{"product_id":"starters-isbn-9780385742481","title":"Starters","description":"\u003cp\u003e\u003cb\u003eAn international bestseller \u003cb\u003epublished in over thirty countries, this\u003c\/b\u003e riveting sci-fi dystopic thriller is “a bona fide page-turner.” --MTV.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCallie lost her parents when the Spore Wars wiped out everyone between the ages of twenty and sixty. She and her little brother, Tyler, go on the run, living as squatters with their friend Michael and fighting off renegades who would kill them for a cookie.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCallie’s only hope is Prime Destinations, a disturbing place in Beverly Hills run by a mysterious figure known as the Old Man. He hires teens to rent their bodies to Enders—seniors who want to be young again. Callie, desperate for the money that will keep her, Tyler, and Michael alive, agrees to be a donor. But the neurochip they place in Callie’s head malfunctions and she wakes up in the life of her renter.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eCallie soon discovers that her renter intends to do more than party—and that Prime Destinations’ plans are more evil than she could ever have imagined. . . .\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eIncludes \u003ci\u003ePortrait of a Spore\u003c\/i\u003e, a never-before-published short story that takes place in the world of STARTERS.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003ePraise for STARTERS:\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“A smart, swift, inventive, altogether gripping story.” —#1 \u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author DEAN KOONTZ\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Compelling, pulse-pounding, exciting . . . Don’t miss it!” —\u003ci\u003eNew York Times\u003c\/i\u003e bestselling author Melissa Marr\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Readers who have been waiting for a worthy successor to Suzanne Collins’s \u003ci\u003eThe Hunger Games\u003c\/i\u003e will find it here. Dystopian sci-fi at its best.” —\u003ci\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003cbr\u003e \u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Intriguing, thought-provoking and addictive.” —BookReporter.com\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Readers will stay hooked. . . . Constantly rising stakes keep this debut intense.” —\u003ci\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Fast-paced dystopian fiction. . . . The inevitable sequel can’t appear soon enough.” —\u003ci\u003eBooklist\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e \u003cbr\u003e\"Intriguing, fast-paced . . . Fans of dystopian novels will be completely engaged and clamoring for the sequel.\" \u003ci\u003e—\u003ci\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e“Addictive and alluring.” —Examiner.com\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“Chilling and riveting.” —Shelf-Awareness.com\u003cbr\u003e \u003cbr\u003e“A must-read for fans of The Hunger Games and Legend. Fast-paced, romantic, and thought-provoking.”\u003ci\u003e —\u003ci\u003eJustine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/p\u003e“A smart, swift, inventive, altogether gripping story.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eDean Koontz\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Fans of \u003ci\u003eThe Hunger Games \u003c\/i\u003ewill love it.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e –Kami Garcia, coauthor of the bestselling BEAUTIFUL CREATURES\/Caster series\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"The only thing better than a terrific concept is one that is as well executed as \u003ci\u003eStarters\u003c\/i\u003e. Readers who have been waiting for a worthy successor to Suzanne Collins' \u003ci\u003eThe Hunger Games\u003c\/i\u003e will find it here. Dystopian sci-fi at its best, \u003ci\u003eStarters \u003c\/i\u003eis terrific series kickoff with a didn't-see-that-coming conclusion that will leave readers on the edges of their seats.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eLos Angeles Times\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\"Built up to a dramatic climax and a stunning twist, \u003ci\u003eStarters \u003c\/i\u003eis an addictive and alluring tale about human nature's darker side, and how far we'll go to get what we want. Readers everywhere will want to dive right in, and \u003ci\u003eHunger Games \u003c\/i\u003efans especially will find themselves hooked.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eExaminer.com\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"This story of those who are not what they seem twists along with multiple-identity switcheroos and chase scenes worthy of a Hollywood blockbuster . . . The inevitable sequel can’t appear soon enough.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eBooklist\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e\"Constantly rising stakes keep this debut intense.\"\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eKirkus Reviews\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Newcomer Price launches a dystopian series that offers . . . a notable command of technique . . . Raising questions about class, property, and body\/mind separation, Price's thriller features well-crafted tension, believable villains, and moments of stolen sweetness.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003ePublishers Weekly\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\"Intriguing, fast-paced . . . Fans of dystopian novels will be completely engaged and clamoring for the sequel.\" \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eSchool Library Journal\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Hard to imagine a young adult reader who would not be interested in this book” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eVOYA\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “The concept is compulsively gruesome. . . . Price develops her plot and characters with tight, punchy writing and a sure, confident touch.” \u003cbr\u003e \u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e–The Daily Mail\u003c\/i\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“This action-packed novel is set in a twisted, hostile world and is a must-read for fans of The Hunger Games and Legend. Fast paced, romantic, and thought provoking, the jaw-dropping ending left us starving for a sequel.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003ci\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eJustine Magazine\u003c\/i\u003e\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Starters is a dystopian read you'll want to snatch up for yourself . . . With its intriguing plot-twists and dash of romance, Lissa's novel is a bona fide pageturner that proves you can't take anything—or anyone—at face value.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eMTV.com’s\u003ci\u003e Hollywood Crush\u003c\/i\u003e Blog\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Intriguing, thought-provoking and addictive.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eBookReporter.com\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cbr\u003e  \u003cbr\u003e “Chilling and riveting.” \u003cbr\u003e\u003cb\u003e\u003cb\u003e–\u003c\/b\u003eShelf-Awareness.com\u003c\/b\u003e\u003cp\u003eLISSA PRICE is the award-winning international bestselling author of \u003ci\u003eSTARTERS\u003c\/i\u003e, published in over thirty countries, and \u003ci\u003eENDERS\u003c\/i\u003e. She has lived in India and Japan but now resides in Los Angeles. You can visit her at www.LissaPrice.com and follow her on Twitter at @Lissa_Price and Facebook at @LissaPriceAuthor.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003c\/p\u003eChapter One\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eEnders gave me the creeps. The doorman flashed a practiced smile as he let me into the body bank. He wasn’t that old, maybe 110, but he still made me shudder. Like most Enders, he sported silver hair, some phony badge of honor of his age. Inside, the ultramodern space with its high ceilings dwarfed me. I walked through the lobby as if gliding through a dream, my feet barely touching the marble floor.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe directed me to the receptionist, who had white hair and matte red lipstick that transferred to her front teeth when she smiled. They had to be nice to me there, in the body bank. But if they saw me on the street, I’d be invisible. Forget that I had been top of my class--back when there was school. I was sixteen. A baby to them.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe receptionist’s heels clicked and echoed in this stark space as she took me to a small waiting room, empty except for silver brocade chairs in the corners. They looked like antiques, but the chemical scent in the air belonged to new paint and synthetics. The so-called nature sounds of forest birds were just as fake. I glanced at my frayed sweats and scuffed shoes. I had brushed them as best I could, but the stains would not go away. And because I had tramped all the way to Beverly Hills in the morning drizzle, I was also wet as a lost cat.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy feet hurt. I wanted to collapse into a chair, but I didn’t dare leave a damp butt-mark on the brocade. A tall Ender popped into the room, interrupting my little etiquette dilemma.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Callie Woodland?” He looked at his watch. “You’re late.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Sorry. The rain . . .”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It’s all right. You’re here.” He extended his hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis silver hair seemed whiter in contrast to his artificial tan. As his smile broadened, his eyes widened, making me more nervous than usual with an Ender. They didn’t deserve to be called seniors, as they preferred, these greedy old fogies at the end of their lives. I forced myself to shake his wrinkled hand.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I’m Mr. Tinnenbaum. Welcome to Prime Destinations.” He wrapped his other palm over mine.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I’m just here to see . . .” I looked around at the walls like I’d come to inspect the interior design.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“How it all works? Of course. No charge for that.” He grinned and finally released my hand. “Why don’t you follow me?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe extended his arm as if I couldn’t find my way out of the room. His teeth were so bright, I flinched a little when he smiled. We walked down a short hallway to his office.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Go right in, Callie. Have a seat by the desk.” He closed the door.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI bit my tongue to keep from gasping at the total extravagance inside. A massive copper fountain flowed with endless water alongside one wall. The way they were letting this clear, clean water fall and splash, you’d think the stuff was free.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA glass desk embedded with LED lights dominated the center of the room, with an airscreen display hovering a foot above it. It showed a picture of a girl my age, with long red hair, wearing gym shorts. Although she was smiling, the photo was straight-on, like some full-length mug shot. Her expression was sweet. Hopeful.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI sat in a modern metal chair as Mr. Tinnenbaum stood behind the desk, pointing at the air display. “One of our newest members. Like you, she heard about us through a friend. The women who rented her body were quite pleased.” He touched the corner of the screen, changing the picture to a teen in a racing swimsuit, with major abs. “This fellow, Adam, referred her. He can snowboard, ski, climb. He’s a popular rental for outdoorsy men who haven’t been able to enjoy these sports for decades.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHearing his words made it all too real. Creepy old Enders with arthritic limbs taking over this teen’s body for a week, living inside his skin. It made my stomach flip. I wanted to bolt, but one thought kept me there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eTyler.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI gripped the seat of my chair with both hands. My stomach growled. Tinnenbaum extended a pewter dish of Supertruffles in paper cups. My parents had had the same dish, once.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Would you like one?” he asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI took one of the oversized chocolates in silence. Then I remembered my rusty manners. “Thank you.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Take more.” He waved the dish to entice me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI took a second and a third, since the dish still hovered near my hand. I wrapped them in their paper cups and slipped them into my sweatshirt pocket. He looked disappointed not to see me eat them, like I was to be his entertainment for the day. Behind my chair, the fountain bubbled and splashed, teasing me. If he didn’t offer me something to drink soon, he just might get to see me with my head under the fountain, slurping like a dog.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Could I have a glass of water? Please?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Of course.” He snapped his fingers and then raised his voice as if speaking to some hidden device. “Glass of water for the young lady.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eA moment later, an Ender with the figure of a model came in balancing a glass of water on a tray. It was wrapped in a cloth napkin. I took the glass and saw small cubes glistening like diamonds. Ice. She set the tray beside me and left.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI tilted my head back and downed the sweet water all at once, the cool liquid running down my throat. My eyes closed as I savored the cleanest water I’d had since the war ended. When I finished, I let one of the ice cubes fall into my mouth. I bit into it with a crunch. When I opened my eyes, I saw Tinnenbaum staring at me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Would you like more?” he asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI would have, but his eyes told me he didn’t mean it. I shook my head and finished the cube. My fingernails looked even dirtier against the glass as I set it back on the tray. Seeing the ice melting in the glass reminded me of the last time I had had ice water. It seemed like forever, but it was only a year ago, the last day in our house before the marshals came.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Would you like to know how it all works?” Tinnenbaum asked. “Here at Prime Destinations?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI stopped myself from rolling my eyes. Enders. Why else would I be there? I gave him a half smile and nodded.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe tapped a corner of the airscreen to clear it, and then a second time to bring up holo-mations. The first one showed a senior reclining on a lounge chair, the back of her head being fitted with a small cap. Colored wires protruding from the cap led to a computer.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The renter is connected to a BCI--Body Computer Interface--in a room staffed with experienced nurses,” he said. “Then she’s put into a twilight sleep.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Like at the dentist?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Yes. All her vital signs are monitored throughout the entire journey.” On the other side of the screen, a teen girl reclined in a long padded chair. “You’ll be put under, with a kind of anesthesia. Completely painless and harmless. You wake up a week later, a little groggy but a whole lot richer.” He flashed those teeth again.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI forced myself not to wince. “What happens during the week?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“She gets to be you.” He spread his palms and rotated them. “Do you know about computer assists that help amputees move fake hands? They just think about it and it moves? It’s very much like that.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“So she visualizes that she’s me and if she wants something, she just thinks it and my hand grabs it?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Just like she was in your body. She uses her mind to walk your body out of here, and gets to be young again.” He cradled one elbow in his other hand. “For a little while.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“But how . . . ?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe nodded to the other side of the screen. “Over here, in another room, the donor--that would be you--is connected to the computer via a wireless BCI.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Wireless?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“We insert a tiny neurochip into the back of your head. You won’t feel a thing. Totally painless. Allows us to connect you to the computer at all times. We then connect your brain waves to the computer, and the computer connects the two of you.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Connects.” My brow furrowed as I tried to imagine two minds connected that way. BCI. Neurochip. Inserted. This was getting creepier by the minute. That urge to run was coming back hard. But at the same time, I wanted to know more.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I know, it’s all so new.” He gave me a condescending smirk. “We make sure you’re completely asleep. The renter’s mind takes over your body. She answers a series of questions posed by the team to be sure everything is working the way it should. Then she’s free to go enjoy her rented body.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe diagram showed graphics of the rented body playing golf, playing tennis, diving.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“The body retains its muscle memory, so whatever sports you’ve played, she’ll be able to play. When the time is over, the renter walks the body back here. The connection is shut down in the proper sequence. The renter is taken off the twilight-sleep drugs. She is checked over and then goes on her merry way. You, the donor, are restored to your full brain functions via the computer. You awake in your body as if you’d slept for several days.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“What if something happens to me while she’s in my body? Snowboarding, skydiving? What if I get hurt?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Nothing like that has ever happened here. Our renters sign a contract that makes them financially liable. Believe me, everyone wants that deposit back.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe made me sound like a rental car. A chill went through me like someone had run an ice cube up my spine. That reminded me of Tyler, the only thing keeping me in that chair.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“What about the chip?” I asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“That’s removed after your third rental.” He handed me a sheet of paper. “Here. This might put you at ease.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eRules for Renters at Prime Destinations\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e1. You may not alter the appearance of your rental body in any way, including but not limited to piercings, tattoos, hair cutting or dyeing, cosmetic contact lenses, and any surgical procedures, including augmentation.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e2. No changes to the teeth are allowed, including fillings, removal, and imbedded jewelry.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e3. You must remain inside a fifty-mile perimeter around Prime Destinations. Maps are available.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e4. Any attempt to tamper with the chip will result in immediate cancellation without refund, and fines will be levied.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e5. If you have a problem with your rental body, return to Prime Destinations as soon as possible. Please treat your rental with care, remembering at all times that it is an actual young person.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eBe advised that each neurochip blocks renters from engaging in illegal activities.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe rules didn’t make me feel any better. They brought up more problems I hadn’t even considered.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“What about . . . other things?” I asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Like what?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I don’t know.” I wished he wasn’t going to make me say it. But he was. “Sex?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“What about it?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“There’s nothing in the rules,” I said.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI sure didn’t want my first time to happen when I wasn’t there.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe shook his head. “That’s made quite clear to the renters. It is forbidden.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eYeah, right. At least pregnancy would be impossible. Everyone knew that was a side effect, hopefully temporary, of the vaccination.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eMy stomach tightened. I shook the hair back from my eyes and stood.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Thanks for your time, Mr. Tinnenbaum. And the demonstration.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis lip twitched. He tried to cover it with a half smile. “If you sign today, there’s a bonus.” He pulled a form out of his drawer and scribbled on it, then slid it across the desk. “That’s for three rentals.” He capped his pen.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI picked up the contract. That money could buy us a house and food for a year. I sat back down and took a deep breath.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe held out the pen. I grabbed it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Three rentals?” I asked.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Yes. And you’ll be paid upon completion.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eThe paper waved. I realized my hand was shaking.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It’s a very generous offer,” he said. “That’s with the bonus if you sign today.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI needed that money. Tyler needed it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eAs I gripped the pen, the bubbling of the fountain got louder in my head. I was staring at the paper but saw flashes of the matte red lipstick, the eyes of the doorman, Mr. Tinnenbaum’s unreal teeth. I pressed the pen to the paper, but before I made a mark, I looked up at him. Maybe I wanted one last reassurance. He nodded and smiled. His suit was perfect, except for a piece of white lint on his lapel. It was shaped like a question mark.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHe was so eager. Before I knew it, I put the pen down.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis eyes narrowed. “Something wrong?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“It’s just something my mother always said.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“What was that?”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“She said always sleep on an important decision. I have to think about it.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eHis eyes went cold. “I can’t promise this offer will be good later.”\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“I’ll have to take my chances.” I folded the contract into my pocket and rose from the chair. I forced a little smile.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Can you afford to do that?” He stepped in front of me.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Probably not. But I have to think about it.” I moved around him and walked to the door.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Call if you have questions,” he said a little too loudly.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI rushed past the receptionist, who seemed upset to see me leaving so soon. She followed me with her eyes as she punched what I imagined was a panic button. I kept going. The doorman stared at me through the glass door before opening it.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003e“Leaving already?” His hollow expression was ghoulish.\u003cbr\u003e\u003cbr\u003eI bolted past him.","brand":"Ember","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":46305059274981,"sku":"NP9780385742481","price":10.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":false}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/1842\/7735\/files\/9780385742481.jpg?v=1767737273","url":"https:\/\/k12savings.com\/products\/starters-isbn-9780385742481","provider":"K12savings","version":"1.0","type":"link"}