown
Format: Hardcover
Page Count: 428 pages
Source: Purchased
Series: Icons, #1

Your heart beats only with their permission.

Everything changed on The Day. The day the windows shattered. The day the power stopped. The day Dol's family dropped dead. The day Earth lost a war it didn't know it was fighting.

Since then, Dol has lived a simple life in the countryside -- safe from the shadow of the Icon and its terrifying power. Hiding from the one truth she can't avoid.

She's different. She survived. Why?

When Dol and her best friend, Ro, are captured and taken to the Embassy, off the coast of the sprawling metropolis once known as the City of Angels, they find only more questions. While Ro and fellow hostage Tima rage against their captors, Dol finds herself drawn to Lucas, the Ambassador's privileged son. But the four teens are more alike than they might think, and the timing of their meeting isn't a coincidence. It's a conspiracy.

Within the Icon's reach, Dol, Ro, Tima, and Lucas discover that their uncontrollable emotions -- which they've always thought to be their greatest weaknesses -- may actually be their greatest strengths.

Bestselling author Margaret Stohl delivers the first book in a heart-pounding series set in a haunting new world where four teens must piece together the mysteries of their pasts -- in order to save the future.

Words cannot even begin to describe how much I adore Icons. You know how some people say "I can't even", and some people don't understand it? Well, guess what. 

I CAN'T EVEN.

Everything about this book is phenomenal; everything. I was emerged into the world of the Icons immediately, and I never for a second wanted to put the book down. When I would, it was the only thing on my mind. And whenever I picked it back up, I would read 150 pages in one go. Icons is definitely a favorite of 2013 and of all time. I have been pushing this book onto everybody lately, and I don't see that stopping anytime soon. Seriously, if you haven't picked up Icons, you're missing out. It's wonderful!

Dol is such a fantastic main character. She's strong, loyal and fierce - everything I like in a protagonist - and she never let me down during the book. And Ro and Lucas were just great. What I love about this love triangle (I guess you could call it that) is that both loves feel genuine and real. The relationships aren't forced, and there are obvious reasons why Dol is attracted to both Rol and Lucas. Stohl did a stunning job with these characters and their development during Icons. Brilliant.

The whole concept of the Icons? Freaky as crap. They honestly scared me, even though we didn't get to see much of them (which I'm hoping we do in book two!). The fighting, the war, the struggle, the survival, everything about Icons worked for me, and this is easily one of the best books I've read. 

Overall, what else can I say about Icons except that I love it so, so, so much and it is mind-blowing?  Fast-paced and captivating, Icons didn't just exceed my expectations - it blew every book I've read in a long time out of the water.

M Y   R A T I N G