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UnEarthed #1
UnEarthed
If you're going to colonise a planet, you'd better be willing to fight for it.
Within Anphobos, there grows a new race. The first generation of humans never to set foot on Earth. They are pale skinned, large eyed and worship no god but science. They possess technological skills and processes Earth has refused to acknowledge. Until now...
"We are Martian. Your religion isn't ours. Our god is Mars. Our religion is science. Anything we do in the service of Mars, is good. Make no mistake, Earth girl, we are both right and good."
Fresh off Earth, Jodi Scarfield doesn't really care for Mars or its politics. Still, accusations of treason will get a girl's attention...
Within Anphobos, there grows a new race. The first generation of humans never to set foot on Earth. They are pale skinned, large eyed and worship no god but science. They possess technological skills and processes Earth has refused to acknowledge. Until now...
"We are Martian. Your religion isn't ours. Our god is Mars. Our religion is science. Anything we do in the service of Mars, is good. Make no mistake, Earth girl, we are both right and good."
Fresh off Earth, Jodi Scarfield doesn't really care for Mars or its politics. Still, accusations of treason will get a girl's attention...
160 pages, Paperback
First published November 20, 2011
About the author
Rebecca Bloomer
9 books22 followersI'm an adventure junkie who likes to write. I collect pretty things - baubles, phrases, people - and write them into stories so others can adventure with me.
I have never, to my knowledge, used the word 'boring' (unless it pertained to what small animals were doing to my woodwork) and hope I never will.
I have never, to my knowledge, used the word 'boring' (unless it pertained to what small animals were doing to my woodwork) and hope I never will.
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Displaying 1 - 27 of 27 reviews
November 25, 2014
UnEarthed is a novel that earns its place as a stellar piece of Young Adult Fiction. With its mature themes and focus on important and far-reaching current issues, as well as a powerful female protagonist, the novel represents the place that Young Adult Fiction has needed to head for a while. It neither panders to young adults, nor assumes a need for censorship of strong and sometimes violent ideas.
The story follows a sixteen-year-old Earth girl, Jodi Scarfield, as she is forced by her mother to move to Anphobos, Earth’s colony on Mars. A hacker and a nonconformist from the beginning, like any sixteen-year-old, she falls quickly into rebellion, making friends who are deeply invested in Anphobos’ fight for independence. But with tensions running high at home and in the political sphere, the question of who to trust becomes vital.
Rebecca Bloomer weaves a vibrant Martian world, just real enough for us to relate to both the Martians living there, and the Earthlings struggling to fit in, and fantastical enough to excite both fantasy and danger. The plot carries the reader along swiftly, drawing them in for a fast-paced adventure that, despite being intergalactic and seeped in political instability, does not seem unrealistic for the sixteen-year-old protagonist. Jodi is bursting with life, and her desires and fears are ones that young adults can intimately relate to, whilst also appealing to older readers. Bloomer’s narrative voice is perfect, guiding the story along brilliantly, and allowing the reader to develop a strong connection with a fallible, yet incredibly likeable character. Despite the otherworldly setting, many of Jodi’s problems are timelessly familiar.
However her intimate knowledge of her target audience, and an understanding of the ability of young adults to engage in important issues usually relegated to adult spheres is where Bloomer really excels. UnEarthed considers the expansion of technology, political unrest and protest, republicanism and space exploration in a way that treats young adults as the leaders of tomorrow that they are. The themes are suited to the target audience, and yet do not suppose that their age prevents them from understanding and engaging with these issues. With the spate of romance and mythology focused young adult fiction relegated to the background, UnEarthed represents young adult fiction as it should be – challenging the minds of our younger generations with the issues of tomorrow. An absolutely fantastic read.
The story follows a sixteen-year-old Earth girl, Jodi Scarfield, as she is forced by her mother to move to Anphobos, Earth’s colony on Mars. A hacker and a nonconformist from the beginning, like any sixteen-year-old, she falls quickly into rebellion, making friends who are deeply invested in Anphobos’ fight for independence. But with tensions running high at home and in the political sphere, the question of who to trust becomes vital.
Rebecca Bloomer weaves a vibrant Martian world, just real enough for us to relate to both the Martians living there, and the Earthlings struggling to fit in, and fantastical enough to excite both fantasy and danger. The plot carries the reader along swiftly, drawing them in for a fast-paced adventure that, despite being intergalactic and seeped in political instability, does not seem unrealistic for the sixteen-year-old protagonist. Jodi is bursting with life, and her desires and fears are ones that young adults can intimately relate to, whilst also appealing to older readers. Bloomer’s narrative voice is perfect, guiding the story along brilliantly, and allowing the reader to develop a strong connection with a fallible, yet incredibly likeable character. Despite the otherworldly setting, many of Jodi’s problems are timelessly familiar.
However her intimate knowledge of her target audience, and an understanding of the ability of young adults to engage in important issues usually relegated to adult spheres is where Bloomer really excels. UnEarthed considers the expansion of technology, political unrest and protest, republicanism and space exploration in a way that treats young adults as the leaders of tomorrow that they are. The themes are suited to the target audience, and yet do not suppose that their age prevents them from understanding and engaging with these issues. With the spate of romance and mythology focused young adult fiction relegated to the background, UnEarthed represents young adult fiction as it should be – challenging the minds of our younger generations with the issues of tomorrow. An absolutely fantastic read.
October 24, 2013
'No one can predict the future, Jodi Scarfield .The universe is possessed of infinite possibility and you're exploring just one.'
But Jodi is whisked away from hacking into the Earth government security systems to another world entirely by her mother who, knowing nothing of her daughter's activities, wants to join her husband on Mars. A four months' journey follows.
"Not night black, this was space black, a deep, scary kind of darkness that came with emptiness."
As they close on their destination, Jodi reflects on certain personal matters about shuttle travel that no-one thinks to tell you about: how your inert body gets poked about and studied both outside and inside by the shuttle crew, for instance, and the extraordinary amount of body hair that can grow in four months. And then, after a near accident, they have landed. And her parent's renewal of domestic bliss is not quite going to plan.
" So here you are on a war god planet being circled by Fear and Dread.' (i.e. Mars and it's moons Phobos and Deimos.
Mars is rampant in our popular culture. Scientists and film makers can't leave the red planet alone. Explorers played by Val Kilmer and Matt Damon have been cinematically abandoned there. Billionaires are selling one way tickets for a voyage there of dubious value. And surely we have all, at least once, imagined ourselves able to live on another planet a big protective bubble, protected by every kind of engineering wonder.
'It was supposed to be a colony but could anything human really survive in world where even the fish were organised?'
But have we actually thought it through? What about how precious the water and how short your shower is going to be? What about how the small population of an isolated colony is bound to reinvent social conventions, transport, education, clothes? Did we forget that there is going to be ugly politics no matter where we go?
Jodi is still absorbing the features of her new life with the help of her new friend Astrid when she runs into Jules. More accurately, he keeps sneaking up behind her. We readers realise this can't be good. Jules' good looks almost turn Jodi's head. But there is something about Jules ...
I particularly liked Jodi for being realistically naive about her new home, as easily impressed by appearances as all of us, as frightened as any one would be in a desperate situation, but always able - with the minds-eye of a code hacker - to spot glitches in patterns, including of human behaviour, that give her warning signs of trouble. If only she would act on them a touch faster than she does!
A breathless adventure that is grounded (yes, grounded- there's gravity under that dome) in a plethora of fascinating insights into interplanetary life. I also loved the cover by Kerem Dogus.
Rebecca Boomer has followed up Unearthed with Unearthly. This picks up with Jodi and her friend Astrid 18 months later.
But Jodi is whisked away from hacking into the Earth government security systems to another world entirely by her mother who, knowing nothing of her daughter's activities, wants to join her husband on Mars. A four months' journey follows.
"Not night black, this was space black, a deep, scary kind of darkness that came with emptiness."
As they close on their destination, Jodi reflects on certain personal matters about shuttle travel that no-one thinks to tell you about: how your inert body gets poked about and studied both outside and inside by the shuttle crew, for instance, and the extraordinary amount of body hair that can grow in four months. And then, after a near accident, they have landed. And her parent's renewal of domestic bliss is not quite going to plan.
" So here you are on a war god planet being circled by Fear and Dread.' (i.e. Mars and it's moons Phobos and Deimos.
Mars is rampant in our popular culture. Scientists and film makers can't leave the red planet alone. Explorers played by Val Kilmer and Matt Damon have been cinematically abandoned there. Billionaires are selling one way tickets for a voyage there of dubious value. And surely we have all, at least once, imagined ourselves able to live on another planet a big protective bubble, protected by every kind of engineering wonder.
'It was supposed to be a colony but could anything human really survive in world where even the fish were organised?'
But have we actually thought it through? What about how precious the water and how short your shower is going to be? What about how the small population of an isolated colony is bound to reinvent social conventions, transport, education, clothes? Did we forget that there is going to be ugly politics no matter where we go?
Jodi is still absorbing the features of her new life with the help of her new friend Astrid when she runs into Jules. More accurately, he keeps sneaking up behind her. We readers realise this can't be good. Jules' good looks almost turn Jodi's head. But there is something about Jules ...
I particularly liked Jodi for being realistically naive about her new home, as easily impressed by appearances as all of us, as frightened as any one would be in a desperate situation, but always able - with the minds-eye of a code hacker - to spot glitches in patterns, including of human behaviour, that give her warning signs of trouble. If only she would act on them a touch faster than she does!
A breathless adventure that is grounded (yes, grounded- there's gravity under that dome) in a plethora of fascinating insights into interplanetary life. I also loved the cover by Kerem Dogus.
Rebecca Boomer has followed up Unearthed with Unearthly. This picks up with Jodi and her friend Astrid 18 months later.
December 16, 2013
Since my first epic encounter with Saber Rider and the Star Sheriffs almost 25 years back I have been a big fan of Science Fiction Amine (TV) series. Unearthed's premise is not unlike Sabor Rider: The plot is set in the distant future. Humans have spread beyond Earth and colonized planets, creating a New Frontier of man.
As soon as Jodi Scarfield sets foot on the Mars colony I have been intrigued. Unearthed has been a pleasant surprise, bringing back some very beloved childhood memories. This science fiction young adult novel combines a few things very convincingly: Living on a Mars colony and high-flying teens. The main character herself is a hacker and thus far I found the descriptions rather apt as are those on the living conditions on the red planet. The author apparently did some research and it shows without her being to pretentious or scientific about it.
In my mind I could easily visualize the colony and the characters. This world bears some parallels to Æon Flux, too. The whole premise of the book was really cool. But UnEarthed is a fairly quick read, too short for its own good, which is one of the reasons I only gave it 3 stars. The focus is clearly not on character-development or interaction. The novel is too action-oriented and feels after the first half very rushed, when suddenly everything happens at once.
All in all a pleasant read to kill time, better than a lot of other YA books but nothing exceptional or outstanding. At least I have the hope that more books in the YA science fiction genre are on their way.
And now I am off catching up with my childhood infatuation Sabor Rider and Captain Future.
As soon as Jodi Scarfield sets foot on the Mars colony I have been intrigued. Unearthed has been a pleasant surprise, bringing back some very beloved childhood memories. This science fiction young adult novel combines a few things very convincingly: Living on a Mars colony and high-flying teens. The main character herself is a hacker and thus far I found the descriptions rather apt as are those on the living conditions on the red planet. The author apparently did some research and it shows without her being to pretentious or scientific about it.
In my mind I could easily visualize the colony and the characters. This world bears some parallels to Æon Flux, too. The whole premise of the book was really cool. But UnEarthed is a fairly quick read, too short for its own good, which is one of the reasons I only gave it 3 stars. The focus is clearly not on character-development or interaction. The novel is too action-oriented and feels after the first half very rushed, when suddenly everything happens at once.
All in all a pleasant read to kill time, better than a lot of other YA books but nothing exceptional or outstanding. At least I have the hope that more books in the YA science fiction genre are on their way.
And now I am off catching up with my childhood infatuation Sabor Rider and Captain Future.
October 21, 2012
Jodi Scarfield is a computer geek and a hacker. If you disregard hacking part, she is just an ordinary girl: goes to school, hangs out with her best friend etc. But then Jodi and her mother move to colony on planet Mars where her father works, and she becomes 'little Earth girl'. The book is very good in describing problems that happen when moving to a unknown environment. New school, society rules and customs, food, religion, politics,...
The differences between two planets are many: from obvious one like two moons to weird ones like 5 minute limited daily shower. Although the book is short, very much attention is dedicated to the world building and I loved reading about Mars culture and how human society evolved there.
Unfortunately, shortage of pages can be felt at the end of the book because the culmination and ending are rushed. Actions of characters are not enough explained in last chapters and the aftermath has a couple of holes in my opinion. It's a pity because that's what lowered my rating from 5 to 4 stars.
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on Amazon and my blog.
The differences between two planets are many: from obvious one like two moons to weird ones like 5 minute limited daily shower. Although the book is short, very much attention is dedicated to the world building and I loved reading about Mars culture and how human society evolved there.
Unfortunately, shortage of pages can be felt at the end of the book because the culmination and ending are rushed. Actions of characters are not enough explained in last chapters and the aftermath has a couple of holes in my opinion. It's a pity because that's what lowered my rating from 5 to 4 stars.
Disclaimer: I was given a free eBook by the publisher via NetGalley in exchange for a honest review. This text is also posted on Amazon and my blog.
December 31, 2013
thank you Odyssey Books
the word i'm thinking of is ordinary. mundane.
UnEarthed could have been an ordinary, snuggle-down, tad pleasant novel; it could have been a cherry-lemon pill to bite down on when I'm bored with the world, which while is a frequent occurrence for me is still momentary; it should have been easy to get through considering its length of 160 pages, but I only got to 80, exact.
Now there are infinite possibilities as to what could have happened. My ARC expired, Martians took captive the queen of England and for some reason I was expected to save her, a door knob's burst due to raised temp and tiny shards impaled my eye, an unexpected, harrowing incident occurred during a re-run of the Mummy and that has sort of made me trigger sensitive about words with the prefix 'An.' Sometimes, though, you gotta trace it with Occam's Razor.
The characters stopped interesting me, particularly the guy whose name I can't remember(which always happens with the guys, why?) was so uninteresting and...open. I can't wrap my head around his actions: they've barely known each other for less than an hour and out pours his story and others'. Freaky, it is.
Prior to this, I had been liking the book to some extent. Okay writing, okay imagery, which is super important for me when the book plans on transporting me to Mars, okay Mars colony, if unimaginative, cool MC, who is a hacker with troubles of her own. Pleasant but not pleasant enough. It's a peasant among sci-fi novels(yeah, I so totally did that. Again, why?).
It wasn't bad, and maybe, I might have finished it once upon a time but these days I'm trying to set my set my bar at precisely pleasant. For books below that, I'm sorry 'cause I'm growing up and that means the days are getting shorter. It does have a tendency to do that; I think Einstein explained it too. No wait, that was the Doctor. Not in those exact words but...
the word i'm thinking of is ordinary. mundane.
UnEarthed could have been an ordinary, snuggle-down, tad pleasant novel; it could have been a cherry-lemon pill to bite down on when I'm bored with the world, which while is a frequent occurrence for me is still momentary; it should have been easy to get through considering its length of 160 pages, but I only got to 80, exact.
Now there are infinite possibilities as to what could have happened. My ARC expired, Martians took captive the queen of England and for some reason I was expected to save her, a door knob's burst due to raised temp and tiny shards impaled my eye, an unexpected, harrowing incident occurred during a re-run of the Mummy and that has sort of made me trigger sensitive about words with the prefix 'An.' Sometimes, though, you gotta trace it with Occam's Razor.
The characters stopped interesting me, particularly the guy whose name I can't remember(which always happens with the guys, why?) was so uninteresting and...open. I can't wrap my head around his actions: they've barely known each other for less than an hour and out pours his story and others'. Freaky, it is.
Prior to this, I had been liking the book to some extent. Okay writing, okay imagery, which is super important for me when the book plans on transporting me to Mars, okay Mars colony, if unimaginative, cool MC, who is a hacker with troubles of her own. Pleasant but not pleasant enough. It's a peasant among sci-fi novels(yeah, I so totally did that. Again, why?).
It wasn't bad, and maybe, I might have finished it once upon a time but these days I'm trying to set my set my bar at precisely pleasant. For books below that, I'm sorry 'cause I'm growing up and that means the days are getting shorter. It does have a tendency to do that; I think Einstein explained it too. No wait, that was the Doctor. Not in those exact words but...
April 24, 2019
I'm really glad that proper science fictiony YA is starting to become more widespread and popular. In the wake of all this paranormal romance Twilight stuff, it's refreshing to see publishers being a bit more adventurous.
I wouldn't say Unearthed is the best example of the genre but there's loads to like about it. Jodi makes for a really likeable main character with her sass and independence. There's plenty of very human background stuff, such as the strained relationship between her parents, contrasting the spacey stuff nicely. I liked the story, and the hint of far reaching politics that ran alongside the smaller challenges of a girl trying to fit in, and a husband and wife trying to reconcile a year spent apart.
In fact, my only real criticism of the book would be that it's too short. The story barely has time to get started before it's barrelling towards its climax, and as a consequence the denouement feels rushed and lacks the punch it could have had. Anphobos is a fascinating idea for a settlement, and though we get a good enough flavour not to feel disoriented, there was definitely room for a little more time spent on world building and exploration. Characters are fairly well handled, though again, there wasn't enough time spent with them to be surprised by betrayals, or rooting for their victories.
This is starting to sound like a negative review, which it isn't. I did really enjoy reading Unearthed. And the fact that it left me with a sense of wanting more is a testament to the quality of what was there.
It's just a shame there wasn't very much there.
I wouldn't say Unearthed is the best example of the genre but there's loads to like about it. Jodi makes for a really likeable main character with her sass and independence. There's plenty of very human background stuff, such as the strained relationship between her parents, contrasting the spacey stuff nicely. I liked the story, and the hint of far reaching politics that ran alongside the smaller challenges of a girl trying to fit in, and a husband and wife trying to reconcile a year spent apart.
In fact, my only real criticism of the book would be that it's too short. The story barely has time to get started before it's barrelling towards its climax, and as a consequence the denouement feels rushed and lacks the punch it could have had. Anphobos is a fascinating idea for a settlement, and though we get a good enough flavour not to feel disoriented, there was definitely room for a little more time spent on world building and exploration. Characters are fairly well handled, though again, there wasn't enough time spent with them to be surprised by betrayals, or rooting for their victories.
This is starting to sound like a negative review, which it isn't. I did really enjoy reading Unearthed. And the fact that it left me with a sense of wanting more is a testament to the quality of what was there.
It's just a shame there wasn't very much there.
October 8, 2012
UnEarthed by Rebecca Bloomer
3 Stars
Colonised a number of years ago, Mars is the first planet to have humans born there who have never been to earth. Fed up with answering to, and relying on earth, some of the natives have started a revolution, they want independence and will do anything to get it. When Jodi Scarfield and her mum join their father in the colony, Jodi meets some interesting kids her own age but finds herself right in the middle of the political fight.
UnEarthed is a fairly quick read which is one of the reasons I only gave it 3 stars. I enjoyed watching Jodi as she tried to adapt to her new world and could easily visualise the colony from the detailed descriptions. We were given plenty of background on Jodi and her abilities with computers and technology, and the story was moving along at a comfortable pace….right up to the last few chapters when suddenly everything happened! The frustrating thing for me is that when the action kicked in we didn’t have the attention to detail that we’d had throughout the rest of the book. It happened too quickly and was rushed, then we were straight into the aftermath without full explanation of what had happened to Jodi. The whole end scene could have been so much more visual and exciting had the author put as much thought into it as she had into setting the scene earlier in the book.
Overall this was a good read it’s a shame it was let down by the rushed ending,
Copy supplied for review
3 Stars
Colonised a number of years ago, Mars is the first planet to have humans born there who have never been to earth. Fed up with answering to, and relying on earth, some of the natives have started a revolution, they want independence and will do anything to get it. When Jodi Scarfield and her mum join their father in the colony, Jodi meets some interesting kids her own age but finds herself right in the middle of the political fight.
UnEarthed is a fairly quick read which is one of the reasons I only gave it 3 stars. I enjoyed watching Jodi as she tried to adapt to her new world and could easily visualise the colony from the detailed descriptions. We were given plenty of background on Jodi and her abilities with computers and technology, and the story was moving along at a comfortable pace….right up to the last few chapters when suddenly everything happened! The frustrating thing for me is that when the action kicked in we didn’t have the attention to detail that we’d had throughout the rest of the book. It happened too quickly and was rushed, then we were straight into the aftermath without full explanation of what had happened to Jodi. The whole end scene could have been so much more visual and exciting had the author put as much thought into it as she had into setting the scene earlier in the book.
Overall this was a good read it’s a shame it was let down by the rushed ending,
Copy supplied for review
November 13, 2012
Unfortunately this is going to be a very short review . The book was also short and I do not want to reveal any spoilers .
I will start by saying that this is my first science fiction book that I have ever read . And I have liked it and I SINCERELY RECOMMEND IT to you .
UnEarthed is a verry well written , I liked Rebecca Bloomer style a lot . I have loved the book , but I have to tell you that I wish it could have been longer . Please do not get me wrong for saying this , the book is verry good , but ussually I have not read many short novels . It finished to fast .
The book tells us the story of Jodi Scarfield . Reading the book we learn a lot of thing such as : Jodi is a very smart girl , she is also a hacker ( being really smart gives you this opportunity – Personally I am in disagreement with hacking ) , we also learn that humans where not ussually born on Earth and that Mars was the first planet where humans were born .
To be sincere I really do not know what else to tell you about the story , it was short and I do not want to reveal any spoilers . You should read it , the SF books fans will certainly love it !
So , I recommend you this book with all my heart. Like I said before I have never read a science fiction novel before , but I have liked it . I would love to read another science fiction book again !
Thank you so much Rebecca Bloomer for sending me your book for review !
5 STARS FROM ME
I will start by saying that this is my first science fiction book that I have ever read . And I have liked it and I SINCERELY RECOMMEND IT to you .
UnEarthed is a verry well written , I liked Rebecca Bloomer style a lot . I have loved the book , but I have to tell you that I wish it could have been longer . Please do not get me wrong for saying this , the book is verry good , but ussually I have not read many short novels . It finished to fast .
The book tells us the story of Jodi Scarfield . Reading the book we learn a lot of thing such as : Jodi is a very smart girl , she is also a hacker ( being really smart gives you this opportunity – Personally I am in disagreement with hacking ) , we also learn that humans where not ussually born on Earth and that Mars was the first planet where humans were born .
To be sincere I really do not know what else to tell you about the story , it was short and I do not want to reveal any spoilers . You should read it , the SF books fans will certainly love it !
So , I recommend you this book with all my heart. Like I said before I have never read a science fiction novel before , but I have liked it . I would love to read another science fiction book again !
Thank you so much Rebecca Bloomer for sending me your book for review !
5 STARS FROM ME
December 9, 2013
Unearthed is a fast turn-page adventure, with a little of romance and a lot of good humor.
Jodi is a teenage who is moving out with her mother to Mars, where her daddy lives. Jodi doesn't like the idea until she is introduced to how it really is to live in Mars.
The human colony in Mars name is Anphobos, and it is basically inhabited and developed for and to scientists and technogeeks. For a hacker like Jodi, this can be a paradise!
Whithin the dome that protects Anphobos, live is clean, organized, envorimental sustainable and with amazing technologies. However, the colony isn't able to supply all products yet, needing some supplies form mother Earth, and that is now a problem, since the high taxation of imports and exports.
Anphobosites (inhabitants of Anphobos) want a fair trade and more independence. While the majority seek a pacific way to achieve this, other are read to fight and worst, to initiate the fight.
For Jodi this is a new planet, a new culture, a new life, but she get herself involved in old and very human contests.
I enjoyed the world created by Bloomer in Anphobos. It was realistic and I could believe that if (or when) we get on Mars, the human colony would be like the one that she described in this bool.
The writing was good and the plot was interesting, a well balanced young adult sci-fi, with funny and light moments, a touch of romance and some thriller. I'll definitely recommend it.
Jodi is a teenage who is moving out with her mother to Mars, where her daddy lives. Jodi doesn't like the idea until she is introduced to how it really is to live in Mars.
The human colony in Mars name is Anphobos, and it is basically inhabited and developed for and to scientists and technogeeks. For a hacker like Jodi, this can be a paradise!
Whithin the dome that protects Anphobos, live is clean, organized, envorimental sustainable and with amazing technologies. However, the colony isn't able to supply all products yet, needing some supplies form mother Earth, and that is now a problem, since the high taxation of imports and exports.
Anphobosites (inhabitants of Anphobos) want a fair trade and more independence. While the majority seek a pacific way to achieve this, other are read to fight and worst, to initiate the fight.
For Jodi this is a new planet, a new culture, a new life, but she get herself involved in old and very human contests.
I enjoyed the world created by Bloomer in Anphobos. It was realistic and I could believe that if (or when) we get on Mars, the human colony would be like the one that she described in this bool.
The writing was good and the plot was interesting, a well balanced young adult sci-fi, with funny and light moments, a touch of romance and some thriller. I'll definitely recommend it.
January 31, 2013
I received this book from NetGalley in exchange for an honest review.
Jodi is a teen computer geek and her dad takes a job in a Mars colony, so the whole family has to move to Mars. Jodi meets a bunch of kids that were born and raised on Mars and aren't really that fond of Earth people. There's quite a bit of politics, the 'martians' want to be independent of Earth.
The characters are okay. Sometimes the characters seemed to act out of character, but it wasn't too often or even terribly obvious. The world building was really good - everything is detailed and explained very well.
I think that toward the end of the story, things weren't as detailed as they could have been and they sped by pretty fast, compared to the rest of the story. It's an okay story, but this seems to be a new genre by itself - humans on another planet or moon that want to be independent of Earth. I've read 2 in the last couple of months - although the other one was undoubtedly better.
Jodi is a teen computer geek and her dad takes a job in a Mars colony, so the whole family has to move to Mars. Jodi meets a bunch of kids that were born and raised on Mars and aren't really that fond of Earth people. There's quite a bit of politics, the 'martians' want to be independent of Earth.
The characters are okay. Sometimes the characters seemed to act out of character, but it wasn't too often or even terribly obvious. The world building was really good - everything is detailed and explained very well.
I think that toward the end of the story, things weren't as detailed as they could have been and they sped by pretty fast, compared to the rest of the story. It's an okay story, but this seems to be a new genre by itself - humans on another planet or moon that want to be independent of Earth. I've read 2 in the last couple of months - although the other one was undoubtedly better.
May 27, 2016
UnEarthed is a unique YA sci-fi tale that both teens and adults will love. Jodi is a well-developed character full of intelligence, curiosity, and spirit. Unlike many YA books, UnEarthed is surprisingly upbeat and positive in spite of dealing with some fairly serious issues.
UnEarthed doesn't get a full 5 stars from me because it had a lot of grammar and editing issues. Luckily, it didn't distract too much from the story to keep me from enjoying. There were also a few points that could have been explained more or expanded upon, like Jodi's relationship with her parents. We only get a glimpse of it, and that glimpse brought up more questions for me than it did to give insight into Jodi's character.
UnEarthed doesn't get a full 5 stars from me because it had a lot of grammar and editing issues. Luckily, it didn't distract too much from the story to keep me from enjoying. There were also a few points that could have been explained more or expanded upon, like Jodi's relationship with her parents. We only get a glimpse of it, and that glimpse brought up more questions for me than it did to give insight into Jodi's character.
September 28, 2012
I was lucky enough to win this book in a giveaway. While it was rather good, I think it was a bit short. I don't think they was enough a build up and felt a bit rushed. However, that really my only compliant. The world building quite good and there was quite clear image of the colony given.
I didn't feel really that attached to any of the characters, but I think that links back to length issue.
I didn't feel really that attached to any of the characters, but I think that links back to length issue.
December 30, 2013
***Note: I received this as an e-book through Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. In no way does that effect the thoughts and opinions expressed here. I did not get compensated in any way for this review.***
Jodi Scarfieldf is a new arrival to the Mars colony Anphobos, fresh off the shuttle from Earth. She’s full of spunk, has an incredible brain for IT programming, and bites her nails when her emotions get the better of her. Anphobos is alien to her – full of technological advances that Earth has never seen the likes of and populated with scientific geniuses around every corner. There is political unrest between Earth and Mars, and soon Jodi will be in the middle of it…
I enjoyed this book. It was solid YA science fiction, which I’m happy to see more of these days. It seems like YA paranormal romance has had the limelight for a little too long (don’t get me wrong, I love that too, but we need some variety in our reading lives…).
Rebecca Bloomer is a good writer, and I’m glad I requested to receive this book through Netgalley. It was a quick read for me (more on that soon), and I liked Jodi as a protagonist – she had spunk and grit, but also acted in ways that I thought were authentic to a teenage girl. For example, she went along with her new friends in an attempt to impress them, even when she wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do; she would sometimes second guess some of the things she’s said – wondering if her new friends would see her as silly or stupid, etc. I appreciated that about her. She wasn’t perfect, but I liked that she wasn’t a meek little girl either. Also, I LOVE seeing smart and technologically savvy young women in books – more teenagers (especially girls) need to see that it’s cool to be smart and a little geeky :)
In addition to an admirable protagonist, I enjoyed the plot and world-building. The idea of a functioning colony on Mars hearkened back to some of the science fiction I read as a child (what would probably be considered “vintage” sci-fi now). The imagery of a pristine domed-in colony full of technological advances and a first generation humans who had never even been to earth really sparked my imagination and had a way of drawing me into the story – I found myself invested in Jodi and wanting to know how things would shake out for her in this new and alien environment.
My main issue with the book was that it simply didn’t feel like it was long enough. I kept wanting more, and I felt like I had a lot of unanswered question. Of course, it’s impossible for any author to predict all the questions that their readers might have, but I felt like this story warranted a little more context, background, and secondary character development. Basically, I would have been happy to spend more time reading it had it been longer and perhaps addressed some of these questions :)
- How had the current political situation developed on earth?
- Why there was tension between Earth and Mars – how did that political situation develop?
- How did Jodi learn to be hacker – what drew her interest into IT programming?
- What, if anything, happened with her friend Ellie? Did they stay friends? She was brought up early in the story, and then dropped…
- What is the background of Jules’ family? Astrid’s family? Why did they come to Mars originally? What was it like for them as children?
- Did Astrid know just how psychotic Jules was? For a genuis (and one who seemed to have known him for a long time), it seems like she would have been more aware of his issues.
- What motivated Jules’ (and his family’s) extreme behavior? I got that there was some political tension… but it also didn’t seem elevated enough to truly create an environment that would support extremism (again, perhaps more context on the political situation would have been warranted to explain this a little more).
Overall, as I enjoyed the book. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I really wanted more! More context! More background! More secondary character development! I think this is a solid (if a little short) YA science fiction novel and would be broadly enjoyed by young adult readers.
Many thanks to Odyssey Books and the author for providing me with the free e-book via Netgalley.
My review can also be found here: http://cactuswrenreview.wordpress.com...
Jodi Scarfieldf is a new arrival to the Mars colony Anphobos, fresh off the shuttle from Earth. She’s full of spunk, has an incredible brain for IT programming, and bites her nails when her emotions get the better of her. Anphobos is alien to her – full of technological advances that Earth has never seen the likes of and populated with scientific geniuses around every corner. There is political unrest between Earth and Mars, and soon Jodi will be in the middle of it…
I enjoyed this book. It was solid YA science fiction, which I’m happy to see more of these days. It seems like YA paranormal romance has had the limelight for a little too long (don’t get me wrong, I love that too, but we need some variety in our reading lives…).
Rebecca Bloomer is a good writer, and I’m glad I requested to receive this book through Netgalley. It was a quick read for me (more on that soon), and I liked Jodi as a protagonist – she had spunk and grit, but also acted in ways that I thought were authentic to a teenage girl. For example, she went along with her new friends in an attempt to impress them, even when she wasn’t sure if it was the right thing to do; she would sometimes second guess some of the things she’s said – wondering if her new friends would see her as silly or stupid, etc. I appreciated that about her. She wasn’t perfect, but I liked that she wasn’t a meek little girl either. Also, I LOVE seeing smart and technologically savvy young women in books – more teenagers (especially girls) need to see that it’s cool to be smart and a little geeky :)
In addition to an admirable protagonist, I enjoyed the plot and world-building. The idea of a functioning colony on Mars hearkened back to some of the science fiction I read as a child (what would probably be considered “vintage” sci-fi now). The imagery of a pristine domed-in colony full of technological advances and a first generation humans who had never even been to earth really sparked my imagination and had a way of drawing me into the story – I found myself invested in Jodi and wanting to know how things would shake out for her in this new and alien environment.
My main issue with the book was that it simply didn’t feel like it was long enough. I kept wanting more, and I felt like I had a lot of unanswered question. Of course, it’s impossible for any author to predict all the questions that their readers might have, but I felt like this story warranted a little more context, background, and secondary character development. Basically, I would have been happy to spend more time reading it had it been longer and perhaps addressed some of these questions :)
- How had the current political situation developed on earth?
- Why there was tension between Earth and Mars – how did that political situation develop?
- How did Jodi learn to be hacker – what drew her interest into IT programming?
- What, if anything, happened with her friend Ellie? Did they stay friends? She was brought up early in the story, and then dropped…
- What is the background of Jules’ family? Astrid’s family? Why did they come to Mars originally? What was it like for them as children?
- Did Astrid know just how psychotic Jules was? For a genuis (and one who seemed to have known him for a long time), it seems like she would have been more aware of his issues.
- What motivated Jules’ (and his family’s) extreme behavior? I got that there was some political tension… but it also didn’t seem elevated enough to truly create an environment that would support extremism (again, perhaps more context on the political situation would have been warranted to explain this a little more).
Overall, as I enjoyed the book. In fact, I enjoyed it so much that I really wanted more! More context! More background! More secondary character development! I think this is a solid (if a little short) YA science fiction novel and would be broadly enjoyed by young adult readers.
Many thanks to Odyssey Books and the author for providing me with the free e-book via Netgalley.
My review can also be found here: http://cactuswrenreview.wordpress.com...
February 8, 2014
I never really read much about spaceships or other planets until I read ACROSS THE UNIVERSE back in the day -- and that book was just so MAGICAL that it really opened my mind to others with a similar theme -- despite the fact that I never considered myself really interested in any fiction dealing with things related to outer space.
So, that's how I came to read UNEARTHED, by Rebecca Bloomer, which I believe is the first in a series (or, if it's not a series, I know there's at least a second book of some sort!) As you can tell from that fabulous cover, this one definitely deals with life on other planets -- specifically, Mars. Our main character, a quiet teenage girl with serious computer hacking skills, finds out at the start of the story that she and her mother are forced to move to Anphobos, a colony on Mars where her father currently works as a botanist. Even though Jodi would MUCH rather stick around with her hacker group on Earth, she has no choice but to allow herself to be drugged and ready to sleep for a few months while she and her mother are transported to a foreign planet to a life she never expected to live quite like this.
But, once Jodi and her mother arrive on Mars, they learn that things aren't quite as peaceful and pleasant as her father had led them to believe. Rebel groups are demanding freedom to travel and trade with Earth, and hostilities between the two planets are at an all time high. Jodi knows that she has the intelligence and the skills to hack into the high-tech bots that control everything in Mars, but will she get herself mixed up in the wrong side of this fight and endanger her family in the process?
I really enjoyed the concept of this novel, I think, and the first quarter of the story had me totally enthralled ... but honestly, as the novel progressed, it felt like things were just TOO fast and TOO driven by the action and the plot points -- to the point that everything felt really rushed and unexplained.
Granted, there is at least one more book after UNEARTHED, so maybe there will be more explanations to fill in the blanks in this story. I think I needed a little more explanation and back story to the rebel movement, for example, to help justify how things got so extreme so fast!
Even so, this was a pretty good start to a very action-packed story. I appreciate having the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel for the purposes of providing an honest review.
So, that's how I came to read UNEARTHED, by Rebecca Bloomer, which I believe is the first in a series (or, if it's not a series, I know there's at least a second book of some sort!) As you can tell from that fabulous cover, this one definitely deals with life on other planets -- specifically, Mars. Our main character, a quiet teenage girl with serious computer hacking skills, finds out at the start of the story that she and her mother are forced to move to Anphobos, a colony on Mars where her father currently works as a botanist. Even though Jodi would MUCH rather stick around with her hacker group on Earth, she has no choice but to allow herself to be drugged and ready to sleep for a few months while she and her mother are transported to a foreign planet to a life she never expected to live quite like this.
But, once Jodi and her mother arrive on Mars, they learn that things aren't quite as peaceful and pleasant as her father had led them to believe. Rebel groups are demanding freedom to travel and trade with Earth, and hostilities between the two planets are at an all time high. Jodi knows that she has the intelligence and the skills to hack into the high-tech bots that control everything in Mars, but will she get herself mixed up in the wrong side of this fight and endanger her family in the process?
I really enjoyed the concept of this novel, I think, and the first quarter of the story had me totally enthralled ... but honestly, as the novel progressed, it felt like things were just TOO fast and TOO driven by the action and the plot points -- to the point that everything felt really rushed and unexplained.
Granted, there is at least one more book after UNEARTHED, so maybe there will be more explanations to fill in the blanks in this story. I think I needed a little more explanation and back story to the rebel movement, for example, to help justify how things got so extreme so fast!
Even so, this was a pretty good start to a very action-packed story. I appreciate having the opportunity to read an advanced copy of this novel for the purposes of providing an honest review.
December 4, 2013
This review appears on RelleReads. Check it out for reviews, writing and more! Nope, kidding. Just those two.
Thank you Netgalley and Odyssey Books for providing me with a copy of this book!
After reading the description, I honestly didn't know what to expect from UnEarthed. Maybe aliens and Mars and other elements from space. I got that, but I'm still sad to stay that I'm dissapointed.
Rebecca Bloomer has a writing style that definitely needs some getting used to in the beginning. Although I was used to it in the end, I don't like it. I don't like her choice of words, her sentence structure. Especially her choice of words. In one chapter, I read the word "chuckled" too many times. It made it seem like she didn't use a wide horizon of verbs and did lazy writing.
I also felt like there could have been much story to this book than it has. The idea of Mars wanting to seperate themselves from Earth and rebels is a great subject to start from. I had not read something like this, which makes it original in a way, but where the story headed wasn't interesting. Acclimatization, politics and technology was logical and fitting, but not something to keep someone interested in a story. The slow pace didn't help much. In the end I was waiting around for something to happen. I didn't get the chance to connect with the characters either. They felt flat and unnatural, that they're just there to entertain.
Overall, I liked that the story had something that other books in the YA genre hadn't: the colonization of Mars and the natives wanting to be independent. That's just a small thing compared to all the things I did not like, those mentioned in the previous alinea. I just wished it had more of a plot and something going on than what it has now.
"We are Martian. Your religion isn't ours. Our god is Mars. Our religion is science. Anything we do in the service of Mars, is good. Make no mistake, Earth girl, we are both right and good."
- Rebecca Bloomer, Unearthed
Thank you Netgalley and Odyssey Books for providing me with a copy of this book!
After reading the description, I honestly didn't know what to expect from UnEarthed. Maybe aliens and Mars and other elements from space. I got that, but I'm still sad to stay that I'm dissapointed.
Rebecca Bloomer has a writing style that definitely needs some getting used to in the beginning. Although I was used to it in the end, I don't like it. I don't like her choice of words, her sentence structure. Especially her choice of words. In one chapter, I read the word "chuckled" too many times. It made it seem like she didn't use a wide horizon of verbs and did lazy writing.
I also felt like there could have been much story to this book than it has. The idea of Mars wanting to seperate themselves from Earth and rebels is a great subject to start from. I had not read something like this, which makes it original in a way, but where the story headed wasn't interesting. Acclimatization, politics and technology was logical and fitting, but not something to keep someone interested in a story. The slow pace didn't help much. In the end I was waiting around for something to happen. I didn't get the chance to connect with the characters either. They felt flat and unnatural, that they're just there to entertain.
Overall, I liked that the story had something that other books in the YA genre hadn't: the colonization of Mars and the natives wanting to be independent. That's just a small thing compared to all the things I did not like, those mentioned in the previous alinea. I just wished it had more of a plot and something going on than what it has now.
December 4, 2013
More Reviews:
**I received this as an eARC through Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. In no way does that effect the thoughts and opinions expressed here. I did not get compensated in any way for this review.**
REVIEW
My thoughts are a jumbled mess when it comes to thinking about Unearthed, much like the book itself was. For being such a short read (right around 100 pages) it took me THREE days to finish it! There were some ideas that I liked; life on Mars, along with space travel, Jodi's hacker skills and the technology spoken about were all pretty fascinating but that's where my interest ended. I feel like those ideas along with the governmental issues should have been explored more in depth. The characters felt flat and I was constantly wondering why Jodi felt a pull to her new "friends" Astrid and Jules. What led up to the ending was the only excitement I felt during the book but even those events came out of nowhere. I'm left feeling like there was no plot and I'm asking myself what the point of the story was.
One thing that drove me absolutely NUTS was Jodi's nail biting/chewing/picking habit. It's so gross and every time she mentioned tearing a sliver of a nail off I wanted to hit her upside the head. Ok so you want your character to have a nervous habit? Fine. Mention it once or twice, maybe three times but constantly describing it through the whole book is really too much.
Overall I feel like if the book had been a little longer we would have had a chance to get more details and character development. The story has a ton of potential it just needs...more.
**I received this as an eARC through Netgalley from the publisher in exchange for an honest review. In no way does that effect the thoughts and opinions expressed here. I did not get compensated in any way for this review.**
REVIEW
My thoughts are a jumbled mess when it comes to thinking about Unearthed, much like the book itself was. For being such a short read (right around 100 pages) it took me THREE days to finish it! There were some ideas that I liked; life on Mars, along with space travel, Jodi's hacker skills and the technology spoken about were all pretty fascinating but that's where my interest ended. I feel like those ideas along with the governmental issues should have been explored more in depth. The characters felt flat and I was constantly wondering why Jodi felt a pull to her new "friends" Astrid and Jules. What led up to the ending was the only excitement I felt during the book but even those events came out of nowhere. I'm left feeling like there was no plot and I'm asking myself what the point of the story was.
One thing that drove me absolutely NUTS was Jodi's nail biting/chewing/picking habit. It's so gross and every time she mentioned tearing a sliver of a nail off I wanted to hit her upside the head. Ok so you want your character to have a nervous habit? Fine. Mention it once or twice, maybe three times but constantly describing it through the whole book is really too much.
Overall I feel like if the book had been a little longer we would have had a chance to get more details and character development. The story has a ton of potential it just needs...more.
June 14, 2012
Nice young adult science fiction, but maybe a little too short for its own good.
Jodi is a smart earth teen with a penchant for hacking. She moves with her mother to Mars to reunite with her father, and once there has to deal with the difficulties of adjusting to an entirely new planet. It gets hard when she lands right in the middle of a local conflict involving the government and a splinter faction of hardline protesters. It looks like no matter where you go, trouble can find you...
I liked the book quite a bit. It's well-written young adult science fiction with some nice characterization. I liked how they didn't soften the problems of moving to a remote colony, both physically and emotionally. Think about it, how would you get used to five minute showers and being forever locked in a dome? Or deal with Martian prejudice against Earthers? The book moves along well, and isn't afraid to twist some common cliches on end.
Unfortunately it moves too fast. The ending especially makes sense on reflection, but it involves a major personality switch that needed much more foreshadowing to be comfortable. The fast speed of the book also has a downside in that male characters feel shortchanged, and while I don't want to say its a misandrist vibe, it can come close to it. You'll understand reading it, and your mileage may vary on this. I think the book would have been a 4-5 star read if double the length: it really was fun to read, and with a little more setup and room to breathe it would have shined.
It's still quite enjoyable, and a nice change of pace from paranormal romances. Definitely buy it, but keep in mind its length.
Jodi is a smart earth teen with a penchant for hacking. She moves with her mother to Mars to reunite with her father, and once there has to deal with the difficulties of adjusting to an entirely new planet. It gets hard when she lands right in the middle of a local conflict involving the government and a splinter faction of hardline protesters. It looks like no matter where you go, trouble can find you...
I liked the book quite a bit. It's well-written young adult science fiction with some nice characterization. I liked how they didn't soften the problems of moving to a remote colony, both physically and emotionally. Think about it, how would you get used to five minute showers and being forever locked in a dome? Or deal with Martian prejudice against Earthers? The book moves along well, and isn't afraid to twist some common cliches on end.
Unfortunately it moves too fast. The ending especially makes sense on reflection, but it involves a major personality switch that needed much more foreshadowing to be comfortable. The fast speed of the book also has a downside in that male characters feel shortchanged, and while I don't want to say its a misandrist vibe, it can come close to it. You'll understand reading it, and your mileage may vary on this. I think the book would have been a 4-5 star read if double the length: it really was fun to read, and with a little more setup and room to breathe it would have shined.
It's still quite enjoyable, and a nice change of pace from paranormal romances. Definitely buy it, but keep in mind its length.
December 12, 2013
Going into this one I was thinking aliens were going to attack humans on Mars, that's what I got from the blurb, yet that is not what the tale is about. I think the blurb needs to be rethought to avoid confusion on the readers part and potential lower ratings due to attracting the wrong audience.
I quite enjoyed Jodi's sense of humour and her thought processes. As an IT person, I got quite a bit of a kick from that side of the story. I loved being thrust into the tech side of things.
Rest assured potential readers, you don't have to be a tech-geek to enjoy this story though. You are provided with plenty of information (without geek-ese) so you can understand what is happening.
Our antagonist... Well that was a bit of a surprise. I put things together before Jodi did, but that didn't mean I expected what happened. Woah! Talk about crazy!
I felt that we needed more perpetration before Mars, things were a bit rushed. This meant I was only just getting to know Jodi when all these we characters were thrown in. I wanted more of Jodi and Ellie's relationship too.
I also wanted more from the whole Mars experience. I felt I didn't get a full picture of what Jodi was experiencing. It was almost there, but not quite right...
The writing was fairly plain English and would be easy for most YA readers. There were no typos or problems that I saw and I really like the cover.
NOTE: I got this as an electronic ARC.
I quite enjoyed Jodi's sense of humour and her thought processes. As an IT person, I got quite a bit of a kick from that side of the story. I loved being thrust into the tech side of things.
Rest assured potential readers, you don't have to be a tech-geek to enjoy this story though. You are provided with plenty of information (without geek-ese) so you can understand what is happening.
Our antagonist... Well that was a bit of a surprise. I put things together before Jodi did, but that didn't mean I expected what happened. Woah! Talk about crazy!
I felt that we needed more perpetration before Mars, things were a bit rushed. This meant I was only just getting to know Jodi when all these we characters were thrown in. I wanted more of Jodi and Ellie's relationship too.
I also wanted more from the whole Mars experience. I felt I didn't get a full picture of what Jodi was experiencing. It was almost there, but not quite right...
The writing was fairly plain English and would be easy for most YA readers. There were no typos or problems that I saw and I really like the cover.
NOTE: I got this as an electronic ARC.
December 3, 2013
Firstly, I would just like to touch on the point that I do not feel that the blurb was accurate in relation to the book's plot and outcome.
Also, before I proceed with the actual review, I would like to highlight the fact that the word 'stupid-er' is used once in the story. Make of that what you will.
Moving on...
This book was great, and would have definitely been 5 stars, if not for the ending. The ending left me confused. I was asking myself, 'what actually happened when he attacked her?' and, 'where did his sudden character change come from?' (by the way, I'm not naming any characters in fear that I may give spoilers. The end of the book was completely unclear and totally rushed. It was as if Rebecca (the author) knew what she wanted to write, had a solid plot, yet did not have enough time to write it as well or as structured as she wanted to.
Slightly following on from this point, character development was quite shaky. It felt as if Rebecca was trying to make the book seem mysterious and add some suspense, but in reality it made me quite confused about the characters - as if I did not know them - and detracted from the story.
However, the overall plot was interesting, very unique, and quite obviously thought out of in great detail.
Overall, this book disappointed me as it appeared as if it would deserve 5 stars, but the ending severely let down the story
Also, before I proceed with the actual review, I would like to highlight the fact that the word 'stupid-er' is used once in the story. Make of that what you will.
Moving on...
This book was great, and would have definitely been 5 stars, if not for the ending. The ending left me confused. I was asking myself, 'what actually happened when he attacked her?' and, 'where did his sudden character change come from?' (by the way, I'm not naming any characters in fear that I may give spoilers. The end of the book was completely unclear and totally rushed. It was as if Rebecca (the author) knew what she wanted to write, had a solid plot, yet did not have enough time to write it as well or as structured as she wanted to.
Slightly following on from this point, character development was quite shaky. It felt as if Rebecca was trying to make the book seem mysterious and add some suspense, but in reality it made me quite confused about the characters - as if I did not know them - and detracted from the story.
However, the overall plot was interesting, very unique, and quite obviously thought out of in great detail.
Overall, this book disappointed me as it appeared as if it would deserve 5 stars, but the ending severely let down the story
November 20, 2012
I received a copy of this book from the publisher and NetGalley for an honest review. Jodi is moving to a new place and it is an unusual one. She along with her mother are going to Mars to join her father. Mars has some humans who were born there as it was colonized years ago. Jodi tries to fit in but has found herself in the middle of a political fight. One she isn't sure about but has found she is right in the middle of it.
Jodi is a smart girl after all she can hack just about any computer. This comes in real handy for her and her mother when they get to Mars. She has been part of some trouble back on Earth but here she is just trying to find her place in a whole new world to her. She also has to learn to live with her dad again after not seeing him in so long. I liked her character she does stand out.
This is short quick read. I did like it but wish it had been longer. I think it would have been so much better if it had been. The plot is great but it kinda fell flat. I could see it being so much more. It is still enjoyable just need more. The last little bit of the book felt rushed and sometimes I did get confused as what was happening. I think if you want a quick sci fi read you should try this one. It is a good read just could have been better!
Jodi is a smart girl after all she can hack just about any computer. This comes in real handy for her and her mother when they get to Mars. She has been part of some trouble back on Earth but here she is just trying to find her place in a whole new world to her. She also has to learn to live with her dad again after not seeing him in so long. I liked her character she does stand out.
This is short quick read. I did like it but wish it had been longer. I think it would have been so much better if it had been. The plot is great but it kinda fell flat. I could see it being so much more. It is still enjoyable just need more. The last little bit of the book felt rushed and sometimes I did get confused as what was happening. I think if you want a quick sci fi read you should try this one. It is a good read just could have been better!
September 28, 2012
I would like to thank Rebecca Bloomer for giving me the opportunity to read and review her book. While I appreciate the copy, my review will be completely honest and I will rate it as it appeals to me/my preferences.
I just can't go on...
I tried. I really, really tried to finish this book! I just can't.
The book failed to capture my interest, and this far deep into the book, I don't feel it's worth any more of my time. When I got to around page 25, I thought about stopping, but decided to press on. Now, around page 90 and still nothing has really happened in this book, I had to put it down. It was a tough decision, since Rebecca Bloomer gave me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I feel really bad not finishing it, but I just can't. I am being honest in my review though!
First, I was really attracted by this book. The story seemed unique and I couldn't wait to start it.
But for me, Unearthed it's too uninteresting and I just can't go on. It's boring and nothing interesting happens.
So, I would not recommend this book. The fact that I couldn't finish it says a lot. But, if you want, go for it!
It's just my honest opinion.
I just can't go on...
I tried. I really, really tried to finish this book! I just can't.
The book failed to capture my interest, and this far deep into the book, I don't feel it's worth any more of my time. When I got to around page 25, I thought about stopping, but decided to press on. Now, around page 90 and still nothing has really happened in this book, I had to put it down. It was a tough decision, since Rebecca Bloomer gave me a free copy in exchange for an honest review. I feel really bad not finishing it, but I just can't. I am being honest in my review though!
First, I was really attracted by this book. The story seemed unique and I couldn't wait to start it.
But for me, Unearthed it's too uninteresting and I just can't go on. It's boring and nothing interesting happens.
So, I would not recommend this book. The fact that I couldn't finish it says a lot. But, if you want, go for it!
It's just my honest opinion.
October 16, 2012
2.5*
Decent enough story but I find it to be far too short to be effective. I love short stories so I know how effective they can be if they are written well but this book had too many ideas flying around (and not all the ideas I feel were explored enough for me) for that to happen.
The characters were good but could have been developed better, as could the plotline of government upheaval and impending riots. I also didn't think the character of Jules was very believable, he basically changed from handsome mysterious teenage 'rebel' to murdering psychopath in the space of a few pages. It wasn't even really hinted at properly that he was so unhinged so when he first showed signs of his true nature I thought it was a joke and laughed.
I realise I may be a bit harsh here. These were my irks with the book in general. The story itself is good and the writing is decent but it was too simplistic for me. This would be a good introductory book for (younger?) readers who have never ventured into the sci-fi genre yet.
An advance reader copy was kindly supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.
Decent enough story but I find it to be far too short to be effective. I love short stories so I know how effective they can be if they are written well but this book had too many ideas flying around (and not all the ideas I feel were explored enough for me) for that to happen.
The characters were good but could have been developed better, as could the plotline of government upheaval and impending riots. I also didn't think the character of Jules was very believable, he basically changed from handsome mysterious teenage 'rebel' to murdering psychopath in the space of a few pages. It wasn't even really hinted at properly that he was so unhinged so when he first showed signs of his true nature I thought it was a joke and laughed.
I realise I may be a bit harsh here. These were my irks with the book in general. The story itself is good and the writing is decent but it was too simplistic for me. This would be a good introductory book for (younger?) readers who have never ventured into the sci-fi genre yet.
An advance reader copy was kindly supplied by the publisher through Netgalley.
November 2, 2012
This is going to be quite a short review as it is a short book.
Jodi and her mother find themselves moving to Mars to be with her father who has been working there. They arrive to find a new civilisation which is to become their new home.
The author does a fantastic job at world building. She really goes into great detail to describe the civilisation on Mars that has been built. Not only does she describe the landscape but also the society that has arisen.
Upon Mars live many that have never left the surface of the planet, those that were born on Mars and never stepped foot on Earth.
Unearthed is jam packed with politics, but don't worry it's nothing too heavy or hard to understand which I did worry about. The politics concerned is that the 'Martians' want to have their own independence. They are still governed by Earth and they are not happy about it.
Jodi basically finds herself in trouble and its up to you to read it to find out what happens. haha
If you like sci-fi /fantasy then give this short read a try.
Jodi and her mother find themselves moving to Mars to be with her father who has been working there. They arrive to find a new civilisation which is to become their new home.
The author does a fantastic job at world building. She really goes into great detail to describe the civilisation on Mars that has been built. Not only does she describe the landscape but also the society that has arisen.
Upon Mars live many that have never left the surface of the planet, those that were born on Mars and never stepped foot on Earth.
Unearthed is jam packed with politics, but don't worry it's nothing too heavy or hard to understand which I did worry about. The politics concerned is that the 'Martians' want to have their own independence. They are still governed by Earth and they are not happy about it.
Jodi basically finds herself in trouble and its up to you to read it to find out what happens. haha
If you like sci-fi /fantasy then give this short read a try.
November 25, 2012
Unfortunately this book expired before I could finish it. I was 15 pages from the end when it happened. So without knowing the end here are my brief thoughts. This book was great but it did suffer a bit from being a bit to short. Another 20 pages would of made events feel not so rushed. I liked the writing and the main character was great. I also felt that the Sci-fi elements were creative and unique. I especially loved the tattoos those were really such a clever idea. Would I recommend this book? Yes, I would. This book is one I would like to own and will probably purchase sometime in the future.
January 24, 2013
The book started off strong and really held my interest. The main premise is this uber geek girl was heading off to a Mars colony with her mum to join her father who had been working there. Settling in for her mum is hard and she realises that some of the friends she's made aren't all they seem.
The colony setting on Mars is really well described though and the main character is actually very well written and you do find yourself liking her.
Great premise and enjoyed reading but was so disappointed in the ending as I felt so much more could have been done with it. Still light and enjoyable and the kindle formatting was fine.
The colony setting on Mars is really well described though and the main character is actually very well written and you do find yourself liking her.
Great premise and enjoyed reading but was so disappointed in the ending as I felt so much more could have been done with it. Still light and enjoyable and the kindle formatting was fine.
May 14, 2012
I enjoyed Unearthed. A good SCI/FI book :)
January 3, 2017
Did not finish. I got to page 53 which was the middle of a chapter I might add, and I just couldn't stand it any longer.
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