REVIEW: Unearthed by Amie Kaufman & Meagan Spooner

*Thanks to Netgalley & Disney-Hyperion for an ARC in exchange for a fair review*

Publisher's summary:  

When Earth intercepts a message from a long-extinct alien race, it seems like the solution the planet has been waiting for. The Undying's advanced technology has the potential to undo environmental damage and turn lives around, and Gaia, their former home planet, is a treasure trove waiting to be uncovered.

For Jules Addison and his fellow scholars, the discovery of an alien culture offers unprecedented opportunity for study... as long as scavengers like Amelia Radcliffe don't loot everything first. Mia and Jules' different reasons for smuggling themselves onto Gaia put them immediately at odds, but after escaping a dangerous confrontation with other scavvers, they form a fragile alliance.

In order to penetrate the Undying temple and reach the tech and information hidden within, the two must decode the ancient race's secrets and survive their traps. But the more they learn about the Undying, the more their presence in the temple seems to be part of a grand design that could spell the end of the human race.

___________

I enjoyed pretty much every moment of this book from the exciting opening--Amelia caught without her backpack by another set of scavvers and then 'rescued' by Jules, then their alliance to find a forgotten temple, some amazing puzzles and hijinx that would have made Indiana Jones proud, a developing friendship/bond, trust and something more.

These characters have superb presence and dialogue. They are as spunky as they are complex.  I found the story adventurous and exciting--a real treat that I had trouble putting down.

Final rating: 5 out of 5 stars

REVIEW: The Last Star by Rick Yancey

The Last Star is the final book in Yancey's 5th Wave trilogy. Here's what readers know so far:

• The end of world came in waves as Others (let's call them aliens to simplify) sought to paralyze life on Earth.
• 1st wave - lights out (EMPs to knock out machinery and electricity)
• 2nd wave - surf's up - huge tidal waves knockout coastal cities
• 3rd wave - Pestilence - eliminate the bulk of the population through illness
• 4th wave - Silencers - the Others appear on Earth and plan to wipe out the remaining human population. Important lesson: not all 'humans' are human.
• 5th wave - The Fifth wave is where the Others plan to bomb every city on Earth via the mothership.
• Teenage Cassie Sullivan, Other with a Conscience, Evan Walker, and Squad 53 leader, Ben 'Zombie' Parish plus others including Cassie's little brother, Sam, and snarky and now Other enhanced Ringer have gone AWOL and are the only ones to know the End Game of the 5th wave.

This crew has to work together to thwart the Others and quite literally save the world and the human race. The primary theme is that of humanity and what traits make us human. Emotions run high and there is significant drama about making sacrifices and so on. 

Honestly, this was one of my most anticipated reads of 2016. I adored The 5th Wave and its sequel, The Infinite Sea. But the magic was snuffed out and I found myself underwhelmed and more than a little confused by how all this culminated to a conclusion.  I pretty much hated all the characters with the exception of Evan who was by far the most human but wasn't entirely human at all. The ending is downright depressing and left me feeling pretty blah.

Final rating: 2 out of 5 stars



#laststar #5thwave #YAlit #teen #scifi #book #letdown

REVIEW: Where the Rock Splits the Sky by Philip Webb

Years have passed since the Moon split, leaving the sun suspended in the sky. Night never comes and those humans left on Earth must struggle to survive.  Let's not forget the Visitors--aliens who have come to take over Earth and use human bodies as hosts.

Fifteen year old Megan is determined to travel deep into the deadly and unpredictable 'Zone'--the area at the heart of the strange planetary disturbance--in order to search for her missing father.  Not only does she solve the mystery behind her father's disappearance but also the unsolved questions of Earth's paralysis.

I just wasn't a fan of this book.

1)  It is not something I'd pick up to read on my own. The premise doesn't do it for me.

2)  If I hadn't been reading this for ROYAL, I never would have finished it.

Why?

1) The plot felt unfocused and jumbled. The better story here would be the events right after the Moon splits and the world falls into chaos.  The world building and cohesive story based on a merging of plot and characters just wasn't there.

2)  While some of the description was intriguing and the idea that Earth has reverted to the Wild West has potential, the characters remained flat. I had little interest in Megan or the rest of her 'posse'. Too much of the setting and dialogue felt stereotypical instead of blending modern world survivors with the reinvention of the Old West.

3)  As villains, the Visitors lacked depth and and real sense of purpose.  The one central "Big Bad" should have made an appearance much sooner. There is a glimpse of the end game toward the end but by that point I'd lost interest.

Overall, I've certainly read better and worse.  I'm not sure I see the general appeal to teen readers. If a teen does pick it up, I'd say this is for middle school age readers. This is not recommended for purchase.

Final rating: 2 out of 5 stars

#YAlit #dystopian #aliens #futuristic #bookreview