Book Review: 'Shades of Earth'

"Amy and Elder have finally left the oppressive walls of the spaceship Godspeed behind. They're ready to start life afresh--to build a home--on Centauri-Earth, the planet that Amy has traveled 25 trillion miles across the universe to experience.

But this new Earth isn't the paradise Amy had been hoping for. There are giant pterodactyl-like birds, purple flowers with mind-numbing toxins, and mysterious, unexplained ruins that hold more secrets than their stone walls first let on. The biggest secret of all? Godspeed's former passengers aren't alone on this planet. And if they're going to stay, they'll have to fight.

Amy and Elder must race to discover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. They will have to look inward to the very core of what makes them human on this, their most harrowing journey yet. Because if the colony collapses? Then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been for nothing.

FUELED BY LIES.
RULED BY CHAOS.
ALMOST HOME." - Goodreads

Title: Shades of Earth
Series: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: February 15th 2013
Finished Reading: July 16th, 2013
Format: eBook
Pages: 359
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Science Fiction
Other Titles in the Series: Across the Universe & A Million Suns
Rating: ❤❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Shades of Earth picks up when Amy and Elder make the final decision about Centuri-Earth. Do they go or do they stay on Godspeed? That question is answered very much at the end of A Million Suns and in the beginning of Shades of Earth as well.

This book left me gasping and truly intrigued from beginning to the very end. Beth Revis hits this one out of the park. I'm still left with a few questions, ones that I'll never get answers from, just like the show LOST, what was that smoke creature on that show??? lol

Anyway… this novel had some serious twist and turns. The characters had to explore not only the planet, but what they were truly made of in situations that pushed them over the edge. It was a live or die kind of world they were thrust into when it came to the ship borns and the earth borns. This was due to the fact that it was a complete mystery what Centuri-Earth had in store for Amy, Elder, and everyone else.

Orion was still playing games with the both characters. He left clues in a book and pointed them in directions on how to know what dangers were ahead. the very last clue was found by Elder and it painted a picture of WHY Eldest and those before didn't want to deal with Centuri-Earth and the FRX. One of the most pivotal and climatic moments in the story. This was one of the answers I received when reading this book that made sense about everything from the first two books.

Amy and Elder's relationship was also put to the test, not only by the elements of the new planet, but by her own parents! Yes I said her parents. That's one of the very few spoilers I can give away. But it was also inevitable that they would show up soon in the series. Amy's father especially plays an important factor in all of this. And so does the character named Chris, who is a new character. I also just want to say that I'd like to punch Chris for his actions, choices, and lack of communication in general. If you haven't read the book yet, I can't say why because it revels the biggest secret of all! He's important to how the story is shaped and the outcome in the end.

I'm sad about who died in this story. It broke my heart and so much more. It's been awhile since my heart strings were tugged by fictional characters. I wanted to save them, I wanted to save them all! But just reading it and picturing those moments in my mind… its' too much even now. Ugh! Beth Revis, WHY???? You did it again! It's rare for an author to do this to me.

I'm also sad to say goodbye to this world, these characters, and the journey they are going to have even after all this is over. It was truly an amazing time to be invested in such a trilogy and worth every moment that came with it. I wouldn't trade it one bit.

This is a series I would recommend to anyone who loves science fiction, a little romance, mystery, and the boundless world of space. It's everything a reader could want and more.

Below I've also added the covers to the foreign titles of the same book. Some of these are pretty awesome looking!

Read More

Book Review: 'A Million Suns'

Godspeed was fueled by lies. Now it is ruled by chaos.

It's been three months since Amy was unplugged. The life she always knew is over. And everywhere she looks, she sees the walls of the spaceship Godspeed. But there may just be hope: Elder has assumed leadership of the ship. He's finally free to enact his vision - no more Phydus, no more lies.

But when Elder discovers shocking news about the ship, he and Amy race to discover the truth behind life on Godspeed. They must work together to unlock a puzzle that was set in motion hundreds of years earlier, unable to fight the romance that's growing between them and the chaos that threatens to tear them apart.

In book two of the Across the Universe trilogy, New York Times bestselling author Beth Revis mesmerizes us again with a brilliantly crafted mystery filled with action, suspense, romance, and deep philosophical questions. And this time it all builds to one mind-bending conclusion: They have to get off this ship. - Amazon

Title: A Million Suns
Series: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: January 10th 2012
Finished Reading: May 31th 2012
Format: Advance Readers Copy
Pages: 387
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Sci-Fi
Sub-Genre(s): Mystery
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

When the first novel left off, Amy and Elder were faced with questions, new unknown struggles, and uncertaintly to when Godspeed will reach its final destination.

A handful of questions from Across the Universe are answered, while new ones popped up for the readers. But for myself, the biggest questions was about the next set of challenges beyond Godspeed.

*SPOILERS!*
From Orion's cryptic messages to the truth about the stand still of the ship, it was any wonder if hope existed for everyone aboard. So much was at stake and obstacles kept getting thrown in Elders way. Riots, death, murder, mayhem... it was the hidden themes for the book. And it works.

I was thrilled by the progression of the story. By chapter 53, I felt twitter-patted and couldn't put the book down. The tory ended on a cliffhanger that left me dying to know the next part of the journey for the two main characters. Revis had not only sucked me into the world, she made me want to be apart of this adventure that exists only in the world of Doctor Who or some other Sci-Fi media.

And speaking of Sci-Fi, all those mysterious deaths with the black patches was truly genuis in a mad man way. Love will make people do some pretty crazy stuff! Especially more so when trapped on a space ship.

Anyway, now let me dive into the parts of the book that fascinated the reader in me...

There were some considerablly wonderful literature references placed through the novel. I was intrigued by how it was all used and the puzzle that was laid out before Amy and Elder.

"Abandon all hope." - Dante's Inferno

"Follow me down the rabbit hole." - Alice in Wonderland

These two quotes alone represent something bigger, almost foreshadowing the coming events to play out in the last half of the book. Dante's Inferno is a dark look into humanity and more. So seeing those exact words already tells of how disturbed everyone will become on the ship before the end. Then Alice in Wonderland points to how both characters may not know everything about the Godspeed and that they may in fact have to follow the trail to the truth or just like Alice herself, follow the white rabbit to wonderland and explore beyond her wildest imagination.

I also was thrilled about the mystery behind the motives of each antagonist; whether they were part of the big picture or not. From the start of the riots to the peculiar realization of their "library", no stone was unturned; except at the end (another cliffhanger!).

And lastly, each fantasy bubble that was popped to make room for reality, truly helped keep the novel at a great pace that surely surpassed the first novel. 

Anyway... onto something fun. Now for those that are curious about maybe the year Amy was born in Across the Universe, I did some math from the dates that were in both books. Found out that she would have been born in 2005. This puts Amy in the beginning of her world in the year 2022 at the age of 17.  And currently in 2012 she would only be seven years old! Amazing, huh?

I would most certainly recommend this book if you read the first in the series. It answers a lot of questions, but leaves you with more in place of the ones that are answered.

Read More

Book Review: 'Across the Universe'

A love out of time. A spaceship built of secrets and murder.

Seventeen-year-old Amy joins her parents as frozen cargo aboard the vast spaceship Godspeed and expects to awaken on a new planet, three hundred years in the future. Never could she have known that her frozen slumber would come to an end fifty years too soon and that she would be thrust into the brave new world of a spaceship that lives by its own rules.

Amy quickly realizes that her awakening was no mere computer malfunction. Someone-one of the few thousand inhabitants of the spaceship-tried to kill her. And if Amy doesn't do something soon, her parents will be next.

Now Amy must race to unlock Godspeed's hidden secrets. But out of her list of murder suspects, there's only one who matters: Elder, the future leader of the ship and the love she could never have seen coming. - Goodreads

Title: Across the Universe
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Release Date: January 11th 2011
Finished Reading: May 29th 2012
Format: Hardcover
Pages: 416
Age Group: Young Adult
Genre: Sci-Fi
Sub-Genre(s): Mystery
Rating: ❤❤❤❤
Where to Buy: Amazon | B&N | The Book Depository

Across the Universe, is a fascinating sci-fi journey that explores the haunting question: what would mankind become if isolated on a spaceship?

Amy is the only original survivor from Earth (aka: Sol-Earth) aboard Godspeed. Along with Elder and the secrets surrounding random reanimated cryogenic murders, what is the real truth that keeps the voyage going and everyone acting like the movie characters from "Pleasentville".

First off I like to say that I love the cover of the book! Duelside = awesome! I adore the architectural design of Godspeed and fascinated by the amount of time and energy that went into making the blueprint. That alone made me want to read the novel even more.

The opening chapter. It is intensely detailed and not for the faint of heart. From the preparation, to the vulnerability from Amy and her parents, it is a scary scenario, yet leaves the reader dying to know how it turns out for those aboard the ship.

The parts of the book that really shocked me was what they call "the season". The gripping moment when amy is fighting for her survival against another young man on the ship. It left me distrurbed for awhile and it was a little to real, because most women/young girls know their attacker.

But what made it really fearful was the way everyone but those in the hospital were behaving. The drone like thinking to the pattenrs of behavior it reminded me of such horror classics as, "Children of the Corn" and "Invasion of the Body Snatchers", those horrowing empty eyes say it all with the people on the ship.

As for the characters, I really enjoyed the unraveling of Amy and Elder. It was odd, yet intriguing at the same time. Sort of like she was the yin to his yang as they say. For every new age moment that was placed in the book, really made for conversation with Amy and Elder. She was always confused and a little freaked out by how much had changed in 300 or more years since she was frozen.

Beyond the book, I'm a big fan of sci-fi stories and this one is surely amazing. I can see why the hype of the novel existed.

Overall, this spine-tingling adventure in a futuristic environment is a read not to be missed.

(FYI: It had the vibe of the movie "Alien" written all over the beginning chapter of the book.)

Read More