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Verita #1
Verita
If your world suddenly crumbled, leaving you with nothing but heartache, would you risk your life for a chance at a new beginning on a new world?Brett Bradbury's parents are dead, her boyfriend's a cheater, and her best friend essentially dumped her. Truly alone in the world, Brett agrees to help colonize the newly discovered planet, Verita. Now Brett's on a strange new world. She quickly makes friends and starts her assigned job. Verita begins to feel like home, but it's far from perfect. Brett has an overwhelming attraction to Brody, despite the fact that he's entirely not her type. Her colleague, Ryan, utterly hates her for reasons out of her control. And there are creatures in the forest that would like nothing more than to devour everyone for dinner.Brett's heart and mind are at odds each other. She's constantly fighting with Ryan. So, concentrating on her job is becoming more and more difficult. Plus it's hard to ignore some of the strange things that have been happening around her. But, when Brett finds herself stranded in the wilderness, the only thing that matters is survival.
266 pages, Kindle Edition
First published March 16, 2011
18 people are currently reading
1698 people want to read
About the author
Tracy Rozzlynn
4 books188 followersTracy Rozzlynn writes Science Fiction and Fantasy for Young Adults. She lives in New England with her young daughter and a variety of pets. She has a BA in English Literature from the University of Rhode Island.
Verita is her debut novel.
Verita is her debut novel.
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Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews
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May 27, 2011I absolutely love this book, but I should. I wrote it. That's why I didn't rate it. But I hope that many others do read it and love it as much as I do.
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February 3, 2015DNF at 19% so no rating from me.
I just wasn't being drawn in to this and from other reviews I read it doesn't look like things change much later on either. I also skipped ahead to check the ending and have to say that it was less a cliffhanger and more like a guillotine dropping between one sentence and the next, that's how abrupt it was.
I found this all so very shallow and very "Young Adult", by which I mean the characters all seem to be teenagers wrapped up in their own selfish needs and wants and getting distracted by how cute boys/ girls are. Which I always find weird because I remember being 15 and those were not my immediate priorities no matter how much modern fiction tries to tell me otherwise. It also saddens me that this is what YA seems to be boiling down to these days because when I was still in the appropriate demographic for YA it was mostly non-sexual novels like Howl's Moving Castle and The Song of the Lioness series, stories where the characters did pretty important stuff and didn't stop to care about what they looked like, what others looked like, or if they were ready for sex (the answer to that last one is if you need to think that hard about it, no, you're not).
I also thought the set-up was preposterous. Within the main character's timeline she lost her parents barely 2 months ago in an accident, had her life implode with the loss of everything she knew, then she woke up on a strange new world with a head full of knowledge she shouldn't have and instead of being grief stricken or freaked out about what else the sleep pods could do (other than training her to be a biologist in her sleep), she's making comments about not wanting to be a social pariah by eating alone in the mess hall, noticing how much make-up and hairspray the girls go through in a morning, and how there's a blow-dryer at nearly every sink. Seriously, what sort of organisation sends raw recruits to a barely established colony with cosmetics and blow-dryers to "pretty up" the teen girls instead of more essential equipment or extra food and supplies? I know I'd be pissed off if told I couldn't get a new pair of hiking boots to perform my work in because they had to bring 70 tons of lip gloss instead.
I'd also like to mention that it doesn't matter how many solar powered golf carts are driven around or how many wind turbines are attached to buildings, if you also immediately set about developing urban sprawl and laying "blacktop"/ asphalt down everywhere your new colony is not eco-friendly.
Anyway, enough bitching. This clearly wasn't the book for me, but if you like the usual run of the mill YA stuff on the market today then maybe you will. You know your tastes better than I do.
I just wasn't being drawn in to this and from other reviews I read it doesn't look like things change much later on either. I also skipped ahead to check the ending and have to say that it was less a cliffhanger and more like a guillotine dropping between one sentence and the next, that's how abrupt it was.
I found this all so very shallow and very "Young Adult", by which I mean the characters all seem to be teenagers wrapped up in their own selfish needs and wants and getting distracted by how cute boys/ girls are. Which I always find weird because I remember being 15 and those were not my immediate priorities no matter how much modern fiction tries to tell me otherwise. It also saddens me that this is what YA seems to be boiling down to these days because when I was still in the appropriate demographic for YA it was mostly non-sexual novels like Howl's Moving Castle and The Song of the Lioness series, stories where the characters did pretty important stuff and didn't stop to care about what they looked like, what others looked like, or if they were ready for sex (the answer to that last one is if you need to think that hard about it, no, you're not).
I also thought the set-up was preposterous. Within the main character's timeline she lost her parents barely 2 months ago in an accident, had her life implode with the loss of everything she knew, then she woke up on a strange new world with a head full of knowledge she shouldn't have and instead of being grief stricken or freaked out about what else the sleep pods could do (other than training her to be a biologist in her sleep), she's making comments about not wanting to be a social pariah by eating alone in the mess hall, noticing how much make-up and hairspray the girls go through in a morning, and how there's a blow-dryer at nearly every sink. Seriously, what sort of organisation sends raw recruits to a barely established colony with cosmetics and blow-dryers to "pretty up" the teen girls instead of more essential equipment or extra food and supplies? I know I'd be pissed off if told I couldn't get a new pair of hiking boots to perform my work in because they had to bring 70 tons of lip gloss instead.
I'd also like to mention that it doesn't matter how many solar powered golf carts are driven around or how many wind turbines are attached to buildings, if you also immediately set about developing urban sprawl and laying "blacktop"/ asphalt down everywhere your new colony is not eco-friendly.
Anyway, enough bitching. This clearly wasn't the book for me, but if you like the usual run of the mill YA stuff on the market today then maybe you will. You know your tastes better than I do.
February 21, 2019
I really enjoyed this book! I won this book as a part of a Library Thing Giveaway, and I was not disappointed. It is a young adult story whose main character, Brett, loses her parents and becomes a part of foster care. Rather than being there until her 18th birthday, she chooses to be a part of a new world. She is frozen, and then woken up 100 years later on a new world, Verita. She is joined by hundreds of other teenagers, all of whom were given information about their occupation during their “sleep”. Brett is a botanist, and she soon finds herself friends and in the middle of two young men. The teens are encouraged to find a mate and start repopulating this new location. Without giving too much away, I was happy at how book one ended. I enjoyed the description of the characters and found the story believable, despite its sci-fi genre. I will definitely be reading the next books in this series!
July 21, 2012
The idea was good: a teen girl with no family embarks on a journey with a bunch of other teens to settle and colonize a planet.
The execution, however, left something to be desired. The first person present tense, which worked marvelously in The Hunger Games and Divergent, fell somehow flat here - possibly because there wasn't a lot of action going on besides the main character and friends traipsing around the planet's base for meals and dances. Everything about the novel had the same overall tone, from Brett (the female lead and narrator) meeting up with potential yet pigheaded mate Brody to her scientific team's explorations in the field. The buzz and excitement that could have been generated from the gathering of a bunch of teens on a planet hundreds of years in the future just wasn't there. Even though the planet and the program to populate it was new, things felt very much like a college campus very fast, and the daily exploits of Brett the biologist became very mundane very fast.
The story idea was good . . . I just felt the overall book could have been so much better.
The execution, however, left something to be desired. The first person present tense, which worked marvelously in The Hunger Games and Divergent, fell somehow flat here - possibly because there wasn't a lot of action going on besides the main character and friends traipsing around the planet's base for meals and dances. Everything about the novel had the same overall tone, from Brett (the female lead and narrator) meeting up with potential yet pigheaded mate Brody to her scientific team's explorations in the field. The buzz and excitement that could have been generated from the gathering of a bunch of teens on a planet hundreds of years in the future just wasn't there. Even though the planet and the program to populate it was new, things felt very much like a college campus very fast, and the daily exploits of Brett the biologist became very mundane very fast.
The story idea was good . . . I just felt the overall book could have been so much better.
June 15, 2011
Sixteen year old Brett Bradbury's life is fairly average until one fateful night when she suddenly finds herself utterly alone in the world. Everyone she cares about has either died or abandoned her, and when a mysterious corporation offers her a chance to escape the foster care system and become part of something that could benefit humanity's future she accepts. Brett suddenly finds herself on a strange new planet with an expertise she never knew she had and finding fulfillment in her new-found purpose. She quickly meets a bunch of new friends including the handsome, All-American Brody and the aggravating and enigmatic Ryan. She begins her assignment discovering and cataloging the colonized planet's flora, fauna and other various resources, and settles in quickly to life on Verita. However, despite the seeming perfection of her new situation she begins to notice strange things going on around her, and after some specific events she begins to wonder if there's something rotten in the state of Denmark...I mean Verita.
This was a well-written, sci-fi love story with slight dystopian vibes that I'm hoping will be explored in later books. Brett was a well done character. Though mourning the loss of her parents and friendships on Earth, she doesn't allow the loss to consume her and allows herself to start over on Verita. She's strong, intelligent, discerning and courageous. Caution for those who don't like love triangles, there is a little triangle action going on here, although for me there was only ever one clear winner in the quest for Brett's heart.....and he was adorable. The author had me a little frustrated at times, because it seemed at times that Brett and her leading man would never admit to caring for one another, but it was a good frustrating and I felt like I had some resolution when the story came to a close. I felt that the story did lag a little in the middle but picked up quickly towards the end and though the main characters were well written and explored, I would've liked to see a little more character development with some of the supporting cast.
Overall, an engaging, fun read and I'll be tuning in for the next book! :)
This was a well-written, sci-fi love story with slight dystopian vibes that I'm hoping will be explored in later books. Brett was a well done character. Though mourning the loss of her parents and friendships on Earth, she doesn't allow the loss to consume her and allows herself to start over on Verita. She's strong, intelligent, discerning and courageous. Caution for those who don't like love triangles, there is a little triangle action going on here, although for me there was only ever one clear winner in the quest for Brett's heart.....and he was adorable. The author had me a little frustrated at times, because it seemed at times that Brett and her leading man would never admit to caring for one another, but it was a good frustrating and I felt like I had some resolution when the story came to a close. I felt that the story did lag a little in the middle but picked up quickly towards the end and though the main characters were well written and explored, I would've liked to see a little more character development with some of the supporting cast.
Overall, an engaging, fun read and I'll be tuning in for the next book! :)
September 1, 2011
This is a nice futuristic tale that has Sci-Fi and romance included. The idea is quite interesting and who knows, maybe it will come to pass in a near future. The theme has been done before, like most fantasy tales, and like all the others this one also has it own twist. The first part is dedicated to establishing the characters on their new planet and their working teams. The second part is dedicated to Brett, the main character, and her romances with two young men.
Verita is a new planet some hundred years away from Brett’s world. It is discover by a group of scientists who can’t wait to get people there. Now Brett is just a normal fifteen-year-old girl with a best friend and her first boyfriend. Everything is taken away from her when her parents take the second honeymoon they have been waiting for all their lives and die in an accident.
Now in foster care, she finds out that her boyfriend has already replaced her with another girl and that her best friend wants to move on. Alone and without a reason to stay, she volunteers to take the hundred-year-long trip. She and a bunch of other kids are sent in hibernation toward Verita.
While they sleep they not only receive a new future, but also learn their new occupations and all that they will need to survive.
While the writing flows mostly smoothly, the tale has typos and extra words here and there. A professional editor would really bring this great tale to the right place in the heart of the people.
Verita is a new planet some hundred years away from Brett’s world. It is discover by a group of scientists who can’t wait to get people there. Now Brett is just a normal fifteen-year-old girl with a best friend and her first boyfriend. Everything is taken away from her when her parents take the second honeymoon they have been waiting for all their lives and die in an accident.
Now in foster care, she finds out that her boyfriend has already replaced her with another girl and that her best friend wants to move on. Alone and without a reason to stay, she volunteers to take the hundred-year-long trip. She and a bunch of other kids are sent in hibernation toward Verita.
While they sleep they not only receive a new future, but also learn their new occupations and all that they will need to survive.
While the writing flows mostly smoothly, the tale has typos and extra words here and there. A professional editor would really bring this great tale to the right place in the heart of the people.
June 19, 2011
Most 16 year olds are out for fun, grades, best friends, boys/girls and movies. Not Brett Bradbury. Brett, an orphan following her parents’ death in a plane crash, the un-friending by her best friend and the dumping by her boyfriend; has decided to take a huge life-altering step. She is going to Verita.
Verita is a life-sustaining planet similar to Earth but virtually unknown. Brett and many others are going to be colonizing Verita and will be taught a skill during space travel. So – when Brett arrives on Verita she is not only really 316 years old but a trained biologist. She is assigned a team of three others and together they use their skills to learn more about their new home.
She doesn’t count on falling in lust with a guard named Brody. She doesn’t count on dealing daily with Ryan. Ryan is a botanist on her team and he is not easy to deal with. He is miffed when she is appointed team leader, he is miffed when she befriends a creature they call a “meerkit”. Ryan is basically miffed. Period.
Tracy Rozzlyn has done a superb job of depicting teen angst, pms, moodiness and also the spirit of camaraderie which develops when a group of kids is put against nature. The characters are well written and I cannot wait for part 2 (out in July titled Concisus). Be on the lookout for Verita and the next book as well. Time spent reading these will make your summer!
Verita is a life-sustaining planet similar to Earth but virtually unknown. Brett and many others are going to be colonizing Verita and will be taught a skill during space travel. So – when Brett arrives on Verita she is not only really 316 years old but a trained biologist. She is assigned a team of three others and together they use their skills to learn more about their new home.
She doesn’t count on falling in lust with a guard named Brody. She doesn’t count on dealing daily with Ryan. Ryan is a botanist on her team and he is not easy to deal with. He is miffed when she is appointed team leader, he is miffed when she befriends a creature they call a “meerkit”. Ryan is basically miffed. Period.
Tracy Rozzlyn has done a superb job of depicting teen angst, pms, moodiness and also the spirit of camaraderie which develops when a group of kids is put against nature. The characters are well written and I cannot wait for part 2 (out in July titled Concisus). Be on the lookout for Verita and the next book as well. Time spent reading these will make your summer!
July 14, 2011
Verita by Tracy Rozzlynn is a mix of YA science fiction, fantasy and romance. Brett Bradbury is your typical 16 year old trying to fit in until she loses her parents to a tragic accident. Not having a family to take her in, she becomes a part of the foster care system. There a group of scientists recruit them to become a part of an experiment. They are cyrogenically frozen and trained in their destined fields for the future colonization of a life sustaining planet called Verita. Once Brett becomes unfrozen she discovers that she hasn't aged (nor has any of the others) and has significant knowledge of botany. Everyone around her is young and has trained knowledge in other subjects. She is immediately befriended by Andi and shown the lay of the land as well as her sleeping quarters which is a pod. All inhabitants are encouraged to procreate quickly so that they can move to the married quarters which are not as small. During her schooling, she meets Ryan and Brody and soon finds herself torn between them (this story line was a little dragged out for me). Brett learns quickly that there are dangers lurking beyond the fence of Verita. No one is safe, and some on Verita learn that all too quickly. Verita was a very different YA novel that I thoroughly enjoyed. Can't wait for book two!
September 14, 2011
I received Verita and Fast-Tracked through the LibraryThing Member Giveaway Program and was very exited about both. Verita begins with the main character, Brett, suffering the unimaginable loss of both her parents, followed by the realization that the people she calls friends are not what they seem. So instead of staying at the orphanage till she turns 18, she is recruited by a government organization that is sending teens to a habitable planet called Verita in order to study and repopulate it. Once there, (100's of years later), Brett, who has been in suspended animation, wakes to find a new world filled both with familiar humans and strange creatures like Caper the Meerkit. Then trouble strikes and Brett must find a way to save herself and the ones she's grown to care about;(No more spoilers!).
I thought that Verita by Tracy Rozzlynn was a fantastic read suitable for the beach, or anywhere else you'd like to snug up with a book! The dialogue and descriptions were very well written, and completely immersed the reader in Verita's amazing landscape. That coupled with the fast-paced plot and the adventure/romance angle, made the first volume in this series a great read that I would recommend to teen, or interested adult readers. I almost wish I hadn't read it fast so that I'd have more to read. Can't wait for the next installment!
I thought that Verita by Tracy Rozzlynn was a fantastic read suitable for the beach, or anywhere else you'd like to snug up with a book! The dialogue and descriptions were very well written, and completely immersed the reader in Verita's amazing landscape. That coupled with the fast-paced plot and the adventure/romance angle, made the first volume in this series a great read that I would recommend to teen, or interested adult readers. I almost wish I hadn't read it fast so that I'd have more to read. Can't wait for the next installment!
April 25, 2012
--Full, non-spoiler review courtesy at Book & Movie Dimension a Blog--
For a science fiction read Verita was quite an impressive novel.
Brett Bradbury has the regular American life of not going without until the day her parents die. As only child she doesn't have any immediate family and when she finds that her family for most of her life have been living well above their means she doesn't have any real way to keep up payments to her old way of living considering she's a minor. So she has to go to foster care.
A few days into foster care she starts to realize that life is changing. Brett still very much still wants to keep in contact with her old friend Jenna until she finds that Jenna would rather not now that Brett is in another school zone and also in foster care. To Jenna it will be easier not to have Brett around. After one last ditch effort to see Jenna and e-kindle their friendship just causes the foster care services to see her as a delinquent to be watched and not be given ahny trust. Brett really feels her life has gone in an unforseeable place with nothing good to look forward to.
Just as Brett see her world as terrible and there is no real hope she gets approached hy John Roberts with a govrnment sponsored scientific-orientated project where a new planet named Verita has been found! Verita needs people from Earth who are young to populate it. So Brett has her suspicions that the scientists created compatible genetic partners for everyone who's in Verita. Brett senses this conspiracy theory may be what's going on especially since she has instant crazy atrraction to Brady who hardly has any connection emotionally to. Although she doesn't want to jump into any conclusions until she's sure so we should see that in the next book set to be called Concisus.
Brett will no doubt want to fight to hold on to a certain relationship with a fellow scientist named Ryan Traven considering her relationship isn't fabricated like with Brady. Tracy Rozzlyn got good ideas with how Verita can possibly have agendas. She also knows how to handle characters and introducing new ones. As soon as you meet Ryan you'll know when he proceeds to scold Brett but they do become good friends later which you can see [below]:
“Stop!”
I jump and pull my hand back. The eyes quickly vanish back into the greenery. I turn in the direction of the deep, booming voice that startled me.
“What do you think you’re doing? You don’t know if any of those plants out there are poisonous or even carnivorous.” The sharp edge in his voice instantaneously angers me.
Is he seriously lecturing me? Momentarily, I worry he’s security, and that I’ve broken some unknown rule – but as he marches closer I notice he’s wearing black with purple, like me. He’s a scientist, just like I am, and I’m pissed. Who the hell is he to lecture me? I wasn’t actually touching anything, yet. I would have stopped before reaching the fence – at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I snap back at him defensively.
“I’m trying to keep you from hurting yourself. You could be a little nicer and say thank you,” he snarls, but I can see by his expression that he’s startled by my tone.
With my voice dripping in sarcasm, I say, “Sure, thank you. Thank you for butting in where you don’t belong, and thank you so much for startling my creature away. Did you ever stop to think that I was looking at something beside the plants? And, just maybe, that I was reaching out to see if I’d get a similar response from the animal that was looking at me? And that, just maybe, you’re not the only one with a shred of common sense who knows not to touch something when you don’t know what it is?”
I cross my arms and simply glare at him. A part of me realizes that he only meant well, but I’m not in the mood to be understanding. The shock of waking up, the disappointment of the dorms, all my doubts and my losses are being taken out on this poor sap who happened along at the wrong moment. I know it’s not fair of me, but it’s not enough to quell my fury.
“I’m sorry,” he retorts condescendingly. “The next time I think you’re about to do something foolish, I’ll wait until after you’re hurt to tell you that it’s a bad idea.” I notice he’s smirking at me now, apparently amused by my reaction.
“And you can save the lecturing until after the fact next time, too.” I huff, turn around, and sit back down to read my handbook.
“It’s a deal then.” He holds out his hand to shake. I look up and see a Cheshire cat smile plastered on his face. I can’t stop myself from smiling too.
“Deal.” I shake his hand as I feel my anger subsiding.
“I’m Ryan; Ryan Traven. And you are…” he asks, raising his eyebrow.
“Brett Bradbury,” I answer. Realizing we’re still shaking, I quickly tug my hand away. He chuckles warmly at me.
“So you’re a biologist?” I notice his voice has a soft, gentle quality to it when he isn’t scolding me.
“Yes, and let me guess: you’re a botanist,” I say, coyly.
“Guilty. Sorry if I sounded like I was lecturing you. I’ve been walking the perimeter, looking at all these strange plants, and wondering what qualities they possess. I really was just worried for you.” He shrugs his shoulders apologetically.
What found genius with Tracy Rozzlyn's writing was you get to read into a book that had this professional gathering of scientists vibe that felt so believable. Interesting to become immersed into. Here [below] her writing style comes out:
The weekend and Monday morning goes by very slowly. We all try to busy ourselves with other work, but the waiting makes it hard to concentrate. We’re all excited and nervous to see what she thinks, and to see if she’ll allow us to plant it on the base. I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning, just watching the clock until it’s late enough to wake my parents and run downstairs to see what’s been left under the tree. I’m only half paying attention to the video I’m screening, when I catch a black shape blur across the screen. I quickly sit up in my chair and rewind the footage.
Ryan had seen it from over my shoulder. “What the hell was that?”
Everyone gathers around me as I replay the footage at normal speed. We see an Enux run past first – a large, flightless bird that resembles an oversized turkey with long muscular, legs and the speed of a roadrunner. Then we see the black blur. Whatever it was, it’s enormous, fast, and after the Enux. Anxiously, I rewind it again and play it in slow motion to see if I can get a better view, but it doesn’t help.
“Shit!” I look to confirm the time and location and of the camera. “Anything large enough to take down an Enux is large enough to hunt us.” Alarmed, I start barking orders. “Jake, pull up the video from camera six, 2238 hours, June thirty-fifth. There might be a better shot of the animal on that camera. I’m going to see if I can slow this down more and clean up the image better. Ryan, grab camera five – Molly, grab cameras eight’s video. They’re both long shots, but they could have caught something.”
We spend the rest of the morning carefully screening through the videos. Molly finds a black tail swishing across her screen, but nothing else. Jake just finds black: the animal had rubbed against his camera and knocked it out of position, so it’s now pointed to the ground. Ryan finds absolutely nothing on his camera.
I finally manage to slow down and clean up my video. Everyone gathers back around me as I play it back. It’s still blurry, but we can make out an elongated snout like that of a dog or wolf, and there are plenty of sharp, jagged teeth lining the creature’s mouth. Its body resembles a panther, but it appeared to be moving even faster than a panther can, and from what we can tell it’s quite a bit larger.
“Shit,” is all I manage to say.
So far for a science fiction fan this series has a enjoyable world that's a brilliant jewel among many.
Coming Soon.
Concisus
The second book in the Verita series.
Overall: Amazing read!
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
For a science fiction read Verita was quite an impressive novel.
Brett Bradbury has the regular American life of not going without until the day her parents die. As only child she doesn't have any immediate family and when she finds that her family for most of her life have been living well above their means she doesn't have any real way to keep up payments to her old way of living considering she's a minor. So she has to go to foster care.
A few days into foster care she starts to realize that life is changing. Brett still very much still wants to keep in contact with her old friend Jenna until she finds that Jenna would rather not now that Brett is in another school zone and also in foster care. To Jenna it will be easier not to have Brett around. After one last ditch effort to see Jenna and e-kindle their friendship just causes the foster care services to see her as a delinquent to be watched and not be given ahny trust. Brett really feels her life has gone in an unforseeable place with nothing good to look forward to.
Just as Brett see her world as terrible and there is no real hope she gets approached hy John Roberts with a govrnment sponsored scientific-orientated project where a new planet named Verita has been found! Verita needs people from Earth who are young to populate it. So Brett has her suspicions that the scientists created compatible genetic partners for everyone who's in Verita. Brett senses this conspiracy theory may be what's going on especially since she has instant crazy atrraction to Brady who hardly has any connection emotionally to. Although she doesn't want to jump into any conclusions until she's sure so we should see that in the next book set to be called Concisus.
Brett will no doubt want to fight to hold on to a certain relationship with a fellow scientist named Ryan Traven considering her relationship isn't fabricated like with Brady. Tracy Rozzlyn got good ideas with how Verita can possibly have agendas. She also knows how to handle characters and introducing new ones. As soon as you meet Ryan you'll know when he proceeds to scold Brett but they do become good friends later which you can see [below]:
“Stop!”
I jump and pull my hand back. The eyes quickly vanish back into the greenery. I turn in the direction of the deep, booming voice that startled me.
“What do you think you’re doing? You don’t know if any of those plants out there are poisonous or even carnivorous.” The sharp edge in his voice instantaneously angers me.
Is he seriously lecturing me? Momentarily, I worry he’s security, and that I’ve broken some unknown rule – but as he marches closer I notice he’s wearing black with purple, like me. He’s a scientist, just like I am, and I’m pissed. Who the hell is he to lecture me? I wasn’t actually touching anything, yet. I would have stopped before reaching the fence – at least that’s what I’m telling myself.
“What do you think you’re doing?” I snap back at him defensively.
“I’m trying to keep you from hurting yourself. You could be a little nicer and say thank you,” he snarls, but I can see by his expression that he’s startled by my tone.
With my voice dripping in sarcasm, I say, “Sure, thank you. Thank you for butting in where you don’t belong, and thank you so much for startling my creature away. Did you ever stop to think that I was looking at something beside the plants? And, just maybe, that I was reaching out to see if I’d get a similar response from the animal that was looking at me? And that, just maybe, you’re not the only one with a shred of common sense who knows not to touch something when you don’t know what it is?”
I cross my arms and simply glare at him. A part of me realizes that he only meant well, but I’m not in the mood to be understanding. The shock of waking up, the disappointment of the dorms, all my doubts and my losses are being taken out on this poor sap who happened along at the wrong moment. I know it’s not fair of me, but it’s not enough to quell my fury.
“I’m sorry,” he retorts condescendingly. “The next time I think you’re about to do something foolish, I’ll wait until after you’re hurt to tell you that it’s a bad idea.” I notice he’s smirking at me now, apparently amused by my reaction.
“And you can save the lecturing until after the fact next time, too.” I huff, turn around, and sit back down to read my handbook.
“It’s a deal then.” He holds out his hand to shake. I look up and see a Cheshire cat smile plastered on his face. I can’t stop myself from smiling too.
“Deal.” I shake his hand as I feel my anger subsiding.
“I’m Ryan; Ryan Traven. And you are…” he asks, raising his eyebrow.
“Brett Bradbury,” I answer. Realizing we’re still shaking, I quickly tug my hand away. He chuckles warmly at me.
“So you’re a biologist?” I notice his voice has a soft, gentle quality to it when he isn’t scolding me.
“Yes, and let me guess: you’re a botanist,” I say, coyly.
“Guilty. Sorry if I sounded like I was lecturing you. I’ve been walking the perimeter, looking at all these strange plants, and wondering what qualities they possess. I really was just worried for you.” He shrugs his shoulders apologetically.
What found genius with Tracy Rozzlyn's writing was you get to read into a book that had this professional gathering of scientists vibe that felt so believable. Interesting to become immersed into. Here [below] her writing style comes out:
The weekend and Monday morning goes by very slowly. We all try to busy ourselves with other work, but the waiting makes it hard to concentrate. We’re all excited and nervous to see what she thinks, and to see if she’ll allow us to plant it on the base. I feel like a little kid on Christmas morning, just watching the clock until it’s late enough to wake my parents and run downstairs to see what’s been left under the tree. I’m only half paying attention to the video I’m screening, when I catch a black shape blur across the screen. I quickly sit up in my chair and rewind the footage.
Ryan had seen it from over my shoulder. “What the hell was that?”
Everyone gathers around me as I replay the footage at normal speed. We see an Enux run past first – a large, flightless bird that resembles an oversized turkey with long muscular, legs and the speed of a roadrunner. Then we see the black blur. Whatever it was, it’s enormous, fast, and after the Enux. Anxiously, I rewind it again and play it in slow motion to see if I can get a better view, but it doesn’t help.
“Shit!” I look to confirm the time and location and of the camera. “Anything large enough to take down an Enux is large enough to hunt us.” Alarmed, I start barking orders. “Jake, pull up the video from camera six, 2238 hours, June thirty-fifth. There might be a better shot of the animal on that camera. I’m going to see if I can slow this down more and clean up the image better. Ryan, grab camera five – Molly, grab cameras eight’s video. They’re both long shots, but they could have caught something.”
We spend the rest of the morning carefully screening through the videos. Molly finds a black tail swishing across her screen, but nothing else. Jake just finds black: the animal had rubbed against his camera and knocked it out of position, so it’s now pointed to the ground. Ryan finds absolutely nothing on his camera.
I finally manage to slow down and clean up my video. Everyone gathers back around me as I play it back. It’s still blurry, but we can make out an elongated snout like that of a dog or wolf, and there are plenty of sharp, jagged teeth lining the creature’s mouth. Its body resembles a panther, but it appeared to be moving even faster than a panther can, and from what we can tell it’s quite a bit larger.
“Shit,” is all I manage to say.
So far for a science fiction fan this series has a enjoyable world that's a brilliant jewel among many.
Coming Soon.
Concisus
The second book in the Verita series.
Overall: Amazing read!
Genre: Science Fiction, Romance
May 4, 2012
Disclaimer: bought this Kindle version of this book.
Brett has just lost both her parents in an accident. Without any other relatives, the 16 year old is dumped into foster care. One day, she is approached by a strange man who offers her a deal: to be part of a colony ship seeking out new worlds.
You'd think this would be the start of a dystopia, but it's not. It's a tale about teens having to become adults on a new world, and it's refreshing in that it shows them more as capable people who just have to deal with the various minefields of adult life: romance, accepting leadership, dealing with subordinates, and the like. There are no evil adults out there that inflict indignities on helpless teens. It's a very refreshing book to read.
I also enjoyed how the colony itself was portrayed. It's a weird mix of "get the job done" and some soft Big Brother aspects. Everyone in it has a career, but they don't pick it: while they are in cryogenic sleep, they are subliminally trained to be a profession. They generally have a lot of freedom, but they are denied anything but dorm style housing if they don't marry, and divorce sends you back to the dorms. But everyone there is generally happy and content with it. I honestly wished she ran with this more, because it's a rich world with some serious conflict. Would you be okay if someone else picked what you would do for the rest of your life? What else are they imprinting on you while you sleep in the pod? Is it fair that single people can't own a house, and what would they feel like when everyone seems to be dating and marrying?
However there are a few things in the book that made me stop from giving it four stars. One, Brett's time on Earth felt a little too rushed and forced. I think if she just had started with her awakening from the pod and gradually remembering and commenting on her old life it would have felt more natural in flow. As it is, she loses everything very quickly, and there's a big problem never addressed about how a culture preys on unconnected teens to staff their exploration ships that goes unsaid. It works out in the end, but it could have used some expanding.
Also. I'm not sure how I feel with Brett. The beginning she feels like a teen would, especially one dealing with loss. But later on she starts to look and feel hyper-competent, with really only her relationship triangle the source of problems. I'm not sure if it's too abrupt a change for me, considering she seemed to go from troubled teen to leader of a survey group quickly. My guess would be teaching her to be a biologist was not all they did to her while she slept, but that's out of canon.
Finally, there's one big "duh" later on in the book which really should have been commented on by Brett more than it was. It involved a certain creature obviously showing signs of intelligence that should have been a "first contact" sort of thing, but it just slides by and never gets dwelt on. I wont go into spoilers, but you'll see it reading the book.
There's a couple minor formatting errors in the Ebook, mostly certain characters rendering as a ? sign. I've seen Ebooks from big publishing houses do the same error, so it's not a deal-killer. Honestly, you could give the book four stars. It's a good YA science fiction novel that treats teens with refreshing competency, and has a different take on things than usual books of the genre. Even the love triangle is done well, with good commentary on lust versus love, and love interests that have real flaws and aren't either perfect or despicable. There's just a few flaws or odd decisions that made it simply a "liked it" book for me.
Brett has just lost both her parents in an accident. Without any other relatives, the 16 year old is dumped into foster care. One day, she is approached by a strange man who offers her a deal: to be part of a colony ship seeking out new worlds.
You'd think this would be the start of a dystopia, but it's not. It's a tale about teens having to become adults on a new world, and it's refreshing in that it shows them more as capable people who just have to deal with the various minefields of adult life: romance, accepting leadership, dealing with subordinates, and the like. There are no evil adults out there that inflict indignities on helpless teens. It's a very refreshing book to read.
I also enjoyed how the colony itself was portrayed. It's a weird mix of "get the job done" and some soft Big Brother aspects. Everyone in it has a career, but they don't pick it: while they are in cryogenic sleep, they are subliminally trained to be a profession. They generally have a lot of freedom, but they are denied anything but dorm style housing if they don't marry, and divorce sends you back to the dorms. But everyone there is generally happy and content with it. I honestly wished she ran with this more, because it's a rich world with some serious conflict. Would you be okay if someone else picked what you would do for the rest of your life? What else are they imprinting on you while you sleep in the pod? Is it fair that single people can't own a house, and what would they feel like when everyone seems to be dating and marrying?
However there are a few things in the book that made me stop from giving it four stars. One, Brett's time on Earth felt a little too rushed and forced. I think if she just had started with her awakening from the pod and gradually remembering and commenting on her old life it would have felt more natural in flow. As it is, she loses everything very quickly, and there's a big problem never addressed about how a culture preys on unconnected teens to staff their exploration ships that goes unsaid. It works out in the end, but it could have used some expanding.
Also. I'm not sure how I feel with Brett. The beginning she feels like a teen would, especially one dealing with loss. But later on she starts to look and feel hyper-competent, with really only her relationship triangle the source of problems. I'm not sure if it's too abrupt a change for me, considering she seemed to go from troubled teen to leader of a survey group quickly. My guess would be teaching her to be a biologist was not all they did to her while she slept, but that's out of canon.
Finally, there's one big "duh" later on in the book which really should have been commented on by Brett more than it was. It involved a certain creature obviously showing signs of intelligence that should have been a "first contact" sort of thing, but it just slides by and never gets dwelt on. I wont go into spoilers, but you'll see it reading the book.
There's a couple minor formatting errors in the Ebook, mostly certain characters rendering as a ? sign. I've seen Ebooks from big publishing houses do the same error, so it's not a deal-killer. Honestly, you could give the book four stars. It's a good YA science fiction novel that treats teens with refreshing competency, and has a different take on things than usual books of the genre. Even the love triangle is done well, with good commentary on lust versus love, and love interests that have real flaws and aren't either perfect or despicable. There's just a few flaws or odd decisions that made it simply a "liked it" book for me.
October 13, 2011
I received this book free of charge from a LibraryThing giveaway in exchange for my honest review.
When I read the description of this book I was really excited to read it. And while I had a few problems with it, overall by the end of the book I was turning pages rapidly, anxiously waiting to see what would happen next. I thought it started out kind of slow, and I found it really hard to connect to the characters at first, but it definitely picked up about halfway through and I found out that I was really pulling for certain people (I can't say who because that would be a spoiler!!) to get together and survive a disastrous experience.
From Goodreads: "My parents died, my boyfriend cheated, and my best friend essentially dumped me. Truly alone in the world, I agree to help colonize the newly discovered planet, Verita. Now I’m on a strange new world."
I really admired the world building of Verita. It was a beautiful place, somewhat like our own, but also very different in certain aspects. The kids who were sent there were young because they needed the toughest, hardiest people to begin a new civilization. They also needed people to procreate and populate the new planet, so they encouraged marriage by making the teens sleep in a big dorm with virtually no privacy until they got married, at which time they would receive a house of their own in married housing. And it seems to be working, since couples start popping up left and right who can't seem to keep their hands off of each other, including Brett (the female MC) and Brody, who is gorgeous, but somewhat superficial. That doesn't stop Brett from feeling overwhelmingly attracted to him whenever they are together. The same thing is happening all over their colony, which Brett finds a bit questionable. She also works with Ryan, with whom she has a personality conflict, but they are very much alike, and when she is not with Brody she finds herself becoming attracted to Ryan, which is very confusing for her.
As I mentioned before, I loved the world building Tracy created, but I would like to have felt more connected to the characters from the beginning. Their actions were confusing sometimes and that made me feel even less connected. About halfway through they started acting in a way that was much more understandable, and even though this was a definite plot point and explained some of the inconsistencies, I felt cheated out of feeling that same connection during the first half of the book. It's very hard to explain my feelings without giving away what happens!!
Suffice it to say, by the last 25% of the book I was completely drawn into the story. I was reading along at a very fast pace, and the story was reaching the climax, and then it was just over! That part of the book flew by so fast I didn't even realize I had reached the end until there wasn't any more left to read! What a cliff hanger! I am now waiting in agony for the next book of the series!
In summary, a slow start out of the gate, but a definite winner by the last page :D
When I read the description of this book I was really excited to read it. And while I had a few problems with it, overall by the end of the book I was turning pages rapidly, anxiously waiting to see what would happen next. I thought it started out kind of slow, and I found it really hard to connect to the characters at first, but it definitely picked up about halfway through and I found out that I was really pulling for certain people (I can't say who because that would be a spoiler!!) to get together and survive a disastrous experience.
From Goodreads: "My parents died, my boyfriend cheated, and my best friend essentially dumped me. Truly alone in the world, I agree to help colonize the newly discovered planet, Verita. Now I’m on a strange new world."
I really admired the world building of Verita. It was a beautiful place, somewhat like our own, but also very different in certain aspects. The kids who were sent there were young because they needed the toughest, hardiest people to begin a new civilization. They also needed people to procreate and populate the new planet, so they encouraged marriage by making the teens sleep in a big dorm with virtually no privacy until they got married, at which time they would receive a house of their own in married housing. And it seems to be working, since couples start popping up left and right who can't seem to keep their hands off of each other, including Brett (the female MC) and Brody, who is gorgeous, but somewhat superficial. That doesn't stop Brett from feeling overwhelmingly attracted to him whenever they are together. The same thing is happening all over their colony, which Brett finds a bit questionable. She also works with Ryan, with whom she has a personality conflict, but they are very much alike, and when she is not with Brody she finds herself becoming attracted to Ryan, which is very confusing for her.
As I mentioned before, I loved the world building Tracy created, but I would like to have felt more connected to the characters from the beginning. Their actions were confusing sometimes and that made me feel even less connected. About halfway through they started acting in a way that was much more understandable, and even though this was a definite plot point and explained some of the inconsistencies, I felt cheated out of feeling that same connection during the first half of the book. It's very hard to explain my feelings without giving away what happens!!
Suffice it to say, by the last 25% of the book I was completely drawn into the story. I was reading along at a very fast pace, and the story was reaching the climax, and then it was just over! That part of the book flew by so fast I didn't even realize I had reached the end until there wasn't any more left to read! What a cliff hanger! I am now waiting in agony for the next book of the series!
In summary, a slow start out of the gate, but a definite winner by the last page :D
October 18, 2018
Verita: When I first picked up this novel, it felt promising. A young teenager loses her parents in an accident and then her boyfriend and best friend dump her. Feeling devastated, she agrees to be part of an experiment to colonise a newly discovered planet. Sounds intriguing, right? Well the concept is interesting, but the author failed to deliver a good story. Despite a decent start, the story went downhill pretty fast. I cannot say it was a bad story; I cannot find one. It was more of a monologue, especially the last half of the book felt like a daily log of a trekker. Most of the events are actually fillers and nothing interesting ever happened (apart from the flash flood but it ends too soon; so no need to get your hopes up).
I cannot characterise the female protagonist. She feels strong and independent at one point and then weak and silly at another. There is no character development of the male lead. He just is coz we need romance. The romance is forced and the attempt at creating a love triangle is too weak. Things are just told to us without us actually feeling them.The story crawls at a snail speed. I kept on reading hoping to find something to like; I was utterly disappointed.
Just look at the concept: You are sending your protagonists in an uninhabited planet. There are so many different aspects that you can think of - dangerous natives, monsters, all kinds of dangers but what we are delivered is carnivorous field, a wolf type panther and grass and lots of jibber jabber. Remind me why they are essential for the story development, again! The book left me as if feeling famished after a meal.
Below are some of the loopholes that I can think of:
Even though we are told that Brett was grief stricken by the loss of her parents, she never misses them.
We are not told why she was recruited for the experiment in the first place. The only thing we know she did was skip a couple of her classes (unknowingly) and miss the curfew time and get caught. How talented! Yes, we definitely need such talented people.
Andi's igloo was made up of which metal that Brett was able to fold and unfold it and it was able to protect 2 people during the flash flood (eye roll).
The trek in the wilderness was so smooth. There were berries to eat and lakes to bathe. Now that's a very desirable trek (I would love to go on one).
In the end, Brett admits that she wanted to kiss Ryan the first day she met Brody; though earlier she just sidestepped him and pretended like nothing happened. She never felt anything and we were never even hinted about this. Her admission was simply unconvincing.
Overall a nice concept, too many fillers, shallow characters, no baddies, only disappointment. Can someone please tell me what was the purpose of this book?
I cannot characterise the female protagonist. She feels strong and independent at one point and then weak and silly at another. There is no character development of the male lead. He just is coz we need romance. The romance is forced and the attempt at creating a love triangle is too weak. Things are just told to us without us actually feeling them.The story crawls at a snail speed. I kept on reading hoping to find something to like; I was utterly disappointed.
Just look at the concept: You are sending your protagonists in an uninhabited planet. There are so many different aspects that you can think of - dangerous natives, monsters, all kinds of dangers but what we are delivered is carnivorous field, a wolf type panther and grass and lots of jibber jabber. Remind me why they are essential for the story development, again! The book left me as if feeling famished after a meal.
Below are some of the loopholes that I can think of:
Even though we are told that Brett was grief stricken by the loss of her parents, she never misses them.
We are not told why she was recruited for the experiment in the first place. The only thing we know she did was skip a couple of her classes (unknowingly) and miss the curfew time and get caught. How talented! Yes, we definitely need such talented people.
Andi's igloo was made up of which metal that Brett was able to fold and unfold it and it was able to protect 2 people during the flash flood (eye roll).
The trek in the wilderness was so smooth. There were berries to eat and lakes to bathe. Now that's a very desirable trek (I would love to go on one).
In the end, Brett admits that she wanted to kiss Ryan the first day she met Brody; though earlier she just sidestepped him and pretended like nothing happened. She never felt anything and we were never even hinted about this. Her admission was simply unconvincing.
Overall a nice concept, too many fillers, shallow characters, no baddies, only disappointment. Can someone please tell me what was the purpose of this book?
This entire review has been hidden because of spoilers.
August 3, 2011
First, thank you to librarything for letting me win this from their member giveaways. I always welcome the chance for new books. Now then, to the review. Unfortunately, I found this book a little lacking in the editing department – in the sense that had this gone through one or two more passes and rewrites, it would have been much better than it turned out.
Rozzlynn can write, and she can create a good plot, but I found her sensory language lacking, and quite a few cliches in terms of adjectives when describing Ryan (“amazing eyes”, etc). It felt like all characters were more than a little underdeveloped, and the pacing far too fast to linger on some of what I think were supposed to be some of the more important arc-plot related elements in the book, and think about them. This felt like a hastily written first draft more than a solid finished product. This moved way too quickly to be entirely enjoyable, hence the rating. I wanted to be able to sit and linger and savor the scarier parts, the sadder parts, the parts that made me feel something other than Brett’s narration, but it didn’t exactly happen that way.
Brett’s a great heroine, once she accepts her fate, and starts to fight for her right to live. Her character deserved more than the development it got, and for that, I’m a bit sad. I wanted to know more about her, I wanted to get farther and deeper inside of her head. As a character she needed more nourishing, but then again, all of the characters suffered fatigue from underdevelopment, so I can’t exactly just single her out for it. But as a heroine, her character development (along with the antagonist) should be top priority, and I’m saddened to find that it feels like it didn’t happen that way during first draft stage of writing.
This story definitely deserves a read, though. I was on the edge of my seat with some of the faster, more dangerous parts of the book (on a strange new planet about to get eaten by things you’re supposed to be classifying? Awesome!), and I loved the entire premise of the novel. There were moments of emotional connection (in the beginning with Brett and her friends), and I even felt the waking up process after she’s unfrozen on Verita within myself, too. When Rozzlynn wants to use it, she’s great at sensory language usage. I just wish she’d deigned to use more of it.
However, this hasn’t put me off of Rozzlynn’s work – I’m very much looking forward to diving into “Fast-Tracked” next. Definitely give this one a read – it’s fun, though undernourished, but I think you’ll enjoy it. I just I wish I had enjoyed it more.
Rozzlynn can write, and she can create a good plot, but I found her sensory language lacking, and quite a few cliches in terms of adjectives when describing Ryan (“amazing eyes”, etc). It felt like all characters were more than a little underdeveloped, and the pacing far too fast to linger on some of what I think were supposed to be some of the more important arc-plot related elements in the book, and think about them. This felt like a hastily written first draft more than a solid finished product. This moved way too quickly to be entirely enjoyable, hence the rating. I wanted to be able to sit and linger and savor the scarier parts, the sadder parts, the parts that made me feel something other than Brett’s narration, but it didn’t exactly happen that way.
Brett’s a great heroine, once she accepts her fate, and starts to fight for her right to live. Her character deserved more than the development it got, and for that, I’m a bit sad. I wanted to know more about her, I wanted to get farther and deeper inside of her head. As a character she needed more nourishing, but then again, all of the characters suffered fatigue from underdevelopment, so I can’t exactly just single her out for it. But as a heroine, her character development (along with the antagonist) should be top priority, and I’m saddened to find that it feels like it didn’t happen that way during first draft stage of writing.
This story definitely deserves a read, though. I was on the edge of my seat with some of the faster, more dangerous parts of the book (on a strange new planet about to get eaten by things you’re supposed to be classifying? Awesome!), and I loved the entire premise of the novel. There were moments of emotional connection (in the beginning with Brett and her friends), and I even felt the waking up process after she’s unfrozen on Verita within myself, too. When Rozzlynn wants to use it, she’s great at sensory language usage. I just wish she’d deigned to use more of it.
However, this hasn’t put me off of Rozzlynn’s work – I’m very much looking forward to diving into “Fast-Tracked” next. Definitely give this one a read – it’s fun, though undernourished, but I think you’ll enjoy it. I just I wish I had enjoyed it more.
October 11, 2011
I won this book in a giveaway that was hosted by a book blog and I was so excited about it! Thanks again, Tracy Rozzlynn and SupaGurl Books. =)
I found "Verita" to be an incredible mixture of adventure, romance, and science fiction. The main character, Brett, has lost everything-- her family, friends, and boyfriend. She's going through the motions and is just trying to get a grasp on her new, crappy life. When her life is basically at an all-time low, she is offered a very big and unique opportunity to literally leave her world behind, and start a new life. When she awakens on this new planet, along with many kids her age, there's no going back on her decision.
On Verita, Brett finds purpose and adventure with her assigned job as a biologist. She also makes quite a few friends, and even finds herself swept up in an attraction to two very different guys. I really took an instant liking to Brett's character. She is a very intelligent and passionate young woman. She's also quite witty at times, and I definitely had some laugh-out-loud moments while reading this book. Several of the other characters in this book were enjoyable as well. Andi is Brett's best friend, and boy is she full of fire! I also can't stress enough how much I love Ryan. He's a tad testy at times but his reasoning behind his motives are understandable. I got a kick out of his and Brett's interaction, whether they were yelling at each other or hitting it off. I just couldn't get enough of them!!
Aside from the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions and imagery of Verita. It sounds like such a beautiful and mysterious place, and the animals sound amazing. I was so mystified by the "meerkits", with their violet eyes and their overall personalities (I wish we had those here on earth!). Tracy Rozzlynn really does a fantastic job of making you SEE Verita in all it's entirety.
The last portion of the book had me crazed to learn the outcome, and I must say I am pleased. Thankfully, the last chapter didn't leave me with a ticked off, cliff-hanger feeling. Having never read a sci-fi/space-like book before, I really wasn't sure what to expect, but this story had my attention the entire time and I really wouldn't change a thing about it. I am very eager to read the next installment of Verita, so I can continue with Brett on her exciting discoveries and journey of the planet. I'm also very interested to learn what Brett will uncover regarding some of the many mysteries and theories she's encountered. Bring it on!
-This review can also be found on my blog: http://escapingwithfiction.blogspot.com/
I found "Verita" to be an incredible mixture of adventure, romance, and science fiction. The main character, Brett, has lost everything-- her family, friends, and boyfriend. She's going through the motions and is just trying to get a grasp on her new, crappy life. When her life is basically at an all-time low, she is offered a very big and unique opportunity to literally leave her world behind, and start a new life. When she awakens on this new planet, along with many kids her age, there's no going back on her decision.
On Verita, Brett finds purpose and adventure with her assigned job as a biologist. She also makes quite a few friends, and even finds herself swept up in an attraction to two very different guys. I really took an instant liking to Brett's character. She is a very intelligent and passionate young woman. She's also quite witty at times, and I definitely had some laugh-out-loud moments while reading this book. Several of the other characters in this book were enjoyable as well. Andi is Brett's best friend, and boy is she full of fire! I also can't stress enough how much I love Ryan. He's a tad testy at times but his reasoning behind his motives are understandable. I got a kick out of his and Brett's interaction, whether they were yelling at each other or hitting it off. I just couldn't get enough of them!!
Aside from the characters, I thoroughly enjoyed the descriptions and imagery of Verita. It sounds like such a beautiful and mysterious place, and the animals sound amazing. I was so mystified by the "meerkits", with their violet eyes and their overall personalities (I wish we had those here on earth!). Tracy Rozzlynn really does a fantastic job of making you SEE Verita in all it's entirety.
The last portion of the book had me crazed to learn the outcome, and I must say I am pleased. Thankfully, the last chapter didn't leave me with a ticked off, cliff-hanger feeling. Having never read a sci-fi/space-like book before, I really wasn't sure what to expect, but this story had my attention the entire time and I really wouldn't change a thing about it. I am very eager to read the next installment of Verita, so I can continue with Brett on her exciting discoveries and journey of the planet. I'm also very interested to learn what Brett will uncover regarding some of the many mysteries and theories she's encountered. Bring it on!
-This review can also be found on my blog: http://escapingwithfiction.blogspot.com/
March 12, 2013
The premise had a lot of potential, but I was completely underwhelmed. This is essentially a high school drama filled with high school stereotypes wrapped in a thin veil of sci-fi.
First I have to share this quote for its ridiculousness. The protagonist describes her hair: "it naturally falls into abundant, loose curls without getting frizzy." (emphasis mine) What planet does this author live on, because it's certainly not Earth. Curly hair just doesn't DO that.
*The writing quality was pretty mediocre. It's first person present tense, which is tricky to get right. The character had no unique voice. She sounded bored and monotone (which didn't seem to jive with what the author wanted her character to be). I could understand this tone during the beginning, when the character may have been depressed, but it just keeps droning on even after her life and mood improve. On the plus side, this made it the perfect book to read while in bed and winding down...because it usually left me feeling pretty sleepy. :p
*The author also has an infuriating tendency to re-use the same words and terms...over...and over....and over again. Just like...really? There's no better way to communicate that your character did something "quickly?"
*The narrative is plagued with telling and not showing.
*What was incredibly disappointing to me was the fact that the author had this wonderful opportunity to do some massive world-building. Your characters are going 300 years into the future to populate a new planet...you have a completely clean slate. This world can be anything you could possibly imagine it to be. Instead, there is virtually no description of the planet or its flora and fauna. She glosses over prime situations in which the story would have benefitted from painting a picture of this brand new world. Instead of showing us sweeping vistas or mysterious alien forests, the author focuses in on describing the shower facilities of the field lab. There's no sense of curiosity or wonder. This characteristic of the narrative made me feel claustrophobic.
Pretty sure I'd picked this up for free at the Kindle store a couple months ago, it's $4 now. I wouldn't recommend this book unless you can get it for free and are just looking for something to fill your time with.
First I have to share this quote for its ridiculousness. The protagonist describes her hair: "it naturally falls into abundant, loose curls without getting frizzy." (emphasis mine) What planet does this author live on, because it's certainly not Earth. Curly hair just doesn't DO that.
*The writing quality was pretty mediocre. It's first person present tense, which is tricky to get right. The character had no unique voice. She sounded bored and monotone (which didn't seem to jive with what the author wanted her character to be). I could understand this tone during the beginning, when the character may have been depressed, but it just keeps droning on even after her life and mood improve. On the plus side, this made it the perfect book to read while in bed and winding down...because it usually left me feeling pretty sleepy. :p
*The author also has an infuriating tendency to re-use the same words and terms...over...and over....and over again. Just like...really? There's no better way to communicate that your character did something "quickly?"
*The narrative is plagued with telling and not showing.
*What was incredibly disappointing to me was the fact that the author had this wonderful opportunity to do some massive world-building. Your characters are going 300 years into the future to populate a new planet...you have a completely clean slate. This world can be anything you could possibly imagine it to be. Instead, there is virtually no description of the planet or its flora and fauna. She glosses over prime situations in which the story would have benefitted from painting a picture of this brand new world. Instead of showing us sweeping vistas or mysterious alien forests, the author focuses in on describing the shower facilities of the field lab. There's no sense of curiosity or wonder. This characteristic of the narrative made me feel claustrophobic.
Pretty sure I'd picked this up for free at the Kindle store a couple months ago, it's $4 now. I wouldn't recommend this book unless you can get it for free and are just looking for something to fill your time with.
October 23, 2011
I won this book back a while ago in one of Librarythings giveaways. Unfortunately with time and delays I was unable to give my review for it till now. Let me just start by saying WOW. Normally Science Fiction is harder for me to enjoy as I'm really picky and have a certain way I like to read things. But Tracy has captivated me in the compelling world she has created for Brett and I can NOT wait for the next book. So much so I have been searching and trying to find out when it will come out. With that being said I move on to the rest of my thoughts.
The book flows though some may feel it's slow to start with I felt that it took the time and depth needed to write the story and pull you in instead of jumping right to the guns and grit of things. You begin to feel a kinship to Brett and even a little of what she's going through. You feel her frustration when she's frustrated, her sadness when she's sad and the happiness when things are at their best in her life. In doing so Tracy has allowed us to come to love not only Brett but, Ryan and Andi and Brody all the characters as you feel each one is different than the other they have their own personalities and flaws.
The wonderful new world they are placed on to explore and the amazing bond that is created with one of the creatures called Caper has you laughing at moments and others just amazed at the clarity and understanding that some of these creatures get. There is just so much I found I loved about this book I find a hard time saying that there was a problem. With that being said it's an amazing read for young adults and adults I urge those that are curious about this book to PICK IT UP read it I don't think it will disappoint you. I know it will leave you wanting more just as it's done for me.
The book flows though some may feel it's slow to start with I felt that it took the time and depth needed to write the story and pull you in instead of jumping right to the guns and grit of things. You begin to feel a kinship to Brett and even a little of what she's going through. You feel her frustration when she's frustrated, her sadness when she's sad and the happiness when things are at their best in her life. In doing so Tracy has allowed us to come to love not only Brett but, Ryan and Andi and Brody all the characters as you feel each one is different than the other they have their own personalities and flaws.
The wonderful new world they are placed on to explore and the amazing bond that is created with one of the creatures called Caper has you laughing at moments and others just amazed at the clarity and understanding that some of these creatures get. There is just so much I found I loved about this book I find a hard time saying that there was a problem. With that being said it's an amazing read for young adults and adults I urge those that are curious about this book to PICK IT UP read it I don't think it will disappoint you. I know it will leave you wanting more just as it's done for me.
December 17, 2011
I found this book when browsing through the 99 cent books. The first few chapters interested me enough to buy it. I thought that I would at most be entertained for an evening.
I was wrong.
The book to me, really starts, when Brett arrives on the new planet. Having attempted to write something similar in genre at one point in my life, I know how difficult it is to really create a new world and everything on it. It's a different type of writing than just taking the reality we already know and then basing a story there. Her descriptions of the lush new plants, the new creatures (obviously my favorite, and probably everyone else's is the meerkit), was spot on. I also loved all her descriptions of the team working together to research the planet and all the new ideas they cultivated while there.
But what I really loved most about it, are the characters and their relationships. Brett is one of the best protagonists I've read about lately. She's smart, strong, and inventive-- but she also really cares about people. One of my favorite scenes (and I have many) is how she realizes the meerkit is gentle and is just curious of them, not trying to hurt them. And of course the other great scene, when she allows the meerkits to treat the person she cares about most.
I would have liked to see a little more development of the "shallow" people on the new planet... does anyone get the sense that they may end up together??
I am very much looking forward to the next book, Conscius. Tracy Rozzlynn is one of the most promising writers in the dystopian/sci fi genre. I know what I'll be buying all my friends for Christmas!
I was wrong.
The book to me, really starts, when Brett arrives on the new planet. Having attempted to write something similar in genre at one point in my life, I know how difficult it is to really create a new world and everything on it. It's a different type of writing than just taking the reality we already know and then basing a story there. Her descriptions of the lush new plants, the new creatures (obviously my favorite, and probably everyone else's is the meerkit), was spot on. I also loved all her descriptions of the team working together to research the planet and all the new ideas they cultivated while there.
But what I really loved most about it, are the characters and their relationships. Brett is one of the best protagonists I've read about lately. She's smart, strong, and inventive-- but she also really cares about people. One of my favorite scenes (and I have many) is how she realizes the meerkit is gentle and is just curious of them, not trying to hurt them. And of course the other great scene, when she allows the meerkits to treat the person she cares about most.
I would have liked to see a little more development of the "shallow" people on the new planet... does anyone get the sense that they may end up together??
I am very much looking forward to the next book, Conscius. Tracy Rozzlynn is one of the most promising writers in the dystopian/sci fi genre. I know what I'll be buying all my friends for Christmas!
October 16, 2014
originally appeared on:Bookshelf Confessions
*I won a free copy of this e-book in a LibraryThing Member Giveaway*
i have finished reading the book , the story goes as Brett, the heroine of the story(or so what i guess)agreed to partake in colonizing a newly-discovered planet--Verita.(wow)!
a really good book..highly recommended for teens like me..it depicts realistically what youth's inner war right now...and the life-situations were truly in..I'm excited for the sequel of this book..hope there is one..
here's a brief summary of the book:
Her parents died, her boyfriend cheated, and her best friend essentially dumped her. Truly alone in the world, She agree to help colonize the newly discovered planet, Verita.
Now she's on a strange new world. She has an overwhelming attraction to Brody, despite the fact that he's totally not her type. Another boy Ryan, utterly hates her for reasons out of her control. And there are creatures in the forest that would like nothing more than to eat them for dinner. her heart and mind are fighting with each other. she's constantly fighting with Ryan. Concentrating on her job is becoming more and more difficult. Plus she can’t ignore how strange it is that all her friends are falling head-over-heal in love.
But when she find herself stranded in the wilderness. The only thing that matters is survival.
*I won a free copy of this e-book in a LibraryThing Member Giveaway*
i have finished reading the book , the story goes as Brett, the heroine of the story(or so what i guess)agreed to partake in colonizing a newly-discovered planet--Verita.(wow)!
a really good book..highly recommended for teens like me..it depicts realistically what youth's inner war right now...and the life-situations were truly in..I'm excited for the sequel of this book..hope there is one..
here's a brief summary of the book:
Her parents died, her boyfriend cheated, and her best friend essentially dumped her. Truly alone in the world, She agree to help colonize the newly discovered planet, Verita.
Now she's on a strange new world. She has an overwhelming attraction to Brody, despite the fact that he's totally not her type. Another boy Ryan, utterly hates her for reasons out of her control. And there are creatures in the forest that would like nothing more than to eat them for dinner. her heart and mind are fighting with each other. she's constantly fighting with Ryan. Concentrating on her job is becoming more and more difficult. Plus she can’t ignore how strange it is that all her friends are falling head-over-heal in love.
But when she find herself stranded in the wilderness. The only thing that matters is survival.
April 10, 2017
I cant believe how much I liked this story. I mean I wasn't expecting it to bad or anything but since I'm into fairytale creatures action and such I didn't expect to be pulled into this story. wrong. guess who hasn't eaten/slept/or left the couch since hitting chapter 5? me that's who and I'm not a fast reader.
The characters were so refreshing! There's Brett who doesn't have the 'I'm to tough to feel.' *insert glare and witty comment here* thing going on but the she defiantly doesn't let anyone push her around. She knows who she is and what she wants and second guessing herself isn't something she's used too. over all she handles tough situations with level headed maturity but still knows how to let loose.
Then there's Ryan who is also different from the usual male characters I read about. There's always some sort of protective caring emotion behind his actions and he's not afraid to show his emotions without being all girly and annoying about it. plus he's not strutting around flexing his muscles and flashing an attractive smile at every girl to get them to fall all over him. it's was great not to read about every girls dreamboat fantasy lover but a real dude whose right for Brett and still very attractive.
I'm super tired so I'm not gonna go into the other not so main characters but most were awesome. they brought a lot of humor and friendships to the book. I can't wait to see the secrets of this new world unravel in the rest of this series:):)
The characters were so refreshing! There's Brett who doesn't have the 'I'm to tough to feel.' *insert glare and witty comment here* thing going on but the she defiantly doesn't let anyone push her around. She knows who she is and what she wants and second guessing herself isn't something she's used too. over all she handles tough situations with level headed maturity but still knows how to let loose.
Then there's Ryan who is also different from the usual male characters I read about. There's always some sort of protective caring emotion behind his actions and he's not afraid to show his emotions without being all girly and annoying about it. plus he's not strutting around flexing his muscles and flashing an attractive smile at every girl to get them to fall all over him. it's was great not to read about every girls dreamboat fantasy lover but a real dude whose right for Brett and still very attractive.
I'm super tired so I'm not gonna go into the other not so main characters but most were awesome. they brought a lot of humor and friendships to the book. I can't wait to see the secrets of this new world unravel in the rest of this series:):)
July 4, 2011
I always start a book with low expectations, that way (especially with new authors or independent books) I don’t get disappointed, and sometimes I get a good surprise. “Verita” is one of those good surprises. It does have quite a few typos and editing errors though, which can be a bit of a distraction, they are not over abundant but they are still there. The first chapter is kind of all over the place and transitions without letting you know you’re changing time frames or location it’s just the next paragraph, bam, somewhere new and it can be confusing.
However, once you get past that initial chapter the story picks up, it’s not a fast paced action or heavy in the romance (though there is some romance) it’s just a pretty average paced easy and enjoyable read. You tend to forget that the characters in this story are a bunch of teenagers, most of the time; they just grew up in order to work toward the greater good. The imagery if beautifully written and you get a real sense of being on Verita and how Brett is feeling/thinking/etc., there were some things that are obvious ‘twists’ but they are still enjoyable to read and well written. This does end in anticipation for the next book, and I look forward to picking it up when it comes out. Over all this was a wonderfully done debut novel.
However, once you get past that initial chapter the story picks up, it’s not a fast paced action or heavy in the romance (though there is some romance) it’s just a pretty average paced easy and enjoyable read. You tend to forget that the characters in this story are a bunch of teenagers, most of the time; they just grew up in order to work toward the greater good. The imagery if beautifully written and you get a real sense of being on Verita and how Brett is feeling/thinking/etc., there were some things that are obvious ‘twists’ but they are still enjoyable to read and well written. This does end in anticipation for the next book, and I look forward to picking it up when it comes out. Over all this was a wonderfully done debut novel.
July 30, 2011
This author did a great job writing this book. The story starts kind of slow but once it gets into first gear it’s a nonstop reader. There is romance interlaced into the science fiction, so if that’s not your cup of tea then this may not be the book for you. I loved the whole premise of the book, I enjoyed every moment of the book and look forward to the next book in the trilogy. The author truly did her research prior to writing this book and I thought she really detailed the different jobs. The characters were well thought out it brought forth the truth of what teens go through. The emotion with the characters was amazing as well. I recommend this book to anyone looking for a great sci-fi book with some romance. I was sad that it ended so soon and hopes the author gets the second part of the trilogy out soon. Kudos to the author for putting this out and allowing the readers the chance to review it. Again I say great job can’t wait till the next book.
August 26, 2011
I don’t usually read Science Fiction that often I am more of a fantasy girl. The more I read of Science Fiction I am realizing I don’t really have any good reason for that because when it is a good written Sci-Fi with developed characters the genre is just as fun as any.
Teen Brett does brood like most young adults but it does not last long. As soon she is on the new planet she is like a different person. She is treated like an adult and has knowledge that helps her to develop an adult life on the new planet.
There were some interesting thoughts on the science of the planet and different species. I especially liked there animal friend named Caper.
Some things I did feel I saw coming though. Like the reason Brett wants Ryan to sleep upside down in the pods.
Very smart and likable characters in a imaginative world. And ack that ending! What a cliffhanger!
Teen Brett does brood like most young adults but it does not last long. As soon she is on the new planet she is like a different person. She is treated like an adult and has knowledge that helps her to develop an adult life on the new planet.
There were some interesting thoughts on the science of the planet and different species. I especially liked there animal friend named Caper.
Some things I did feel I saw coming though. Like the reason Brett wants Ryan to sleep upside down in the pods.
Very smart and likable characters in a imaginative world. And ack that ending! What a cliffhanger!
August 10, 2011
Tracy Rozzlynn’s writing style overall was easy to read. The book could have used a bit more polishing, but it was easy for me to forgive since I was sucked into the story. Brett starts her new life on a planet called Verita, having been trained as a biologist while in stasis during the 300-year journey. I shared her anticipation leading up to exploration of the new environment. The strange, unknown new world premise appeals to me. The author’s vivid imagery brought Verita to life. Romance abounds, and suspicion creeps in that there’s more going on than meets the eye.
The mysteries of Verita kept me interested. With so many questions left unanswered, I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series. I received a copy of this ebook through the LibraryThing member giveaway.
The mysteries of Verita kept me interested. With so many questions left unanswered, I will be eagerly awaiting the next book in this series. I received a copy of this ebook through the LibraryThing member giveaway.
August 22, 2011
I had Verita on my "to read" list and could not wait to get to it. I love the idea that one day maybe the human race will live on other planets like Earth. It tells the story of a girl who has lost everyone in her life one way or another. She decides to take an offer to help colonize and develop a planet that is similar enough to Earth that people can live on it. She makes new friends and has a new found love for her new career. She has a few dangerous run ins but she is a strong young woman who can handle them. I love the descriptions of everything found on this planet. I had a perfect image in my head of what it looked like. This is the second Tracy Rozzlynn book I have read and I really can't wait for more!
October 3, 2011
This is a very enjoyable YA book, that takes place in the future, in a new world. The book is about discovery and adventure. The teens have chosen to take part in this new world, and leave all they know behind. They are put into a cryogenic sleep and when they wake, they find they have learned professions while they have been transported to their new home.
They make friends, work in their profession, learning new things about themselves, their world and others. The main character Brett learns about her abilities in leadership, love, survival, and friendship.
I looked to see if there was another book in the series, but none were available at the time. I will definitely read another in the series and would encourage a teen to read the series.
They make friends, work in their profession, learning new things about themselves, their world and others. The main character Brett learns about her abilities in leadership, love, survival, and friendship.
I looked to see if there was another book in the series, but none were available at the time. I will definitely read another in the series and would encourage a teen to read the series.
May 19, 2012
Verita is quite an interesting novel. I found myself completely drawn into the story and couldn't stop reading until I finished. This book has an interesting and new storyline than others I have recently read. The characters are easily likeable and fun to "listen" to.
The thought of having a tragedy strike you down in life and being offered a chance to move on and do something better with your life is so tempting, especially to Brett after losing so much. Not only does she get to put the past behind her and move onto her future, she's given a chance that most people could only dream of. She receives a new home, a job, adventure, great friends, and finds love and lust. She faces difficulties, but she learns to face them head on and with her head held high.
The thought of having a tragedy strike you down in life and being offered a chance to move on and do something better with your life is so tempting, especially to Brett after losing so much. Not only does she get to put the past behind her and move onto her future, she's given a chance that most people could only dream of. She receives a new home, a job, adventure, great friends, and finds love and lust. She faces difficulties, but she learns to face them head on and with her head held high.
May 23, 2012
Kudos to Ms. Rozzlynn for making a whole new world and being very scientific about it. It made it science fiction in a way but I think the book did not have the right balance. At time it was way toooo scientific. Sometimes it was took cliche. Sometimes it was too emotional. Sometimes it was too lovey dovey. It did not have the right balance of these elements. The lead character, Brett, was annoying at times. She easily gets angry and annoyed. I am hoping though that by the second book, she would have mellowed down. I am hoping that the second book will be better and more balanced than the first one.
July 29, 2011
Couldn’t put it down! It was so interesting learning about and visualizing this new planet and all the amazing things they had and would encounter. Wonderful detail in the animals and plant life found already!! The description of the feelings that they as teens (or adults really) would be going through was great! The way Brett, Ryan or any of the other fabulous characters, acted or reacted to different situations as a result of the loss or pain they had previously suffered was perfect! It made it easy to empathize with them! The worst part was coming to the end and realizing I would have to wait for the next book before I can find out what happens next!! But I can’t wait to find out!!
August 25, 2011
WOW this book is fantastic it has the right amount of action and the right amount of love!! I loved it and could not put it down, in fact i was attached to my ebook and my ebook to the wall charging it was that great!! The characters were easy to relate to and had you feeling along with them!! It's a future that is easy to relate to and i was so dissapointed when the book ended, luckily though there is a sequel which i can not wait to read!! I won't go into detail as to what the book is about as there is plenty of info out there but i will say this GO AND PICK UP A COPY AND READ IT :)
obtained by a Library Thing Member Giveaway
obtained by a Library Thing Member Giveaway
Displaying 1 - 30 of 94 reviews