Review: Shades of Earth

Info: 
Title: Shades of Earth
Author: Beth Revis
Series: Across the Universe #3
Publisher: Penguin
Publication Date: January 15, 2013
Source: Purchased

Synopsis:
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 that Amy had been hoping for. Amy and Elder must race to uncover who--or what--else is out there if they are to have any hope of saving their struggling colony and building a future together. But each new discovery brings more danger. And if their colony collapses then everything they have sacrificed--friends, family, life on Earth--will have been meaningless...

Review:
Shades of Earth had a bit different feel than the previous two books, mostly because it's not set on Godspeed (ok, kind of a spoiler for the earlier books, but it's in the description of the book, so I'm going to say it's fair game). Amy and Elder's relationship faces some new challenges in this book, as they are in a new environment and have new pressures.

Amy pissed me off a bit in this one. Mostly because she would kind of/sort of flirt with Chris a bunch, which annoyed me a lot. Elder was still a pretty sweet guy who I like quite a bit.

One issue this book addresses is the tendency for humans to not accept those that are not like them. I would like to believe that by the time this book is set in, we would be over that, but I think the division Beth Revis creates between the ship-born and the Earth-born is actually pretty realistic.

There's a pretty big twist towards the end of this one and I completely did not see it coming. Once explained though, I think it's a bit unrealistic that only one of the other characters would have figured out that something was up.

Across the Universe was definitely my favourite book in this series and Shades of Earth, while not as strong, was still a good read and a good ending to the series.

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Review: Across the Universe by Beth Revis

Info:

Title: Across the Universe (Across the Universe #1)
Author: Beth Revis
Publisher: Razorbill
Publication date: January 11, 2011

Blurb:

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.

My Thoughts:

I absolutely loved this book! It's the best book I've read in a long time and definitely one of my top picks! I loved this book in a way that makes it a little hard to write about it and say anything other than "READ IT!" But I'll try.

Let's start with the characters. I loved Amy and Elder so much! I loved seeing life on the ship through two very different sets of eyes. I can't imagine how difficult to wake up on your own in an entirely different society than you started in, so I could definitely empathize with Amy. Plus, I could relate to her well as a character. While I thought she was strong and proactive throughout the book, she had a few moments where she broke down a little bit, which is exactly what I would do. Spend a few minutes crying, then back to being kick-butt! I also really liked Elder and how he was able to grow throughout the story. He faces some major choices (between what is right and what is easy) and while he's not perfect, he's doing his best.

Hardback cover

The story in Across the Universe is so great and is what really set it apart for me. It's equal parts science fiction and mystery, which I found to be a very cool combination. There are so many plot twists and turns and just when you think you've got it all figured out, there's one last twist that I never saw coming. I was constantly guessing what was going on and overall I think I figured out about 1/4 of the ending.

The opening scene is amazing and creepy and scary all at the same time. I wasn't a huge fan of Amy's dreaming chapters, but other than that, this book was amazing and I want to recommend it to anyone and everyone!

On the Cover:

There's a few different covers around for this one. I have the paperback, so it has a different cover than the hardcover. The hardcover one confused me for the longest time until I realized it was two faces (I was only looking at small pictures and I'm kinda dense like that). While the hardcover is more unique, for that reason I prefer my paperback cover.

Rating: 5 hearts!

Source: Purchased (and signed!)

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Don't Just Take My Word For It: Reading in Winter | LC's Adventures in Libraryland | Stained Glass in the Night

What's Next (2)

 

What's Next is an awesome meme from Icey Books where I get to hear from you, the reads, about what I should read next. I've missed a few weeks, but I'm excited to start posting in What's Next on a weekly basis! This week is going to be for my signed but unread books from the Smart Chicks Kick It Tour.

1. Matched by Ally Condie 

Cassia has always trusted the Society to make the right choices for her: what to read, what to watch, what to believe. So when Xander's face appears on-screen at her Matching ceremony, Cassia knows with complete certainty that he is her ideal mate... until she sees Ky Markham's face flash for an instant before the screen fades to black.

The Society tells her it's a glitch, a rare malfunction, and that she should focus on the happy life she's destined to lead with Xander. But Cassia can't stop thinking about Ky, and as they slowly fall in love, Cassia begins to doubt the Society's infallibility and is faced with an impossible choice: between Xander and Ky, between the only life she's known and a path that no one else has dared to follow.

2. Across the Universe by Beth Revis

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. 

3. Wicked Lovely by Melissa Marr

Rule #3: Don't stare at invisible faeries.
Aislinn has always seen faeries. Powerful and dangerous, they walk hidden in the mortal world. Aislinn fears their cruelty - especially if they learn of her Sight - and wishes she were as blind to their presence as other teens.

Rule #2: Don't speak to invisible faeries.
Now faeries are stalking her. One of them, Keenan, who is equal parts terrifying and alluring, is trying to talk to her, asking questions Aislinn is afraid to answer.

Rule #1: Don't ever attract their attention.
But it's too late. Keenan is the Summer King, who has sought his queen for nine centuries. Without her, summer itself will perish. He is determined that Aislinn will become the Summer Queen at any cost — regardless of her plans or desires.

Suddenly none of the rules that have kept Aislinn safe are working anymore, and everything is on the line: her freedom; her best friend, Seth; her life; everything.

Faery intrigue, mortal love, and the clash of ancient rules and modern expectations swirl together in Melissa Marr's stunning twenty-first-century faery tale.

So, which is your pick?